Original Tour London Christmas Lights

When I was little, my dad would drive up to central London in the run up to Christmas so we could see the Christmas lights on Oxford Street and Regent Street. He'd drive along the streets (I know, crazy!) and I've never forgotten the feeling of being wrapped up in a cosy car watching the festive lights through the window while listening to Christmas music... and that bagpipe player that used to stand outside Hamley's. I'm sure I didn't imagine that. Did I? Anyway, when I was contacted by Original Tour London to experience their Magical Christmas Lights Tour, I immediately thought of those times I spent marvelling at the streets of London all lit up, and I just had to try it out.

50 Days of Christmas with Boots

The days are getting shorter, the air is getting crisper and there's definitely a sense of anticipation brewing. Christmas is finally approaching, and I'm already getting myself organised with gifts for my loved ones. Everybody knows the festive season begins when the Boots Christmas Gift Guide comes out, so who better to turn to when looking for the perfect Christmas gifts? I've chosen three people in my life who are sometimes tricky to buy for and picked the ideal gift to show them I really know them. 

OOTD // Embroidered Jeans with CurveWow

As I've mentioned a lot lately, I've been challenging myself to take more risks when it comes to the clothing I wear. At the moment, I'm really into skinny jeans. Having worn nothing but black skinny jeans through the entirety of 2006- 2010, it's funny that these days it seems like such an intimidating prospect. I'm absolutely loving my foray back into denim though, and I've had so many lovely comments both online and off. When CurveWow asked if I'd like to try an item from their collection, I saw these blue embroidered skinny jeans and absolutely fell in love. To my delight, they're even more beautiful in real life!

Top: Primark (similar here) Jeans: CurveWow Shoes: Primark (similar here)

OOTD // Embroidered Midi Dress with Lovedrobe

Sometimes all you need is to put on a pretty dress, do your hair all nice and have a fun evening with your loved ones. I have found the perfect dress to do just that. This black embroidered dress from Lovedrobe is so pretty, the ideal garment for getting dressed up, and I feel amazing in it! 

Dress: Lovedrobe Shoes: Peacocks (similar here)

OOTD // Denim Pinafore with Lovedrobe

Lately I've been trying really hard to push myself a bit when it comes to clothes. As much as I love my skater-skirt-and-t-shirt basics, I've enjoyed experimenting with my style a bit more recently, and trying out shapes and looks I wouldn't usually go for. When Lovedrobe contacted me, I kept this in mind and decided to try this denim pinafore. I loved the cute retro feel, and I had an idea straight away of how I could style it. Luckily for me, the risk absolutely paid off!

Pinafore: Lovedrobe Turtleneck: Primark (similar here) Shoes: Simply Be

OOTD // ELVI jacquard mini skirt

When you're plus size, you pick up a lot on what other plus size folk say about clothing brands. It's not as easy for us to just walk into any high street shop and pick something up off the rails, so word of mouth is super important. One of the brands I'd heard a lot about was ELVI, particularly about how generous their sizing was. When I got an email asking if I'd like to try out one of their pieces, I was really excited to find out for myself whether ELVI lived up to the hype. Let me tell you now- I was not disappointed!
Top: Primark (similar here) Skirt: ELVI Leggings: Evans Boots: ASOS

OOTD // Denim & Gingham with Yours Clothing

We've already established that I pretty much wear dresses, or at least skirts, every single day of my life. I think I own one pair of trousers, one pair of dungarees and that's it in terms of two-legged garments. But sometimes I think maybe it would be nice to experiment a bit more. When Yours Clothing got in touch and asked if I'd like to try out an outfit from their new collection, I saw this as the perfect opportunity. 

Shirt: Yours Clothing Jeans: Yours Clothing Shoes: Primark (similar here)

Der Glöckner von Notre Dame // Visiting the theatre abroad

I've been 'learning German' for the past 2 years or so. By which I mean occasionally having a little go on Duolingo and trying to translate the German sections of tampon leaflets and shampoo bottles. Armed with this practical experience, I decided I could totally visit the theatre in Germany and watch a musical performed entirely in German. How hard could it be?

A Good Night's Sleep in collaboration with Leesa

Isn’t it funny how when you’re a child, you’d do anything to avoid going to bed, but then you become an adult and suddenly the most important thing in the world is getting as much sleep as possible? The only problem then, of course, is that you rely on optimal conditions to get a good night’s sleep. Rather than falling asleep wherever you happen to be, you need a dark room, quiet surroundings and, most importantly, a comfortable mattress. This is where Leesa comes in. Specialising in simplified, three-layer foam mattresses, Leesa are committed to giving everyone the best sleep possible, and gave me the opportunity to trial one of their mattresses to try out the experience for myself.

OOTD // Pink Clove Skater Dress

I cannot resist a skater dress. There's something about the loose fit and flowing fabric that I just find so comfortable, and they look cute too. I also happen to love a wrap dress, so throw the two together and you pretty much have the perfect dress recipe for me. This particular plus size dress is from Pink Clove and I'm absolutely in love with it!

Dress: Pink Clove Shoes: Primark (similar here)

Best Destinations for Plus Size Travellers

Travelling the world throws up all sorts of problems for us plus size folk. What are local attitudes like? How fat-friendly is the transport? If, like me, you're also not very fit, then are there lots of steps or steep hills to climb? It can be pretty daunting trying to plan a trip when you don't know what to expect, so I've asked some fellow plus size travel bloggers to recommend their favourite destinations.

Caribbean Travel Wishlist

As you probably know (because I won't stop banging on about it), I recently visited the Caribbean for the first time. It was everything I imagined it to be and more. The bright blue sea, the powdery white sand, the sunny skies... right down to the chilled, friendly vibe. It's definitely whet my appetite for these beautiful islands and I'm already making plans to visit again. Although I stayed in a hotel last time, the idea of a villa intrigues me. Your own private space where you can relax without worrying about other people. No loud parties coming from the room next door, no rush to get to breakfast before all the good food has gone and, crucially, nobody to judge you when you unleash your giant inflatable swan into the pool and start snapping photos. Luxury Retreats specialise in finding the perfect accommodation to match each traveller, with over 300 destinations including houses in Anguilla, St Lucia, the Bahamas and beyond. With this in mind, I've done a little research on the Caribbean islands and come up with a travel wish list, with three nations I'd love to visit.

Summer Frights with The London Dungeon

Being a literal Master of Death an' all, you'd probably expect me to be pretty hardy when it comes to spooky stuff. You'd be wrong. I am a massive wuss! 15 years ago I put myself on a self-imposed horror film ban, which is still standing, because the nightmares I got afterwards would be ridiculous. Hearing a creak in the house at night, or the shadow of a tree branch brushing past my window, is enough to make me cower under the duvet in fright. Yet, for some reason, there is one terrifying pursuit that I absolutely love to put myself through: The London Dungeon (oh, and also graveyards, but that's not really relevant to this post). My first visit to the London Dungeon was for my hen do, and I loved it so much that I visited the Edinburgh Dungeon shortly after my wedding too. This summer, the London Dungeon are putting on special adults-only after-hours events, and I couldn't resist going along to check it out.

101 in 1001 XXXIX

What a couple of months I've had! From finally attending Eurovision, to jetting off to Aruba for my first press trip, I've had the perfect opportunity to tick off lots of goals. I've definitely found that my third set of my goals are much more achievable than the first two, and it's making me feel really positive about getting at least 75% of them completed before the 1001 days are up in 2020. 
#2 Visit 10 new-to-me foreign cities 3/10

Technically, Lisbon isn't new to me. I visited when I was a child but I was very young and my only memories are seeing the black-and-white tiled floor, and a very vague memory about a big glass building that may not even be in Portugal after all. For the purposes of my goals, I count a new city as anywhere I haven't been as an adult, so I'm including it. Oranjestad in Aruba, however, is absolutely a new-to-me location. Two new cities in one month, taking my total up to three- what a great few weeks!

A month of Instagram strategies

Oh, Instagram. Is there any social media platform that makes you feel more frustrated, and less accomplished, than Insta-bloody-gram? As soon as you gain a follower, you lose five, and it seems like no matter how much you work on it, no matter how much you love your photos, no matter what strategies you put in place, it just doesn't make a difference. Of course we can all sit here and say 'it's not about the followers' but let's face it, most bloggers want to gain an audience, and with Instagram becoming more and more important for securing opportunities, the majority of us would like a boost. As I was slowly crawling towards my next milestone of 4000 followers, I decided to set myself a challenge: Throughout June, I'd spend a week dedicated to one of four different growth strategies, and see if I could secure that number. 

5 Reasons to Stay at Manchebo Beach Resort Aruba

While I was in Aruba, I had the pleasure of staying at Manchebo Beach Resort on Eagle Beach. Every traveller will know that choosing your hotel is one of the most important decisions you can make for a holiday- after all, it can be the difference between wanting to go home straight away or never, ever wanting to leave. Luckily for me, Manchebo falls into the latter category. It was such a lovely, friendly place to stay and really helped make my visit amazing.

OOTD // Candy Striped Dress

Do you ever do that thing where you find something nice in the sale, buy it even though it's definitely not weather-appropriate, and then completely forget about it by the time the relevant season comes round? That's exactly what I did with this dress! I bought it from Sainsbury's in the winter of 2016, intending to save it for the summer. Only by the time summer emerged, it was buried in the bottom of my wardrobe. Earlier this year, I cleared out most of my clothes and came across it again. This time, I made sure not to forget it and it finally got its chance to shine, 18 months after purchase.

Dress: Sainsbury's (similar here) Leggings: Evans Shoes: Primark (similar here)

7 Activities to Try in Aruba

We've already established why you should visit Aruba, but what should you do when you get there? I was very grateful to be given the opportunity to try a huge host of varied activities, and I've chosen my seven favourites to create a list of must-do adventures. As I've said before, this happy island really gave me a sense of empowerment, so I tried a lot of things that I never would have considered before. It's amazing how much you can achieve when you push yourself beyond your comfort zone! 

 

Twenty Things I Learned in my Twenties

Tomorrow, I turn 30... and I cannot wait. Looking back over the past ten years, I can see the growth and evolution I've made as a person and I feel ready to start a whole new chapter. In June 2008, I was a first-year teaching student, in a two-month strong relationship with some guy called Rich, and I was making the most of university life. I had a lot of fun but I was unsure of myself, a little timid and a lot insecure. Now I finally feel like I've found my feet and it's got me reflecting on the lessons I've learned throughout my twenties.

Five Reasons to Visit Aruba

At the end of May, I was lucky enough to spend a week on the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba, invited to encounter its beautiful beaches and renowned friendliness for myself. If you follow me on social media, you may have seen me talking about this gorgeous country a lot lately. It was just such a wonderful experience that I couldn't help but share it, and now I want to give five reasons why you should also visit Aruba.

Nails // DND Shimmer Sky

Over the past few weeks, I've had bright pink nails, bright yellow nails, coral nails... With so many bright colours lately, I felt like going back to something a little more muted, and settled on Shimmer Sky by DND.

72 Hours in Lisbon (Solo)

A very long time ago, I visited Lisbon with my grandparents. My only strong memory was looking down at the trippy black & white floor, so I really wanted to revisit the Portuguese capital as an adult (and hopefully remember more than just the ground). As luck would have it, the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted by Lisbon and, as I'd already promised myself I'd attend, I managed to tick both goals off at once. My Eurovision experience was great (read all about it here), but I gave myself an extra day either side so I could explore the city too. My third solo adventure was quite the experience!

May Reading Round Up

With a total of almost 30 hours spent on planes in May, I thought I would get a lot of reading done. Unfortunately, flying makes me sleepy at the best of times, and my brain decides that reading is the perfect way to fall asleep when I'm in the air, so I actually didn't get much done at all. In fact, I think I would have read more if I'd been at home the whole month. Oh, well!

OOTD // Fun House with TruffleShuffle

What an absolute dream Fun House was! Running home from school on a Friday afternoon so you could admire Pat Sharp's mullet and dream that you were a cute cheerleading twin shaking pom poms. Or, of course, that you had the opportunity to race those go karts. The ultimate goal. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to enter the Fun House myself but, over 20 years later, I can finally throw on that yellow t-shirt (we can all agree Team Yellow was the best, right?) thanks to TruffleShuffle. Better yet, you can join me- or be my Red Team rival- with your own top, using the discount code at the bottom of this post. 

Fun House top: TruffleShuffle Skirt: New Look Leggings: Evans Shoes: Converse

June Wishlist

It's my birthday month!! I'm turning 30 in less than two weeks and I'm honestly so excited. My twenties definitely felt like a time for experimentation and making mistakes, but from my 29th birthday until now, this has been the absolute best year of my life. I feel like I've truly brought this chapter of my life to a close and now I can move on, looking ahead to an even brighter future. With this bright future theme in mind, I'm planning a silver-and-gold look for my party (I'm having a party, for Christ's sake! I'm a whole new person!) and thought it would be cute to carry along in this vein for my June wishlist. Sequins at the ready!

Silver trousers (also in plus size) // Gold bikini top and bottoms // Silver trainers Rose gold bag // Silver mini skirt // Gold sequin dress Silver glitter heels // Olivia Burton rose gold watch // Silver fringe bag I can't wait to show you my outfit! Raise a glass to me turning thirty ;)
Affiliate links have been used in this post Bloglovin' // Twitter // Instagram

OOTD // Miffy with TruffleShuffle

Fun fact: When I was 15, I wanted a Miffy tattoo. I'm not going to lie, part of me still thinks that would be really cool. I absolutely love the little Dutch bunny and I cannot resist any Miffy-branded products. Luckily for me, TruffleShuffle has a whole bunch of them, including this super cute Miffy raglan baseball t-shirt. Isn't it gorgeous! If you want your own Miffy top (or bag, or mug, or door stop...), keep reading, because I have a 15% discount code at the end! 
Top: TruffleShuffle Skirt: ASOS Leggings: Evans Shoes: Primark (similar here)

My Keratin Experience

I was about 15 when I first read about permanent straightening treatments in CosmoGirl. With big, fluffy, unmanageable hair, it seemed like my ultimate dream... and one I'd never achieve. As I got older, I looked more into these treatments and discovered keratin treatments, sometimes known as a Brazilian blow dry. They promise to leave hair straighter, shinier and simpler to control. It still felt like a distant dream, until I started making regular hair appointments for blow drys (and started using the phrase 'my hairdresser' when talking about a specific person). I realised it was a self-imposed block stopping me getting my dream treatment. I wasn't the sort of person who got my hair done, so I stuck to that narrative. As soon as I developed a good relationship with a hairdresser, I realised it wasn't actually a big step to book myself in for the keratin. Now, having just had my second treatment and being blown away by the results, it's time to share my experience.











WHAT IS THE KERATIN TREATMENT?
The most important thing to note here is that, contrary to what CosmoGirl told me, keratin isn't actually permanent straightening. It's not going to keep your hair straight no matter what you do to it. It will still go curly after washing, it will just be quicker and easier to straighten after. At least, that's what I was told when I booked my appointment. In reality, it totally did stay straight after an entire day at a waterpark dunking my head under the water and washing it afterwards, and I nearly cried from disbelief. But more on that later.

My Solo Eurovision Adventure

I bloody love a bit of Eurovision. Every year I watch and think 'how amazing would it be to be there!' Last year I had an epiphany, when I realised there wasn't actually anything stopping me going. So I kept a close eye on the Eurovision site, found out when tickets were released and made sure I was ready, credit card in hand. Unfortunately I missed out on tickets to the grand final, but there were seats available for the first semi final, and I figured that was still part of Eurovision. So last week I found myself sitting alone on a plane to Lisbon, heading towards Europe's biggest party of the year.

This being my first Eurovision experience, I wasn't entirely sure of how things would pan out. I had three main questions, and luckily they all resolved themselves perfectly.

May Wishlist

May is finally here, and I am so glad to be feeling the sun on my face at last! This is a super exciting month for me, because I have two trips abroad: one to go to Lisbon for the Eurovision semi-finals and one to Aruba! I cannot believe that in just three weeks, I'll be jetting off to the Caribbean! I've used these two trips to inspire my wishlist this month, with blues and yellows inspired by the tiles of Lisbon and Aruba beaches.

101 in 1001 XXXVIII

As I said in my last 101 in 1001 post, the first of this third list, I've made a conscious effort to make sure my goals are realistic. I've set up a little spreadsheet and everything so I can plan when I'm going to achieve them and tick them off when they're completed. This new approach means I've got off to a really great start, with ten in progress, three completed and a further twelve arranged for the next couple of months. I'm determined to get as much done as possible this time! 

#1 Visit 10 new-to-me foreign cities 1/10

Back in March, I popped over to Copenhagen for a little solo day trip. It was my first experience of flying somewhere for a day, and my 8 hours in Denmark were the perfect way to visit a new city (and a new country, for that matter) without using up a lot of time and money. I'm already looking into potential cities for my next day trip.

Read about it here

OOTD // Heartbreaker

I challenge you to read through this post without getting Marina and the Diamonds stuck in your head. Apologies in advance! When I saw this heartbreaker top on ASOS just before Valentine's Day, I had to get my hands on it. I might look sweet and innocent, but I'm definitely capable of breaking a few hearts!

Top: ASOS Skirt: New Look Leggings: Evans Boots: ASOS (similar here) Bag: TruffleShuffle

A Place on the Plane with Saturday Night Takeaway

Remember in 2016 when I went to see Saturday Night Takeaway and I wrote a whole blog post about how it was basically a dream come true? Well, as everybody who follows me on social media will know, that dream only went and got better because my mum only went and won a place on the plane to the series finale in Universal Orlando... and took me with her! I may have gone into full Rylan mode when she called to tell me- screaming and sinking to my knees next to the sofa. I'd like to say I'm joking but I'm not. I really like Ant & Dec, OK? (Well, we all know it turned out to be only Dec but the less said about that the better I guess) I wasn't intending to write about it- I even left my camera at home, so these are going to all be bad phone photos- but as you can probably imagine, it was an absolute dream and I can't resist typing out a few words! Make yourself comfortable because this might be long...

OOTD // Actually I Can

Some people would call me stubborn. I prefer to say I'm determined. If I set my sights on something, I'm going to do everything I can to achieve it, regardless of what other people think. It's this attitude which made me need this jumper with a burning passion.

Jumper: New Look (similar here) Skirt: New Look Leggings: Evans Boots: ASOS (similar here)

Solo day trip to Copenhagen

Around Christmastime, I was idly browsing Skyscanner, as you do, and noticed that the cheapest flights were £15 return journeys to Copenhagen. Curiosity got the better of me, so I clicked for details and discovered these were for two flights on the same day- one flying out of Stansted at 9am and returning from Copenhagen at 11pm. So I did what any self-respecting blogger would do and booked them on a whim. I wasn't entirely sure if this was a genius idea or the stupidest thing ever, but I was looking forward to finding out. 

101 in 1001 XXXVII

My first 101 in 1001 recap since I started my new goals! I worked really hard to make my new goals realistic so I'm feeling pretty optimistic about getting at least 75% completed. I've got off to a very good start!
#30 See 15 shows

1/15 I adore Oscar Wilde, so I was thrilled to see the Vaudeville Theatre are staging their Oscar Wilde season- an entire year celebrating his work. Right at the end of December, I saw A Woman of No Importance, but that was before these 1001 days began. Just after New Year, I went to see Simon Callow in the one-man production of De Profundis: the letter Wilde wrote to his lover while incarcerated in Reading Gaol. It was incredibly powerful and I was struck by Callow's use of his hands to add to his performance (I wondered if this is a classic thespian thing as Alan Rickman- love of my life- always acted with his hands too). Currently showing is Lady Windermere's Fan until April so I really must make time to go and see it. 

OOTD // Marks & Spencer Curve Collection

You can't go wrong with a bit of Marks & Spencer. If you're looking for classics, it can't be beaten, although they also stock some really cute things on the more exuberant side. Now they've stepped up their game with the introduction of their brand new Curve collection- a plus-size range especially designed for sizes 16 to 32.

Wrap top: Marks & Spencer Cropped trousers: Similar here Embroidered flats: Marks & Spencer

Review // Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

I've been blogging for a long ol' time now and for the past few years, Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara has been getting a lot of love. I'd been strictly a Benefit mascara kinda girl for a long time but when my last bottle of They're Real ran out, I decided to see if Better Than Sex was worth the hype. Spoiler alert: It is.

OOTD // Miffy Christmas Jumper

OK, last Christmas post, I promise. It's just that this jumper is so cute and I can't wait a whole year to post it at a more socially-acceptable time. My blog, my rules. 

Jumper: Truffle Shuffle Skirt: New Look Tights: ASOS (similar here) Boots: ASOS (similar here)

My first experience giving blood

I don't like to boast, but I have a high pain threshold and I'm not afraid of needles. It would be a shame to waste those skills. For ages, I've been saying I'll give blood but have never got round to it. When writing my 101 in 1001 conclusion post, I decided to transfer my uncompleted goal onto the new list, and then figured there's no time like the present. Visiting the Give Blood website, I registered and noticed there was a donation session taking place half a mile from my house in two days time. Before I could give myself a chance to procrastinate, I booked that appointment. I'm so very glad I did because it was a great experience and I'm already looking forward to my next session!

OOTD // Black Milk Wrapped Up Skirt

Ever since I bought my first piece of Black Milk Clothing way back in 2013 (see terrible photos here), I've absolutely loved the brand. I was really looking forward to their Christmas 2017 collection but there was only one piece I liked- the Wrapped Up Pocket Skater Skirt. At least that made my decision easier, I guess! 

Review // Lush Daddy-O .Shampoo

I'd stayed clear of Lush Daddy-O Shampoo since the packaging specifically mentions grey and blonde hair which obviously I do not have. However, I absolutely love the scent of violets so eventually decided to give it a go, figuring that while it's great for blonde hair, it's not like brunettes can't use it.

101 in 1001 Review

By coincidence, my second 101 in 1001 ended on December 31st, meaning I get to start the new year with a brand new challenge. Crazy to think I've been blogging for over 2000 days. In fact, this week was my sixth blog anniversary! When I finished my first set, I wrote a massive review post covering every single goal and whether I achieved it. It was a long ol' post but it was very well received so I'm going to do it again. Strap yourselves in!

OOTD // Gold Sequin Dress

It wouldn't be the festive season without some sparkle, amiright? I actually bought this dress last Christmas and I've had absolutely no use for it until now. It's made for Christmas parties but since I had none of those to go to, I figured I'd just chuck it on for no specific reason in a look I'm calling: Chubby Disco Pigeon.

Dress: ASOS (similar here) Tights: ASOS Shoes: Peacocks (similar here)