curvygirlthin

[curvygirlthin]

(Re)Invigorate your love life this Valentines

Valentine’s is a funny old thing.   It is a day meant for romance; for connections, for flowers and chocolates and jewellery.

(In fact, if any one would like to buy me jewellery this valentines, I have a wonderful wishlist post hanging around from Christmas).

Valentines is a day meant for spending time together and having the wildest, swinging from the ceiling and waking the neighbourssex.   Or…

[curvygirlthin]

Inspiration

In September 2017, my blog turned three.   It is strange, to look back on those early posts of badly-lit mirror selfies.   My style wasn’t exactly … there.   My house and photography skills certainly weren’t.

Curvy Girl Thinwas started naively.   I didn’t read other blogs at the time.   I was simply bored; I’d just got married and wasn’t, therefore, spending every spare moment planning my “big…

[curvygirlthin]

New Year, New Challenges, Same Old Me

It seems customary, at the turn of a year, to reflect back on the past twelve months, to revel on the highs and lament on the lows.   Yet for me, looking back on the previous months, has never felt quite right – especially so with 2017 which has felt a little … well, a little none.

You see, there is nothing particularly remarkable that has happened this past year.  It has been a year where I have…

[curvygirlthin]

2018 Travel Inspiration

 2017 has been a great year for travel taking me to both foreign isles and the peaks of home. There is something about exploring new places; it both relaxes and invigorates, inspires and challenges.  You don’t need to be a seasoned adventurer to experience this; simply getting away from the pressures and stresses of home-life can change your perspective, give you time to see things from a…

[curvygirlthin]

Staying Smart at the Sales

Shopping the post-holiday sales is a tricky affair!

Since Christmas Eve, my mailbox has been pounded by the big fashion brands; “Don’t miss out!“, “50% off starts today!“, “Biggest Sale EVER“, “Get it whilst you can!“.  The pressure to spend all that Christmas money in the first three days of having it is immense.  We are bombarded with the sales.   I’ve even received text messages from brands,…

[curvygirlthin]

Timekeeping

It was only fairly recently that I was converted to wearing a watch.   They’d never been a large part of my outfit choices – they seemed a little grown up; like something someone wears when they have their shit together.  I definitely do not have that.  I’m far from it.

Yet, as I’ve become okay with the idea of not having my shit together; I’ve also warmed to the idea of a watch.

My first watch…

[curvygirlthin]

Christmas Gift Guide: Cruelty Free Beauty

At the beginning of the year I went Cruelty Free in my beauty regime.   I had naively assumed that, living in the enlightened 21st century, animal testing for cosmetics reasons was a thing of the past.

Yeah – I was naive!

Allof my favourite products were tested on animals.  So the past year has been spent finding cruelty free products that I both love and can afford.   I think my beauty regime…

[curvygirlthin]

Travel is the modern twenty-something’s hope.

We can’t afford houses.  We can’t afford a decent pension.  We’re on zero hour contracts.  We work longer hours for less money.  We get a pay cut every year because our wages don’t match inflation.

In my area, we need to save £30,000 – £40,000 for a mortgage – and even then, the repayments would leave us eating bread husks for years to come.

So why bother?  Why bother when you can travel?

Travel is escapism; forgetting about the fact that you have over 600 unread emails and that you have 20 reports to write before the end of the month.

Travel is learning about other cultures, other histories, other personalities.

Travel is getting to know yourself; your loves, your dislikes, your ambitions.

For me, travel is hope! Something to look forward to, to plan (endlessly), and to aspire to whilst living.

And I know that many other people of my generation place travelling above houses, pensions, and cars.   Because, lets face travel is attainable – the rest is not.

So if you have a travel-bitten loved one, consider indulging them this Christmas with some of my favourite picks.

Below £20 

Clockwise from top left:

Scratch Map

Personalised Luggage Tag

Catherine & Jean Eye Mask in Stripe

Personalised Stamp Travel Journal

Lonely Planet – Film & TV Locations

£20 – £100

Clockwise from top left:

Personalised Typographic Photo Album

Dermalogica Travel Essentials Kit

EAZO – Canvas & Leather Backpack in Blue

Instax Mini Camera with 10 shots

Personalised Retro Leather Camera Strap

  Over £100

Clockwise from top left:

Olympus Pen E-PL8 Compact System Camera

Samsonite Uplite four-wheel expandable suitcase 67cm

Kindle Voyager & Case

Libratone Q Adapt Noise Cancelling Headphones

RayBan Sunglasses goldcoloured

And if anyone is yet to get me something, I would love all of these things.  Hint, hint, wink, wink!  Except the expensive stuff, no-one should spend that kind of money on little-old-me!

Which would you choose?

  Like these pics?  Then don’t forget to bookmark them on Pinterest! 

The Travel Lover’s Gift Guide: Christmas Gifts for the Endless Traveller

The Travel Lover’s Gift Guide: Christmas Gifts for the Endless Traveller

SaveSave

The Travel Lover’s Gift Guide Travel is the modern twenty-something's hope. We can't afford houses.  We can't afford a decent pension.  We're on zero hour contracts.  

[curvygirlthin]

I’m a big fan of giving jewellery at Christmas; small personalised items that have meaning and love behind them.

I wrote about it more extensively here; the little jewels and pendants given to me by loved ones that empower and inspire me every day.

The pieces I cherish most carry memories; an affinity and love for both the gift give and the item I’m wearing.   My next pice of special jewellery that I’m hoping for is a Bee necklace.   Bee’s keep our environment living, they are gentle, caring creatures who love their families and nurture the land they live off.   I’ve had a strange affinity with Bees for a very long time and I feel carrying one with me, even in jewel form, will help through hard times and maybe inspire me to be that little more conscientious.

When buying jewellery for a love one, I always try to think of stones they have mentioned an affinity for, or an animal held particularly close their hearts.    These are just some inspiration pieces for this year.

Under £20

Clockwise from top left:

Bloom Boutique Eva Personalised Tree Necklace

Wild Life Designs Sperm Whale Necklace Pendant Pewter

J&S Jewellery Art Deco Cocktail Ring

Martha Jackson Sterling Silver Sterling Silver Angel Wings Earrings

Grace & Valour Honey Bee Bracelet In Sterling Silver

£20 – £100 

Clockwise from top left:

Personalised Elephant Necklace

Loel & Co. Diamond Cut Chain Bracelets

Completely Charmed Bumble Bee Necklace

Dizzy Silver St Christopher Charm Bracelet

Hersey Silversmiths 9ct Gold St Christopher Pendant

Over £100

Clockwise from top left:

Lily Charmed Nine Carat Gold Bee Necklace With Sapphire

Silver Service Jewellery Large Mixed Wing Necklace

Rachel Eardley Silver Wren Brooch

William White Peridot Pendant Necklace In Silver

NEOLA Rose Gold Geometric Gemstone Cocktail Ring Pietra

Do you have a particular item you’d like to find under the tree this year?

And which one of these would you chose?

C x

Like this post?   Don’t forget to Pin It so you can find it again later!

Independent Jewellery Gift Guide

Independent Jewellery Gift Guide

Independent Jewellery Gift Guide

Independent Jewellery Gift Guide I'm a big fan of giving jewellery at Christmas; small personalised items that have meaning and love behind them.

[curvygirlthin]

A Cosy Christmas

This Christmas is going to be a little different to my normal hectic party-season.  December is being taken up by one mammoth holiday to Cuba.  In fact, as you read this, I’m likely to be on a beach sipping mojitos or snorkelling amongst all those bright, tropical fish (and maybe a few reef sharks – one can hope).

This epic holiday means I’m skipping all the parties and usual mayhem and, on…

[curvygirlthin]

Sometimes you just need a little extravagance in your life.

As regular readers know, I simply don’t have any need for a party dress this season.   My Christmas will be relaxed and my December spent mostly in the Caribbean.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a little bit of room in my wardrobe for a dress that’s a little bit different to my daily wear.

Enter, the Elvi dress of velvet dreams …

… and finally, a shade of yellow that works for me!

I love velvet.   Love, love, love! There is some kind of old school sophistication to it.   A nod to a by-gone era of luxury and extravagance.   And this dress really embodies that.  With the flowing skirt, trailing sleeves, demur neckline, and revealing waist.   It is elegant, yet bohemian.  Prim but by no means proper.   A tiny bit flirty, but utterly grown up.  Needless to say, I’m in love!

The dress works so well my beloved military jacket and over-the-knees boots.  This look would perfect for cocktails and dinner dates in swanky restaurants.   For New Years eve spent watching firework and sipping champagne – in fact, this beauty will be used for just that.

But the dress is also my favourite word – versatile.   Clothes, for me, need more than one outing; they need to work as well for a night out sipping Old Fashioned cocktails as they do for Christmas markets, eating Pie and Chips in the local pub, and running across London for business meetings.   And this dress does just that.   Discard the stilettos and throw on some flat boots or chelsea boots and the dress is still just as fabulous.   Layer up in a wooly jumper and a scarf for cold days and elevate it to the leagues of the office Christmas party by wearing simple heels and bare legs.

Outfit Details:

Elvi Dress 

Military Jacket (similar) 

Over-the-Knee Boots (similar)

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

C x

Like these pics?  Then don’t forget to bookmark them on Pinterest! 

Clad me in Velvet: Plus Size Party Wear for the Holiday Season

Clad me in Velvet: Plus Size Party Wear for the Holiday Season

  THE DRESS  REVIEWED IN THIS POST HAVE BEEN GIFTED BY ELVI.

ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS REMAIN TRUE TO MY FINDINGS.

Wrap Me in Velvet: Plus Size Partywear Sometimes you just need a little extravagance in your life. As regular readers know, I simply don't have any need for a…

[curvygirlthin]

Festive Lingerie: Elomi Anushka

For me, festive lingerie is about luxurious fabrics in deep jewel tones; a celebration of the season for excess.   But it still needs a purpose, a function.   It needs to look and feel great whilst offering support beneath your Christmas party dress and comfort beneath your winter layers.

Now I’m a huge fan of power-lingerie. For me, looking and feeling empowered beneath your clothes is just as…

[curvygirlthin]

Party Season Dressing - The Smart Solution

Party Season Dressing – The Smart Solution

Christmas is definitely a time of excess.   If you’re like me, you spend money like water.

Buying present after present.

An extra bottle of port (cause you can never have too much port).

A new dress for the office party (because you can’t possibly wear the one you wore to different party the week before).

The drinks with friends (because you haveto catch up at Christmas, even though the rest of…

[curvygirlthin]

Frost Yourself with The Jewel Hut

Jewellery for Christmas may seem one of those old cliches but for me, and many others, jewellery can be a gift so personal and so meaningful that the item and the memory stays with you forever.

I don’t own much jewellery but what I do own has a very special place in my heart.   A ring, bought my Grandmother as a graduation present.   A rose gold unicorn pendant; a Christmas gift from my brother…

[curvygirlthin]

Sexy Christmas Lingerie - Gifts for Her or for Him with LoveHoney

Sexy Christmas Lingerie – Gifts for Her or for Him with LoveHoney

With Halloween and Bonfire Night tucked away until next year,  now is the time when people’s minds start to tick towards Christmas.  Plans start to form:

do we have Turkey or Goose this year?

are sprouts really necessary?

who will be bringing the after dinner port?

do we really need 12 different cheeses?  The answer to this is always yes! 

do I buy my 8th cousin who I haven’t seen for 3 years a…

[curvygirlthin]

Surviving the Daily Commute

Surviving the Daily Commute

Regular readers will have heard me complain a lot recently about long days spent working.  The major reason for this complaint is that I live in rural Oxfordshire and spend at least three days a week working in London.

These days are long and arduous; the need to save money means that my commute is close to three hours each way; the overpacked, smelly, hot trains sandwiching a long day of work.

I…

[curvygirlthin]

Christmas Lingerie with Elomi*

Christmas Lingerie with Elomi*

Yes, I said it.  Christmas!

Its after both Halloween and Bonfire night so I feel I’m entitled to say the word … and wear my Christmas jumper should I feel the need.   I haven’t actually purchased a Christmas jumper yet this year but I’m edging towards this one as I’ve always had a close affinity to foxes.   Did  you know my wedding stationary featured foxes?

Anyway, with Christmas come party…