My Best Buy Of The Summer- Featuring Simply Be

My Best Buy Of The Summer- Featuring Simply Be

Right before I went to Mexico I bought a dress I knew I would love and get so much wear out of. I'm talking about the Gingham Check Bardot Skater Dress. I saw it online and fell in love. It's so beautiful. And what a bargain!! £25 for it is a great price as the material is great and it's a great design. I'm wearing size 24 which is a great fit for me as there is a bit of stretch in the dress.




Isn't it cute? I loved wearing this on holiday as it kept me cool and I felt very stylish in it. It's made of cotton which is great to use in the warmer weather. Another plus with this dress is that I didn't need to wear any shapewear with it as it is quite forgiving despite being quite tight fitting. I love the bardot neckline on the dress and I have found out that I can wear a normal black bra, I just tighten the hooks to give more support around my back while I push the straps down so they don't show. I will be trying to wear this dress with the bra straps visible as well as I don't think it will look bad at all.


Excuse my face in these photos. It was a couple of days after my nasty fall, so my face is swollen and bruised. And it was so humid and warm so I look like a ready to boil lobster.

Dress from Simply Be (HERE)
Sandals from Simply Be (old)
Bangles from Evans (HERE)


I wore the dress with some lovely sandals I bought from Simply Be a while ago. They are super comfortable. Maybe not the most stylish choice, but I had to pack smart for my holiday, so not much room for nice sandals over comfort. I think they look ok with this dress though as they are black and quite neutral.

I've gone for a simple make up and just two simple bangles from Evans cause I wanted the dress to get all the attention, as it deserves it.


Casual Wishlist For An Active Plus Size British Summer

Casual Wishlist For An Active Plus Size British Summer

I've just come home from holiday in sunny and extremely warm Mexico. It was 2 weeks filled with lots of fun, swimming and lovely food. Like I mentioned it was extremely hot out there, so to be honest, I was a bit happy when I was back in England with cooler temperatures as I love the weather we have right now, sunny and temperatures in late teens/early twenties. It's so pleasant and it's a perfect time of the year to go camping.

I really like camping. It brings me back to my childhood with great memories with lovely camping trips with my dad. Mike and I try to go camping as often as we have time, which hasn't been often enough the last two years. So this summer we are trying to make more of a conscious effort to go away. Especially since we have been away on our long holiday of the year already.

I thought I would make a little wishlist what I would like to buy for a casual, yet stylish camping wardrobe.


Camping/Festival wishlist




I have built my picks up around these amazing acid wash jeans from Evans via House of Fraser. They are cool and comfy for hours and hours of standing in a field watching gigs. These jeans takes you from day to night with style.

The rest of my picks are

Rain Mac From Asos
Hiptipico Leather Hand Crafted Half Moon Saddle Across Body Bag From Asos
Sleeveless blazer from New Look
ASOS Reversible Bucket Hat In Dark Based Floral
Black Tassel Sleeve T-shirt from New Look
Acid Wash Jeans from Evans via House of Fraser
Wide Calf Wellies from Jileon
Quay Australia Steel Cat Cut Out Cat Eye Sunglasses From Asos
Striped Wool Mix Jumper From House Of Fraser

Do you like camping or do you prefer hotels if you go away?


Mexico- Hot Hot Hot and Ouch.

Mexico- Hot Hot Hot and Ouch.

Hello everyone.  Hope you all are doing good and haven't missed me too much. 

I've been away the last two weeks. On holiday. To Mexico.



While I was away, I made a post on my phone, but couldn't publish it as the internet we had was really bad, so I post it now instead.



I have had a lovely time while I was there.  It was extremely hot and temperatures have been around mid 30s throughout my stay.  To begin with I found it very challenging to cope with the heat and I was longing home to cooler temperatures.  The room was thankfully like a fridge so I loved  slouching on the bed cooling down.  But after a couple of days just being in the pool,room and Caribbean Sea cooling down, I started to like it.








 Mike and I started going out on adventures and went in to Playa Del Carmen to have a look around. We had planned to go to Tulum(Mayah ruins),cenote (sinkhole filled with freshwater)and Yal-Ku(A saltwater lagoon) the second week, cause the first week we wanted to concentrate on Playa Del Carmen and the trip to Isla Mujeres.






Playa del Carmen has a beautiful beach, but apart from that it's nothing much to see.  You have Quinta Avenida which is a mile long shopping street. The shop owners/workers are so annoying as they try to get you to come to their shops. And you have to haggle.  If not you will be fooled cause they start prices so high.




Isla Mujeres is amazing.  I will write an in depth post about this island as i fell in love.  The island is located right outside of Cancun so we travelled up there on our own. We are so glad we did cause it is a stunning island.  
While on the island i managed to fall and hurt myself.  I fell in some stairs and head down first.  Ouch.  The stairs were so dirty that I was black of dust from the road.  When I washed i had knocks and sores in my face, arms and most of all my knee.  I was in agony,but suffered through the day.  Upon our return to the hotel I got hold a wheel chair as I couldn't stand on my leg for a few days.  Not much fun and we had to postpone activities we had planned. 



I'm writing this from my phone and I find it very challenging to wrote a blog post from my phone, so more text to follow when I get back on Tuesday. The photos tell a lot more anyway so see you all when I'm home. 

X x x Mookie

A Springtime Walk After Work

A Springtime Walk After Work

Right now I'm sat in Mexico with my lovely husband and enjoying life to the fullest in a beautiful resort by the Caribbean Sea. But I let my thoughts wander back to good all blighty as it is a beautiful part of the world as well.

What I love most about it being spring is the long light nights. It makes it so much easier to be at work, cause I know that after work it is still hours of light that Mike and I can enjoy going for a walk, going for a picnic or even head down to Hayling Island after work.

These photos were taken a couple of weeks ago when we had all that nice weather that has been too shy to come out again lately. This place is a lovely little woods not far from where we live and it's such a nice walk as we walk through a lovely forest, across lovely meadows and little creeks. It's just picture postcard English country side.




Dress from New Look Inspire (sold out)
Shrug from Yours Clothing*(HERE)
Leggings from Sainsburys
Shoes from F&F (old)
Aliceband from eBay





This dress from New Look is the same design as the dress I'm wearing in this summer style with New Look post I did a while back. Although this dress is a size bigger than the white more summery dress in my other post, so it doesn't sit as well. I never know with New Look and their sizing lately as they have been all over the place. Unfortunately by the time I had received this dress and tried it on it was sold out in size 24, but I kept it and use it mainly for work as it's a nice dress to wear with a blazer or with a cardigan too. The shrug from Yours Clothing is very versatile and can be used with anything in case you want a bit of cover for your arms.




Hope you all are enjoying the spring. By the sound of it, the been  nice weather back in England lately while I'm on holiday in sunny and very hot Mexico. So enjoy it. 

Xxx 

Ways To Make An Old Dress Into A New

Ways To Make An Old Dress Into A New

Do you have an old dress in the back of your wardrobe that hasn't been used for ages and you're really bored of it? I was going to a family dinner on Sunday and I didn't feel like wearing a girly girl dress and I didn't feel for wearing trousers either. I just couldn't make my mind up. I saw this old maxi dress from Primark and thought why don't I just put a crop top over and see how that will work? And here is the final result.




I love this outfit. And I stayed comfortable all day. And I got compliments for my "dress" and people thought it was amazing that it was a dress with a top over. This dress is a size 18 from Primark, but it has a shirred bust and it's a stretchy jersey fabric, so it fits like a dream. If you are outside Primark's size range, you can still find many good fits for you as they have lots of nice dresses, tops, leggings and so on in stretchy materials and design that are flattering on us big girls too. Just dare to take a risk. With the top over it becomes so much more interesting. The crop top is from Forever 21 and has become a wardrobe favourite of mine. It's stretchy and easy wear. It goes with skirts, jeans, shorts and now also over a maxi dress. And it cost only £9!!!






Dress from Primark (old, but I'm sure you can find something similar in store)
Top from Forever 21 (HERE)
Shoes from Primark (old)
Earrings are a gift from my lovely husband
Bangle from Evans (HERE)
Alice band from eBay 



 

I thought the colours would clash, but for some reason I think they work. I also like that the stripes are different width's as I think it creates a more interesting outfit. 

I kept the accessories simple with a textured silver bangle and silver earrings. Nude shoes doesn't take the attention from the dress/top combo. 

What is your best tip to make a whole new outfit of two old items? 


Xxx 

Travelling- What Is In My Carry On Luggage

Travelling- What Is In My Carry On Luggage




Going on my holiday today, so I thought I should follow up with another travel post as I got lots of nice feedback on my post on tips on how to survive a long haul flight when you're plus sized. I have certain things I need to bring and do before I go travelling so I can set off with my mind at ease.

I'm a bit of a control freak so I like having things in order so I am prepared for my travel. And here are my best tips.

When I go for a shorter holiday I very often only travel with hand luggage so I travel light. I bring less clothes, but bring very often items I can mix with each other so I can make several outfits out of just a few things. I always travel in the heaviest items I plan to bring when I have hand luggage only.

My carry on suitcase is an amazing one from Tripp. It's called Tripp Lite 2-wheel cabin suitcase. It's a brilliant little suitcase that is the right cabin size even for flying with Ryan air. It's lightweight and very sturdy. And despite being as small as it is, I can't believe how much I can get in it. I only had this one with me when I went to Amsterdam a couple of years ago and I went shopping. I had already taken lots of summer clothes with me, so not much room for the 3 bags of shopping I'd done. But believe it or not, I got room for it all. The advantage with having a hard shell suitcase is that it doesn't change width as a soft shell one would do if you filled it to the limit, so it can still fit into the overhead lockers. Mine has a very lovely colour as well, so I travel in style.
Mine has an icy blue colour.


In my carry on luggage I always makes sure I bring


  • Headphones for music- I have these great Sennheiser HD202 ones with great quality for a bargain price. 
  • Adapter for the in flight entertainment 
  • Hand sanitiser
  • Eye mask to block light out if it is a daytime flight
  • Moisturiser/eye cream as your skin get very dry inside the plane.
  • Wipes (both anti bacterial and make up removing ones)
  • Healthy Snacks
  • My money and credit cards
  • Chewing gum
  • Tablet with lots of music, books, videos, games to keep me entertained
  • Toothbrush&toothpaste
  • Neck pillow
  • Camera 
  • Few essential make-up articles, mascara, eyeliner, eyebrow kit, tweezers, concealer and lipstick.
  • Blanket/jacket/pashmina to keep warm as planes can get cold and to put over my face for more privacy while I hope to sleep. I have an Osprey one that was a birthday gift a couple of years ago.
  • Extra battery for phone/tablet or one of those handy portable power banks you can easily buy for a tenner. You can also keep your charger in your hand luggage in case you come across a power outlet on your way.
  • Deodorant cause after a few hours on the plane you will feel dirty and smelly, so a deodorant is handy to have to freshen up with.
  • Fluffy Socks- just remember to put your shoes back on before heading to the toilets in case someone has had a bit of an accident in there.
  • My phone so I can take photos from inside the plane or if we are flying over somewhere beautiful. Not very often you get a birds-eye view of places, so make sure to capture them. 
  • Painkiller, medicines, my asthma inhaler and pro plus in case I feel a bit under the weather and/or tired when I arrive to my destination.
  • A change of clothes in case my case get lost or delayed so I don't have to wear the same clothes till my bag arrives or have to go out and buy some new clothes(not that that would be a bad idea, but it might be difficult to come across plus size clothing everywhere)
  • -






    I bring this PowerShot camera from Canon instead of my big DSLR to save space as I don't want to sacrifice having lovely photos taken whilst away. 

    If you have these things in your carry on luggage your needs should be covered whether it is for a long or a short flight. And in worst case scenario if your holdall case get lost you will have enough to get you through till your case arrives.

    Xxx 

    I Feel Good.

    I Feel Good.



    I haven't done this challenge for months and months, but I all of a sudden saw Leah's post and it inspired me to do one cause I do like this challenge.


    I feel really good when I'm out and about walking in the lovely countryside we have here in Surrey. I don't care if I only have my hair in a pony tail and no sign of make up apart from coloured eyebrows and lashes. I think a smile can be just as nice as a face full of make up as it makes everyone automatically more attractive. I embrace my make up free face and smile instead.

    Very happy and without make up! :) 

    Love <3

    Lol, who needs make up? Stella loves me with or without <3

    Stella!! <3

    I love looking back on these photos as they represent some of the most happiest times of my life. When I go back to Norway and spend time with the people and animals that means the most for me. And most of all my daughter. It makes me smile just thinking about it now.

    I love seing my natural smiling happy face that is captured. I know that in that moment that the photo was captured, there wasn't anything apart from joy and happiness in my mind and that makes me happy.

    What do you do to make you happy?


    Xxx 

    Election Day- Use Your Vote #whitegreenpurple

    Election Day- Use Your Vote #whitegreenpurple


    If you live in the UK I think you all know that it is election day  today. It’s a general election, who is going to be the Prime Minister and in charge of this country the next 5 years?

    I’ve always been very interested in politics and I studied it for 5 years in my 20s and 30s where I specialized in international studies. I graduated with a masters degree, so as you probably understand this is something I think is very important. I’m also a history geek so I thought I was going to write a post today which I hope can encourage women that haven’t voted yet to do so cause it is so important.

    Why it is important? Well first of all it is important as it is a fundamental part of a democracy. The word democracy means “rule of people” and even if we don’t have a total democracy, we have a representative democracy (electoral democracy), this means that we can go and elect someone to be our representative in the government to speak our case. This is the most common form of democracy. You also have direct democracy, like for instance Switzerland has, which gives each citizen more direct control over what is happening in their country. So here in UK you have to go and cast your vote for the person you agree mostly with on things that are important to you. So this is why it is so extremely important to vote and have a say when you have the chance, cause or otherwise your opinions are wasted.

    We are lucky to have freedom of speech so why shouldn’t we use our right for a change when we can? It’s also a duty we have to the rest of the society to gain enough information so we can each make our minds up and take a stand, to get a grasp of what is happening around us.

    Another thing we have to remember as well, especially as women, our ancestors fought a long and hard battle for us to be able to vote. Most women of today take it for granted that they can vote. Well it has not always been like this and still isn’t in many countries. We are very fortunate to live in a place where we are able to give our opinions as women and be taken seriously. And for that we have a lot of brave women to thank for.

    Me being a Norwegian, I can proudly say that Norway was of the first countries in the world to give all women the right to vote, as we got the right as early as 1913, compared to UK that followed 15 years later. Finland was the first country in Europe, to have universal suffrage: First country to give the right to vote and right to stand for elections to everyone of age regardless of wealth, race or social class so the Nordic countries were pioneers in womens right to vote. New Zeland were very early with their work and success for womens suffrage as New Zealand allowed women to vote from 1893.

    So why did it take so long before UK followed when most of Europe had followed suit with granting women the right to vote? Was it pure arrogance from the English government? Was it the war? Was it other causes? Cause the women started battling for the right to vote almost 100 years before they got it. It didn’t lack of women that fought the battles. Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters are probably most well known for it. I remember learning about her in school in Norway and I was very fascinated. Emmeline was leader for the suffragette movement, WSPU. She started out battling her cause in very peaceful manners, but in 1905 after yet again the government rejected to give the women right to vote so they changed tactics. They went on to using a very militant approach as she was so frustrated with the government and their ignorance. On the other side, with more peaceful ways to get her word, out was Millicent Fawcett. She was an opposition to the suffragettes and leader of NUWSS. A lot of women disliked the radical activity that the suffragettes were doing. Even using a different approach, they fought the same battle. The battle took a bit of a “break” during WWI, but women proved themselves as a great workforce and first-aid workers while the men were fighting the war, so after the war it became very difficult for the government to ignore us women.. Women over 30 were granted the right to vote in 1918, and in 1928 it was decided that all women over the age of 21 could vote. So it is something that was fought for for decades and that is something we should stop and think about today when so many of us don’t vote. It shouldn’t be taken for granted that we can vote and today is the day we can show that we are grateful for what these women did.



    That is why I have dressed up in the colours white, green and purple to honor them and join up under the #whitegreenpurple and vote!!!

    (sorry for a bit bad photos, I just had to take them quickly in my lunch break with my phone)






    Dress from New Look (old)
    Cardigan from Primark (old)
    Belt from street market
    Shoes from Primark (old)
    Bangle from Evans (old)
    Necklace from Primark (old)

    So if you still haven't voted, get up, out and vote. The doors are open till 10!!!!

    The other girls that are taking part in this challenge is



    http://murderofgoths.co.uk


    bixxboxxbitsbox.wordpress.com

    http://www.adventuresofariotgrrrl.com/

    www.acurvycupcake.com



    Xxxx Mookie

    P.S This post might not be 100% factually correct as I couldn't check all the facts before posting.



    10 Tips To Make A Long Haul Flight Better For A Plus Size Person

    10 Tips To Make A Long Haul Flight Better For A Plus Size Person

    Spring means warmer weather and longer days. It's my favourite time of year as I love the long light evenings. Living in England you are never guaranteed hot weather which is fine by me as I don't mind cooler temperatures either. I think all weather has its charm. I like to travel in warm countries and in cold countries. I want to explore everything out there and that is probably why I have lived in different climate countries like Norway, Portugal and Canada.

    Spring is also a time when a lot of people choose to go on holiday before the crowds of sun seeking families arrive later on in the summer and before the nice temperature here sets in.

    Up in the air

     Mike and I are going on a holiday in one week and this time we are going to Mexico. Neither one of us have been before so we are very much looking forward to it. We like to mix beach, pool and relaxation with exploring the area, its history and culture and also go off the beaten track to get some of the real feel of the places we go to.

    It's a good 10-11 hours flight to Mexico and that is something that might be challenging for the most experienced traveller as plane seats aren't the most comfortable place to lounge for that amount of time. You can find many good tips for travels online by doing a quick search, but there aren't too many advice for plus size travellers, so I thought I would share a few tips that I as a plus size traveller have found to be at help on all my travels. Cause even if you are fat it shouldn't stop you from seeing the world as it is one of the best things you can do in your life.





    1. Buy a seatbelt extender. If you are above size 20 I would say it can be uncomfortable when the seatbelt is too tight, so I have bought my own seatbelt extender. These you can get on eBay or Amazon for under £10, so it is well worth it. It all depends on the individual if you are confident in asking the flight attendant for an extender or not. It also depends on what airline you're flying with. What I've experienced is that on newer planes with more slimmer seats they have increased the seat belt length. But if you are in doubt if it will be a ease in your mind to bring your own.


    2. Always pack some healthy snacks for the trip. I tend to bring fresh fruit as it can be difficult to get hold of fresh fruit on flights. Bananas and grapes are my favourites on flights as they are easy to eat without making a big mess like an orange might do. They don't have a strong smell either. I also like to bring some nuts as they are full of protein, fiber and healthy fats. The airline meals can often be very heavy and also give you indigestion and make you feel bloated. You sit still for a lot of hours, so you don't get any chance to walk much or do other things you normally would after a meal, so I tend to skip at least one of the meals on the plane and eat my snack instead.

    3. I always like to chose my seat before I travel. The reason behind this is that I can then decide myself where I will be seated. I really like it if the long haul plane has got a seating plan with seats 2-4-2. I rarely travel on my own on long flights so by choosing seat I always chose the 2 seats that are on their own so you sit with someone you know. This gives you ease at mind as you don't have to worry about having to ask someone to get up for you if you need to go to the loo (sitting on an aisle seat would also solve that issue if you had to sit with someone else). As a top heavy woman I always prefer to sit by the window as it gives me more shoulder room (read boob room). If you're travelling on your own and you're worried about people thinking that you take up too much space, try and reverse your thinking, cause thin people are just as selfish and take up space by sitting with legs miles apart and demanding arm rest place! You might meet someone you don't want to sit next to!

    If you want to check the width of the seats in most commercial planes and airlines, this table at Seat Guru is at great help.

    Space is not in abundance on most flights

    4. Drink lots of water!!! I can't stress this enough as it is so important for everyone, not just us plus size folks. The air is very dry inside the plane, so it's easy to get dehydrated. It's helps your brain, it helps your skin, it helps your digestive system and so on. Another reason why drinking lots of water on the plane is extremely good for us is that it helps on the water retention in your body which increases when you are in air so DRINK WATER!

    5. With drinking lots of water follows toilet visits and these are not much fun! Especially not when you're fat. It's such a small space that you almost need to be an acrobat to be able to go in. I'm thankfully flexible so I don't find it THAT difficult, but it's yet something I dread doing. On shorter flights of up to 3-4 hours I tend not to drink that much and rather go pee right before I go on the plane and right after I get off. But on long haul flights you have to go to the toilet at least a few times. If you wear something easy to pull up or down (no complicated clothes like bodysuits or dungarees, or long maxi dresses that will sweep the floor-yuk) it will ease the experience as the time spent in there is less.

    6. Don't wear tight fitted clothes! When you are seated in an already confined space, it is important that your clothes are not making it even worse.You don't want to increase the risk of getting deep vein thrombosis. I never ever wear jeans on a flights, it's a big no no for me. Instead I go for lose fitting natural fabrics like cotton. It's gives your body better conditions to breathe. It's the same with tight shoes. Slip on shoes are best as they are quick to put on and take off. If you have some big bulky shoes you need to bring like trainers/sneakers wear these and also free up some space and weight in your suitcase.  Another tip for clothing is to wear layers. You never know if you're going to feel to warm or too cold, so wear layers so you can take some off if you get warm and put them on again if it gets colder. Added bonus, these clothes can be used as a pillow if you need one and free space in your bag.

    Not exactly lots of space between the rows.


    7. Don't have too much stuff in front of you. If you have like me a big tummy and huge boobies you probably have experienced that folding the table down when it's meal time is difficult. This can lead to some challenges, but I have found that if this happens it can help a bit to recline your seat back to get the extra inches you need. I have also in the past used my handbag, rucksack or pillow as a table for me to balance my food on. If there is a seat free next to you use this table. To free space in front of your feet, which is important as you try to stretch your feet as much as possible, take the things you want to use during the flight, such as snacks, tablets, camera and so on, out and put them in the pocket in front of you. Place the rest of your luggage in the overhead locker. If you fall asleep you will be so grateful you did this.

    8. Move! Do try and get on your feet at least once an hour to make sure that your body doesn't suffer too much from being confined in a limited space. It's important for everyone to move around on the plane, but even more so for the overweight passenger. By making sure you drink enough you have to go to the toilet every now and again and that is a good way of getting important increase of blood flow in your body. Even just rolling your feet from toe to heel from time to time helps on the circulation. And don't take sleeping tablets no matter how tempting it might be, as staying in the same position for a long time increases the risk of getting DVT.

    9. To find the most comfortable sleeping position on a plane I always bring a travel pillow. I swear by the memory foam kind as I find them more comfortable than the inflateable ones. There are other types as well, but I have yet to try them. I also use some of my clothes that I'm layering as I spoke about in section 6 as padding to painful armrests if these cut into you. Try and recline your seat as much as possible (but please politely ask the person behind you if it is ok first as I hate when people just recline their seat back into my space) and stretch your feet under the seat in front of you. This should make you able to find comfort in your little space and send you to the land of nod.

    10. If you feel that your fat thighs get really sqeezed against the seat for all the hours you're in air an inflateable footrest might be a big help for you. These you can easily pick up from eBay and take up little space. Raising your feet can help the circulation of your legs and feet so it is definitely something to consider.



    Before I board my flight to Cancun next Monday I will make sure I have taken care of as much as I can beforehand so I can have a pleasant and enjoyable flight. There are several other things I need on a flight as well, which will be my post on Wednesday so watch this space if you want even more travel tips.

    Do you have any special things you do before going travelling?

    Xxx