I'm not your girl

Hello beautiful humans!

Hope you're all having a suitably lovely weekend wherever you are and whatever you're getting up to! 

I've recently discovered an affinity for a fantastic new shirt that I bought on a recent trip to London so decided to take some time to style it up into a fun rockabilly-inspired drape Wanda Woodward-esque ensemble and share it here with you lovely people. 

I'm not your girl - I'm my own woman

This wee crop-top is an understated H&M bargain. It's slogan is emblazoned simply on the chest: Not Your Girl. I love everything about this! It's a simple message yet at the same time so powerful. It's a sassy little number that disseminates male ownership and gives a great middle finger to patriarchal values- something I apply to my everyday existence on a regular basis. To proclaim this through not only my voice but also my wardrobe makes me very happy indeed. 

I'm wearing this little shirt in a size large which is a great fit for my 36G bosom. Many people complain that H&M clothing comes up small, but I find their shirts and dresses that are made with a cotton-poly blend or have some degree of jersey stretch aren't an issue for me. I'm not the biggest fan of the UK high street fashion scene usually as I can often find it hard to find clothes that stand out and fit amazingly, so this was a very pleasant (and cheap- this top only cost £3.99!) surprise!

I decided to pair this amazing little outfit with one of my favourite pieces of clothing of all time - my mum's vintage leather jacket. This jacket is from the mid- 1970's and has so many delightful little details - from the poppers on the wrists to the silver zigzag spikes decorating the front panels. The leather has also aged incredibly well and looks distressed whilst still retaining it's original shape. It's timeless and as a said earlier it makes me channel my inner Wanda Woodward from one of my favourite films of all time - Cry Baby - never a bad thing!

The vibe I was going for with this outfit was "badass bitch from hell" so the leather jacket was a truly welcome addition. I think the point gets across reasonably well.

Channeling my inner Wanda Woodward from Cry Baby 

Also- can we take a minute to appreciate just how good this skirt looks?! Dogtooth has to be one of my all-time favourite prints, regardless of when it's in or out of style. Despite being a bit of a colour queen I have a secret affection for monochrome patterns and this contrast panel skirt is a fantastic example of how this trend can work for a variety of body types. I love the way that it hugs my curves and that cheeky wee slit up the thigh is the perfect length for showing off my Elvis tattoo!  

The skirt is an old Florence and Fred at Tesco number in a size 16. It's incredibly stretchy but has a hidden leather panel to keep the waist nipped in. I thought this went particularly well with the leather jacket and crop-top combo and whilst i'm still getting over my fear of fitted clothes, i'm definitely getting bolder with my fashion choices and welcoming the bodycon into my life! 

Bubble butt

Elvis says hello!

Speaking of body types, one of my favourite aspects of this little ensemble is that it doesn't conform to traditional style rules for fat girls. I am venomously opposed to supposed "laws of fashion" or beauty standards, especially when these are only applied to people with a particular body type or those of one particular shape or size. 

"Fat girls shouldn't wear crop tops" 

"Fat girls shouldn't wear tight clothing" 

"Fat girls shouldn't wear fishnet tights"  

Do you know what I say to all of that? Fuck it! I love subverting people's assumptions of what fat women should/ shouldn't wear. I wear what I want, when I want and for no- one other than myself. Fashion is something so close to my heart - to me my style isn't just an exercise in vanity or narcissism but it's a true expression of one's personality and politics; something that shouldn't be dictated or limited due to a person's size. 

Tess Holliday's #effyourbeautystandards movement is definitely something close to my heart and I feel like this outfit channels that in the best possible way. It gives me solidarity with all the other amazing plus-size women who don't conform to loose, shapeless clothing and refuse to hide or be hidden. I see you sisters- and I stand with you!

Feelin' sassy

Lastly for this outfit, I decided to pair it with some simple black heels- no muss, no fuss. I feel like this outfit is quite a statement in itself so didn't want to take away from the impact with overly dramatic accessories. 

A little black belt to nip in my waist was the final touch -  I love a trusty wide fit waist belt and they are my go-to item to accentuate my waist instantly and hug my curves. This one is a size M/L and is from New Look and does the job rather well- it doesn't distract from the overall look and the touch of silver ties nicely into the metal detailing on my leather jacket. 

This has quickly become one of my new favourite outfits and I can foresee this becoming my go-to "empowered femme bitch" look quite easily. 

Outfit Details

Crop Top: H&M

Leather Jacket: Vintage

Belt: New Look

Pencil Skirt: F&F @ Tesco

Shoes: Primark 

I hope that you've enjoyed this little outfit post, as you can see it's a bit of a deviation from my usual style but I've found the whole experience of dressing a little differently quite liberating. To me fashion is such a fun and creative outlet and stepping outside of my usual comfort zone is equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking! As I discussed in my Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle blog post, I have a new found affinity for tighter-fitting clothing that I don't think will be going away any time soon!

Have you stepped outside of your style comfort zone recently? How did it make you feel? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. 

Until next time darlings, 

Lovelustloves x0

Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle

 

All hail the tiki Paloma dress! 

Hello beautiful people! I hope today's blog post finds you all well and enjoying yourselves as we peruse nicely into the summer months that will hopefully bless us with warm weather and lots of sunny days (keep in mind I'm Scottish- so this may be slightly optimistic on my part!)

 Please accept my sincerest apologies in the delay in writing this blog post- I was away in London last week and have been busy making preparations for my move into Glasgow come September time so I've been chasing my tail for the past week and a half. Luckily though I do have plenty to share with you so please keep your eyes peeled - today's post is all about something very near and dear to my heart- body positivity. I'll also be pulling the body positivity theme into an outfit of the day post featuring a stunning new frock from vintage reproduction favourites Collectif. 

Since discovering the world of tumblr back in 2011 I have been strongly involved in the body positive movement online. Discovering that there was a whole world out there for women to reclaim their identity and feel beautiful regardless of what societal standards and confines of beauty dictated was completely mind boggling to my not-so-little 19 year old self and to be honest couldn't have come at a better time. Full of anxieties and crippling self-doubt, I welcomed these powerful, beautiful women with bodies of all shapes and sizes into my life with open arms. Women with big bellies, small boobs, freckles, spots, tattoos, piercings, women of colour, trans-women, tall women, chubby women... each and every one of them gorgeous in their own way. Following blogs such as the Body Confidence Revolution and Chubby Bunnies  helped me to normalize not only my own body, but the bodies of all of my fellow women. 

This movement was a breath of fresh air to me- I began realizing that I, in my own quirky oddball little way could also be one of these women. I too could be viewed as strong, powerful, beautiful - all I had to do was believe in that notion. I began telling myself that I was a woman of worth, a woman who was strong, resilient,  kind and yes- even beautiful. I began to 

Enter 2015. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post I've recently been spending a little bit of time down in London and whilst on my travels I came across a vintage Valhalla - a mecca of all things bright, beautiful and oh-so my style - the Collectif Spitalfields store. I have previously visited the Brighton, Covent Garden and Camden Collectif stores but had never ventured across to this little gem nestled in the middle of Shoreditch before. I've spoken widely about my love of Collectif many a time, however this shopping trip happened to hold something very special for me. 

After perusing the rails of gorgeous Spring/Summer 2015 wear - my good friend Kirsten pulled out a dress that had taken her eye. This dress was absolutely breathtaking but most definitely outwith my regular comfort zone. Not only was the dress black (a colour I am almost never seen in) but it was a .... wiggle dress. 

Now, for a little bit of context I dress pretty much exclusively in swing dresses or swing skirts. I don't even own a pair of jeans or trousers! For as long as I can recall I've always felt more comfortable wearing a big floaty skirt with a petticoat or two underneath whilst the notion of wiggle dresses have always instilled a mild panic in me. As much as I consider myself a body positive activist and as much as I try to embody a positive self-view, I too still struggle with insecurities. One area of my body I've not been so comfortable with in the past is my stomach, which is the overarching factor in my wiggle dress fear. 

The benefits of dressing exclusively in dresses and skirts with lots of fabric is the ability to mask a great deal of perceived "flaws". Big bum? No problem! No one can tell in a full skirt. In a wiggle dress it's much harder to hide your lumps and bumps, however I'm nothing if not adventurous- It was about time to live dangerously and embrace the very thing that i'd been previously so afraid of. 

The moment that I tried on the Collectif Paloma dress in tiki print I knew I wasn't going to be leaving the shop without it. I'm almost certain that I let out a little squeal of excitement. This dress was drop dead gorgeous and flattering to boot- the way it skimmed and squeezed my curves made my figure look lovely- yes you could see my giant bum, tum and boobs but I actually enjoyed looking at what I seen in the mirror- I thought I looked hot!

I added a little black cardigan for when the weather isn't so nice (This is Scotland, after all!)

The dress I'm discussing is of course none other than the the inimitable Collectif "Paloma" which just so happens to have a number of wonderful features. Not a traditional wiggle dress- the Paloma hosts a lovely wrap-around sarong  skirt that creates a beautiful waterfall effect as well as a sweet detachable belt with a bamboo buckle. This dress also has thick straps and a gathered bust details- incredibly flattering on my 36G chest! 

I'm wearing this dress in a size 18 -my usual size- and it fits like a dream. The back zip was initially a little stiff but this is something that will ease off with wear. The dress is fitted without feeling too loose nor too tight - it's a bit of a Goldilocks situation; just right! 

  Wiggle wiggle wiggle 

A view of the Paloma dress from the back, featuring the giant butt I've been so afraid of hiding for so long!

I decided to pair this dress with lots of tropical accessories to add to the overall tiki vibe that this ensemble was giving me. I added some banana earrings that I picked up during my time in London at a delightful wee stall in Camden market. This stall was filled with unusual items masquerading as jewellery- barbie doll heads, toy legos and assorted plastic fruit to name only a few! I wish I could remember the name of the company but for the life of me I can't- I shall update in due time if this comes back to me. 

I also added a lovely little hair flower from my new favourite company ever Alternate Normality - this little gem lovingly referred to as the "tiki nights" flower features an assortment of brightly coloured flowers with a sweet tropical bird perched oh so gingerly on top. It has a crocodile back clip for easy hair placement and makes such a fun and whimsical addition to this outfit! I'd definitely recommend checking out Alternate Normality either via their online store or over on Instagram- they stock a wide variety of pinup style hair flowers and at incredibly reasonable prices (this lovely little flower was an absolute steal at only £8!) 

My final touches to this outfit were understated (not a word I use regarding myself very often!)- nude tights and plain black ballet pumps. I decided to keep this fairly simple and let the curves do the talking. This outfit has definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone, but I'm absolutely loving it! I'm more ready than ever to move onto the wiggle dress way of life and continue being a body positive warrior - perceived flaws and all!

Outfit details: 

Dress: Collectif 

Tights: George at ASDA

Hair flower: Alternate normality

Shoes: George at ASDA

Earrings: Camden Market

And so my darlings that it from me for another wee while! I'll make every endeavor to post more regularly as I have lots of fabulous outfits hidden up my sleeves to share with you all, as well as this month's Alternative Curves Blog Hop (it's a doozy!) 

Lots of light, love and positivity to you all!

Lovelustloves x0