#StyleHasNoSize Event with Evans

Good morning everyone!
So last week I was invited to attend Evan’s #StyleHasNoSize event in London at the Sanderson Hotel. It was a lovely evening of catching up with lots of bloggers and the Evans crew as well as a nail bar and of course photo booth.

I was rushing over from work so thought I would put on one of my new favourite dresses from Scarlett and Jo at Evans, which was designed for the gorgeous Hollie from Pretty Big Butterflies.
It’s sassy red number in a soft fabric with a beautiful fan print all over.

I don’t know how or why but it just fits like a dream – it hits and hugs in the right places and is so comfortable to wear. Much like my other tea dress that I review eons ago here, it will be one of my favourites in my closet now. Sadly it’s no longer available online :(.

I ran into so many lovely people who I haven’t seen in a while and it was a great way to celebrate Evans’ new future with the release of their Design Collective range. I can’t wait to see all the new stuff from the catwalk that is trickling in over the next couple weeks – stay tuned for my wish list.

 I had a quick chat with the beautiful Rosie and Isha and then tested out the Photo Booth where I made myself look a bit silly – but all in the name of fashion, of course. Here I am wight he beautiful Lorna and then I did a vain set of just me below.

Evans will be selling their #StyleHasNoSize t shirts from the month of June with profits going to the Rainbow Trust Charity so keep your eyes peeled and pick one up for a good cause.

Thanks Evans for hosting a lovely party! I had a great evening and am excited to see everything going forward!

MSSVG – An Introduction

Good evening everyone!

So yesterday I posted all about the amazing Junarose event. What I didn’t tell you was that the event was also organised in conjunction with the amazing plus size company MS.SVG. Monique, who start MS.SVG wanted to create a place that plus size ladies could shop and get a mix of all their favourite brands and it’s amazing. If you haven’t checked it out, go do it right now! MS. SVG!!

Here are a couple of my favourite things on the site right now.

Celine from Carmakoma

Junarose Silver Sheer Sweater

Zizzi Tshirt

I loved the Junarose event and was so glad that MS.SVG were part of it. We were given a cheeky item to take home too so I will share that with you very soon! In the mean time go check MS.SVG and use this code to get 25% off any full priced items you buy- newcustomer214!

xxToodalooKatie

Junarose VIP Event

Hello lovelies!

So at last I have found time to write about an event I attended for the new collection from Junarose. We were greeted by the lovely brand ambassadors Mrs BeBe and Hanna  and enjoyed cupcakes and Cava before trying on and browsing the collection.

They also had the current collection there which was great as I could see some items I have been eyeing up online in person and get a feel for the size and fabric.
I love the prints and colours from Spring/Summer.

And Autumn is amazing and sophisticated. My favourite item is this bomber jacket.

This mac was cute but I think I could have sized down. I am also wearing the Bird jeans which fit like a dream!

Here is Hanna looking amazing in the same trenchcoat!

At the end, we were given this amazing goodie bag made of felt – aren’t we just all so lovely!?

Photo via Lottie @ Junarose

Thanks Junarose for the lovely evening!

XXToodalooKatie

New Collections: Cut for Evans

Hello!

So even though I missed the launch for Cut for Evans, I still wanted to check out the collection myself in person to see what is was all about. If I ‘m honest, when I first saw the collections I wasn’t all that jazzed about it. I like that they are stepping out of the box, giving a young designer a chance and doing something different, so their heart is in the right place, but it really isn’t me. I have found that overall 

Evans has improved a lot in the last couple of years, but there is still work to be done.

Anyways, my first impression once in the store was that it was nice to see bright colours, but wasn’t sure if maybe it was a little too much. 

I also found it odd that some of the pieces are clearly designed for warm weather and others for cold – a bit random, although I suppose appropriate given the weather we have been having. The tops, skirts, trousers and jumpsuit are all thin and light where as the cardigans and knit dress feel double lined and thick.

I decided that regardless of what I thought on the outside I should check out the fit, even if some of it was beyond what I would usually pick up. I can appreciate perhaps wearing a top with a pair of jeans, but never together, it feels like too much. I wanted to see what the yellow patterned dress fit like as the material was stretchy and soft but also a bit like light scuba fabric.

It’s a cute cut, but for someone bigger busted like me, the neckline isn’t great and feels a bit too close – I think it makes me look squished in on the top. I also never wear yellow- but that’s a personal thing as I just don’t like the way it makes my skin look. I did love the little slash at the top left shoulder though – very cool.

Although, jumpsuits aren’t really my thing, I recently got one from Asos (well they are dungarees, but similar type of thing really), that I love so I am giving them another chance. I can’t begin to imagine where or why I would wear this. The colours are just ridiculous. I thought about sizing up but the legs would be too long so I can’t. Overall it was just not a good look for me.

 Here’s a little side pic of it in all it’s bad fit glory.

I did like the knit dress and though it was quite cool looking but then also thought that if I was looking for this style of dress/tunic I could probably do better.

So there you have it. I don’t want this post to be another bad mouth about Evans because that’s not my intention. From my point of view, they sometimes go overboard and miss out on great opportunities. At the moment, the Live Unlimited and Collection range have some great pieces and of course Scarlett & Jo has the most beautiful dresses so why can’t Evans stick to what works in that sense? I love that they step out of the box and do something different and involving fashion students is the greatest idea but in this case I think it was missing direction. 

Maybe it’s time they did a blogger collection?

I’d love to hear your thoughts… tell me all.

xxToodalooKatie

Event: Anna Scholz for Simply Be

Hello everyone!

So I have been meaning to blog this for about 2 weeks now and just couldn’t find the time, but as many others did, I attended an evening at Anna Scholz to see the new collection she has done for Simply Be. I was really excited as I have literally been drooling over the lime and black lace lingerie since I first saw the video at Plus London. 

I love how mixed the styles are with plenty of colour and cuts – truly an Anna Scholz collection!

I had the pleasure of spending my time with so many lovely ladies – check them out in these action shots below:

My absolute favourite piece was this incredible PU Leather jacket  with embroidery – I cannot wait to get my hands on this so I can wear it all the time. (Pardon my clashing shirt.)

It was such a lovely evening full of laughter and excellent style. Thank you Anna Scholz for having us all! And now a little candid shot of Anna’s dog Frida… what a darling.

XXToodalooKatie

My day in Liverpool with Simply Be

Hello my lovelies!

I am back after another month of craziness. I have moved again, to a little seaside town called Deal in Kent. So long pub life, and so long Dover! We had a lot of difficulty with our boss at the pub so good riddance and on to better and bigger things. I am working 2 part time jobs which is nice and we are finally settling in to our new home. So now that those details are out of the way, I can get back to blogging and showing off the piles of new things I have.

Last week, Simply Be got in touch with me to see if I would be interested in going to Liverpool to check out one of their stores, and experience the Simply Be shopping experience. I, having ordered from them before and struggled with sizing was very keen, as I wanted to try things on and get a better feel for what size I wear etc. So, despite the major journey, I went to Liverpool for the day! I have never been to Liverpool so it was pretty exciting and I wish I could have stayed longer.

Once in Liverpool, I went straight to the Simply Be store, to meet Meghan who is an expert on dressing clients and showing them what looks good. Meghan, along with the other amazing crew measured my feet and calves (to fit wide calf boots), and picked out lots of outfits that fit my style and one or two that are completely out of character for me but really surprised me! It makes such a difference when someone else picks pieces out for you and I found myself wearing a dress that I never would have picked out on my own.   I also found out how much my body has changed over the last little while and that my size has changed quite a bit too. Let me show you some photos from the day, taken by the amazing Magic Mirror in the changing room area. You stand in front of it and it counts down and takes 4 photos of you in your new outfit. You can pose, and capture every bit of the outfit, even the back and they jazz them up with frames or colour changes as you will see below! I want one in my bedroom now. You can print them, upload them to facebook, twitter or email them to yourself, it’s cool stuff.

Here is what I looked like when I showed up: Typical me – scarf in hair, my new Kate Moss lipstick, Old Navy denim shirt (old collection), M&S black jeans and Primark moustache flats.

And here are a couple of the awesome outfits that Meghan picked out for me: Skull shirt and no shoes!

I loved this AX Paris Curve tunic in black and in purple. The belt is not part of it, but it’s just a bit of ribbon tied around the back. I am in love with AX Paris Curve, the fit is great and the dresses are super cute.

Next up is an outfit that I ended up taking home – I love this studded shirt with the leggings – perfect for the days that I work at a local cafe making and serving coffee and I’ll tuck it into a skirt for fancier days!

The last outfit is one that Meghan brought to me and I almost didn’t put on. On the hanger it didn’t say much to me as it really isn’t my style, but when I put it on I instantly felt beautiful in it! It was paired with a pair of ankle boots and some fancy jewellery which is what I wore for a little in store interview, but you will have to wait for the interview to be up to see the finished look. In the meantime, here is the dress! It’s the Chain Printed dress from AX Paris Curve (which will be up on the Simply Be site soon I have been told!)

The shopping experience really was great, and if you live near a Simply Be store, take the time and go visit the experts. I am saving up so I can order a couple more of the outfits I tried on and a pair of boots that actually fit my calves! Hooray! Thank you Simply Be for bringing me to Liverpool for the day, it was a great time and I hope to be back very soon!

Have you guys been to a Simply Be store yet? What was your experience?

xo ToodalooKatie

My day in Liverpool with Simply Be

Hello my lovelies!

I am back after another month of craziness. I have moved again, to a little seaside town called Deal in Kent. So long pub life, and so long Dover! We had a lot of difficulty with our boss at the pub so good riddance and on to better and bigger things. I am working 2 part time jobs which is nice and we are finally settling in to our new home. So now that those details are out of the way, I can get back to blogging and showing off the piles of new things I have.

Last week, Simply Be got in touch with me to see if I would be interested in going to Liverpool to check out one of their stores, and experience the Simply Be shopping experience. I, having ordered from them before and struggled with sizing was very keen, as I wanted to try things on and get a better feel for what size I wear etc. So, despite the major journey, I went to Liverpool for the day! I have never been to Liverpool so it was pretty exciting and I wish I could have stayed longer.

Once in Liverpool, I went straight to the Simply Be store, to meet Meghan who is an expert on dressing clients and showing them what looks good. Meghan, along with the other amazing crew measured my feet and calves (to fit wide calf boots), and picked out lots of outfits that fit my style and one or two that are completely out of character for me but really surprised me! It makes such a difference when someone else picks pieces out for you and I found myself wearing a dress that I never would have picked out on my own.   I also found out how much my body has changed over the last little while and that my size has changed quite a bit too. Let me show you some photos from the day, taken by the amazing Magic Mirror in the changing room area. You stand in front of it and it counts down and takes 4 photos of you in your new outfit. You can pose, and capture every bit of the outfit, even the back and they jazz them up with frames or colour changes as you will see below! I want one in my bedroom now. You can print them, upload them to facebook, twitter or email them to yourself, it’s cool stuff.

Here is what I looked like when I showed up: Typical me – scarf in hair, my new Kate Moss lipstick, Old Navy denim shirt (old collection), M&S black jeans and Primark moustache flats.

And here are a couple of the awesome outfits that Meghan picked out for me: Skull shirt and no shoes!

I loved this AX Paris Curve tunic in black and in purple. The belt is not part of it, but it’s just a bit of ribbon tied around the back. I am in love with AX Paris Curve, the fit is great and the dresses are super cute.

Next up is an outfit that I ended up taking home – I love this studded shirt with the leggings – perfect for the days that I work at a local cafe making and serving coffee and I’ll tuck it into a skirt for fancier days!

The last outfit is one that Meghan brought to me and I almost didn’t put on. On the hanger it didn’t say much to me as it really isn’t my style, but when I put it on I instantly felt beautiful in it! It was paired with a pair of ankle boots and some fancy jewellery which is what I wore for a little in store interview, but you will have to wait for the interview to be up to see the finished look. In the meantime, here is the dress! It’s the Chain Printed dress from AX Paris Curve (which will be up on the Simply Be site soon I have been told!)

The shopping experience really was great, and if you live near a Simply Be store, take the time and go visit the experts. I am saving up so I can order a couple more of the outfits I tried on and a pair of boots that actually fit my calves! Hooray! Thank you Simply Be for bringing me to Liverpool for the day, it was a great time and I hope to be back very soon!

Have you guys been to a Simply Be store yet? What was your experience?

xo ToodalooKatie

Check Out My New Do!

Oh hi there again!

So, when I was in London 2 weeks ago to visit Evans (as you can see in the previous post) I booked in to have my hair cut and styled at Rockalily Cuts over in the Hoxton/Shoreditch hood of London. I had been waiting impatiently to have my hair done here for ages, as I have wanted a proper fringe done up and had so many botched cuts in the last couple of months. Rockalily Cuts specialises in rockabilly hair styles and classic looks. It is definitely the cutest salon I have ever been in, topped off with the lovely 2 woman crew running it and a little dog named Ellington.

I had planned to simply go in and have my hair cut and styled all fancy and rockabilly like but I didn’t expect to have all my hair dreams come true like they did. There was a woman ahead of me who had awesome orange/red hair that was being all done up in a curl set, complete with time under the dryer hood. When she emerged, she had big perfect curls that looked amazing. I told the stylist, Lucie that I had always dreamed of having mine done like that and she promptly offered to do it to mine too. An hour later, feeling rather pampered, I was all done up looking cute and curled and in my best outfit for the afternoon.

Outfit: Shirt – Received from a clothes swap

Skirt – Collectif (here)

Shoes – TK Maxx (Hush Puppies)

Belt – Torrid

Necklace – MooMoonz

I have absolutely fallen in love with having curly hair and wish it would always stay this fun and awesome.  If you are in London you should definitely book in for a hair cut or do, it was such a great time and I walked out feeling like a million bucks! Thanks Lucie and ReeRee!

And now a picture of me, curly haired, day 2, working behind the bar 🙂

Thanks for reading and stay tuned as I have more goodies coming from Collectif in the post! Run Postman Run!

OXOX

ToodalooKatie

Evans Clements Ribeiro – Swan Collection

 

 

 

Hey lovelies!

So last week, I had the chance to go to London and see the new Clements Ribiero Swan collection for Evans at their HQ. I attended in place of Gaelle from Les Pitreries de Vanoue as she is all the way in Paris! I was really looking forward to seeing the collection as I find that every guest collection with Evans is always a surprise. I wasn’t a big fan of the previous collection from Clements Ribiero as I don’t wear many prints and found the dresses very long, however, this time I was pleasantly surprised. The Swan Collection has a variety of pieces and style in it making it more versatile and more friendly to different types of plus size bodies. As you can see above, this 1920s style flapper dresses to die for and hopefully will be appearing in my closet, once I make up an excuse to own it.

(Photo Courtesy of Fat Girls Like Nice Clothes Too)

My favourite part about the collection is how classically styled the pieces are, from heavy fabrics with lovely embroidery to lined cardigans and a stunning 3/4 sleeve oversized coat with toggles.  There are also a selection of tunics and longer dresses made of stretchy soft material  that don’t look like much on the hanger, but once on a body, really flatter the figure.For me, this collection represents a lot of thought about how clothing is cut for plus sized women and it’s so nice to see.

It was a really lovely afternoon seeing all the new collection and catching up with a few awesome bloggers who I haven’t seen in a while. Check out Bethany’s review of the collections over on Arched Eyebrow, and Diane from Fat Girls Like Nice Clothes Too! Oh and I have done a French guest review over on Les Pitreries de Vanoue too!  The collection is out very soon, and head over to the Evans website to be the first to know more! Thanks to Gaelle and Evans for having me for the afternoon, it was a real treat!

XO ToodalooKatie

ps. stay tuned for a hair post! Hooray!

Evans Clements Ribeiro – Swan Collection

 

 

 

Hey lovelies!

So last week, I had the chance to go to London and see the new Clements Ribiero Swan collection for Evans at their HQ. I attended in place of Gaelle from Les Pitreries de Vanoue as she is all the way in Paris! I was really looking forward to seeing the collection as I find that every guest collection with Evans is always a surprise. I wasn’t a big fan of the previous collection from Clements Ribiero as I don’t wear many prints and found the dresses very long, however, this time I was pleasantly surprised. The Swan Collection has a variety of pieces and style in it making it more versatile and more friendly to different types of plus size bodies. As you can see above, this 1920s style flapper dresses to die for and hopefully will be appearing in my closet, once I make up an excuse to own it.

(Photo Courtesy of Fat Girls Like Nice Clothes Too)

My favourite part about the collection is how classically styled the pieces are, from heavy fabrics with lovely embroidery to lined cardigans and a stunning 3/4 sleeve oversized coat with toggles.  There are also a selection of tunics and longer dresses made of stretchy soft material  that don’t look like much on the hanger, but once on a body, really flatter the figure.For me, this collection represents a lot of thought about how clothing is cut for plus sized women and it’s so nice to see.

It was a really lovely afternoon seeing all the new collection and catching up with a few awesome bloggers who I haven’t seen in a while. Check out Bethany’s review of the collections over on Arched Eyebrow, and Diane from Fat Girls Like Nice Clothes Too! Oh and I have done a French guest review over on Les Pitreries de Vanoue too!  The collection is out very soon, and head over to the Evans website to be the first to know more! Thanks to Gaelle and Evans for having me for the afternoon, it was a real treat!

XO ToodalooKatie

ps. stay tuned for a hair post! Hooray!