Fat girls shouldn't wear stripes...

Hello darlings!

Firstly, let me alleviate any fears or misconceptions you may have had when reading the title of this blog- I am a firm believer that ANYONE can wear absolutely ANYTHING they so desire. Fat, thin, curvy, tall, disabled, apple-shaped.... it doesn't matter! (So no, you haven't stepped into the twilight zone; I'm still the same loud and unapologetic body positive activist I've always been!)

It's no great secret that I find clothes and the act of clothing oneself to be a pivotal experience both in terms of existing in a heavily politicised body and in terms of expressing yourself through a creative medium. I simply adore the idea that through dressing up you can be seen as walking art - the perfect outlet to proudly display who you are for the world. It isn't always an easy task mind you- especially when you consider the limitations enforced upon us to conform to that elusive little beast, the societal "norm".

As someone who self-identifies as a fat woman, I'm used to being bombarded with messages through mainstream media on what is and is not socially acceptable for me to look like and what I can and cannot wear. Encouraged relentlessly to be a "good fatty" who is openly self-loathing, always dieting, always apologising for my presence and taking up space - this kind of thing really takes its toll! 

Don’t wear sleeveless tops. Don’t wear fitted clothes. Pencil skirts? Forget about it! Top ten tricks to make yourself look slimmer! Don’t wear white. Only ever wear black. Oh, and most importantly- never wear stripes!

Ugh- give me a break! 

The thing is, if you are plus size, bigger, chubby, fat -however you want to label it- then you'll look that size regardless of what you're wearing. Sure enough, you can dress to flatter your figure and take heed of all those presupposed "fashion rules" outlined above but ultimately you will still look the size you actually are (and by the way, that's perfectly OKAY).

I personally am completely fed up of being told how to exist within my own body. Being told what and what not to wear, it's exhausting! Not to mention demoralising and at times even embarrassing.

My own brand of personal style is something I see as an ever evolving entity - it changes and adapts depending on many factors. My mood, my inspiration, my passions... I dress for myself and myself alone. And guess what? If I want to wear stripes, bodycon, loud prints etc. I'll god-damn well wear them! (And I'll look good doing it too!)  

 

This little outfit is something I threw together from pieces already existing in my own wardrobe. Whilst styling this outfit I was conscious to ignore that little voice in the back of my head saying "You shouldn't wear that!" and "This won't look good on you!" (sidenote: after years and years of being subjected to media critique of larger bodies it is HARD to shake that nagging little voice!) but overall, I'm really happy with how I look and how I felt on this day. I was overwhelmed with feeling incredibly powerful and liberated when taking these photos, which I think is reflected in the overall result - I think these are some of my favourite photos ever taken!

 

 

Outfit Details 

Sunglasses: Primark
Dress: River Island
Hair flowers: Pinupgirlclothing (sold out, similar here)
Rings: Accessorize

Tights: Primark

Shoes: Bordello

Being a fat girl breaking so many fashion rules - no stripes, no bodycon and definitely no VBO (visible belly outline) was a euphoric experience and something I'll definitely be repeating in future.  

What do you think of fat girls wearing stripes? How about breaking fashion rules? Please let me know! 

Until next time darlings, 

Lovelustloves x0

Ava Maria

Hello darlings!

I've got a new frock and I'm incredibly excited about it!
The dress I'm going to be discussing today is one that is known, revered and loved by the pinup community and has been for a long time... none other than PinupGirlClothing's astounding Ava dress! 

The Ava dress is one that has been on my radar for a number of years. When it was first released in 2010 it instantly blew up amongst pinup and retro enthusiasts alike, due in part to the similarities between the style of the tight, fitted Ava dress and the beautiful ensembles worn by Christina Hendricks in Mad Men; this dress quickly became known amongst the community as the "Joan" a fitting homage to Hendricks' character.  

Not only is this dress absolutely breathtaking when on, but it also comes in a huge range of colours so there really is something to suit everyone! From the lovely plum hue that I'm showcasing here to teal, red, black, blush, peach and a whole host of rainbow shades - I feel no shame in wanting this dress in all the colours!

As you can see the Ava dress is incredibly big bust friendly!

When I first came across this beautiful frock I was only 18 and reasonably new to the rockabilly/pinup scene. My first thought (slightly embarrassing as it may be) when viewing the Ava in its stunning Plum hue was that it would make the perfect bridesmaid dress for my hypothetical future wedding. Fast forward a few years and I no longer have any rousing desire to actually get wed, however my love for the Ava dress has remained. 

I purchased this dress last year in advance of my 23rd birthday with hopes of wearing it out to celebrate. Unfortunately at the time I found that it didn't quite fit me right so it was sadly shelved. I found that my regular size of 2X in Pinupgirlclothing dresses was too tight across my bust in this dress and crammed my breasts together in a most unflattering way creating a "shelf" effect. It was also a little too tight across my midsection and generally didn't fit well overall -cue assorted boos and hisses-

Luckily enough, I recently re-discovered the Ava lurking at the back of my wardrobe and being a naturally curious person, I decided to try it on once more. Due in part to some recent weight loss this dress now fits me like a glove and I couldn't be happier with it! My advice to anyone considering purchasing this dress is to keep in mind that it has minimal stretch, so be sure to check the size chart vigilantly before making a purchase. 

Pretty in plum

Another great aspect of the Ava is that this dress is made from a luxurious shakira satin so has a lovely iridescence to it - the fabric looks so good in the sunshine! The tulip style skirt is incredibly flattering over my ample hips and the faux-wrap bustline is sexy without showing too much or being too risqué (not that this is something I ever bother myself thinking about!) 

Look at how the Shakira satin catches the light- I'm in love!

One thing I found quite difficult to wrap (haha, see what I did there?!) my head around was the sash of this dress. Luckily for me, the lovely Micheline from PinupGirlClothing was kind enough to make an explanatory YouTube video showing us the correct way to wrap. I've attached this below for anyone else who struggled as I did to get this just right:

Lastly, in terms of accessorizing this outfit, I wanted to keep things interesting so added a few key pieces to really make this dress pop. I added a fun statement handbag that I recently swiped in a Primark sale for the meagre sum of £3, a couple of my signature hair flowers in complimentary purple and grey/silver hues and some big glittery shoes. These platform wedge shoes are absolutely stunning but due to their sheer impracticality they don't get worn as often as they should- something I will need to duly rectify! 

Because this dress is such a statement piece on it's own I didn't think it needed too much accessorizing. I feel like this would be the perfect outfit to wear to a friend's wedding or a swanky awards ceremony- it's still very "me" but at the same time ticks all the right boxes of being bold, beautiful and fancy - a winning combination! 

Outfit Details

Dress: Pinupgirl Clothing

Tights: New Look

Shoes: Schuh

Handbag: Primark
Hair Flowers: George at Asda

Do you have an affinity for the Ava dress or something similar? Let me know in the comments section! 

Until next time my darlings, 

Lovelustloves x0

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