Sports Bra Review: Freya Active Bra

If you read my lifestyle blog Confessions of a Single Parent Pessimist, you will know that lately I’ve been knuckling down and attempting to get fit.

Due to being a single parent of a little one I don’t have the babysitting facilities or the funds to go to a gym, so I’ve been doing workout dvd programmes at home; If you follow my instagram you will have seen quite a few sweaty selfies recently!

Whilst doing a lot of high intensity workouts I’ve noticed a real need for good bra support, so have been given the chance to try out the Freya Active Bra.

I chose a size 36DD in black and naturally the best way to test it was to do a good workout!

Review: Elena Miro Top

Until recently I was completely unaware that House of Fraser have a huge plus size department on their website!

They feature many top plus-size brands including Evans, Studio 8 and Elena Miro and they even have a small selection of footwear that are UK size 10 so I shall now be browsing this section regularly.

I was sent a lovely top from Elena Miro to try as this is a brand I have never come across. It is a size 14 which I was already nervous about trying as I haven’t been that size for about five years now, but IT FITTED!

I have been working out a fair bit for that last three months so this possibly helped (a lot) as the top is a silky material so there isn’t any stretching that can done to expand it.

I love the colours, the mixture of mint green, black and white work well and I really like how there are different designs on the sleeves, back and front of the top.

The cut is quite flattering with a rounded edge on the bottom of the top and it’s definitely a well-made, good quality product that compliments the plus size shape in my opinion.

This top could be combined with some leggings for a casual look or some black jeans and heels for a night out. The light, silky material felt lovely on my skin and I would wear it for nights out because it would hopefully stop me overheating!

The top was sent to me to test for the purpose of this review. No payment was made and all opinions are honest and my own. 

Review: Wingz by FatPhRocks

I don’t know about you, but I’ve struggled with the way my upper arms have looked my entire life.

Even when I lost five stone a few years ago and slimmed right down I still had big arms and never felt able to show them off.

This summer for the first ever time I’ve actually had the confidence to wear vest tops without cardigans because I no longer care what other people think of me, and would prefer to feel cooler and more comfortable instead!

Don’t get me wrong I do still get my bad days when I find it harder to have them exposed, so I’m thankful I’ve now found a new item of clothing that helps me cover my arms without a big old cardigan that covers up any pretty dresses I choose to wear like my latest, gorgeous maxi dress.

They’re called Wingz and basically are like a shrug but they go underneath your clothes rather than over the top. It is held by a strap that goes under your bra and come in a range of colours and styles as well as full length arms or 3/4 length.

 

I tried the black chiffon flare 3/4 sleeves and overall was very impressed! I chose black because a lot of my vest tops and dresses are that colour, and I wanted flared because it is a light, airy material that would suit the summer.

I tried them with a maxi dress and liked how only the sleeves were on show, because I don’t like how shrugs and cardigans cover up some of the dress as they have to be tied up, or they’re left open and baggy which ruins how my overall shape looks.

It sits nicely under my bra and is stretchy so can be worn all day without any problems.

I would love to try the lace wingz next as I think they would make a plain vest top look totally different and more dressy!

What would you pair them with?

Fatphrocks Review: Fleurs Purple and Black Maxi Dress

I’ve been lucky enough to have been sent a gorgeous maxi dress by Fatphrocks, who specialise in clothes for Tall, plus size women.

I was sent this Fleurs Purple and Black maxidress which is perfect for the summer days that we are getting here and there this month!

I wore it yesterday for a date (yes an actual first date lol) and I got a very good reaction! I love that I finally have a maxi dress that goes down to my feet, as all the ones I own are slightly short due to my 5’11 height.

It is made for a lovely, lightweight material that doesn’t crease and is perfect when you need to stay cool on the really hot days of summer.

It has adjustable straps which was also helpful, as I tend to have a small cleavage in some plus size clothes so they can be baggy. There’s also a smocked back section with some tie which means I can tighten it up or loosen depending on the day I’ve had!

I love the bright, bold colours on this dress as I love wearing stand out clothes during the summer. It has a detailed embroidery section just under the bust which helps accentuate the hips and it sparkles in the sun which is always a plus for me.

Overall this dress is very good quality, feels comfortable to wear and kept me cool during my date so it’s definitely going to be a permanent part of my wardrobe!

I teamed it up with a bright yellow satchel and some gladiator sandals, along with some bright gold eyeshadow. What would you team it with?

I was sent this dress by Fatphrocks to test for the purpose of this review. No payment was received and all opinions are honest and my own.

Christmas Outfit Ideas: Taking Shape Review

Taking Shape have a great new range just in time for Christmas and I’ve been lucky enough to sample some pieces!

The Briar Rose Dress has a gorgeous floral print, with a cute, black V-neckline that has crystals to add a touch of glamour.

The dress has a cross over style and contrasting side ties which helps to accentuate the curves whilst hiding some of the bumpy bits! There’s a large side bow that rests on the hip which contrasts with the floral print and pops out of the outfit.

This is definitely something that I am going to wear at a Christmas party matched with a black, sparkly handbag and some bright shoes.

The Matilde Cardigan is a gorgeous black, glittery cardigan which has a draped front opening. I like that it has a 3/4 length sleeve to cover my top arms, and it pops nicely against a white tee as shown off by my sister! I would team this up with some black slimline trousers or harem trousers and some stilettos for a casual, but glam look.

I was given these two items by Taking Shape in order to review. No payment was received and all opinions are honest and my own. 

Bargain sale dress from F&F

Just a quick one to show off the bargain I found today!
I popped into the local Tesco and noticed F&F clothing were having a little sale.
I didn’t see anything I liked but then noticed a swarm of people around a small section of bits with even more discount.

I managed to get a couple of dresses for £1.50 each and my favourite which was this yellow beauty at just £3.

Bargains or what! Definitely showing this dress off tomorrow at a London press lunch!

Review: A Collection Of Plus Size Tights From UK Tights

If you’re anything like me, tights have always been a difficult thing for me to wear, because of my height, dress size and big feet!

I’ve also never seen any that match my skintone, so have only ever been able to wear black ones, which don’t always go with all dresses and skirts I would love to wear in the winter!

So when I noticed UK Tights sell a range of tights that can meet all of my above needs, I had to give them a try…

The Range I Was Sent To Test By UK Tights

The Gerbe Ethnic Tights (15 denier) are for people like me from mixed parentage families. I have a light brown skin, and tested the Peau Bronzee shade.

I was pleased they come in a range of shades, both lighter and darker than my skintone, and when I tried them on I could tell they were of very good quality. They felt lovely on my skin, and they matched my skintone very well, to the extent that when I looked in the mirror I didn’t look like I had any tights on, which has never happened to me before.

They are also seamless and have an invisible waistline which were even more bonuses, so they will definitely be products I wear in future.

Gerbe Ethnic Tights

I was also sent a couple of pairs of tights from Pamela Mann, which is a company I have reviewed before and also loved. I tried the Pamela Mann Heart Seam Tights (Denier 28) which are gorgeous, if a tad fiddly to get the seam line straight! These will definitely be ones that I shall be wearing with my vintage-inspired dresses, such as my ophelia dress, as they complete the look well.

The Pamela Mann All Over Sheer Bow Tights (Denier 15) were more of a quirky style, with little bows all over the black tights. These I already have in mind to wear for an upcoming Halloween party, so watch this space!

Pamela Mann Tights

I also got to review the Naomi and Nicole Amazing Light Adjustable Rise Thigh Slimmer. This is something I shall be using a lot over the winter months, especially when Christmas parties start to appear on my calendar, and Christmas food appears in my tummy! I loved how they smoothed my stomach out, never mind my thighs, so they will be going on under my dresses from now on.

They have great elastine which gripped my body well, so when I was walking it didn’t ride down at all unlike some cheaper brands I have tried in the past.

Naomi & Nicole Thigh Slimmer

So all in all, I was very pleased with the selection UK Tights sent me, and they are definitely going to be a website I shall be using from now on for tights, stockings and leggings!

For the purpose of this review I was sent the products from UK Tights. No payment was received, and all opinions are honest and my own.

Review: Ann Harvey Astrakhan Coat

Ann Harvey have a brand new collection which has just launched at Bon Marché.

The A/W range is only for us plus size girlies, and comes in sizes 16-32.

I was given the chance to test out the Ann Harvey Astrakhan Coat which caught my eye due to its vintage-inspired glamour style. Thankfully it really did feel as good as it looked. It’s soooo soft and more importantly WARM which in our British winters is a must. I felt very glamorous wearing this coat, and have already been planning the outfits I will wear underneath to compliment it when I’m out on the town!

Me Enjoying My New Ann Harvey Astrakhan Coat

It’s a great length too, coming just above my knee, and it has a gorgeous, deep purple lining which works well with the dark grey tones of the coat. There are popper buttons which I tend to prefer to zips, and it has lovely, deep pockets which are handy for an unorganised mum like me!

If I were given the chance to add accessories with this coat, I would choose the gorgeous blue Ann Harvey Fringed Wrap scarf which would pop out beautifully against the grey, along with the matching Ann Harvey Blue Satin Clasp Clutch Bag.

And to add a touch of vintage-inspired glamour, I would also wear the stunning Ann Harvey Feather Detail Fascinator.

My Dream Outfit from the new Ann Harvey Collection A/W 2014

All of these items can be found on the Ann Harvey section of Bon Marche’s website, and there’s currently £5 off when you spend £25 so even more of a reason to start your winter clothes shopping!

Rogers PU Biker Jacket for Matalan

Rogers Biker Jacket

Summer is practically over, and now the shops are launching their autumn/winter ranges which is the perfect excuse for me to start shopping (like I even needed one).

Rogers, the plus size brand that Matalan stock, has launched it’s latest line recently and I was lucky enough to get a sneaky peak at what was coming out, and even got to pick a piece for myself!

I chose the PU Biker Jacket because it’s gorgeous. I love the short, waist length as it helps to add more shape to my hips, and makes me look slightly slimmer which is always a bonus for me!

It comes in sizes 18-30 and has a gorgeous purple lining that my rubbish camera did not do justice. I love the positioning of the zips and this will definitely be a jacket I can wear during the day and for my rare nights on the town.

Some other bits from the range I have my eye on are the Spot Print Panel Dress and the Embellished Shell Top.

What are your favourites?

Pamela Mann Footless Tights

Due to my lovely, long feet I do not enjoy tights. Even as a baby my mum had to cut the feet off my babygrows, because whilst the legs fit perfectly, the feet were always way too small for my flippers. 

So I was pleased to see that Pamela Mann offer a pretty extensive range of footless tights in LOADS of designs, from classic to bold and even multicoloured. 

They kindly let me try a pair to see how I got on, and I love them!

They are a good quality material and I love the retro, but funky design that my pair have. I tend to ladder mine within the first few seconds of wearing them, so was very happy that I have worn them a couple of times now and they have remained in tact! I have had a lot of compliments when wearing them from some rather cute guys so I’m definitely going to be purchasing some more! 

They have tights, leggings and footless tights with some going up to an impressive size 32, and I noticed they currently have a pretty good sale going on!

Check out their entire range here.

For the purpose of this review I was sent on pair of Pamela Mann footless tights. No payment was received, so all opinions are honest and my own.