Dress: Igigi

Belt: Sportscraft

Shoes: Milu

A month or so ago Igigi sent me a press release about the next upcoming season, and there was a dress pictured in the header. Deep blue shoulders, and a print that looked halfway between a stained glass window and mermaid scales.

I knew immediately I had to have it.

It took a while to launch on the website, during which time I saw several desperate fans admonishing Igigi online for teasing them with an unavailable dress in repeated marketing campaigns. But patience was rewarded, and finally the dress, Sapphira, arrived.

It’s one of the prettiest dresses I’ve seen on Igigi’s website, and that’s saying a lot. I’m a big sucker for beautiful prints though, and the colours in this one speak to me on a personal level.

The deep reds, purples, greens and blues play up my pale skin and give the dress movement and dimension that flat colours cannot. As usual for an Igigi dress I can’t fault the quality. The fabric is the slinky jersey that Igigi are known for, layered over a denser jersey lining, so that while the dress seems light and floaty nothing on the surface clings or hugs too tight to the body. And because the lining is stretch too it’s fantastically comfortable to wear; no constraining waistbands or seams that pull when you move. The boat neckline would normally make me feel a little top heavy, but the contrast shell draws attention away from my bust, and also prevents the print from overwhelming my face. The elbow-length sleeves make it easily trans-seasonal and I like that it pulls into a drape on the hip.

It was promoted as a workwear item, and it’s certainly appropriate for the office (unless you’re in one of those “suit” offices; in which case, you poor thing) but it’s one of those happy dresses that goes from office, to party, to date, to weekend wear with ease. I teamed it first with bright yellow shoes, my home-made necklace, and a belt to draw the waist in (the dress is just the tiniest bit big for me).

Later in the afternoon the weather took a turn for the worse, so I swapped my accessories over and discovered the dress went rather splendidly with the red boots that I bought last year from Comfortview at One Stop Plus.

Two niggles that aren’t actually niggles: As with any printed dress you’re at the mercy of the cutters, and you might not necessarily get a dress that looks exactly like the one in the pictures. With a company like Igigi you’re unlikely to end up with a dress that’s upside down (*cough*dorothyperkins*cough*) but there’s no guarantee that the one you wear will look the same as the one on the website. The dress pictured in Igigi’s marketing had a lot more variety of colour.

And the one in Igigi’s video (incidentally, can I just say how much I LOVE that Igigi does videos??) has a lot more white in it.

On the one hand this can be frustrating if you’ve fallen in love with the pattern placement on a particular dress, and the finished product doesn’t quite measure up. But on the other hand, you end up with a dress that’s totally unique.

The other issue I had was that the size 12 was just the tiniest bit too big around my waist but that’s easily fixed with a belt, or even a brooch. When I took the belt off later in the day I simply gathered the extra fabric around my waist and pinned it into the gathers already at the side.

I think next time I have my sewing machine out I’ll tack those extra gathers up permanently, but the brooch works well in a pinch.

It’s definitely a dress that’s going to make it into my wardrobe for NYC and Full Figured Fashion Week – bit over a month to go, eep!

On that note, I’ve finally listed my get-me-to-NYC eBay sale up this weekend, so feel free to drop in and take a look.

Skirt: Asos

Belt: Glassons

Shoes: Chie Mihara

I had such success with my experience of purchasing from YesWalker, that I decided a few months ago to try my luck with the mothership store YesStyle and see if they’re prices and “plus size” products really WERE too good to be true.

I’d had my eye on this lace collar polkadot blouse for some time, and had quite fancied the idea of buying a second pair of heart-toe ballet flats this time in black. Coupled with the fact that YesStyle were one of the only sources for me to buy the BB cream that I fell in love with while I was in Japan late last year and I decided to take the plunge.

My second experience dealing with the “YesAsia” brand was much the same as the first – I placed the order on the 15th of March, it shipped on the 26th, and I had it a few weeks after that.

The BB cream was The Real Deal, the shoes turned out not to be the same brand that I’d had success with previously (and frustratingly fitted about three sizes smaller) but the blouse was well worth the $25 pricetag.

It’s made of a synthetic polyester, with no stretch, and the description of the size range as “plus size” is laughable. I bought the largest size, 47; and while it fits me well enough it’s the largest size available and it seems unlikely that it would fit the 42.9″ waist measurement the size chart suggests.

The collar’s made of a lovely antique-style cotton, double layered, and it sits flat and wide with a scalloped edge that doesn’t roll at all.

The sleeve cuffs are elasticised with a slight ruffle that you don’t see because they’re at exactly the right length to get lost in the crease of my elbow. They’re quite loose and flowy, and the elastic doesn’t cut in at all.

Overall, my experience didn’t fill me with a great deal of confidence about YesStyle. It seems like the sizing is inconsistent to the point of being comical, and you need to have some familiarity with each of the brands to understand what exactly it is that you’re ordering. I fluked this top, and it cost less than the shoes which are completely unwearable. A 50% strike rate isn’t great.

That said, they have some of the cutest pieces I’ve seen on the internet. Lots of peter pan collars, colour blocking, printed fabrics, and preppy, almost cutesy styles.

The prices are great, the fashion is original and quite innovative, and next time I need to restock my BB Cream, I’ll probably take the opportunity to do another browse through their “plus size” section. BUT, it does feel like a bit of a lottery so I doubt they’ll become somewhere that I regularly frequent. (she says, before clicking through to the website & then spotting this!).

On to the Mother’s Day competition: Congratulations to Bella who’s won the opportunity to treat her Mum to an afternoon High Tea this Sunday the 12th of May.

Thank you to everyone who entered – I loved hearing your stories about your Mums and what you remember best in the wardrobes!

Bella, I’ll be in touch about how to claim your prize, and I hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

Dress: Igigi

Belt: Glassons

Tight: Marks & Spencer

Shoes: Miz Mooz

I work really hard at being socially adept. I’m a bit of an introvert, and I can come off as stand-offish, cold, or a bit of a snob unless I’m paying attention to how I interact with people. And I’m really not! I’m reserved (and surprisingly shy for someone who’s puts so much of herself onto the internet), but I’m very loving and gregarious when you get to know me, and even a bit cheeky and irreverent when you get to know me well.

Sometimes it can get a bit tiring, having to always work at “fitting in”, especially when I’m around people who aren’t necessarily sitting on my wavelength.

Since moving to Fitzroy, I’ve found myself having to work a bit harder to pass myself off as normal. The bulk of the people living in this suburb seem effortlessly cool; sipping latte’s in tiny coffee shops while interesting dogs stand guard over their fixed-gear bicycles (My brother jokes that every shop in the main drag – regardless of what they actually sell – has a bike in the window).

And while The Sophisticate – black-rimmed-glasses-wearing, apple-product-buying, film-industry-working gent that he is – mocks me for being a “hipster” along with the best of the Fitzroy-ites (Fitzrovians?), I know I’m actually just faking it.

Today’s outfit helps. It’s a kind of social camouflage, and it makes me feel a bit less like I’m being silently judged when I order my coffee in the tiny local cafe on the corner.

I’m wearing the batwing dress from Igigi that was sent to me at the beginning of Summer last year. It’s finally cooling down enough to wear it regularly. Which I totally am. Today I swapped out the kimono-style wide belt for my own slimmer brown belt. I think I actually prefer it this way – It’s not quite as shapely, but I don’t feel like my boobs are so prominently presented.

I’m also wearing a bead necklace that I made myself, after seeing a similar one on Etsy for $40, and deciding it would be a quick and easy project to DIY. It was. Did you guys want a tutorial?

Necklace: DIY

I was thrilled to find a decent bead supply shop walking distance from home (Fitzroy. They like to craft here.) and the supplies for this came to about $7, which is hard to complain about.

My true “hipster” camouflage is my messy top-knot and vintage cats-eye glasses.

I always feel equal parts smug and embarrassed when people ask where I found my spectacles and I get to tell them I bought them at a second-hand dress shop in Kansas City, and yes, they’re really vintage.

I’m also feeling Pretty Damn Pleased that I managed to find some ankle boots in New York that don’t make my curvy calves look like fence posts.

Boots: Miz Mooz

I’d pretty much given up on trying to find ankle boots that flattered my legs, but I got caught short in ballet flats during a rainstorm when I was in New York, and my feet were so cold and wet that I kind of gravitated towards the boots, and spotted these.

They’re fantastically comfortable, with a solid wedge heel and a little secret platform that makes the heels look much higher than they really are. I trekked Manhattan in them pretty much non-stop for the next few days, and they’ve rapidly become one of my favourite pair of shoes. I think the dipped ankle stops the boots from cutting my legs off short, so I know what style to look out for in the future.

Just quickly to finish up, I’ve been invited to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to take her Mum to a special Mother’s Day High Tea hosted by Bursaria at The Abbotsford Convent.

I do love a spot of high tea, and this sounds just divine with its vintage theme. Plus Mum’s are awesome and well worth spoiling, so if you’re in Melbourne and you would like to go into the draw to win a double pass to treat your Mum leave me a comment telling me what item from your Mum’s wardrobe reminds you of her the most.

For me it was – and she’ll kill me for telling you this – a navy blue corduroy dressing gown to which she had pinned a little bell. As far back as I can remember she cuddled me in that dressing-gown, and I was secretly heartbroken when she told me recently that she’d thrown it out. Apparently she kept the bell though.

Top: Big W

Trousers: Target

Shoes: Mollini

Necklace: Fun

When I wore trousers yesterday one of my customers commented that she didn’t think she’d ever seen me wearing anything but dresses or skirts before! It has been a while, hasn’t it?

I do wear trousers and jeans from time to time, but it’s rare enough that someone will always point it out whenever it happens. I suspect I’m regressing a bit to when I was a little pink-loving, bonafide girly-girl. When I was young and Mum was still dressing me she learnt quickly that I wouldn’t ever wear trousers if I could possibly avoid it. It had to be a dress or skirt, or there’d be a tantrum forthcoming. (I jest, of course. I was the perfect, even-tempered child and I never ONCE threw a fit over nothing).

The Sophisticate used to tell me that the careful attention that I paid to my wardrobe was part of my appeal for him, but he admits that conversely he’s become so used to it it’s almost like I’m dressing up when I dress down in jeans and a t-shirt.

He would have liked this outfit; shame he’s too far away on the other side of the world to enjoy it. You guys, long distance SUCKS.

This is pretty much what I wore to fly to NYC last month; give or take a few layers of cardigans and pashminas. It’s simple and comfortable. The trousers are a lovely soft ponti, with a decent weight, sewn seams down the legs and a little bit of PU detailing on the pockets. The slim fit is totally flattering – as close to leggings-as-pants as I’m comfortable with for myself.

I threw on some nice turquoise accessories to add a bit of Frou Frou; a necklace that I bought down Brunswick st at a shop called “Fun!” for under $10

Necklace: Fun

It matched so nicely with my turquoise ballet slippers I couldn’t resist:

I do like my match-matchy!

Before I sign off, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who’s contributed so far to healping me get the NYC for Full Figured Fashion Week. I appreciate your generosity more than I could possibly say. You guys are just so wonderful, I just wish I could reach through the screen and give you all great big hugs.

Don’t forget that the “competition” will run until the 1st June, and every little donation helps!

 

Skirt: Asos

Shoes: Chie Mihara

You know how people always want what they don’t have? Pale skinned girls want tans, short girls wish they were tall, busty girls wish they had b-cups. I want curls.

I’ve always had a thing for curly hair. I don’t know if it was instilled in me from watching my Mum emerge from the bathroom on special occasions smelling of Guy De Laroche’s Fidji perfume and hair still warm from the hot curlers that she used; but I just think soft curls epitomise beauty and glamour.

My mum had super soft, golden blonde hair, and it always seemed to hold a curl remarkably well.

Mine, not so much.

Don’t get me wrong, I like my hair. It’s strong and shiny, and pretty luxurious even if there’s an increasing number of what my hairdresser charitably refers to as “sparklies” (AKA, grey hairs) in it. I’ve learnt how to manage it without needing torturous hours with hairdryers and teasing combs. But it doesn’t hold a curl to save itself.

For my 30th birthday I “gifted” myself a perm. Worst. Decision. Ever. My hair overnight became brittle and lacklustre. I didn’t have the waves and barrel curls I’d imagined, I just seemed to have frizz that felt crunchy and fell out in handfuls. To add insult to injury the second the perm started growing out great chunks of my hair would regularly snap off where the healthy met the chemically destroyed.

Never again.

It didn’t do much to diminish my love of curly hair, but it turned me off trying to do it to myself.

Enter the ghd.

Friends more adept than I with salon equipment would speak about the ghd in hushed tones, but as far as I was concerned it was just another straightener and, a) why would you want to straighten your naturally curly hair, for God’s sake? and b) no device I’d ever used had any kind of lasting effect on my stubborn locks anyway.

Newsflash: Apparently you can use a straightener to curl your hair.

When ghd offered to send me a straightener for review, I wasn’t quite sure whether or not I should say yes. On the one hand, I’m not at all familiar with using a straightener, and I wasn’t sure whether or not it would be a waste of their resources to give me a device that I wasn’t capable of using, which would probably have little to no effect anyway. On the other hand…. I was kind of curious to know what the hype was about.

Curiosity won out, and a few days later this beautifully packaged piece of machinery arrived on my doorstep.

Let me preface this by saying: an amazing product in the hands of a complete amateur is not going to result automatically in perfect style. You just have to check out my first attempt at curls on my Facebook page to see what a dog’s breakfast I made of styling my hair. But the good thing about the internet is that there’s lots of very helpful videos that show you how to do things… and if you have an amazing friend who knows how to drive one of these things, then so much the better.

My first impression of the ghd is that it’s a beautifully designed item, aesthetically and mechanically. It’s comfortable in the hand, not too heavy, cool to touch, and heats up astoundingly quickly. Even as a complete newbie I didn’t manage to burn myself once. And my second (post-tutorial) attempt looked like this:

CURLS! THE CURLS OF MY DREAMS!

I used no product, no hairspray, nothing but the ghd, then I took myself out for an evening on the town, staggered home at about 11PM, put myself to bed and guess what?

The next day I still had curls.

I got up, had some breakfast, wandered around the shops went home, cooked dinner and put myself to bed again. And the next morning?

Curls. A little less buoyant than before, but indisputably curls.

The ghd is officially a miracle device, and well-deserved of its reputation as the very best hair straightener (curler) on the market, and I’m looking forward to developing my repertoire of hairstyles (the ghd website’s got a few on-trend tutorials that provide a good starting point for experimentation)