Plump Feathers

Stepping Back

2012-01-14T22:00:00.000Z

I'm taking an unforced break from blogging. The truth is, I'm very tired.

Tired of diet talk. Tired of the lionisation of all that is thin. Tired of trying to educate, tired of trying to engage, tired of trying, trying, trying.

And failing.

So, if you choose to follow me away from fashion my tumblr is Fat Girl Eating. I will be fat and eating on camera, maybe on film, and not being ashamed. It's a little act of revolution!

I may return to being a plump and feathersome fashion blogger some day, but probably not soon.

Thank you all for letting me ramble on for all this time.

Loulou xx

Stylin'

2011-11-02T16:36:00.000Z

Good afternoon, lovely people of blogland. It's almost winter properly - the nights are fairly drawing in, but apart from the light quality trying to ruin my photos, I don't care, because I have a day off.

Days off mean stylin'.

Please don't search too close in my photos - my hands (and feet) in particular are dry and in need of love, since nine hour days and regular dousings in blood and fish guts seem to have a bad effect. Who'da thunk it.

I put in a mammoth order with ASOS on Monday night. It arrived today. A few pieces are keepers, a couple are stinkers. I discovered that I can't wear elasticated alice bands (they just ping off the top of my head) and that I really, really love jewellery a bit out of the ordinary.

Mainly, though, I discovered that I still love fashion.

Natural face, Avon ColorTrend Eye Duo in Spellbound (pencil only),
Lancome Star Gloss in Light Kirsch. Very glad I'm booked in for a hair cut tomorrow -
I'm in dire need of a trim.

Crappy photo is crappy. Sorry bout that. Blame the Scottish weather.

Burgundy knit skirt, Asos Curve. Stripe top, Tu. Brooch, gifted.

Better pic of colour of skirt. It's very nice, swooshy and drapey and just the right length. The elasticated waist means it doesn't bag down onto the hip either. The cuff here was given to me by my mother in law. It's very pretty and it covers the inevitable scars from my job.

Have some feet, I insist. Slingbacks, Ethel Austin (I think).

Because I've been so focused on work this last year, I've lost a lot of confidence in myself and styling an outfit, even a simple styling like today's, helps me with that.

More ASOS gear tomorrow (probably) after getting my barnet chopped.

All Hallow's Eve

2011-10-31T18:03:00.000Z

First post in a long time, and it's a Hallowe'en post. I do love Hallowe'en just a little bit. Any excuse to get dressed up is a good one, in my opinion.

I've not been posting as my job entails wearing a uniform, and protective equipment, and wearing what basically amounts to a huge white shirt and a PVC apron, day in day out, is not quite what one wants for inspired fashion blogging, n'est pas?

Hallowe'en has given me an excuse to dress for work. Thank you, over-commercialized Pagan wonder-holiday. Our store ran a 'Spooktacular' over 4 days. I dressed for 2 of these (money raised went to a local charity.)

Saturday I went the face paint route:

Carnival Face Paints, freehand with chisel tip brush. Filter courtesy of PhotoBooth.

Lots of people got a real fright upon seeing me like this!

Today's look was a little tamer:

Demon doll look. Waspie, Gok Wan at Simply Yours; skirt, Dorothy Perkins; blouse, hand-me-down; trimmings, local craft shop. Tights, Sainsburys. Not visible in photo: doll joints drawn on tights in Sharpie marker; single frilly sock; silver flats from Debenhams.

Earrings made by me. Face painted at six in the morning in a combo of Carnival white face paint and L'Oreal True Match in Ivory. Pink and red eyeshadow, Aromaleigh. Eyeliner, W7 Paint The Line gel pot. Blush, Aromaleigh. Lips, combo Revlon Just Bitten lip stain Berry Juicy, Collection 2000 purple eyeliner, Wet N Wild Diamond Brilliance gloss.

Colours are far less vivid than in real life, thanks to wash out from rubbish cam (sorry Apple.)

Work today was great fun, with zombies, giant cats, pirates and a Sith Lord all wandering about the shop floor. Hope you all have a fab Hallowe'en too - I'm off to scare the locals!

For Never in Blue Jeans

2011-04-01T12:01:00.000+01:00

Why is it so hard to obtain a pair of jeans these days?

Out of the last twenty pairs I have tried, none - none - of them have fit.

I pick a pair of jeans. The size chart assures me that they should fit. I order them, hopefully. They arrive and are ripped out of the packet. Held up against me, they look great. I go to try them on, and... inevitably.... they're too small at the thigh. Even the ones I order one, two sizes too big. All too small in the thigh.

I generally fling them down in disgust and then pick them up to have a closer look. Every single one has a thigh almost as narrow as the calf and then flaring out to the hip about four inches from the waistband. Now. I'm not built like that. I have thigh muscles which can crush the life out of a man. I have calves with a visible 'step' in them when I flex (oh, and don't start me on trying to find knee length boots...)

I am not built like a ten year old girl, in actual fact. I want a pair of jeans that fit without me having to walk about stiff-legged like a cartoon crane, or without having to stop every five seconds to pull the waistband up because it has, once again, fallen down further than it should.

I would also like world peace and doves and stuff, but jeans that fit would suffice, in a pinch. I'll not hold my breath, though.

Just Give Me A Tent, And Have Done With It

2011-03-22T15:16:00.000Z

Incoming rantiness.

Once again, I feel belittled, mocked and humiliated by a close member of my family. Staying in her house, I feel constrained, unhappy, unworthy; the same feelings I had in my teenage years with their attendant lack of self-respect, compliments, confidence and individuality.

The clothes I like to wear are not good enough. The clothes I like are 'okay if you're slim I suppose' or 'don't really suit your body' - subtext: I don't like them on you and you're a big fat Fatty McFatterson, how dare you want to wear clothing which might possibly expose - GASP - your arms! Your bottom! How dare you presume to expose your girthy rear to the world! It will BLOCK OUT THE SUN AND MANKIND AS WE KNOW IT WILL PERISH!!!

Which is why I'm wearing plain black work trouser and a frumpy tunic top, not the bangin' lace patterned leggings and short dress I was earlier.

While I go away and cry angrily and try to frantically build up lost self esteem, I encourage you all to join in with the 'I Love My Bum' campaign.

You are all beautiful and you all deserve love.

xx

Inbetweener

2011-03-19T19:24:00.000Z

It might not be obvious - what with the lack of photos and everything (still not back in my own home - aiming for the end of the month) - but I have noticed a change in my body since working a in new, much more physical job. Little things start to annoy, like the fact that I can't get a pair of jeans to fit, or that most companies cut clothes way too small at the chest. That I fit into a 14 some places and can't get my backside into an 18 in others and am generally having a really, really hard time getting clothes I like which also fit well.

It's also given me a bit of angst about my body shape. When you're at a certain level - a certain shape, and everyone's is likely different - it's very, very easy to start thinking 'just a little bit more to come off and then...', and before you know it it's full on dieting, restricting, oh-I-can't-possibly-have-more-today-than-a-mug-of-black-coffee behaviour. Because I am aware of the changes in myself, I have experienced this more. And am more likely to fight it, and the "encouraging" comments about 'being less fat', although they still rattle around my subconscious doing who-knows-what damage.

We internalize the messages that we are not good enough. Whether this is propagated by the hysterical mass media, by health officials, by loved ones 'just worried' about us, or by the silent messages sent by a single piece of ill-fitting clothing or some idiot designer arbitrarily assigning hir "XL" sizing to a standard size 14. We read and assimilate these messages as us being not good enough.

And it's not true. I am good enough. Just because I have hips, and can't wear skinny jeans without them falling off me because there's no damn waist in the shape of these things, people! - does not mean that I am bad, wrong, evil. I'm just me. And I'm trying not to drown in the inbetween-ness of being not-quite-fat and definitely-not-skinny.

Thursday Super Quick Hit

2011-03-03T20:38:00.000Z

Why do we blog?

It's a reaction against conformity. Every blogger out there doing his or her thing is a tiny blow against 'big fashion' - the ones who say that you must be thin, tall, young... never smile, never speak out... stand and be pretty... I will not be forced out because I do not conform to the perfect, unattainable ideal. Airbrushed and 'Shopped, not I! I may not conform, but I still count. It took me a long time to realize it, but I will not be silenced. Even if no-one is listening.

Listening to: Requiem Dies Irae by Verdi, O Fortuna by Carl Orff, Night on Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky. (Bolshy, sort-of scary classical stuff, basically.)
Eating: Lightly seared rare fillet with peppered polenta, delish!
Hoping: To unwind a little bit - audit at work was a bit frightening.

Have a good night all. x

A Hill Of Beans

2011-02-26T20:54:00.000Z

So. Photo post. Scary, coming back online into the world of blogging.

This was my going out outfit for tonight, but it appears my colleagues have stood me up, so I've nowhere to go...

Poor picture quality due to low light conditions and iSight camera, sorry. Petulant face all mine because I have been denied a chance to party. Dress, BooHoo.com. Microfibre tights, Lidl.

Hope everyone is having a better night than me!

Let's Not, And Say We Did

2011-02-15T16:15:00.001Z

Is there anybody out there...?

Hello, fellow bloggers. My months-long imposed silence is at an end. Although I am still not resident in my own home (renovations taking an age), I have finally persuaded my hosts to install broadband and so I am finally back online. I've missed you all... and still have six-hundred-odd posts in my Reader to catch up with!

Naturally, as soon as I got back online the first thing I did was order stuff from Asos and Boohoo.com... doy. So much for saving. However, it is needed, kind of.

Outfit post coming sooner rather than later, I hope.

Photo blogging

2010-09-01T18:08:00.000+01:00

Again, I'm lacking photo blogging motivation at the moment, mostly because my living room is ten shades of ripped apart (although not as bad as it could be) and there are huge brown boxes and piles of clothes lying all over the house. This is, in most part, due to the fact that one of our new wardrobes was cracked and we are waiting for a new delivery and uplift of the defective item. The other part is that we dismantled our current wardrobes before unpacking both the new ones...

I simply can't make a photo look halfway to decent at the moment, and that upsets me. I'm sure it will all look simply spiffing when it is done, but in the meantime I am living in a guddle and you will excuse me if I don't want to show that off to the entire web-wide world.

I did actually take photos this week, but managed to cut my head off. Le sigh...

Top and belt, Peacock's.

Grey trousers, ellos at La Redoute.

Leopard T-bar shoes (not shown), Ethel Austin.

Could I look more fed up if I tried?

This is an outfit from earlier this week. Today's is a gorgeous if verrrry short spotty dress from New Look - cutting patterns are obviously modelled on munchkins - with a black skirt underneath and purple tights. So not work appropriate! I'm amazed that I wasn't pulled up on it (about the only thing I wasn't tarred for today, mind you.)

There's a definite nip in the air now - which autumn trends do you love? I'm looking forward to pulling out my scarves and gloves...

For The Chop

2010-08-25T19:14:00.001+01:00

Friends... I offer you this sage advice.

NEVER say to your hairdresser, "Yeah, I'm a bit bored with my hair, I want it to be a bit more, y'know, funky. Edgy."

Because the result is THIS:

I'm pretty sure my expression says it all, right?

I hesitate to say 'Worst. Haircut. Ever' because I know for a fact there are three people past and present with worse haircuts than this; unfortunately, one of them was also me after a similarly ill-advised carte-blanche-giving episode as a naive teenager. Seriously, I know directional pageboys are all the rage now, but don't give a girl with big glasses permanently glued to her conk one! I look... so silly. Sob.

Also, it looks like my skin is bad here but actually it's just bits of loose hair and random sticky-out ends. Usually I ask my hairdresser to leave my hair textured, and invariably leave with it ironed and plastered down with product. Today I asked for it smooth... and got textured.

I walked home feeling that everyone was laughing at me, so please excuse me as now I have to go and die... ahem, sorry, dye. Perhaps some colour will make this monstrosity acceptable...

THE EDIT: DRAMA OVER!!!

Also Subtitled: The Fattest Flapper

WEll, a dye job does appear to have done me some good, because I no longer feel like committing seppuku. I dug out my old contact lenses too. I might need to invest in some for actually wearing (the scrip on these is wrong) although they might not ever replace my glasses for everyday wear.

Onto the photos!

Hurrah, I can dress up as Disney Snow White for Hallowe'en.

I feel happier than I evidently look. It has got a sort of twenties-ish thing going on, not that I would have been in any way an acceptable specimen of femininity back then.

So there you have it. Hair disaster averted by way of a £4.50 box of hair dye, an inexpert blow-dry, and a ton of kohl eyeliner.

Weekend Dip

2010-08-20T19:41:00.000+01:00

An ill-timed, ill-phrased comment, combined with my very-diet-obsessed workplace, has left me in a place where self-loathing seems the only choice left and I actively wish to restrict myself to a very low calorie (read: starvation) diet. In such times, there is nothing left to do but hang on and hope that it passes quickly.

Can I just say, quickly, while I am in this mood, that I hate not being able to fit clothes. I hate that knee boots never fit around the calf, that shirts invariably strain and pop buttons, that trousers pinch on the thigh. Inevitably, it makes me feel that there is something wrong with me.

Apologies to all; I do not often get like this now, although it was a regular occurrence as little as a year ago. I hope one day to be able to put all this behind me and just be proud of myself as I am.

A Day In Is Not A Day Wasted

2010-08-13T10:57:00.000+01:00

I finally have a day off work! In fact, I'm off 'til Wednesday. Oh, luxury indeed!

Sadly I have nothing pleasant planned. At least one of my lovely readers knows the disaster that befell my problem-ridden home some two and a bit weeks ago - namely that the seal to the cold-water inlet of my attic tank burst, flooding the chimney breast wall of my living room. Cue much wailing and gnashing of teeth. The cause? A perished rubber washer, all of 5p to replace (thank you to my fabbie plumber).

Naturally, the insurance are involved and they are coming on Tuesday to assess the damage. Yes, a full 3 weeks. Meanwhile, the paper has fallen off the wall, the mould growth is getting blacker by the day (and yes, I fear for my health) and the damage has crept perceptibly round two corners and is onto the door wall. We have already called in two professionals (one a damp specialist, the other a painter-decorator) and they estimate the damage into the thousands of pounds... without being able to look behind the brick-built fireplace.

While we wait, the house smells more and more damp, and we are both getting headaches daily.... fashion has taken rather a back seat!

However, with that said... I introduced some rather quirky earrings into my wardrobe by simply hanging a couple of bead pendants on an existing pair of silver hoops. Numerous people at work commented favourably, which is strange because this kind of eccentricity used to get me more brickbats than bouquets.

Now, I am off to pick out some fabric for a new sewing venture. Wish me very good luck!

Still Alive

2010-07-24T12:09:00.000+01:00

After last week's busy weekend in Killin, this weekend will be spent trying to get the house into rights. Because there is so much to do (new carpets, fix boiler, fix outside steps, finally put up splashbacks, etc...) it can feel like a losing battle. In order to get myself motivated, I decided to pretty up. Nothing gets me moving like luscious eyeshadows.

Face: Aromaleigh Voile mineral foundation in 00,
Aromaleigh Pure Mineral Rouge in Cashmere.

Eyes: Aromaleigh Opulent Lustre eyeshadows in Fig and Tamarind, Fyrinnae loose powder eyeshadow in Monarch Butterfly (liner).

Lips, Aromaleigh Rocks! Sonic Lips in Loveonyourside, Urban Decay

Shot-O-Gloss in Pina Colada.

Wearing butterfly print ruffle top from New Look. Despite being a 14, this is extremely large and is currently slightly too big.

Close up shot of my hair, which was tinted magenta via the magic of tin foil highlights done on the bathroom floor one bored Sunday. Sorry for the evil stare, I swear it's not intentional.

Does this mark a return to more regular blogging? Mmmm...maybe.

Regrets and Remembrance

2010-07-09T17:34:00.000+01:00

Okay, let's kick off with my regrets for today.

I regret that I did nothing with my hair today other than pull it up into the sloppiest ponytail imaginable, now referred to in my head as a 'pony-FAIL.'
I regret that I had so little breakfast, considering that it's now twenty past five and I still haven't eaten lunch.
I regret that I chose to wear a prairie skirt on a windy day.
I regret picking narrow shoes on the one day I walk to the bus, spend most of the working day on my feet (hence, swollen and rather tender), and then walk home from the bus via the supermarket. Ouch.

I do not regret wearing a dust mask in the archive store (thereby sparing my lungs from further torture), spending £3 on punnets of picota cherries, or joining the gym (Martin was an exceptionally nice and knowledgeable chap who somehow motivated me to exercise at 7.15am. He may be a miracle worker.)

Today's ups and downs are commemorated with the sad passing of a valued and dear colleague... my old friend, Ginger Le Brush. Ginger was with us for all too short a time, through thick and thin, until finally the stress of coping with spider's legs and half an inch of dust made him snap and lose his head. Literally.

Of course, I refer to the plight of the old sweeping brush at the archive store, whose accident yesterday saw him ineptly mended with parcel tape and then christened (my colleague kept telling me to 'gingerly brush' the floor with it, and things took off from there.)

Ginger, you were a good lad and you will be happy to know that your shiny new replacement Dandy is doing sterling work in your stead. Sure, his head doesn't droop and fall off at every given opportunity, and he's an attractive silver colour rather than various shades of rust and wood-rot, but it's just not the same.

We gave old Gingy a warrior's funeral and I'm sure that the dust in Valhalla will have nowhere to hide now he's up there giving it what-for. Awwww.

The Lie-in, The Bitch, and the Wardrobe

2010-07-07T07:50:00.000+01:00

Oh, happy days. First up, I wake up with a stinker of a headache - a hang-over from yesterday's stress - and then remember that I am working off-site today in the Archive Store, which is an old mill and apparently not particularly nice. I've been warned to wear nothing that I care about, which brings me to the subject...

I knew that I'd have problems finding clothes that I don't care about, having just cleaned my collection out literally days before being told of the odious assignment. Never heed, it is hubby's day off and he lies hither in yonder bed. I poke my head round the door to humbly ask if I can borrow an old t-shirt from him, and am told, very grumpily, to just take 'whatever'. Now... I know perfectly well that if I borrowed certain items from him, there would be hell to pay - I just don't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of what those items are. Just taking 'whatever' is not an option.

Eventually I scared up a long top which I had thought thrown out, which I am wearing with a vest underneath. It covers my backside, and since the old jeans I have on are a good two sizes too big and prone to falling down, this is a good thing. I'm a little annoyed (hem hem) at hubby for his unhelpfulness, since he has a huge wardrobe in addition to his twenty-odd items of work clothing, while (cue violins!) I have a scarce fourteen items in my wardrobe suitable for summer. This is entirely my own fault, since I grudge paying money for clothing with such a short season. This may, considering the weather, have been a mistake.

Off to gather medication for today, along with a bottle for water. I dread to think the state I may be in by 5pm. Onwards...

Step Away From The Cake, Madam

2010-07-05T18:46:00.000+01:00

Picture this...

It is a nondescript office building, of the type that was thrown up, almost literally, with gay abandon during the heyday of concrete architecture. It has been designed with little concession to aesthetics and none to the comfort of the human workers, who sweat and swelter inside its storage-heater-like interior. It is the top floor. One of the workers is celebrating.... with birthday cakes. Not one, but two - carrot cake, and white chocolate strawberry cake. All the workers take a piece of their favourite, until it comes to one...

*Loudhailer* MADAM, STEP AWAY FROM THE CAKE. YOU ARE TOO FAT FOR CAKE... *aside* Call for backup... she's got a fork. JUST STAY CALM AND PUT THE CALORIES DOWN.

Of course, I exaggerate. Nothing like that happens at my work. I had a sliver of carrot cake and some water, it was ample (until the afternoon when I had a bit of the other stuff too) and no-one batted an eyelid. All is good in the world.

Unless, of course, you inhabit reality-tv-land.

Can someone please tell me, is Sky TV's Fat Families really as egregiously offensive and insensitive as the trailers portray? I haven't watched the show, because I happen to value my sanity too much, but even the advertisements can send me off on a barely-coherent rant the likes of which are becoming all too familiar to my dear and long-suffering hubby. Is is really considered appropriate to berate people for going out for a meal and eating what they like? Has fat become such a mal du jour that some smug little snake on a satellite channel can describe showing a fat person the dessert trolley as 'a trap' for them? Would we ever, ever consider showing a thin person the dessert trolley as a 'trap'?

Nay, nay, thrice nay. If this is the world we live in, I wish to make a strongly worded complaint to the management. People are free. That is, they are free to eat two! whole! cakes! if they really, really want, even if they are pudgy, plain ole fat, clinically obese (ugh), or OMGDEATHFATZ. It is really NONE OF YOUR GODDAMN BUSINESS. Hectoring people into hating themselves is not the answer. Pushing pseudo-solutions which could damage your health severely (coughlighterlifecough) under the guise of health, is not helping. What might help is a serious dose of compassion and enlightenment. We are free. Free to eat without scolding. Free to exercise, hopefully without any bimbo shouting something derogatory on the streets. Free to dress and act as we see fit.

There is nothing wrong with me, as a fat woman, eating something. Whether because I am hungry and need food, or because someone has brought something super-tasty in to share. I will eat, because I have to, even if you don't believe that fat people should be 'allowed' to eat anything other than a tiny plate of plain undressed salad until they can OMG CONTAIN THEIR DIRTY FILTHY ANIMALISTIC APPETITES. Because eating disorders aren't bad if you're not already thin. (/sarcasm)

I forget the point of this post already.

In other news, I joined the gym because I'm not able to walk as much as I was before and getting out of puff belting up and down the stairs (seriously, I run) is not making me happy. I've got my induction with the lovely Martin on Thursday, and if he indicates that he wants to weigh me, or to put a diet plan in place, he is going to get politely told to naff off. (Not saying he will, but it is best to be prepared.) My weight=/=my fitness.

Very little happening on the fashion front. I cleared out my wardrobe and have fourteen items of 'everyday' clothing left. The rest was so trashed, it went straight into the clothing bank. Sigh... at least I have fabulous shoes to fall back upon.

Thoughts From Beyond The Blogging Grave

2010-06-17T08:18:00.001+01:00

Yes. Yes, yes. I'm still not blogging regularly, although goodness knows my new job gives me enough food for thought.

It's been a long time since I worked in a predominantly female environment, and I forgot how easy it is to get sucked into diet culture. Six years ago, I was an extreme dieter through-and-through, so would probably have been on the not-so-merry go round of grapefruit diets and cleansing diets and WeightWatchers and jogging at lunchtime, the same as my colleagues. Now I tend to sit back and watch with a mixture of worry and pity. All these women hate their bodies. With vengeance. With passion. Even the ones who have lost weight see their bodies as the enemy, as something to be controlled and manipulated and fought. That's sad; why can't we enjoy our bodies more? Why don't we give thanks for just being able to do what we can do, which frankly, is usually pretty amazing.

I don't want to be a dieter, but nor do I want to be the sanctimonious git in the corner who preaches about acceptance and health-not-weight-loss. For one, it's not me. Let them get on with it. For seconds, it really, truly doesn't seem to do much good, especially against the grapefruit-eating leader, who is utterly obsessed with losing weight (and is frequently suffering cravings and in poor health because of it, but that's by the by...) I want to be able to sit and eat and not have comment passed, on the calorific value or the 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' nature of my food. In return, I'll only mention your food if I think it looks particularly tasty. That's all.

Even my dear friend I work with is dieting, medically advised. This girl has PCOS, which has weight gain as one of its symptoms, but beyond that, she is intended by nature to carry weight and to carry it well. She loses weight and looks thin, drawn, and lifeless. She loses her natural sparkle and energy and then suffers extreme exhaustion. However, she has still been advised to lose a substantial amount of weight by her GP. She does WW, and I frequently hear her instigating the dichotomy of 'good' and 'bad' foods. Of course, almost everything she likes is on the 'bad' foods list. I'm fearful for her, because I know from my own behaviours that assigning iffy moral values to food in this way can lead to a slippery slope of disordered eating. However, it does mean that she fits right in with the prevailing crowd at work.

I just worry, for others and for myself. I don't want to slip back into those destructive mindsets. I hope no-one asks me if I've met my 'calorie target' for the day, else I may scream...

June Already?!

2010-06-06T16:19:00.000+01:00

Where does the time go. I apologize for being a bad blogger, but everything has gone wrong lately, from the water pressure pump under the kitchen sink packing in, to our recent tribulations with the front door (to cap it all, the outside handle fell off this morning, locking us both in... cue panic. Fortunately, a pair of pliers sufficed to release us.)

My work wardrobe is a bit uninspired at the moment, thanks to the building being intolerably hot every day - there's little chance for style when all you are concerned with is not overheating and dehydrating! I'm also on the top floor with no lifts, so flatties are a must - I hate the sensation of teetering down stairs in high heels. Other than that, my summer wardrobe can also be considered lacking - must go shopping soon!

I will be back with a decent update once life has settled slightly; don't want to overwhelm you all with every disaster happening in my life. Be well!

Monday, Monday

2010-05-17T20:16:00.000+01:00

Well, it's the start of a new week. Sadly, my body image issues are no better, but I won't harp on that. Just a quick few words to say that I am once again enjoying temp work and that I am not forgetting about all you lovely people in blogland.

A quick few words on makeup - as many of you know, I'm quite addicted to it, and love bright colours. At the weekend, I experimented with some Aromaleigh Rocks! Sonic Eyes shadow in Personality Crisis, a bright reddish orange - I got a fabulous looking eye out of it, but am now left with orange stained eyelids - despite the layers of primer and Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy laid down beforehand. Fortunately I managed to tone this out with some purple today. The last time I had problems of this sort was using some clubber's body paint by Fudge in a bright red (it was eye safe, I checked - lots of reds aren't) which took days to wear off. Red can look very elegant, sadly the look I chose was more Kiss than geisha lady, and once it went patchy I looked more like a burns victim than the hellish succubus I had been merely hours before... lol.

Secondly, I've been using Lush's Colour Supplement for a while now and would not recommend it as an everyday full-face foundation. Straight, it touches up dark circles and blemishes quite nicely; and mixed with a light moisturizer does a serviceable job as a tint. However, when used straight as a foundation over many moisturizers (and my usual is Superdrug's Natural High Radiance Balm), the Lush product has a nasty habit of 'rolling', instead of going on smooth. It has also done this on cleansed, non-moisturized skin. By comparison, both my L'Oreal product and my Virgin Vie foundations go on extremely well. The only method of application I haven't tried is a brush and I'll be unlikely to try this as even good Taklon brushes irritate my skin with prolonged contact. Sorry Lush; not a fan of this one. Good try, though.

What's your worst makeup disaster? Share in comments!

Friday Check In

2010-05-07T20:33:00.000+01:00

Eating: Wasabi Peas; Cornichons. Having been oblivious to these gorgeous little buggers for many years, I'm now addicted. (I have the same strange addiction to sweet beetroot and pickled onions...)

Living: In pain after being suddenly struck by sacroiliitis.

Drinking: Umeshu (plum wine).

Reading: Ridiculous shojo manga, displaying my geek side proudly for the world to see.

It strikes me that people may start thinking I'm a little weird from the above list..!

The Not So Triumphant Return

2010-05-05T11:10:00.001+01:00

Hello, lovely followers. I hope that you are all well. This post marks my return to regular blogging, but does not contain any outfit photos. An explanation follows...

I've been trying hard to accept myself as I am, and that involves battling with my own personal demons - the twin compulsions to exercise myself into exhaustion, and to refuse to eat. After twelve years of indulging these compulsive behaviours, it's not easy. And it's being made harder when my confidence in myself, and my ability to choose the path which is best for me, is being undermined by a close family member.

So far, my clothing choices have come under heavy fire (skirts too short, figure hugging tops are too tight, I shouldn't be showing off my arms, why don't I wear longer tunics... basically, ever piece of spurious advice ever given to a fat person by fashion magazines), and I believe that this is because, fundamentally, she does not approve of the way I look. She does not approve of FAT. Now, the smallest I've ever been is a UK10, because of the way my body is structured (yes, I'm going to trot out the old cliche that I'm big-boned, but really I AM. Put me next to my petite, small boned best friend, and it's like comparing a carthorse to an thoroughbred.) I was starving and exercising five hours solid every day at that point, and was still told that I needed to 'lose weight' and 'slim down'. I am told that I used to be 'quite slim' and asked 'what happened'. The result is that, at the moment, I lack the confidence (and with other factors also contributing to this state of mind) to wear anything other than a huge and figure-concealing fleece zip-up. (I believe that she is developing a problem with eating on her own in any case, as her obsession with calories and eating less than anyone else has become marked of late, but I can't really help with that when any discussion will just become an attack on me.)

So, no pics. I'm feeling angry and downhearted and to compound the problem, I have confronted this family member about her attitude before and had the problem turned onto ME - that I am fooling myself, narcissistic, non-compliant. She's only CONCERNED for my health, only trying to HELP- oh, and she refuses to acknowledge various events in my life, choosing instead to believe that I am making them up. The above? Is one of those.

And shoving me back into behaviours where my health is genuinely at risk (I ran down my immune system to a dangerous degree) will be the result. I am nervous because when I refuse her company, it becomes a big issue and then other family members also get dragged in. So I'm left with no choice, really, but to put up with this.

So no pics until I can get rid of the negativity. Sorry folks. Otherwise (!) I am doing pretty well, just mentally... not so good. I'll continue to blog with various reviews etc through May.

Tuesday Check In

2010-04-20T20:25:00.000+01:00

Decided that April has been my hiatus month - hope to get back into blogging soon, as the temp work is drying up again.

Wearing: Black trousers, brown and cream 'tribal' print top, leopard t-bars.

Drinking: Caramel rooibos tea.

Reading: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

Listening: Fifa 10 soundtrack (thank you The Husband.)

Loving: Carinus Terroir Granite Chenin Blanc. Tastily intoxicating.

Wednesday Check In

2010-04-07T18:19:00.001+01:00

Wearing: Light wash skinny jeans and jumpers with flat pumps.

Drinking: Red Bull (or equivalent)

Reading: The Sound of Butterflies by Rachael King.

Listening: Post Electric Blues by Idlewild.

Loving: The caramel lattes from the local coffee shop. Mmmm.

No plans for photo blogging today as I look like something from a Hammer horror (a mud mask is making me look decidedly like I've been mummified). Hoping to get back into the way of things soon!

Giveaway Winner!!

2010-03-30T20:46:00.000+01:00

A whole week has passed (in a blur of temp telephone answering, random prank tannoy announcements, and cashmere crumbs) and I am happy to announce that the winner of my giveaway as decided by random.org is... Disco Goth of They Call Me the Disco Goth! Message me with your address and I'll get it off to you tout de suite.

It has been quiet in blogland as my work outfits are unfortunately nothing to write about - dark trousers and low boots, all very boring but necessarily so. Maybe I will try something different tomorrow though.
I apologize for the recent radio silence in Plumpland, and promise to do better. ;)

XXX! 30 Followers Thank-You GIVEAWAY!

2010-03-23T21:02:00.000Z

As a heartfelt thank you to all my lovely followers for their comments and support, I'm giving away the rather random assortment of goodies shown below!

Clockwise from left: Tess Daly Bath Soak and Daly Tone Zone; 100g Thornton's Continental selection chocolates; Pussy Cat token keyring; Superdrug Natural High Radiance Balm; Vanilla Fancy Lip Gloss; Jemma Kidd 'Midnight Jewels Make-Up pallette (new in box, not the one I've been using!); Amber and Gold Murano glass heart necklace on black velvet thong.

Jemma Kidd palette contains creme highlighter, 2x pressed shadow, shimmer dust, lipgloss, applicator and mirror. Perfect size for your handbag!

Better shot of the necklace.

Now for the rules!

1) You must be following my blog to enter.
2) For one entry, leave a comment on this post; to get another entry, reblog this competition and post a link in the comments below.
3) The giveaway is open for one week and will close on 30th March 2010.
5) The winner will be drawn using random.org, and the winner posted on my blog.

Good luck! xx

Footloose!

2010-03-17T16:11:00.001Z

My intention today was to do a bag post, but my thoughts ran thusly: Well, the bags are in the top of the wardrobe and there's two boxes of them. It'll be quicker to do a shoe post...

How wrong could I have been?

I gaily pulled out a storage box... and another... and another few... and some shoeboxes.... what had been, in my fevered and obviously insane imagination, a very modest collection of shoes, suddenly in the cold harsh light of reality became rather a lot more shoes than I had thought. So I apologize for the pic-chubbiness of the post, and introduce you to my shoe collection - by no means finished.

(Photographs have been computer-enhanced to compensate for poor lighting conditions.)

Heels and courts.

Belle Et Mimi collection, 2x each style in different colours.

Peep toe wedges, black wedges, new leopard t-bar heels.

Evening sandals.

Boots. Notice the theme of laces. I find it extremely difficult to fit boots due to heavy calf muscles and a high instep which basically rules out pull on and most zipper styles.

Flats. I seem to have taken a liking to flats recently. Two years ago I owned two pairs of khussa and that was it, now look at them (I think they're breeding, personally.)

Check out the chewed heel on the blue flats front left!

Front: Summer sandals. The red toe-posts on the left are the comfiest things, but do make unfortunate farting sounds as you walk.

Back: FOR SALE: Taking offers on the black canvas wedges at back left as they are slightly too small. Would suit UK7, narrower foot.

I haven't subjected you to my trainers or my hiking boots - the hiking boots are extremely large and heavy and most certainly not fashionable, however they do a bang up job of keeping my tootsies dry and warm when trekking about and the added bonus of being steel toe caps means I am assured of being able to give any muggers a good hard kick in the wotsits. My trainers, on the other hand, are more like eldritch abominations and must be kept chained up in a protective pentagram at all times when not in use.

I do rather want some Irregular Choice shoes next, must save up very hard. In the meantime, a poor chewed pair of heels are on holiday up at my parent's house being recrafted into something a little prettier and a lot less tooth-marked, wish me luck with that.

What do your shoes say about you?

A Chocwork Orange

2010-03-11T17:44:00.002Z

I know, terrible punny title, right? I'm sorry. ;-)

Had an interview today, thank goodness it was informal, as my wardrobe contains... err, skirt, skirts and more skirts. The local Dorothy Perkins, after many years of being a Sale Desert, has suddenly sprung into bloom like a reticent cactus and showered me with petals comprised of ultra-cheap last season garments. I've gone a little doolally with it all. It's welcome - I have fond memories of Dotty P's being a source of amazing deals in the past - knee boots for £5 (+ student discount), tops for £3 + BOGOF, and a fully lined and netted satin ball skirt for £3.

Having said all that, today's skirt is not a Dotty P's bargain.

Chocolate brown prairie skirt, La Redoute.

Orange shell top, La Redoute.

Wooden heart necklace, gifted.

Hairband, Fun2Do.

I added a brown shrug-style cardigan for more warmth, not pictured.

Brown tights, Ethel Austin.

Coral (orange!) and bronze shoes, Dollie Day by Office 'Vintage' range.

Face, Aromaleigh Glissade in Porcelain, Collection 2000 Shimmer & Shade in Just Peachy!

Eyes, Aromaleigh Rocks! Sonic eyeshadows in Coralfang and Personality Crisis, Too Faced shadow in George and Weezie, Wet'N'Wild liner in Java.

Lips, Lush Whipstick and Aromaleigh Gothic Lolita color creme in Lollipop.

Aromaleigh's website can be found here. After having the chance to test some of their products, I'm definitely a fan. The Glissade mineral foundation is perfect, in a wide array of colour choices - I chose Porcelain which is a good match for my skin. Sample shipping is $5 worldwide, and samples of eyeshadow are a mere $1 each, with Rocks! samples $0.65 at the moment. A sample will last a good while, as a single application will barely dent the amount of powder received. It's a great way to try out new and exciting colours. Sadly, all Aromaleigh lip cremes are discontinued - sadly because I love this colour, and it's totally sold out. Don't forget to check out their fortnightly sales, with 25% off selected lines.

Please excuse the fact that this has been taken on a background of the cat's blanket.

I will attempt to do the Aromaleigh eyeshadows more justice in future, since today's were just hastily plonked on with a brush, and I didn't have time to prime my eyes properly.

My outfit today got a lot of (unfavourable) comments from the teenage clone crowd. You would have thought that I'd have gained immunity from the comments by the age of thirty, but no... rofl.

I've received an award from the gorgeous and ever-stylish Vix of Vintage Vixen. Thanks, Vix! As part of the tag, I'm sharing my fantasy bag with you all... Of course, this will change with the weather as I am a bit of a purse fiend...

Loving this Luxe De Ville bag - the colour, the print, the chain strap... so lush!

Passing on the Sunshine award to Charlotte, Alana, Sharon, Shazza, and J.

Maybe I should do a bag post soon?

A Quick Note...

2010-03-09T13:24:00.000Z

Guys, I've been remiss in blogging, and I apologize for it. I'm feeling very meh about my wardrobe and myself in general these past few days, and am trying really hard not to fall into old and destructive patterns, which leaves me very little time for self-acceptance and the peculiar narcissism which makes me blog in the first place.

Hopefully normal service will be resumed as soon as I figure out exactly what normal is. :-)

Shiny Saturday

2010-03-06T16:03:00.000Z

Well, I dressed up for my interview and assessment today, hope that it made a difference. I don't seem to own any traditionally work-appropriate clothing. I am a complete magpie and love shiny, sparkly things, so a lot of my clothing is colourful, beaded, sequinned, foiled, or shot with Lurex. For many years my favourite shirt was a liquid-silver number from What Everyone Wants (remember them?) Anyway, onto the outfit:

Purple t-shirt, Dorothy Perkins.

Grey velvet sequin skirt, Kookai via eBay.

Wooden heart necklace, gifted.

Grey zig zag tights, Ethel Austin.

Black Sunrise Belle Et Mimi shoes, Barratts.

Had a little shopping spree today and picked up three skirts, a dress and a stripey top in Dorothy Perkins' sale for a total of £31. Happy days! Skin is still not quite back to normal, but is getting better.

Hope you are all having a great weekend so far!

Wonky Wednesday: The Bad Skin Day

2010-03-03T15:26:00.000Z

Dreadful skin today - red rash, inflammation, random flaking... you ought to be thankful I'm not taking pictures!! Thankfully, my mini Lush haul arrived via The Milky Bar Kid (our postie is a dead ringer) and I dived straight into my Angels, thanking my stars. I also splashed out on testing some new products - mini reviews to follow.

Lush haul: Colour Supplement in Light Yellow; Mint Julips lip scrub; Angels On Bare Skin cleanser; Whip Stick lipbalm (flash obscuring label).

I ummed and aahed over actually buying the Lip Scrub, as I have sugar in the kitchen. Such a tiny pot, and how good could it possibly be? However, I bit the bullet and opted for Mint Julips, peppermint and chocolate flavour. First impressions: the glass jar is bigger than I thought it would be, in fact as big as the pot of Colour Supplement - I never was good at guesstimating volumes. Opening it up, the minty blast is exactly like that from a box of Elizabeth Shaw crisp mints, only more so. The jar is filled to brim, so I tested this out by rubbing my finger round the edge of the lid. The consistency of the scrub is quite fine - I never felt in danger of pulling or ripping the skin on my lips, which is good. The peppermint gives this scrub a pleasant tingle when applied. I rubbed until all the sugar product was melted, and then licked. It doesn't taste half bad either, though I wouldn't like to sit down to a full meal of it. Result: an immediate improvement in the texture of the lips; they feel much smoother and any dry skin has been gently scrubbed away. The product is effective, you don't need much of it, and the jar will last ages. I'm a convert.

Whip Stick is a product I've wanted for ages, being a lip balm addict. At the same size as the solid perfumes, packaged in a tin, it's perfectly portable. I was pleased to see that the consistency is much more solid than indicated by either the photo on Lush's website or the sorry examples seen as tester pots in-store. Again, full to the brim, and pleasantly chocolate orange scented. Rubbing a finger on the surface leaves a thin film of product, but surprisingly one application was enough to moisturize the whole lip area without leaving a thick greasy film, which is one of my hubby's major bugbears as regards my lip balm habit. Very pleased with Whip Stick so far; my only gripe may be that it will last far too long and I will have to put off acquiring more.

I haven't tested the Colour Supplement thoroughly yet; bad skin day makes it a bit unfair. I did test the colour on the heel of my hand and it blended in nicely without looking cakey, so I have high hopes for it, most likely mixing it with some moisturizer for everyday use.

Yay! Lush goodies. They smell amazing.

So seeing as how I have bad skin, I thought I would share my secret skincare regime for days like this.

Back left: Mineral water. Drink loads in an effort to flush toxins out.

Back centre: Boots Traditional Rosewater and Glycerin Toner.
Swab liberally all over face

Back right: Pure tea tree oil! Dab onto blemishes, cuts and pimples,
swear like a navvy when it hits an open wound.

Front right: Lucas' Paw Paw Ointment. The Holy Grail of healing products, I swear. Smear onto cuts, blemishes, dry cracked skin, pimples, anywhere else that takes your fancy. This stuff healed a deep oil burn on my arm so well I don't even have a scar to show.

Front left: Lush Imperialis moisturizer. Soft, calming, soothing.
All together now: ahhhhh, that's better.

Let's hope it works, eh?

Next up (monster post goes on and on and on...) my make-up stash. This lives in the top drawer of my dressing table - a very Seventies vanity built into our wardrobes. Perfume, hair products etc live behind the sliding mirrors. Did I mention I love my wardrobes, even if they are ugly?

The craft stuff in the background isn't part of my makeup stash, I was just too lazy to move it.

Bit of a packrat, am I right? Eye makeup in basket to back left, back middle is nail varnishes, back right is foundation and assorted face stuff, the cutlery organiser has a bit of everything in it, and the tin at the front left holds face masks, hair masks etc.

Some of my makeup is from many, many years ago - the 17 shimmer dust is at least twelve years old. In my defense, it's in a sealed shaker pot and has been stored in the dark for all of those years. 'Highlights' of my makeup drawer include: the tube of Revlon lash jewels used exactly once (because how often do you need to bejewel your lashes, really), the Chanel nail varnish I desperately hang onto because IT'S CHANEL, and the W7 Flutter Eyes individual lashes which I am too scared to even try, since I just got the hand of regular falsies after many, many years (and ruined pairs) of practise.

So there is my day. Hope you are all having a better one. Feel free to take any questions to the comments!

Dabbling in the Dark Arts

2010-03-02T19:11:00.000Z

Long black skirts have been a staple of mine since High School, when I rejected the be-mini-skirted 'Establishment' (popular clique) and donned a black Lycra fishtail number as part of our uniform. Much gossiping was done, especially since it was then revealed that I wore the same skirt at weekends, with a black crochet top. Not the done thing!

I've since branched out into skirts of all colours and lengths, but this is one of my favourites.

Black sleeveless t-shirt, La Redoute.

Belt, unknown.

Black panelled skirt, local boutique.

The thick, heavy chain I'm wearing is an old one, provenance unknown. I used to wear this as a double chain, looped twice round the neck; today I've slipped it on and knotted it at the front.

Detail of skirt: raw edged, ruffled appliqué and white topstitching give this plain skirt an slightly edgier look. Please disregard ugly Seventies fireplace in background.

Detail on top. This V-necked shell t-shirt ties at the back and has a hemispherical panel with printed sakura blossoms at the bust.

You can see the raw hem of the skirt in this shot.

Silver beaded Indian khussa; my wedding shoes. So comfortable and ridiculously sparkly in real life. Still finding sand in the seams from having wedding photos taken on the beach!

Hair has been pulled back by clips.

Face: Virgin Vie foundation and Too Faced Cupid Pink blush from the New Romantic: Unicorn pallette.

Eyes: Max Factor khol on waterline, Jemma Kidd Midnight Blue shadow (foiled) as liner all round. Jemma Kidd creme highlighter in Star at inside corners. Too Faced New Romantic Unicorn shadows, Peach Fairy Wine and Mossy Brown. Clear mascara, Asda.

Lips: Wet'N'Wild Mega Colour in Pink Suede and Too Faced New Romantic gloss in Princess Pink, finished with Revlon Sugar Sugar topping in Pixie Plum.

I thought the outfit might be pretty boring, but I seem to have managed to pad it out... somehow! The Jemma Kidd eyeshadow foils well. I keep a spray can of purified water for setting my makeup and for foiling, since tapwater/licking the brush is a strict NO! for hygiene reasons and my Urban Decay Special Sauce is really only suitable for loose pigment. The Too Faced pallette is well used; it gets ported about in my bag every day, and saves me carrying a bag full of loose makeup (and once one lipstick melts all over the contents of your handbag, you never want it to happen again!)

I refuse to go out without my pallette or my diary. What are your handbag must haves?

Damn Disobedient

2010-03-01T21:33:00.004Z

Well, I'm just going to jump straight back on the blogging wagon, even though I don't actually feel quite up to it yet... so on goes the lippie and here I am! Feeling a bit bolshie today.

I actually went through some of my old clothes today. The tunic I'm wearing is one of my sister's cast offs which I have kept safe and mulishly refused to eBay. Patience pays off! Happily, I can report that I'm able to wear most of my old stuff again. I wonder how much is my changing figure and how much of it is simple self-confidence?

Rule number one:
Don't wear horizontal stripes, they make you look broader.

Rule number two:
Cover your upper arms if you have the slightest hint of fat.

Layered Top, hand-me-down. It says it's a size 14. Biggest size 14 in existence if so.

Rule number three:
Cropped jeans should only be worn by tall, skinny people.

Dark wash cropped jeans, Kookai via eBay, 99p.

Rule number four:
Wear a minimiser bra under low cut tops.

(Bright purple balconette, George @ Asda, in case you wonder.)

Rule number five: Don't wear ankle strap shoes if you have thick ankles, and wear heels to elongate your legs.

Cherry print canvas 'Tickle My Toes' split toe flats, Office sale.

Rule number six: Don't wear dark eyes with dark lips.

No face makeup. My hair hides the cat scratch on my cheek, courtesy of a panicking Miss Mitten last night. Eyes, Max Factor Khol. Lips, Wet'N'Wild Silk Finish lipstick in Black Orchid.

Sorry for the miserable expression, I'm just tired. But look at all the beauty rules I've broken! Gives one a sense of real achievement. :-)

Quickie: It's ALIVE!

2010-02-28T22:11:00.000Z

Hello!

I am still alive and blogging, even though I haven't posted in a while. Weather is cold and miserable here, and I have been trying and failing to keep warm, which is not conducive to fashion; of course, not to mention that my lack of Lush cleansing goodness has caused a severe dip in morale as regards how I look.

I've resisted the call of the Office shoe sale and now everything I wanted is out of stock in my size, which is good; I bought two things on Etsy, which is bad, and waiting for them to arrive is worse. eBay treated me fairly kindly today, and I've also ordered some makeup in sample sizes from Fyrinnae, which I'm itching to get a hold of. Yes, there's a long wait on the Fyrinnae stuff, but that probably means I will forget I ordered it and therefore have a nice surprise late next month. Ooh, new makeup is always exciting, and the last lot I ordered was my beloved Too Faced shadow duos in May 2009; I think I'm long overdue some new sparklies.

Outfit and make-up post tomorrow!

Quickie: Comparative Photography

2010-02-24T23:06:00.000Z

Found this old photo of me:

Thought it would be fun to do a comparison, since my hair's not changed much and I'm wearing grey shades today:

My attempts to recreate the angle and the lighting were unsuccessful, as it was taken at a desk in summer. Oh well.

I think I actually like me in glasses! This is progress, people!

Crazy You

2010-02-23T12:47:00.003Z

Oh crazy you, What am I supposed to do? Heaven knows I tried to change you, But you just keep getting stranger...

Let's break the rules just a little bit today...

Tunic, Antik Batik for La Redoute.

Jeans, Ethel Austin.

Belts, provenance unknown.

This tunic dress is huuuuuuuuge but beautiful. No joke.

Two belt detail. The suede one was miles too big also, and broke after being abused soundly by tying it further up than intended. Also, look how much fabric there is on the tunic! Crazy.

Mary Janes, Doc Martens. Scuffed due to falling-overness.

I love me some over the knee stripy socks.

Crystal collar, Matalan.

Silver fishie earring, local shop now long gone. I bought this in emulation of Cat from Red Dwarf, you all have permission to throw tomatoes at me and call me a geek. :)

I have chunky-monkey man-hands. The small scar on my hand is months old but refuses to heal - I was cutting something and the handle of the knife snapped off and the metal shank punched into my flesh.

Silver snake ring, local market.

Silver lizard ring, unknown.

Titanium wedding ring, Hot Diamonds via Chapelle.

Crystal drop earrings, gifted.

Face: Clean and Clear Morning Glow Illuminating Moisturiser.

Eyes, Max Factor Khol, Avon Quad in purple.

Lips, Maybelline gloss in Mauvie Star.

Sometimes you wake up in the morning and don't know what to wear, so you just throw everything on and call it eclectic. I like to be a little different.

I'm also lusting after a Marilyn convertible dress from Monif C (thanks to NikStar for putting me onto this piece.). So amazingly versatile! But seriously, how much? I don't think I've ever spent that much cash on a single piece of clothing before. I am such a cheapskate.

I'm really feeling the lack of my regular cleanser, Lush's Angels on Bare Skin, at the moment as you can probably tell by the state of my skin. AOBS really works to brighten dull skin; it's ultra gentle and non-drying, and so perfect for sensitive little flowers like myself.

Have I committed a fashion sin by wearing socks and mary-janes? Should I unbelt the tunic and construct a makeshift tent from its voluminous folds? Have I lost it entirely? Comments welcome!

Mean Green Mother From Outer Space

2010-02-22T17:06:00.000Z

I always regretted not getting involved in Drama Club sooner when I was at high school. Although I did a damn fine job in Dazzle, I would have loved the chance to perform in Little Shop of Horrors. How much fun is this song?

I'm in a musical mood today, and I might even watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show later.

Onwards into the Wild Green Yonder...

Cowl neck sweater, George @ Asda.

Black embroidered skater skirt, La Redoute.

Black opaque tights, unknown.

Green heeled brogues, Matalan.

Green bow headband, DP.

Makeup: Virgin Vie foundation, cream blusher.

Eyes: 17 Sparkle Dust, Bourjois eyeshadow in Pistache, Wet 'N' Wild khol liner in Khaki, Max Factor Khol on waterline, Too Faced Duo in Fantasy Island.

Lips: Almay Lasting Colour lipstain, Nivea Care Gloss and Shine in Red.

Mean green mother, indeed... Share your favourite exhibitionist moments in the comments!

Jump

2010-02-21T17:39:00.001Z

I get up, and nothing gets me down. You got it tough. I've seen the toughest soul around.
And I know, baby, just how you feel. You've got to roll with the punches to get to what's real...

Woohoo, happy Sunday, everybody! I'm ridiculously perky, but looking a bit shredded... I apologise for the roughness of my looks. I'm on an endorphin high.

I hate my workout clothes. Coral top, La Redoute. White trousers, Lonsdale.

It's not very bloggable, is it?

York padded leather weightlifting gloves. These are also great for wearing under sparring gloves instead of knuckle wraps.

5kg free dumbell, used for bicep curls and bicep pushes.

3kg dumbell used for tricep curls.

2kg wrapround ankle weight, used in conjuction with resistance bands in order to simulate a leg press exercise.

I'm not doing any cardio today because my exercise bra is in the wash. I wear an Enell compression type, which minimises bounce on the vertical and horizontal planes, ideal for high impact sports like kickboxing. (I did have a dance around the living room when Grease was on, does that count as cardio?!)

I used to do a lot more at the gym, including using a climbing machine, but unfortunately finances at the moment dictate that I need to concentrate on home workouts - thankfully, I don't need to be seen in public in these trousers!

Had a productive day? Share any workout routines and tips in the comments!

Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue

2010-02-19T14:05:00.001Z

Blue is one of my favourite colours, but I've never been able to get the hang of blue eyeshadow - it always looked dreadful on me. I think I've found the solution - trowel it on, make sure it's bright, and then hide it behind a pair of specs.

I've been surreptitiously spending some of my eBay profit on a few choice items. When this dress plonked through my letterbox today, I was ridiculously excited and couldn't wait to show it off. It makes me feel like a Greco-Roman steampunk goddess (although I probably don't look like one.)

Blue and brown pure silk dress, Noli via eBay.

Brown cropped cardigan, Peacocks.

Hammered silver torque necklace, boutique.

Hammered silver torque bracelet, Tianguis Jackson, a wedding gift.

Brown 'Victorian' boots, Primark via eBay.

Did I say I love this dress? I love this dress. It's light and floaty and is long enough to cover up the horrible booboo on my knee in conjunction with the boots. I stalked it on eBay over the course of a few days and sniped it at the last second for £9.99.

These boots were new - I got them for £6.99 because there is a slight watermark near the zip.

I managed to get my hair into as close to a messy up-do as I could.

Diamanté hair clips, provenance unknown.

Pink metallic glasses, Iceberg.

Face: Virgin Vie foundation,

Collection 2000 Shimmer 'n' Shade in Just Peachy.

Eyes: Urban Decay Eye Base Pencil in Plain Glaze, Wet'N'Wild Perfect Pair Eye Wand in Java Champagne (liner only), Natural Collection eyeshadow in Aqua Shimmer, L'Oreal Contour Khol in Aquatic Blue, Max Factor Khol pencil in Black (on waterline), Barry M Dazzle Dust in Kingfisher, Wet'N'Wild H2O Proof mascara in Black Brown.

Lips: Wet'N'Wild 3 Of A Kind panstick in Blushed

and Mega Plump Lipgloss in Cairo-Mel.

Fun facts of the day: my sister and I sing the title song as "Doughnuts Make My Brown Eyes Blue". The technical term for a misheard lyric is a mondegreen. Of course, if you have a habit of using an incorrect (but similar-sounding to the word you intended) word or phrase in your everyday speech, that would be a malapropism.

Bought anything nice or said anything embarrassing lately? Share in the comments!

Thursday Epicurious: Miso Hungry

2010-02-18T15:08:00.001Z

Because I have not yet managed to find an outfit today (it's so cold that I'm actually wearing three jumpers, and still shivering), I decided to give you all a little peek at the kind of food I eat on a regular basis.

Today's lunch was Red Miso, followed by Golden Rice and Avocado Salsa Salad with Smoked Tuna.

Red Miso in mug to left; Salsa Rice Salad; pear and blackberry squash.

The double drop leaf table is a space-saving godsend in a small living space.
Excuse the piles of stuff in the background, it's for eBaying.

Close-up of the main event. Look at the salsa. It's calling to me.

The bamboo mat was part of a set of large Oriental plates, which, sadly, were not heat-resistant and cracked when a particularly hot stir-fry was poured upon them. The brown square plates were an impulse buy. They are large and heavy - this one is actually a side-plate. Crystal glass, one of two, was gifted by an elderly acquaintance.

The golden vegetable rice was a cheat, from a packet. I do sometimes make my own, but time on this occasion got the better of me. I fried the dry rice in a little oil first to intensify the flavour. Half of the full packet is now in the fridge.

Avocado salsa is red onion, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and two small avocados, chopped and mixed with cracked black pepper, ground chilli, the juice of half a lime and a glug (so technical) of seasoned rice vinegar. Delicious! It made quite a lot, so this is chilling in the fridge too. The lime juice stops the avocado going brown and mushy.

Smoked tuna is John West's, from a tin. I do love this, but it's expensive, so it was a treat for myself more than anything. The little wedge of lime got squeezed and then I ate the flesh. I have what is apparently a strange taste for sour citrus and if served a drink with a lemon or lime slice, will invariably embarrass my drinking or dining companions by fishing it out and eating it, completely straight-faced.

Did you eat anything gloriously tasty today? Recipes and questions in the comments, please!

Bruise Pristine

2010-02-17T20:36:00.000Z

I listened to an awful lot of Placebo as a moderately angsty teenager. I'll be honest and say that the songs haven't kept their appeal in the intervening years, but I still rather like Bruise Pristine and a few other tracks. And of course, it ties in rather well with the fact that I took a nasty-ish spill down the concrete stair outside my flat yesterday, and made rather a mess of my right leg in the process.

My skin marks easily and takes ages to heal; tights are out of the question, for a little while at least. Please excuse my sourpuss expression in the following photo!

Purple skater skirt, La Redoute.

Purple oversize cardi, George @ Asda.

Wide belt, Scene Dead via eBay.

Print t-shirt, Peacocks.

I'm kind of hating the oversized trend, particularly in knitwear. This cardi is a size fourteen and literally drips off me when not pinned in place, and is makes me look bulky and shapeless when not nipped in by a waist-cincher. It's probably being eBayed shortly.

Black leather pumps, local shop.

Black microfibre knee-length socks, Lidl.

Black and grey knit legwarmers, The Original Factory Shop.

What you don't see is the bandage and miles of tape holding it in place on my right knee. The legwarmers are a necessity to disguise this, and not a fashion conceit, though they don't look too bad.

Close up of embroidery on skater skirt.

Detail of print t-shirt, which is today being worn backwards to alter the neckline to a square-ish shape.

Sequin and feather corsage is a hairclip - thanks to the lovely Char of t*rexes and tiaras for letting me have this!

Finally, just to prove I'm not as miserable as I look in the first photo, a picture of me and my eBaying Notebook. It's furry and leopard print, how can you not love it?

Makeup is Avon purple eyeshadow quad and Bourjois Eau De Gloss in Cassis Hydrante.

Looking forward to a productive eBay day tomorrow and picking up some bargains at a local fabric shop, for crafting purposes. Take care all. x

Baggy Trousers

2010-02-15T19:17:00.000Z

Photoless fashion blog post today, I'm afraid. I fully intended only to take a walk up the street and check out the charity shop with my dear mama, but instead got co-opted into doing a full beauty treatment for her in preparation for her flight to Australia tomorrow. She also nicked my Angels on Bare Skin before leaving!

Wearing: Extremely baggy 'masculine cut' striped trousers; heather purple crochet top, black vest top, black flat pumps.

The black pumps are a new purchase from a local shoe shop; I've been lacking a basic pair of flat black pumps for ages.

Picture post tomorrow after taking parents to the airport at stupid o'clock tomorrow morning... promise!

Super Quick Hit: Monday Mitten Blogging

2010-02-15T10:13:00.000Z

Outfit later!

People wondering why I don't diet could do worse than to check out the 10 Things You Can Do To Ease Concerns About Your Weight. Pretty much all of my reasons in a nutshell.

Vicki asked what I would do when I ran out of Virgin Vie foundation; the answer is, I'm not sure, but I currently have three foundations on the go - a L'Oreal True Match in Rose Ivory and a Max Factor Miracle Touch in Creamy Ivory. None of them matches my skin tone exactly (Vie being closest): in fact, they're all a little on the dark side, so I tend to mix them with an illuminating moisturizer and then set with DVB V-Sculpt powder in Very Chic, a pure white, patted on with a kabuki brush.

I leave you all for the time being with a photograph of my Valentine's date from last night:

This is the lady who rules all our lives, Miss 'Mitten'. Expect more Monday Mitten blogging at irregular intervals.

Hope you all have a good Monday! Bonne Chance!

Golden Brown

2010-02-14T14:18:00.001Z

I love this track! The baroque-sounding harpsichord riffs are simply unforgettable, multi-layered and rewarding every time you listen to it.

I like brown as a colour, but being a brown-eyed brunette, always fret a bit that it makes me look dowdy. A flash of pink brightens it just a little.

Holey knit v-neck jumper, provenance unknown.

Black button-neck camisole, DP.

Circle prairie skirt, La Redoute.

Lace tights, George @ Asda.

A closer look at the very deep V neck on this bulky jumper.

I would like to acquire a hot pink lace cami for underneath.

Action shot! The very twirly skirt demands a few moments of spinning on the spot.

Showing off the pale pink petticoat and the tights.

The shoes are Belle Et Mimi 'Sunrise' in brown, a rich caramel shade (Barratts).

The shoes have pretty bows and a sweet little almond toe and are exceptionally comfortable.

Owl brooch is vintage, from my mother's collection.

Necklace was gifted. This is its first outing.

Hair today is intentionally messy thanks to Nicky Clarke Hairomatherapy Blo N Go. I don't often use product on my hair, which is very fine despite there being lots of it, as it tends to weight my hair down and make it limp.

Eyes, ELF eyeshadow quad in Luxe.

Face, Virgin Vie Perfect Balance foundation in Alabaster (discontinued);

Collection 2000 Shimmer 'n' Shade in Just Peachy!

Lips, Urban Decay Shot'O'Gloss in Mai Tai.

I'm not planning on going anywhere today, it's just me and the cat as the husband is out working, and I hope to be getting on with some crafts. Somehow, I always feel more motivated in nice clothes and with a lick of makeup.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Shiver

2010-02-12T12:40:00.000Z

It's seriously chilly here today - the sky is a uniform depressing grey, and I need cheered up! Hence the mental ska track by Horny Toad chosen as today's title. I can't link it, but it's available to listen online at last.fm.It doesn't help that our boiler is broken, of course...

When it's cold, all I can think about is being comfortable and not freezing myself.

Striped hooded top, George at Asda.

Purple 3/4 sleeve T-shirt, DP.

Black herringbone-stripe trouser, unknown.

Tan floral canvas plimsolls, La Redoute.

These pumps are really comfortable, but have the unfortunate effect of exaggerating my feet.

Black velvet and tassel necklace, found in jewellery box, provenance unknown.

Silver and purple Celtic targe brooch, vintage - this belonged to my great-aunt.

Today's makeup is minimal. Black eyeliner, W7 Paint the Line.

Lips, Almay True Lasting Colour in Petal.

Hair was curled yesterday and clipped back, have gone for a similar style today except all the curls have fallen out. Metallic tiger-stripe bronze clips (not seen) Ethel Austin.

Black freshwater pearl drop earrings by Silver By Mail, who currently offer 25% off regular prices in their winter sale.

I love this top, because it's so effortless and cozy. Hopefully it will be warmer tomorrow so I can stop shivering and get back to my attempts at fashion. :)

Form and Function

2010-02-10T16:06:00.002Z

Well, after much testing, none of the blog templates I've tried have allowed the comment functionality that I need, so I'm going to have a bash at creating one of my own. In the meantime, I've reinstalled the classic Blogger template so I know that the comments should work.

Please bear with me while I redecorate my virtual space!

The Red Shoes

2010-02-09T16:29:00.003Z

Good old Kate Bush, you can always rely on her for a bit of kookiness. The video for The Red Shoes can be found here. I'm sure that ruby slippers and red shoes are irrevocably linked with The Wizard of Oz now, but I seem to recall from my Storyteller books that the original shoes were made of silver (and in the illustrations, were a fetching pair of mary-janes.) However, I'm happy to run with the pop-culture reference!

Black jumper, George at Asda.

Red studded vest top, Matalan.

Red dancer skirt, La Redoute.

Hooped tights, DP.

Red Sequin Shoes, Asos.

I bet the Wicked Witch of the East would have been totally rockin' this look.

I hustled out the door PDQ this morning, so makeup is minimal and low maintenance.
Virgin Vie foundation mixed with Urban Decay Special Sauce in Glow,
Max Factor Silk Lip Gloss in Be Fabulous.
Eyeshadow is Too Faced Second Base and Too Faced Duo in Poodle Puff.

Awesome pentagram necklace by St Justin, bought locally.

Red cocktail ring, DP. I had to coat the inside with clear varnish. I still love it.

The shoes are absolute over-the-top fabulous, which is why I named this post after them. Alternative title: The Witch, an early Nineties hit by The Cult. Listen to the song and watch a rather unsettling video here. (The video actually has a nice theme on the ever-changing unattainability of mainstream beauty, which I think most of us can understand...!)

Now, where did I put that broomstick?

Manic Monday

2010-02-08T12:18:00.002Z

Well, I unilaterally declare this month Song Blogging Month. I realized last night that both my fashion posts have had song titles as,well, titles. So I went to bed with full intentions of naming this post with an 80's song title. Turns out that it's actually quite appropriate!

Still listing things on eBay and feeling generally a bit rotten. What cheers me up? Why, completely overblown makeup and a cute outfit, of course!

Striped jumper, Ethel Austin.

Flat Fronted trouser, Peacocks.

This is known in the trade as the Headless Fatty pose,
illustrative of the Obesity Epidemic (TM).

My red dotty peep-toe shoes are often the subject of comment. eBay bargain some years ago.

Nails painted with Fudge F2 Supersonic Nail Varnish in a cherry red shade. This stuff dries super quick, so is ideal for a last minute manicure and pedicure.

Silly face to show off my equally silly eye makeup.
Yes, that's a double flick cat's eye.

My hair needs attention, so it's scraped back. I am searching for a red polka-dot scarf to accessorize.

Sadly my make-up drawer lacks the necessity that is a proper Fifties-style red lipstick. I've yet to find a shade that suits me, so I have to make do with Revlon Lip Stain in Bitten (cherry pink.)
It looks very washed out in this photo. It's a magnitude brighter in real life.

Silver heart earrings are boutique.

The beaded necklet was bought on holiday in Tenerife at a small boutique shop. It goes well with the black and white theme.

How is everyone else coping with a drab Monday? What silly little things cheer you up when you're down?

eBay Exhaustion

2010-02-07T23:08:00.000Z

I'm maybe halfway through listing old clothes on eBay and am giving in to exhaustion for the day. My outfit was nothing particularly striking today anyway.

It almost breaks my heart to get rid of some of the dresses etc, but I realize logically that, if nothing else, the fact that my cup size has gone up by a whole five sizes should be enough to tell me that I'll never fit into the custom-made stuff again.

I just wish my body would reach homeostasis so I can start buying new stuff again. Bleh.

Material Girl

2010-02-06T19:31:00.002Z

Denim's one of those fabrics I have a love-hate relationship with. On one hand, I love the weight and structure of denim. On the other, I hate its tendancy to bag, crease and expand, and the way it fades. While I may have spend most of my teens in shredded denims, it's not a look I wish to revisit! This pencil skirt looks great on the first two wears, but then starts to bag out despite the elastane content. It's really a summer skirt, but I pulled it because nothing else would go with the hooped tights I'm wearing. I do tend to build an outfit round my hosiery. :)

Foil print top, Ethel Austin.

Denim pencil skirt, Dorothy Perkins.

Hooped grey and black tights, Dorothy Perkins.

Blue patent pumps, La Redoute. The cat took a fancy to these, so they're a bit chewed at the heels. :)

The multi-coloured glass fishhook was bought in Queenstown

on a trip to New Zealand in 2004.
The cabochon cuff was bought as part of a bridesmaid's outfit last year, but is too yummy to keep in a box as a keepsake.

Hairband, Dorothy Perkins. Again, cat chewed, but too nice to bin.

Makeup today is Avon True Colour Quad in Purple Haze. I don't usually buy Avon makeup, but this was a present and it's surprisingly nice. I used it over Too Faced Second Base, but it unfortunately hasn't lasted too well. Eyeliner is W7 Paint The Line in sparkly black. Kind of pointless doing my little cat flick liner as it's hidden by the glasses.

Sorry for the quality of the photos. Again, iSight, but artificial light makes it sort of grainy and darker than it should be. Sorry guys, I will get a tripod eventually!

Friday I'm In Love

2010-02-05T14:16:00.002Z

The Cure was on the radio when I jumped in the shower this morning. I'm not sure I would have made the association otherwise, but I am wearing a couple of things I absolutely adore today. Photos taken with iSight; I've found the digicam but realised that I have approximately zero flat surfaces appropriate for photo-taking. I may have to splash out on a gorillapod.

Blue jumper tank top with white frilled detail, La Redoute.

Blue jeans, La Redoute.

Bead necklaces, vintage.

Make-up is Too Faced shadow duo in Lovey Dovey and
Barry M Dazzle Dust in copper.
Lips are Wet 'N' Wild Mega Plump in Cairo-Mel

Detail: Froggie earrings. The legs dangle, hooking onto the shank of the earring at the back.

They're super cute!
I found these in my jewellery box; they haven't been worn
in over ten years.

I love these Belle Et Mimi heels, bought from Barratts for under £10. The teal suede and huge platform are ridiculously impractical, but they rank among my top three pairs of shoes.

(Yes, I hoicked up my jeans so you could see them,
you lucky people, you.)

My jeans are my least favourite item today. I bought them a while back and they fitted well, but since then I seem to have dropped some pudge (not trying, may I add) and they literally don't stay up when I walk - I can take them off without unfastening them, and without much effort.

My apologies for subjecting everyone to the extreme close up of my belly.

So, what do you think? Time for a new pair, or can these ones be salvaged? I love the colour of the jeans, but surely anything which makes my bum look saggy has to be gone?

Blog Goes Here!!

2010-02-04T15:07:00.001Z

Well, this is the style portion of my blogging life, dedicated to decidedly low fashion and home furnishing on a budget. I'd like to show everyone my shoe collection to kick off (bad pun!), but have misplaced my cameras, so you'll all have to wait until I'm finished tidying up and unearthing things. I'm going to try to keep the tone upbeat here, but a few rules:

1. Please, no anonymous comments along the lines of 'OMG UR FAT PLS DIET FATTY'. This is MY blog, and my size has no bearing on my style. I can be as fat and fancy as all-get-out if I want. Trolling comments will be deleted, after being laughed at.

2. I'm on a tight budget, and live rurally. I'm not going to be sporting the latest street trends, and I'm particularly not going to be wearing designer stuff. If anything's designer, I'm going to tell you (because I'm proud of having it) and I also most likely got it in a sale. I buy everything in sales.

3. From time to time I may ramble about body image and self-acceptance. These posts will be tagged, so if you don't want to read it, please feel free to skip the boring philosophical bits.

4. I consider make-up to be an integral part of my style, so posts will contain mini-reviews of cosmetics and links to bargainous places on occasion. If I see a good tutorial for a particular look, I'll post it up. Feel free to comment and add recommendations.

5. Enough rules - let's get on with the fun stuff!