Look Luxurious for Less - Jumpsuit/Playsuit edition

All of us girls covet designer brands.  However, the reality is our wages/salaries are barely enough to make ends meet, let alone buy designer brands.  The situation is even much worse for us plus-size girls; when most designers do not even design for us, so those who can afford it cannot even buy it.  So here are two designer jumpsuits which you can find cheaper and in your size for less!  If you prefer the designer versions I also provided the links.  P.S.  none of the companies and sites I mentioned paid me to do this, this is just my own 'research'.

3.1 Phillip Lim Belted structured-satin playsuit €730 vs ASOS CURVE Cutwork Playsuit £35.00

 

Azzaro Lucilia crepe jumpsuit €995 vs So Fabulous Ruffle Sleeve Jumpsuit  €57.00

If you like this post let me know and I would be glad to do more posts like these.

If I...

... had some clothing items in pastel (and obviously the money), I would definitely buy this Swarovski necklace.

Swarovski Spring Summer 2012 Collection

The disadvantage of not being rich ...

 ... that I cannot afford these absolutely gorgeous Givenchy handbags from their Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear collection.

The Absolutely BAD ...

... that Peplum Skirts/Dresses look horrible on my figure, which is just plain torture for me as I love this design on dresses and skirts.

from Denny Rose

from ASOS Curve

ASOS CURVE Blazer In Floral Print Review

Recently I have bought this lovely Floral Blazer from ASOS.   Unfortunately for me I have paid full price, when a few days later it can be found on sale for about half the price.  You can buy it by clicking on this link: Asos Curve Blazer in Floral Print

Colour: The main colour is black and not navy blue, which was my first impression when seeing this picture.  The floral pattern is really lovely and colorful, and there are basically 6 main colours in the pattern; orange, pink/fuchsia, lavendarish blue, periwinkle blue, white and gray.  Therefore, one can wear this jacket with many different combinations of colours.  Also I think it is important to point out that there is no purple in the jacket, unlike what the picture seems to show.  The purple seen is in fact pink, which is lighter than as shown in the picture.  

Material: Although it is a blazer and one would expect that the material would be similar to those tailored suit jackets, it is not.  For me it is a pro, as the jacket is not uncomfortable as the material allows you to move better and it isn't as heavy.  Also the material is matte, so you don't get so much shine.  Considering the lightness of the material, it can be worn mostly during spring.  However, if you experience hot weather like we do here in Malta, I don't suggest wearing this jacket during the summer months. In the case of winter, if one dresses some heavier clothing underneath, the jacket can be wearable.  

 

Style:  Unlike other blazers, this one has NO buttons and NO collar. The sleeves are long and the length of the jacket is just right not too short and nor too long. Therefore it has a slightly more casual feel to it.  In the ASOS catalog one can also find matching capris and a matching skirt as well.  I only bought the blazer, so I cannot comment on this items.

Fit: Since this Blazer doesn't come with any buttons, then it can only be worn in one style as it is shown on the model.  Therefore, since there isn't the problem of having to button the blazer one can play a little bit with sizing depending on the look one is going for. In my case I bought a size 26 as usually when it comes to blazers I always have to go a size up in order for it to fit nicely and for me to feel comfortable.  However, I found that the sizing of this blazer runs a little bit large and personally it would have suited me more if I went down a size or even two.  The sleeves aren't tight at all, which is sometimes a problem I experience with blazers as they are usually too tight in that area.  Therefore, I would suggest going down from your usual Blazer size. 

Conclusion:  Even though I paid full price and it looked slightly big on me, I am not disappointed with this purchase.  I wore it with a black dress to a wedding and I got loads of compliments of how lovely the blazer is and how it gave my simple black dress that extra edge.  Therefore, depending on the nature of your outfit I think this blazer can look great either for a special occasion or even for a causal or night out look.  However, I personally do not suggest this as work attire, as it is too fun to wear to work.  

 

I hope you enjoyed this review, feel free to ask me more questions about this product that I haven't answered or feel free to add some styling tips. 

The BAD ...

... that MANGO doesn't cater for plus-size girls, their collections are too beautiful to only be shared with non-plus-sized girls, we deserve some of their gorgeous stuff as well!

from the Mango pre-Fall 2012 collection

from the Mango pre-Fall 2012 Collection

from the Mango pre-Fall 2012 Collection

The Bad ...

That in my beloved country, i.e. Malta, we do not have an H&M store or at least an H&M+ store, as plus-size girls here barely have any decent shops to buy fashionable clothes from.

from the H&M Shades of Summer 2012 Collection

from the H&M+ Summer 2012 Collection

ASOS CURVE Jersey Top with Chiffon Sleeves Review

I bought this top more than a month ago, which is why I have the black version which is now sold out.  ASOS CURVE Jersey Top with Chiffon Sleeves

Colour: Currently the only colour available is the deep red.  I have the black version of this, so I cannot comment on the deep red one.

Material: Now this top has a combination of two materials.  It has a chiffon material on the sleeves which is quiet thick when considering it is chiffon, but still it is very comfy.  The rest of the top is made from viscose, which is stretchy and so one can risk taking a different size than their usual size since it stretches.

Style:  It is simple but yet fashionable.  The detail on the front is quiet cute.  I personally don't like frills but I find the detail on this top quiet tasteful, which in my opinion makes the top more versatile.  The sleeves are see-through as can be seen in the picture.  However, in my case the collar area seemed lower than as shown on the model. 

Fit: It is true to size, but due to being quiet stretchy one can play around with sizes but obviously one has to take into account their body shape.  The sleeves looked longer on me, but the end sleeve detail is quiet tight and so the sleeves didn't look frumpy but fashionable. Lenght-wise, the top is neither too short not too long, so covers the hip area nicely.  

Conclusion: This top is ideal for night outs, but if paired with certain pieces it can look quiet elegant such as if worn under a suit or blazer it would be good for work-wear or if one wears it with a tight pencil skirt or high waisted pants it would look great as lounge-wear.  As I said the top is very versatile, so it is up to you to use your fashion creativity.  My only disappointment with this top as again it doesn't come in a large variety of colours, lucky me I got the black one and all I can say is that this top will definitely be used well by me. 

Dear Asos,

After looking at the Asos Curve selection of dresses, I feel disappointed.  Although the dresses are gorgeous, not many in my opinion are flattering on a plus-size girl.  The great majority are too short and many plus-size women have huge thighs and would like them to be covered, even if one wears leggings they still wouldn't be very flattering.  Other dresses have high-waist details and girls with guts cannot wear such dresses as they wouldn't help to emphasise the good part of our curves but emphasise our flaws.
The following dresses are from the normal Asos selection which I think should be included in the Asos Curve catalog as these would be extremely flattering on the great majority of plus-size girls;
1. ASOS Midi Dress With Full Skirt

2. ASOS Pencil Dress with Square Neck

3. ASOS Midi Dress with Ruched Panels

4. ASOS Peterpan Collar Dress with Puffed Shoulders

5. ASOS Wrap Dress with Ruched Front

6. ASOS Midi Dress With Belt

7. ASOS Wrap Dress in Ponti Pencil

I have chosen these as some of the designs have ruching, which helps in hiding flaws and emphasise one's curves and which unfortunately not many dresses in the Asos Curve section have a lot of ruching detail.  Also I included a couple of midi-dress designs as a lot of dresses on Asos Curve are short and don't go beyond the knees.
Feel free to comment on whether you disagree or agree with these choices ;D

ASOS Curve Shirt With Super Long Pussybow Review

So it has been a while since I wrote a review, so recently I made a couple of purchases for the holiday season and I decided to review them to help out those who are still undecided on whether to purchase these items or not.  

This is a review for the ASOS Curve Shirt With Super Long Pussybow.

Colour: The site only offers one colour which is a wine/ deep red colour.  The colour of the actual item is almost as that shown in the picture, it is slightly lighter but still very close to the site images.

Material: It is very light fabric, so I wouldn't suggest wearing just this outside as you would end up freezing.  The fabric doesn't stretch so buy true to your size.  It also has a slight shine to it, not the glittery kind, but kind of the shine that satin has but way less shiney.  Also the fabric is very comfy and feels very nice on the skin.

Style: It is very low cut.  I had to wear a tank top underneath as my bra kept showing.  The bow didn't cover the low cut enough.  The bow as the product name states is very long, but it gives this shirt the extra fashionable factor which in my opinion makes it a more elegant piece of clothing.  The sleeves aren't as long as shown in the picture they are more 3/4 sleeves, but they are quiet baggier than that shown in the picture.  The length of the top is perfect, it is neither too long nor too short, so it covers the hips nicely.  

Fit: As I mentioned previously, the fabric doesn't allow for that much stretch.  The sizing, the bust area isn't that big.  In fact I being a small-chested girl and usually there would be still a lot of room to fill which would make certain tops very unflattering due to having so much room left in the chest area, this top had a right balance of chest area, i.e. if one is small-chested like me the top would still look good and if one has an average sized chest the shirt would look amazing, but I don't think it would fit very large-chested girls.  The tummy area was just right, in my case it was an exact fit and I would have liked a little more space.  While the hip area, since the shirt isn't very long and has a sort of a 'n' shape on the sides, the hip area wouldn't be very affected and so the fit is quiet comfy for those with large hips.

Conclusion: I suggest this top for office wear or lounge parties, but not for weddings or similar events.  It is elegant but not too elegant so it is best to be worn for those events which require some formality.  It looks great with high waisted skirts and pants and looks great when paired with a suit.  Fit is true to size so buy your size, but if you are large-chested I suggest to go a size up.  My only disappointment is that it doesn't come in other colours and styles.

ASOS CURVE Exclusive Jersey Wrap Top Review

Since this top first appeared in the catalog, I fell in love with it and finally after much deliberation I have bought one in black as it was on sale.

When it comes to fit, it is true to size, covers the back rolls quiet nicely and whether or not one has a small or big chest the top will fit like a glove. However, since my tummy is bigger than my chest, the top is not very flattering as it doesn't help in hiding such flaw; so don't buy such top if you are more of an apple shape. If you are pear shape, the top will definitely look flattering.

The material is quiet stretchy but it isn't that stretchy that it will show off your flaws, as some tops do even when they are true to your size. Due to it's jersey material, I think it can be worn all year round, in summers it is quiet light on it's own, while if one wears it during the winter under a thick jacket, it would still look season appropriate.

The top detail is very simple but makes the top look very elegant. However, there is one flaw. The ruched detail over the chest area is like a separate boob tube, it easily losses it's shape especially if you move around a lot and personally I got confused at one point while I was out how to get the original shape back as it lost the whole shape. So I suggest to either one use pins, but it wouldn't look very nice having a pin showing; or else sew the parts together if you are able to and if the material allows.

So, in conclusion I suggest this top to girls with a flat waistline or if you have a similar body shape as mine wear a cardigan or shrug over it as I did. Also if you have flabby big arms, I wouldn't suggest wearing the top on it's own, it doesn't help in enhancing one's arms at all, one needs great arms to wear this top on it's own.

I think the top can be worn for any occasion, whether it is for a casual look, or to go to work or for a night out with friends and even for a special occasion; the top is very versatile. I also think, but haven't actually tried it, the top would look really nice if it is tucked into a plain pencil skirt.

My tip for ASOS Curve, is to stitch the boob tube area with the rest of the top and to make this top in more colours as it is a definite classic for all year round.

Click here for more information or to buy the top:- Asos Curve Exclusive Jersey Wrap Top

How to look like a celeb - Lady Gaga edition

So I am not a Lady Gaga fan, but one has to acknowledge that she has a great influence when it comes to fashion.  In Sydney, it was one of those rare moments where Lady Gaga wore something which us girls can actually wear in real life and lucky for you dear readers I found a cheaper replica of the dress at Torrid, which can only be purchased online - Lucky 13 - Hells Bells Black Satin Dress.  It is important to note that the difference between the two dresses is that Lady Gaga's is a velvet dress, while the one from Torrid is satin.

How to look like a celeb - Kate Middleton edition

Kate Middleton or, as she is now officially known as, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; has become a fashion icon.  She keeps everything classy and chic.  Her looks are very easy to achieve without the need to break the bank and which are all available for us plus-size girls.

1. Kate wore a green silk Diane von Furstenberg dress during her California visit.  The only dress I found which looked very similar is this ASOS CURVE Ruched Waist Shift Dress.  Unfortunately it doesn't come in the same amazing green colour, but it does have the same exact style.  Another similar dress, is the Next Teal Jersey Wrap Dress (do not have a pic sorry), it is closer to the dress's original color, but ,unlike the original, it is a v-neck dress.

 

 

2.   Kate clearly loves Jenny Pachkam's dresses as she has been seen wearing many of her desings. The most similar in pattern and colour palette I could find is this Evans Floral Prom Dress. It is also quiet similar in style, but it doesn't have the slight freely sleeves as the original.

3.  This Malene Birger dress was worn by Kate during her Canada visit.  I couldn't find an exact match, but this Eucalyptus Shift Dress from Debenhams is very similar.  It doesn't come with sleeves and there is slight difference in colour.

4.   Kate's royal blue engagement dress, has became a hit worldwide and I think it is now one of the most memorable looks of this decade.  At Yours one can find the same exact dress at a fraction of the original price -> Blue Cross Over Dress.

5.  The Joseph Dress Kate wore, is ideal for a special occassions during the summer.  This ASOS CURVE Midi Dress is the closest I could find, it comes in the same exact style but the color isn't the same as the original.  However, it is on sale so it makes up for not being in Cream ;P

6. For a more casual look I decided to find a similar dress to the Issa bird-print dress Kate wore recently in Canada.  The New Look Inspire Range have two very similar dresses to Kate's, however none of them come in the bird print.  These are the Inspire Floral Tea Dress & the  Inspire Spotty Jersey Dress.

I hope you enjoyed my finds, feel free to post similar plus-size dresses to the one's shown.  You can also post pictures of outfits you would like me to find for you.

How to look like a celeb - Prada Multi-colored Stripe dress edition

The Prada Multicolored striped 2011 spring dress, has been making a number of rounds in a number of magazines and red-carpets.  Now us plus-size girls can also achieve achieve a similar look without spending our whole savings with this brand new ASOS CURVE Exclusive Stripe Fishtail Dress

This dress has the same colour scheme and design, but the stripes are narrower than the actual design, but they practically look identical.  From the material description and the video, one would need shapewear if they have a few bumps otherwise it will not flatter the said person.  I wouldn't suggest this dress for special occasions, it is more of a day dress in my opinion.  However, if one adds a nice belt + a black blazer, the dress would be ideal for a night out.

Here are some of the celebs who have worn this gorgeous Prada Dress and who might also help in inspiring you how to accessorize and do your make-up to achieve a certain look.

New Look Inspire Review

So recently I purchased from New Look some tops and wasn't 100% satisfied as I usually am with my New Look purchases, which is why it prompted me to write not long  ago a post complaining about New Look's lack of models for their Inspire range.

1. Inspire Sequin Ethnic Kaftan

I bought this at the original price and have been eyeing this for ages since it first appeared in the catalog.  In fact, when it appeared on the Inspire Range pick of the week banner, it sold out within a few days.  Fortunately, enough it was brought back in stock and so I decided that since I had the chance I should buy it and so I did.  Well, I ended up disappointed.

It is exactly as seen on their site, with the very beautiful vivid summer colours.  

The bust area is very low cut, so one would need to wear another top underneath the kaftan.  I tried to align the stretchy band under the bust to look straight and when I aligned it, I looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame and so I had to lower the band in order to remove this 'hunch', which made the top look awkward and feel weird around the sleeves when I raised my hands.  

Also the kaftan made my belly look bigger than it does. Probably this top might look better on girls with bigger chests and smaller bellies, but on me it looked awful.  Also I have got quiet large hips and the top made them look larger as well, which I didn't like.  

When it comes to length it is quiet long and I think it would look nice with leggings or/and some shorts.

In regards to the fabric/material; at first it felt quiet itchy, probably because the gold detail is made from a different material and it kind of pokes out underneath, but probably after a wash this might soften and feel less itchy.  The good news is that it is very light and flowy and ideal for those hot summer days.  

My conclusion would be is that this kaftan is not flattering on girls with bodyshapes like mine, i.e. small chest and a larger belly.  The colours are beautiful and the length is great.  The fabric feels itchy, but it may eventually soften after some washes ( I personally didn't try it as I am returning it).  

2. Animal Burnout Top

On the site, the top looks like it has a shimmery effect and looks quiet elegant.  When it came in the post, it was of a more casual style and I wouldn't recommend this top for formal events.  The top is slightly see-though, so I suggest that one wears a tank top underneath it.  The neckline is very low but still sexy and tasteful and the sleeves are adorable.  It is very comfortable and hides my bumps.  My only complaint, as I said in the beginning, the picture doesn't show clearly the top's material, one would think it is elegant, rather than being casual.  I still kept this top, even though I wanted a more elegant looking one.

3.Burnout Pocket Top

This t-shirt, is also see-through, so one would also require a tank top underneath it.  The material isn't as light as normal summer t-shirts, but it is still very comfortable and quiet chic, especially when one considers the price.  The t-shirt's length is normal.  I do recommend this.

I hope you enjoyed this review, feel free to ask me any questions about these purchases or add your thoughts on these items :D

Dear New Look Inspire,

I was checking out your website, as I do so on a weekly-basis to check for new stock from your inspire range and decided to check out what there is in the normal range and well I realised that for the normal range all clothes are modelled, i.e. instead of shown on a "mannequin" like the Inspire, Tall and Teens range, the clothes are worn on a model and can be properly viewed.  

This led to feeling very disappointed with New Look, as I always thought that none of their clothes are modelled, except for those shown in their ads.  When I shop on the New Look site I find it extremely hard to decide on whether or not to buy something since I am always not sure of how it would look on me and whether they are sheer in a certain area, etc... especially when they photoshop the mannequin out which makes it more difficult to make a proper decision before purchasing.  In the case of dresses I never know the proper length of such dresses as the description usually doesn't say how long or short the dress is and so I never buy dresses from New Look.  Sometimes when it comes to tops and shirts, I don't know how long they are or how long their sleeves are.  So I end up spending weeks deciding on whether or not to buy as I am not always sure.

One may tell me, to go in store and try them on, well there is one problem we do have two large New Look stores but they only provide the normal range!  This is very disappointing especially when in Malta the choice of decent, affordable and fashionable plus size clothing for young woman my age is practically inexistant and in stores like Evans to buy just one decent outfit you need to spend more than 70 Euros, apart from the fact that they barely bring 1/4th of the range!  

So please New Look if you aren't planning to bring the Inspire range in my country, at least use proper plus size models to model the clothes and provide a better description of your products and stop photoshopping the mannequin out as sometimes white or sheer details aren't always seen!  Please consider my opinions, as the more surveys I do for you for free, the more I feel that I am wasting my time as you don't seem to take notice!

Love

Dysnomia

Asos Curve Jeans Review

I just bought two pairs of jeans from Asos Curve, as they were on sale.  So I decided to review them and compare them to other jeans which I bought from other brands.

1. ASOS CURVE Black Overdyed Flare Jeans

2. ASOS CURVE Supersexy Skinny Flare Jean

So when it comes to size when comparing the same size to New Look Inspire Range and Yours clothing, Asos has a smaller waist, however, according to the size charts they are wider at the hips.  So I decided to go a size up in order to be safe since the waist is smaller. 

Now the black jeans (1) it didn't fit properly around the waist even though I usually wear jeans with slightly smaller waist.  However, the usual jeans I wear always have a slight elasticated fabric, and this pair didn't have any stretch to them.  So be sure if you intend to buy these, go a size up as they are slightly small.

The second pair (2), as the description says it is stretchy.  The fabric is thinner than the other pair, and very comfortable and they are what they description says they are.  Around the waist they fitted well and also made my legs look slightly thinner. 

Both jeans have the same length. I am about above average in height and they were both still very long and so if you are going to buy these, be sure to either wear heels or if you are going to wear flats then roll the bottom cuffs.  

So in conclusion; read the description carefully and be sure to check their size chart as compared to other brands when it comes to pants they seem to fit smaller; so if you are going to be a non-stretchy fit pant go for a size larger, if you are going to buy a stretchy fit pant then go for your usual size as they fit perfectly.  

My tip for Asos Curve, add different leg length options like New Look Inspire and Yours have as not every plus size girl is the height of an Amazon Warrior.  Also after closely examining their catalog when it comes to jeans the majority are skinny legged which in my opinion if one has huge hips/thighs they shouldn't wear them as they look awful on such body type and don't help to enhance one's figure at all, unlike flare and bootcut jeans/pants. Also the jeans in the catalog which aren't skinny legged, the majority aren't of a stretchy fit, in fact there are barely more than two in the whole catalog; which is a pity as at Yours and New Look such jeans sell within two months so it is clear that these sell well among the plus size community. So when it comes to the jeans department Asos Curve still needs some slight improvement in order to compete better with other plus size clothes manufacturers; although they still do have the advantage that they are the most fashion forward and don't provide plus size grandma clothes like other companies. 

Hope you enjoyed this review and feel free to add your thoughts when it comes to your jean purchases.

Dear Asos Curve,

I love your clothes and everything about them, as apart from offering clothes ideal for the young plus size girl, you also provide us with a great choice of fashion forward items.  My only complaint is that you don't seem to have a fixed  plus size basics 'section', which in my opinion such 'section' should always be present and should at least consist of basic plain; tank tops, t-shirts, cardigans and more.  Last year you had a few like these which were great, unfortunately currently you barely have anything like these, which are essential for any plus-size girl's wardrobe and will never run out of style.  So please Asos Curve consider my suggestion.
Love,
Dysnomia xxx