Plus Size Style and Fashion Blog
Hasn’t it been a hot minute since you last saw me on your feed? I got a bit sad at the end of the year, but I’ve bounced back a bit and I’m feeling ready to come back to blogging! So you’re stuck with me again, friends, haha! Getting straight back into the swing of things with some fat style through the last week.
It’s Saturday and that means STYLE time! I missed out last week because I’ve not been in the best place — but I’m diving back in. And it’s been a while since I properly featured a Vendula London bag, right? I will be showing you my favourites from the new season as soon as we have all the styles in, of course. But for now I wanted to show you my new favourite bag — the Vendula London backpack in the Post Office design!
When I mentioned my Winter Cottage backpack a few months back, I didn’t really take the time to talk about how amazing this bag is, did I? We started bringing out the Vendula London backpack styles last season, and I feel like I’m going to end up with so many of these bags, as they’re so useful!
This bag isn’t just a backpack though. Oh no, Vendula London never go by halves when it comes to their styles! It’s actually a bag that you can use four ways, thanks to the adjustable straps.
So today I wanted to show off the different ways you can wear this bag! The Post Office design is my current favourite for this season, it’s a great colour that’ll take you throughout the year, and there’s such adorable features on it. A beagle posting a letter? Genius!
The over-the-shoulder way is actually the way I most frequently wear this style, as I can adjust the strap to sit anywhere I’d like under my arm. If I’m feeling protective, the handle goes quite short to keep it close to me, and it means I can wear it comfortably even with a coat on.
One thing that really attracted me to Vendula London to begin with is that the majority of their bags come with crossbody straps. It’s something that my customers love, too — since it means when you get too tired of lugging a bag around, simply extend the strap and it’s easier to carry.
The addition of the handle at the top of the Vendula London backpack is great, because it also means you can use the bag as a handheld grab bag when you want to be fancier.
And of course, you have the two adjustable straps in order to use the bag as a backpack! It’s a really light bag, even when it’s full of my crap, so you barely notice you’re wearing it. That is, of course, until someone stops you in the street to ask where your bag is from. And this will happen!
I’ve used this bag a few times now, plus I’ve had my Winter Cottage version for a while, and it’s quickly taken over the grab bag style as my favourite. The versatility makes it so useful, and there’s no compromise on style!
The Shopfront Backpack style comes in a few different designs (and more to come!), head over to their site and let me know your favourite one!
Jumper; Old Collectif
Pinafore Skirt; Handmade
Bangles; Splendette
Earrings; Bow and Crossbones
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)
I’m not quite ready to get Christmassy, I don’t know about you! But what I AM ready forms autumn goodness. Last week I brought you my favourite plus size style for autumn, but this week it’s all Autumn Accessories!
Please note that some of these links are affiliate links. All that means is that if you buy something, I might get a couple of quid commission. And maybe I could afford all that coffee I drink…
Kicking off this Wednesday Wishlist is Vendula London! As you know, my day job is working for Vendula, so I stare at these bags all day long, and I just love them! We’ve got some amazing new lines this season, with even more bag styles. AND. The George is back!
We all know I Love Luxulite. That’s exactly why she’s featured on pretty much every Wednesday Wishlist! I just love her too much!
I’m not the only one to be utterly in love with turbans this year! I met Rubylea back at London Edge, and I really fell in love with her pieces. She also sells other hats and accessories which are great, but I’m just alllll about the turbans right now!
I’m not even going to try and choose individual items to show you from Splendette’s new range. Why not? BECAUSE I LOVE IT ALL. Seriously, check out the full range — and let me know which ones you like best! Because I bet you can’t pick favourites either!
Who said hair flowers were only for summer? Inject a little floral colour into your looks with Lady Luck’s AW18 collection of beautiful blooms!
I don’t feature shoes too often on here because I rarely find shoes that work in outfits. I really like a more 40s style when it comes to shoes, because they’re often made to be… you know, actually wearable. Royal Vintage have some gorgeous shoes! And those Aspen boots are the perfect replacements if my trusty Miss L Fire ones break one day!
Who else thinks that lipstick is the perfect accessory? Darker colours are always favoured around this time of the year — and what better brand to sport than Lola Von Rose? ‘Vintage’ was on my review list last week, but how perfect are ‘Candelabra’ and ‘Old Hollywood’ for the darker days?
Are you all about berets? Berry colours all over maybe? Or do you completely disregard the season and wear tiki hair flowers year round? Let me know in the comments!
And remember you can keep an eye out on my picks for autumn accessories on Pinterest!
The last week’s been a little weird for me. My anxiety and depression decided I was being too nice and came back with vengeance. So I’ve been apathetic towards practically everything for the last week. Maybe it’s because I had decided to be so social the week before? However, I did have a wonderful time at the Pin Up Picnic in the Park 4 before this dip – and was wearing some tiki goodness thanks to Voodoo Vixen!
I was so lucky that my dear friend GreasyChris on Instagram was so so kind to take a few photos!
I posted about Pin Up Picnic in the Park 3 last year – which was actually in a bar. This year, the British Belles pushed the date back to August – and it turned out to be the best idea! The sun was shining, we were drinking and eating to our heart’s contented enjoying each other’s company.
I love picnics in general, but this is such a fun event, because it feels very inclusive. There’s no bitching about hair or clothes, and everyone is celebrated for being themselves. It’s an event you can turn up to on your own and anxiety aside – you’ll find people! I met some amazing new friends this year.
Voodoo Vixen sponsored my outfit for the event with their Dana Dress in pineapple print, as well as some bamboo bangles. Talk about a perfect tiki pairing!
I took my usual 2XL in the Dana Dress, but smaller busts can get away with sizing down, no problem! It was the teensiest bit too big in the waist, which a smaller size would of corrected. But does it look bad? Absolutely not! It’s the sort of dress that doesn’t desperately need the most cinched in of waists. The skirt is full, but not so much that a smaller waist and bigger petticoat is needed – and what a blessing that is!
This dress is just perfect for an occasion like the PUPITP, there’s stretch to accommodate for over-eating of picnic food, and the fabric is quite breathable. I’m wearing it dressed up for the event, however I can see the working as a casual dress easily. Some cute ballet flats and a cardigan could see this go into autumn, too.
I was also gifted a pack of bamboo bangles, because how can you go tiki without bamboo? They’re the perfect accompaniment to the dress – but also to my Luxulite Pineapple Brooch and Yellow and Green spacers!
Of course, I need to address my hat, don’t I? Believe it or not – this was made at 3am the morning before from an IKEA placemat, the monstera leaf is cut from felt and prick stitched on. Then I glued the placemat onto a headband and bent into place. It’s simple to make, but the possibilities are endless!
I wasn’t the only one with the idea of turning the exact placemat into a hat, though – the wonderful Sarah (EssBDee on Instagram) made the most GORGEOUS vintage-style hat you just have to check out! I’ll be taking a leaf out of her book pretty soon!
Towards the end of the night, me and the last surviving attendees went to get our tiki on at Trader Vic’s – what a perfect setting for my Vendula London Tiki Bar Grab Bag, don’t you think?
Hat; Handmade
Necklace; Handmade (Similar)
Dress; C/O Voodoo Vixen (Disclaimer)
Brooch; Luxulite
Bag; Vendula London
Bangles;
Bamboo; C/O Voodoo Vixen |Lucite; Luxulite
Hey dolls! How are we all doing at the moment? I had a little mental health dip the end of last week which wasn’t easy to deal with. Luckily for me, my new medication is helping my through the rough patch. And then the sun came out! It’s been miserable in England recently, but the weather is looking more summery. And so this week I’m bringing some 50s summer style early with this Lindy Bop Lemon Dress!
I’ve mentioned my love for red and yellow colour combinations before. It’s one of those ones that people don’t believe work together (my mother, for instance) but is one of my favourites. It’s so bright and cheerful, why would you not love it? It means I can be seen from space, sure, but it just screams summer to me!
I’ve now got a few Audrey dresses from Lindy Bop, and I ordered my usual 22 size. It’s one of those things with Lindy Bop that you know sizing is a bit off, and although this 22 was better than the Drive In dress from last year, it’s not fitting so perfectly.
I think it’s safe to say that actually, the Audrey style might actually not be my ideal style from Lindy Bop. Because my breasts are bottom-heavy, the top of the bodice gapes, but flattens my bust a little. It’s such a shame it’s not the right shape for me, since I love the style! Don’t get me wrong, it suits some people beautifully – just not me. Boo.
However! I needed this dress in my life. I’ve become a fan of lemon prints over the years, and I really love the size of them lemons on this print compared to others. It’s made from 97% cotton which means it breathes wonderfully in the heat, with a little 3% elastane which would mean you possibly could size down in this if you’re not large-busted.
This is also one of the first dresses I’ve loved with the belt that comes with it! I do like Lindy Bop belts as they’re always big enough to fit me and then some, but usually I swap them out for a contrast. This one just looks too adorable to not wear.
Of course, I had to accessorise with one of the new Vendula London bags! I mentioned the Greengrocer Grace bag in my top picks post as being one of my favourites, and it just worked so perfectly with this dress! After using it just once, I can see this bag being used more often than my grab bags because of the amount of space inside. I’m not joking, I fit heels, a camera, a makeup bag and a purse inside the Grace before it got a bit crowded. I’m recommending it for those all-and-the-kitchen-sink sort of handbag users who find the grab just a touch too small!
So I hope you’ve been enjoying the UK sunshine, loves! Maybe my yellow maxi finally did coax the sun out!
Bolero; Collectif
Necklace&Bangles; Vintage
Brooch; Luxulite
Dress; C/O Lindy Bop (Disclaimer)
Shoes; Swedish Hasbeens
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)
Well, good afternoon darlings! I hope you’re all well? I worked one long week, and I’m a little bit exhausted, oops. But regardless of that, I wanted to share with you a few of my favourite bags from Vendula London‘s Spring/Summer 18 range!
It might not quite be spring OR summer at the moment, but we’re looking for brighter days with some amazing new lines at Vendula London! If you don’t pay attention, I work in Vendula London’s Covent Garden boutique, where I stare at bags for five days a week. It’s awful, as you can imagine – staring at pretty bags for a living is no way for anyone to live, haha!
First up on the list is from the Greengrocers range. Our shop Fronts have two new bag styles, the Mini Saddle Bag, and this, the Grace. The most popular SF bags are always the Grab styles, but we wanted to add a slightly larger bag into the mix for those (like me) who carry around everything and the kitchen sink.
I love the Greengrocers design for being fresh and lively, and the white and grey palette will look amazing all through the year! It can fit quite a bit, so it’s an ideal everyday bag. There’s also extenders on the sides to allow the opening to widen if you stuff it a bit too full… Which I’ve definitely not done. Nope. Plus, because it’s Vendula London, there’s also a shoulder strap to help you out when you don’t want to carry it anymore.
I love a shaped backpack! I fell in love with my Russian Dolls bag over winter, so I was excited to see the Birdhouse range came in with this. Unlike last season’s bag, it doesn’t have removable straps, which I think is a shame, but its still super cute. It’s big enough for essentials, and I can imagine it would look adorable whilst you’re cycling through the countryside on a hazy summer evening. Sounds like bliss to me.
The Coffee Bar range is pretty adorable, but not quite “my” colours. However – as a coffee addict, the appeal of the Cup Shaped Bag was too cute to ignore. Personally, I probably wouldn’t use it because its pretty tiny. But for those of you that like small bags, this is small but sweet. I’d say it was an ideal festival or gig bag, even!
I’m going to be a bit biased with this design, because it was my suggestion. But GODDAMNIT I LOVE IT. Who wouldn’t like to wear a Tiki Bar on their body?
This range does come in the new Grace and Mini Saddle styles, but I think the classic Grab Bag is best! With pom pom trim on the roof, appliquéd palm leaves and Moai heads and colourful flowers, this is a perfect addition for you tiki lovers. Literally cannot wait to break out tropical outfits with this bag!
Prosecco Bar Truck Shaped Grab Bag
This bag was one of the stand-out pieces to me when we were showing them at trade shows last year. After the success of our Caravan bag, we added a boozy element – Prosecco! I feel like prosecco is a British institution these days, because we love drinking, and who doesn’t want fizzy wine? Or a cat driving a van, for that matter?
I mention a lot that I’m not really a pink person, but I’m happy to throw that out the window for this bag! It’s a shaped back with plenty of room for essentials, plus a detachable crossbody strap. And did I mention a cat driving a van?
Considering Chelsea Square is one of the smallest ranges we’ve done, this is my absolute favourite. Its even a bit simple for the usual Vendula style! But the simplicity and practicality makes this Number One for me. I carry my laptop to and from work constantly, and finding a cute bag to fit that beast is generally impossible. Until now! It fits my 15″ MacBook, wallet, diary and bottle of water with room to spare. And for my plus girls, the shoulder strap is long enough to fit over my big arms! This will be my daily bag through summer, I assure you!
And so that’s my top picks for our SS18 range! Have you seen all the ranges yet? What are your favourites?
Also – if you’re in London, why not pop into our Covent Garden shop and say hi?
Although the UK has been experiencing some snow the last month, I’m getting ready for summer. I get that snow does not seem like spring, let alone summer, but I’m desperate for some sunshine! So on the first spring-like day we’ve had in London, I decided to get into gear with one HELL of a co-ordination from Fashion Nova Curve!
I’d mentioned about Boohoo in my last post, and how I’d never thought I’d fit in with their aesthetic. Fashion Nova is another brand that doesn’t exactly do the 50’s thing I usually go for. But MY GOD do they make some amazing clothes for a wide range of sizes – and much like Boohoo it is allllll about celebrating female sexuality in all forms!
This is a brand that gives no shits when it comes to producing style for plus women. And I mean that in the best way possible! All the ‘rules’ you’re told as a big woman to adhere to when it comes to fashion is thrown out of the window. They do short shorts, mini skirts, tummy cut outs and thigh high splits. You want figure hugging? You got it. Perhaps you want crop tops? Girl, you can HAVE it! I adore brands like this.
Now, a yellow maxi dress isn’t the first thing I’d reckon you’d see me in. But as soon as I saw the Newport Beach dress on the website, I fell in love. The saddest part is that it’s actually sold out now, although there is a similar one here.
Red and yellow is a combination I’ve been told to avoid a few times before, but it’s actually one of my favourites. The neckline is just astonishing, the print is sweet and not too overbearing and the colour of the dress is a bit brighter in person, which is perfect for me.
I took a 1X in this dress, based off the measurements given by Fashion Nova’s size chart – and the fit is exact. Since the fabric is a polyester-blend chiffon, there’s no stretch – but if you go by your measurements you should be golden!
Let’s take a moment to talk about the neckline. Oh, the neckline. A deep V in the front, supported by shaped boning, adjustable spaghetti straps and elasticated ruffles to keep the fit nice. I love this neckline SO much! Although I really had to wear a bra underneath, my poor boobs were so sad in the dress without it. But it gives such a great edge to the look, don’t you think?
The weirdest part of this dress is honestly the built-in knickers. Although a great idea in theory, and I get why, if your body doesn’t quite fit them the whole dress drags down. You can just about see that I’ve cut the gusset out, which was essential for me, otherwise the neckline hit me at such a weird point!
Lastly, let’s talk about these Tieana Boots. I’ve wanted thigh high boots for FOREVER. It’s nearly impossible for me to wear boots above an ankle length because I have an annoying leg composition. My feet are wide, my ankles small, my calves smaller-than-the-average-fat-lady and ginormous thighs.
These are not boots in their ‘Curve’ range, but the fit is amazing! I’m a UK8 in shoes due to my wide feet, and the US10 fits well. Thanks to the lace-up at the front, I can adjust the sizing to suit my legs, and although the laces are just a tad too short to reach to the absolute top, they look great!
So what do you guys think? It’s definitely a different look for me. But I really like being able to play with my style at the moment with different brands! And don’t forget, Fashion Nova go from an XS to a 3X in US sizing. They also offer FREE UK and Canada shipping over $75 AND if you use the code MELODYMAE you get 20% off! Bargain, I’d say!
Bra; Playful Promises
Jacket; Primark (old)
Dress; C/O Fashion Nova Curve (Disclaimer) (similar)
Belt; Primark (old)
Boots; C/O Fashion Nova (Disclaimer)
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)
Whenever I’m in Tokyo, I always want to look my best. This is because of two reasons; One – it’s Tokyo and if there’s one place I can wear slightly mental things, it’s there. Two – It’s too beautiful to NOT dress well! But sine I was there in the winter, there’s a limit to my colour palette. That was until these We Love Colors plus size red tights came along!
Navy is actually one of my favourite colours. It looks good against my skin tone, and my hair just POPS unlike any other colour! Throughout the summer my go-to dress is this eShakti shirtdress I bought back in 2015. But in the winter? I just can’t. I spoke in my last WLC post about how I hated tights. They never fit, and they’re pretty much only in black, maybe the odd dark navy here and there. But nothing that works with a nice, bright navy such as this dress!
So back in the wardrobe it goes until the summer, usually. So you can imagine how excited I was to wear my favourite dress in the winter with these scarlet red tights!
Just like Spruce Green tights, I took the 4X in the Scarlet Red. To pre-warn you on two things; the red comes up larger than the green for me! Plus, they NEED to be washed before wear. Red dyes have problems with colour run, and these are no different. A soak in cold salt water should help you out, though. I didn’t do it, and the first time I wore them I ended up with red feet – eek!
When meeting my friend in Ueno she exclaimed “those are some tights” and rightly so! They’re such a bright, intense red that they make my hair look dull! Other than having to pull the tights up from the ankles a bit more than the green, these are still pretty amazing. They seem to come up longer than the green, at least. I mentioned the green where a good fit with possibility of going down a size, but the 3X would have been a better size for me in red.
But it’s not stopping me from wearing this colour combination often! I’d rather tights a touch too big than too small, after all.
You can tell I was excited by wearing blue for once, especially since I got to wear my ‘Bye’ beret from the tutorial I did a while back! Doesn’t quite go with the outfit theme-wise, but colour-wise isn’t it just perfect?
And since I wanted to add a little bit of ridiculousness to my outfit, I matched up my Vendula London Sushi bag with a SUSHI NECKLACE. Capitals needed, it’s both the best and worst thing I own. Pieced together from ¥100 sushi keyrings from Daiso in my hotel room, and old Japanese ladies found it hilarious.
So what colour tights will you be rocking in winter? Let me know in the comments!
Bolero; Collectif | Brooch; Pink Bungaloo
Dress; eShakti (Old)
Beret & Necklace; Handmade
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)
Tights; C/O We Love Colors (Disclaimer)
Shoes; Melissa
I’m going to start this post with a pretty strong statement – I hate tights. Give me cycling shorts and bare legs any day! The main reason I hate tights is that I just find it SO HARD to find ones that actually fit. I’m 5’7″ and all leg, with thin ankles, thick thighs and a big tummy at a UK22. But this is where We Love Colors plus size tights come into play!
We Love Colors is an American brand (as you can tell by the spelling), a family-run hosiery brand. They specialise in tights, but also stock dance wear, leggings, socks and gloves! The uniqueness of We Love Colors is in the name – they stock over 50 colours to choose from!
One of the saddest things for me as a plus sized woman is that the only tights I can ever find are black. And I love black, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes you want to mix it up and get a bit colourful on a rainy day.
These tights are all hand-dyed in Miami, and the size range for them is rather impressive! In straight sizing you have S/M-3X based on height and weight. But the plus sizes are based on height, weight AND hip measurements up to a 7X!
I’m wearing the 4X in the Spruce Green. Although they’re a great fit, I could definitely go for a size down. It’s always been difficult to find a decent length in tights to fit, and these are so good they’re just a tad too long. It doesn’t affect wearing them at all, but my suggestion is to size down if you’re in the bottom end of each size.
I touched upon the comfort and the sizing in my last post, but they’re so damn comfy. Although they don’t have the extra panel in the front like most plus sized tights seem to, it’s impressive how well they fit with just two seams! They stretch right up to my boobs, and don’t cut me up in any way. Which means I can wear them all day without even knowing they’re on!
We Love Colors’ tights are matte, too, which I appreciate because I’m not a fan of sheen on tights.
It’s so hard to photograph the vibrancy of the colour when it’s so grey in London at the moment, but hopefully you get the idea! They are SO worth the money, what colours will you be getting?
Cardigan & Dress; Collectif (Old)
Belt; Primark
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)
Tights; C/O We Love Colors (Disclaimer)
Boots; Miss L Fire (Old)
I mentioned on an Instagram post back at the beginning of the year about taking more risks with my style. I’ve lost a lot of my body confidence, and I feel like that could be because I’m in a rut with clothing! So when Yours Clothing asked me to choose an outfit to feature on my blog, I decided to go for something a bit different!
Okay, so it’s not the absolute opposite of what I usually wear, but I decided to try this checked skater skirt, which is a tad shorter than I usually go for! This is actually the shortest skirt I own, because my usual 50s style doesn’t often call for shorter skirts. And it’s oddly nerve-wracking to see my knees, haha!
I’m around 5’7″, and this full-circle skirt sits around three inches above the knee. Perfect for shorter gals who want a knee-length skater, I’d say! I took a UK20 in this skirt, and the sizing is great. The waistband is black elastic, therefore has sooo much stretch! It’s pretty true to size, but smaller waists could also go down a size. The fullness of the skirt means it’s free on the hips, too!
To go with the skirt, I was a little uninspired by the tops and jumpers that Yours Clothing offered. Considering it’s a brand that caters to plus sized women that wear more mainstream fashions, there’s a lot of floaty tops and cold shoulder jumpers. I don’t actually understand the cold shoulder thing – if anyone can explain to me, I’d appreciate it. But for me personally, I can’t get on board with loose-fitting clothes. I like my flared skirts and dresses, but I need to keep things tight up top otherwise I lose all my shape!
So to put together my co-ordination, I went for a basic black 3/4 sleeve top. But you know what? I love it! The jersey is soft and thick, and the neckline and sleeve bands keep it close to you skin so it’s not going to stretch out! I took a UK20 in this top, but I think you can see that I could’ve gone down a size or two. I’d recommend at least one size down for a tight fit, or your usual size for a looser one. Either way, I’ll be wearing it throughout winter with all my skirts!
I’m going to ignore that my belt is off-centre in these photos. Gah.
This outfit was perfect for a little wander around Alexandra Palace, paired with the comfiest boots from Primark and this adorable Russian Dolls Backpack from Vendula London – which is now only £38.75 in the sale!
You know, though, I really like this sort of style. I talked about Melody Casual a while back – and maybe this is the beginning of my REAL casual side? What do you think?
Top&Skirt; C/O Yours Clothing (Disclaimer)
Scarf & Boots; Primark
Jacket; Collectif (old)
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)
