dancing in the rain on wednesday

Sure, it's nice to wear white jeans in the summer. Even nicer, though, when not weather appropriate, like on a chilly rainy day, or the middle of winter. But I'm not gonna pretend I checked the forecast this morning. I don't bother. It's London, it rains, it changes unannounced either way. All bets are off, and you should wear what you please regardless. What I pleased was a teal velvet top made cleavage safe by a large angel brooch that to me embodies the 80s. The beauty of that garment is that it's thicker than it seems, so you're rather warm while still having bare arms. I know it's almost September and Scotland is on winter schedule (!), but I'm betting on London's three-degrees-above the-area, on average. And when that doesn't work, there's a shrug. The finest, thinnest shrug, indeed, but good enough to block the breeze until one gets off the street. I've just realised that the shrug is very much the colour of rust, which takes one's thoughts back to the rain and its wonderful poetry of change. This time around it felt like a day made for a geisha understudy. However, the mood of the lady, in spite of that of the day, and the lady's outfit, was for dancing in the rain. And danced she did, on the quirky Cockpit Steps across St. James's Park, as the latter is sadly all blocked up by fences meant to secure a Paralympic venue. But next time I'm in the area, all will be back to grass, trees and swans :) Jeans, top, shrug, vintage angel brooch, vintage bracelets, polka dot shoes: eBay. What speaks to you most?

tuesday work & play

Dressing for work is easy when work is mainly a company of men. Easy because no one scrutinises, and also because you can take liberties. No make up today; welcome to London! Gold shoes, who's to say not? Graphical stripes? They'd think it's zebra and not know where animal prints stand on the fashion meter this season. Silk? Did you say something? The trouble with dressing a generally size 16 body, on a budget, is that fashion forgot to create the garments for me, in the right cut. I should wear a lot of beige linen skirts and maybe a cheesy lilac waterfall cardigan on top of my nondescript top that, God forbid, does not present a more tempting cleavage to the wondering eye than needed. Accessorising, another non starter. The things produced and sold today are flimsy and uninspiring, so I've built myself a collection of vintage crystal bezel necklaces that I can throw on at ease. Today's exhibit comprises of three necklaces, so there's your instant layering in the morning, done with eyes closed and mind at work. And if an interesting evening should poke its head in, off with the shirt that looks good enough for meetings, and in with the ribbed back top that's saying let's party. Two outfits in one, plenty of texture, quite reserved even, if you ignore the gold accents. So this is where you tell me I do it all wrong and show me your idea of Tuesday :) Top (Topshop), Shirt (Atmosphere), Jeans, shoes, vintage necklaces: eBay.

mudlarking on bank holiday monday

Bank holidays are a very British thing, in mood at least. And the weather is historically bad. If you get a free day, it must rain. Today Central London was lucky enough to get its showers in the early afternoon, such that when we set foot on the South Bank we seemed to be in with a good chance to enjoy a relatively dry evening. First on the list, mudlarking. The romantic in me prefers beach combing, but truth is that underneath the sand on the Thames beaches lies a serious mud calling for wellies, and it's only caution that has seen me avoid stepping one foot deep into the damn thing. Thing is, I shan't wear wellies until I find the right wedge version. So for now I make do with my wedge camel boots. Jeans on top meant something had to be done further up in defiance of the anorak anyone else would don in the circumstances. So a white cotton dress of rich skirt topped with a several sizes larger rainbow stripe dress was my answer, paired with the pink suede bag, plus vintage & Olympic bracelets. It has been the age of the military, functional, worker equipment looks and that to me says precisely go the other way. London is grey enough as it comes, why add khaki and overals to it? So off I went, colourful lady of the beach, as a girl called after me, picking up old clay pipes and pottery fragments, plus the very welcome glass marble. Dresses (Topshop, M&S), jeans, wedge camel boots (Timberland), pink suede bag, Olympic bracelets & vintage crystal bangle: eBay. How would you have done this trip, if not activity, while dressing your wonderful plus size self?

sunday slouch in style

Hello, I'm gorgeoux. No, really. Just a tad into plus size, for my height, and struggling to find the clothes and the inspiration to enjoy this point in life at its fullest. Yes, there's a world of wonderful fashion blogs out there, yet most are talking to the size 8-10 I used to be ages ago, rather than the size 14-16 I dress every day. So after tinkering with the thought occasionally, here I finally go: sharing my outfits, my finds, my strolls and how all that comes together in London.

For starters, an outfit for Sunday, when slouching is the thing, and I believe it can be done in more style than go-to flip-flops and a nondescript gypsy skirt. Here's to suede, heels, pink, lace and... needlepoint! From Bloomsbury to Marylebone, from the Farmers' market to the glass of Mahou beer at a pub where patrons discuss acquiring 5 million pound houses...

So you hopefully learned already that I covered the obligatory fashion blogger photo on the zeeebra, that I'm cultured, and a fan of Wenlock, and maybe also that I believe the way to have fun with being size 16, at times, is to... wear something ridiculously larger. Speaking of which. Lace vest (H&M Divided), needlepoint T-shirt (Topshop), 3/4 jeans, pouch bag, vintage stag brooch and crystals bracelet: eBay. Shoes: Oxfam. AB rhinestone bracelet: Martine Digby. What say you?