Denim Dilemmas- A Guide For Plus Size Men On How To Find "The One" Pair Of Jeans

Denim Dilemmas- A Guide For Plus Size Men On How To Find "The One" Pair Of Jeans

It's not just plus size women who can have a struggle finding trendy and great fitting clothes. I have a husband who is plus size and it's not always easy to find great clothes for him. This despite him being on the very small side of plus size for men. I think I speak for most men when I say that one thing that they can't live without is a good pair of jeans.The classic Denim Dilemma. Men just like us women are facing the trouble with ill fitting jeans, jeans that aren't the right length, the right shape or if you find that pair of jeans that really do fit perfectly then of course you discover a big hole in them and you can't find the exact pair again.

Label J Rixton Jeans


Jacamo have two really good guides on their blog recently on How to get over the jeans that you loved which is a really good read and also the guide How to find "The One". These gives you a good in-depth guide on what to look for if you're looking for a new pair of jeans. And they give some really good advice.

Flintoff By Jacamo Coated Jeans

I had a talk with my husband and asked him what he find most important when he choses a pair of jeans and what qualities they must have to become that special pair of jeans that he hangs on to for as long as possible, and here is what he said.

"When I go out to buy a new pair of jeans I look for some good quality denim and of course I have to like the look of them. I tend to go for the same style all the time as I know what fits and works best for my needs. I have a relaxed style and I'm not very focused on trend. Comfort is key for me when I chose jeans as I wear them almost every day. I try them on and if they fit well then I spend my money.



When I find a good pair of jeans that I wear a lot, it's most probably because they have become more comfortable the more I've worn them. Cause I really like jeans that you kind of "wear in". I don't mind it if they fade a bit after a few washes as I generally think they look better after they have faded. I tend to have 3 pairs of jeans that I like a lot and I rotate them till one of them wears out and I have to replace with a new pair. I don't find it particularly hard to part with them if they are worn out as I've got so much use out of them and it's time for something new. "

I think that men and women have some of the same challenges when it comes to chosing a pair of jeans so I would love to hear what is your best tip to buying that great pair of jeans that everyone is looking for?


Xxx


*This post is sponsored by Jacamo, but all views are my own.

I Say Yes To Wearing What I want In 2016!!!!

I Say Yes To Wearing What I want In 2016!!!!

How many times have you read online, seen on tv or heard people tell you that you shouldn't wear something because of age, body type or any other stupid reason. I read this article over at Simply Be's blog called All of the Things We’re Going to Wear in 2016 (Permission Granted or Not) *and got influenced to write about it myself.

 It's very few things that annoys me more than to be told not to wear something cause fashion is fun and fashion is also about breaking boundaries and going outside ones own comfort zone. So why all these rules? Why does someone think that need to tell other people that they can't wear something? Is it just another way of making someone think that they aren't good enough so they have to hide? I think so! So I thought I would show some of the NO things off and say a clear and loud YES to wearing it instead!

SHORT SKIRTS

So why shouldn't us women be allowed to wear short skirts? So we don't distract men? So we don't make ourselves tempting and are more prone to be raped? Because it's not appropriate to show the knees and your legs? Says who? I'm a free individual and can wear short skirts if I want to.




 DRESSES

Dresses??? What's wrong with dresses? Well they can show off legs and they can show off shoulders and boobs... and what if they do all of it???? Hang me as I'm breaking this rule too!!!




CROP TOPS AND BARE SHOULDERS

Wow, I think I'm breaking all the laws and rules around the world by now!!! Cause look!





LEGGINGS

Oh no, I'm not wearing leggings as well??? Without skirt or a dress over? What? I can just wait for the death penalty now. 



I love all these looks and I love how all of them are breaking some rules. That just makes me feel so good as I'm wearing what I want to wear. And just for the record, in most in these photos I've also worn flat shoes, so screw you Cannes Film Festival!






*This post was sponsored by Simply Be, but all views are my own.

Lighter Times Ahead- Spring Wishlist

Lighter Times Ahead- Spring Wishlist

 January is almost over and the weeks since Christmas has just whisked away so before we know it warmer temperatures is here. And since it will be warmer we need less clothes, but it's still not warm enough to ditch the coats and boots yet. I've made a little wishlist of things I definitely need for the months ahead. My thought behind putting this outfit together was to chose some items that could be worn to work or to a party, but also dress it down for a more casual look.





Trench coat from Elvi.
Ankle boots from Brantano
Black lace blouse from Collection at Evans
Midi skirt from Asos Curve
Mock snakeskin handbag from Sally Young via Evans
Statement earrings from Lisa Angel

I love how versatile these items are and can be worn with jeans and trainers or a party dress and killer heels. You could just as well use a statement necklace or bracelet.

What are your must haves for the spring?

Xxx

Wide Wellies- A Fantastic Choice For Wide Calfs

Wide Wellies- A Fantastic Choice For Wide Calfs

I was very happy when I was contacted by Wide Wellies* to see if I wanted to review a pair of their range of wide calf wellies. I had not had a pair of wellies since I was a child since I couldn't find any that fit properly over my big calves so I was happy to see that there was a company that catered for us with bigger calves too. I love going for walks and living in UK means that it can be very muddy, so wellies is something I've wanted more than once. 

They asked me to take a closer look at their measuring guide as they have their own measuring guide to make sure that you get boots that fits you well depending on your size of feet and calves. I took a look at the measuring guide which can be found here and found out that I fit into a 7XL.


When I received my wellies I was really pleased cause the boots had such a great design and looked nicer than on the website. The colour is so vibrant red and the boots are great quality.


I love polka dots!!


These boots have some really nice details like the buckle that gives you a better fit if they are too snug or too big. I love the soles on these boots as they are solid, comfy and the heel is really nice and sturdy too. They are not as slippery as some wellies can be, due to a good grip at the sole. The inside of the boot is padded and has a removable footbed which means you can easily dry the inside if you get water over the top. You also have plenty of room for a pair of thick socks in colder weather.

 I adore the design of the wellies and the red polka dots make me so happy. For a person who likes bold colours and prints a lot it's nice to be able to chose something different than the more neutral green or black wellies. Wide Wellies has a great collection of wellies, some in colours and patterns and some more neutral ones, so there is something for everyone. You can see the rest of the collection HERE. I think that these wellies look great with this look as well and not often that you can say that functionality and style goes together, but these wellies are cute as well as a really great functioning product.



The sole is really nice and solid and with a superb grip and I can vouch for the grip as I was walking on ice without feeling unsteady. Walking in these boots are very comfortable and I didn't get any blisters from wearing them, even if I went for a long walk in them.


Wide Wellies is part of JJ Footwear which offers a wide range of boots for wider feet and calves so if you are looking for some good quality boots I would take a look at their website. They were nominated for best footwear at last years British Plus Size Awards. 

You can find Wide Wellies here as well. 






I was wearing my wellington boots together with leggings, a short denim skirt, knitwear and a hat which makes it a very cute and more stylish "going for a walk look". I'm wearing. 

Plunge v back jumper from Boohoo via Asos (sold out)
Tank top from Primark
Skirt from New Look (HERE)
Leggings from Sainsbury's
Wellies from Wide Wellies (HERE)*
Hat from Littlewoods (Christmas gift)

If you don't have wellies, but would like some, I can highly recommend these wellies as they are top quality. 

Xxxx Mookie


*gifted item from Wide Wellies, but all views are my own. 



#plus40fabulous- Influences From Childhood

#plus40fabulous- Influences From Childhood


My post is a bit late this month, but I've been struggling with a horrible cold the last week, so I've been trying to get rid of that and not even thought about blogging.

In this months Plus 40 Fabulous post it was Lee that came up with the idea of "How about we talk about how our teens/childhood influence our choices in clothes and things today." We thought this was such a good idea as it will be fun to read how everyone has developed their style from being young till now. 

I grew up as an only child in a warm and loving family. We didn't have much money growing up so I often wore clothes that I had inherit from my mum's friend's older children. I rarely got new clothes so I didn't really pay much interest to what I was wearing myself. I was always out and about doing sports, building things, fishing or repairing things anyway so no possibility to wear nice clothes. When I had time though I made nice little dresses and tops and skirts for my Barbie dolls which always were colourful cause I did love designing and making things. If I couldn't afford or didn't have any material/yarn to make things of, I very often made paper dolls with all kind of lovely and over the top dresses. Often influenced by royals all over the world. 

When I became older my mum was a big influence to me as she always did her hair, painted her nails, very often wore red lipstick and she even had mascara and powder. I remember that it was always so exciting being able to borrow some of my mums make up. My mum was not very interested in clothes, but she very often wore big bold prints and red was both of my parents favourite colour. My mum was also a big lady, but she never struggled with self esteem issues or tried to hide away. She had a fun and eclectic taste in clothes and pattern mixing was her forte. However, I think this was more down to that she didn't really pay attention to how she dressed, but I remember always thinking that she looked so cool and I was always quite proud of her style.

Source


I used to love Debbie Harry from Blondie. She was beautiful, fearless and so different in the whole punk scene with her Marilyn Monroe looks, bright red lips and great attitude. And still to this day she is a sexy and amazing strong woman. Almost 70 and still hot and fierce.

Three generations women with colourful clothes. My grandmother, me as a 8 year old and my mum.


If you look at other aspects of my life my grandmother has been my biggest influence in life.She was strong, brave, hard working, kind, caring and had a strong fairness instinct. I have taken a lot of her wisdom with me and I'm trying to live as she taught me to be to other people. I hate unfairness and I hope that I've got some of the strength she had. She fought cancer twice and survived both times and had a baby outside of wedlock in 1926, so she really knew what challenges were. And despite all this, or maybe I should say, due to this she was a generous and amazingly selfless person. She wasn't much into clothes or style. She had always lived on a farm and never really dressed up. But if she did she always wore something bright coloured like a nice dress suit from the 60s or a nice coat in lilac or pink.

I think that my choices over the years have become braver since I've become more and more secure with my own style and likes. I look back to my grandmothers bold choices both in life and my mothers bold choices in clothes with a smile as both of them dared to be seen.

There are a lot of other strong and lovely women taking part in this challenge so make sure you go and take a look at their posts too.

Cathy: http://www.southernyacht.blogspot.co.uk/
Christy: http://www.sprintingwithscissors.blogspot.co.uk/
Daisy: http://daisysays.co.uk
Kath: https://fatheffalump.wordpress.com
Kellie: http://www.bigfashionista.co.uk/
Leah: http://www.justmeleah.co.uk
Lee: http://www.pinkybellesshed.co.uk/
Lisa: http://www.kitandkoboodle75.blogspot.co.uk/
Mookie: http://www.mookieslife.com/
Nikki :http://www.nattynikki.com/
Perelandra: http://www.pamperandcurves.com/
Sarah: http://www.plussizeproud.co.uk
Steph: http://www.misskittenheel.com
Vicky: http://www.therandomnessoftwee.blogspot.co.uk
Yvonne: http://woosangwashere.blogspot.com

Xxx 

Travel: Mookie's 7 Quick Travel Tips- Paris.

Travel: Mookie's 7 Quick Travel Tips- Paris.



Paris is one of these places that many of you have been dreaming about going to since you were a child when you saw photos from the Eiffel tower, Moulin Rouge, Arch De Triumph or maybe you have always wanted to go to Disneyland? No matter what reason you might have Paris is a city that attracts a huge amount of people every year.

Beautiful Eiffel Tower, photo taken last time I visited. :)


I had always wanted to go to Paris and my expectations were high before I went the first time. And Paris lived up to the expectations. As a first timer in Paris I went mostly to the places that everyone has seen in movies, magazines and television. I went to beautiful Eiffel Tower with its light show in the evenings that best can be seen from the other side of the Seine at the Trocadero, went to Notre Dame, walked on the Champs Elysee and took the "must take photo" in front of the Arch De Triumph. Despite it being extremely hot, humid and packed with people I had fallen in love with this city.

Since then I've been back a number of times and each time I've fallen more and more in love. And I have discovered new and exciting places that has showed me different sides to this beautiful and wonderful town. And I wanted to share some of these places/things that you must do with you.


1. Go to a proper French cafe/pattisserie and have a baguette filled with lovely French cheeses for lunch. The bread is crispier and tastier than you've ever had before. Maybe have a sneaky macaroon as well as you are on holiday.

Source
2. Canal Saint De Martin. Beautiful and popular place both during the day and night. At daytime it's a lovely place to go for a walk along the canal and look at the barges going through locks and cross some of the many bridges. At nighttime the area offers a lot of restaurants and little bars.



3. If you can, enter the little hidden backyards of interesting buildings you walk pasts cause they might hide a secret beauty like this one I came across in Clichy. It gives you the real feel of a typical Parisian town garden. I love these little oases! (No, I haven't misspelt Oasis like Mike thought I had. Norway 1- England 0 :D )

4. If you're into more dark and bizarre things, then a visit to the Catacombs of Paris is a must do while in the city. It's not for the faint hearted or the ones with claustrophobia, but it's unlike anything else you've seen.



5. Shopping has something for everyone despite what kind of budget you're on. I would recommend going to the Paris Flea Market in Saint Ouen. It's huge, so it can be well worth having a look in the stalls behind the outer ones for the real exciting things and bargains. Head for Rue De Rosier where there are lots of antiques shops with everything from furniture to jewellery. Just make sure you look after your valuables. Nearest Metro is Porte de Clignancourt .

6. Le Marais. If you want to visit an area a little bit outside of the city centre, go to Le Marais. It's filled with cobbled streets, vintage shops, little cafe's and a lot of urban hip atmosphere.



7. Jardin Alpin is a treasure you will have a hard time forgetting. I can't recommend this place enough as it's a hidden gem. It's more than 2000 mountain plants brought to you in the middle of Paris. It's an amazing park where your eyes will have so much prettiness to rest on and make sure you've got enough space on your memory card cause the camera will be used a lot.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my hidden gems of Paris and please let me know what are your favourite places in Paris, or where do you want to visit?


Xxx 

Jameela Jamil's Red Faux Fur Dream

Jameela Jamil's Red Faux Fur Dream

Red Plus Size Faux Fur Coat From Simply Be



When I saw this coat, I know that it had to be mine. It's red, it's animal print and it's gorgeous. I've done a video review of it, but below the video there are photos of the coat as well to show details of my outfit.













Coat from Simply Be, Jameela Jamil's collection (HERE)
Dress from Primark
Cropped cardigan from Blue Banana (sold out)
Tights from New Look (HERE)
Boots from Evans (Old)
Handbag (borrowed from Leah, originally from Everything 5 pounds)


Have you bought anything from the Jameela Jamil collection at Simply Be? There are a few other bits that I like and they are on sale now, so make sure you take a look before they all sell out.
Xxx 

Are You Looking For Bargain Plus Size Clothes?

Are You Looking For Bargain Plus Size Clothes?

 Happy New Year everyone. I haven't gone underground or stopped blogging, it's just been so much going on in my life so I have had to prioritise other things. But hopefully I will get more time and mojo to write more regularly this year.

Sometimes when you browse online you come across a real gem. Nah, I'm not even going to take credit for finding this, cause Leah found this and informed a lot of us bloggers about this beauty. I jumped on it and ordered it even if they only had size 20/22 left so I was a bit worried that it would be too small and therefore too clingy, but as you can see it wasn't. Since then they have restocked so they have all sizes in now. It also comes in black.


Dress, Everything 5 Pounds (HERE
Fishnet tights (Primark)
Shoes (old from Barrats)
Necklace (Primark)

When I put this dress on and styled it the way I did and my husband gasped and the followed it with a wow I knew that this was a good outfit. And I can see why he likes it. The dress is really showing off the curves. It's stretchy which makes it roomy around my boobs. It falls really nicely over my hips and tummy and the colour is amazing. I like the mirror velvet as it makes you feel dressed up without too much effort. It fits perfectly.

Isn't this a stunning colour???


This dress is perfect for a statement necklace. This one from Primark adds a the perfect edge to this outfit. 




This dress is a good choice for a night out, but can also be worn as a more dressed up casual item with leggings and ankle boots. The sleeves makes it good for the colder autumn and winter months too and covers you up a bit. If I have to point to something that is a little bit annoying is that it is a tiny bit short. I would wear it with tights as I've done in these photos for a night out, but I think I would opt for opaque tights instead as I hate feeling that I have to pull it down all the time. It's not that short, but I wish it had been an inch or two longer.

This dress makes me have a flashback to the 90s when I used to wear this beautiful blue velveteen dress which would be perfect to wear now as velvet and velveteen has become popular again.
Blue velveteen and awkward teenager :)
 I think I'm just going to start hanging on to some pieces from  my wardrobe as they seem to come back every 20 years and who knows, maybe my daughter or if she has got a daughter by then wants to wear it. Just wish I had unlimited storage place.


Looks pretty good from the back as well and as you can see it's not too tight and I find it very flattering. Wearing animal print flats just gives a pop of print which I love having in an outfit. 


Everything 5 pounds have their own plus size section. It's a bit hit and miss what you might find there, but sometimes they have some really good things. I've bought from them a few times, but this dress is by far my favourite. They have a lot of nice shoes and bags as well, so you can get yourself a really nice outfit for £15!! 

Have you bought anything from bargain clothes websites? And how would you style this dress?


Xxx