Lola and Luxury Lace Bras from Gossard

Gossard sent me some gorgeous lingerie from the Lola range and Luxury Lace range recently.  Gossard have always been on the cutting edge of lingerie fashion and it was great to try these fantastic products.

I am impressed.  Being a plus-sized person, I have found that over the years, it's been almost impossible to get well-fitting, reasonably priced, pretty, colourful and stylish lingerie and I do feel that these ranges cover all of these bases.  The first range I tried was from the Lola collection.  The Lola neon pink with turquoise ribbon detailing non-padded bra (pictured) comes in sizes 30D to 38G, the plunge bra in sizes 30D to 38E and the shorts and thong in extra small to extra large.  I love the colour combination of this range with the complementary turquoise ribbon and neon pink lace, giving it an amazing colour pop.  The non-padded bra is very supportive, with an inner net and criss-cross, gateback on  the back making me feel comfortable yet attractive.

The second range I tried was from the Luxury Lace collection. The Luxury Lace plunge bra comes in sizes 30D to 38F (pictured below in aqua).  Slightly padded, it allows for one's cleavage to look awesome!  I also tried the thong (again, below) in extra large which fit and looked superb.  There's also a balcony bra from 30D to 38E and the shorts and thongs in extra small to extra large too.  This range comes in three different colours - an aqua/turquoise blue with candy pink ribbon as shown, a darker, almost purplish blue (selling out fast with discounts on this gorgeous colour) and classic black - the latter two with baby pink ribbon detailing.  There's also a fab suspender belt in the dark blue to complete the look.

To conclude, thank you to Gossard for introducing me to these lovely ranges; my husband thanks you too! And as a savvy and canny shopper, I do think the pricing is very good already for quality, gorgeous and unique products, but do watch out for discounts, sales and voucher codes which become available at certain times making their ranges even more desirable!

Crochet Lace Dress from Apricot in aid of Ovarian Cancer Charity Ovacome

March is ovarian cancer month and, to support this, Apricot has teamed up with ovarian cancer charity, Ovacome and are selling a fabulous dress in the charity's colour of teal.

The dress is lined and structured, to give an amazing fit.  The pattern detail, with circular crochet lace and pleats is divine.  And the colour is gorgeous.  It can be worn to the office with a blazer and courts or dressed up with accessories and killer heels for an evening out.  It's £35 and comes in sizes 8 to 16 and, with all profits from sales of this dress going to Ovacome, it is so worth it.

There is also a canvas tote bag available for just £2, again, with all profits going to the charity.  So do think about supporting this cause and gaining a fab dress and bag!  It's win/win for everyone!

The Look for Less: Burberry Prossum SS14

Think pink! Another colour trend for SS14 is pink.  It's been spotted on the catwalks of Henry Holland, Temperley, Tom Ford and Chanel amongst others, in a range of tones and hues. I particularly like the candy pinks that are available - brighter and more fun than more common pastel shades.  Add some lace and layers and one is totally en vogue for the season!

So for this post, I am channelling Burberry Prorsum as seen during London Fashion week!

I found a great floral lace pink blouse at Marisota that is not dissimilar to the top of the dress above. It's just £18, reduced from £65. One could tuck the peplum into the skirt ir leave it as is. But hurry as it's selling out!

The blouse can then be combined with this Jacquard lace pencil skirt (below) from New Look.  It's just £19.99, comes in sizes 6 to 18 and a range of colours (black, blue, light and dark pink).

To complete the look, one could pair the skirt and blouse with some silver metallic heels - or go candy pink mad with pink courts and clutch bag!  I think this outfit would work really well for a wedding or similar more formal occasion.  A designer look, for a fraction of the price: true savvy chic, canny style!

Hermione de Paula Miriam Lace Midi Skirt from My-Wardrobe

So many sales, so little time! The My-Wardrobe sale is always great and there's currently up to 80% off a superb range of brands and products from designers such as Preen, See by Chloe, 3.1 Phillip Lim, MSGM and Joseph.

I love this luxurious silk lace midi skirt by Hermione de Paula. Simple yet chic and elegant, it adds an element of class and style to any outfit.  It could be worn with tailored classics, such as a crisp blouse and courts for a smart office outfit. Or it could be glammed up with a colourful top and accessories and some killer heels for the evening. Perfect!  Originally £743, it's been reduced by 75% to £185.

Delightful Dress: Lace Shirt Collar Dress from Yumi

Yumi do the loveliest, cutest and unique dresses and those that are in the sale are no exception.

This black and burgundy contrasting lace dress is really different and interesting.  I think it would be great for work, with the collar creating a pop of colour and a slightly more formal style that would look great in the office.  The lace detail embellishes the front, making it really chic and elegant.  It's reduced from £30 to £21 and is still available in sizes 8 to 16.

Delightful Dress: Anna Scholz Lace Skater Dress from Simply Be

I haven't posted about dresses in a while, probably due to the weather; it's not really dress weather at the moment I suppose.  But then I spotted this fantastic Anna Scholz lace skater dress which is available from Simply Be.  It's simply stunning and flattering with a shaped bodice and waistband to create curve-skimming gorgeousness.  It's not clingy, so will skim one's shape effortlessly.  Wear for Christmas parties with contrasting bright, killer heels and look amazing.  But it's selling out fast - sizes 14 to 18 are still available, 20 and 26 low stock and 22, 24 and 28 are out of stock.  So act quickly!

It's £70 but new customers can get 10% off first orders at Simply Be with the code CQHC5 until the end of the year.

Lace Shirt Dress from Madam Rage

The weather may have turned, but there's always a place for lace!  Wear with a jacket and tights for a feminine, autumnal look.

This mint green lace shirt dress is available in sizes 8 to 16 from Madam Rage.  Shirt dresses are so versatile and can be worn for daytime, work or even dressed up for an evening out.   The colour of this one is delightful and will look fab with a brightly coloured belt to accentuate the waist.  I also love the buttons which are cute, silver bows.  However, best of all, it's been reduced from £28 to just £10 - an absolute bargain!

Delightful Dress: New Romantics He Loves Me Best Dress from Free People

I love the boutique Free People as its product range successfully combines femininity and romanticism with edginess and sass.   There are so many gorgeous items available in their sale, but my favourite dress is this cream coloured dotted chiffon maxi dress.  It's ruffle-y, delicate and light yet unconventional - I love the quirkiness of the asymmetric, tiered bottom and crochet trimming and studs around the waist.  This means it can be styled as in the picture, with Doc Martens and chunky, metallic accessories - or keep it floaty and light with some strappy flat sandals.  Originally £250, it's currently £169.95 in the sale in sizes US 4 to 8 (8 to 12 UK).

While I am at it, I'm going to throw in this fab twisted snake ring which is just awesome.  It's also on sale, reduced from £20 to £16.95.  It would go perfectly with the dress, I feel!

Terrific Top: Stone Lace Blouse from Kaliko

There is nothing more feminine, delicate and ethereal than lace clothing - a gorgeous, floaty dress or perfect fitted top.  There are also so many looks that it compliments - elegant and classy, funky and fun or vintage and offbeat.

I've found this beautiful, stone coloured lace blouse in the Kaliko sale.  It's simple but beautiful.  The scalloped edge, v-neck and ribbon tie waist means that it will flatter one's top half fantastically.  The neutral colour means that it can be paired with bright and/or patterned bottoms to create a vibrant colour pop, or keep it pale and sophisticated with a white pencil skirt and courts.  Originally £65, it's been reduced to £49 and comes in sizes 8 to 20.  Delivery is free at Kaliko - always a plus in my book.

Delightful Dress: Hope Crochet Trim Embroidered Lace Cap Sleeve Dress from Boohoo.com

There's so many delightful dresses out there, but one can't beat a simple, lace or crocheted white dress for daytime.  It can be paired with so many items, such as a denim jacket, colourful blazer or eclectic jewellery and heels.

I love this simple yet chic crochet trim dress from Boohoo.com.  The crochet detail is delicate, feminine and intricate; it makes what could be a fairly tame dress interesting.  The simplicity of the cut, style and colour means that it can be paired with literally anything, in any colour, and look stunning.  I'd probably add a belt and some coloured, heeled sandals and take it from there!

It comes in sizes 8 to 16 and is usually £22.  However, for a limited time, selected summer items are 20% off with the code SUMMER20, so it's just £17.60.  Bargain!

Wardrobe Staple: Toms Shoes

Toms Shoes is an ethical shoe company; when they sells a pair of shoes, a pair of shoes is given to an impoverished child, and when Toms sells a pair of eyewear, part of the profit is used to save or restore the eyesight for people in developing countries.  For this reason alone, I'm happy to say that a pair or two of Toms shoes should be a wardrobe staple.  The fact that they are simple, classic and comfortable is a bonus extra!

Having said that, the style of the shoe does seem to divide opinion somewhat.  I've heard them called 'dull', 'ugly' and 'boring'.  However, I don't think this is the case - and anyway, they've expanded their collection significantly and there are loads of lovely versions available.

There are two on which I'm going to focus, which I particularly like.  The first is in the classic style, but a crochet material which should cost no more than £45.  Amazon's a good place to find a selection of different colours for reasonable prices.  I like the cream, but they're also available in navy on sale for just £30 at Box Clothing (but only in a size 3).

The second is a fairly new, ballerina flat pump.  They tend to retail at around the £65 mark but this is far too much!  Get them on sale at Soletrader for just £39.

Toms are also available for the standard prices (i.e. not inflated) at Office, Schuh (some are on sale) and Footasylum (again, some are on sale).  And, of course, there is the official Toms UK website!

Splendid Skirt: Maurizia Lace Pencil Skirt from Coast

There's always room for a fab and flattering pencil skirt, especially when it comes in a vibrant, summery colour and gorgeous pattern!  I adore this orange Maurizia lace skirt, available in sizes 8 to 18 in the Coast sale.  The cut is perfect and the slimming band that cinches in the waist will make for a faultless fit.

Team with a neutral, cream top and heels for an elegant, feminine and classic look or be more brave and pair with the matching top.  The skirt has been reduced from £95 to £65.

Summer Staple: White Broderie Anglaise Dresses

Following on from my blog post last night about Ugg wedges, I wanted to find the dress that I felt would go perfectly with them.  My criteria was straightforward: classic, white, 100% cotton, broderie anglaise and on sale at a great price.  It also needed to be in stock and available in a range of sizes.

I have found two versions what I was looking for, in two different price ranges, both of which will go perfectly with the Lucianna Ugg wedges!  Both have a gorgeous, broderie anglaise pattern which is elegant, feminine with a hint of vintage.  Both are simple enough to wear during the day, every day - but could easily be dressed up for the evening with some colourful accessories and shoes.  And they're both totally gorgeous, classic and should last season after season.

The first is this white cotton skater style dress in the Dorothy Perkins sale.  The capped sleeves and fitted waist will flatter, as will the flowing, flared skirt.  It's quite a young style, so not only would it work well with the wedges, but it could be dressed up with some neon accessories - I'm thinking a bright pink necklace, bangles and/or nail colour!  Originally £24, it's been reduced to £15 which is an absolute bargain for a dress that should stay on trend for years to come!  It's still available in sizes 6 and 12 to 22.

The second is this Jaeger broderie anglaise dress which is available on sale at House of Fraser.  The keyhole neckline with ruffles is very pretty and quirky and the tie waist will be amazingly flattering.  The length on this one is slightly longer than the Dorothy Perkins dress, if one wishes to be more modest.  This dress is available in sizes 10 to 14, and has been reduced from £180 to £85.  Although this is slightly more pricey, it's an investment piece which will last and stay chic year after year.

What's your favourite summer outfit? Do you like a cool, cotton dress like this - or do you prefer cropped trousers or shorts? Let me know in the comments below!

Delightful Dress: Pippa Dee White Lace Dress from Amazon

I think one of the prettiest and easiest Summer outfits is a simple, white lace dress.  There are so many ways to wear it: with bright accessories and heels, with strappy sandals or with a denim or leather jacket or cardigan when it's cooler.  So versatile, it can be worn casually or dressed up for a special occasion.

This Pippa Dee white lace dress, available from Amazon, is just perfect.  A classic shift dress shape that should never go out of style, the lace fabric is delicate and feminine and the contrasting belt flatters the waist area.  The length is fairly modest too, finishing just above the knee.  It's available in sizes 8 to 18 and is just £15 instead of the recommended £28.

The Look for Less: Great Gatsby Fashion Part 2 - Jewellery & Accessories

For Part 2 of this themed blog post, I have focused on accessories to enhance and beautify The Great Gatsby look - jewellery, bags and headwear.

A strand of pearls is probably the most archetypal piece of jewellery from that era and, to stock up with good value versions, Claire's Accessories is a great bet.  There are some basic plastic or glass strands available that work well, but I prefer this slightly more expensive stone pearl tier statement necklace for £12.

If one's budget stretches, Boticca stocks limited edition, unique pieces and this black pearl with casted lace leaf necklace is simply divine.  It's £153.50 but again, it's an investment piece.

These vintage inspired, silver plated drop earrings from Folli Follie nod towards the Art Deco movement.  I love the intertwined motif and delicate tassels - simple, yet elegant as this look should be!  They are £80, but with the code STYLE20 there's 20% off until 26th May making them £64.

An elegant clutch is the bag to have for this look, and Jones Bootmaker have a great selection at the moment on sale.  This Carrie clutch bag is perfect, with the metallic sparkly glitter effect.  It comes in gold or silver and is reduced from £35 to £29.

Alternatively, this Kzeniya dream engraved perspex leather handbag would make an amazing investment piece.  It's £320 at my-wardrobe.com but there is still the chance to get to get £50 off spends greater than £180 until the 26th May.  

With headwear, there are two main options - a fabulous hat or hair accessories.  A felt cloche hat is a key staple and looks amazing.  This Dickins and Jones burgundy hat from House of Fraser is just £13.50, reduced from £45.  I love the speckled feather and bow embellishment too, which takes it from simple to sublime!

Scarves and turbans also can be worn on the head to recreate 1920's style - to me, this look totally epitomises Hollywood glamour, not only from this era but beyond!  Turbans aren't exactly a current wardrobe staple, so one's best bet is to look in vintage stores, Ebay or Etsy - or make your own!  I like this purple one which is on Ebay, which has been accessorised with a diamante circular clip.

There are so many gorgeous, 1920's and Art Deco inspired hair accessories with which to experiment.  The ultimate look from the era is the classic bob, swept to one side with a gorgeous clip such as this Petal Navette barrette from Accessorize.  It's not on sale, but it's a bargain at just £8 and fabulous, with a decent nod to the Art Deco movement.

Alternatively, what about this crystal and pearl flower comb which is again from Claire's Accessories, where there is three for two on many items.  Very pretty and vintage-inspired!

As the movie has just been released, there is a ton of fashion inspiration out there, but I hope these posts have given a good start to devising an on-trend Gatsby-inspired wardrobe for 2013!

The Look for Less: Great Gatsby Fashion Part 1 - Clothing & Shoes

Following my editorial content review of those fantastic Clarks shoes, I have decided that I am going to branch out with the blog even more and not only put together outfits through Polyvore, but do themed posts!  The basis will be canny and savvy styles, whether it be sale items, discounted items or great value investment pieces that will last year after year.  Baz Luhrmann's movie The Great Gatsby was released this week and it seems to have initiated a ton of fashion trends!  So, in homage to the film, here's my first themed attempt - Great Gatsby Glamour!  I have divided it into two halves - clothing, shoes & headwear and jewellery & accessories!

Of course, the pinnacle of pure Gatsby chic is the Jigsaw flapper dress I blogged about a few weeks ago.  This is the ultimate 1920's investment piece and will prove its worth for years to come.  However, the price tag may be too much for some and therefore, why not take advantage of the Bank Holiday offer from Yumi, who have 30% off all dresses over the Bank Holiday weekend?  This pink drop-waist tiered pleated dress from Uttam Boutique harks back to the era perfectly, and is reduced from £50 to £35 in sizes 8 to 16.  It also comes in navy blue.

Now, a drop-waist isn't for everyone as, although it elongates the body and this style is really pretty and feminine, it doesn't really do much for those who need a dress to cinch in the waist and/or minimise hips.  Although the boyish look is very 1920's there are Gatsby alternatives for those with more of an hourglass or pear-shaped figure, such as this Claudel nude lace top pleated dress by Pippa Dee from StylistPick.com.  New customers get 25% off their first orders automatically.

This lace beaded detail feather hem shift dress from Lipsy is simply amazing.  Feathers were fashionable at the time, so this dress couldn't be more perfect.  Again, it's more of an investment piece at £130, but there's free shipping on orders over £75 at Lipsy, so that's something.  

T-bar peep-toe sandals are just perfect for recreating the look from this ear.  Dune have a great selection of metallic ones that will work very well and these silver strappy heeled ones are on sale for £59.  

For something a bit more casual, Traffic People have a great selection of dresses, skirts and tops that would work really well for this look and until the end of May, customers can get 20% spends greater than £50 off with the code TRAFFICMAY.  This Under Silkwood - On the Edge yellow silk dress is sumptuous and divine and nods to the era without going over the top.  It comes in lots of other colours too and is £79.20 after the discount.

Alternatively, this floral patterned Butterfly Effect - Afternoon Tea dress works really well and is £47.20 after the discount.

Brogues work well for this look and these cream Rocha. John Rocha ones are lovely.  The colour would work really well with the palates that I have selected for this post and I especially like the feminine touch provided by the crochet lace detailing on the shoes; sometimes brogues are far too mannish, in my opinion!  They are on sale at Debenhams at the moment, reduced from £35 to £28.

And to finish - a cream cricket jumper, the 1920's equivalent of today's boyfriend jeans perhaps!  Go for a bigger size than normal for a slouchy look which works over both dresses and jeans.  Amazon have a good selection or you could support your local team!  I like this Charles Tyrwhitt cream cotton one, which is currently half price at £54.95.

I hope this Part 1 Gatsby Glamour post has started to give a little inspiration to recreate that fabulous 1920's look.  The next post will focus on jewellery and accessories to enhance it!