Aussie Curves (catch up)- Black and White

I'm playing Aussie Curves challenge catch up at the moment, now my child is home from hospital and I'm feeling sufficiently recovered. I had my outfit all planned for black and white- not my usual colour scheme, but sometimes a pattern is loud enough that I'll reconsider the lack of colour. Also, I can't resist polka dots. 

This dress is from Asos Curve. It's comfortable and a good length. This is a 24, but if you have boobs bigger than a DD cup, you may want to size up. It's just a teeny bit tight on top on me.

I had fun finding accessories to match this dress. The sunnies and white hair flower are from Kmart, and my lovely polka dot feather earrings were made for me for my birthday. The bag was an op shop find.

Outfit Details

Dress: Asos Curve (24)

Shoes: Kmart (11)

Hair flower and sunnies: Kmart

Earrings: made for me for a birthday present

Handbag: Op shop

Aussie Curves- Yellow

This week's Aussie Curves challenge is yellow. I had stayed away from yellow before joining Aussie Curves, now I'm so glad I tried it out. Yellow is such a fun cheery colour. I picked up this cardigan at the op shop, and decided to use it for the challenge. The cardigan is too small to button up, but as I tend to wear a lot of cardigans unbuttoned, I got it anyway. The shoulders and arms fit, so we're all good.

The dress is a swing dress from Asos Curve, I wore it unbelted for the "vulnerable side" challenge (here). This is how I usually wear it- belted in.

My earrings are from Coles, the badges from the op shop and Blackbird's Corner.

Now that my son is all better and home from hospital, I'm looking forward to catching up on Aussie Curves challenges. I have black and white ready to go, so you should see it here next week.

Outfit Details
Dress: Asos Curve (24)
Cardigan: Op shop
Belt: Asos Curve
Shoes: Kmart (11)
Cuddlepot & Snugglepie Badge: Op Shop
Budgie badges: Blackbird's Corner

Aussie Curves- Tee

I'm a fan of t-shirts, so I had a few to choose from for this week's challenge. Finding plus size tees that fit nicely is difficult however. My favourite tee in terms of fit is my Astroboy shirt from Cafepress. But in terms of geeky options, Red Bubble is great. I have a Firefly t-shirt from them, and a Doctor Who shirt, which I'm showing you today.

I like wearing tees tucked into skirts- this one is from Asos Curve. This tee is a big high necked for my liking, and a little baggy, but I love all my different Doctor Who guys on the front. Many thanks to my twitter friend AnIdleDad, who gave me an idea of which size to try. The sizing chart is a little confusing, as it gives measurements across the front of the chest rather all the way around. I average a size 22-24 on the top, and I tried a 3xl. It definitely fitted, it was even a little roomy up top.

I like a good blue and red combo, so I went with matching cardigan and my red shoes.

Showing you a close up of my flower headband, and my Tardis earrings. What else would you wear with Doctor Who right? Now all I need is the sweet sound of the Tardis in my garden.

Here's some of other tees that I've tried out.

Outfits Details

Tee: Red Bubble (3xl)

Skirt: Asos Curve (24)

Shoes: Wild Surf Co (10)

Cardigan: Big W (26)

Headband: Equip

Earrings: Etsy

Here's a short list of places to find plus size tees online:

(all these places have sizes past 24)

Red Bubble

Tiny Hobo Tees

Cafepress

Custom Plus

Aussie Curves- Peplum

I am a big fan of peplums. Usually I pair them with my pencil skirt and they look fab, but I decided for this post I'd try out something more casual.

This peplum top is an old one from Asos Curve. The material pills a bit, but I love the polka dots.

My orange shorts are new, a recent purchase from Big W. Finally they make a decent size 26! All the other bottoms I've tried fit like a 22. Maybe their fit is improving? I am all about orange at the moment, and couldn't resist the orange shorts. They're not perfect, they ride up a bit when I walk, but they're cheap, comfy and colourful so I forgive that. I am finding that orange goes with so many of my wardrobe colours- it's totally a neutral!

By the way, if you like my collection of colourful sunnies, they've been restocked at my local Kmart.

Outfit Details
Peplum Top: Asos Curve (24)
Shorts: Big W (26)
Earrings and Hair bow: Equip
Shoes: Big W (11)
Sunglasses: Kmart

Aussie Curves- Vulnerable Side

It took me a while to figure out what to do with this week's theme of vulnerable side. What do I feel vulnerable about? I'm fine with my upper arms showing, I've already done the body con dress, I thought about swimwear but I'd rather save that until swimwear week, I don't like wearing short dresses but that's more of a practical reason (I hate stuff riding up when I walk) than a vulnerable issue. Finally, being sick this week helped me figure it out. When I'm feeling sick and vulnerable, how do I dress? What do I wear when I'm alone in the house with no one to see me? 

Firstly, I don't bother with make-up. I don't wear much, but I love a bright lipstick. Secondly, I wear a comfortable, shapeless dress. Usually when I'm putting together outfits, I go for things that are fitted. If I wear a shapeless dress, I'll pull it in with a belt. If I wear a baggy top, I'll tuck it into a skirt. Mostly that's just how I like to dress, but a small part of it is the pressure to look well pulled together at all times. When you're fat, there's a general societal pressure to make more effort with your outfits- a thin person wearing track pants and a t-shirt out in public is just coming back from the gym, or was in a hurry. A fat person wearing the same outfit is seen as sloppy and lazy. There's also a societal pressure to always emphasise your "assets", show the public your small waist, or your thin legs, but hide your fat tummy, your upper arms. Wear clothes that "flatter", show the parts of you that are deemed acceptable, and so on.

Well you know what? I'm fat. I'm fat no matter what I wear. Which is actually a great freedom, when you think about it. If I look fat no matter what I wear, then I can wear whatever I want. I don't exist for the public's viewing pleasure. 

That said, it was still hard to be in front of the camera with no make up, still red-faced from working in the garden, and no belt around my shapeless dress. Vulnerable.

Outfit Details

Dress: Asos Curve (24)

Shoes: Big W (11)

Earrings: Etsy

Hair flowers: Big W

Aussie Curve- Feminine

I was wearing all pink today, and decided this would be a good outfit to show you for the feminine themed challenge this week. Feminine clothes of course are different for everyone, but for me, I had always associated the colour pink with girlyness. When I was younger, I avoided pink like the plague. I didn't think of myself as girly, and didn't want to be associated with it. I had the wrong idea that being "girly" was somehow of less value than being a Dungeon and Dragons playing, book reading, computer game playing geek. It took me a while to realise that there are many different ways of being a woman (as many as there are women really), and they don't cancel each other out. There's nothing wrong with being girly. There is also nothing wrong with my interests and hobbies (even if they were different to nearly every other girl I knew growing up). I can be both girly and enjoy gaming and other things. Not sure if I explained that very well, but basically, being a woman is awesome.    

This dress is from Autograph, that I got with a voucher (otherwise I would have saved up, it's not on sale at the moment). I love the bright colour, and it's very comfy. The material is stretchy and lined, and doesn't blow around in the wind as easily as some of my other dresses.

I decided to go with pink accessories, 'cos why not? If I'm wearing such a bright colour I may as well go all out, right?

Outfit Details

Dress: Autograph (22)
Leggings: Big W (22)
Belt: Asos Curve
Shoes: Kmart (11)
Earrings: (can't remember)
Hair Bow: Olive Tree Markets
Sunglasses: Kmart

Comic Print Dress

I am still waiting for the stars to align (ie stop raining) to do my usual Aussie Curves post. However, I have some other photos to share with you that I took over a week ago, then my internet ran out for the month and I was blogless for a little while. I've been looking forward to sharing this fabulous comic print dress from Yours Clothing with you. I put aside a little bit of money each fortnight ($10) so now and then I can indulge in a expensive (for me) clothes purchase. Usually I spend it on Domino Dollhouse clothes, but this dress was too amazing to pass up. 

This dress is so me- fun and obnoxiously colourful. And in the skater style that I like. I kept the accessories pretty simple, my usual hair flower, bow belt from Asos Curve and yellow handbag.

The material is polyester, but a nice thick fabric with a bit of stretch that feels sturdy. I ordered my usual 24 and it fitted fine, except for squashing my boobs a little. If you're bigger than a DD cup you might want to size up.

I'm trying to show you a close up of the amazing fabric, there's so much going on in it, and every time I look at it I see something new.

Outfit Details
Dress: Yours Clothing (24)
Leggings: Autograph (M)
Shoes: Kmart (11)
Handbag: Kmart
Belt: Asos Curve
Hair Flower: Big W
Earrings: made by me

Aussie Curves- Feminine

To me, feminine means flowers, dresses and lacy petticoats. This dress is from Asos Curve from an old season. I wore it to my brother's wedding- it's pretty and swishy. I teamed it with my lavender petticoat from Domino Dollhouse- more frills and swishes! I like the full skirt, and the colour is lovely.

My hair flowers teamed in nicely with the petticoat, I picked them up a time ago at Best and Less. I love the fullness of the flowers, it doesn't matter what angle I clip them into my hair, you will always see petals. I'm finding crocodile clips work really well on my thick slippery hair.

This necklace and earrings are having their first time on my blog. The necklace I picked up for half-price at Crossroads. I didn't venture into pastels until the Aussie Curves challenge. This necklace was a deliberate purchase in that direction, as I've found that some pastel shades actually do look nice on me. The cute little bird earrings were also half price at Big W. I love a good saving! The dress was on sale when I bought it too. Yay sales.

Outfit Details

Dress: Asos Curve (24, old season)
Necklace: Crossroads
Hair Flowers: Best and Less
Earrings: Big W
Sandals: Big W (11, old season)
Petticoat in lavender: Domino Dollhouse