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Wonder of wonders, David Jones actually impressed me on Thursday night. They were the ones who had the most ornate styles of clothing, with the SARA brand standing out.
I classify ornate styling as velvets, silks, jewels, taffetas, embellishments, metallic threads, brocade and suedes. Anything that looks a little 'richer' and heavier in fabric. Just some small examples of what's on offer in the SARA brand - there was a cropped light gold jacket with a metalic gold thread running through it, a charcoal grey metallic t-shirt, a shift dress with heavy black jewels around the neckline, a coat in the light gold with metallic thread running through it
a sparkle cropped jacket
a crushed tunic
and a tie front three quarter sleeved burnout jacket.
Another place that managed to impress me was Autograph. They have some lovely shirts in jewel colours with the metallic thread running through it. Very nice, soft and luxurious.
The last place that caught my eye was, of course, the old faithful - Myer. Plenty of sumptious looking fabrics there. The main brands were Estelle and Basque Woman, but that newish brand, Dossier had some nice aubergine coloured ruffly shirts in a taffeta-esque material. There was also shift shouldered shirts in various colours, with again, a metallic, shimmery thread running through it in the Jane Lamerton brand. In particular, the cream and the berry coloured tops that I will totally have to purchase.
I thought, seeing as I was discussing masculine style dressing last week, I'd give it a turn myself this week. Now, this outfit is mainly for a costume party (you should see my moustache!), but I think it can also be an effective regular outfit as well. Maybe to make it look a little less business like I could have jeans, or add a necklace or something. Or a different coloured shirt.
Jacket: Target
Pants: Suzanne Grey
Shirt: Bonds Chesty
Shoes: Joanne Mercer
Cat: Nosy
I've heard various plus sized women, especially those who are more hourglass or pear in shape, or have larger breasts lament that they can't pull off the masculine/androgynous trend. I think it's possible, but of course you're not going to resemble the Balenciaga models on the catwalks if that's what you mean. It can be done in plus sized women though, with some clever suiting and sticking the the one colour scheme.
Myer was the best store for the man style look, with awesome suiting in Jane Lamerton, Basque and The Clothing Company. Each brand starts at a 16 (or 18) and goes to a 24. Each of these brands also had some great pinstriped shirts and crisp, tailored white button ups as well.
A man style look I'm going to attempt and possibly take a picture of would be something along the lines of a Bonds chesty singlet, tucked into some higher waisted pants (My Size had a couple that could be worn higher on the waist) and a crisp tuxedo jacket (still not found in my size, or in any of the plus stores, sigh) or vest (Target and City Chic had ok selection). With some of the newer shoe boots (Wittner and Mollini have the best ones), some slicked back hair and dark, smokey eyes, it's a masculine style of look with some feminine style mixed in. Of course, if you just wanted to completely focus on the masculinity of it, you could tone down the makeup and perhaps go with some flat brogues and braces in place of the tuxedo jacket.
It's such a fun look to play and experiment with, and I think even those who regularly wear skirts and dresses (ie. me) would be able to try it. Give it a go!
Thursday night I checked out my local Target for the Collette Dinnigan bras and undies collection. We managed to get most of the range (if not all? I can't quite recall if we received the Fleur De Pommier padded plunge bra?), and I was mostly impressed with the collection. Some of the range (like the Florette Bouquet silk balconette bra) isn't coming out until tomorrow. I could have sworn the website had more of a size range in a few different online, and there definitely was a size range in the different styles in store, but the website doesn't seem to anymore? Weird.
As I went with my mother, we've only got the two size ranges (14C and 14-16 in undies, 18C and 18-20 in undies) to judge on, so if anyone in any other size ranges wants to give me their opinion, I'd be more than happy to add to this post. Also, I didn't manage to try on the entire range, so if anyone has tried on any of the ones I'm missing here, give me a yell
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Yay permission!
This is Vampire Ch1ck over at the flickr group, wearing a super cute dress from Torrid. I kinda wish shipping wasn't so expensive here, because they seem to get some occasional cute pieces
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I'll admit straight out that although I have reasonably big feet (size 10), my calves are relatively slender and I don't usually have trouble finding boots. So, that being said, I brought my mother along on my search for slouchy boots in wider calf sizes in store, as she is in possession of some wide calves (courtesy of team sports when she was younger she says).
Most stores are carrying the slouchy boot style that is usually in for winter and a fair amount are doing them in suede and in colours other than black (ok, grey and tan, but still -- colours!). Price wise, they range from around $20/30 for synthetic up to around $300 for leather
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Right after hearing about Leona Edmiston extending her range of clothing on line, I heard about Collette Dinnigan doing a range for Target.
After a few disappointing designer collaborations for Target (including the recent one -- size 14 my arse, Posen), I have higher hopes for this one. The range apparently goes up to a 20 in undies and a 20 DD in bras in some styles. This is a small step, I know, but it does appear to be well made (I'll check that out in person when it comes out) and best of all? The pricing is way affordable. Is it possible that this will start more designers making clothes for bodies that are bigger? Extending their ranges beyond a 14? 16? 18? Or am I just being way too optimistic?
Gotta say, not much in variety of high waisted stuff for plus sized chicks in the stores at the moment. Most of the high waisted clothing are skirts, and they were mostly business like/ part of a suit. I'd really like to see some colour (or like, leopard print -- tacky fab), but I guess I might have to order from overseas or go op-shopping if I want something like that.
Anyway, there was one skirt in a black pinstriped (part of a suit) at Myer in the Basque brand. That was ... er ... it
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What I wore to a dinner last night. P.S. - Winter, if you could find it in your cold, cold heart to hurry up and come so I don't die of sweat induced exhaustation, that'd be greaaaaat.
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118 Posts dating from October 2006
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