Frills 'n' Spills: body image

Showing posts with label body image. Show all posts

Bluebells...

There are some dresses that just put a smile on your face and this gorgeous Uttam Boutique dress is certainly one of them. I have been feeling pretty poorly recently so I needed something to put a spring back into my step. The woodland print on this dress is stunning and paired with its deliciously swooshy skirt, it was the perfect thing to wear to cheer up a rainy bank holiday. I have never seen a more enthusiastic reaction to an outfit on Instagram, you all loved it as much as I do! The dress is available here and it is on sale so go and bag yourself a bargain ;) It was absolutely pouring with rain when we took these photos so my hair has gone a little bit flat in some of these pictures which is very annoying, haha! As you may know, I have been trying to lose a little bit of weight and I was really pleased as this dress was a size smaller than I would usually wear, Ideally I could lose another half a stone or so but I have been really pleased with my progress so far!

Dress: Uttam Boutique. belt: Tesco, tights: Marks & Spencer, shoes: c/o George at ASDA

I have definitely decided to grow out my fringe and I am hopeful that it won't take too long as it has already grown a huge amount already. I have a hair appointment later this week so hopefully we can wrangle it into something resembling a style! This Bourjois lipstick is one of my favourites and I am seriously tempted to buy it in all the colours as it is just so easy to wear!

Originally I was going to wear this without the belt like the lovely Sarah but actually it looked like it was missing something so I dug out one of my million black skinny belts to go with it which helped to break up the pattern a little bit. I love dresses that hit just above the knee and paired with my beloved block heeled shoes, I felt super tall which is quite an unusual feeling for me! ;)

Which dresses put a spring in your step? How do you stay motivated?

Burgundy jeans and a striped tee...

I have always found that clothes are the best indicator of my mood, whether that is bright and exuberant or more restrained. So much of our confidence is tied up with how we look and blogging has made me a much more confident person (just look how far I have come since one of my first outfit posts!) but recently I have been feeling all kinds of rubbish. I realise that most people won't want to know about my self esteem issues but I have always been honest about the lows on this blog as unfortunately life isn't always sunshine and flowers! Since starting my job last April, I have put on a lot of weight and much to my dismay, some clothes are now off limits as they are too small. As a result of this, I have been quite self conscious of my problem areas (hello hips and torso!) and so have been looking for ways to disguise them. I am working to lose my weight gain, replacing crisps and cake with salads and more exercise *sob* but as anyone who has lost weight knows, it can be a slow process! Despite all of the above (!) I really love this outfit and am looking forward to recreating it when I want some cosy layers...

TL;DR- I put on weight which is bad because I can't fit into some of my clothes and my self esteem suffered as a result...

Top: Laura Ashley c/o Matilda, t-shirt (underneath): Mango, jeans: Miss Selfridge, boots: c/o Spartoo

I think this striped tee/jumper is supposed to end on your hips but as I am not particularly tall, it has ended up looking more like a tunic on me! I really loved pairing the navy top with my burgundy jeans and these jeans felt a lot more dressy than my usual dark denim. I imagine the top would work with some jazzy shorts in the summer too, watch this space...

I also love the fact that the jumper is a nice thin layer so you don't end up looking too bulky when you are all wrapped up to go outside or cause you to boil alive when you reach work and find that someone has turned the heating up too far. I would usually avoid such a boxy shape but I think with skinny jeans it works quite nicely...

This nail varnish is part of the rather wonderful Nails Inc set that I picked up in TK Maxx recently (along with this Rouge Noir inspired shade) and is a gorgeous pinky burgundy colour. It is the little details that make all the difference and I always feel much more pulled together when I paint my nails. I have also been trying to appreciate the little things in life; there's nothing nicer than scented candles or fresh flowers!

How do you stay upbeat? What makes you feel more confident?

Jump, for my love...

This jumpsuit is one of those pieces in my wardrobe where everyone is very scathing about it "Patterned floral jumpsuit? you'll look like a sofa!" but whenever I wear it, I get compliments left, right and centre, it's definitely a piece that looks better on, than it does on the hanger! I wanted to wear it differently to the last time I wore it and so I decided to go a bit more glam for a trip down to the local pub ...

Jumpsuit: H&M, necklace: Topshop, bracelet: ASOS, bag: Star by Julien MacDonald , shoes: Oasis

The best thing about this outfit though was how darned comfy it was, forget your slouchy leggings and cardigans, jumpsuits are the way forward in comfort dressing!

When I find a combination of accessories I like, I wear it to death (remember these boots?!) and so I paired the jumpsuit with these gorgeous pewter accessories which I wore fairly recently. If it isn't broke, why change it up? ;)

The best part of this outfit though was these AMAZING legwarmers. I won them in a giveaway from my darling wifey Laura and decided that the flared trousers camouflaged them perfectly. I'm not normally a fan of the heels and legwarmers look but this was too cosy to resist!

Would you wear a patterned jumpsuit? Do you stick to tried and tested accessories or do you try and branch out?

Rose tinted glasses...

Whenever I wear jeans I feel like I am 18 again, trotting off to college brimming with that dastardly mix of excitement and insecurity. Years of never being able to find a pair that fitted left me disheartened and I swore myself off jeans for about 2 years. I first broke with these second hand flares, then these berry beauties and now another pair have wormed their way into my affections. Say hello to the Topshop Kristen jeans that have stolen my heart...

Top: Warehouse via charity shop, coat: Dannimac (from my Mum), jeans: Topshop, boots: Carvela via John Lewis

This outfit felt like classic 'capsule wardrobe' fare (which I normally avoid like the plague) but I loved its mix of practicality and warmth on a chilly Autumn day.

I paired the jeans with my current favourite top/boots/belt combo to ease myself back into wearing jeans without feeling too self-conscious and I have to say I was pleased with the results. I know the majority of you are probably rolling your eyes at your computer screens right now but JEANS SCARE ME, so wearing them and enjoying it, is quite an achievement!

In my head, the fact that they were high waisted made me think that I had legs like a supermodel but sadly, these pictures have proven otherwise! I must have had my rose tinted spectacles on that day :P

The detailing on this top is quite something, on the hanger it looks a bit 'blah' but when you put it on, it makes you feel like a million dollars... MAGIC.

I still can't get over how gorgeous the cathedral is in Worcester!

Outtake of the day: I was so excited to see statues (on a cathedral nonetheless!) that I forced Mark to take a picture of me with them, secretly I think it's because they matched my coat....

What clothes scare you? Have you ever sworn off wearing certain items of clothing?

In the pink...

Whilst I own a few pairs of trousers, I had never really put them at the top of my 'to-wear' list until I bought this pair from Miss Selfridge. I'm still not sure what made me click 'Add to basket' (maybe it was the fact that they were £7.20?!) but boy am I glad I did! The flared shape has meant that I have worn them with heels but also with flats and my legs look long and lean, a rare occurrence at 5' 4"! I would never usually choose trousers with so much material but I think it works with these bad boys!

Trousers: Miss Selfridge, top: H&M, cardigan: gift from Mark's mum, belt: Miss Selfridge, shoes: M&S via charity shop, necklace: gift from Mark, bag: Peacocks

I have realised that these photos look like I don't know what an iron is but these trousers have the annoying habit of becoming very creased whenever you sit down. Apart from that though, I have no complaints about these trousers. They are not at ALL what I would usually pick but somehow they fit right into my wardrobe. They did get me a few glances when I wore them but I think that makes you stand that little bit taller and get your strut on!

I love these trousers so much that I wore them solidly for about a week, for such a bright colour (they are described as rose gold but I think they are more of a pinky coral colour) they are surprisingly versatile and I have a few patterned t-shirts that will be getting an outing with these trousers. I don't know what it was but I literally couldn't wait to wear these again, I had my outfit laid out before I went to bed and I knew that they would (literally) brighten up my day :) Seriously, I was like a kid at Christmas!

Trousers: Miss Selfridge, top: Zara, jumper: Hugo Boss via jumble sale, jacket: Principles at Debenhams belt: Zara, shoeboots: Office , necklace: gift from Mark, bag: Fiorelli (18th birthday present)

I prefer the second outfit merely because it's a lot less casual and I really like the brown with the coral. Looking at these pictures is quite odd as I look pulled together and [gasp!] like an adult... the opposite of how I actually feel at the moment, I can't wait to get home and see my family in the holidays :D

I have so much love for these outfits! This is one of the reasons why I blog, I like documenting my sartorial experiments and trying new things out. The Maria of a year ago would never have tried these trousers but I think they are a subtle (?!) nod to the 1970s trend without going too trendtastic...

What do you guys think, have I managed to pull off coloured flares? What clothes are you wary of?

The holy grail...

Yes, you read that right! I think I have found the holy grail of over-the-knee socks from none other than good ol' Marks and Spencer. I picked these up when I was in London for the recent bloggers meet-up and they have proven indispensable. They are warm whilst not being too chunky and stay on my knee without me having to hoist them up every 5 minutes! I reached for these today to finish off my outfit after seeing that it was about 3 degrees outside...BRR!

I bought this playsuit about a year ago and for me it marked the turning point from just getting dressed to wearing clothes. Stupid as this sounds, it was my first foray into something more difficult to wear and more 'fashionable' and it is still one of those pieces in my wardrobe that is super comfy to wear but looks like I have made an effort= WIN WIN.

Hardly any of these photos came out without being blurry but I paired it with my new socks and trusty black shoeboots. This grey cardigan is another thing I can't bear to part with; it is literally falling apart at the seams but it is just so perfect that I can't bear to replace it until I have an exact replacement. It was originally from Dorothy Perkins and I have had it for about 5 years but I don't think they do it any more :( If anyone could recommend me a suitable replacement, I would be over the moon!

I think it's the perfect mix of colours and patterns that makes this playsuit so perfect for either dressing up or down. The best part though is the fact it gives me that 'fizzy feeling' and really makes me smile whenever I wear it...what more can you ask for?! My friends are coming to visit tomorrow which I am really looking forward to as I haven't seen them since New Year!

What do you have planned for the weekend? Do you have any favourite pieces of clothing?

P.S. Do you like my new favicon at the top of the tab? :)

Smart casual

I have always envied people like Danni who look utterly chic and cool without even trying. I think I am much more high maintenance and like things to look 'just so' but I have tried to embrace the casual look more these past couple of weeks with long days on campus in the library...

This is my 'casual' leaning pose ;)

I was really frustrated when I saw these photos because the outfit looks so much nicer in real life (in my humble opinion!) and it just didn't photograph well at all! :( I loved the muted colours together and the subtle print mixing with the spotty top and stripy trousers but the light is always rubbish at the moment- sorry guys!

This was the outfit I wore to do the grocery shopping this weekend- I think I may have raised a few eyebrows in Sainsbury's! ;) Originally I was going to wear these socks but they kept falling down and it was too cold for 15 denier tights so I swapped them for the Pretty Polly suspender tights, seen here.

I felt like this didn't photograph very well either but what do you think? I try and shake my style up occasionally as I think it is all too easy to get trapped into a 'style rut' and this is something I try and avoid where possible. I gravitate towards dresses but sometimes my day calls for something slightly more practical and this is where shorts and trousers come in. I still don't own a pair of jeans (I am yet to find a pair that suit me and are comfortable!) but I am embracing the practicality (occasionally) :D

I never thought I would see the day when I would be wearing ankle boots either! My legs aren't very long and I am wary of making myself seem shorter but these boots are just so comfy and fab to throw on when my outfit looks too prim- does anyone else do that or is it just me?! The boots are also on sale now at Peacocks so get yourself there! Whilst I prefer dressing up slightly, I am learning to embrace casual dressing- so much easier when I have essays to write...

I had my hair cut recently too, it's not too much different but it feels so much nicer. I always love getting my hair cut, I find it so therapeutic...I think I was a cat in a past life ;) I can't wait to style it up though, bring on the rollers! :P

(♥)

Tonight though, I will be reunited with my two favourites, Seth and Ryan (swoon) I know I'm about 8 years late to the party but The O.C. is my new favourite show <3

Do you prefer dressing up or dressing down? Do you think I can pull off a more casual look?

P.S. Would you be interested in me doing a tutorial on how to use rollers?

Driving home for Christmas...

Coming home from uni is always a bit of a double-edged sword for me. On one hand you have warmth, food, internet without having to pay for it but you also have parental rules to abide by and having to share a room with your youngest brother and sister- well I do at any rate! The weekend I got back, we went for a family meal with my grandparents who I don't see as often and it was lovely to catch up with them as we hadn't seen them since my birthday.

I wore my purple pencil skirt and a sparkly top I picked up for next to nothing in my favourite charity shop. You will be pleased to hear that this was before all of the snow and ice AND I actually managed to walk in my heels! Yes, that was a surprise for me too ;)

Apologies for the blurry photos! My youngest sister was taking them and hadn't quite mastered how to use a camera... I used my rollers to curl my hair and vamped it up a little with some purple lippy... I was really pleased with the way it turned out and I felt raather glamourous in the Beefeater :P

This snazzy little number was also from the same charity shop and it is originally from H&M. I love the shape of the dress, mainly for the way it flares out into an A-line skirt, but also because of a rather wonderful detail...

Buttons down the back of the dress! I love little details like this and I think they make everyday basics much more interesting :) I paired the dress with my beloved brown shoeboots and another charity shop bargain; a gorgeous tweed-esque blazer...

I look a bit like I am going to a country club in this photo but it is absolutely gorgeous in real life. It is super warm but also manages to smarten up an otherwise casual outfit, plus the pink running through the pattern matched my dress perfectly- I tell you, it's fate ;)

One of the funniest things about this outfit though is the complete disparity in the sizing of the clothes. The dress is an American 12 so a UK 16 (if my calculations are correct? whilst the blazer is a UK size 10. I normally wear size 14 in clothes and yet both of these pieces fit me. I'm not going to open up the debate about vanity sizing, but it does seem strange that a sizing isn't consistent across different shops. I have an hourglass figure and I find that if a product fits my hips, the waist doesn't fit and vice versa. In addition to this, i often don't even consider shops like River Island because I think of them as shops for people who are slimmer than I am.

Yes that IS a burger and chips in front of me ;)

When I am shopping I know 'my size' for a certain store and adapt what I pick up to fit that. Saying that, I almost left this dress on the hanger when I saw that it was a size 16- I always swore that I would die before I wore a size 16! (Saying that, I said the same thing about a 10 and a 12...) Despite this nagging worry, I picked up the dress and took it home to try on, where I promptly fell in love. And without sounding too preachy (I have more than my fair share of off days!) I think I worked it! I have worn it a number of ways since and even my mother (who is probably my harshest critic) liked it.. I guess what I am trying to do this Christmas, is find a happy medium between being healthy and happy and try not to obsess about my weight. Well, at least until I have eaten my fill of Christmas dinner!

Are you worried by the number on the label? Do you avoid certain shops because of their sizing?

P.S. Apologies if I am absent from the blogosphere over the next couple of weeks- since being home I have been working almost everyday and the Waitrose uniform isn't the most flattering outfit I have ever worn! After NYE I hope to be back posting more regularly :)

Out of my comfort zone...

I was reading this post over at Mademoiselle Robot yesterday and it got me thinking. When was the last time I tried something outside of my sartorial comfort zone? I have been lucky enough to find clothes I love, that (hopefully!) flatter my ever-changing figure but I haven't been very experimental with my clothes recently and I made an effort to remedy this with my outfit yesterday.

Yes, I am wearing harem trousers! Something I swore I would never do! I got them at Miss Selfridge for a bargainacious price and I thought that I would take the opportunity to try something new and the response on Twitter wwas overwhelmingly positive so I decided to keep them!

I wore them out to a meal at Zizzis with my friends and my boyfriend. It was yummy as always and it was a lot cheaper than normal as we had vouchers...YAY! Of course I had to have the 'Torta Amaretti' which is my favourite pudding EVER.

I wore them with my Lady Gaga t-shirt and my omnipresent nudey blazer. I like to think that I managed to make this style my own by incorporating some feminine details so the look wasn't entirely foreign!

My flower corsage and bright pinky-coral lipstick glammed it up a bit!

A full length picture for your perusal! Wearing these trousers made me feel quite cool and although it took me a while to get over my initial reluctance, I soon fell in love! They are SO comfy and injected a bit of "fashion" into my wardrobe and although I don't think I will be leaving my playsuits behind any time soon, I will definitely be wearing these trousers again :)

Me and Mark! I always thought that harems were supposed to be man-repelling but he hasn't scarpered yet! ;) What do you guys think of them? Yay or Nay?

♥

Have you tried anything new recently? What trends/clothes would you NEVER wear?

P.S. Don't forget to enter our 50 followers giveaway HERE. We will be announcing the winner on Friday!

Frills 'n' Spills

Bluebells...

Burgundy jeans and a striped tee...

Jump, for my love...

Rose tinted glasses...

In the pink...

The holy grail...

Smart casual

Driving home for Christmas...

Out of my comfort zone...

About Me

Get in touch...

Search

Get inspired...

Featured Post

Why can't I pull the plug?

Popular Posts

Blog Archive

Find me on...