Happy birthday Pearls, Lace And Ruffles

Today is my blogs first birthday! I feel like a proud parent watching their child grow. When I began blogging back in May 2010 I had no idea what a huge impact it would make on my life. There is a long list of things I have gained from blogging, but my absolute favorite is all of the new friends I have made - 1800+ according to google friend connect. I also love that I have readers of every shape and size because I was certain only plus sized girls would be interested in my blog! I just want to say a massive thank you to all of you who read, comment, share my blog, etc. It means a great deal to me. ♥

PS. Check out my awesome cupcake that I made just to celebrate my little space on the internet turning one! I can't bake at all so I picked up a Disney princess cupcake kit which really only requires you to add an egg and mix the icing - and I still managed to mess it up! Oh dear.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend. Last one of May - I can't believe its almost June!

xoxo

OOTD: My loves too big for you, my love.

♥ Dress: For Love 21 @ Forever 21 *** Cardigan: Savida @ Dunnes *** Flats: Dunnes *** Accessories: Primark ♥

I am wearing a size large dress from Forever 21! I almost feel like shouting it from the rooftops. I can very rarely wear anything except knit/stretch tank tops from their regular sized line, which is a shame because I like the clothes much better than their "plus sized" collection (why can't us fat girls wear the same clothes as skinny minnies, anyhow?!) It was a tight squeeze and i'm kind of cheating because the dress is from the "For Love 21" range and those sizes generally run bigger. I do prefer that collection best out of everything in store. I think its aimed at ladies who are 30+ (I should remember this from my training when I worked there, but I don't!) but it just seems less in-your-face and more laid back than other pieces. The floral print is what sold the dress for me of course! As its Forever 21, the dress is made for girls without boobs and so the fitted waist is awkwardly under my breasts, but i'll make the exception for it.

I don't really have much else to say after my massive entry earlier! I have a lot of catching up to do blog wise. I haven't replied to emails in a few weeks and I have plenty of comments to return. I will try to get most of it done before the end of the weekend. I placed an order on ASOS last week for a dress to wear out tomorrow night and it was dispatched Monday but didn't arrive. I'm really gutted as it was £45 and I ordered it especially to wear out! I'll probably return it when it arrives as I really can't justify spending that much on one item at the minute! I have finally picked out the font for my first tattoo so I hope to get it done after my birthday. My friend works in a tattoo studio and her portfolio is amazing so I have no doubt that I will love it when I finally get the courage to get it done. Have any of you ladies had a tattoo on your rib area? I have plenty of fat there which should help with the pain factor, i'm still a little bit of a wimp though!

xoxo

OOTD: Be OK

♥ Dress: Primark *** Belt: Dunnes *** Shoes: New Look ♥

Hey everyone. I don't have a whole lot to say today really, so its going to be a mostly-picture-post. I seen this dress in Primark around Christmas time but decided against it, then spotted it again recently and changed my mind! I didn't use any accessories except a belt, I feel like I re-wear the same things far too much so I definitely want to start buying some new jewelery instead of more dresses. I think my legs look a bit matchstick-y in these pictures, definitely must be the angle I had my camera at. They're small compared to my midsection but not that small! Thanks for all of the comments on my last couple of entries, I haven't been great at returning comments lately which I apologize for. I'll get back into the swing of things soon!

xoxo

OOTD: Dress dilemma

*possibly NSFW*




♥ Dress: Topshop *** Belt: Dunnes *** Booties: Topshop ♥

Spotted this beauty on a mannequin in Topshop and snapped up one in size 16 (UK) without trying it on. It looked perfect on the mannequin, I really should have remembered that she was a size 6 plastic doll with almost no cleavage! As you can see a lot of cleavage is shown because I have quite a large bust. I love everything else about the dress but i'm slightly worried I will look like a wannabe Katie Price if I go out to the club like this! I know i'm almost 21 and a grown up but I feel silly showing off so much cleavage. I thought afterwards maybe it is a beach coverup type dress but it was on the rail with party dresses so i'm sure I won't be the only girl wearing it this way if it is meant to be a beach dress! I don't have a black strapless top but I think I may use a safety pin (inside the dress) at the bottom so theres still a peek of cleavage but not quite as much! Feel free to offer suggestions. If anyone knows of any good strapless bras I would appreciate that too, the one i'm wearing is uncomfortable and squishes my ta-ta's into an awful shape almost at my neck, aha! I really need to start investing in better bras, I usually get mine from wonderbra but they're not worth the money in my opinion.

Decided that crying into my pillow will have nothing positive to offer me except more stress, i'm going to have myself a carefree night. Beginning to feel better and more positive about this already after I "officially" ended whatever it was we had today. Theres only one winner out of the three of us in this situation and its me because I deserve far better. As do all of you ladies, never give up your dignity for a man.

"So what I'm still a rock star, I got my rock moves and I don't need you. And guess what, i'm havin more fun and now that were done i'm gonna show you tonight i'm alright, i'm just fine and you're a tool. so what I am a rock star, I got my rock moves and I don't want you tonight" - Pink

Happy Friday loves! Hope you all have a great night!

xoxo

OOTD: You know the way to keep me on my toes

♥ Blouse: Topshop *** Shorts: Primark *** Socks: H&M *** Wedges: Primark ♥

Hey loves! I just grabbed these shorts this morning for the comfort factor but I would have preferred to pair the blouse with a black skirt. It just wasn't warm enough today and I wasn't feeling the best. Teamed them with my favorite Topshop blouse which is slightly tighter on my belly than it should be but i'm not going to let that hold me back from wearing it! The suede wedges are from Primark last winter, I posted an outfit with the same shoes in grey a couple of months back. They're really poor quality which is a shame because they look nice from a distance and they're comfortable to wear. Slightly overplucked my eyebrows which you can notice, I don't like to fill them in with lots of pencil but I may have to until they grow back. For once i'm actually glad my eyebrows begin to grow back the day after I have plucked them, never thought I would say that!

I haven't been having the best time lately. There's a lot of things going on with my personal life that has been getting me down. If you follow me on twitter you probably already know as I have been having myself a little pity party on there for the last couple of days! I don't usually share private things online but I just needed to vent and I got so many wonderful, positive and uplifting replies from girls on there. I know I usually refer to everyone as followers, readers, etc. but the past few days really made me realize that none of you are followers or readers or any other tag, you're all friends. Its like having hundreds of wonderful friends and i'm blessed!


I lost quite a bit of hair today which also brought down my mood. I am not sure if stress affects alopecia or if the hair loss is a side effect of cerazette, but it shocked me when I noticed just how much fell out. I really want to try and relax this weekend and not think about any negative things, a healthy mind is important. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Also here are some serious-face-meets-posey-face pictures I took to use on social networking sites. I don't use Facebook very often but my current picture is three years old and you can't even see my face in it, thought it was time for an update.






xoxo

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. - Buddha

OOTD: Early summer

(my legs look like the got ombre-d, thanks lighting!)
♥ Dress: Dunnes *** Sandals: Topshop *** Jewelery: Primark ♥

Hey folks! It looks like I took a little break from blogging this week, and I kind of did..but not really. I logged in a couple of nights ago to make a post but blogger was down, and it was down the next day too for maintenance or something. I'm sure the whole blogging world (myself included) were freaking out! I know a couple of gals lost some of their entries, thankfully I didn't, but I did (unfortunately) lose a few of the most recent comments. I had read all of them though and appreciate them!

The outfit I wore today was basic and really didn't match with the weather. Our weather has been kind of crazy lately, raining one minute and sunshine the next. That said, this is the first "paperbag" style dress that I own and I couldn't wait any longer to wear it. If i'm honest, I don't really like how it looks on me. I have an odd body shape - wide upper body and my tiny/almost invisible waist hits all of a sudden like BAM, plus my hips are also wide. I feel like this dress made my awkward body shape look even more awkward if that's possible! I think it shows in my pictures that I wasn't comfortable but I didn't have time to re-take them! I do love the chambray skirt on the dress, and the material is very soft and easy to wear so i'm hoping I can find a wide tan belt that will cover the "paperbag" part of the dress. The belt was a little tight which is a shame because I bought the dress in size UK 18 so you would think they would give a large belt, but the belt on all of the dresses is the same length. So my conclusion...I love the dress, hate the waist!
If any Irish gals are looking for this dress, its on sale right now in Dunnes! For some reason they aren't including the belts with the dresses on sale but skinny tan belts are cheap and in most high street stores at the minute.

I began level 3 of the "30 day shred" today. I think you're supposed to do each level for ten days but I get so bored once I reach day 5 or 6! I feel a little bit crazy when I realize that I know all of the words and say "I just saw you sink down! What are you doing back here?!" with Jillian. I had to move to the next level (both times) on day 8. There hasn't been a change in my arms (yet) which is slightly disappointing because that's my main reason for doing the shred! I have noticed a small difference in my mid/lower back and also my upper stomach/abs area which is better than nothing! I'll continue to do it until day 30 anyways, just because I don't want to give up when I have come this far! If anyone has any tips on toning upper arms I would really appreciate it! I don't want big muscles like Madonna and I don't mind if my arms are still "big" - but firmer and less flabby would be nice.

Also good luck to Jedward who are representing Ireland in the Eurovision song contest as I write this. I know they're like marmite - you love 'em or hate 'em but you can't deny that they're pretty entertaining. I met them back in January and they were lovely guys, really not as "dumb blonde" as they portray themselves in the media!

If you're watching the Eurovision song contest, who do you want to win?

xoxo

Style Crush: Elizabeth Taylor.

As everyone knows, the very beautiful and talented Hollywood icon Elizabeth "Liz" Taylor passed away in March. I had been planning a style crush post about her and some ladies from the Golden Age of Hollywood for a while. I feel a little bad that when I finally got around to doing so, its after her death. I was tempted to post this the day after she passed but I just felt that the internet was flooded with posts about her so it was best to wait.
Many newspapers and the media in general are saying we "lost" a lot when Elizabeth passed, its hard to associate "loss" with Elizabeth because we gained so much from her. Not only was she a fashion icon for women for decades, but she was a talented actress and did a lot of HIV/AIDS humanitarian work.
I am a huge fan of old Hollywood so its probably no surprise that Elizabeth Taylor is one of the many ladies who inspire me. Like Audrey Hepburn and Jean Harlow, Elizabeth had "it". Sure, she had eight marriages to seven different men, two of which began as affairs.. but the press and the public remained fascinated by her and will for many years to come.


Elizabeth Taylor's style was always consistent and always classy. Never spotted in casual clothes, such as jeans and a t-shirt while making a run to a nearby coffee shop. Okay, you would probably never see Elizabeth hanging out at a place like that - but every time she stepped outside she was fully groomed - make-up, hair and fancy clothes. She was a huge lover of costume jewelery (something I share a love of) and her book, My Love Affair with Jewelry, is full of photographs of her wonderful collection which has been valued at $150 million! Of course I could never afford the jewels that she wore, but browsing all of the images and picturing Elizabeth wearing the jewels is enough to put a smile on anyones face. Most female Hollywood icons were either delicate and feminine like Audrey or sexy and glamorous like Marilyn, Elizabeth is one of the few ladies who could pull off both at the same time.





I am sure people, not just women, will continue to be inspired by Elizabeth for many decades to come. She was an amazing actress, had wonderful style and she was just a really good hearted lady under all of the fancy clothes and jewels. Rest in peace Elizabeth ♥ I'll end this post with my four all-time favorite pictures of Elizabeth. Enjoy!


(click to view full size)

Who are your favorite ladies from "old Hollywood"?

xoxo

OOTD: The dress looks nice on you

♥ Dress: Dunnes *** Cardigan: Topshop *** Bracelet: Primark *** Socks: Topshop *** Flats: Dunnes ♥

Title cheekily borrowed from the lovely Sufjan Stevens/his song "The Dress Looks Nice on You". I love his music and i'm listening to that song as I write this entry, so it seemed like a fitting title.. especially considering i'm wearing a pretty dress n' all!

The dress i'm wearing today is from Dunnes, I just about squeezed into the size 18! I have quite broad shoulders so anything with a zip can be tricky. They extended their sizes to UK 20 shortly after Primark did the same, which is great news for bigger gals like myself! Although, all of the bigger sizes (16,18,20) tend to get snapped up really quick so its best to pay a visit on days when they first put new stock on the rails. I feel a little bit guilty posting Dunnes items on here so often when only Irish/UK readers can buy their clothes, but there are lots of similar items available online (ASOS, Dorothy Perkins, Forever 21) Plus its one of two clothing stores we have here that cater to women under fifty!


I forgot to mention something in my "blogging 101" post which has been bothering me. Its mostly directed at fashion bloggers and again, all of this is my opinion only - you don't have to be rich to have a fashion blog! I know some girls prefer to invest 100s of euros on a basic tshirt, but i'm fine with spending €4 on one in Primark because its within my budget and its just a t-shirt. Such things might be important, even considered investments to some people but for me..well, i'm fine with my cheap-o top. Most of my clothing is from lower end stores like Primark and I would consider Topshop high end (for my budget).
Its also okay to wear items from past seasons. A lot of people think you must be in all of the ~latest styles~ to be seen as fashionable/stylish/a true "fashionista" but its more about how you style the item than how long it has been in stores for. I still have many pieces of clothing from 2-3 years ago, infact I can't wait for warmer days so I can wear my oversized floral print topshop tee (which I believe I purchased in 2007 or 2008) Most of my shoes are old too, I have quite a few pairs so I don't wear the same ones every single day, however my shoes from both this entry and the last were purchased a year ago.
And lastly don't feel intimidated because your favorite bloggers can afford new a new designer dress every time they update - most of those bloggers are doing this as a career and sent those items in return for a little publicity. And the ones who buy the clothes with their own money..well, yeah, they're lucky..but you can make a Target or Primark dress look just as lovely!

A lot of people have asked me for a "photo tips" post, similar to my blogging 101 post but with photograph help. I'm more than happy to do this so keep watching in the near future. I am already planning it in my head! I'll probably split the post in two with tips for people who use DSLR's and people who use compact digital cameras.

xoxo

OOTD: Build me up buttercup

♥ Dress (underneath blouse): Topshop *** Blouse: Topshop *** Rings: Topshop/Primark ♥

My first two pictures are pretty much identical once again. I feel a bit silly posting two pictures that are so similar, but theres only so many "hand-on-hip-tilted-head-smiley-face" poses I can do before they begin to look alike! I can't pull off moody/pouty faces (nor do I really want to..) and I am not a wannabe model so this is just "me". I guess I could start turning around to show the side of my outfit, or maybe even add in whatever handbag I happen to be wearing on that day. I wish there was some kind of blogger advice book on how to pose for outfit pictures.

This is the scalloped blouse from my "fairest of them all" post a couple of weeks ago. I think it would look much better if it was slightly baggy and not so fitted). I usually go one size up to an 18 for button-up blouses, but I got this in the largest size available (UK 16). I dream of the day when Topshop start making clothes in size 18. The skirt is actually the dress from my last outfit post! I love the soft blue color paired with the blouse, so pretty and fresh. Together they remind me of the wonderful blue skies and fields filled with buttercups during spring :)

I began the "30 day shred" recently, which I have been talking about quite a bit on twitter. Today was my sixth day, making it over day ten is the trickiest from past experience. I'm not doing it to "shred" inches/pounds but rather as a quick full body work out every morning. I want to tone up my calves which running will (hopefully) help, but I feel that the rest of me should be getting a little work out too which is where the shred comes in! I know quite a few girls have also began the shred after we talked about it on twitter, so good luck to everyone!

[ shameless self promotion: All of the remaining items in my blog shop have been reduced for today only and I removed the sold items. Anything that doesn't sell by this weekend will probably go on eBay (oh the horror, I swear eBay is the internet version of hell!) ]

xoxo