Off Piste. Simply Be #3

It's so odd at the moment. I've come to terms with the idea that I might not be at my workplace for months on end and I'm wondering how this is going to effect me and my loved ones, longer term. I imagine everyone else is feeling pretty thrown by all this too. 

I figured  I might as well do a little blog post while it's so quiet, and I got a couple of lovely bits from Simply Be so hey.... here they are!

Mid Blue Collarless Zip Front Denim Jacket

So sticking with their excellent denim, This jacket is exactly what I've been after. 

It's surprisingly hard to find a proper fitted cropped denim jacket in plus size. I've been after a waist length one for ages! 

I wanted one that would sit just above my bum, but also nip me in at the waist, so I can wear it with dresses and retain a nice shape. I have an asos collared one, but it's sort of oversized so it doesn't fit to my body as well as this one.

It's stretch denim (yey!) and the sizing is good. this is a 26. Could have squeezed into a size 24 as the arms are generous enough, but I want to wear this over jumper dresses, so want a bit of wiggle room!

I like the lack of a collar, I think it makes it a bit more interesting. It's cute and I recommend it!

Organza Puff Sleeve Top

This top is the reason I made a Simply Be order, I was super excited about it. I was gutted when it arrived because the tee section is such horrid fabric! It is beyond me why they used a 70's feeling body rather than just a thick jersey! It looked cool (although in all honesty I suspect the neck would look better if it was a bit lower and less tight?!). I tried the 24 and it was a good relaxed size, but I couldn't live with the fabric. Sad face!

Glamorous Peach Print Skater

I just liked the look of this dress. It's fun and flirty (vom! but IT IS THOUGH!) and looks so cute on. I figured that I wouldn't be as short IRL as it is on the model and thankfully, it's a mini dress, but not stupidly short.

I wasn't expecting this size 26 to fit.... as soon as I felt the non-stretch fabric I assumed it wouldn't go over my head, but it did, and I like it! It's sort of shell like and has an elasticated section at the back of the waist.

I need some bright and cheerful things in my life right now!

Glamorous Fruit Print Skater Dress

Speaking of bright and cheerful, this one is not for the faint hearted! It feels like stretch cotton, which is very nice. Size 26 is a lovely fit and the arms are so generous thanks to the puff sleeves!

It's a real wrap dress, so you can adjust it to whatever is most comfortable. I suspect I will need to sew the ties on firmly because they feel a bit flimsy at the moment, but apart from that I really like this little dress.

Summer colours to wear around the flat while I twiddle my thumbs and dress as if I'm sitting in a cocktail bar with my girlfriends!

Puff Sleeve Wrap Skater Dress

This dress is nice if you like big sleeves (which I do, obviously!). Size 26, it's a super soft shell like fabric.... the static kind rather than the rougher stuff with no give. It doesn't seem to be horrifically static thankfully and it's comfy.

Again, it's short, but not ridiculously so! Faux wrap so it doesn't blow open.

Blue Acid Wash Shirt Dress with Elasticated Waist

Okay, let's be real here..... if this dress was longer it would be fucking perfect. But it's not. It's too short and it throws the proportions off because the body is quite long and has a relaxed fit that falls in a casual way. The skirt needs to be longer! I tried the 26 and it was a great fit, lovely thin non-stretch fabric. But it's too bloody short!

Joe Browns Summer Days Dress

Lovely midi dress in super soft (gentle) crinkle fabric. Size 26. I knew I'd love this one because it has a 90s, reality bites vibe about it!

 lush capped sleeves, perfect length and relaxed fit. Simply Be stock the same dress in a number of different prints and I highly recommend it!

Until next time my lovelies, take care of yourselves and your loved ones. It can be hard to be patient during lock down but showing empathy and love for our fellow humans is what really matters now xx

A bit weird

Inside my home things don't feel too strange, other than the fact that I'm not going out very much. It's uncomfortable to think about how very strange.... and let's face it, awful every day life must be for some people during this pandemic.

I'm sitting in my bed typing away as a form of therapy I think. I'm even listening to classical music, which I do approximately one day of each year(!).

I'm doing lots of cooking, listening to lots of music, watching lots of films. Bit of drawing, playing a bit of guitar, typing. Hiding away from what is the most serious situation I've ever lived through.

Then I look at the news. I see stories on twitter from people who have lost loved ones and can't be with their families. Can't have funerals. I simply cannot imagine how devastating that is.

I see the NHS staff working so hard to helps people and I can't image how they can bear to get up and go into a hospital and risk their own lives to save others.

It's such an odd feeling to be living quite a normal life when nothing is normal. I'm even planning to take some photos of some newish clothes for this blog.... but I'm not going to be ordering clothes any time soon because I suddenly have to think about money in a way I haven't really had to before. And I'm one of the lucky ones who is still getting a wage and working from home!

I don't really know what this post is about or who it is for, but hey. Typing sometimes soothes me and maybe there are some folk out there who just want to read random musings written by a random woman?!

One thing I do know is that I'm lucky to not be alone in my home. Not everyone is in that position and it must be lonely to be isolated. I'll reply to comments if anyone reads this and wants to chat. Same with emails. It's never felt more important to be there for each other and we can't do it physically, but we sure as shit can do it online!

ASOS Curve review 2020 #7. Meh

Hummmm.....  not much to shout about here. 

ASOS DESIGN Curve high waist chino with jogger hem in black

Chinos? More like moleskin, and therefore don't sit or fall well in this cut. I had to size down to a 22 (I'm sometimes a 24 or 26 in asos trousers..... never a 22 unless thery're jersey!). They just don't look like they do on the model. They're big on the belly, calves and ankles, but a bit straight up and down on the hips. Meh.

ASOS DESIGN Curve chain detail slim trousers

Okay these are better. I didn't keep them because the colour doesn't look great on me. These are made from a thin-ish soft and slightly shiny fabric. Not at all stretchy so I needed a 26 to fit my bum and hips. I like cuffed trousers so I wish asos made these in black! Sort of meh.

ASOS DESIGN Curve wrap maxi dress in zebra print

Non stretch. Even the size 26 had arms that were too tight for me. MEH!

ASOS DESIGN Curve trapeze drawstring maxi dress

I've had this is in wish-list forever so I finally bought it. I'm keeping it because I know how handy it will be in super hot weather. In the high 30s I need to wear floaty, lightweight, sleeveless dresses with pockets. This has excellent big pockets! It's adjustable thankfully so I can cover my bra. I also tied up the ribbon at the front so it's gathered under the bust and it looks much neater like that. Also, I was worried that it would be too sheer, but actually it's fine and I don't think my chub-rub shorts* will show through it! I got a size 22 and it's still very tent-like. Less meh!

ASOS DESIGN Curve animal puffer jacket with tie waist

I got this in a 24 and it was massive! It felt at least one size too big for me in terms of fit, but it is also huge in terms of how big the puffer is. It would be amazing in extremely cold weather, but too big and hot for me. Also, the belt doesn't stay done up unless you tie it in a knot. Puffer fabric has no grip so they needed a much more robust fabric on the belt!. Meh.

ASOS DESIGN Curve prairie plisse maxi dress with tiered hem in ditsy print

I need to stop buying plisse. It's far to static for me to cope with! This dress would be so cute if it weren't for the seam under the belly across the hips. As you can imagine, it's not the most flattering on someone with a big wobbly belly! Size 24 was bang on size-wise, but overall? Meh!

*Big Bloomers Aztec slip shorts are my anti-chub rub product of choice (I find that they stay up better than their regular anti chafing shorts, particularly if your knickers are even slightly silky, but I have those in long leg too and they're great over cotton!)

Off-Piste - Simply Be Denim #2

She's at it again....

But if clothes make me smile then I'm happy to share why!

4 Way Stretch Embellished Bodycon Denim Zip Front Dress

Size 26. A bit like wearing a giant condom as it's super stretchy but very firm.

But hey, condoms are sexy, lol! I feel like a siren in this so it stays!

Jersey Denim Button Front Midi Dress

I wasn't sure if I should keep this when I'm keeping the other denim pencil dress, but this one is a bit more casual and I really like it! Also a size 26.

Because this is jersey stretch denim it is much more comfy and less restrictive than the black dress. You can open the buttons on the bodice, but the rest of the dress is sewn up, so no gaping, hurrah! The go faster stripes are elastic, so very flexible for busty or not so busty ladies, as it adjusts to fit!

Washed Black Deep V Culotte Denim Jumpsuit

I already mentioned this one, but I thought I'd show it on!

It's cute! 

Washed Black Deep V Pinafore Dress

So then, here is the jumpsuits sister.... the dress version! Size 26 but a good flexible and stretchy size.

Do I need both? Not really. Do I want to keep this dress? Yep! I need to have a think about whether or not I'll actually wear it. I love the shape of the top section, but I wish it was more a pencil cut on the skirt. I'm mulling this one over!

ASOS Curve review 2020 #6. All sorts

Let's start with the bits I sent back!

Fashion Union Plus button up midi dress in ditsy floral

This is size 28. 26 would have been too big. It's thin shell-like fabric and it's nice and soft, but terribly static! I wasn't into this colour on me at all.

Fashion Union Plus wrap midi dress with tie side in vintage floral

Also shell-ish fabric but a bit less static. this size 26 would be a good fit, but the front section is oddly loose (seemingly deliberately?!) so it doesn't close very well on the bust. It fastens in a bit of an odd way. Again, not into it!

Outrageous Fortune Plus ruched tie front mini skater dress with fluted hem in pink polka print

Size 26, kinda cute, but not the best fit on my shape! The fabric is thin and soft with a bit of give. I like it but it's not a keeper.

ASOS DESIGN Curve patent trench coat in lilac

Nice fabric with a bit of give to it. would be warm and shield you from the rain. Smells like fish, but only a tiny bit and only at first. I hung it up overnight to see if the smell went away and it did. The snakeskin one I tried a while back smelt WAY worse than this one. The sleeves are long but I'm not mad at it..... if it's pissing it down long sleeves is a good thing. They have deep hems though (is it called a hem is it's not on the bottom of the garment?!) so you can fold them up easily!

Now then, I've been wanting a vinyl coat for ages. Typically the one I really wanted (the pink check one with balloon sleeves!) hasn't gone into the sale, so I thought I'd try the others in my wishlist.

I went for a size 26 but to be honest I think a 24 would have been better. My thinking was that if I wore my backpack with it, it might gape because it has poppers, and that's what happens with my rose gold rain coat.

This is a cool coat. love the colour, love the big pockets, love that it would be waterproof. BUT it didn't capture my heart the way the next one did......

ASOS DESIGN Curve high shine faux fur collar trench coat in mint

Be still my beating heart! This isn't fishy. And the colour is delicious. And the faux fur is sooooo soft. And it's belted so has shape. And I just love it.

70s pimp much?! This is a 26 and it fits me nicely. It looked pretty fitted on the model so I went for the larger size. 

Quite a few of the other coats I've tried from Asos have been better in a 24, but the hips and bum would be a bit too small on this coat for me if I sized down.

It has poppers but the belt will make sure those hold well I think. It's thickish vinyl with a bit of give. Good pockets. It's bloody ace!

Now I just need to wait for a rainy day that isn't also blowing a gale-force wind that prevents me using an umbrella! 

ASOS DESIGN Curve kimono sleeve twist front mini dress in texture

I just think this dress is cute. It's a date dress really! Would wear tights or leggings with this normally.

This is a 24 and it's got a decent amount of give.  A 22 would have fit fine too I think so this is a flexible size thanks to the large arms and general adjustable style.

It's sorta stretchy in a concertina way, a bit like a crinkle plisse but less synthetic and a bit more stiff and structured! The bust can be tied up as tight as needed, so this is a good dress for busty ladies!

ASOS DESIGN Curve metallic batwing mini dress

I kept looking at this dress over Christmas. I thought it looked very cool but assumed it would be non-stretch and a bit uncomfortable. WRONG! its actually made from super comfy thick stretch fabric. It's far more comfy than I expected it to be!

I got the 26 and I don't think I'd want to go smaller.  I could because it's stretch, but I like how this one fits me. And as any of my friends would tell you, I only like dresses I can pull over my head. If I have to unzip a dress to get into it I'm not interested! This is perfect in that respect!

Stretchy, rough on the outside but soft on the inside!

I like the silhouette this cut creates. It looks quite structured but it doesn't feel like I'm wearing a structured or fancy dress at all. I'm really enamoured with this, particularly as it only cost £12.50 in the sale, which is bonkers!