Cute mix and match plus size swimwear from Swimsuits Just For Us

Hiya lovelies!

I've got some lush swimwear to show you today which has come to me from across the pond! I got you, American lovelies! 

San Pedro del Pinatar salt lake & fatkini shots

Hiya! In this post I'm going to talk about our fun in the salt lakes at San Pedro del Pinatar and what plus size swimwear I wore for the occasion.

Fun in the salt lake - great for aches and pains 

We arrived at our accomodation in Spain very late on the Tuesday evening, so our first full day was the Wednesday. We went to San Pedro del Pinatar, where there's a salt lake just a boardwalk across from the sea. It was a fairly warm day so we all stripped off (except James) to float or sit in the salt lake. If I'd realised the pain relief being in the lake had given me I'd have stayed in longer - I felt great the next day! I'd never so much as heard of a salt lake let alone been in one before, so I had no idea of the benefits. If I go back to the area I will definitely marinate a little longer in the water.

You can also bring up cartons of the mud at the bottom of the lake to slather on your skin as it makes your skin really soft for up to 2 weeks afterwards. Mookie has done this before. Unfortunately the mud smells like rotten eggs so I didn't use it!
The salt lake is to the left out of the shot below, and as you can see, the sea is on the right - just a short walk of about 10 yards from lake to beach.

About the plus size swimwear I'm wearing

All of my plus size swimwear/beachwear in this outfit is past season or older. I knew there was a possibility I'd be getting covered in mud from the bottom of the lake (which stains clothes) so I wore an old tankini top and some black swim bottoms. The tankini top is from Simply Be and is about 15 years old. I wore it to Ibiza in 2002 and Cyprus in 2007 so it's been around. Like a lot of swimwear for plus size women there's not a lot of support for big boobs in this tankini top. It's halter neck which means the weight of my boobs is on the back of my neck, and the straps are thin and really stretchy so no matter how tight I do them up, my girls meet gravity. Halter necks + stretchy straps = no bueno. I think some underwired bikini tops are on the agenda for me soon!

 James's t shirt later turned everything in the wash pink. Oops!

I've got cellulite, I've got bruises, I've got fat rolls and I couldn't care less. I'm happy, especially when I feel water and breeze on parts of my skin that rarely see the light of day out of doors.

On this day there were women of all ages and sizes stripping off to stand on one of the pontoons and get in the lake and no one batted an eyelid at my fat dimply thighs. Why would they, when having fun is on the agenda?

I look at these photos with nothing but joy because I remember the breeze on my skin, floating in the lake, then crossing the boardwalk to go paddle in the sea. At no point did I worry about being fat.

 Mookie and Mike having a great time!

 Us drying off in the sun afterwards.

I'm wearing:

Beach cover up, Simply Be, similar here here
Tankini top, old Simply Be
High waisted bikini bottoms ASOS Curve, similar here
Trousers, past season H&M plus, similar here (peg leg) here (harem style)
Shoes, past season Primark wide fit similar here

When was the last time you let it all hang out in the breeze?
L xoxo

My holiday swimwear from Yours Clothing

Hiya! In this post I'm going to talk about the plus size swimwear from Yours Clothing which I wore on holiday. There's also a brief video review of the swimwear. I'm wearing a black mesh swimsuit and a stripey sarong, and I'm also using a beach bag by Yours Clothing too.

Yours Clothing black mesh swimsuit with tummy control

This swimming costume is really comfortable and looks good on but doesn't have quite enough support in the chest for me. I'm wearing a size 28 and in hindsight a size 26 would have been ample and I think this would've helped support my 'twins' more, so do be aware this swimsuit does come up large in size. If you have a Yours store near you, maybe try on your usual size and one smaller and see what you think. As we had the pool to ourselves it wasn't a problem that my boobs were unsupported, because there was no one else to see me apart from James, Mike, Mookie and Caroline, and as soon as I was in the water my boobs float anyway so no worries! Overall comfort is what I look for in a swimming costume, and this has it in spades. It has thin padded cups over the boobs which do tend to move around a bit as you put the swimsuit on, so you will need to readjust when it's on and smooth out any lines. I wish it had come with a stretchy boob shelf to support my boobs more - left to their own devices they disappear into my armpits! ;) If your boobs stay fairly in place without a bra you might not have any issues with this swimsuit, but my wide-set boobs need strict discipline!

I have a really cute bum!

The mesh touches are really nice and I enjoyed being able to have my back tattoo on display. The straps are quite thin so they do roll over on themselves a bit. If they'd been a fraction wider it would've been nice, but my comfort was unaffected.

Yours Clothing black and white striped sarong with blue border 

I'm wearing the sarong in a size 28-32 and that's very roomy too. I took another Yours sarong with me (this one) and used them like pashmina wraps on chilly evenings to keep me warm. You can do all manner of things with a sarong - even use them as tops - so I have a post planned with a few ideas of how versatile they are to own. They're a steal at £8 each. I have my eye on the purple animal print one too.

Yours Clothing black and white striped beach bag

I took about 4 handbags on holiday with me and bought another one out there, but there was no need as I used the beach bag almost every day and night. It's big enough to throw a towel, some sunscreen, makeup, a purse and some water in so it came with me everywhere! It seems to have sold out (and I'm not sure if it'll be coming back) but you can find all their other beach bags here. I highly recommend their beach bags - they're smart enough for the beach and going out in the evening to nice restaurants. I do really cram stuff into my bags as James always dumps all his stuff into my bag too, and the knot on the inside of the bag came undone one day under the strain. The knots are tied under the lining, but it was no big deal - I stabbed a hole through the lining with my crystal nail file (I can see why airports class them as weapons!) pulled the rope through the hole and reknotted it. Job done! Perhaps in future the knots could come through the lining for ease of re-tying if they come undone, but if you don't cram your bag full to the brim it probably won't happen anyway. Why can't men carry their own crap?! For £8 this bag is a thorough bargain, and some of their beach bags are as little as £6!

Here's a video review I did of the swimsuit.

Yours Clothing black mesh swimsuit with tummy control
Yours Clothing black and white striped sarong with blue border
Yours Clothing black and white striped beach bag similar here here here 

Are you a one piece or a two piece person?
Thanks for reading/watching.
L xoxo

*Swimsuit, sarong and bag gifted by Yours Clothing.

Introducing Apples and Pears plus size clothing

Hiya! In this blog post I'm going to talk about Apples and Pears Clothing, a UK based plus size fashion website you may not have heard of before.

You'll sometimes see an Apples and Pears clothing stall at UK plus size fashion events. I went to Plus North in 2014 where they had a stall, and it was a chance to see their clothes up close and personal, as it's sometimes hard to tell quality from a website. I was pleasantly surprised, as I wrote briefly here in my Plus North roundup. Like many independent sellers, their ability to use models to wear the clothes is limited, but that means the prices are affordable. Of course sometimes it's hard to envisage clothes on a plus size body rather than on a hanger or a mannequin, and this is where plus size bloggers like me come in! :) Apples and Pears also do a totally free returns service so you can try on at home, and they deliver worldwide.

I was sent 3 items - a lightweight green space-dyed dress, a versatile hot pink cover up, and a lightweight kimono top. As I was in or around the pool as often as possible, most of these photos are of me wearing my Apples and Pears items over a swimsuit or swimdress.

Apples and Pears green marl jersey dress

I wore this over swimwear a couple of times before and after going in the pool. It's very low cut at the front which looks lovely with swimwear or a vest top underneath. It's a lightweight polyester/elastane mix which makes it perfect for warm weather. The green and black space dye is a great colour scheme regardless of season, and the gathering under the bust gives it form. I'm 5ft 5 and it comes just above my knees. I'm wearing a size 26/28. I look forward to wearing this again soon - it is quite thin because it's a summer dress so I would wear it over leggings. I'm wearing it over a swimdress here so you can just see the ruffles on the hem of the swimdress underneath.

Apples and Pears handmade pink butterfly kimono

The next item is my favourite out of the three and is the handmade pink butterfly kimono cover up. These are selling out fast but as they're hand made you can order if your size isn't in stock - and you can also have them made to your specific measurements (the latter will take 2 weeks). I love the contrast between the hot pink of the kimono and the lime green pom poms. I used to make pom poms as a child with my mum, so I love seeing them on clothes and accessories. I wore it out in the evening but as we left so late to go out to eat it was already getting dark. The photo below isn't the best quality because of the darkness- and as to the expression on my face, hah! I also wore it over swimwear a couple of times too. I've had lots of nice comments about it on social media. I'm wearing the size 24/26.

Isn't it lovely? And so versatile. It's equally good as a pool cover up or to keep the chill off your arms in the evening.

The last item didn't quite work on me as it was a little too tight around my boobs - the Apples and Pears leaf print black and white kaftan. It bunched up in my upper chest area (level with my armpits) as there wasn't the room to go over the fullness of my boobs. When I tried it on at home I didn't have a bra on so my boobs were lower and flatter than usual. I just didn't think that when I had a bra on and my boobs were hoisted aloft it'd be too small. Totally my fault! It's a shame because again it's a really lightweight material which is great for warmer weather, and the monochrome pattern is great. I love the bell sleeves, but I'm less keen on the hanky hem as it kind of juts out because of the width of my hips. I'm wearing a size 26-28. The only way to make it sit right was to hold the hem down, but of course that's not practical. I'll pass it along to a less booby friend.

You can see the bunching up in the upper chest here

Apples and Pears have all the things you'd expect from an independent retailer - personal service, quick postage and friendly customer service - some things which can be lost in the realm of the huge plus size clothing seller. Mookie also reviewed some items from Apples and Pears on holiday, so look out for those posts too. Have you bought anything from Apples and Pears before?

Thanks for reading!
L xoxo

Secrets to Summer Confidence with Simply Be

Hello lovelies,

Recently Simply Be got in touch to ask if I'd share their infographic all about summer confidence.


Discover the Simply Be swimwear collection

I'm in two minds about this infographic. On one hand, I look at the statistics and see that like a lot of women, I'm self conscious about my stomach, but then I see all the things women feel the need to arm themselves with before going to the beach - manis, pedis, cover ups, perfume, make up and a million other things and I feel so sad that this is an issue at all. It IS an issue though because women are programmed to compare themselves to others from birth, and there's also so much judgement about bigger bodies. I totally agree that well fitting swimwear is key to helping with beach confidence, but it pains me that a lot of women are so terrified of getting their bodies out they prepare for the beach like they're going to war.

How do I feel beach ready? I go to the beach, I put on a swimming costume and ta-daaaaaa I'm all done. Feeling the air on parts of my body which don't often get an airing is so freeing, and that in itself makes it a joyful experience. A couple of weeks ago I went to the beach (I'm lucky enough to live by the sea) and what did I do to get ready? Not a sausage. I had no make up on, I hadn't shaved for a few days, and parts of me were are pale I'm pretty sure I glow in the dark. No one looked at me, no one cared, and if they HAD said anything I would've given them the finger and carried on being fabulous.

I just want to hug every woman (and man) who feels so terrified of what should be a joyous, freeing occasion. When I was at the beach, I felt as joyful as I did on the beach as a child, with not a care in the world (until the sea chewed me up and spat me out, but that's another story altogether!) I know I'm lucky to be confident enough to get my size 28 body out on the beach and enjoy it, and that's something I wish for everyone, no matter what size they are. I hope with time and with more body positivity this is something we can all experience.

Readers, how do YOU feel about going to the beach? How to you prepare?

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

Magisculpt concealing swimsuit from Simply Be

Hiya pickles, I have another swimwear post today! This time I'm wearing a swimsuit and some accessories from Simply Be. My obsession with blue and greens carries on, and they're colours I don't often see mixed, which is why I've mixed them. I'm wearing this Magisculpt concealing swimsuit in a size 30. I read reviews which said the swimsuit comes up really small so I sized up and I'm glad I did.

Elomi Bijou Soiree moulded bra review from Bras Galore*

Hello pickles,

I haven't always had the best success with bras. Like many other women I've worn all the wrong sizes. I've had bras that rode up at the back. I've had bras where my boobs fell out when I bent over. I've had bras so uncomfortable I've been put off wearing underwired bras for months, relying on those stretchy crop top bras which offer no support. Up until a few years ago I was of the opinion that splashing out money on bras was a pointless task as all the underwires popped out of them in no time flat anyway. But a few years ago I had an epiphany and realised my bras were falling apart because I was buying cheap ones. Since that time I've worn either Goddess bras for comfort or Evans concealed wire bras for oomph, but have been wanting to try Elomi bras as they looked equally as sturdy as Goddess ones. Bras Galore offered to send me a bra, and I picked this bra from Elomi as it looks like a cage bra from a distance and I like that look.

It's a gorgeous bra with regards to both aesthetics and design. It has moulded cups so it shapes your boobs, and it offers good uplift. The underwires are wide yet and strong and comfortable, and the straps are wide enough to support the weight of my boobs without too much digging in. It has hooks at the back so you can wear it racer back style. It is a really comfortable bra - still at the stiff new stage but it'll give soon - so I'm wearing it with a bra extender until then. My favourite part of the bra is the little band of fabric underneath the underwires. Sometimes underwired bras can dig in me when I bend over, but the comfortable stretchy band underneath protects the skin from that kind of abrasion.

It looks great under clothes - I'm wearing it in this photo.

Bras Galore do a selection of bras for wide backs and/or big cup sizes, (as well as matching pants) and swimwear too. Bras Galore.

Have you bought anything from Bras Galore before?

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

*Item sent for review. Opinions are my own. 

Outfit August 11/08 - fatkini part two

Hiya love bugs!

Here's part two of the fatkini photos. This is another two piece from Forever 21+, and this one is more tight fitting than the previous one I wore.

I was worried wearing these bottoms that the elastic would ping off and I'd suddenly be flashing the world. I think those side panels are at the limit of their stretch, but they managed to last a day while I sunned it up in the sun room, so maybe there's hope yet. ;) The top is much more supportive than the other bikini top I have from F21+, so I'm happy with that.  I'm wearing a 3X in both.

I'm wearing:

Bikini top £12
Bikini bottom £12
Plimsolls, New Look

I've since bought another pair of plain black bikini bottoms from ASOS Curve which are genuinely high waisted on me, which is no mean feat since my acres of arse and belly eat up fabric like no one's business. I can mix and max fatkini tops with black bottoms now. Yaaass!

You can also see ladies who are only taking part on social media by searching the #OutfitAugust2015 hashtag.

Have you taken the two piece plunge yet? I'm wearing my fatkini to the beach at a fat blogger beach day this weekend. I can't wait!

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

Simply Be Liz McClarnon kaftan

Hello lovelies,

My name is Leah and I'm addicted to kaftans. I have it baaad.

This kaftan by Simply Be (purchased by me) is a nice thick material with an aztec pattern to it.

I sized up as I wanted a baggy fit. The waist tie means you can still have a little definition in your waist, or wear it loose and flowing. It's very versatile - it works equally well with jeans as it would over a swimsuit on holiday. Tear up the rule book - if you like something, wear it how you see fit. If you love the pattern on nightwear and want to wear it as a dress, do it. Rules are made to be broken!

I'm wearing it with my full bum jeans from Fashion World. I'm a strange one - I avoid jeans all winter and start to wear them again in summer. I associate jeans in winter with sore skin - the heavy fabric and cold air can lead to my parched, Fibromyalgia-affected legs chapping.

To make this kaftan absolutely perfect for me I'd have liked a lower neckline by a few inches and perhaps another 6 inches on the length. I'm still on the look out for an almost knee length kaftan which I can wear over leggings and a vest on a hot day without worrying about my bum taking people's eyes out.

Kaftan, Simply Be
Vest, old Evans
Jeans*, Fashion World (previously gifted - post here.)
Shoes, old Evans
Necklace, Superdrug

The necklace from Superdrug was only £5 and I love the simple open diamond design. It's a shame they don't sell their jewellery online, but if you're in the UK do have a peek in store as it's all reasonably priced. I love long necklaces - mid length ones get swallowed up by my boobs!

Do you wear anything differently than its original purpose?

24th & Ocean plus size skirted swimdress by Navabi - plus videos

Hiya! In this post I've got some more swimwear to show you from my holiday. I'll be reviewing the 24th & Ocean skirted plus size swimdress from Navabi. There's also a couple of video reviews at the end of the post, with much of the review in. If you're reading via email, click through to the blog post to see the videos.

24th & Ocean plus size skirted swimdress by Navabi - fit

I do really like this swimdress, although when it arrived it was clear there was a sizing issue. It was supposed to be a size 26/28 UK, but was more like a size 24. I got it pulled up (just about) but it flattened my boobs as it was so tight. The swimdress was comprised of the skirt layer loose and free over the top of a mesh layer, the latter which was attached to the pants part of the swimdress. I cut off the pants, freeing up the rest of the material to go where it was supposed to, and wore it over some high waisted bikini bottoms from ASOS Curve which I bought last year. Ta-da! Perfect. After it had arrived and I'd decided to do my DIY mission I saw there was a new review up on the website which warned of the sizing issue, so it's not just me. If you buy this, do size up to the next size if you can. The size I'm wearing is the biggest size they do - a supposed 26/28, but really a 24.

24th & Ocean plus size skirted swimdress by Navabi - comfort

It gives great bust support, and has adjustable straps to aid fit. The straps were a little thin for my liking, but they were still comfortable. Overall this swimsuit was completely comfortable once I'd chopped the pants out of it to free up some room.

The suit comes with very light padded cups which move around as you roll the suit on and off, which requires some patience to put back in place. As you can see from these photos, I lack that patience! I just let them do their thing. Once my fashion show was over I was getting in the water!

The ruching under the bust gives great form and the material feels weighty and luxurious. It is a premier garment at a premier price, coming in at £89.99. My favourite part of all is the laser cut hem, which is adorable. The flippy skirt is really cute too, and felt quite retro.

In case you've never bought anything from Navabi, their website is excellent. You can narrow down your search on the left hand side of the website by price, item, colour and so on. When you click through to an individual item, it has a thorough description of the material(s) the product is made of, and often has close up photos of the details too. This is a touch other retailers would be wise to adopt. 

Aside from the sizing issue I really like this swimdress, and as it's such good quality I know it'll last for years. I'm going on holiday again in July so I look forward to wearing it again.

24th & Ocean skirted plus size swimdress, Navabi
Flip flops, Havaiana, similar here
Bikini bottoms past season ASOS Curve similar here

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

*Swimdress sent by Navabi.