OOTD: floral skirt and band tee

After whining about looking too 'tough' when I wear a band tee, I got into a conversation with Rosie from A Rose Like This about how to feminine up my stereotypical Pearl Jam fandom look. She blew me away by suggesting to wear the branded tee with a floral skirt! I'd never even thought about pairing those two together! So, here is my Rosie inspired rock-floral look!

Skirt: ASOS Curve

Top: Pearl Jam Ten Club Merch

Belt: ASOS Curve

Shoes: Lane Bryant

Bracelets: Tree of Life

Necklace: Picked up at a clothes swap!

When I first bought this skirt, I wasn't sure how much I liked the lantern shape. But it's been hanging in my wardrobe for a while and it's seemed to relax the material to sit a little flatter.

I didn't even realise until I saw these pictures that the top was kind of see through. I think it may look more obvious because of the camera flash, but nonetheless, a flower print bra probably wasn't the best undergarment choice. In regards to sizing, this top is a Pearl Jam official merchandise tee in a women's size 2X. I have quite a few men's size large instead because the ladies tees run really small. This is probably more like a size 16.

The shoes were a bargain buy from Lane Bryant when we were in the USA. They are super comfy and can seriously be worn for hours. The pretty wooden bracelets are a surprising find in Tree of Life, they are just wider than average and perfect for my wrists.

I am so stoaked with this new look for me. If you haven't meet Rosie yet, go check her out- her style is uber fabulous! And she is going to be rocking her own floral skirt and band tee today as well! It's also so cool to be able to get worldwide styling tips on social media, fabulous chubby girls unite!!!

Tell me some of your style tips??? 

Fatshion Faceoff: Band Tee

When this Fatshion Faceoff challenge came up, it wasn't going to be a matter of what shirt I was going to wear- it was which one!! Amongst my collection of grungy and rock band shirts, I have an epic pile of Pearl Jam tees. A branded tour-tee is the first thing I buy at a merchandise tent and at a PJ concert, I'll usually buy two!

Jeans: Torrid

Tee: Pearl Jam 

Shoes: Strawberry

Jacket: City Chic

I always feel instantly tough the minute I wear a band tee. Like I have 'street-cred' straight away. A rough trouble-maker look always seems to fall together well when I start with a rock shirt. And my leather look jacket always feels like second skin in these types of outfits. 

Although I love being able to slip back into my relaxed Uni days style, I like to think I put a more feminine twist on it these days. The skinny, ankle-cropped Torrid jeans are my girly interpretation of rock pants, while the sparkly converse inspired sneakers add extra sparkle!

Check out all my ladies in their band tees!

Hanna from The Wardrobe Challenge

Dani from DIY Fatshion

Mouna from Brussels Fatshion

Mhairi from Lilybobombs

Wardrobe/life re-evaluated

Anyone new here?? Let me bring you up to speed:

- In June 2011 I started this blog
- In August 2011 we packed up our home and put it all into storage- including 90% of my wardrobe
- We spent the next twelve months galavanting around the world and couch surfing 
- Early 2012 we escaped the the UK for the Holiday of Awesome 
- In June this year, Ben proposed at Full Figured Fashion Week in New York
- In September we bought a house

And this weekend, I got my wardrobe back.

Right! That is the quick and dirty version. The most important thing to note here (*ahem* apart from the diamonds on my left hand), is that I finally have my entire wardrobe back! And holy crap, there is obscene amounts of it. I used to laugh and brush it off when people told me I had lots of clothes. Well, here is my proof. An entire two rooms of proof. I have too many clothes.

I have clothes stored in bags because I always ran out of time at the end of a lease to go through them and decide what I actually wanted to keep. So I have lugged all these bags of 'un-chuckable' clothes from house to house, always intending to properly sort and re-evaluate them. In this house (my house- actually MINE ekkkkk :-), I have time. So I decided to be tough. I have been going through all the boxes and splitting them into three piles- chuck, donate and keep.

That said, it has been a whole lot of fun delving through the last seven years of clothes. I found some pure gems like a leather mini-skirt, a sequinned bra, black and white gangster platforms, a legion of Pearl Jam fan tees and the outfit I was wearing the day I met Ben!!!

The thing I'm most proud of though, is that I'm chucking all those clothes that made me feel ashamed and degraded by my body. I have a literal mountain (albeit small compared to Mount Fuji, but huge next to my bed-side table) of shrugs. I have lots of shrugs because I didn't want to leave the house with my arms showing.......

This memory makes me feel ill. I always thought I was relatively body confident. But looking at my collected clothes perhaps not so much. But you know what, looking at it now I am so proud of the confident and outgoing person I have become.

Another huge epiphany moment, was when I reached a bag of modified straight size clothes. I had this entire bag from about five-six years ago full of clothes that I had bought and adjusted to fit me. I'd cut the waist off long skirts to make mini skirts from the bottom flare out, slash into plain tees to make them punk rock, cut straps off tank-tops to make them boob tubes. All these modifications so that I could have clothes that made me feel good around my thin girlfriends who could buy clothes however they wanted!

Fat-fashion has come so far in the last ten years, I never truly have any problems buying what I'm looking for these days! Sure it's often more expensive and the range isn't as extensive- but we are getting there! Girls these days have so many more plus-size options available and everyday its getting better!

It was a truly amazing experience delving into my fashion past and discovering all these things about myself I'd forgotten. Better yet, helping me re-realize how happy I am to be me!  

When was the last time you did a wardrobe 

re-evaluation???? 

OOTD: Dan and Kelli's Wedding

On Saturday we attended Dan and Kelli's wedding. It was a beautiful day and Kelli looked fabulous. It was a cocktail reception- a type we had never been to before; and it gave the wedding a really laid back, relaxed vibe for everyone to mingle well.

Over the last year, Kelli had been keeping all the wishbones from the chicken they eat. These were then painted and decorated and snapped at the wedding for good wishes for the newly married couple! How cool!

The cake was handmade by Kelli's mum as well as having a Masterchef style croquembouche profiterole tower with candied almonds!! Omnomnom! And the fabulous canapés were sooo delicious! Deep friend prawns, wrapped beef and calamari, oohh yeah!

I think Ben and I looked very swish. I love making Ben wear a pink tie! ;)
I wore my super cute City Chic dress; I adore the gorgeous colours. It feels very summery. I also attempted a bit of a fake tan on my pasty, pasty legs. Come on summer!!! :)

Dress: City Chic, Belt: Torrid, Jacket: Crossroads

I think that although I didn't end up getting the Forever 21 haul, I got pretty close with my outfit planning. In fact, I think I even like this dress a little better! :)

Also, one of the bridesmaids, Kerry, had a Pearl Jam Stickman tattoo!! Ekkk!! I nearly wet my pants when I saw it!!!

That is true Pearl Jam fandom! :)

Pearl Jam Twenty

Last night Ben and I saw Pearl Jam 20; a movie celebrating the band's twenty years of music making, directed by Cameron Crowe. I cannot even explain how this film felt for me.

Before I get into too much PJ fanaticism, let me just say the film was amazing. It was such a truthful and heartfelt portrait that revealed so much that as fans, we probably didn't know. As a favourite highlight of mine, it featured never before recorded songs and some amazing grainy hand cams from the early 90's, with recordings of Eddie Vedder playing with lyrics I've never heard- to melodies I could sing backwards; it was spine tingling. It gave an intimate look into the band's workings and delved deeper into some of the trials and tribulations that made them the performers they are today. I loved the way Cameron Crowe directed throughout the movie, and honestly felt that this is a band that has touched and inspired him too. 

I am at this moment, so overwhelmed with crazy fan goodness. I am in awe of their brilliance. This band has shaped my personality, my relationships, my decisions and literally helped me grow, physically, emotionally, spiritually and musically for almost 15 years. I grew up with their music; listened to it screaming from my big brothers stereo when I was 10, watched his band play it a few years later, chilled with my little brother as he strummed out one of their tunes while learning guitar, experienced it for real when I saw them live, and I was saved by their music every time life seemed horrible and useless (pathetic I know, but grunge to the core!). And then there was that really awful period when I thought I looked unbelievably rad in flannel and cargo pants. Oh dear.

 These are some piccys I took at the Brisbane show of their Backspacer world tour in 2009. Check out Mike McCready doing a rad guitar solo in the second picture- WITH THE GUITAR BEHIND HIS HEAD!! Legendary. For anyone at this concert, I was the crazy girl at the front of the mosh pit singing while bawling her eyes out.

I still remember the day I bought my first Pearl Jam album about twelve years ago. I held 'Yield' in my hands and couldn't wait to head bang around my bedroom, rocking out to every track. It was mine, this album was mine. I was thirteen. I'd worked so hard for it and finally owned my very own Pearl Jam album. It was bliss. It was home. I'm pretty sure I played that CD non stop for about three months- and it's still on high rotation on my ipod.

I have distinct memories of being in Zac's (elder brothers) car when I was about ten or eleven. Driving fast with the windows down; Pearl Jam vibrating so loudly from the speakers I thought I was going to explode. It is seriously one of the best and most defining memories of my childhood. One of the first things I did when I bought my first car, was drive it on the freeway- way to fast with my PJ blaring. And it still feels so right.

So here is some of my inner crazy shared with you all; I hope you all go check them out and if you haven't already- listen to their music, they will rock your world.

Lash lament

My biggest indulgence would have to be my regular lash extension appointments. What I wouldn't give to be one of those women naturally blessed with beautiful, long lashes; unfortunately mine are stubby and light blonde.

I went for a infill today and the wonderful ladies at Lash Me, Paddington were nice enough to take a few piccys.

I discovered the awesome company when I won their competition last year 'Brisbanes shortest lashes' Check out these before and afters from the comp!

I also caught up with my parent today for the first time in ages. They are back home for a visit between gray nomading around the country.

 

 Mum and Dad at lunch

 

















With my new bracelet they bought me in Perth, and my cute heart print, navy ASOS dress :)

Also what came in the mail today was my renewed Pearl Jam Ten Club membership- complete with 'I'm analog' band tee. You can get analogue or digital club membership; the analog is heaps cooler because at Christmas they send you a limited edition Pearl Jam vinyl and fan magazine- excellent!!!! (I hope you all read that in the style of Mike Myers in Wayne's World, that was totally how I said it ;)