Gemma Cruickshank Collexions: The Launch

Earlier this week I was invited down to Mary Janes Bar in Tower Hill to see the official unveiling of the Gemma Cruickshank Collexions. If you're not sure who Gemma is or why you should be excited about this, you can see my interview with her here.

Gemma is an independent fashion designer and this week unveiled her first collection - and what a collection it was. 

I apologise for the bad quality of the photos  - it was SO busy and everyone was SO keen to see the collection that we couldn't all get the photos we wanted. However, what a great sign for Gemma that SO many people are keen to see what she has to offer - Go Team Gemma!

With live music, fantastic organisation, buy one get one free cocktails and banana cake made by Gemma's mum to die for  - it was a night not to be missed!

It was also nice to meet lots of new people and catch up with a few familiar faces!

And of course, catch up with the lovely lady herself!

I am sure there will be a whole host of better photos up very soon - as well as her line being launched for sale properly. In the meantime check out her website or #TeamGemma on most social networks to see what is going on and all the photos from the night!

Debz xx

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Merci BeauCoo

It is no secret that I read a lot of blogs - I love them! Over the last few days I have seen on blogs (and on places like Twitter) a few mentions of BeauCoo - a fashion based social networking website. I read Callie's full review on the site on her From The Corners of The Curve blog and decided to sign up (Thanks Callie!)

Their twitter describes them as "Pics on someone your own size! The worlds only body positive style network, just for women" and they're not wrong! 

I think it's a great site and wanted to recommend that more people join :)

When you join you put in your own measurements (don't worry they're anonymous) and then you can see fashion based posts by people of a similar size. We all know that different outfits and styles can look different on different shapes and sizes, so now you can look for someone similar to you!

My profile page on the site!

On the site you can look for all sorts though, so you don't have to worry about being limited to just seeing people like you! 

When you have joined the site you can post up photos and put where you got them and what you thought of the outfit!

Its a great way to look at recent trends, see different people wearing them and share your own favourite outfits.

As most of you will know I am really passionate about positive body image and people feeling good in whatever they wear and whatever their size. BeauCoo seem to be passionate about the same thing - a fashion website for everyone with a positive body image angle, which is exactly why I wanted to sign up!

You can join up here - let me know if you do and I'll give you a follow!

Debz xx

Campaign To Standardise Womens Clothing Sizes

I have blogged a couple of times about the difference in clothing sizes depending on what you buy and wear you buy it from. It is OK when you get an idea of how clothing sizes run for you (ASOS are very generous, I find Yours Clothing a little small) but it is a pain! 

When I order something online, I want to know it is going to fit. I don't want to have to wait to try it on to see if it fits as it should, whether it's to baggy (ha ha) or whether I need to send it back for having it too small. I didn't realise until quite recently that there is no industry standard for clothing sizes. In essence, clothing shops can put whatever size labels they want on their clothes, there are no rules!

So imagine my excitement this afternoon when I was tweeted by the Curvacsous Collective about their campaign to standardise womens clothing sizes in the UK! I am SO excited about this and can't stress enough what a good idea I think it is. I think standardising clothing sizes would lead to so much easiness and feeling better when you are clothing shopping. I know how upsetting it can be when you don't fit into your normal clothes size and have to 'size up' - more often than not this is because of the cut/fit/size of the clothing rather than you having actually put on any weight.

I have signed the campaign and honestly think everyone else should too!

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/51376

"The aim to stay within a certain size range can trigger many women to engage in behavior symptomatic of eating disorders. Whether we like it or not, women’s self-esteem and body image hinges on the size she wears. The varying sizes from different brand labels, all claiming to be the same, needs to change. Women's clothing should be sold in measurements just like men's garments. Women will be more eager to shop and purchase clothes, if sold by measurements (waist/ hips /bust size). Government of the UK, we urge you to take this small step, creating and enacting legislation standardising the size labels of women's clothing, as one step in the right direction towards happier and healthier women."

What do you think? Is this something you would like to see more of? 

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Leggings To Make Your Legs Stand Out

Everyone who knows me knows that I don't shy away from colour. I love colourful clothes, floral patterns and clothes that have something to say about themselves. In general I like to wear bright coloured tops and finish them off with a pair of dark leggings. I love this look because I think it is something that you can pull off for any occasion and depending how you dress up (or down!) an outfit this style can be suitable for day or nightwear.

However, when I saw these leggings on Love Ur Curves, I knew I had to try something new!

I have been on the search for bright leggings for a while now but haven’t been able to find anything that really grabbed my eye - especially without paying over the odds. I have bought a few pieces from Love Ur Curves, so when I saw these at 2 pairs for £15.00 I couldn't resist! They have a massive range of colours available; it was hard to pick just 4 I wanted!

My package came yesterday.. I also ordered 2 necklaces which are equally lovely. I love buying from Love Ur Curves because the items always arrive quickly (I ordered this Friday, it arrived Monday) and are well packed... Their colourful packaging always gets me excited when they arrive!

I have to say - the leggings do not disappoint! I ordered a size smaller than normal (doesn't everyone do that with leggings?) and they fit really well! There is also loads of stretch in the material so they're comfy and would fit a range of sizes. 

I love these 3 plain, block colour leggings and I can already think of a few dresses in my wardrobe that these would be suitable to wear with. The great thing about leggings of one colour like this is that they're easy to dress with almost anything and you don’t have to worry about patterns clashing.

I fell in love with these leggings straight away but worried about what I would be able to wear them with. Most of the clothes in my wardrobe are patterned, so I was worried about having an outfit that clashed just a bit too much. However, I went to Evans in Marble Arch yesterday and picked up a great dress that I can wear with these. I plan to wear it on Friday, so I'll be able to do a proper outfit post then!

If you're looking for plus size clothes with a difference then Love Ur Curvesis great. She also stocks some stuff that you see popping up on other sites, but generally with a lower price!

What do you think?

Debz x

Breaking Barriers in Belgium

Yesterday, I went for a day trip to De Panne in Belgium. When we booked it, it was supposed to be a lovely day, on the beach in the sunshine! However, the great British summer did it's best to ruin it for us! Despite the rain though, it was a lovely day!

While walking through the main town centre in De Panne spotted a shop that seemed to have plus size mannequins in the window (WIN!) so we wandered in. To be honest, I wasn't convinced they would have anything in my size (on a high street.. surely not!) but I was drawn in by the amazing colours of all the clothes they had... I know, plus size clothes on a plus size mannequin in a colour other than black... MIND BLOWN!

Breaking The Barriers

Anyway... All of the clothes were labelled in S, M, L, XL etc so I had no idea on what the real sizes were... But remembering my 'Dress Sizes Are Pants' post, I decided that didn’t matter and I would simply see if they fit me rather than pay attention to the sizes of the label.

The great news is that I came home with two amazing t-shirts (I could have shopped more but we were pushed for time). As you'll see from the pic, the colour and slogan on these is right up street.

I really love the colour and print on both of these t-shirts! They're a bit short to wear with leggings (personal preference) so I shall be investing in some jeans to wear this with! I haven't worn jeans in over a year, but I figure it's all about breaking barriers so I'm going to do it! I'll do a proper outfit post when I have the jeans and give these amazing t-shirts their debut!

I came away with some other amazing bits and pieces from the trip... I arrived back in London last night a very happy girl :)

I'd love to hear about you breaking the barriers clothes purchases & style choices!

Hope you all had a good weekend

Debz xx

Dress Sizes Are Pants.

(Warning, this posts contains big pants (although not me wearing them), do not read on if you don't want to see photos of big knickers!)

If you have any interest in plus size fashion (or indeed 'normal' fashion for want of a better word) then you have probably read all sorts of theories and opinions on dress sizes. We all know that dress sizes are how we decide what to pick up off of a rail in a shop - but exactly what use are they?

I learnt a few weeks ago that there is no set rules for dress sizes. You would assume that there would be some kind of industry standard when it comes to dress sizes and the measurement that each dress size must be, but actually there is nothing! I don't just mean when it comes to plus size, or bigger sizes I mean in general - there is nothing to say that a certain size of dress should match a certain industry standard of measurement.

Breaking The Mould

For ages now I have been told by my fellow fatties to ignore clothes sizes and just go with what fits but I'll be honest, that has always been something I struggled with. When looking on clothing rails or websites I always assumed that if they didn't have 'my size' then there was no point parting with my hard earned cash. However the truth is that there is no such thing as 'my size' because the sizes from store to store and even cut of dress varies so massively.

Last week I was told by a friend that she wears Primark knickers... now, as this friend and I are similar sizes and I know that Primark generally go up to a size 20 in underwear I wasn't sure whether to believe her claims! However she insisted that their stretchy underwear made the perfect fit.

For £1.70 a pair I couldn't resist trying and today went on an underwear shopping spree.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love colour and so these knickers were right up my street (I also came away with some rainbow socks, but the less said about them the better).

All of these are in an 18-20 (They might come in a 20-22 I'm not sure, they didn't have any in the Primark I visited) and they all fit! Now, you have probably guessed I am quite a bit bigger than a size 18. But these knickers fit perfectly and their patterns are fun and exciting, just what you want from fun underwear like this! 

So.... Lesson learnt from me for sure!! It is much harder with online shopping but when you are out and about and can feel the clothes give them a stretch, hold them up to your body and see how they will fit you... The labels mean nothing, if it fits it fits! Online shopping is harder but read blogger reviews and trial and error will soon have your wardrobe bursting with clothes in an array of sizes!

Have a great weekend

Debz xx

Abercrombie And Bitch...

Over recent months you may have read about some of the comments made by the CEO of fashion brand Abercrombie and Fitch. I think it will be obvious to almost anyone that a designer brand like this will only stock smaller sizes - they're not the first and they certainly won't be the last designer fashion label to have no plus size clothing on their clothing rails.

If you are fat, or very short or very tall then you probably know what a struggle clothes shopping can be. I think (and I speak from personal experience) that things are getting better, but often if you aren't the 'norm' then shopping on the high street isn't always easy! That said, most of these brands simply go about their business stocking what they want - they don't have to make comments about the people they don't cater for and why they don't.

Only For Cool Kids

Mike Jefferies, CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch was quoted as saying "In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. Candidly, we go after the cool kids,” the oh-so-attractive executive said. “We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong (in our clothes), and they can’t belong."

The comments came about when asked why they don't stock anything above an 'large' in their stores. This roughly equates to a size 14-16. Mike Jefferies comments struck a chord with many people, who once thought they weren't 'cool' because they wore XL sized jeans.

Being unable to shop in normal stores or within designer fashion ranges is no big revelation to anyone who is plus size and it will more than likely never change (although we can hope!). However what I feel is sad is that Mike Jefferies feels it is OK to suggest that anyone who is plus-sized isn't cool. 

Mike Jefferies - CEO Of Abercrombie & Fitch

The truth is that actually you are as cool as you want to be. As an adult you should have an open mind and have learned not to judge people by the size of the clothes that they wear. We are no longer in high school and we no longer have to worry about fitting in with the cool crowd. I am sure as adults, we all have friends of different shapes and sizes. We like them because of who they are and not what they wear - so even if they can't fit into this ultra cool range of clothes!

Body Acceptance

The notion that you have to be thin to be cool and fit in is something that is so outdated. To suggest that you are not popular because you are fat or that you don't have a 'great attitude and a lot of friends' because you are plus size is ridiculous.

Body acceptance has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, but it is people like Mr Jefferies who think they have a right to put people down that show us that we still have so far to go!

These comments made a few years ago have been picked up by the media over recent months and now stars like Ellen and Miley Cyrus have joined the campaign to Boycott the fashion label over the comments. Mike Jefferies claimed that the brand was "exclusive", but it seems that he could have excluded more people that he realised.

What Do You Think? xx

A Weekend Of Indulgence

Yesterday, I attended the first Indulge Pop Up Plus Size Market in Kentish Town. The idea is that people get together to swap clothes, buy each others unwanted clothes and grab a bit of a bargain in the process - after all, one mans trash is another mans treasure.

It was the first event of this type but it was a fun afternoon - a few people even came in off the street to have a browse. I believe the next one is due to be on the last Saturday in August so if you can make it I would definitely recommend it! 

Keep an eye on the Club Indulge Facebook for details and dates :) 

While I was there, I had my beady eye on a lovely pink sparkly dress that fellow blogger Lucia from U Can't Wear That was selling. 

The coral shade, popcorn knit dress with all of its sequins caught my eye straight away! In the end I swapped it for a flower skirt that I no longer wanted - so we were both happy! 

After a quick disco nap at home I then hot footed it back across town to attend the 3rd Club Indulge club night. As 'BBW nights' go, I think people know I have very mixed feelings, but I always have a good time at Indulge. With an upstairs bar where we could sit and chat and a basement dancefloor it has everything you could hope for from a night out! 

The team behind Club Indulge are doing what they can to make a 'fat friendly' night for anyone that wants to attend and it was nice to see old and new faces at the event. If you haven't checked it out then I would recomemnd going to their next one in July - I have even had the DJ 'pinky promise' me that he is going to Dolly Parton 9-5 next time! 

It seemed only right that I wore my brand new, bargain dress - and I loved it! It's slightly different to my usual style (not enough cleevage) but it fit well and was comfy to wear. It definitely has me tempted to try other New Look Inspire pieces! 

How was everyones weekend? 

Debz xx