Simply Splurge

Recently Simply Be had a few discounts going on so I decided to take full advantage and have a bit of a splurge on  some things I've had my eye on for a while. Now this first dress is from Frock & Frill and is on sale as it's from last season's catalogue. However I instantly fell in love with it and it's still avaliable in all sizes!

Simply Be catalogue number VX219OR

Excuse how I am holding it, I look a bit of a div and have managed to draw attention to the stomach BUT this dress is so gorgeous and can be dressed up or down accordingly. I also think the sleeves are so pretty!

This next item is the Joe Browns denim jacket. I have been after a denim jacket for a little while and if you read my last post will know thus far I haven't had much luck :0( AND this isn't going to change. The jacket itself is lovely so I really think the problem lies with me and my shape. I think I just end up looking 'boxy'. Therefore any other ideas for a spring/summer' jacket would be greatly appreciated.

Simply Be catalogue number VX491VN

This next item from Frock & Frill caught my eye at Plus London 2 when I saw it on the hanger. It's so pretty. When I first tried it on I wasn't 100% sure BUT when my make-up was done I actually had a change of heart. This is definitly a keeper!

Simply Be catalogue number VX312VN

My last item was a dress from Anna Scholz. I had high hopes for this dress but unfortuatly it didn't live up to my expectations. It was much thinner than I anticipated. Also it made no difference adding a belt or a shrug it just wasn't 'me'.

Simply Be catalogue number VX194VN

So there you have it. I am going to keep the two Frock & Frill items and again if anybody can recommend a nice lightweight spring summer jacket for a size 26 lady please let me know. x





Maximise your potential

The other day I made a couple of orders from Simply Be. Inspired by the lovely Hanna and Becky I wanted to invest in a cropped denim jacket. I also thought as the weather was perking up I would get a flowery maxi skirt.

This is how they look on me....

Please excuse the squinting!I have to say I am not feeling this outfit AT ALL! Nothing wrong with the quality or anything like that, it is me. Firstly the cropped jacket does nothing for me, being a bigger busted girl it just doesn't hang right at all. Secondly the maxi skirt wasn't long enough for me. I like my maxi skirt to be long (yes I know this sounds obvious) but anything above the ankle, to me feels a bit wrong. So unfortunately these items will be going back.
Never fear though, I took advantage of the 10% discount Simply Be offered yesterday and ordered a few bits AND today they are offering 20% off on the Joe Browns range, so I have ordered the denim jacket (not cropped) that I originally had my heart set on. The code is LLUX4 but I have no idea how long it lasts for. Did you take advantage of the leap year discounts and offers that did the rounds yesterday? x

Wishes & Leaps

Can't believe we are almost into March already. I always look forward to the start of Spring, watching daffodils bloom, weather perking up and my gorgeous little girl's birthday. That in mind finances are short, but there is SO much gorgeous stuff I want right now. It's always the way - you have no money and the good stuff comes out. Twitter and the plus-size community has been aflutter with New Look's Koko range. Nobody seems to know where it's sprung from but much of it is very similar to Lovedrobe and the prices are fairly steep compared to what we're used to from NL. There are a few pieces I have fallen for already from Koko and a few other bits that have caught my eye this week. Enjoy...

Koko heart print dress - New Look Inspire

Koko skater dress - New Look Inspire

Koko bow tunic - New Look Inspire

Maxi dress- Yours

Hawaiian shirt - Asos Curve

And as today is 29th February, the lovely people at Simply Be are offering 10% discount AND free standard delivery if you use the code AALW6 Luckily for me I have an account with them so I've ordered a few gorgeous bits. Go on, take a leap and buy yourself something nice. x



I love a scarf....

Yes, as the title says I love a scarf. I don't mind where it's from but if it's cheap then all the better (and usually they are). See in my book what better way to 'jazz up' a plain outfit of black top and jeans than to put something that stands out around your neck?

Excuse this blog is a tad picture heavy...

Unfortunatly most of these are pretty old now but they come from a variety of places such as Asos or New Look. The Zandra Rhodes (second one down) was a lovely gift from Simply Be for attendees at PlusLondon2 and is my current favourite.
I do have my eye on this little beauty though  - from yes, you guessed it New Look.

I haven't found it in store so think I am going to have to get it from the website. This girl loves a bit of bird-print! x

Let the sun shine

I woke up this morning with the sun shining through my (very light) curtains. I love this, it puts me in such a great mood for the day. Anyway, I've been to the shops with the family and then when I got home I spent some time on my roof terrace just generally tidying up and listening to early 90s R&B. Now my gammon is cooking nicely in the oven and smells heavenly. This to me is a perfect way to spend a Sunday.
I told you I picked up a top in New Look yesterday that was on sale, well I thought I'd post about it today as I have it on. I can't see it on the website unfortunatly, but anyway it was reduced from £12.99 to £4 and I just love it!

Everything else I have on is from (you guessed it) New Look. Yes, my name is Tracey and I am a New Look addict. Well you'll be pleased to know I'm looking into getting a denim jacket from Simply Be and well maybe something else if anything takes my fancy. Hope you're enjoying this lovely Sunday as much as me. xXx

A spring in her step

Isn't the sunshine we've been having lovely? I don't know about you but it actually makes me feel so much happier. I must admit I have been feeling pretty crap lately and I let myself suffer in silence. Basically at christmas I had what I thought was a cold that would just go on its own. I took some medicine and thought I was over it (bar a few niggly symptoms) until about a week ago. I thought I had a toothache but my sinuses were blocked too. I kind of wondered if the two might be related but as I haven't had a dentist appointment in about 18 months I thought I had better rule that out first. It turned out my teeth were fine so off I went to the doctors who has given me antibiotics for my sinuses. I'm already starting to feel a bit better and next time I'll make sure I don't neglect my health.
Saying that I have been neglecting the healthy eating too. I just haven't felt in the right mood and have really craved sugar and damn those peanut butter kit-kats!

Anyways, today I have been wearing this pretty little dress from New Look Inspire.

I know I am becoming a bit of an Inspire addict but I love this dress. it's perfect for warmer weather. On the website pic it looks very similar to the swallow dress. I have to tell you its not the same material and it doesn't have pockets (pocket obsessed) but in its own right it is very pretty. I teamed mine up with a black Evans (an old purchase I may add) belt, good old black leggings and pumps. Please excuse the fact that it's unironed - I hate ironing but clearly it's not something I can get away with with this dress.

I also purchased a floral top on sale from New Look Inspire today so I'll be posting about that in the next couple of days. Have you been buying anything to get you in the mood for Spring? xXx

Skincare revolution or just another beauty product?

I had my radio on Kiss FM the other day and heard an advert about a 'skincare revolution'. I didn't think too much of it but as there was a free sample being given away I thought hey, why not. All you have to do is 'like' the facebook page from the link here. Once you've done that it only take a couple of days for you to receive your free sample.

They are trying to hype up this product by referring to it as a 'mystery' and a 'revolution' and then giving it a reveal date (1st March if anyone cares). There is nothing that I could say from my one sample that would make me think this is a revolution. Apparently it can be used as a cleanser AND a mask but I'm pretty sure there are other dual products like this on the market. The scent of the product reminds me of the smell of Head & Shoulders shampoo, not sure if that is a good thing or not. I put the product on my hand so you could see what it's like.

You can't see it very clearly in my photo but the product is a very very light green. I massaged it in to my face as advised but be warned this product doesn't foam very much at all and is more of a creamy consistency. I have always had problem skin and for me personally I prefer a more 'soapy' consistency. After I dried my face it looked cleaner but no cleaner than it would using any other cleansing product. Apparently 91% of Glamour readers would recommend this product to a friend. As it's free I'd say yes, try it but just don't hold out for that revolution just yet! x