An Evening at Bleach London with Sourz

Hello lovelies!

So today is a long overdue post on a super fun evening that I have at a blogger night at Bleach London hosted with Sourz. A group of us were there to check out the new Bleach London hair chalks and sample some tasty Sourz shots and drinks.

It was lovely to have a few cheeky shots, one or two that tasted like cheesecake and then to have the Bleach girls chalk all our hair up into pretty colours.

Here I am about to have my raspberry cheesecake shot which I made myself, with a little help from  the lovely mixologist, Joel. 

Michaela had gorgeous mermaid colours added onto her bleached ends which looked amazing.

And I had pink put through my already red hair - I was surprised at home much the colour showed up!

I love a good hair chalk because it means you can change it up all the time depending on what you are wearing.

Definitely check out Bleach London for some cool Halloween hair too - I've seen it all over their Instagram and Twitter this past week and it's pretty cool!

If you haven't tried hair chalks, get on it asap - they are the bomb!

xxToodalooKatie

One Day Left to Vote!

Hello everyone!

Just a quick note to say that there is one day left to vote for me and many other amazing people in the British Plus Size Awards - Please visit the link and fill out the form!

Thanks again for all those who voted for me to be nominated and voted again now!

I am so surprised and pleased!

Thank you!!

xxToodalooKatie

Perfectly Purple with MSSVG & Junarose

Hello lovelies!

Today I am sharing this gorgeous 3/4 sleeved mini dress* from Junarose that I received whilst at the recent workshop/blogger event that they held alongside MSSVG. You can see my post about the event here.

I love this dress because it is effortless but looks so cool. It's also a soft and comfortably fabric but still holds it's shape and sits nicely. The colour is so vibrant and I had so many compliments on it all day. I will say that I think I could have done with a size down, but for winter I plan on wearing it like this with my black tights and maybe a scarf too, so I like the looseness. I am wearing an L here, so don't be afraid to try this on as the sizing is generous!

 Check out the amazing back detail - very cool and makes it special.

And the grand finale - my new Primark sparkly brogues - I am in love with them - almost as much as my gold ones!

I'd love to know if you have purchased anything from Junarose lately - are you ready for Winter?

xxToodalooKatie

ps. my lovely photographer is my amazing friend Tara, follow her here.

Blogger/Brand Collaboration - Nicolette Mason for Modcloth!

The Nicolette Dress

Take Charge Charm Jacket

Band of Bold Skirt

Charming Coterie Sweatshirt

Creative Consultant Coat

I was so excited when I found out a while back that fashionista and blogger extraordinaire, Nicolette Mason was collaborating with Modcloth on a plus size line, and it has not disappointed!  Every piece has a story and really says something about Nicolette's style. There are pieces for every kind of woman, from those who prefer tailored work friendly blazers, trouser and coats, to those who like fun and relaxed skirts and even some wow-worthy dresses for an evening or special day out. The colours are beautiful and on trend, and the cuts look divine. I cannot wait to get my hands on a couple of these items - currently I am coveting that black skirt more than anything! Congrats Nicolette, you have really designed something special for the plus market!

I have only included my favourite 5 items here so use the links above to go check out the rest - you will be glad you did, your wallet may think otherwise!

xxToodalooKatie

Parkas and Poppies

Hello everyone!

I had the opportunity to do something very cool last week and I thought I would combine it with a review blog post. I received this amazing Claire Richard's oversized fur trim parka from Fashion World that is so warm and cozy and it turned out to be a perfect coat for my day's activities.

I spent the morning at Tower of London planting ceramic poppies in remembrance of WWI (to find out more, visit the link, it's really very neat and moving.)

The poppies are really something else, and an incredible display!

Now on to my new favourite parka! First off, this coat is warm without being heavy which is great for the weird UK Winters. It has a zip closure and is bang on for the fit - I wore my regular size 20 and would have room to wear a sweater without issue. It has a good hood and best of all the end of the sleeve is like a sweatshirt style cuff. You can roll it up which is amazing for when you are just a little too hot or even just need to dig something out of your bag. This coat gets a 10/10 for me and I will be living in it until Spring returns!

Coat - Claire Richard's Oversized Fur Trim Parka

Jeans - Ridley from Asos

Sneakers - Vans Originals

 If you are interested, you can volunteer to plant poppies or even purchase one of the ceramic flowers once they are picked in November!

xxToodalooKatie

Autumn Pattern Favourite: Houndstooth!

City Chic Hourglass Skinny Jeans

Last Kiss Black Heaven Houndstooth Coat

TUK Houndstooth Creeper

Michael Kors Jet Set Travel Medium Bag

Jane Stone Bib Statement Necklace

I think it's safe to say that Fall has officially begun and the chilly weather is here to stay. I have pulled out my big cardigans and scarves in anticipation of it getting colder and it made me realize how many awesome patterns and prints I have in my Winter wardrobe. With this realization came the horror of just how little I have of one of my favourite patterns, Houndstooth! So with that comes my post all about it! I am in love with this Last Kiss Black Heaven Houndstooth Coat from OneStopPlus and would have no shame in pairing it with all of these other awesome items. I love a good pair of black skinny jeans to set an outfit and it feels neutral enough to allow me to go a little wild with my accessories and shoes (the ones above can all be found on Amazon). What patterns are you all wearing during this chilly weather?

OOTD - Checking Me Out

Good morning!

I can't put into words just how much  I love my new Simply Be dress that I got on sale. 

Before I show it to you though, you will see these ridiculous photos of me in my Miss Real coat that I snagged from Hannah Wears at the last clothing sale and my floral scarf. I love when it gets chilly and I can throw on a coat and scarf and instantly jazz up an outfit - so apologies for this pic heavy post but it's gotta be done!

And scene! Now on to the actual OOTD:

I am wearing the Check Drop Waist Dress from Simply Be, which is made from a scuba like material and the most comfortable dress ever. I feel cute and sassy in it, which is always a good feeling.

Dress - SimplyBe

Coat - Miss Real

Tights - Assets (Target, USA)

Scarf, bag and brogues - Primark

Also - new red hair!

And last of all my new brushed gold brogues from Primark.

I love everything about this outfit as it allows me to feel good and comfortable but also look nice and ready for work. 

Have you snagged anything awesome from the sale? I think I might need to go back for more :)

xxToodalooKatie

Looking sophisticated in Ann Harvey

Hiya!

So today I wanted to share this gorgeous and sophisticated Georgette dress* from Ann Harvey. As those of you who follow my blog know, my style is generally a bit all over and I will admit that I am always lacking in more sophisticated outfits. There are so many lovely things about this dress, like the lace bolero to make it more chilly weather friendly, but what I like best is the cut. The dress falls really nicely and is cut with a bigger body in mind. It has a lovely silhouette and the lining makes it comfortable and adds a bit of swish. 

Dress* - Ann Harvey (Bon Marche)

Brogues - Primark

I paired it with a pair of brushed gold brogues as I was going to an event that required me to be dressed well but discreet. I look forward to wearing this dress with other cardigans or mixing it up a bit with heels as I think the lace bust is very pretty and will go with plenty of different items in my wardrobe.

The Ann Harvey collection is made up of lovely fabrics and patterns and is a sophisticated plus size line - you can find it at Bon Marche!

Have you tried out the Ann Harvey collection? Tell me about it!

xxToodalooKatie

*Gifted Items

An Evening of Beauty at John Lewis in Kingston

Hello!

As I've said before, I really want to branch my blog out and share more and more with you about my life. As part of this, I want to get back into beauty. Recently, I have been revamping my beauty routine and actively searching out new products and makeup, and this awesome event at John Lewis in Kingston really felt like a great place to kickstart everything.

When we arrived at the store, we were greeted by the most lovely woman, Louise, who gave us the run down, a glass of bubbly and sent us on our way to check out the great brands they had to offer. Lucy, of FatBeautyX and I were sent to Clarins, a brand that I had no experience with so was eager to know more.

Not only were the girls the sweetest ever, but we were treated like royalty and my skin has never looked so good. 

I was treated to an amazing facial that turned my tired and somewhat sallow, after a day of work and busyness, skin into a fresh and clean face, ready to take on the world. My lovely Clarins' girl, Carla, asked all about how my skin was and then chose the products she knew would work best for my skin. After a gentle makeup removal, cleanse and tone, followed by some lovely moisturiser and oils, my face looked so much healthier and fresh. I also lost that dry parched feeling that my skin so often has.

Here I am with a mask on - quenching my face thirst...

 And after the facial, Carla very kindly chose foundation, blusher, lips and mascara that worked for my skin. I love the final look and I couldn't have asked for a more friendly and helpful person to help me. Thanks Carla!

And here we are together - selfies all around!

After our time at Clarins, we made a quick pitstop to Benefit for some eyebrow work, before heading upstairs to see what John Lewis was offering up in their fashion show for autumn/winter.

Here are a couple of pictures of my favourite things:

I think it's safe to say that sequins are still in - thank goodness for that!

I will be sharing all my favourite new beauty products with you over the next little while. Check out my first review of Aveda hair products here.

Have a lovely day everyone!

xxToodalooKatie

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 have done it again!

Morning!

So this past week I, along with a few other lovely bloggers had the opportunity to visit the Junarose HQ in London to check out the preview of their upcoming collections and the current one too. We had a lovely little dinner with Prosecco, followed by a fashion show and a workshop, where we had a chance to speak with the designers and buyers for the brand.

It was so refreshing to have a proper sit down chat with someone who you know can change and influence the plus size industry. It was also great to be asked and to have an opportunity to share all those suggestions and ideas that we all get from our readers or put out there in every post about what we want to see in plus size clothing going forward. Look out for Junarose as they really are taking the time to get it right and offer us the best.

Here are a few of my favourite items from the fashion show - I actually cannot wait for these to be available! I will apologise in advance for the photo overload - but I couldn't leave any out!

There are so many sweet lace panels and textured fabrics peeking out of collars and on sleeves - it really feminizes the pieces and makes them special.

2 in 1 shirts - which I love because I get too warm for layers but want the look all the same.

Marine theme is back and stripes are still ok to wear! haha - Of course they are! 

Bold colours and statement pieces are in there too - I wasn't kidding when I said they had hit the nail on the head.

I love how many colours feature and how the cuts vary so you really could expand your wardrobe and have a bit of everything. 

I'm always interested to know what you hope to see going forward in plus size fashion - when you are in a shop or online what is that item or style you are hoping to find in your size?

xxToodalooKatie