Gok Wan for Simply Yours Spring/Summer 2012

Evenin' Lovelies!

I'm back again! Told ya I'd be outta my slump shortly! And thank goodness I am feeling better, because there was no way I was missing the launch of Simply Yours's new 2012 range with my very favourite man!

Yes, indeed Gok Wan has graced us with another season of his simply stunning underwear. I have to admit, I have always been a fan of this collaboration but am yet to actually own a piece, I am hoping to dip into my account this season and make a cheeky little purchase!

Unfortunately at the moment the range doesn't cater to my bra size, but a little birdie tells me that this may change in the future and larger cup and back sizes may become included....*wink wink*. But that doesn't mean I won't be able to own a fabulous pair of Pull Me In Pants!

The collection has gone back to classic simplicity, with Goks 'Wall of Fame' collection. I really do like the injection of colour and how the pieces are all topped off with lovely little finishing touches, have a nosey for yourself.....

What do you think?

I love the way this range has been styled, all those pops of colour purposely mismatched to give it that really fun, flirty edge! I even commented to the lovely Simply Yours buyer Natalie how I would love to own that tangerine bra and rock it in the summer under a sheer blouse! Stunning!

The launch was held in the fabulous W hotel in London's Leicester Square, and I was thrilled to be invited along. I have to admit, I am never usually star struck, to me people are just people regardless of whatever kind of status they have but Mr Wan is my exception, I went totally fan girl and had no idea what to say *loser*! Gok was gorgeous, stunning and so down to earth it's not difficult to see why people love him the way they do!

As well as being a total geek over Gok I was thrilled to see some of my favourite blogger ladies and get to have a natter with them, not for as long as I would usually like but it's always good to see them!

It was difficult deciding what I was going to wear but in the end I went for a little nautical number. This trend is regurgitated year on year and never goes out of fashion, the stores are already giving it us thick and fast so you can't really go wrong with it! A pop of red, a sprinkling of navy, and voila, we have a nautical Naomi!

Ponti Navy Dress - £24.99 New Look Inspire
Red Belt - £4 Matalan
Red Cardigan - Primark
Leopard Print Scarf - £7.99 H&M

I love this little dress, again from my fave place at the moment New Look Inspire (I'm begging them to expand their sizing so I can wear they're jeans!). It came with a little leopard print belt, but unfortunately that didn't fit me, which is really annoying, I hate when outlets can't size properly! I recently had a stripey skater tunic from them which came with a belt which fit perfectly, so it shouldn't really be an issue? Should it?! You can also see this dress on the gorgeous Laura, this is a great way to see how items fit differently, go check out her post!

Anyway, make sure you check out Gok's new range and let me know what you all think!

BIG LOVE
XOXOXOX

Carmakoma Spring/Summer 2012 Looks

Evenin' Lovelies!

I was browsing through Facebook this evening and stumbled across some stunning photos. What were they? Carmakoma's Spring/Summer 2012 look book.

Granted, it bugs the hell out of me that the brands garments aren't made to my dimensions, and who wouldn't be a bit gutted when as you can see, they make some fabulous items and with images like these, who wouldn't want to be wearing their shiz? Also a little bit in love with their stunning model Line Mikkelsen, totally gorgeous!

What do you reckon?

Carmakoma Spring/Summer 2012
(she's rockin' the bow tie too! YES!)

All images are not my own and have been borrowed from the Carmakoma website with thanks.

Taking Some Deep Breaths.........oh and an OOTD!

Evening guys!

This is just a little post to say, I am still around but I am, to be honest, totally run down. I don't feel like I have much to contribute at the minute because I'm feeling so rubbish. Mainly just work, but life in itself is just a bit *Meh* I suppose.

There are some really great things going on over the next month, so I'll have lots to talk about as soon as I am over my January blues and I am feeling decent enough to actually put some decent clothes on, I'll be back on full form I'm sure!

Whilst I disappear, here are a few pics from an outfit I wore last Sunday for loungin', shopping and walking the Gizmo dog! P.S this is the H&M scarf that I made Lauren hunt the Oxford St store with me for! Cheers love!

Boots - Evans (few years ago)

Cardigan - £13 Primark
Black Tunic - £7 New Look Inspire (on sale)
Leggings - £10 ASOS Curve (Best legging ever, size down!)
Scarf - £7.99 H&M
Ring - Primark
Earrings - Select

Back Soon & Big Love
xoxox

Diamonds and Daggers, Daxon and a VERY big disappointment!

Gizmo Dog wanted to get in on the action this week whilst I was writing!

Ello lovelies!

Well, it's officially all over, Christmas done, and the new year is in full swing! Definitely my least favourite time of the year, although I have a few exciting things planned over the next few months which I'm keeping in good spirits for! One of them being Plus London 2! If your a blogger and you haven't heard about it, go and check out the details, this year it has been arranged by Claire of A Monkey Fatshionista and promises to be another great little event for the Plus Size Community. Check out my posts about last years event!


In other news, I've had a couple of new bits and pieces which I wanted to post and share with you all! First of all is my gorgeous heart pendant from Diamonds and Daggers! I am a sucker for anything sparkly and this was well up my street....

Love Shines Pendant - £15 Diamonds and Daggers

The lovely Hayley hand makes these little treats and sends them out in fab sparkly packaging. When mine arrived yesterday I was thrilled with it and can guarantee it will be worn all the time! I've had lots of compliments on it already! She also does some other items, including amazing shoes, brooches, phone cases and customises items too! Go check her out, she's currently offering free shipping!

I was recently approached by Daxon and asked if I would be interested in choosing an item from their range to review. I must admit, I am not particularly familiar with the brand and had only ever seen it before being sold through OneStopPlus.

I have to be honest on first glance of their website I wasn't sure there would be anything for me, it does seem to be aimed at a more mature audience, lots of frilled maxi skirts and blouses, not really my cup of tea, but after a bit of a mooch I noticed the site is good for basics. I opted for a pair of denim look leggings, which lets be fair, you can't really go wrong with, and they aren't too bad at all! I ordered a 26-28 which are a great fit around my waist, tummy, hips and thighs but I unfortunately have found them to be a little bit baggy around my lower leg, which is an issue I find regularly with plus size leggings, I am big around my bum and tum but I have quite toned, slim legs in comparison to the rest, just another of those perils of being plus size, our shapes all vary so much that being catered for is difficult! A great example of this is shown by my gorgeous Lorna Face friend whom has recently started blogging and putting her thoughts out there from a pear-shaped plus sized girls perspective over at The Ginger Peardrop!

Denim look leggings - Courtesy of Daxon Plus Size Clothing

Anyway, I put them together with a slouchy Heart Tee from Very (onto that in a mo), and some sequinned flats from New Look.

Heart Tee - £18 Very
The State of my face and hair - Priceless! :/

So, onto that Very big disappointment! I decided to treat myself to a few new tee's from Very just to put with jeans and leggings etc, one being this Heart Tee! Now, I know it probably doesn't look too bad on the pics, but when it arrived I wasn't happy at all. The finish of the item had threads left undone, the material was cheap and more annoyingly than anything else, the fit was well off! On the model on the pics the tee is made to look like it is super long, I love a long slouchy tee, so I was sold! When it arrived, it barely covered my crotch even though I sized up for extra slouchyness! This is what infuriates me when clothes are modelled on women whom are nowhere near the dimensions of who the items are marketed at!

Unfinished threads Heart Tee

I understand that my boobs are going to take away from the length a little, but I even had to put another top on underneath this just to give me some coverage, I'm not ready to be part of the VBO crowd yet (visible belly outline) and this item was ready to throw me into the gang at full speed! I do like the tee but I am disappointed and it is definitely not worth £18! The So Fabulous range looks great online, they are really trying to offer us great trend led pieces, but now I have ordered a few bits and pieces I have to say, I'm not thrilled with the price in relation to quality offered.

More exciting things to talk about soon, but for now lovelies I'm off to give Gizmo some cuddles and eat pizza!

Big Love
xoxoxox

PR & Advertising Enquiries

Diamonds 'n' Pearls is a blog created by Naomi Griffiths, a size 28 happy fat girl living and laughing in the West Midlands.

This blog is primarily aimed at likewise plus size women interested in clothing, fashion, body acceptance and inspiration.

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Stats as of January 2012....

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I am happy to review products but be advised that I will always give 100% honest feedback. Items openly accepted for review are:

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Happy New Year! Resolutions & My First OOTD For 2012!

So it's 2012....

Happy New Year boys and girls!

This year I opted for a much more low key New Years Eve than usual. I went for a meal with my family and then just for a few drinks at my local before I stumbled home, left the family dancing away to some god awful DJ in the pub and settled myself in front of Jools Hollands 'Hootenanny'.

I wasn't planning on making much of a fuss outfit wise, but whilst mooching around my bedroom I clapped eyes on an old bow tie I had bought a few years ago for a Halloween outfit. Now, I'm the kinda person that once I have one little idea in my head I build on it, and the bow tie became the foundation for the rest of the outfit! Before I knew it I was fishing out a black dress, a few sparkles, slicking on as much eyeliner and gluing my fave false lashes! Just because I was staying low key, I felt no need to wear a matching low key outfit! I'd have probably wore the same thing just for sitting watching the event on TV! If you can't dress up on New Years Eve, when can you?!

Dress - £25 ASOS Curve (Also see THIS post)
Sequin Shrug - Yours Clothing (last year, Similiar one can be bought here)
Black Tights - $15 We Love Colors
Black Wedges - New Look Bow Tie - Charity Shop

This was only the second outing for my favourite LBD of the moment. My ASOS Curve vest dress with puffball skirt is fab, the only reason I am finding I am not wearing it more often is because I am conscious of it being very short! Why did I wear a bow tie? Well, why not! It was sitting looking at me and I thought to myself 'I realllllllllllly want to wear it!' So, I did! :)

One of my resolutions for 2012 is to be a little bit more daring with my outfits, ok, so a bow tie isn't exactly ground breaking but trying to be a little bit out of the ordinary and breaking the stereotype in a place like Wolverhampton is difficult! It's not a town that out rightly accepts anybody of any variation, if I was to walk into my office on dress down day in the 'Blogger Uniform' (See the gorge Amy Simon's post) I'd get looked at like I had gone mental! I love those looks on other people, but I am yet to start being so daring myself. I imagine if I lived in a diverse place like London, I could quite easily go about my business being exceptionally outrageous with my outfit choices, but out and about in Wolves I'd end up being flash mobbed by the local hoodies!

Another of my resolutions for 2012 is to get another hobby! Last year (or well, the end of 2010) my hobby was this, my blogging! I very rarely keep up hobbies once I start them but this was something that I am thrilled to bits that I persevered with! But now it is time to turn my hand to something else (don't worry I'm not going to be leaving the blog to wilt and wither!) I am desperately trying to find a dressmaking or sewing class local to me, but alas, it is proving difficult! I am always in awe of other Crafty bloggers like Shawna of Chubby Cartwheels and When In Doubt Wear Purple I seriously need to have a bash at something too me thinks! (Check out her awesome handmade leggings!)

Leggings - Chubby Cartwheels
(Many other styles and items available!)

Unlike the rest of the world at this time of year, who's only interest seems to be thrusting some kind of diet talk down your throat, I want to assure you that this my dears is and always will be a 100% diet talk free zone! I am already dreading turning up to work tomorrow and having to listen to the constant negative talk that goes round about fat*, and the continuous talk about how little so and so has eaten that day, so coming home to my blog is my little piece of heaven where I, or nobody else has to endure the constant diet drivel that goes on!

And that folks is pretty much the beginning of my 2012! Hopefully you will continue to come and have a nosey as the year goes on! Make sure you leave a comment!

Big Love
xoxoxo

*To anybody at work who may read this, this isn't to offend you in anyway, it's to let you know that you bore me senseless with your constant 'oh my god I'm so fat' nonsense! Shhhhhhhhh you are beautiful!