#GirlGangGoals for #AccessAllAsos

Hey lovelies!

So today I have the most exciting thing to share with you! My blogger bestie, Hollie from Pretty Big Butterflies was asked by Asos Curve  and #AccessAllAsos to put together her very own girl gang, and I and Michaela from Cardifforniagurl were chosen to be a part of it. Asos sent us some banging' outfits to wear and we let those creative juices flow to come up with our very own #GirlGangGoals video. With a little help from my fiancé, Steven, we hit the streets of London and showed off our wicked styles and smiles.

Check out these snaps from our shoot below and don't forget to watch the epic video too!

And now the video:

Our inspiration came from Asos' A/W 15 Lookbook video that you can watch here. It's epic and showcases some pretty wicked stuff. 

And now it's your turn to have a chance to join our gang - head over the www.prettybigbutterflies.com and enter to win some Asos goodies! 

So what do you think? Send us some girl gang love!

Shop the video:

Black and Blue with Style All Over

Good morning lovelies!

So last week I attended the George @ Asda Autumn Winter 2015 press day and all I can say is "WOW"! They have so many amazing things coming up and are so on trend, it's ridiculous!

Whilst there, I was very kindly offered a few bits to try and this top is now one of my favourites for easy on the go looks. It's a blue bell sleeve top in a sort of crepe fabric and the necklace come with it, so you can pop it all on with simple black bottoms and cute shoes and go - it's a no brainer!

I love the colourful light up W outside the W Hotel in West London and walk by it often so thought it would be a great spot to shoot these photos. It feels very modern meets old school, like a dressing room table with all the lights.

My shoes are my favourite Dorothy Perkins gold flats that never fail me and could probably do with being replaced - but I keep telling myself that I will get around to it next week.

My bag is my trusty Hotter Shoes bag that I featured in my "Pretty in Pink" post - pop over to it if you want a better look but it's a gorgeous bag!

Blue Top - George @ Asda 

Wonderfit Black Cropped Denim - George @ Asda

Gold Flats - Dorothy Perkins 

Purse - Hotter Shoes

So there you have it! A quick outfit post and more to come this week! I have so much to tell you about including a cheeky 2 day trip to Amsterdam that I took!

Shop this Post:

2Plus2 Covered in Carmakoma

Hello lovelies! 

We are back again with another #2Plus2  - I told you we had loads in the pipeline! We've been so excited for this one as it's amazing! So, much like our first #2Plus2 post, Hollie from Pretty Big Butterflies and I made another trip to Evans recently to check out what was on the rails. We chose lots of lovely bits, but the item that surprised us the most was this gorgeous Carmakoma Coat. 

I will admit that at first glance, it didn't look amazing on the hanger but we had both seen the gorgeous Nadia Aboulhosn wearing it on her blog and thought we best try it on to be sure. I am so glad that we did! 

This coat says fashion and style regardless of how you wear it and so the idea for this post came about- with the plan of doing two looks - one dressed up and one dressed down.

I took on dressed up and Hollie took on dressed down.

I'm 5 foot 5 and Hollie is 5 foot 6 so you can see it hits perfectly below the knee. I have styled mine by tying the belt in the back to nip in the waist and show off my fancy dress. Hollie has worn hers with a casual pair of leggings and striped shirt which looks so great. 

It has this fabulous panel on the front left side that really keeps it chic - and the coat is lined with hidden buttons to keep it looking sleek.

We both loved the coat and it looks really different on our two bodies and two looks, but that's part of what makes it great! 

Katie is wearing:

Coat - Size 20 - Carmakoma via Evans*

Dress - Scarlett & Jo via Evans*

Heels - Donna Heels by Hotter Shoes*

Hollie is wearing:

Coat - Size 24 - Carmakoma via Evans*

Leggings- Evans

Flats - TU for Sainsburies

Bag - Deana Purse by Hotter Shoes*

Shop the post below:

Shop My Closet!

Hello friends!
Sorry for the silence - this week has been madness and I have so many things that I want to write and share with you - let this weekend be free for me to write! Today I wanted to quickly share with you that I am having a closet sale, over on my blog's Facebook page, I am selling loads of clothing as my wardrobe is bursting at the seams.

Pop by and have a look at the album and comment if you would like anything. I am happy to take measurements if you need them or give you more info - don't hesitate to ask!
I'm saving up for my holiday to Turkey in a couple of weeks and I'm thinking I might need another swimsuit just for the sake of having one for everyday!
It's all on a first comment basis, postage is £4 and will be sent via MyHermes with tracking within 2 days of payment.

NOW COME AND HAVE A SHOP!!!

Voodoo Vixen at LondonEdge

Good morning lovelies!

So last month, I, along with a big group of wonderful bloggers had the pleasure and good fun of attending LondonEdge with Voodoo Vixen as their models.  There were so many gorgeous girls of all different sizes wearing the brand's amazing dresses.

We each were able to choose a dress ahead of time to wear on the day and I ended up choosing something that I wouldn't usually go for to mix it up. I am wearing the Faith dress which is a lovely and soft knit dress with the sweetest floral and polka dot design.

Photo Credit - Rage Studio

We had our makeup and hair all done up and it felt so nice to look so gorgeous!

Thankfully, you can't tell but on this particular day I was coming down with the flu which had me out for the count for the following week so I'm glad I was still well  at this point.

Photo Credit Rage Studio

I was so excited to attend LondonEdge because apart from being able to see all the great stallholders and bloggers, there was a blogger talk scheduled with Kat Williams from Rock n Roll Bride Magazine/blog. I have followed her for a long time and when I first got engaged, my best friend in Canada, Sarah, sent me the first print issue of the magazine. 

Photo Credit - Rage Studio

 Here we all are sat listening to Kat speak.

So the day was really great and fun, but the night was even better. We were all invited to attend the after-party as Voodoo Vixen was one of the sponsors along with Jawbreaker Clothing and the party was really something else.

The venue was called Gem in Soho and there were live acts, drag queens, great music, dancing and drinks of course.

I'm sad to say that although I could have stayed all night, it was at this point that I started to feel ill and had to head home at a reasonable hour.

Thankfully, the lovely Sharon from Big Fat Betty had her camera handy and took a couple of snaps for me of the event.

I think it's important that I point out how friggin fabulous Abi from A is for Abi looks - OMG!

She is wearing the Hattie dress.

And here we all are, and Sharon is wearing another favourite of mine, the Marita dress which I featured on my blog here.

The music was great and the day and night were a blast - I can't wait for the next one where I will hopefully be feeling up to a full night of shenanigans!

Have you worn Voodoo Vixen - do you have a favourite?

It sounds like their plus size range is going to have lots of exciting stuff coming up so I would watch closely!!

xxToodalooKatie

CUT for Evans - AW14 Launch Party

Happy Monday everyone!

So with the weekend over, it's back to work and a mega busy week ahead full of exciting bloggy things. Before all this begins, I want to tell you about the Cut for Evans AW14 launch party that I attended a couple of weeks ago.

This Cut collection is designed by 2 fashion design students, Ellie Northway and Eve Turley and has 11 pieces. There are a variety of fabrics, textures and colours and overall is a really lovely collection with something for everyone.

My two favourite items from the collection are:

 Bright Multicoloured Contrast Digital Print Dress

Purple Digital Print Bomber Jacket

Here I am trying on a few bits from the collection as well:

This jumpsuit looked cute on a lot of the girls but just wasn't my favourite cut.

And now for a few pictures from the event - where I saw so many of my favourite bloggers and tried on a few other items from Evans - I am loving all the gorgeous colours in store at the moment.

Here I am with Hollie from Pretty Big Butterflies and Nancy from Sugar Darling - Aren't they gorgeous?

This pink crepe jacket is a must now that I have tried it on -the fit and colour are perfect!

The lovely ladies from GlamourLipsUK were at the event doing glitter lips for everyone! I am in love with they way they look and will definitely be getting some for Christmas parties this year! 

Excuse the blurry photo - but this is my favourite little ensemble that I put together, all of the items are in store now.

Apologies for the long winded post - I just had so much to share with you! If you are in London, pop into the Evans at Marble Arch as the selection is great at the moment and well worth a browse.  I'd love to know what you all think of the new Cut collection!

xxToodalooKatie

Happy Birthday Blog - A little thank you

Good morning lovelies!

So yesterday was officially this blog's 4th birthday and I want to take a quick second to thank everyone who has been a part of it and tell you what it means to me.

From day 1, when I was a 20 year old living in a teeny tiny room in Halifax, Canada, preparing for a big move to France to now, so much has changed. I have gone from blogging to learn how to love myself into now doing it to show others how to do the same. My fashion comfort zone has widened so much and helped me go from wanting to look quietly alternative to taking big risks and now to just wearing whatever I like. I worry so much less about fitting in and spend my time enjoying life and feeling fashionable.

My first official OOTD back in 2010

I can only be grateful for all that this little blog has afforded me since I left Canada all that time ago. When I arrived in France I knew 1 person but through my blog, I connected with several French bloggers who today are still my friends. My time in France would have been lonely without all those amazing girls who took me in and let me join their family, even with my Canadian French accent. 

When I came to London, I reconnected with people who I had met whilst visiting for blogger events the year before and they are still close to me now. My best friends in London are ones that I made through the plus size fashion and blogging community and I am so happy and lucky to know them all. You simply cannot put a price on what it is to belong to a community and to feel welcome somewhere, especially when you are far from home.

Today

I want to send a big thanks to everyone who has read and followed me during this time, it wouldn't be the same without you. I will continue to keep posting my mug every couple of days in hopes that I can entertain  you with my style choices and as always love to hear all your thoughts.

I have a couple more special posts to go up during this week of celebration and of course the winner for the Junarose competition below will be chosen tomorrow night. Exciting!

Thank again and Happy Birthday Blog!

XXToodalooKatie

Top Fours - My July Wish List!

Since money is so rude as to not grow on trees, I have put together my July wish list of my top fours that I wish I had and hopefully one day will!

MODCLOTH

ROADSIDE ATTRACTION DRESS FROM MODCLOTH 

CLOWNING AROUND DRESS

DAY OFF THE GRID DRESS IN GALAXY PRINT

AN APPLE A DAY TRIP DRESS

ASOS CURVE

ASOS CURVE BIKINI IN 50's FLORAL PRINT

ASOS CURVE EXCLUSIVE SKATER DRESS WITH FLORAL EMBELLISHMENT

ASOS CURVE DUNGAREE IN FLORAL PRINT

ASOS CURVE EXCLUSIVE SALONG SWING DRESS WITH EMBELLISHED TRIM

DOMINO DOLLHOUSE

SWEETHEART STRAWBERRY DRESS

BABYDOLL TANK DRESS IN GRAY SKULL

BASIC LEGGINGS IN GALAXY

LONGLINE VINTAGE STYLE BRA

EVANS

SCARLETT & JO BLUE SPOT DOBBY SHIRT DRESS FROM EVANS

LIVE UNLIMITED BLACK LACE BIKER JACKET FROM EVANS

EVANS GREY SHEEN PARKA COAT 

SWAN BY CLEMENTS RIBEIRO LIPS PRINT JERSEY DRESS

XXToodalooKatie

OOTD: Playsuits in the Workplace

Hola! I hope everyone has had a good week so far! I have been out and about enjoying what little sun we have had, but in between those times, I have been at work. There isn't much of a uniform at my work, but we do have to wear only black and white and some kind of closed toe shoes. 

When I was gifted this amazing Ruby Rocks Horse print playsuit from Simply Be, I knew it was going to become a staple in my wardrobe. I paired it with a black belt from Torrid (very old), Spanx tights, a vintage scarf in my hair from Lush and my new JuJu Jelly Shoes! 

It is so soft and comfortable but also looks really cute and is great for a long day at work. It actually has a wide elasticated waist but I like the look of the belt so I wore it over top. If you are wondering about the jelly shoes, I will say that they are not designed for wide feet and I have had to wear/stretch mine to really fit them. Once stretched though, they are great and make me feel like a kid again!

xxToodalooKatie

OOTD: Anchors Away in Whitstable!

Hello everyone!

So today, I spent the day with my my fiancé, and Kent honey, Steven, out in Whitstable, which is a lovely little seaside town not far from Canterbury.

Whitstable was so lovely, and had everything you would expect, from boats to churches and fancy looking buildings. Nets, and fishy things and even a fisherman were all over the place. We had a lovely lunch at a local cafe, and I had this amazing apple and rhubarb juice - delish!

I wore my new anchor dress from Target in the USA that I got while back home a couple of months ago. I love it because its light and fresh, which in the muggy weather we had today was just right.

Anchors print everywhere! 

Forgive my squinted eyes, but I had forgotten my sunglasses and despite a grey sky, it was still quite bright. I also wore a little pair of Primark black flats with mint green shoe clips made by my best friend Sarah. I will do a follow-up post on her creations, but if you are interested feel free to pop me an email for more info. I can switch bows and colours in seconds so its great if you have a favourite pair of flats. My bag is a Lush exclusive canvas tote, that can be acquired if you ever visit the flagship shop in Poole. It has a picture of the first Lush shop on the front that still exists.

Have you been to Whitstable? Where should we go next?

See you all soon!

xx 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!