Showing posts with label Evans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evans. Show all posts

Sunday Round Up......

Evenin' my lovelies!

Just dropping in and giving you all a little hello!

I've had a right busy week, on Monday I popped out for an evening at the theatre, how many of you remember Birds of a Feather? I know right! The 3 main cast members have gotten back together to do a tour and I have to say, they were as fabulous as ever, the original Essex girls as far as I'm concerned, gimme Chigwell over Towie any day! I mean check out that fabulous 80's style, Dorien gimme that hot pink blazer, NOW!

Tuesday I headed out for yummy munch at Miller & Carter with my lovely boys and girls from work, much wine and birthday cake was consumed and I went to work on Wednesday feeling rather worse for wear but enjoyed every minute and on Wednesday evening I had some lovely friends over for nails and gossip.

My main killer this past week has been the fact that it has been dress down ALL WEEK at work! Now, don't get me wrong, I have a ginormous wardrobe bursting to the brim with clothes, but the moment you ask me to choose a different outfit everyday I am totally bazingered! But I did notice something, I am a full on creature of habit and I am a total sucker for 3 classic trends, nautical, leopard print and florals. Every outfit has consisted of one of those trends I wish I had taken pictures but alas, I am a little bit camera shy at the moment, I had my hair extensions taken out last week and I am just getting used to my face without my long locks, feeling like a right munter!

Other things I have been upto just recently are......

Hanging around awesome market stalls eyeing up cute jewellery.....


Buying awesome new items from New Look Inspire & ASOS Curve.....

New Look Inspire

ASOS Curve

Scouring the t'interweb for my perfect pair of Converse......


Receiving awesome items to try out for my reviews week from Simply Be and Chubby Cartwheels.....
Chubby Cartwheels

Simply Be

Playing far too much 'Draw Something' and realising I cannot draw for shiz, if you want to have a laugh at my lack of artistic talent, my username is naomi_griffiths....

Trying desperately to find the perfect outfit to head down to Evans HQ tomorrow for the preview of 'Swan' by Clements Ribeiro......


Getting excited over heading over to Sutton Coldfield Vintage & Arts Fair next weekend.....

So keep checking back and I should have some interesting things to talk to you about v.soon!

BIG LOVE
XOXOXOX

Saturday Splurge & Evans Bird Print Dress Review.

Evenin' my lovelies!

Another post so soon? You lucky devils! ;) It's only cause I actually have some things to witter on about. As I mentioned in my last post, on Saturday I went for a mooch around Merry Hill Shopping Centre and had me a bit of a splurge and I wanted to show you my little haul...

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner - I am an eyeliner fiend, I pretty much won't leave my house unless I'm wearing it. I had a Sleek gel liner a while ago which was fab, but I lost it, so I primped for a new one, the brush that comes with it is brill!

Boots 17 Solo eyeshadows in Funfair & Statuesque - not tried them yet but I love the colours of these!

Boots 17 Hide Away Concealer - again something else I can't live without!

Primark Skull Scarf - this Alexander McQueen looky likey scarf was a bargain £4! I felt a little bit guilty for buying a copy but I promise I will buy the real thing soon, it's on my list of 'WANTS'. For now, this little baby will do.

Primark Bird Print Snood - we are all a bit giddy for bird print just recently, this was a must to go in the basket!

Primark Floral Print Bow Necklace - so adorable.

Primark Earrings - I love cute studs, these rock chickesque and super girly ones needed a home with moi!

Primark Pink Heart Diamante Ring - pretty pretty!

Evans Leather Ankle Boots - my sale bargain, I know the weather is supposed to be warming up, but lets be fair, this is England a decent pair of boots is essential no matter what the season!

Primark Handbag - love this little handbag but when I got home I realised the strap was a lot shorter than I would like, am thinking some customisation may be in order!

H&M Metallic Peeptoe Flats - these are my love! I'm not really a fan of flip flops so I am thrilled that every year H&M never fails to bring out an awesome pair of peeptoe flats for the summer, this year they haven't failed to disappoint. They have lots of other colours online and instore too and I am destined to own them all!

I also picked up a nautical navy and white striped top from Yours Clothing and a stripey vest top from H&M+ which I haven't shown you here but I know I will use for outfit posts soon.

Lastly, whilst on my travels I popped into Evans. The store in Merry Hill is probably one of Evans' better ones, it regularly has their new in items and is generally quite well stocked. I knew I wanted to catch sight of their take on the bird print dress, everywhere seems to have given us one and finally Evans has caught on. I first saw it online and I have to say, I wasn't particularly impressed, priced at £45 for a basic jersey cut in comparison to New Looks recent version it wasn't really ever going to get me excited.

As I walked into the store the dress was hanging on a point of sale rail at the forefront, I picked up a Uk 26/28 (Evans infamous duel sizing *ICK*) and toddled off to the changing rooms to take some snaps for you....

At first touch the material is thin and not particularly amazing quality considering the £45 price tag I would have at least expected a thicker more ponte like jersey material. The print is nice, a ditsy swallow print in pastel shades but again, it looked a bit cheap. The cut is generous and you definitely wouldn't need to size up at all.

I personally wasn't keen on the cut of the dress, I would have liked a deeper neckline and a shorter length I felt the dress seemed a bit 'mumsy' and that it wasn't quite sure of what it was meant to be and whom it is aimed at. The print suggests fast fashion for a young audience, whilst the cut screams 50+ mum! I'm not just saying this because I want to just have a go at Evans, I really want Evans to do well and start belting out some awesome pieces like what used to be offered from their Seven range, but I really was unimpressed. I know me and if I had loved that dress £45 price or not, it would have been bagged up and on the bus home with me, but all in all it was just 'luke warm'. It's a no frills, rushed job of a fast fashion piece which they have thrown at the rails in order to jump on the trend without even really thinking about what it is or who it is for. Maximum price for minimum effort or style.

In comparison to the recent New Look Inspire version it doesn't even come close and yet it is nearly double the price. Maybe if it comes up in the sale I would think about it, but that quality, for that price, for that cut, sorry Evans but me no likey! I understand that larger sized clothes require more material and will generally cost us a little more, but if New Look can cut a similar item up to a size 26 for £25 surely this one from Evans could have been a bit more reasonably priced? Lets hope your Clements Ribeiro range wets our whistles and our wallets!

That's all from me this evening m'dears! Let me know your thoughts on the Evans dress.

Big Love
xoxoxox

Same Shirt, Different Day.


Ello my lovelies!

I was planning on having a full on lazy PJ day today, but I somehow was lured to my local Westfield shopping centre, how does that happen? I had a good old mooch around Primark and got lots of cute little goodies, tried on loads of stuff in Yours clothing whom I must say are coming out with some really nice pieces at the moment, their wine coloured jeans are brilliant, purchased cute flats from H&M and tried on that bird print dress in Evans. Will definitely give you an update and some pics of it all in a day or 2!

But anyway to do it all I wore some clothes, I threw on this little outfit.....

Denim Shirt - New Look Inspire
Leopard Print Vest Top - Evans
Red Leggings - New Look Inspire
Belt - Evans
Leopard Print Scarf - H&M
Shoes - New Look
Stag Necklace - Primark


I know, I know, I wore this shirt in my last outfit of the day, but the thing is, whenever the spring starts to poke through the atmosphere and those little sunbeams come out to play, this is my go to item! I picked it up a few years ago from New Look Inspire and it has become my spring through to summer wardrobe staple! Guaranteed that whenever the earth begins to start warming up this shirt is out and about! It was well worth the £20 I paid for it way back when, I don't see it leaving my wardrobe anytime soon!

What are your wardrobe staples? The things you wear year on year?

Big Love
xoxoxox

Plus London Two!


Ello lovelies!

Well what can I say, I know I'm late to the parade of posts over another very successful Plus London event, but as they say, better late than never!

I had a really fab time, and my personal highlights were getting to visit the Anna Scholz design studio and my amazing Elomi bra fitting!


Anna Scholz for me has always been a bit of an idol, a designer of plus size whom actually understands plus size! I know it shouldn't really be an issue but understanding the needs of a plus size body in order to be able to dress it well is so important! So many brands get this so wrong because they just don't understand. With Anna, it's not an issue, being a plus sized lady herself, her designs accommodate curves incredibly without compromising on style, elegance and comfort!



Fab printed jersey dress - Anna Scholz


Anna's team were so welcoming and so open to taking on feedback from us, and believe me, we're no shrinking violets! Between rummaging through the rails of the beautiful new Spring/Summer 2012 White Label and Black Label collections, eating gorgeous cupcakes and drinking wine, we got the chance to really get to know Anna and the brand, how hard it has been to get a plus size luxury brand like hers on the map and the struggle to keep it where it is! It makes you appreciate the price tag of each garment so much more when you realise this is a brand that is made out of love and appreciation for their customers and the drive to make it succeed, her clothing is pure quality from start to finish.




Bethany & Amy enjoying cake and looking fabulous!



Anna showing us some more of her beautiful designs.

My personal favourite items are the Double Silk Corset Strap Maxi Dress from her White Label collection, in the most fabulous palm print I have ever seen. It makes me long for holidays, blue skies and sunshine!


And from her Black Label collection I am all over a fabulous poodle print tunic which should hopefully be online soon! So quirky and fun!



Big thank you to Anna Scholz and the team for being so welcoming and open!

After the Anna event, I hopped off and braved Westfield in Shepherds Bush (I must have been mental!). I had packed a number of dresses to wear to the evening event, but being the typical indecisive Libra that I am, and a serial shopaholic I couldn't help but purchase a cheeky new number from, yep you guessed it, New Look Inspire! I picked up a really cute leopard print dress and due to the heavy snow fall that evening, I whacked it on with my little furry ankle boots, tights and my long standing, very favourite Evans biker jacket! The picture was actually taken at about 4am Sunday morning after an epic bit of drinking fun after the Plus London event, it's the only pic I really have of me in it, apologies!



Leopard Dress - £26.99 New Look Inspire
Biker Jacket - Evans
Tights - We Love Colors
Boots - £39 Evans


Due to adverse weather conditions, we were late to the event and missed the OneStopPlus catwalk show, but arrived with enough time to meet and greet new and old faces! But the night flew by so quickly there are so many of you that I missed! Wendy filled us with amazing cupcakes, Em was on hand dishing out the raffle tickets and Claire was the hostess with the mostess! Well done to all whom made it a really great night!








Had to include this epic little number of Carla after she bombed my phone.....always a pleasure love!


But, my absolute highlight has to be meeting the Elomi team. I wittered on to Holly (sorry love!) about the constant battle I have with my boobs! I told her my story about how I recently went into Evans for a fitting and was told to try on a 48DD! Now, I understand this whole rule with the numbers and adding and subtracting this that and the other, but someone, somewhere needs to start applying some common sense! There was no way my rack was squeezing into a DD cup bra and Holly and the Elomi girls agreed and were shocked! My terrible experiences over the years with bra fittings have made me terrified! But meeting Elomi has changed that for me!




Elomi's bra fitter (whose name I have forgotten, I am so sorry!), was amazing! She took one look at me and knew exactly what my boobies needed to be nestled in, a 46G! But here is my problem, for around 2 years now I have been wearing 46G bra's but have been seriously doubting if it was the right size for me due to the constant rubbing I get around the back band on my left side. Over the last few months, the rubbing has become so bad I have broken skin which is so sore some days I could seriously cry. My bra's make me so uncomfortable some days I just could break down. The reason isn't because I am we
aring the wrong cup size, or back size, it's because of the quality of the bands, unfortunately my body makes them roll up and chafe my skin and due to having to constantly wear a bra the cycle never seems to stop. The lovely fitter noticed this straight away and even noticed that the Elomi bra she had fitted me in was doing the same thing. She took the feedback on board and really wanted to help find a solution for this problem that I am having. I have been advised to find bra's with wider width bands to help alleviate the issue but in the meantime I know Elomi are going to look into this, fantastic! Do any of you other ladies have this problem at all? If so, get in touch! It is really important that feedback like this is given to brands in order for them to be able to rectify it!





Big thank you to Elomi for listening and being fabulous! You have made me and my boobies very happy! :)

At the end of the night I was laden with heaps of goodies, including a £25 Navabi voucher which I won on the raffle and can't wait to spend! Thank you Claire and crew for organising another year of Plus London, also a big thank you to the other sponsors involved, Simply Be, Eliza Parker, Bijou Bijoux, Benita Blue, Evans, Domino Dollhouse, ASOS, Masaari I am so proud to be part of this community, you are all seriously fabulous!


Big Love Guys!
xoxoxox

P.S make sure you check out all the other fab write ups by all the other amazing ladies whom attended! Check out the Plus London Two site for links!

Taking Some Deep Breaths.........oh and an OOTD!


Evening guys!

This is just a little post to say, I am still around but I am, to be honest, totally run down. I don't feel like I have much to contribute at the minute because I'm feeling so rubbish. Mainly just work, but life in itself is just a bit *Meh* I suppose.

There are some really great things going on over the next month, so I'll have lots to talk about as soon as I am over my January blues and I am feeling decent enough to actually put some decent clothes on, I'll be back on full form I'm sure!

Whilst I disappear, here are a few pics from an outfit I wore last Sunday for loungin', shopping and walking the Gizmo dog! P.S this is the H&M scarf that I made Lauren hunt the Oxford St store with me for! Cheers love!


Boots - Evans (few years ago)
Cardigan - £13 Primark
Black Tunic - £7 New Look Inspire (on sale)
Leggings - £10 ASOS Curve (Best legging ever, size down!)
Scarf - £7.99 H&M
Ring - Primark
Earrings - Select


Back Soon & Big Love
xoxox


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