The Em Edit: Dresses

Showing posts with label Dresses. Show all posts

IT'S CHRISTMAS with Joanie clothing

Saturday, December 17, 2016

I've been desperate to share this Joanie Clothing dress with you all but a bit like with Christmas decorations, I didn't want to share it too soon and for it to lose any sparkle!

Odette Cocktail Dress - Joanie Clothing
Shoes - New Look (Old)

As you may know, I was extremely lucky earlier this year in that I modeled some of the Christmas range for Joanie, meaning that I not only got a sneak peak but also got to wear it. Which is where I fell for the Odette...

The epitome of 1950s cocktail dress fom the scalloped neckline to the full skirt, this dress is an item which I am genuinely excited to have in my wardrobe. Just look at that print (CAN YOU TELL I'M IN LOVE?)

Bag - Vintage Gift

There is also an utterly stunning cocktail skirt in the Cocktail print (The Noelle) which I am the proud owner of and have already worn on three separate occasions - It really is gorgeous. With both the dress and the skirt, the volume comes from the cut - This means that there is no need for an underskirt to achieve the beautiful 50's silhouette which brings me such joy.

As with most of the fitted items from Joanie, I have sized up half a size with the Odette meaning that this dress is an 18. There is plenty of room around the bust and hips and it sits beautifully close around the waist.

I honestly could not ask for a more beautiful dress for the festive season, it is total perfection. For me, Joanie Clothing have been instrumental in brightening up what has otherwise been a pretty grim year and I'm hugely enjoying seeing them go from strength to strength. If you like brands who care about style, elegance and most importantly their customers; Joanie clothing are the guys for you.

Em x

* Denotes items gifted for review - All views are my own.

I'm a Ssssnake - The Elvi Shirt Dress

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Look, I'm wearing clothes again. Well done me.

Now you all know I like Elvi, their clothes are consistently stylish, well made and fit me like a dream - This shirt dress is no different.

Printed Dip Hem Shirt Dress* - Elvi
Leggings - H&M
Over the knee boots - Primark
Gold Tassel Earrings - H&M (Similar)
Bag - Vintage

Shirt Dresses are just so flipping easy to wear, I've worn this one with and without the belt, over jeans and leggings. I love how this sheer one it looks with gold accessories and my much loved OTK boots. The side splits are extremely high so I don't think that I would wear it with tights but I know plenty of women who would brave it and look incredible. I'm currently considering some leather look leggings (WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME) that this dress would look BANGING with.

In terms of sizing, I could have definitely gone for true to size here but usually size up with anything shirt related due to my broad back, so this is an 18 and it is lovely and loose, hence me cinching it up over the belt. The Dip hem means that it is on the knee for me at the front the calf length at the back when not cinched - Ideal for you taller ladies.

I've got another lovely Elvi dress with a very 70s vibe to show you soon - Watch this space!

Em x

* Denotes items gifted for review - All views are my own.

Taking Floral into Autumn with Lovedrobe

Sunday, October 30, 2016

I've heard of people who pack away their Summer wardrobe. Like they actually put everything they wear in the warmer months into suitcases and then get them out again the next year.

1. Who is this organised?

2. How do they have this much time?

3. Why would you do this?

Shift dress* - Lovedrobe
Block Heel Ankle Boots* - Simply Be
Aviator Jacket - River Island (Similar)

Most of my wardrobe is incredibly versatile in that I wear it all year round; Sometimes I put a roll neck under an item, sometimes I swap a skirt for a pair of skinny jeans. More often than not, I bang on a pair of tights, ankle boots and a big old coat to keep out the cold, just as I have with this Plus Size Shift dress from Lovedrobe.

This dress is already pretty seasonal in that it is knee length, fully lined and has a beautiful embroidery to the front and sleeves. I'm an eternal fan of navy blue but this particular dress is also available in maroon (As seen here on gorgeous Lucy) Size-wise, I opted to size up twice due to the generally small fit of Lovedrobe, actually an 18 would have been fine but I like the looser fit of it, particularly around the sleeves.

I've been pairing the dress with my River Island aviator jacket which I invested in after getting hold of a 25% discount in October and I LOVE IT. It's so warm and the over-sizing of it means that it sits in exactly the right place and isn't at all boxy. Plus I get to look like Del Boy - What more could one want from life? I've looked online and can't see it in stock other than in black but have definitely seen it still in store so if you're interested it may be worth having a look about.

I've also been wearing these Simply Be Ankle Boots* non-stop recently, they go with absolutely everything. If you fancy reading a bit more about them I've written the first of two Autumn guest posts for them over on the Simply Be blog - Why not have a read.

Em x

*Denotes items gifted for review - All views are my own FACT.

A Retro Autumn with Yours Clothing

Sunday, October 23, 2016

You all know I love a good year round retro look and this Autumnal outfit of bell sleeved mini dress and over the knee boots is currently rocking my world.

Khaki Swing Dress* - Yours Clothing
Dogtooth Blanket Scarf* - Yours Clothing
Over the knee boots - Primark

The ladder detailing at the front of this Yours Clothing Swing Dress give it the feel of a dress much more expensive than its £26. It may be mini but as long as I don't stand in any wind tunnels my dignity will remain in tact. I'm wearing an 18 here but could have probably sized down to a 16, I just wasn't sure about that waistline -Turns out it's less skater cut and more swing which makes it nice and loose. The sleeves are also very true to size SO I'd recommend that if you're into this frock, go for your own size or the lower if you're between. Coupled with an extremely versatile (and delightfully big!) monochrome Dogtooth scarf I'm feeling very mod chick.

So I did it, I bought some over the knee boots. You may have noticed from this here blog that you read, I have long legs, looooooooong legs. I also have a pair of legs which are smack bang in the middle of regular and wide. This means that OTKs have always been well off my radar despite loving them deep down in my heart. Enter Primark with this utterly bloody perfect pair of size 8, block heel, pull up pair of dream boots. They fit me perfectly both in length and width, are comfortable and were only £20: WINNER!

I love, love, LOVE this look.The 60s aesthetic is everything to me and Autumn is the perfect time to showcase it. It's likely that I'll put a pair of tights on with this from this day forward because BOY IS IT COLD but with a long woolen coat and my bobble hat I can see this being a key outfit for 2016.

I'd just like to thank my wonderful sister Tomato for taking these pictures - She's got MAD skillz.

Em x

*Denotes items gifted for review - All views are my own FACT.

Style | Gothic Glamour with Missguided

Monday, October 17, 2016

Unlike most people, I'm not that big on Halloween, I feel like it's become a big deal out of nowhere and I can't keep up with the pressure to be a sexy cat/zombie/squirrel/piece of cutlery. That said, I do quite like a good old fashioned gothic look so this weekend that's what I've done. Right here.

A walk on the wild side with Elvi

Thursday, October 13, 2016

With their classic, easy to wear plus size capsule ranges, Elvi have been a key contributor to my wardrobe in 2016. Today brings the turn of their luscious Animal Print Dress*.

Animal Print High Neck Dress* - Elvi
Jersey Leggings - H&M
Ankle Boots - Primark
Patchwork Clutch Bag - Simply Be

I'll be entirely honest, I cant work out what animal this is a print of - The closest I can get is a sort of leopard/snake hybrid (Can you imagine?!? TERRIFYING) with its green and grey highlights. The dress itself is a lovely light silky poly blend which, along with its simple shift cut, makes it an utter delight to wear. I'm well into a high neck at the moment (I can keep my chins warm in them) and I like how this one gives a gentle nod to the 1960s.

I'm wearing an 18 here and I would say it is very true to size in all elements except length. It's much more like a tunic on me but that's just fine because over a pair of jeans or, in this case, leggings, it is such an easy item to wear. I wore it for tea with my husband and he did an awful lot of stroking of the silky fabric so I wouldn't recommend it if you don't want to be gently manhandled.

I've seen a bit of what Elvi have to offer going into the festive period and all I can say is: If you like sequins, gird your loins!

Em x

* Denotes gifted items - All views are absolutely 100% my own as I'm not imaginative enough to make things up...

Style | Christina Forever - The Joanie Clothing Hendricks Pencil Dress

Sunday, October 09, 2016

Every now and then you find a dress that puts a huge smile on your face and a little wiggle in your tummy. This is that dress.

Style | A Plus Size Wedding Guest

Thursday, October 06, 2016

I'm sorry that this post isn't a little more timely but sadly I somehow put the pictures in a folder on my phone I couldn't see. Don't ask. Anyway, these are a couple of outfits I've worn to weddings this year and they seemed too lovely not to share.

Style | A Plus Size Superhero - The Want That Trend Cape Dress

Friday, September 16, 2016

At last weekend's fabulous Curve Fashion Festival, I was invited to meet Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan to discuss the launch of her new plus-size range with Want That Trend.

Navy Fiona Bodycon Dress* - Want That Trend
Fringed Earrings - H&M
Court Shoes - New Look (Similar)

Now I must confess, I didn't know what to expect with Holly at all but I really liked her.

I have to say despite this, I'm not entirely in agreement with Holly's rationale behind the range; There's a lot of talk of "health" and use of the word "flatter". For me, fashion is fashion, health is health - The two bear no relevance to each other whatsoever and it's part of the anti-fat agenda to suggest otherwise.

Holly is not currently plus size and the world in which she's lived for the past six years is diet and fitness-centric - She can be sympathetic to the needs of a plus size woman but can't truly understand it. What I will say from speaking from her is, there is no sense of dislike for how she looked in the past, quite the opposite, there is also none of that dissociation from herself as a larger woman that we've come to expect from the exercise DVD generation of celebs. This means more to me than a few poorly worded tweets.

Holly Hagan at the 2016 Curve Fashion Festival

I know it's very fashionable to berate reality TV stars as being inappropriate role models to young people, but Holly has never been anything other than herself; she works her ass off, stands up for herself and her family and comes across as an incredibly smart young woman. The amount of hate she has received over the past six years is obscene, the fact that she's come out of the other side as sensible and self-aware as she is simply phenomenal. That has to count for something.

By far, my favourite item of Holly's range is the Navy Fiona Bodycon dress* which I was very fortunate to be gifted by the lovely WTT team at last week's Curve Fashion Festival. The dress is a textured elastine which means that it has a bit of stretch but still keeps its shape perfectly. Also, IT HAS A CAPE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.

I'm wearing a 16 here and it is very much true to size. I mentioned in my last review of Want That Trend that the lengths were a bit of an issue for me, I also fed this back to the WTT team and they told me that they're going to be working on more longer length designs in the future. Fortunately, the Fiona dress is a very true midi length even on my 6ft height.

The Holly Hagan range goes from a size 8 - 24 in many styles, up to a 32 in two of the designs (I love the lace skater dress here), and includes jumpsuits, dresses, separates and trousers. I'm not always great at articulating my admiration for brands but I want to make a point while I'm able: All WTT designs are a set price, regardless of the size - This is how it SHOULD be, but not always how it IS (looking at you ASOS...)

Finally, the owner of WTT, Victoria Molyneux, is a genuinely awesome (and utterly gorgeous) woman - It would have been so easy for her to carry on turning over a substantial profit without expanding the range, but she genuinely wants to make the same styles available to women of all sizes, as she said before Curve Fashion Fest:

"I'm really looking forward to launching our new plus-size items at Curve and meeting like minded ladies who are as fierce about fashion as I am."

The fact that she recognizes plus size women are capable of being passionate about fashion speaks volumes and I look forward to seeing this range go from strength to strength.

Rear view - I love my ass in this dress,

I have some fab posts coming up over the next week. Until then, you can always catch up with me across the plethora of social mediums which exist on this planet as below:

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Em x

* Denotes Item gifted for review - All views are my own because I'm an honest kinda chick,

A Plus Size Bridesmaid - Part One: David's Bridal

Friday, August 26, 2016

Last month I was asked to be a bridesmaid. Well I say "asked" - My sister got engaged and I just assumed. Even if she says not, I'm still going to wear a bridesmaid dress and walk down the aisle in front of her so she might as well give me the job to be honest. This is all of the following: Wonderful, magical and HARD WORK.

There are going to be five of us bridesmaids. What we have in common is that we're cool as f*ck, drop dead gorgeous and generally just a pleasure to be around. What we don't have in common is our sizes, heights or body shapes - Hence this being the first in a series of "A Plus Size Bridesmaid" posts.

What I want to do in this series is to source as many potential dress stockists as possible, not only to help you guys but also to try and help Our Kid in ensuring that we are all appropriately dressed on her special day and don't look like a mismatched bunch of bridesmaid wannabes. For this reason, I'm going to be looking out for size 6 - 20 floor length coral-toned dresses, in keeping with (this week's...) theme of her wedding.

I'm sincerely hoping that I'll get the opportunity to try some of these brands in real life but guys, it is difficult. So many stockists are available purely online and in most cases you're forking out over £100 for a dress that may or may not fit. When you factor in the fact that most brides have at least three bridesmaids, it's no small change. If I do manage this, I'll be sure to post updates on the blog and my Social Media feeds. Likewise, if you have any brands/styles you've worn yourselves which I can feature I'd be over the moon - Nothing's better than the recommendation of a wonderful woman!

The Dresses:

The dresses above are all "White by Vera Wang" and I think they're utterly stunning. I'm pleased that there is a range of styles within the maxi dress category, also some sensible yet attractive straps for us bustier bridesmaids who don't want to give the congregation a coronary.

The Sizing:

All of the dresses above are available in sizes 4 - 30. David's Bridal also have petite and extra length options in other styles which you can see on their website.

The Prices:

All dresses above range from £160 - £186. These aren't budget prices at all BUT when you think about what you'd pay for an occasion dress, it seems reasonable for what I'm assuming would be a well made dress.

Availability:

David's Bridal is available online as well as instore:

London - The Street, Westfield Stratford City,

Watford - Waterfields Retail Park,

Glasgow - Braehead Shopping Centre,

Not good news for most of us - I'd really like to try before I buy. However, delivery appears to be 5 - 11 days in the UK and as long as your item is not bespoke, there is a 14 days return policy. It seems a pretty safe and clear policy to me, unlike many other online vendors I've looked into.

Summary:

I like David's Bridal - The pricing is reasonable for an occasion dress, the items look incredibly classic, well made and I love that they have a "Real Bridesmaids" gallery which allows you to see how the dresses look on a range of gorgeous shapes and sizes. It seems likely that I'll be making an order from here, so expect pictures!

Have you tried David's Bridal? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below...

Em x

New Plus Size Brand - Want That Trend

Monday, August 22, 2016

NEW PLUS SIZE BRAND ALERT

Introducing for your delectation and delight: Want That Trend

Adolphe Floral Skater Dress* - We Want That Trend
Shoes - New Look (Similar here)

Want That Trend have recently taken a foray into the plus size world with a HUGE range of dresses in sizes 16 - 24, Seriously, there are more than 100 to choose from, all of which are chic, feminine and if they're anything like this one; incredibly easy to wear. Most importantly, they're all priced at around £23, which is unheard of for the majority of PS brands. I decided to go for the Adolphe skater dress due to the rich Autumnal print. GUYS I AM READY FOR AUTUMN NOW. Frankly, I miss my tights and am sick of having orange ankles THANK YOU.

I’ve said before that I’m not a fan of the skater dress shape but I honestly think I need to re-evaluate because this is the last in long line of dresses in this style that I’ve fallen for; Especially when they have an interesting sleeve like this one. These cap sleeves have some REAL height to them - Proper power shoulders, which is always a winner for me.

TALL LADIES, I was actually sent five dresses from Want That Trend and this was the only one which maintained my modesty, so I would very much suggest you check the length on the description (I didn’t do this – When will I learn?!?) WTT state the length of most items and I’ll definitely know for future that the 93cm+ dresses = Yes and the 90cm- dresses = Not unless I want to be arrested.

Other than length, the fit is fine; this is an 18 and although the fit is snug, (I’d say size up wherever possible) the arm holes, shoulder and back are accommodating, plus the scuba material allows for a bit of give if required - Just remember that patterns can fade when stretched! I also like that this is a dress I can just pull on over my head with a pair of tights and I'll immediately look work ready without messing about.

It’s always nice to be able to add another brand to the plus size list, especially when they're offering something that I've not seen anywhere else. I can't wait to see what's coming next from Want That Trend.

Em x

* Denotes items gifted for review - As always, opinions are my own.

Plus Size Leopard - The New Look Midi Dress.

Sunday, July 17, 2016

I've been eyeing this New Look dress up for a while but when I saw the ever radiant Bethany from Arched Eyebrow wear an extremely similar frock SO successfully I realised the time had come to part with my dolla.

Leopard Print Midi Dress - New Look
Tan Suedette Ghillie Sandals - New Look
Turquoise Earrings - Gift, Ti Sento (similar)

Yes, I am posing in front of a "Cool" wall here. I needed to get as far away from my back garden as possible due to very nearly killing myself with weed/ivy and nettle removal. I've genuinely never sweated as much in my entire life. And the garden still looks crap. So I took myself off, ate a tenners worth of Taco Bell and leoparded it up in front of some cool things.

I love the neckline here - it's very similar to a slash neck, making it just that bit more glam. Added to the elasticated pleating, perfect length and sash belt, you have an extremely easy to wear and versatile Summer look.

I'm wearing the dress with my Tan Ghillie sandals; also from New Look and my very favourite turquoise teardrop earrings which were a 30th birthday present from my lovely mum and dad. Isn't turquoise wonderful? I feel like it's a neutral shade in the same way that leopard print is - meaning that it goes with EVERYTHING.

I'm on the look out for more Tshirt style midi dresses of this ilk, recommendations greatly accepted!

Em x

A Plus Size Holiday Wardrobe - The Warehouse Stripe Midi Dress

Thursday, June 30, 2016

It's time for Part Three of my Plus Size Holiday Wardrobe, which brings us to the fabulous, dream to wear; Warehouse Stripe Midi Pencil Dress.

Stripe Midi Pencil Dress - Warehouse
Sandals - Primark (Similar here)

What really sold this dress to me was the fit. This is an 18 and other than a little bit of bagging around the bottom (Goodness knows why, my ass is one of my more voluptuous regions!) it fits like an absolute dream. It's like it was made for my proportions - At 6ft it hits just the right place in the calf for a midi, the zip up back means that the bust and waist can fit snugly without pulling at the seams and the straps sit in exactly the same place as my bra straps - HURRAH!!!

This really is such a lovely dress to wear - It is a soft cotton which looks and feels more like a light linen. It's one of those "throw it on and you'll be fine" frocks. Plus: Pockets.

The only issue I did have with the dress is that the straps are attached at the back with buttons, not the strongest buttons may I add. Luckily my Mum is a dab hand with a needle because I very much needed stitching back into the dress on its second wear... beyond this, the quality is utterly excellent and I can see this being a dress that lasts me a really long time. Unless I spill more crap on it. Which I inevitably will.

Sadly, these old reliable Primark lace up sandals died on the last day of the holiday (Whilst I was out. It was great) so I have had to replace them with some very similar ones from New Look which are actually a tad more comfortable. Has anyone else found that they need a small heel as they get older? I do hope so because I have and I'm not even that old (am I?!?!)

I'll definitely be considering Warehouse more in the future if this dress is anything to go by, in fact, I already have my eye on this floral print midi for Autumn; Hurray for surprise shop successes!

Em x

A Plus Size Holiday Wardrobe - The Pleated H&M Dress

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

It's time for part two of my Plus Size Holiday Wardrobe, and today's item is one which ridiculously very nearly didn't make it into the suitcase...

Pleated Dress - H&M (Available up to a 20)
Sandals - Primark (Similar here)
Earrings - H&M (Similar here)

I first saw this Mustard yellow Pleated Dress in the Birmingham Bull Ring H&M and got a little twinkle in my eye...until doubt kicked in... Thin straps?!? It's been a loooong time since I wore thin straps. Even as a gangly teenager, my shoulders felt too broad for such a dainty style. So I left it. Until the day that I returned an epically misjudged bikini purchase the store in Meadowhall and the dress reared its pretty little mustard face once more, begging me to reconsider. Now I'm not one to let a pretty dress down so I bought it without even trying the thing on.

I AM SO GLAD I AM STUPIDLY IMPULSIVE; This dress is a dream - Calf-length, double layered with an elasticated seam under the bust, cut-out at the back and slits in the sides, it just screams HOLIDAAAAAYYYYY! I am over the moon with it.

This is a size 16 and INCREDIBLY it is true to size (H&M and I do not see eye to eye on our sizing in that their sizing is wrong) Available up to a size 20, I feel that this is the Summer dress many of us have been waiting for. Sadly, I spilled garlic oil right down the middle of it but my Mum assures me she can fix it which is bloody lucky because I don't have a flaming clue when it comes to this shizzle.

A word of advice: This skirt is VERY transparent. I just put a pair of my shapewear shorts on underneath and it was all OK but I would hate for someone to buy this for a wedding on my recommendation and be subsequently excommunicated from the family for showing up the bride... Other than this, the pleated dress is yet another incredibly easy to wear holiday item which, even just paired with a simple pair of sandals and gold earrings, made me feel utterly gorgeous.

There you go, further evidence that it's worth shopping outside of your comfort zone!

Em x

IT'S CHRISTMAS with Joanie clothing

I'm a Ssssnake - The Elvi Shirt Dress

Taking Floral into Autumn with Lovedrobe

A Retro Autumn with Yours Clothing

Style | Gothic Glamour with Missguided

A walk on the wild side with Elvi

Style | Christina Forever - The Joanie Clothing Hendricks Pencil Dress

Style | A Plus Size Wedding Guest

Style | A Plus Size Superhero - The Want That Trend Cape Dress

A Plus Size Bridesmaid - Part One: David's Bridal

New Plus Size Brand - Want That Trend

Plus Size Leopard - The New Look Midi Dress.

A Plus Size Holiday Wardrobe - The Warehouse Stripe Midi Dress

A Plus Size Holiday Wardrobe - The Pleated H&M Dress

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