Blog archive '13- June . July . Aug . Sept . Oct . Nov . Dec.
Blog Archive 2014 Jan . Feb . Mar . Apr . May . June .

June 27th - The Shoes to Promenade in - Suede Moccasin Shoes from Celtic & Co

I love these suede moccasin shoes from Celtic & Co.  They are an Italian Design, light weight and 100% suede leather shoe with rubber soles and also come in 9 different colours giving you plenty of options to wear with all of your summer casual and smart casual wardrobe.

Hear what I have to say about these shoes

To see the other colour options and to buy these shoes Click HERE

My feet are in Heaven in these shoes.  They are super comfortable and light on my feet.  I am seen here wearing the shoes in bright blue (and in the video I also demonstrate the shoes by showing you the same shoes in the orangey terracota colour option).

These are very suitable for your summer smart casual wardrobe.  They have a non-slip rubber sole (with some tread markings to minimise slip).  I am seen here wearing these shoes with tights.  I have worn tights to protect the shoes as I do not own these shoes and am reviewing them for Celtic & Co.  I am also standing on my Decking to avoid marking the soles of the shoes so that I have an even and clean surface that is not abrasive.  The shoes went straight back into the box again after the Review to minimise any potential of "user wear".  I moved gently about the Decking and I am confident that the shoes have a firm enough grip for everyday wear, especially on this kind of surface.

I think these shoes will look great with shorts, especially the longer bermuda style shorts, and knee length denim skirts.  They will also look sensational worn with anything white AND with wide leg or palazzo style trousers.  Very French Riviera!

To view the other colour options and to buy the shoes click HERE

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June 20th - My Garden Party - The Black Lace Overlay Dress from Long Tall Sally - see June 5th as well

Well Folks it has been a year since I first started writing a plus size fashion blog for www.plussizeclothing.co.uk, and the new look plussize.co.uk, & from that beginning my plus size modelling.  To celebrate the occasion and to thank all my friends (who have all been a tremendous support throughout) I hosted a Garden Party at my home in Co Donegal, Ireland.

I wore this wonderful black lace overlay dress from Long Tall Sally.  You will have seen this dress before in the June 5th post below.  This time I have dressed up the look.  I am wearing a custom made hat made by Audrey Doherty (who is an Irish Milliner now based back home in Co Donegal, Ireland but who has previously worked and trained in London).  My hair and make-up was done by Laura Roulstone and Leona Rankin of Fusion Hairdesign, Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal.

As you can see this twist on The Little Black Dress has done the job.  I felt very well dressed and very comfortable throughout the entire day.  Since I first introduced this dress to you I have laundered it and I can tell you that the care of this dress is simple.  To launder this dress successfully first turn it inside out.  I put the dress into my washing machine on a delicate wash cycle (I used Woolite liquid wash) and then spun it.  I then draped the dress over my clothes airer.  When the dress was dry I did not have to iron it.  I turned it back the right way again  and hung it up in the wardrobe until I needed to wear it to the Garden Party.  So here is yet another plus to add to the list of positives about this - it is genuinely a no fuss and easy care dress.

We had an absolutely fabulous day and were extremely lucky with the weather.  I had a marquee in my Garden (which was put up the previous day) and after it was put up the heavens opened and it rained very heavily all night and into most of the early afternoon.  We were so very lucky that the rain stopped at around 2.30pm ish and we could all go outside and enjoy the sunshine.  The one thing I would say about Garden Parties in general is to wear either a flat or wedge shoe.  I posed about in my nude heels (as I didn't have a suitable pair of nude wedges) but had to keep changing my shoes to flats to cross the gravel areas and to stand around on the grass.  Heels in these conditions are not practical.

To buy this dress Click HERE (Week starting June 19th there is a 20% off promotion on the SS14 Collection at Long Tall Sally so this dress will now cost you £60 for a limited time)

My friend Vero who runs a cake business called Ivy House Cakes made this spectacular cake to celebrate.

I love cooking and entertaining.  The Event would not have been such a success without the help of my friends Susan and Patricia who also helped with the catering

I cannot thank all my friends enough.  I also owe a special thank you to 5 of these ladies who became my Focus Group for the future direction and redesign of www.plussize.co.uk.  Their input and business perspective all helped me in the redesign and layout of the website and in the business's future direction.  These ladies also run their own businesses and it was fantastic to get their perspectives on my business and what I was trying to achieve.  There is definitely a very special synergy that can be achieved by brainstorming and working with other women in business especially as they all bring very different and unique skills to the fore.  A special thank you therefore goes out to Siobhan Corr (Santoni Bakery), Paula Griffin (Perfect Pictures), Laura Radcliffe (Angelmazz Jewellery), Maura Doran (Yellow Jersey Communication) and Olive Devine (model at VPlus Models).

I also want to acknowledge the peer review and feedback I received from fellow plus size fashion bloggers Betty Pamper and Susie www.beautywithplus.com

Here are a few pictures taken on the day.

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June 12th- Aran Cable Style Boyfriend Cardigan - Celtic & Co

A Cardigan for 'The School Run' and suitable for all weathers

Aran Cable Style Boyfriend Cardigan from Celtic & Co.  Hear what I have to say about this cardigan

To buy this cardigan Click HERE

I love this Aran Cable Style Cardigan from Celtic & Co and find it very versatile for casual dressing and for all seasons and weathers.  The cardigan is made in Ireland and is 100% Merino wool.  It is a long but light weight cardigan so is not cumbersome and heavy to wear.  Due to the cardigan being made from a natural product (100% wool) it is also a 'breathable' material so you will not feel hot and sticky wearing it (no matter what the weather is like).

I am very much a casual dresser but I like to funk up my look with quirky accessories.  I am pictured here wearing this cardigan with a linen scarf (also from Celtic & Co).

You get what you pay for and with all products from Celtic & Co you have a choice of quality investment buys that you will still be wearing and looking good in years from now.  They are very much into classic and quality design.  There is nothing more classic in design than the Irish Aran Cardigan.

I love to knit and as a Knitter I can tell you that I could not buy the wool for this cardigan for £95 (not counting my time to knit the cardigan).  The Aran Cardigan never goes out of fashion so you will have a classic heirloom in your wardrobe with this piece.

I regard this Aran Cable Style Boyfriend Cardigan an investment buy and one that I guarantee you will be wearing years from now.  I like the versatility of casual uses with this cardigan.  It is your smart casual "pull on" to do the School Run, Walk the dog, head out to the shops, Walk on the Beach AND so much smarter than the very casual hoody!

In the winter months wear this cardigan over fine knits and with a heavier scarf.  In the Spring (and the cool summer days and evenings) wear this cardigan as I am doing in the photo with a cotton tee shirt and lighter weight scarf such as this Denim Mix St Ives Linen Scarf.  Could you buy a coat that would take you through the seasons as well as this one cardigan?

Celtic & Co recommend either hand washing OR Dry Cleaning this cardigan.  DO NOT PUT THIS CARDIGAN IN YOUR TUMBLE DRYER.  YOU WILL SHRINK IT AND TURN IT TO FELT.

I bought a cardigan very similar to this one from Celtic & Co about 2 years ago.  I can tell you that I am able to give it a delicate wash and spin (using Woolite liquid wash) without compromising it.  However (as you will see in the video) my daughter accidentally put it in the tumble dryer and shrunk it.  Luckily I discovered it in time and before it had shrunk too much in size.  I am still able to wear my cardigan as it still fits and is a nice length.  I however no longer have a boyfriend style cardigan but it still looks good and gets its regular outing on The School Run.  Buying another one will have to go on the 'to do list'.

To buy the cardigan Click HERE

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Little Black Dress or not???

June 5th - A beautiful black lace overlay elegant dress from Long Tall Sally

Have a look at this short video presentation to see me wearing and hear me talking about the dress

We all need a little black dress in our wardrobes.  This week I am very excited to show you this wonderful black lace overlay dress from Long Tall Sally which I think has multiple occasion wear and it is....is it not....a twist on the little black dress too.

The dress is certainly different.  A very Katesque style (with the lace detailing) and a cut and fit that suits all shapes and sizes of TALL and TALL plus size woman.  Long Tall Sally sell clothes to women 5'8" and taller so this particular dress (I am sorry to say) is for tall girls only.

The dress has a thick nude lining which is semi-attached to the lace in the body area of the dress only.  The lace overlay skirt is cut in panels adding an attractive flared style to the dress.  It is very elegant, graceful to move in and drapes over those curves beautifully.  The length of this dress from shoulder to hemline is 45".  I am 5'9" tall and the dress sits elegantly below my knee area.

You are on to a winner with this dress for a number of reasons -

1.  the lace draping of the dress makes this a very feminine and elegant dress suitable for a more formal look.

2.  for ladies who prefer to wear black (especially for its slimming properties) this dress does the job.  This dress offers you that something different yet is essentially a black dress.  I felt very slim in this dress too (I am wearing a size UK20).

3.  the cut of the dress is complementary for all problem areas to include upper arms and shoulders, neckline, and the classic 3/4 length sleeves which help define and minimise a problem middle area.

4.  It is a multiple occasion wear dress suitable to wear as a Guest at a Wedding, to a Garden Party, to a Race Meeting (with the appropriate hat attire to suit each of these occasions) AND it can also be your 'LBD Cocktail Dress' if you wear it with black tights and black heels.

As with all my Reviews and postings which feature me wearing a garment, my focus is always the garment and not me.  I always attempt to present the item of clothing so that you see the true colour (in daylight) and get a feel for the quality of the finish of the garment, how it falls/drapes, and what it is like to move in the garment.  In other words I try and present garments to you as an ordinary everyday person styling my look without the help of a Hairdresser or Make-Up Artist.  I am seen in all these photos not wearing any make-up so that you can also assess the true colour of the dress against my skin tone.  I have fair skin yet I also tan very easily.  In this photo I have not yet had any tanning from the recent spell of good weather.   This is me (just as I am) in the dress without going to any great fuss.  If you like what you see here I am sure you can imagine what the dress will look like on you especially when you work your own magic with hair and make-up.

For your formal day wear look I recommend wearing this with nude shoes and tights, especially if you are going to wear this to a wedding.  Black is not traditionally a colour that we associate with wearing to a happy occasion (such as a wedding) but with this dress the black lace plays more of a suggestion role and develops the elegance of the cut of this dress (whilst veiling the problem areas and giving the desired slimming effect).

To turn the dress into an evening or cocktail dress all that is required is to change the shoes and tights to black.  You will know what to do with your preferred evening make-up and hairstyling.

Side profile of the black lace overlay dress from Long Tall Sally

To buy this dress click HERE

I am hosting a Garden Party on Saturday to celebrate the 1st anniversary of my 'new look' website www.plussize.co.uk and Blog.  I am going to wear this dress and a friend of mine, Audrey Doherty (who is a Milliner), is making me something special to wear on my head.  I haven't seen it yet.  I have no idea what she is going to come up with.  She has seen a photo of the dress and she is going to work her magic too.  So you will see this dress again and this time I will be wearing make-up and will have had my hair styled.

I am going to do a blog post next Thursday 12th June 2014 about my 1st anniversary and show pictures of my friends at the Garden Party, AND, of course, this same black lace overlay dress from Long Tall Sally worn as very smart day wear.  Until next Thursday.  Diane xxx

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June 2014 blogs, click here - June 27 Suede Moccasin Shoes. June 20 Garden Party - Overlay Dress from Long Tall Sally. June 12 Aran Boyfriend Cardigan- Celtic & Co. June 5th Little Black Dress.

May 2014 blogs, click here - May 30th Ivory Bridal Dress (vintage 1950s style) from Monsoon. May 22nd - The Return of the Trouser Suit. May 14th Agricultural Show or County Fair - Practical Styling Advice. May 7th M&S boot cut jeans May 1st Plus Size Revolution - money counts.

April 2014 blogs, click here -Apr.27th The Plus Size Revolution - Curves take Centre Stage. Apr.20th Travel Clothes Apr.4th British Plus Size Fashion Week 2014 - Dynasty.

March 2014 blogs, click here - Mar 20th British Plus Size Fashion Week 2014 - Curvety. Mar 14th British Plus Size Fashion Week 2014 - Jane Watson.

Feb 2014 blogs, click here - Feb 27th British Plus Size Fashion Week 2014 - Dea. Feb 14th Diane Marshall Plus Size Model London Fashion Week. Feb 7th All weather fitness clothing

Jan. 2014 blogs, click here - Jan 30th London Fashion Week, plus size modelling opportunity. Jan 23rd Plus Size Acceptance vs Weight Loss. Jan 16th Plus Size Weight Loss - an expert approach. Jan 9th Plus Size, what size of fit are we describing?

All 2013 blogs, click here

June 15th 2013 - Welcome to my blog !