A Simply Be Christmas Special

Hello again!

I know that two posts so close together is a bit crazy, but I have had them saved up and wanted to share it all with you! SimplyBe was so kind as to send me a couple of things to try for Christmas parties and all that jazz. I chose two dresses and a blazer because as much as I love dresses there are occasions where I would rather wear trousers or a skirt and would like something a little different to glam it all up.

The first dress I chose was this purple/mauve lace print dress which can be found on SimplyBe, it is one of their own collection, and my first comment would be to size up! I chose my usual size 18 and the top is far too snug around the bust and the arms. I would have been much better off in a size 20. Regardless, the dress is gorgeous and very comfortable but requires a jacket or cardi to hide the snugness above the waist. I'm also wearing: black leggings from Simply Be, a vintage jacket and boots from Evans (last year).

Next up is this lovely cream and black frilly tunic also from Simply Be but made by Frock and Frill. As you can see, I attempted to wear it as a dress, but I think for outings I will pair it with leggings so I don't have to worry about it being a tad short. It's super comfortable and the colour is lovely, even on my pale skin. I paired it with a belt from Torrid as I needed the waist to be pulled in a pinch more, black tights from M&S and my favourite black heels from New Look.  I think  I am going to wear it to my work Christmas dinner, only with leggings this time as it is definitely a tunic. I am so glad the arms have space but aren't too big and that the lace details are soft and look so elegant.

Last of all was a gold sequin Coleen Nolan blazer which as you can see was a difficult one to photograph. I really wanted something that I could wear to jazz up a plain outfit, like this black brocade skirt from Dorothy Perkins and black t-shirt from Gap. The cut of the blazer is great and shoulders fit really nicely, which is usually where I struggle with jackets. The thing I wasn't so keen on was the quality of the blazer. The reviews did say that it felt a bit cheap and I have to agree. The sequins are not really all over, it's more of a netted effect with sequins which can't be seen in the photos. I'll still get plenty of wear out of it because it's a definite statement piece but I did expect better quality for the price.

Look, it is sparkly!

Thank you SimplyBe for these lovely things to review, I am ready for all the festivities that are to come!

What are all your plans? Christmas at home or away? I will be hoping for snow regardless of how ridiculous that is!

Merry Christmas

XO

ToodalooKatie

A Few Of My Fall And Winter Favourites...

Hey girls!

So I have been trolling all my favourite blogs and shop sites and have put together a list of all the things I am loving for Fall (or Autumn as the lovely Brits call it) and of course Winter as it seems to be approaching faster than I expected. Since I work at a cafe as well as a lot of odd jobs here and there my wardrobe is pretty varied and I like to have many options.

I've organised them by shop so if you like them too you can check out the links under each image.

Simply Be:

Ring Printed Dress with Collar

Emotion High Leg Boots (Wide Calf)

Colleen Nolan Sequin Jacket

Domino Dollhouse

These pieces will be available online shortly but I had a chance to check out their look-book and I am in love. I want this jacket and dress more than anything right NOW! :) Check out the website as they will be launched very soon!

And now a few pics of looks I am loving from other bloggers from all over:

Teer Wayde from Curves To Kill wearing AX Paris:

Stiletto Siren in a fab outfit with the most awesome Forver 21 + blazer:

And las of all, Kaylah from The Dainty Squid wearing the most adorable cloud dress from Mod Cloth:

There you have it! A couple of my favourite new things and some serious blogger clothing and hair envy! What are you liking for fall and winter???

Also, I am have a major hair change tomorrow which I will be posting photos of after so stay tuned! I love a good surprise!

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

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!

How Time Flies...

Hello my lovelies!

So the last time we spoke I had just finished the SWAP ALL THE CLOTHES event, and had the first big weekend for the Rockabilly Bakeshop market stall. I am happy to report that everything went well and although we don't get to do the bakeshop often it still remains one of our favourite things to do, and will hopefully get it back up and going very soon.

Since my life rarely is constant and normal, another enormous event occurred back in the middle of June. Steve and I got the opportunity to move to Dover and manage a pub called The Eagle. So, 2 weeks later we moved, out and away from London sadly and into the little somewhat unexciting town of Dover. It's now been a long and very busy July and part of August. I have barely had a second to think about my lovely little blog, or making jewellery (which I am longing to do) or even about getting dressed in more than jeans and a boring T-shirt with my hair up.

I must say it is a sad state of affairs when I have recently acquired some amazing new pieces in my closet. I am vowing today to pull them out and take photos of outfits, because it's only that they be shared with the world.

Although I am not super keen on Dover as a town, I have totally fallen in love with Canterbury and have a real soft spot for Folkestone. I think it's the fact that both places have a buzzing arts community that I feel more at home when I'm there. Dover is very much a port town which people tend to pass through without really stopping and the town lets it happen without really making an effort to grab the tourists along the way.

Anyways, I didn't come back to bore you with my whereabouts, but if you are in Dover, please come up to the Eagle for a visit, I am here Wednesday to Sunday all day. Also, if you anyone fancies holding an event, we have an event room, so maybe later down the road we could organise a Kent swap or meet up or something fun like that!

Ok so here is me now, flamingo pink hair and fancy new eyebrows done by the amazing Benefit Brow bar in Spitalfields, London. It was my first time getting them waxed and it really wasn't that bad, nor do I think it looks weird or over the top. THANK GOODNESS!

And now I will share with you a couple of the things I have acquired lately - proper photos of me with them to come once I finish cleaning out my closet and organising.

First, this is probably my most favourite skirt ever. I will also say that a size 20 would easily fit a size 22 for those of you who are shy with the non plus sized items. The waist is stretchy and I find it quite big on me.

You can find the skirt on the Collectif website - I am also awaiting the day that they make the button down shirts in sizes bigger than 18 for us bustier girls.

Next, I am having my dearest mumsy bring me over a new back pack when she visits from Canada as the epic Vegan bag company Matt & Nat had a sale. You can purchase the bags online in the UK as well, but since my Mum offered I thought I would make the most of the Canadian dollar while I could. Although I haven't seen the bag in the flesh, other than over Skype, I am told it is like blue canvas feeling material with awesome leather looking straps just like the picture. I can't wait to travel someplace with it when I get it in early October! Hurry up Mum!

My next purchase will be this amazing skirt from Asos that I saw on another wonderful blogger, Lolly Likes Fatshion. I want this flamingo skirt and it is low in stock so I am feeling the pressure. I've been doing a lot of Rockabilly styled things lately and I really think this would fit right in -justification at it's best!

Thanks so much for the continued support on Facebook and Twitter, you are all amazing! I can't wait to take photos of everything I have and the outfits I have put together. I'll tell you more about the pub another day, but I hope some of you are around Dover and can come for a visit :)

Much Love,

ToodalooKatie

SWAP ALL THE CLOTHES!!!

Hey Girls!

So I know this has taken me an age to do, but this week has been crazy! As some of you may have overheard at the swap, Steveo and I are launching our bakery this weekend at the Margate Old Town Bazaar, and it is a lot of work to get it all ready. Anyways, come check us out if you are around there, and even if you're not LIKE us on Facebook, we are called the Rockabilly Bake Shop!  Feel free to order something that I can deliver to you  in London sometime :)

Ok so let me tell you all about the awesome clothing swap that happened chez moi last weekend. I had such a nice time meeting all of you and seeing many of you again from the last swap. There were mountains of clothes and tons of good pickings!

We had the lovely Michelle from Red Bows Boutique brings tons of amazing pieces to both purchase and swap. It was really awesome, so thank you again Michelle for coming along!

Check out the major piles of delights:

We also had tons of cookies and treats brought by everyone, so thank you again to all who brought a little something - everyone in my house was well fed on sugar for the week after :)

The reason I've been absent on here is because I am planning on moving out of London and it's all happening next week! I'll be heading to Dover so if you live some place round dearest Dover then get in touch... I think I'll probably need new tips and tricks as I've never lived in a place that's not considered a major city... I sound like such a city snob!

Thanks again everyone for coming to my terrace for the afternoon - I promise an outfit is coming this week and couple of awesome things

Toodaloo!

xxKatie

Snazzy Footwear On A January Afternoon

Hello again!

So back in January when I was home in lovely Toronto, I did a little photo shoot with my best friend Sarah to feature our newly purchased shoes. We each on different occasions bought pairs of killer heels that I thought why not do a post about it?

It turns out that Sarah also had a new outfit, for an upcoming wedding, to go with said new shoes, and so our little afternoon shoot was all set.

I brought back an old favourite piece because I have never featured it on my blog and I am secretly hoping that the fashion gods are listening and that they will invite Beth Ditto back for another collection/collaboration.

I'm wearing my favourite Beth Ditto lightning bolt sweater from the Beth Ditto  for Evans collection over a year ago, with a pair of cheap chic leggings from Primark. I snagged my blingtastic heels at Pretty Things Boutique in Halifax, Nova Scotia and they are very high but I can't resist them. I love the way they look and they make my calves look like I just ran a marathon.

Sarah is wearing an amazing fuchsia dress from Canada's new British favourite, Top Shop along with a black lace cardi/bolero from H&M.

Her snazzy and oh so soft fuchsia wedges are from Town Shoes, in Toronto and have the cutest tassels hanging off the zipper in the back. I'm not sure how she managed to find heels this amazing that match her dress like they were made from the same cut of fabric, but that's her amazing luck for you.

We did Sarah's makeup to match! Doesn't she look glamorous?

I know the photos are a couple of months old, and that my hair is completely different but I have been prepping this post forever and absolutely couldn't not share the pictures with you because they are so fun. Long live killer heels, sore calves and fabulous looking legs!!!

xx Toodaloo Katie

Review: AX Paris Curve

So this past week, AX Paris sent me one of their dresses from the new Curve collection to review. I chose the Navy Polka Dot Chiffon Floaty Dress  because I really don't have any dresses like this one, that are light and a little fancy. My wardrobe tends to be more casual than dressy so this makes a really nice addition for a night out or an event.

The dress is lined which is a lovely touch, as it doesn't stick to your tights when you walk. It also makes it sit a lot nicer on the body. In the photos, I am wearing my usual Spanx tights which shape a little, but don't change the silhouette of the dress at all as it is roomy in the bottom bit.

The dress is comfortable and pretty and has a lovely little bow that can be tied in front or back which could easily be swapped for a belt if you have more of a defined waist (unlike me). In terms of size, I am wearing a Size 20 and it fits just right on me. I would say that if it had sleeves, it would probably be a bit snug in the shoulder area so something to consider for sizing if you are ordering anything and have wider shoulders.

So check out their website because they have lots of fun prints like polka dots, hearts and leopard! :)

I did my makeup to match with my Coastal Scents Palate (navy blue and copper eyeshadows) and my Kat Von D. Tattoo Pen eyeliner.

Thanks AX Paris for sending me this dress, I feel oh so pretty in it.

And thank you to my darling boyfriend, Skull Car Steveo, for the lovely photos.

SWAP ALL THE CLOTHES!!!

Hey girls!

So since I am in the process of relaunching my blog as ToodalooKatie, I want to invite you all to a plus size clothes SWAP at my house out on my terrace.

In order to be a part of the swap you must bring a minimum of 5 plus size items but feel free to bring more of course! (I'm thinking sizes 14 and up) Clothes should be be clean and in a reasonable state of repair!

I will be baking some goodies but if you want to help or bring something please let me know. I would love the help :)

Please check out the event on Facebook to RSVP and get any updates.

I live in Bethnal Green (about a 7 minute walk from the station) and will send out the address to those who have confirmed in a message during the week before the event.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to message me directly or write on the wall.

I will send out a message closer to the time of the event to confirm numbers but I would love to see you all there!

If you want to help promo it or let others know, feel free to grab the poster from here or Facebook and pass it around :)

xxxToodalooKatie

and a big thank you to Skull Car Steven for the poster :)

Fur and Flowers For A Winter's Day

Happy January!

So I am back in Canada for a little visit and it's chilly and snowy - just the way I hoped it would be. I figured this was a good opportunity to bring out my favourite old vintage find, the leopard print coat. I found this coat in a hole in the wall shop down in Kensington Market (which for those of you who don't know, is Toronto's vintage hotspot) and I had the collar replaced with a stiff silk to give it a new edge. Underneath I wore a few new pieces that I got on a quick Sunday trip to Buffalo, NY. Sometimes the US just takes the cake for shopping and they have a Torrid store which makes me so happy. Today's theme was kind of pin up inspired :)

Fur Collar Cardigan - Torrid

Rose Tank Top - Torrid

Black Stretch Skirt - Charlotte Russe

Tights - Spanx

Black Heels - New Look (Old Collection)

And now a silly photo for your viewing pleasure:

and my new Betsey Johnson necklace!

I'm gearing up for the London Blogger meet up on February 4th so in anticipation I am going to do my best to blog more frequently while I am home in Canada. I can't wait to see you all in a couple of weeks!

xo CurvyKatie