French Curves: Faux Fur

Hello everyone!

I am finally back with an outfit post - imagine that! Today is my favourite blog challenge, French Curves and the theme this month was faux fur. I have so many things in my closet that have little bits of faux fur so it was hard to choose what to wear but since it's so cold here, I thought a lovely snow filled outdoor post would be nice! 

Bonjour à tous!

Je suis enfin de retour avec un poste de tenue! Aujourd'hui c'est mon défi de blog préféré, French Curves et le thème de ce mois était fausse fourrure. J'ai tellement de choses dans mon placard qui ont de la fausse fourrure qu'il était difficile de choisir a quoi porter pour ma tenue, mais comme il fait si froid a Toronto, j'ai decide de faire des photos dans la neige.

My favourite winter coat is this black faux fur one from last season at Evans. It has felted sleeves and is lined with satin, so is warm and looks very chic. I also love the rounded collarless neck.

My bag is not faux fur but instead pink feathers so fun and furry in it's own way and I think it works.

Mon manteau d'hiver préféré c'est celui en fausse fourrure noire de la saison dernière à Evans. Il a des manches en cotton, et est vraiment chaud et l'air très chic. J'aime aussi que c'est sans col.

Mon sac est pas fausse fourrure mais des plumes roses placer de façons un peu comme la fourrure  et je pense que ca vas bien.

I always wear a fun scarf with this coat to jazz it up a bit and since it's pretty chilly this week, I also wore my Manitobah mukluks which are the most comfortable and cute boots that I have ever owned, I could live in them.

So how is everyone finding winter? This past week was -37 with the windchill - I'm lucky I didn't freeze! Thankfully it's warmed up a bit so we can enjoy all this amazing sunshine!

Je porte toujours un foulard avec ce manteau et comme il fait tellement froid cette semaine, j'ai mis mes mukluks (botes) de marque Manitobah qui sont les botes les plus confortables et mignons que j'ai jamais possédé, je pourrais vivre dedans.

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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

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

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