OMCZ 13

Today’s challenge was thought up by Rachel from A Dress is for Life and the theme is “Standing Out From The Crowd”.

For this post I decided to share with you my quest into brighter and bolder prints, charting how I became to be more adventurous.

This first dress I bought over a year ago.  I loved the shape of the dress and I am a sucker for anything coral.  Now, I say I bought the dress over a year ago, but the picture below, taken in May of this year was the first time I wore it.  Because before, I was too scared. 

I tried to wear it on numerous occasions previously, but it was so far out of my black comfort zone that I felt like I was wearing a flashing neon sign saying “Look! Fat girl!”  Now I wear it and enjoy wearing it.  Looking back, I can’t believe how scared I was, simply to wear a pretty dress that wasn’t black.

The next dress I am showing you is one that truly does stand out from the crowd.   This dress has a beautiful flower print and is quite unusual.  I wore this on a trip out to Manchester with the girls for cocktails and it definately stood out from the crowd, for the right reasons!

I was so nervous about wearing this dress, but I loved it so much that I had to wear it, even teaming it with a red cardigan for an extra pop. 

My next standing out from the crowd dress I am not showing here, but will be wearing at the after party of Plus North.  I wanted something that exuded confidence and for me, that had to be a bright red dress.  My final goal.

Check out the other lovely ladies to see what they have chosen to stand out from the crowd.

Stephanie  http://www.seeingsp0ts.blogspot.co.uk
Gail  http://www.gailygumdrops.blogspot.ie
Leah  http://www.justmeleah.blogspot.co.uk
Mary  http://www.marysbigcloset.blogspot.pt
Becky Brown http://www.doesmyblogmakemelookfat.com
Emma http://www.meetthemillards.co.uk/
Rachel  http://www.adressisforlife.com/
Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk/
Rachel  http://stateofmylessthanthree.blogspot.co.uk/

Rebecca http://theplussideofme.com

Nikki http://www.nattynikki.blogspot.co.uk/
Rebs http://sullen-hearts.blogspot.co.uk/
Verena http://aplussizefashionobsession.blogspot.de/
Beka bekasstuffystuff.blogspot.com
Vicky http://www.thecurvedopinion.com/

Guest Posting

Today I have guest posted on the brilliant FashionWorked in conjunction with their body image season, found here:

http://fashionworked.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/body-image-experiances-with-vicky_coop-of-the-curved-opinion/

They have some brilliant fashion posts for both men and women as well as opinion pieces and Style or Vile posts.  I urge you to check them out, not just because I have written for them today!

Work Wear

I am a firm believer of not keeping clothes tucked away in your wardrobe “for best”.  What’s the point of that?  If you love an outfit, wear it and enjoy it!

I tend to buy daytime clothing that I can wear equally well at work, at weekend, or wherever I wish to.  I don’t see the point in having a dull work wardrobe, I want to enjoy my clothing every day, not just at the weekend.

I thought that I would share with you some of my recent outfits of the day which I have worn to work.  Apologies for the bathroom shots, but it’s the only mirror in the building.

I think that you can tell the days that I haven't really woken up yet!

What do you wear to work?

Shouting Back

Unless you have been living under a rock, most people by now will have heard of and seen the horrendous abuse and threats that have been sent to Caroline Criado-Perez and others.  Not just insults or abusive comments, but physical threats. 

In case you are not aware of the background, Caroline had successfully campaigned to maintain female representation on a bank note and appeared on various interviews thereafter.  For that she was inundated with threats of rape, assault and murder. 

Caroline chose to shout back rather than stay silent and to alert the police rather than be scared into submission.  The reaction to those measures by fellow Twitter users, the media and the public has stunned me. 

Victim blaming isn’t anything new.  It has been going on for years and whilst I thought that in more recent times, people were a little more enlightened, it seems that couldn’t be further from the case.

Comments like “Being on Twitter is like walking down the street naked” which I saw this morning on not what you would presume (The Daily Fail) but in The Times, by people whom you would presume would know better.  So by that, if I were to walk down the street naked should I expect threats of rape?  Is the commenter saying it would be acceptable behaviour because I was naked? 

Other comments such as “if you don’t like what is being said, leave Twitter” have been bandied about by many.  Personally, I don’t see why you should be forced off anywhere because of threatening behaviour.  

If someone was threatening you in a restaurant with rape or murder, you wouldn’t ignore it, you would report it.  It wouldn’t stop you using the restaurant again.  If someone was using menacing behaviour against you in the workplace, would you leave work and find another job rather than speak up?  Of course you wouldn’t.

Insults and abuse you can ignore, block and indeed feel pity for those who have little else in their lives other than to hurl abuse at others.  Because that is trolling.  Trolling isn’t illegal.  Threats to physically hurt you aren’t trolling, they are illegal.

Those are just some of my thoughts on the matter.  I am not a “man hater”.  I am not, as I have others been accused of “moaning about every little thing concerning women”.  I just believe that everybody, men and women alike have a right not to be physically threatened, be it in the street, in their own home or online.  If it happens, it should be reported.  Being online does not mean that laws suddenly do not apply.

What are your thoughts?

 

What a Girl Wants

I have recently joined Polyvore and have been playing around with creating different sets and finding items that I love and putting them together.

I was looking through the +ASOS Curve dresses and thought that I would share my favourites with you! My favourite I think is the skull print dress that I have been ogling for weeks now.

What favourites have you got your eye on at the moment?

 

 

Links Below

 

 

 

 

 

Barbecue Wear for Magnificent 7th!

Welcome back to the Magnificent 7th Challenge! 

We post on the 7th of each month, and the aim of the challenge is to create an outfit to fit the theme, using clothes from our wardrobes, and yes that does mean digging deep into the depths and finding those long lost clothes! Hopefully one of us won’t end up in Narnia, but you never know with a blogger's wardrobe!

This month’s theme is what to wear when going to a barbecue. 

I have a clear idea of what I do and don’t want in an outfit for a barbecue.

• A dress, something of a day to evening style as those are the normal barbecues I tend to go to.
• Something that looks good, but is still comfortable.  A bodycon dress is not the ideal thing here if you are going to be eating quantities of meat and bread!
• Something patterned.  I am a clumsy gal and invariably get some form of sauce on me.  Obviously you try and remove the stain at the time, but what normally happens with me is that you can still see traces of it, in the most visible places.  With something patterned, you can hide your clumsy mishaps!

So with the above in mind, here is what I chose.

The dress is from @So_Fab_Clothing at +Very.co.uk 

Cardigan from +Next 

Necklace from handmade stall at Skipton Market!

What do you wear to a barbecue?

Please check the other ladies involved in the challenge and their take on barbecue wear!

Beth
Kaye
Becky
Nicola
Gail
Kirsty
Mary
Kathryn
Nikki
Steph
Charley
Rebecca
Leah
Lindsey
Vicky
Christiana
Megan

Question Time

I may live to regret this, but I have joined ask.fm.

You can find me here: http://ask.fm/VickyCoop

Thought it may be an interesting exercise but if it turns out to be troll central, there is always that delightful "close my account" section.

I like the fact that questions can be asked anonymously, adds a bit of intrigue.  What question would you ask?

 

Feeling Foxy

When it gets to this time of year I start to look for dresses that can make the transition from Summer to Autumn just with a change of accessories.   If that dress can also work for either day or night time, it gets extra bonus points!

I recently spotted the South Lace Insert Day Dress in +Very.co.uk and was immediately drawn to the beautiful lace detailing around the neck and chest, combined with the fox print of the dress.  I knew that I could make it work for both seasons and dress it up or down, so it went straight into my shopping bag.

Today I have been trying to figure out how to wear this dress for an upcoming night out with the girls, so decided to take a few pictures to show you.  I would equally wear this dress at work too, just toning it down a little when Autumn arrives with a black cardigan and some opaque tights.

Shoes from +Next , bracelet was a present

What have you been buying lately?

The End is Nigh

First of all, phew!!  That was much more hard of a slog than I ever thought it was going to be.  Posting every day, plus doing your normal blogs is damn hard work, especially also trying to juggle a full time job and some semblance of a social life!

Thank you to all the other ladies involved in this challenge who took up the gauntlet with me.  I think I managed to do about 27 of the 30 which isn’t bad, although I think Nikki from Natty Nikki has to do all 30 and I can only applaud.

On the original list that I used, Day 30 was supposed to be entitled “Letting Go” whilst Day 31, which I didn’t notice (hence the name of the challenge) was “A Vivid Memory”.   I am swapping these days around and stopping at Day 30.  I will, along with a few others I bet, be falling to the floor in exhaustion after that many posts, and sharing that many things.

So on to Day 30 – A Vivid Memory

In 2009 my best friends and I decided to go away for the New Year break to Portugal.   This was the first really bad Winter that England had had and frankly we were grateful to be anywhere that didn’t have snow.

On New Year’s Eve we decided to go out for a meal and a cocktail or two.  After a cocktail or four we ended up at small local Portuguese bar, right near the beach a little before midnight.

As New Year hit and fireworks were being set off on the cliff nearby, we decided to run down the beach to the sea (cocktail fuelled).  I remember standing there, with my toes in the sea, happy, with my best friends and thinking that there was nowhere on earth than I would rather be.

Now you will notice that behind us in this picture is a wave.    We didn’t notice this wave until it hit us, covering us waist deep in sea water.  Oops.

It didn’t matter.  We laughed, rung the sea water out of our clothes and went back to the bar for a drink, where the locals, bundled up in big coats called us “You crazy English”!  We were.  That’s part of why we get on so well.

Check out the other ladies for the last time in the challenge.  Thank you for reading.

Beth http://tinkerbellandthelostgirls.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Claire http://lifeonadifferentlevel.blogspot.co.uk/

Felicity http://felicityhart.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Karen http://toodulltoblog.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Kaye http://www.polishedcurves.com 

Laura http://laurapantslifestyle.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Lisa http://lookingforlisa.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Mhairi http://www.lilybobombslovelylumps.com/ 

Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk 
Nikki http://nattynikki.com 

Steph http://seeingsp0ts.blogspot.co.uk/ Verena http://APlusSizeFashionObsession.blogspot.co.uk 

Vicky http://TheCurvedOpinion.com

Great Expectations

First, a Very Long Foreword 

I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago, before the veritable shitstorm that happened and is still happening on Twitter in what seems to be escalating into a full out war between men and women.

Putting my two pence worth in, in relation to the banning lad’s mags, do I want them banned?  As long as women are happy to be paid to pose in them and men want to read them, carry on as far as I am concerned.

Lads mags have been around for decades and no children’s minds have been warped as a result of seeing a naked/half naked body on the front of a cover. 

Both men’s and women’s bodies are splayed over countless magazines in various forms of dress and undress and all telling you how the “ideal body” should be.  All magazines show images of how we are “supposed” to look and banning lad’s magazines won’t do a damn thing.

If you don’t like a magazine, don’t buy it.  Censorship of what we see and think is already up on the up, let’s not help it.  If you object to the magazines purely for prudish reasons, then I suggest you simply don't buy them and avert your eyes. 

 

With regard to the absolutely horrendous abuse that Caroline Craido Perez and others have been experiencing this week, the level of rape and death threats have astounded me.  It is easy to say "just block and report" to someone, but how is that even possible when at one point she was receiving upwards of 50 threats AN HOUR.

I applaud Caroline for not staying quiet and for instead, shouting back.  Staying quiet in the face of abuse never solved anything. 

This isn't men v women or visa versa.  Women don't hate all men and not all men are rapists.  We are talking about a small section of the population here who are throwing abuse.  It needs to be dealt with, but talks of things like a Twitter strike isn't the way forward.  I am not sure what is.  Whether a “report” button will work on Twitter, I have my doubts as it could quite clearly work in the troll’s favour too.

Back to my original post

What I have wrote below has long been society’s view of women, and in society I include men and women because we are accountable in some ways for views and assumptions that are still maintained.

So here is what I originally wrote:

Sometimes I think that we pass through life with one person after another imposing on you who you should be, what you should look like, what you should wear, what is appropriate to say, do, think.  Everyone has an opinion and sometimes, your opinion seems to be at the bottom of the pile.

What I was thinking about today was how much of that have we assimilated?  Are we drinking the Kool Aid of what we should and shouldn’t do, say, think, be?

Some of it is what society tells us, some is passed down through our families and some through popular culture.  I was always told for example (from various sources) that “A lady doesn’t swear” .  Well fuck that.

Recently Joanna Lumley told us that women shouldn’t wear provocative clothing… Although I think she worded it as “Silly girls in silly dresses”.  Victim blaming is nothing new, and it comes from both sexes.

If you think about all the things that women are supposed to be and do, the list is quite astonishing.  In more than one corner of the world, all of them will be said to you or be presumed of you at some point.

A lady shouldn’t swear.
If you wear provocative clothing, you are “asking for it”.
Dress conservatively and you will classed as matronly or an old maid.
You must conform with society’s version of attractive.
A lady should be quiet, subservient, well spoken.
Be a lady in the kitchen and a whore in the bedroom.
“Putting out” on the third date is expected.
Remember: No man will buy the cow if he’s getting the milk for free.
You must remain perfectly groomed at all times.
All woman want children.  If you don’t there is is something wrong with you.
A man shouting “Nice tits, can I cop a feel” at you across the street should be replied with a smile not a rebuke.
You can have control of your own body, but only if society says that you can.
Be thin.  If you aren’t then any abuse you receive is your own fault.
Be a “good” girl (whatever that is).  Nice guys don’t marry bad girls.

 The list goes on and on and on.  I can’ listen anymore because it is getting depressing.   How many of you have heard had many of the above said or applied to you.  I certainly have.  You cannot possibly be all of these things all at the same time.  It's possible.  So let's not be.

It’s for change ladies.   It’s time to rip up the goddamn rule book and do things our way. 

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

― Coco Chanel

OMCZ 12

I have been seeing this challenge popping up regularly and always love the different styles and ideas that have been used.  I cheekily contact Steph who is now organising the challenge and asked her if I could join.

From what I understand about the challenge, the idea  is for each post to have something that is pushing our comfort zone.   This post’s subject was chosen by Emma of Meet The Millards and she has chosen the Bohemian look.

I have never worn the boho look before, not really knowing if it would suit me or even if i had anything that remotely fit the bill.  I dived into the back of my wardrobe however and I think I have managed it ok.

 

The dress is from Joanna Hope although I am not sure where I purchased it from.  The gold sandals are Hush Puppies from +Very.co.uk and the earrings were a sale bargain in +Dorothy Perkins 

Check out the other ladies who are pushing their comfort zone.

Dear Readers

 

Day 27 – A Letter to My Readers

Hello.   First of all, I have to say how amazing it is that I actually have readers at all.  It still astonishes me that someone would take time out of their day to read something that I have written, and even more; bother to comment.

I want to say is thank you.  Thank you for reading and thank you for anyone who leaves a comment.  I am going to use the well over used phrase here, that bugs the hell of me on reality TV shows but, you have NO IDEA how much it means to me.

From the start of writing this blog I have grown into the person I always wanted to be, but was too scared to be.  I have battled many demons, from old issues, to confidence, to feeling secure and happy in myself.  I'm not quite there yet but I am definately getting there.

I am on the right path now and am excited to see where the road takes me.  Hell, I’m even modelling in Plus North in September, something that at this time last year I never thought possible.

The writing on this blog may be mine, but the positive comments and encouragement from the people who read it are what have spurred me onwards.   Not all comments have been posted on the blog, some have been said to me via Twitter too, and in person via people who I never even thought would be interested in my blog.  All of these have been so important to me.

So THANK YOU.  Really thank you.  Because each positive comment has given me what every person needs in their life, confidence, and hope.

Burning Money

Day 26 - Something you read online

This title recently caught my eye £500,000 of Public Money to be spend on pavements for fat people

Once my head had exploded, steam stopped coming through my ears and my incredulous shouts of “What the bloody hell?” stopped I re-read the article in order to try and find some real meaning and reasoning in it.

Are they suggesting that fat people don’t currently walk on pavements as we are afraid of breaking them?  We park our cars on concrete. There is not an epidemic of fat people causing earthquakes or paving slabs splitting as we walk, so I’m pretty much sure that pavements are self from us.

Are they intimating that fat people are scared of pot holes or cracks in the pavement more than thinner people?  Anybody can fall over a defective pavement.

My only guess for what they are doing is this:

They obviously have problems with their pavements and are getting a lot of tripping claims coming through. They presumably don’t have the funding in their budget to make the repairs to the pavements, so need an excuse.

I have a vision of some bright spark in the roadways department coming up with an idea.

“Hey guys, I’ve got it!!! Put through on another department’s budget, pretend it will benefit something. Blame the fat people. Everyone hates them. Say it’s of benefit to them to get them to lose weight and we’ll get it through on “Health in the Community”.

This article blows my mind. What does it do to yours?

Check out the other ladies in the challenge and see what articles they have chosen.

Beth http://tinkerbellandthelostgirls.blogspot.co.uk/
Claire http://lifeonadifferentlevel.blogspot.co.uk/

Felicity http://felicityhart.blogspot.co.uk/

Karen http://toodulltoblog.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Kaye http://www.polishedcurves.com 

Laura http://laurapantslifestyle.blogspot.co.uk/
Lisa http://lookingforlisa.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Mary http://channellingliz.wordpress.com/
Mhairi http://www.lilybobombslovelylumps.com/ 

Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk
Nikki http://nattynikki.com 

Steph http://seeingsp0ts.blogspot.co.uk/Verena http://APlusSizeFashionObsession.blogspot.co.uk

Vicky http://TheCurvedOpinion.com

Review of Butterfly Print Tea Dress

+Simply Be recently let me choose a couple of pieces for review.  When I found the Butterfly Print Tea Dress, I knew that this would be a must have.

I chose this dress at first as I thought that it would be a great work dress as it looked cool and comfortable.  Perfect for the office.  After trying it on with various combination though it would look just as well out for a lunch with the girls or on a date!

I have styled this dress today with dark coral shoes to bring out the same tones in the butterfly pattern together with a black statement necklace.    This is a great look for a summer’s day but it could equally be easily restyled for winter with a cardigan, coloured tights and a big belt.

I know I will get a lot of wear out of this dress as there are lots of different ways to wear it.  It feels a little vintage on me, which I love, and the next combination will most definately include some classic Mary Jane style shoes!

 Butterfly Print Tea Dress £35.00

Shoes (past season) +Dorothy Perkins 

Sticks & Stones May Break My Bones

Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad)

At the ripe old age of 34, I feel that I know myself pretty well. I have good and bad traits just like anyone else and I try my best to work at the bad ones.

During a, let’s say parting of ways, with a friend he told me that I was an immoral and a two faced person. At the time and for a good while afterwards this really hurt me as I don’t honestly believe that I am either of those things, but the fact that those words were chosen completely made me question myself and the way I act to others.

My friends mean the absolute world to me and I have always tried my ultimate best to be a good friend.

Eventually I was convinced by the people closest to me that what he said wasn’t true, and that it was more intended probably to hurt me than anything else. Which was a success because it did really hurt me and is something I won’t forget.

What I ended up realising is that whilst I have changed a lot from the person he used to know, all my steps have been in relation to moving forward and having confidence to be the person that I am.  He was changing himself to be the person he thought that someone else wanted. He isn’t the person I used to know either.

I didn’t hurl abuse back and didn’t say the things I wanted.  I won’t now either.  The friendship may be over but I know that on my part it was ended with dignity and not insult and name calling. 

I may always remember it, because it marked the end of a friendship spanning over 15 years, but the words no longer hurt me.  I don’t believe in looking back anymore.

Check out the other ladies in this challenge x

Claire http://lifeonadifferentlevel.blogspot.co.uk/

Felicity http://felicityhart.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Karen http://toodulltoblog.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Kaye http://www.polishedcurves.com 

Lisa http://lookingforlisa.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Mary http://channellingliz.wordpress.com/ 
Mhairi http://www.lilybobombslovelylumps.com/ 

Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk 
Nikki http://nattynikki.com 

Steph http://seeingsp0ts.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Verena http://APlusSizeFashionObsession.blogspot.co.uk 

Vicky http://TheCurvedOpinion.com