My Favourite Shoes

I love ballerina pumps. They are my go to shoe for most occasions.

It is rare that there is an outfit they won't go with and these days the choice is vast.

I have big feet. I have been a size 9 since I was 15 years old. Thankfully they decided to stop growing. This does however pose some problems when it comes to buying shoes.

Back in the 'day' Saxone used to be pretty much the only place I could buy shoes. Their tall and small department kitted me out for girly shoes. Other than that all my shoes/trainers were from the men's section. I can tell you that does nothing for a teenager's self esteem. Thankfully Dr Marten's were in vogue during the back end of my senior school years.

Even until recently finding shoes in a size 9 for a under £40 a pair was tricky. However, many stores are starting to catch up Brantanto, New Look, Evans, Next and even Asda have started to stock fashionable shoes in the larger size.

My favourite store for choice is Shoezone. They have a massive range of size 9 and above shoes, most importantly (for me at least) they are in a standard width. Even though I am bigger than the average fashion consumer I do have long skinny feet, with really long finger toes.

So back to my current favourite shoes. I first bought these at the beginning of the year for just £7.99. They are a classic shape and I love the print. The insole is cushioned and they are perfect for perking up a work outfit. After pretty much daily wear, over a 3 month period I wore them through.

For me Shoezone is like the Primark of the shoe world. Except they also sell online as well as in store.

Let me know which of their extensive range are your favourite.

Yours Clothing: Red and Black Ditsy Floral Print Jersey Tunic

I was shuffling through the @yoursclothing website last week and noticed this in the sale. I've been after some dresses for work, and when you stand at 5' 10" in your size 9 ballerina pumps that can be an effort in itself. 

It reminds me of the pattern that you find on bandanas, which I collect and have an assorted array of colours and they'll come out to play during the summer no doubt. 

At the moment I'm between a 24 and 26 for dresses so I plumbed for the 26/28 in the hope that it would make it that little bit longer so I could wear it as a dress rather than a tunic. 

A gamble I think paid off. 

As a member of the not blessed with big boobs brigade I appreciate the faux vest in the v-neckline. 

I also feel I must apologise for the photo, I've been having a few bad face days so have left off the make up. 

I love this item, and in an office that seems to be set to tropical it is just the right sort of material. 

I wore it with some opaque black tights and a pair of chelsea boots, which you can't see on this photo. I need to get me a photographer!

You can find this item on the website here. 

My New Coat

Here I'm introducing you to another impulse buy from BeeBee Towers. Again from the clothingattesco.com True range. It was such a stunning colour I couldn't resist adding it to my Spring wardrobe.

I say it was an impulse buy but I did think about it for a week before I took the plunge. Sadly in that week they sold out of my preferred size within the first week of it being up on the site. Reluctantly I got the next size down. 

Amazingly it fits! Apart from a couple of sleeve-length related issues - which probably would have happened if I had bought the bigger size too as I have exceedingly long arms, to go with my long legs and even longer body. 

A Wardrobe Malfunction

So there I was walking down Coney Street in York when horror of horrors I felt a draft. A cold draft at that, right where I shouldn't be feeling a draft when wearing jeans, woolly jumper and a vest top.

I oiked up my jeans and kept walking. I think I got 2 shops down, I had to stop and oik them back up again. What to do? Erm, get some new ones was the best option I could come up with.

So with waistband clasped in both hands I high tailed it to New Look in Blake Street and foraged in the Inspire sale section. I came across a fab pair of black jeans, 32" leg for just £10.

What a difference a pair of trousers make.

I forgot how nice the cut of the trousers are at New Look, especially for taller people. The feel of the material is good, and it feels durable. The over black dye means that they can double as work trousers with a smart top too. Here's hoping that the next time I need some new trousers that they still stock the high-waisted jeans.

New Dress!

 It must be Spring... I'm starting to break the legs out, albeit in opaque tights but they are out and that counts!

I was looking for a work appropriate dress that could be dressed down and dressed up as my mood takes me and found this F&F True Floral Plus Size Wrap Dress on the clothingattesco.com website.

 

It doesn't look overly low cut, however as boobs are not my biggest asset I have popped a vest top underneath which matches the middle of the daisy prints. I also like that the website tells you the height of the model so you can judge the length, I'm the same height and it's not far off!

At this rate my office's toilets are going to be famous from the OOTD/selfies that I have taken to doing in there on the sly. 

This design appears to be flying off the shelves. I bought this on Saturday and now half of the sizes are limited and down to only 1 or 2. So if you are a larger size I'd get there quickly. I hope that with the popularity of this style that they will bring other fabric designs in the same cut. If they do I'll be there first in the queue to get them. 

I haven't shopped with the True range for a long time as they haven't had the best designs recently and since leaving the shop floor. This season they appear to have made a change. I also am in love with a hot pink mac on the site... Fingers crossed they will still have one left on pay day!

Everything £5 Haul

Pink and Grey Poncho: I've always fancied a poncho for day-to-day wear, but wasn't sure about it. So when I spotted this fleece number on the website everything5pounds.com I thought what have I got to lose.

And I must admit I am pleasantly surprised. It's a great length for when you're out and about, especially jumping in and out of the car. I can't be doing with the faff, I'm also thinking in the springtime it could well be school run worthy.

Black and red polka dot skirt: This is a simple skirt, I have my eye on wearing it to work with either a long-sleeve black top or white shirt.

Asymmetric dress in caramel with dark brown stripes: this I have earmarked to wear with my skinny jeans or leggings and some ankle boots. Again this is earmarked for none work mummy days. School run appropriate I do believe.

What do you think of these items? I still can't believe all 3 pieces only cost me £15 pounds.