Kobi Jae's Blogiversary Giveaway!

Hello darlings!

I absolutely adore blogging. Not only does it allow me the creative freedom to come up with fun outfits to share with you all and let me show off my personal style, but the blogging world has also allowed me to connect with and meet so many rad babes from across the world. I count myself truly blessed to have been able to form some of the awesome friendships I have with people in the online community of #bodypositivity and #fatshion. 

One such babe that I met years ago by following on Instagram is the beautiful Kobi Jae. For those of you that aren't familiar with her work, Kobi is an Australian plus-size blogging babe that works tirelessly to promote body positivity and takes a strong stand against the mainstream fashion industry and a lack of diversity and representation in public media campaigns. In other words, my kinda woman!  

The babe herself!

Kobi's been on the blogging scene since early 2014 and recently celebrated her 2nd blog anniversary (congratulations, sweetie!) As part of her celebrations, she kindly launched a blog giveaway- offering fabulous prizes from small indie designers such as Re/dress and Size Queen Clothing (two amazing brands that were completely unknown to me prior to this. I just LOVE finding exciting new designers and clothing companies to lust over!) 

Well, lo and behold - yours truly won one of the prize draws! Fast Forward a few weeks and a very exciting package from overseas was shipping its way to my door. I hastily opened it (I posted my reactions to everything over on my snapchat - @ivorylovelust if you wanna be my snap pal!) and got to thinking about all of the beautiful bits and pieces contained and how I could style them up into a fun outfit! 

So, what was in the package?! 

First up, this amazing little "sweet tooth" necklace! The beautiful jewels that I won in Kobi's giveaway come from a fabulous Australian designer known as Miss-A-Ree Guts Creations and you can find them over on Etsy. This necklace is incredibly cute; a pastel colour palette and sweet little candy decorations make this a firm favourite of mine. The chain is a lovely length too- one of my pet peeves with jewellery is that it's either
a) far too long and the decorations slip awkwardly into your cleavage or
b) they aren't fat friendly and the chains are too short, cutting off your circulation! This is thankfully neither, and sits at just the right place on me.  

Next up, Kobi- being the sweetheart that she is decided to pop some Australian candies in my package! Having never visited Australia before I was not familiar with the deliciousness of Caramello Koalas, but they're incredibly similar to the UK's caramel freddos (aka freakin' delicious!) Kobi was also kind enough to pop a wee card into my parcel thanking me for entering the giveaway. Can you believe the kindness of this gesture? Believe me, the pleasure was all mine! 

 

 

The sweetest message!

Finally (and this is the real piece de resistance) was this AMAZING frend ring. Made again by the wonderful Miss-A-Ree Guts, these rings are just entirely too cute for words. As soon as I opened my package from Kobi and seen this beautiful wee gem I was screaming with excitement- it's just so perfect!! I absolutely had to style a fun wee outfit around this amazingness- how couldn't I?!  

Got my eyes on you!

Below are some impromptu photos from a fun day out I had recently where I decided to wear all of my Kobi Jae Giveaway goodies at once. I hope you enjoy them- I think the jewels go especially well with this fun & colourful outfit!

Outfit Details 

Dress: Joe Browns
Hair Flower: Alternate Normality 
Sunglasses: Beyond Retro
Jewellery: Miss-A-Ree Guts 
Petticoat: Oh My Honey!
Tights: New Look
Shoes: Primark

What do you think of Miss-A-Ree Guts? I'm personally over the moon to have discovered such a sweet little independent designer, and I'm so thankful to Kobi for introducing me to them!

For now my loves, that's all from me. 
See you all soon! 

Lovelustloves x0

Jump-suiting for joy!

Hello beautiful humans!   

I do hope that this blog post finds you all well. I've recently been hit with a huge burst of fashion inspiration and I've felt compelled to get my creative hat on and start thinking about fun topics and clothing to write about. For today's post I'll be focusing on something that until a few weeks ago was completely alien to me and lacking entirely from my wardrobe- the jumpsuit.

Jumpsuits are something that I've always admired, but never thought I could make work for my body shape. I've envied and coveted the likes of plus-size fashion bloggers ArchedEyebrow and Callie Thorpe rocking their beautiful jumpsuits, full of confidence and pride and wishing I too could find something so fabulous to fulfil my wishes. 

Enter, the retro jumpsuit from River Island: 

When I first stumbled upon this pretty little number in my local River Island, I actually didn't realise it was a jumpsuit. I had been in the market to pick up a fun printed shirt-dress for work and thought this might just do the trick; little did I know it would be the answer my prayers and put a quick end to my jumpsuit woes! 

There are many things that I really love about this wee gem of a jumpsuit, from the short shorts that are just the right length between modest and risqué, the printed belt that cinches the waist and the tiny gold buttons that add just the right amount of glam factor. One thing really stood out for me though....

The print. 
Isn't it simply divine?!
 I'm not usually one to be a fan of browns and beige shades, but the vibrancy of the 60's inspired print completely overrules any colour choices in my book! The large floral motifs read really nicely both closer up and farther away, giving this jumpsuit an interesting appeal.

If you read my blog regularly or know me either online or in real life, you'll know that I'm pretty much obsessed with prints. The stranger and more unusual the better! This ticked all of those boxes and more for me.

 

In regards to sizing, I'm wearing a UK size 16 here. Now- full disclaimer- I am definitely not a size 16. This jumpsuit is very generously sized and aside from a little gaping around the chest area, it fits more of less like a glove. I was very impressed with the generosity of sizing, particularly in the bum area as this is one region in which I am particularly blessed! 

If you're thinking of making a purchase of this lovely item (and why shouldn't you- it's currently on sale!) I'd recommend trying this on for size if that's an option for you, but if not I'd argue that you would be safe to size down. I've included a wee link to purchase at the end of this post for any interested parties!

 

Oh, and just in case you were wondering- it looks just as good (arguably if not better!) from behind:

To properly show off this beautiful outfit in all it's glory, I decided to enlist the help of my beautiful friend Leigh to organise a little impromptu photoshoot in my living room. We chose to go for a "you better werk" vibe which basically translates to me looking sassy as hell and channelling my inner bad-ass boss bitch- something that works really well with this jumpsuit! 

We were both overjoyed with the results, and hope that you like them too:

 

 

Outfit Details 

Hair Flower: George @ ASDA

Jumpsuit: River Island

Tights: H&M

Shoes: Primark

Et voilà! I hope you've enjoyed seeing my jumpsuit joy - is this something you'd wear, or do you have another wardrobe lust you're looking for? Let me know!

I've recently been fortunate enough to be blessed with something of a rarity for me these days- free time! So if you read and keep up to date with my blog you'll be seeing more of my face around- I promise! I've been involved with a few really exciting projects lately, including a collaboration with the beautiful Leyah Shanks of The Body Confidence Revolution which I'm hoping to post about soon! 

Until next time my darlings
Love and kisses, 
Lovelustloves xo

One dress, two ways

Hello my darlings,

I hope you're all enjoying the start of Autumn- it's well and truly here in Scotland now! Today's post is a quick review of a shirt-dress that's incredibly versatile and Autumn-friendly; and I'll be showing you two different ways to wear it. 

This dress comes from a clothing brand who until recently were completely off my radar- Monki. Monki are a Scandinavian-born fashion brand that promote a fun street-style aesthetic that is big on eclectic prints, beautiful basics and incredibly trendy pieces. Whilst they aren't an exclusively plus-size brand, many of Monki's clothes are loose-fitting and oversized, meaning they fit a wide variety of body shapes, types and sizes. To my knowledge Monki don't currently have any Scottish stores, but if you're a London gal they do have a reportedly fantastic store on Carnaby Street- well worth checking out!

This shirt-dress was first brought to my attention via the beautiful Bethany, of ArchedEyebrow.com fame. (For her review and styling of this Monki ensemble, please click here. I must admit that this piece didn't really capture my imagination when I first saw it online at ASOS.com, but after seeing it styled up and on a plus-size babe, I thought I'd take the leap and make this purchase. (huge kudos to my homegal Sarah for convincing me to buy this- I love my fashion enabling friends!)

 

#Monkistyle

If you're a regular purveyor of my blog or Instagram, you'll know that this look is a real far cry from my everyday style! As a girl who usually wears full-skirted, nipped-in-waist dresses that showcase my bust, this shirt-dress is almost diametrically opposed to my style norm, but after seeing the many different ways in which it could be styled it really struck my imagination.  If I'm being completely honest, first seeing this dress in its loose and free-flowing form it did strike me as being a little "Grandparents in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory" although I am incredibly pleased to report this comparison existed only in my head, and doesn't translate when it's on my body and styled up with pretty accessories! 

As you can see from the photograph above, when nipped in with a waist belt this dress takes on a whole new shape and style- it really transforms it into a cute semi-structured and loosely-tailored outfit that is perfect for work and play. It's no secret that I'm an avid fan of a waist belt (they feature in nearly all of my outfits!) and I believe that this ensemble is tantamount to the power of the belt insofar as it's ability to transform an outfit. This is the first way to wear this shirt-dress, and I've included a few more photographs of this look below for your perusal: 

 

I'm in love with this bold print! 

 

To make this look cohesive, I decided to add some printed tights (another personal style signature) and some exceptionally high-heeled boots alongside some fun illuminati-inspired earrings I picked up from H&M. I think this really brings the style together and could be worn to a variety of places; this week already I've worn this outfit to work, to go for drinks and on a date - talk about versatile!

To focus quickly on sizing for a moment- as I mentioned earlier Monki clothes tend to be  deliberately loose-fitting and are generally available in XS, S, M or L (measured on their website as being a UK size 8, 10, 12 and 14 respectively.) I decided to purchase this shirt-dress in a size L, and the fit is incredibly accommodating. Fellow blogger babe Danielle Vanier recently wrote an article for The Debrief about Monki as a brand for plus-size people, so I'd recommend having a read of this here.

Arguably my favourite thing about this shirt-dress is the eclectic print, to me it's incredibly reminiscent of 60's wallpaper which oddly enough is of huge appeal! The ability to wear this dress more than one way is also hugely appealing, below I've posted photos of this look without the added belt to highlight how good it looks with or without - look number 2. I'm also absolutely infatuated with the finer details of the shirt, it even has concealed pockets which are fantastically practical - another great selling point.

 

Pockets! 

 

Another reason for this purchase (not that I need one, I've already sold this dress to myself four times over!) is that I'm slowly getting more involved in my local Northern Soul scene, and whilst I've never been able to fully embrace the 60's mini-dress silhouette I do believe that this is a step in the right direction. In actuality I cannot wait to tear up the dancefloor with this pretty little dress, grooving to the likes of Frankie Valli, The Supremes & Eddie Spencer.

I've really enjoyed taking this little step outside my comfort zone and this dress has fast become a wardrobe staple of mine - I hope you'll agree that it looks good both ways, either with or without a belt! 

Outfit Details

Shirt Dress: Monki (purchased via ASOS)

Belt:  New Look

Earrings: H&M

Shoes: Amazon

Tights: Primark

And so, that concludes another wee look at a fun, flirty outfit that I'm absolutely in love with. I hope you've enjoyed seeing how I've styled this lovely shirt-dress, and will keep it in mind for a cute autumnal style. What do you think of the brand Monki? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time angels,
Lovelustloves x0

Ethereal garden nymph

 

Hello my beautiful flower children!

 

Hopefully you will all be well and enjoying your week- things have been ridiculously hectic for me as of late what with starting my new job as a trainee Educational Psychologist and studying towards my masters degree but as the old phrase goes- no rest for the wicked! (sidenote: if you're interested in what I do outwith the blogging/fashion community I have recently written a big "life update" on my Instagram account @ivorylovelust, feel free to follow me there and keep up to date with my miscellaneous posts and updates!)

 

Despite being ridiculously busy I've still been trying my very best to keep up with blogging and the world of fashion in general, and I was lucky enough to be asked to take a recent jaunt through to Edinburgh a few weeks ago to do a photoshoot with the lovely Micha Ferreri thus tying up my interests in a fun and creative way.

 

Micha is one of my favourite photographers who I've mentioned before in this post & this post - if you're based in central Scotland and in need of a brilliant photographer then you need look no further! Micha is fun, friendly and has a fantastic eye for details; she gives great direction when on shoot and my collaborations with her have resulted in some of my favourite photographs of all time, these included!

 

 

 

 I also got a new little Twin Peaks tattoo recently- sweet huh?

 

 

 

All of these images were shot in the Edinburgh Royal Botanical Gardens, this was my first time here but I'll definitely return soon- wandering around seeing all of the beautiful foliage & greenery made me feel like a sweet little wood nymph, I was definitely feeling my ethereal fantasy!

 

Knowing that we would be doing this photoshoot in such a nature-friendly location filled with gorgeous flowers, I chose to wear a new frock for the occasion- one that matched the setting insofar as being sweet & colourful, with a floral theme running throughout. This dress is the lovely Ella dress in "Mary Blair Lips and Roses" print from my all-time favourite vintage reproduction suppliers that i've mentioned many a time- Pinupgirlclothing. 

 

I bought the Ella dress in my usual size of 2X which I found to fit beautifully, it's tight enough that it hugs my ample curves in all the right places but still loose enough that I can get it on and off again with ease. I also added a simple black velvet waist belt from another of my Pinupgirlclothing dresses, which I feel really completes the look. For added volume I stuck on my old faithful OhMyHoney petticoat to fluff out my skirt, threw on a wee Primark flower crown and a set of dramatic false eyelashes!

 

 

 



 

 

As much as I love this beautiful Ella Dress, I thought I'd use the opportunity of shooting at the Royal Botanical Gardens to showcase another of my beautiful frocks- the Jenny Dress in Neverland Print. I have coveted this dress for the longest time; ever since seeing the beautiful Pinup Courtney Maylee rocking it at a recent photoshoot on her Facebook page. This dress is undoubtedly my new favourite acquisition of all time! Everything about this dress positively screams "me" - the colour, the kitschy print & the hugely voluminous skirt; as soon as I slipped this dress on I felt every inch a caricature of my every day self- something I always like to strive for with my personal style.

 

Whilst we were walking around taking photographs I also had many people coming up to me and commenting on how pretty my dress was- one little girl even remarked that I looked "like a princess" which is proof enough for me that this is the dress of my dreams!  

 

The main unique selling point of this dress for me was the print- for those who aren't aware it is a beautiful interpretation of the map to Peter Pan's "Neverland" as designed by pinup artist extraordinaire Micheline Pitt. Featuring recognisable characters such as Captain Hook, Tinkerbell and my personal favourite -a wee topless mermaid- all brought together by map markings and images from the original J.M.Barrie novel (note the depiction of skull rock, mermaid lagoon & the thimble and acorn motif!) this is fun, frivolous and most of all- fabulous. I am a sucker for any type of unusual print so this Jenny dress ticks all of my fashion must-have boxes!

 

 

 

 Never stop twirling

 

 

I was originally a little unsure about what size to purchase in this dress- i've heard incredibly mixed reviews about the Jenny, due in part to the structured boning and limited stretch of the print fabric. After posting for advice in the brilliant facebook group "PUG style pinups" (a lovely place dedicated to helping fellow pinups with everything from hair tutorials and winged eyeliner to dress fittings) I made the decision to order this dress in my regular 2X size, which I'm happy to report fits like a dream! It is slightly smaller than my other 2X dresses, but not so much so that it's uncomfortable to wear. Also, as I briefly mentioned earlier, the Jenny dress has boning sewn into the top that provides a great uplift that allows you to go braless if you so choose. The straps are fully adjustable too, allowing for the dress to be worn however you like - a great options to have!

 

I decided to style this dress with a sweet purple cardigan that I picked up in a Debenhams sale a number of years ago and a little yellow hair flower, the colours of the dress are so vivid I thought these tones would be particularly complimentary -I'll make sure to put links to this full outfit at the end of this post.

 

Ultimately, my experience of shooting in Edinburgh's Royal Botanical Gardens was fantastic- after starting such a dramatically new chapter of my life I am finding so much comfort in protecting a little time to pursue my own creative interests. Creating a concept for a shoot, styling it and seeing everything come to fruition at the end is so rewarding, and something I definitely won't be giving up any time soon! What do you think of the Ella and Jenny dresses- are they something you'd wear? Let me know in the comments section.

Outfit Details:

Dress: Pinupgirlclothing

Cardigan: Debenhams

Belt: Pinupgirlclothing

Hair Flower: Alternate Normality

Shoes: Schuh

Stockings: What Katie Did

 

 

And so my sweet things, that concludes another blog post!

Now as a disclaimer I'm under no guise that it is the middle of October and that Halloween is fast approaching! Next up on my blog I'll be focusing on all things scary and spooky, as well as having a wee retrospective look through my favourite Halloween outfits of all time- this is my absolute favourite time of the year so I do have a *slight* tendency to go all out! I do hope that you'll stick around and enjoy my up and coming spooky-fest.

 

Until next time angels,

Lovelustloves x0



 

Style Inspirations

Hello darlings!

I've had an absolutely crazy few weeks so once again I apologize for my silence in the blog front. I recently celebrated my 24th birthday and have spent the past week in London working with the UK's leading LGBT rights charity Stonewall on their "Young Leaders" programme -if you're interested in knowing more about this I discuss it at length on my twitter @lovelustloves and you can follow our hashtag #stonewallyoungleaders there also.

I'm not going to go into all the ins and outs of the Young Leaders programme here as there is far too much to discuss in only one blog post; all you need to know is that it's been an absolutely inspiring week and I feel completely humbled to have been asked along to facilitate and support such a wonderful group of activists. One of the group exercises that we worked on over the course of the programme particularly resonated with me however, and sparked the initial idea for this blog post. This was a "Role Model Composite" exercise whereby we asked young people to share with their group some of the people who have influenced their lives in a positive way, focusing on what made them a role model and why they were inspired by these people. 

This led to me thinking about who I consider to be my role models, particularly in reference to my personal style. My aesthetic makes up a huge part of who I am and I'm not shy in sharing my personality with the world through my clothing choices, something that I consider to be a very deliberate action. I do however think it's also important to consider where I find my inspiration for this, where it comes from and how my style has evolved over the years based on who and what I am inspired by at particular stages in my life. Since I'm in a particularly self-reflective mood I thought now would be as good a time as any to share with you lovely people some of my style inspirations and role models - so I hope you enjoy! 

1) Penelope Garcia 

  

That's right. For anyone unfamiliar with the loudmouth sassy queen of a character, Penelope Garcia is the fictional IT analyst from one of my favourite TV shows, Criminal Minds. Penelope is most known for her fun and playful approach to fashion, which is definitely something that I like to channel when I make my clothing decisions in the morning.

 

 

One of the things I most admire about Penelope is her uniqueness and how absolutely unapologetic she is in her style. She's completely herself and doesn't compromise her aesthetic even when working in the corporate world of the FBI. As someone who's often come up against the challenge of needing to "dress professionally" whilst still wanting to maintain my sense of individuality and self, this particular point really resonates with me.

 

Another thing I adore about Penelope is her ability to co-ordinate colours and accessories like a pro. It's no secret that I LOVE matching colours and co-ordinating cute outfits so this is another key place where I draw style inspiration from. Moreover, she isn't afraid to wear bold prints or clashing colours and it is these bold choices that assist me to really show off my style and fully embrace my own aesthetic.

 



Lastly, I thought I'd mention something that Penelope and I have in common- our love of hair flowers! It's very rare that you will ever see me without a literal bouquet on my head; I actually own close to 45 hair flowers of all different sizes, shapes, colours etc. and I will happily co-ordinate them to every outfit that I put together.

 

The comparison doesn't end there however- the lovely Off With Her Head Millinery who I have had the pleasure of working and modelling with before actually sent hair flowers to Kristin Vargas who plays Penelope Garcia that were actually worn on several episodes of Criminal Minds- amazing right?! All in all I think the wonder that is Penelope Garcia is not only a total fox, but a fierce and inspiring lady to boot! Whether she's rocking her cyber-goth style or her Miss Frizzle-esque colour explosions she is a firm fashion favourite of mine.

 

Myself modelling a lovely fascinator by Off With Her Head Millinery; could definitely see Penelope Garcia rocking this look!

2) Sara is in Love With

  

I was fortunate enough to stumble across the inimitable Saraisinlovewith when she started following me on Instagram last year. I was instantly pulled into her bright and bold aesthetic and her affinity with the colour pink. After aggressively liking EVERYTHING this beautiful creature posted on her Instagram account, I was then drawn to her blog which you can find here. Awash with reviews, spotlight posts on unusual and outside-of-the-box designers and some of the most well constructed put-together outfits you can imagine, I knew instantly that I had found my new style girl crush.

 

 

Sara not only constructs the most beautiful outfits I've ever seen, she's also incredibly detail-oriented. Everything about her looks are on point, right down to the Barbie shoe earrings and the colour splash ombre tights that she wears- true dedication. Sara is also a huge advocate for small independent designers and has turned me on to many retailers that otherwise may have been left completely unknown to me. Brands like Joanna Pybus, Tillyme and Tatty Devine are all now firmly on my radar and it is all thanks to this bright and beautiful lady.

 

Another thing that I find inspiring about Sara is that she is using the blogging world to her advantage and putting out truly unique content. She doesn't conform to traditional fashion rules and isn't afraid to clash prints, mix colours (or even shoes!) and her posts are unlike any others that I've seen in the oversaturated sphere of fashion blogging. If ever I'm feeling deflated or void of clothing inspiration Sara's blog is always the first place I turn to and I always find that she gives me great ideas to try out - she is a true fashion superhero.

3) Teer Wayde 

 

 

Teer is a timeless Australian pinup beauty who has been on my radar for a number of years, primarily through the wonderful world of Pinupgirlclothing. Teer's look is one that is striking - traditional pinup with the most impressive curves- truly an apt reflection of her blog title "Curves to Kill".

 

What I admire most about Teer's style is how composed she always seems to look- even in a simple sundress and flats Teer makes each and every garment look incredibly expensive and luxurious- in short she's great for my style and aesthetic but terrible for my bank balance!

 

 

Teer is also a proud body positive advocate and one of the hardest working plus size models in the industry as it stands. According to her website she is self- professed: "A model with curves, changing the face and shape of beauty." Beauty, style and a positive message to share with the world? How could I not be instantly inspired by this powerhouse!

 

From her stunning red tresses and enviably small waist to her impeccable kitten flicks, ruby red lips and ability to make virtually anything look good, Teer has not only inspired my style but has also encouraged me to work harder at my modelling endeavours and to fully appreciate the beauty of women all around me, something I am truly thankful for.

 

 

4) Tracey Turnblad

Now, on to my final and arguably biggest style icon (pardon the pun!). It's no secret whatever that I am absolutely infatuated with the work of my ultimate hero John Waters, and I have to praise him endlessly for the magic that is his 1988 masterpiece "Hairspray". This film for me was my first exposure to a revolutionary concept- the happy fat girl. Tracey Turnblad, the spunky hair hoppin' political activist represents for me everything that I aspire to be. Loud. Confident. Unashamed. And with a highly enviable wardrobe to boot!

 

 

Tracy Turnblad not only represents many of the personality features that I find so admirable in a person, but her style flair speaks to me on a completely visceral level. Take for example the above outfit- who would be so bold as to wear a dress with actual plastic flowers attached to the bust? Why this queen- that's who! Tracy also represents for me a massive middle finger to the preconceived notion that style should always be "figure flattering" - fat girls today are so often told what and what not to wear. "Cover your arms" "Don't wear bodycon- disguise your belly!" "Stay away from bright colours!" Tracy Turnblad has never given a single fuck about any of these so-called "rules" and neither should you- if it feels good, wear it! 

 

If you require any further evidence of my affinity to the singin' and dancing supremo then look no further than my "That Girl's got Roaches in her Hair" blog post where I imitate my icon during her infamous "Miss Auto-Show" scene as shown below- a truly pioneering moment in my initial foray into fashion.

The queen herself

 
And so my darlings that concludes my little run-through of my biggest style inspirations. I may very well follow up this post with a style inspirations 2.0 at some point as I do tend to garner fashion enlightenment at every given opportunity from a number of different sources.

Who are your biggest style inspirations? Anyone mentioned on my list?

Until next time my lovelies-

Yours faithfully,
Lovelustloves x0