A dress fit for a Queen

This month has been quite a busy social one for me with weddings and birthdays to be celebrated.  I am one of those people who can't wear the same dress twice, more so when it is an event to be celebrated with a similar group of friends.  Thankfully House of Fraser were on hand to help me out with my little predicament and with these two fabulous dresses from the plus size dresses range.

The Dorothy Perkins Leaf Print Sateen Fit And Flare Dress is shown on the left is currently on sale here for just £20 and it is an absolute bargain.  When wearing it, there is a zip which runs the length of the back, it has a rounded collar, short sleeves and is Fit and Flare designed meaning that it pulls the waist with a ribbon is and is really flattering.  I really love the leaf design which also uses the colours blue and yellow and can, therefore, be accessorised really easily.

The Black and white floral Samya Pleated Botanical Print Dress is again a dress I absolutely adore.  As with the first dress, it is again a fit-and-flare style dress featuring a belted waist and box pleated skirt making it really flattering. It uses a back zip fastener, has a rounded collar and is also sleeveless.  

As a black and white dress, it can be as dressed up as casually worn as you find comfortable.

With both dresses what I found is the sizing was almost spot on.  Having the belted waist meant I could pull them in at the sides where they were both slightly too big and it then lifted the dresses so they didn't just hang.  When I am buying a dress, for me it is all about fitting around the chest area because if it doesn't fit there, then it can really make an outfit look horrendous.

I am not usually a fan of zips on the back of dresses because of the coldness against the skin, but with these two, I didn't notice them throughout either day of wearing them, nor did I feel overly hot and bothered.

My favourite of the two dresses is the first one.  It fits much more snugly, it is fairly bright and cheerful and I loved the detail on the hem, which I feel complimented the dress.

Have you seen any dresses you have really liked of late?

Hen Night Outfit Choices

I am going to one of my closes friends Hen nights in a few days time and choosing something to wear has been quite tricky, mainly due to the activities of the night (which I can't reveal as she reads my blog).  That said, I have narrowed it down to a choice of two dresses and either black tights with chunky boots or a pair of chunky sandals.

Option One

Hen Night outfit 1 by beautyqueenuk 

I absolutely love this dress which I found on eBay with the accessories coming from TK Maxx by way clutch bag along with some of the jewellery. The final items are the Boots, cardigan and tights which are from New Look and are in the sale.  The total outfit costing just £150

Option Two

I have a bit of a thing for floral dresses, quite out of character as I usually like things to be quite plain so I can dress them up with accessories.

Hen night outfit 2 by beautyqueenuk

So the dress is again from New Look and costs just £17.99 which is such a bargain with again the tights and cardigan from the first outfit.  The chunky sandals which I really love because they are not too high (I have flat feet) and look great with tights are from Jones Bootmaker where again there is a great sale and these cost £20.  The finals items are the cross body bag which is made by Osprey and costs £30 from TKMaxx an a white bangle bracelet which I own and it comes from Forever21 and I paid £5.

I am yet to decide which outfit I am going to wear, but would love to know your thoughts!

This post contains a paid for link but all words are my own.

Pulling the Woolover your eyes!

With Christmas on its way, buying for the men folk in my life is always the hardest, my dad especially who never wants anything and usually ends up with the same presents every year - his favourite whisky and some fishing vouchers.  Same for the father in law funnily enough.

Wool Overs are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and the winter season’s coming up on us quicker and quicker and there are just so many lovely items that ive put together some of the ones that have made it onto a short list for present options, where it is men's jumpers or men's cardigans there are so many to choose from.

The best part about these products however is their price! Starting from around £25 and rising in price to around £40 per item and if you get in there quick there are some amazing offers which might just help you finish off your Christmas lists. Top left features an Arran zip neck jumper which comes in a variety of sizes and colours and costs just £39. The two pictures below feature Crew neck jumper in purple for £35 and a British Shawl Collar Cardigan which costs just £39. The right hand side of the screen features a Lincoln Zipper Cardigan which is just £28 followed by Cable V-neck Cardian at £45 and finally a Zip Neck hooded Cardigan which costs £35. 

My dad can be quite fussy about what it is he likes to wear, but as long as it has no pattern on it and has a pocket he tends to wear it. What I like about all of the choices I have made is that they will suit men of all ages.

So whether you’re on the search for a heavily knitted, pure British Wool Jumper for enjoying the Outdoors or a smooth Cashmere Slipover for the Golf Course, you’re certain to find the perfect garment in the selection Men and women. Whether you're looking for cardigans, sleeveless cardigans or jumpers, they do come in a range of great colours and styles, including v-neck, crew neck and hooded.

 Would you buy these for a man in your life?

**This post contains a sponsored link

Introducing ChattyFeet!

Today I am going to share with you a product which even now is making me cackle and its name is Chattyfeet!

ChattyFeet are socks which have the sole intention of making you smile and cheer you up with funny character on your toes. Who and what are ChattyFeet?

"When we were kids we thought being a grown up would be non-stop computer games, seeing our friends, going into space, eating waffles and getting to pick all the songs on long car journeys. Then when we actually arrived in grownupland we found out it actually involves paying rent and having a job and fixing the dishwasher and making PowerPoint presentations. Boo to that!

So we decided to stage a secret rebellion against boringness, starting from the ground up (literally) with our funny ChattyFeet socks.

Produced in Portugal, each sock puts one of our quirky characters at your toes. That means you can express yourself through ChattyFeet socks the second you kick off your shoes as well as enjoying all the other bonuses of socks like warmth and being able to slide across the floor like Tom Cruise in Risky Business..."

So when asked if I would like to try some, I immediately went over to the website to choose a pair and was met with this:

There are three different options to choose from - Men, Woman or Children and within each section are the choices of socks from which you can choose and this is what made me cackle, the socks have names. Allow me to introduce you to Brad Feet, Don Cottone the Sockfather.




I chose Yoko Mono which you can see below. These socks are made using 75% cotton, 23% Polyamide, 2% Lycra and they are not only comfortable on the feet but they are also washing machine friendly.







Costing £7 per pair they are quite expensive but do make a good gift for people because they are quite quirky and usual. They come in a variety of sizes, all of which you can find on the website under each sock option.

What do you think to my socks? Do you like the character names?

My SS14 Wishlist

Every so often I see something and think "ooh I like that", make a note of it and then forget all about it. This wishlist is one of those, I have seen a dress or a top that I like, make a mental note to buy it or wait for the sale and then more often than not it is either too late or it is no longer available.

Here is my SS14 Wishlist

I never thought I would be someone to wear Jeggings, EVER but truth be told I really like them and find them comfortable.  The one and only pair I have from Asda, which are superb are no longer available so I have been keeping my eye on these skinny jeans which are very similar to the ones I have from the ASOS Curve Range.

F&F Clothing sometimes have some beautiful clothes in and the dress which you can see in the middle of my wishlist is from there, though sadly only now available in a size 6, I think it is stunning.

Ted Baker purses have appeared on more than one of my wishlists and one day I will get one in the sale, but for now, I have about 4 or 5 that I really like the look of and as soon as they hit the sale I will buy one.

MAC Lipstick, well yes Fanfare has become top of my target list.  I have read so much about it, love the colour and need to go and swatch it properly to make sure it is something I would wear.

The two tops in this post are both from Dorothy Perkins and are both in the sale which you can see HERE and HERE so I am currently debating whether or not to bit the bullet and buy them.  My problem is they are not normally tops that I would buy.  Neither of them have sleeves and I am conscious about my arms, but I think they are just so so pretty.

Make-up Revolution - Everyone is raving about this brand currently and it is a bandwagon I am yet to join and test, though I do have a palette from my BBB Bow to try.  The one item I do love the look of is the Baked Blusher and there are two which I currently love the look of - All I think about is you and Make Love Instead.

Fitflops - I bought my first pair about 6 years ago and they now look very tatty and in need of renewing.  That said they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I have EVER owned, if there was a holygrail for a flip flop then for me FitFlops would be them.  Recently I have kind of fancied these rather funky looking Fitflops called Bon Easy Sandal.  So as well as another pair of Fitflops which I will definitely be purchasing, I like the look of these too.

The final item on this list is from Marc Jacobs and as soon as I saw the bottle I wanted it.  Pink Honey as it is called is encased in this beautiful bottle, very similar to Honey itself only the bottle is a sheer pink and I love it.

What do you think to my list? Do you have any of the items on it? 

Do you have your own wishlist?

Rare London | Clothes I Simply Can’t Live Without

When I was tagged to take part in this competition by Kate whose entry you can see here  - Clothes I simply cannot live without, it really did give me something to think about.  I am sure you all have clothes that you cannot live without and I would love you all to tell me what they are in the comment section below. 

Rare London have this fabulous competition which you can enter to showcase your favourite piece, and in doing so, you could be in with a chance of winning a £200.00 voucher!  with that in mind, this is my favourite dress

I am sure most of you will agree that every wardrobe needs a black dress, and I found this extract on the birth of the LBD facinating

Perhaps more than any other piece of clothing, the little black dress is, women have been told, the essential, the one that will take you practically anywhere. And perhaps more than any other designer, Coco Chanel was the one who made it ubiquitous. She did not invent the concept, of course, but according to Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life (by Justine Picardine, $40, amazon.com), “the little black dress was not formally identified as the shape of the future until 1926, when American Vogue published a drawing of a Chanel design.… It was an apparently simple yet elegant sheath, in black crêpe de Chine, with long, narrow sleeves, worn with a string of white pearls; and Vogue proved to be correct in the prediction that it would become a uniform.…”  and you can read more about this HERE

So, for me a LDB is simply a must have item of clothing and one I couldn't live without.   I do happen to have 4 or 5 differently styled ones as you can see from the photograph below

From that selection there is one of them that I wear more than any other which is this one:

Source

It comes from the Junarose collection on ASOS and I got it in the sale for just £13 reduced from £22 and the reason why I love it so much is because it is just one of those items that I can dress down and wear it daily when I am going to work or if I have a meeting I can add a jacket to it to make it look a little bit smarter.  

Then if I am going out in an evening I can accessorise it a lot more and make it look really fabulous be it with jewellery, my going out bag and a variety of other items of clothing that I own, including my favourite pair of shoes, shown below.

I am not one of those people who keeps up very well with the latest fashion trend, I envy those of you who do and continue to look fabulous, but for me, being comfortable in what I am wearing matters a lot more and it gives me confidence knowing that I actually look really good in something that to the naked eye might look a bit plain, but with a little bit of effort can look totally fabulous.

If you would like to enter this great competition with Rare London, you can do here and you will also find all guidelines too.

As this competition states that I need to tag three of you, I nominate

Kimberley @kimberleyj77

Keeley @phatcupcake

and finally Louise @Staceysmum84

This competition Ends April 30th and if you have entered, please let me know in the comments so I can come and have a look.

The Dos and Don’ts of Leggings

Leggings were a big deal in the 80s, then the 90s, and again in the 00s. It is now 2014 and it seems this particular item is going nowhere. There have been some interesting incarnations of the legging, some more appealing than others, but however you wear them, you have to admit that, when done right, they look great as well as being comfortable. Despite the fact that leggings have been around for a good few decades, there are still those that commit big fashion crimes when wearing them, so here are the basic dos and don'ts of wearing leggings: 

As tights

It is perfectly acceptable to wear leggings as a substitute for tights, they are much cosier in the winter, and less see through if you’re rocking a short skirt. If you choose to do this however, make sure you are wearing boots or other foot covering footwear, as being cut off at the ankle does nothing for the legs, even on the loftiest of supermodels. If you are wearing your leggings in the place of tights, you should shop around and try and find a pair with invisible seams so they really look like thick tights even up close. For really cold days why not invest in a pair of thermal leggings complete with fluffy inners to keep your pins extra toasty?

As trousers

The nation is split as to whether leggings should be worn as trousers with most believing that if you are going to do this you need to wear a long top that covers at least the top half of your bum. An absolute must if you are going for leggings in the place of trousers however, is that you buy a quality pair that are big enough. The least attractive thing in the world is a pair of leggings that have worn through or are being stretched too much over a derriere so that your whole bottom can be seen through the fabric. Have a look at George at ASDA's range of leggings for some good quality thick pairs.

For the gym

Leggings are great gym-wear as they are stretchy, absorbent, comfortable and available in different lengths. Originally most popular with aerobics goers, they are not used by weight lifters and runners as the training attire of choice. Team your leggings with an oversized t-shirt for a practical yet stylish workout outfit that won’t let you down at that critical moment. Leggings are especially good for those who are new to exercise and don’t want to fork out on expensive gear until they have decided whether it’s really for them. As you progress you can look into purchasing special sports leggings or yoga pants. 

Leggings are one of the most versatile items of clothing you could own, easily transitioning from day to night depending on how you wear them. What other item of clothing could both be worn to the gym for a workout, or with a tunic dress of an evening for cocktails? Leggings are 100% here to stay, so now’s a great time to invest.

Do you wear leggings?

**This is a sponsored post

The Radiant Orchid Challenge!

When challenged to find an outfit for £60 to celebrate Pantones colour of the year being ‘Radiant Orchid’ I readily agreed but wow what a challenge it turned out to be.  For those of you who are not aware what the colour Radiant Orchid looks like, here it is:

Described as follows "Radiant Orchid blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple—one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love and health".

So off I went in search of an outfit that I could purchase to celebrate this colour, I thought it would be easy because a lot of stores now have their spring items coming into stores, but oh how wrong was I when it came to finding something that might represent that above.  For hours I wondered up and down Oxford Street, went to Westfield before finally finding this:

Yes I managed to find a dress which I think suits the Radiant Orchid theme and it was priced at £13 which was at least a start, but an outfit is more than one item. So, as I have an event coming up in a few weeks time I decided that this dress would be the outfit for said occasion but I needed things to go with it and this is what I bought for the rest of the outfit.

Shoes which cost £10, Bracelet and necklace £8 from local boutique, Bag £29.50 from Marks and Spencer and the nail polish and tights are my own and all of that came to £60.50 and I have a lovely black cardigan which works really well should I get a little chilly.

One of the reasons I decided I would quite like this challenge is because I love black clothes, my Husband will tell you all that my wardrobe and drawers contain items that are mainly black with bits of blue and purple thrown here there, so predominantly darker colours which I am more comfortable with.  So, now was a good a time as any to inject some colour into my wardrobe, even if it does have black accessories.

Have you bought anything that could be classed as Radiant Orchid?

**SP

Christmas Gift Ideas - What To Buy For Him?

Yes we all have a 'HIM' to buy for, whether it be Dad, Husband, Boyfriend, Brother or Nephew, I find the 'HIM' quite difficult at times. However, after some searching, reading and dropping subtle hints, this is my ideas list.

01. Bvlgari Man Extreme - A personal favourite choice of aftershave for my Mister is something from Bvlgari and this is one he is yet to have within his collection. Described as being "A fresh and sophisticated Eau de Toilette with top notes of pink grapefruit and Mediterranean cactus. Freesia combines with the intense warmth of amber and cardamom in the heart notes and balsa wood and vetiver give an addictive dry down" this is one I know he will like.

02. Gap Jumper - Almost, well most years, there is a new item of clothing or two on the pile of presents to open and it is usually from Gap. This particular Jumper is a Shawlneck Cable knit jumper which can be dressed up or down.

03. Tabletop Mini CD Digital Jukebox - available from Home Wet Bar, a US Based website, this is something that would look great anywhere and I am more than sure my other half would love an actual Jukebox at home. A 21st-century, miniature version of the adored diner's music maker, this digital jukebox updates everything but the poodle skirts! Designed in a classic, fox hop inspired 1950's style finished cabinet, completely cool with a vibrant glow, this Crosley jukebox lets you throw in a CD for an easy jam! Boasting a single-CD player, great sounding stereo speakers, and an AM/FM radio, this digital jukebox home entertainment system is an unheard of way to hear your favorites!

04. Breaking Bad DVD Collection - No doubt most of you will have heard about this TV show or have watched it, seen bits of it and so on. In short the complete series of the blackly comic drama starring Bryan Cranston as a high school chemistry teacher who discovers that he is dying from inoperable lung cancer and decides to raise money for his family by embarking on a new career as a crystal meth dealer.  A must have for any man.

05. PS Vita - As we have an Xbox, Wii and a PS3, I am not sure we need an Xbox One or PS4, however, something to use when travelling around London or on holiday is always quite useful and a nice break from reading a book.  Something like a PS Vita appeals because it means the Hubby can play his games to his hearts content and I am free to have the TV to myself.

What have you bought for the man in your life?

The Perfect Boots to dress up and down!

It's London Fashion Week and whilst I might not be there in person, I am in spirit and their webpage is fantastic, brimming with ideas and an ever growing list of clothes, bags and shoes I would love to own.

With party season on the horizon, I have at least managed to find one pair of Boots from Ladies Designer Wear that I can team up with a variety of outfits be that a dress, skirt, trouser or even leggings.  The Lunar Boot is described as being a boot with a mixture of textile and crocodile texture.

As you can see from the picture above, I think these boots are quite amazing and and very stylish.  They have a crocodile texture as the main part of the boots and then to the side of each boot below the zip is a faux buckle in silver, which I really like as it adds another dimension to the boot.  Lastly the top of and part of the side of the boot is made of material which allows for a more comfortable fit.

So what type of outfit would I wear with my boots?  Below are actual items of clothing that I own and would wear these boots with all four items

What do you think to these Boots?  

Do you ever team up an outfit with one pair of shoes/boots?