Diane's plus size fashion blog

Well ladies the count down to Christmas has started. The first rounds of parties have begun, the street lights are on, and the music is playing in the shops and streets. If you intend shopping online for your Christmas Gifts you need to be thinking about it now (to allow yourself enough time to make any returns/exchanges in time for Christmas Day). This week I present to you my Christmas Gift Ideas.

As recommended by Diane

I have made some suggestions which will make great stocking fillers. My recommendations this week come from Liz Earle, AllBeauty.com, Ethical Superstore, Sock Shop, The UK Edit, and M&S.

1. I love this Christmas Stocking filled with Beauty Products from Liz Earle. I think this is great value at £50. Liz Earle make organic beauty products with all natural ingredients. For other gift ideas from Liz Earle (such as hampers and other gift sets) click here.

2. AllBeauty.com are a discounted Beauty and Fragrance supplier and do a fantastic range of Gift Sets, Vouchers, and Christmas Gift Sets. If you have been following my Facebook Page "Plussize" (located at www.facebook.com/plussizecouk) of late you will have noticed the fantastic savings and heavily discounted fragrances and gift sets that have been on offer. AllBeauty.com have to be one of the cheapest online beauty and fragrance retailers in the UK at the moment.

3. Ethical Superstore sells a huge selection of fair trade goods from clothing to food to beauty products. Click Here to view their Christmas Gift Guide.

I particularly love these hand knitted welly socks and matching Beanie hat From Ethical Superstore which are made in Nepal.

 

4. I love these bed socks from Sock Shop and the very pretty and festive packaging that they come in.

5. Have a look at these Sock Drawer and Underwear Draw Organisers at only £5 each

6. Another fantastic and inexpensive Christmas Gift Idea are these Roll up shoes starting at only £6.70. Sock Shop do a good variety of colours and designs to suit all budgets.

7. The UK Edit is an online store owned by Cosmopolitan Magazine. They sell Designer Clothing and Accessories. I recommend having a look at their scarves which offer a great selection for both men and women.

I particularly love this scarf by Joules called The Downton which is a fur "collar type" scarf in a traditional Fox colour. This would really set off a full length wool coat or worn with a high neck/polo neck jumper.

8. The UK Edit also do a great range of Tablet Cases. I love this Ted Baker one which has been reduced to £28.

 

9. My final recommendation this week is this wonderful glitter jewellery box from M&S

I hope I have given you a good range of inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas this week that you can either give or hint about for your own Plus Size Stocking Filler.

Follow me on Twitter @plussizecouk and/or Like my Facebook Page "Plussize" (located at www.facebook.com/plussizecouk) to get updates about the Plus Size Fashion World, and Retailer Discounts and Special Offers. Until next Thursday 28th November 2013. Diane xxx

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Welcome news was made recently that Debenhams are planning to use size 16 mannequins in their stores to showcase a more realistic representation of what some of their clothing lines will look like on the average woman.  The mannequins are currently being unveilled in their Oxford Street Store but plans are afoot to roll these out to their other 170 stores UK wide.  They have also recently produced a catalogue which uses models displaying a more diverse range of sizes.  The images in this catalogue are not manipulated therefore showing the women as they actually are, and not someone's idealistic impression of how they think they should look.  Simply Be too have recently used various sizes of plus size woman (plus size fashion bloggers) to promote some of their ranges (most noticeably the party wear range currently available on their website).

The average British woman is a size 16 and because of that Jo Swinson, Equality Minister has spearheaded her own initiative called Campaign for Body Confidence.  She is calling on all Retailers on the British High Street to display plus size and petite mannequins in their windows and stores.  In a recent interview with the Huffington Post she said, "Recent research found that women are three times more likely to buy clothes when the fashion models are their size, so I hope more retailers will recognize that meeting customer demand for more diversity makes good business sense".

She also was quoted in the Sunday Times recently.  "The images we see in the world of fashion are all pretty much the same - it's as if there's only one way of being beautiful.  I would really like to see more retailers doing the same.  Many customers want to see more realistic images in magazines, TV and on the High Street, and having mannequins that reflect and celebrate our diverse society is a really positive way of helping to achieve this."

These moves are to be welcomed and are a step in the right direction but more needs to be done to promote equality and fairness.  I feel it could take a generation to imprint on the pschye of an impressionable young person (in particular) a more realistic impression of what is natural and womanly with regard to body size and shape.  For far too long we all have been subjected to the notion that a tall waif like woman represented beauty and perfection when what has actually been perpetuated with these images is a glorification of Anorexia.  When women can again feel good about themselves and can get fashionable clothes in a range of sizes and fits we all can then have a proper debate, and work together to support each other with regard to controlling and managing Obesity.  Being a plus size woman and wanting acceptance in the media and within Retail does not equate with glorifying nor being complacent with medically dangerous weight ranges.
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I love the buzz and excitement of the lead up to Christmas. I love the lights, the music and all the wonderful craft fairs in the towns and cities. Within the next fortnight or so most towns and cities will have their Christmas Lights switched on and then the real business of Shopping will begin. I like to wait and hold back from my Christmas Shopping until the "stage has been set" so to speak and the Christmas Shopping experience becomes a "full on" all day event.

What to wear Christmas Shopping (for a full day of Shopping followed by an Evening Meal in a restaurant and (perhaps) catching a show in the Theatre) needs a bit of planning so that I feel comfortable, warm, and suitably dressed for all of the day and its events. I need clothing suitable for a smart casual wear look.

I have a simple but smart casual look for you today and I am delighted to say that all of today"s recommendations have come from Just Last Season who sell clothes up to a UK 24 (they have great reductions in all their ranges of clothing, footwear, and accessories at the moment).

As recommended by Diane

At this time of year it is an absolute must that you have a warm coat. I love this mid length tweed coat from Windsmoor which has been reduced from £269 - £179. This is excellent value and a very practical buy in that it is a simple single breasted design so will suit all shapes and sizes of plus size woman. The coat is a black and white tweed with leather trims. This is a very on trend look this winter and tweed will continue to feature in autumn/winter seasons ahead. This coat is a standard classic and suits both work wear and smart casual wear. The colour will match and blend with most of your work wardrobe so is also a practical buy in that it is dual purpose. The overall look will be refined with the addition of a stunning patterned silk scarf tucked inside the coat collar. You can vary your colour palette by changing your scarf to complement your coat and co-ordinate with your separates and accessories.

Wear this coat with jeans or black trousers and this smart blouse from Planet.

I love many things about this blouse to include the colour, pattern, and overall styling. There is a very feminine ruffle placket detail drawing the eye down the blouse from the neck to the hemline. Overall shape is accentuated with dart stitching gently defining a waistline, whilst the continuation of the ruffle effect around the wrist area makes for a very elegant overall sleeve treatment. The styling of this blouse is smart so will take you to after shopping events such as Bistro/Restaurant Dining and/or the Theatre.

This is a chiffon blouse so you need to wear a simple cami/vest underneath for both warmth and modesty. I would suggest wearing either a nude shade or dark brown (to co-ordinate with the overall brown colour of the blouse).

I love the teal/blue hues woven within this pattern and this could be your accent colour to draw both the coat and blouse together (this will also work well with the recommended bag and jeans below).

If wearing a scarf under your coat you may very well chose to remove this once you are indoors (so the colour of the blouse may not matter). If however you intend still wearing the scarf after you have removed your coat, then stick to a plain teal/blue fine silk scarf.

For a selection of other wonderful discounted blouses from Just Last Season click here.

Just Last Season also have a great selection of jeans in different cuts/styling and colours. I have chosen these regular fit jeans which are available in both standard leg length and petite.

These jeans are smart enough (with their soft touch material) to be "smart casual wear" and therefore are perfect for a comfortable but smart day out Christmas Shopping. They will look great with both the coat and blouse (Wear your blouse out over the waistband of these jeans for a more streamlined and slimming look - do NOT tuck in). The regular cut of these jeans continues the straight line of the mid length coat which will give an overall slimmer profile.

Click here to buy the same jeans in petite fit.

And finally I love this leopard print bag from Planet which has been reduced from £199 to £139. The colour hues work perfectly to blend and mix everything together for a complete and streamlined look. The bag is roomy enough to carry your essentials yet not too big to be cumbersome, and is elegant for your after shopping event(s).

Thank you for reading my Blog each week. You can connect with me via Twitter @plussizecouk or my business "Plussize" Facebook Page www.facebook.com/plussizecouk and let me know what you think, and/or make requests for blog posts.

Just Last Season sell designer brands in clothing, footwear and accessories from Designer collections from the last season. At the moment you may also be interested to know that they are doing a promotion on their dresses. All dresses are £49 or under (this includes dresses suitable for occasion wear such as wedding and parties to work wear and everyday wear).

Until next Thursday 14th November 2013. Diane xxx

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