Still on the look out for the perfect party outfit for this Christmas and New Year? Looking for a designer look but cannot afford the price tag? Look no more! The designer party wear from Anna Scholz at Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk] offers a stylish solution. Plus Size and Tall takes a look at some of the party wear from Anna Scholz at Simply Be.

Already we have looked at many party dresses available this season so how about something a little different? The Anna Scholz Stretch PU Trousers are the perfect alternative to a party dress when teamed with a glitzy top. These comfy stylish trousers are £60.00 and available in sizes 16 to 24. But hurry, stocks are low! Team these trousers with the festive Anna Scholz Cut Away Sleeve Top which is adorned in silver stars. The ¾ length sleeves are elasticated which gives them shape and the cut out shoulders create a sexy look. This top is £50.00 and available in sizes 22 and 28.

Party wear: Stretch PU Trousers £60 - Cut Away Sleeve Top £50

The elegant film star party wear look is very in this season and the Anna Scholz Geometric Print Maxi Dress fits the bill with sheer long sleeves and black bodice. This stunning dress is just £79.00 and available in sizes 16 and 32. For a more glitzy look the Anna Scholz Star Print Maxi Dress is perfect; adorned with stars and flattering gathers at the front. This dress is £75.00 and available in sizes 14 to 30. For a chic and luxurious look, the Anna Scholz Black Velour Dress fits the bill perfectly in a gorgeous black velvet with cross over style neckline and shaped hem. This dress is £70.00 and available in sizes 16, 10 and 28 to 32.

Party wear: Geometric Print Maxi Dress £79 - Star Print Maxi Dress £75 - Black Velour Dress £70

The party wear from Anna Scholz at Simply Be is selling out fast so browse now to find your perfect designer party dress. Visit www.simplybe.co.uk.

Cyber Monday is a term which was coined in 2005 in the US and immediately follows Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The day was created by companies to persuade people to shop online and enjoy discounted goods. The trend has slowly reached our shores and has turned into either a long weekend of flash sales or several weeks of money off codes and mid season sales. Plus Size and Tall takes a look at some 2011 Cyber Monday UK deals.

Shop at Simply Be this 2011 Cyber Monday UK

Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk] are holding a flash sale offering up to 50% off selected lines until the 29^th November so hurry to make the most of the deals! You can never be without knitwear during the winter, especially as it has become a season trend. I love the Cap Sleeve Faux Fur Collar Cardigan which is perfect for layering. This cardigan is available in mocha and has a lovely grey faux fur collar. It has been reduced from £30.00 to £15.00 and is available in sizes 16 to 34.

I really like clothes from Joe Browns for their entirely original look. In fact, I think their plus size collection is far more appealing than their standard range. And the Joe Browns Sensational Knit Cardigan is no exception with frills, ruffles, and mesh galore. This cardigan is in grape purple and has been reduced from £55.00 to just £27.50 and is available in sizes 12 to 34. But hurry girls, this sale is only on until Tuesday!

2011 Cyber Monday UK: Cap Sleeve Faux Fur Collar Cardigan reduced from £30.00 to £15.00 - Joe Browns Sensational Knit Cardigan reduced from £55.00 to just £27.50

Shop at Jacques Vert this 2011 Cyber Monday UK

For the discerning and elegant woman, Jacques Vert [site: www.jacques-vert.co.uk] are offering up to 50% off selected items. This provides a perfect opportunity to buy that perfect party dress and still have a bit of change. The Plum Ribbon Mesh Dress is a sunning party dress with dainty shoulder strap that ties in a bow. Plum and puff vertical stripes on mesh create a stylish look as does the satin bow which ties around the waist. In the sale, this dress has been reduced from £169.00 to £119.00 and is available in sizes 10 to 20.

If you prefer the traditional black dress for festive parties, then the Beaded Cowl Neck Dress has all of the tight ingredients with all over beaded detailing and a handkerchief hem in a chiffon style material. Both the hemline and the cowl neck give this dress a very elegant line. And what is more, it has been reduced from £229.00 to just £159.00 and is available in sizes 10 to 22.

2011 Cyber Monday UK: Plum Ribbon Mesh Dress reduced from £169.00 to £119.00 - Beaded Cowl Neck Dress reduced from £229.00 to just £159.00

For 2011 Cyber Monday UK visit Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk] and Jacques Vert [site: www.jacques-vert.co.uk], not forgetting all of the stores mentioned in Black Fridays article “Black Friday UK 2011: Plus size fashion deals we like” who will also still have their sales on. Happy Shopping and Saving!!

Two of our favorite retailers, Simply Be and Simply Yours, have teamed up with Gossard, to give two lucky ladies each one lingerie set a month for an entire year. But before anyone can be one of the winners, Simply Be and Simply Yours are asking all the ladies to “get their straps out.”

Simply Yours (link: simplyyours.co.uk) offers lingerie, sleepwear, swimwear, and casualwear for curvy women in sizes 30-50, A-JJ with select styles in K and L. Simple Be (link:simplybe.co.uk) offers fashionable clothing for curvy women in sizes 14-32. Both retailers are a part of the JD Williams and Company Ltd, a plus size home shopping retailer.

Gossard Lingerie, being around for over a century, is definitely seasoned in the field of women’s lingerie. Having been the first ones to introduce the Wonderbra to the UK, Gossard definitely has lingerie to be coveted.

A Gossard lingerie set available at Simply Yours

With the Get Your Straps Out photo contest Simply Be, Simply Yours, and Gossard are asking women to take pictures of their bra straps, fully clothed of course, but in the most imaginative place you can think of. According to the website for the contest, when it comes to the photo, “the more discreet the better” and “less is more.” Submissions are being accepted from now until November 11. The finalists will be made up of the Top 5 from Simply Be and the Top 5 from Simply Yours, and these finalists will be announced between November 21 and 25 via the facebooks of Simply Be and Simply Yours. One finalist will be chosen from Simply Be and Simply Yours.

Some more Gossard lingerie available at Simply Yours

Right now both Simply Be and Simply Yours are having mid-season sales of up to 50% off (link: simplyyours.co.uk/sales), so don’t be scared go and get those straps out!

Adele was a definite winner at the MTV Videos Music Awards last night. Out of the 7 nominations she received, Adele won best art direction, best cinematography and best editing for her video Rolling in The Deep. She looked very sophisticated on the night wearing a Burberry black dress with a decorative colourful neckline which was paired with elegant black pumps with a gold trim. Her hair was amazing in a 60s wave style. Adele wore another stunning signature black dress when she sung Someone Like You at the award ceremony.

Adele wearing her Burberry dress from www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com

Get the look

Adele wore two great dresses at the MTV Videos Music Award 2011. Naturally, both were black and she looked fantastic! But how can you get the Adele look? Adele always manages to make the LBD look more than just an ordinary black dress by choosing dresses that have used texture, embellishment, and subtle prints. The Igigi Laced Dress with Belt from navabi [site: www.navabi.co.uk] is a gorgeous black dress which uses lace on the neckline and arms to add wow sophisticated factor. The shape of the neckline is very similar to the one Adele wore on stage at the awards when she performed Someone Like You.  This dress costs just £84.90.   From Chesca Now [site: www.chescanow.com] the Black Raglan Pleat Sleeve Jewel Shift Dress at £60.00 uses silky contrasting on the sleeves and basis of the jeweled buttons on the neckline which take the LBD to the next level. This dress is reminiscent of the shape of the Burberry dress and uses embellishment around the neckline to add sophistication. And finally, from Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk], the And Abigail Embellished Dress ticks all of the Adele boxes with an embellished neckline and flattering cut. This dress is just £29.00.

Get the Adele look!

To complete the Adele look you need to use subtle make up with emphasis on heavy eyelashes and a coiffured wavy 60’s hair style. Wear black pumps with further subtle detailing and you are ready to go!

On Stage

Watch her performance of Someone Like You at the awards

To get the Adele look visit navabi [site: www.navabi.co.uk], Chesca Now [site: www.chescanow.com], and Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk].

Do you have large feet? Well, you are in good company with Paris Hilton, Michelle Obama, Kate Winslet and Nicole Kidman who all have size-nine feet. And did you know there has been an 80 per cent increase in the number of woman taking a size nine shoe? The average size of women’s feet has increased as generations of women grow taller. In fact, women’s feet are 1.5 times bigger than they were just ten years ago!

I remember my very tall friend Alison from schooldays. She had large feet to go with her height and had to go to London to a shop which specialized in large shoes. What a trek! And choice was limited, especially for a tweenager who was just becoming aware of fashion. And I am sure her story is not unique. But things have changed right?

Mail Online writer Ellen Burgess went in search for shoes to fit her size 9 feet, something which she hates to do as she can never find fashionable, trendy shoes in her size. She went to Selfridges who have no fewer than 55,000 shoes in stock at any one time. Of the 4,000 shoes on display she found just two pairs that would fit her large feet. So, things have not improved that much in the last 30 years then.

We talk about the plus size industry, the need to raise self esteem, and so on, but rarely do the feet get a mention. But women’s feet have an impact on how they feel about themselves. Research has shown that 82 per cent of women are embarrassed by their feet with nearly half of women with large feet who lie to their friends about their shoe size.

Read more about the experience of Ellen Burgess by reading her article My feet are a GIANT problem! As women’s feet get bigger, one size-niner asks: why do shops still treat me as a freak?

Shopping online provides women with large feet more options than the high street offers. Here is a list of some of the retailers offering a fantastic selection of fashionable and trendy large shoes:

• ISME [site: www.isme.com]
• Marks and Spencer [site: www.marksandspencer.com]
• Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk]
• Viva La Diva [site: www.vivaladiva.com]
• Schuh [site: www.schuh.co.uk]
• Evans [site: www.evans.co.uk]

Flirting with fashion is always a lot of fun, but we’ve all had moments where we’ve looked back at photos and wondered what on earth we were thinking. Those fashion faux-pas are how we move forward and develop our own personal style, but to help out a little, we’ve put together some “curvy women clothing tips”.

1. Start with a good foundation – wear good underwear!

Gok Balconette Sassy Slip, £56 - Simply Be

Bad underwear can make a good outfit look ugly. Muffin tops, cleavage over-spill and really obvious VPLs are never going to make you look your best. Luckily there are lots of shapewear solutions available on the market to target specific areas for those specific outfits. But even everyday underwear should fit well, and this means getting yourself measured to get the correct bra size, and ensuring that your briefs don’t cut into you.

We all have those special occasion outfits which need a little extra help, and we love the Gok Wan range at Simply Be (www.plus-size-tall.com/simplybe). The range has everything you need for that little extra control, whilst still being pretty and a million miles away from the frumpy Bridget Jones magic pants of old.

2. Comfort Is Key.

Evans Nude Comfort Shorts, £6

Next up in our curvy women clothing tips is one of the most important tips – make sure you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing. And we don’t just mean from a feel good confidence aspect, although that it intrinsically important too. We’re talking about thinking about your outfit and the environmental surroundings, and whether you’re going to feel good in what you’re wearing hours later. Physically, not mentally.  Basically we’re saying if you’re going out for a meal on a first date, don’t wear a corset which is so tight that you can barely sit down, let alone eat a bowl of pasta. If you’re going to be enjoying the hot weather wearing a short skirt, are your thighs going to be sore during the day from rubbing together? Think about whether your outfit is really going to be comfortable for the specific activity that you’re going to be doing.

Comfort in the warmer months can be a big issue for many of us curvy girls, and one of the simplest solutions for the dreaded chub rub is prevention. This doesn’t mean that you have to ditch the cute skirts – Evans (www.plus-size-tall.com/evansuk) do a wonderful line in comfort shorts which are perfect for wearing under those cute skirts in the sunshine!

3. Step Away From The Shapeless, Black, Polyester Tunic.

Selection of outfits from ASOS Curve.

With many companies now creating fashion focused lines which follow trends, there is no excuse to hide in frumpy, black shapeless tunics anymore. No one wants to look as if they’re wearing a tent! You have a shape, and it is important to realise that you look bigger when you drown your body in fabric to hide it.

When looking for curvy women clothing tips, ASOS (www.plus-size-tall.com/asos-curve) is a brilliant place to look for inspiration. Their Curve line which starts from a size 20 has a wide selection of outfits, from bright colours, cute embellishments, tailored separates and all out froufrou cuteness. Dress for your shape, not to hide it!

4. Wear The Right Size.

Whether it’s too big or too small, that outfit won’t look right unless it nips in at the right places. Remember, no one else can see that label inside your jeans – but everyone can see the tummy overspill! We’ve all gone out and brought that “aspirational outfit”  in a smaller size, but it’s no good for your ego or self-esteem. You are not defined by the size you wear, and the only person who imposes that restriction is yourself! Wear the correct size and look fabulous. And remember that this is also true for those of you who wear clothes which are too big. Swimming in fabric will hide your curves, and make you look bigger than your real size, rendering you shapeless.

5. No More Squashed Feet.

Viva La Diva Pointy Toe Low Shoes E Fit, £20

A night out dancing will often lead to sore feet by the end of it. We all know and accept that, and hope that after a few glasses of wine, we’ll be too tipsy to care! However those of us who have a slightly wider foot have to deal with the issue of scrunched toes every day, but with so many retailers now specifically making shoes and boots in wider sizes, this is now utterly needless. We particularly like shoe retailer Viva La Diva (www.plus-size-tall.com/vivaladiva) who go right up to a EEE fitting in both shoes and boots, ensuring that your feet can be as stylish and comfortable as the rest of you.

More and more retailers are offering wide fitting shoes for women in fashionable, trendy, killer sexy, designer, and sophisticated styles. Some shoes are just denoted as W or wide, whilst others stock E, EE and EEE fittings. Not all online stores categories their shoes as wide fitting in the filter making it hard to shop for them however if you enter wide fitting shoes into the sites search facility you may be surprised at what you find!

Where to shop

Great places to shop for wide fitting shoes for women include:

• Debenhams [site: www.debenhams.com]
• ISME [site: www.isme.com]
• Marks and Spencer [site: www.marksandspencer.com]
• Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk]
• Viva La Diva [site: www.vivaladiva.com]
• Schuh [site: www.schuh.co.uk]
• Evans [site: www.evans.co.uk]

 Plus Size and Tall has already looked at wide fitting shoes offered at Viva La Diva, Schuh, and Evans as all three online stores have an absolutely fantastic range so today I am going to take a look at what Debenhams, ISME, Simply Be, and Marks and Spencer have to offer for wider feet.

Debenhams

Debenhams [site: www.debenhams.com] has a fantastic range wide fitting shoes for women in casual and smart styles. Prices are very reasonable and there is something for everyone. From Gabor the Brown Fragrance Wide Fit Mules are an on trend yet comfy looking shoe with leather straps and buckle detailing. This shoe costs £55.00. A lovely going out shoe with fashionable ruffle detailing on the t bar is the Wide Fit Black Ruffled Wide Fit Shoes. These stylish shoes have a rounded toe and cushioned insoles for added comfort. They have been reduced from £35.00 to just £25.00.

ISME

So Fabulous! at ISME [site: www.isme.com] have two fantastically stylish shoes in the ISME wide fitting selection. The Rose Suede Wide Fitting Shoes are simply gorgeous with ruffle detailing on the vertical strap which also has a delicate gold buckle. I love these shoes and they are only £40.00, available in red or black. The Velma Wide Fitting Shoes are equally striking in an animal print and wide strap detailing. And only £35.00.

Simply Be

Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk] sell a good selection of wide fitting shoes for women in widths E, EE, and EEE. I just love the retro look of the red Heavenly Soles Button Bar Shoes EEE Fit which would look fantastic with a black dress for day into evening wear. The insole is cushioned for extra comfort and has a soft flexi sole. These stunning shoes cost £30.00. For a more summery look The Shoe Tailor Toe-Post Sandals are perfect in white with gold ring detailing on the t bar. In an E fitting they cost just £15.00.

Marks and Spencer

Marks and Spencer [site: www.marksandspencer.com] has a very impressive range of wide fitting shoes for women in casual and formal styles to suit all tastes. A great on trend shoe for the office is the Contemporary Footglove™ Wide Fit Leather Round Toe Wedge Shoes in black with a wedge heel and cut out detailing on the heel. These shoes cost £39.50 and have been designed with both style and comfort in mind. A more casual style great for summer around town or on holiday is the Footglove™ Leather Wide Fit Tubular Strap Mule Sandals with gold silver and bronze coloured leather straps. These stylish and comfy sandals cost £39.50.

To view all of the wide fitting shoes for women available from these stores visit Debenhams [site: www.debenhams.com],  Marks and Spencer [site: www.marksandspencer.com],  Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk],  and ISME [site: www.isme.com].

It was amidst a feeling of great excitement that N Brown, the leading internet and catalogue home shopping company, recently announced that they would be opening three Simply Be stores in the UK – a first for the brand which previously had only been available on-line and through catalogues.

The Simply Be stores will be opened in the North-west this Autumn, before deciding whether to carry out a full roll-out of the brand further across the UK. Locations confirmed so far include Liverpool and Bury with the third currently undisclosed.

The N Brown Group and it’s main sub-company JD Williams and Company Ltd have led the way in both internet and catalogue home shopping, with over 140 years experience in the distance shopping market.  Simply Be (www.plus-size-tall.com/simplybe) is very much viewed as a key brand within their portfolio, and as such, it seemed like a natural progression to move towards opening the Simply Be stores – shops which will be sure to include the ongoing collaborations with leading designers such as Anna Sholz and Jeffrey Rogers, providing trend focused fashion which flatters in style, all in sizes 14 – 32.

Having physical stores will be wonderful for customers who prefer to feel and see items before purchasing them, and will allow their customers to try on before buying without having to organise returns. It also allows them to be a formidable face on the ever changing high-street, allowing them to be another option for quick shopping when waiting for a parcel to arrive just isn’t speedy enough. The whole collection can of course still be viewed on the  Simply Be website, as well as information about the third location as soon as it becomes available.

Earlier this month Plus Size and Tall reported that Zandra Rhodes would be launching a new collection of plus size clothes for women at Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk]: ‘Zandra Rhodes plus size collection for Simply Be’. And guess what?….Now it is here! On line at Simply Be. The collection is “A celebration of curves and a piece of fashion history….Bold prints, fiercely feminine patterns and theatrical use of colour make this collection unmistakably the work of the iconic British designer, Zandra Rhodes.” This collection is exclusive to Simply Be and you simply must take a look today!!

This stunning collection from Zandra Rhodes comprises of seven fantastic pieces, an assortment of colour and print on dresses, tunics, and jackets. If I had to pick a favourite? There are two dresses I simply love! The Zandra Rhodes Vintage Print Dress is floaty and delicate looking creating an ultra feminine look. The colour of the dress is a lovely egg shell blue and the floral print is very pretty. This dress would look great on its own or over leggings or jeans. A great look for only £69.00. I have also fallen in love with the gorgeous Zandra Rhodes Kaftan Style Print Dress. I love the colour, the print, the kimono sleeves, and especially the purple satin bow! Great with leggings and wedge sandals, I want! This one off sophisticated dress is just £70.00.


What do you think of this one off collection from Zandra Rhodes at Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk]? What would you buy?

The Maxi Dress is still a very strong on going trend offering some great options for this summer and well into the autumn. Plus Size and Tall has already looked at online retailers offering plus size maxi dresses so today I am going to look at some retailers we have not yet mentioned.

Plus size maxi dresses M&Co

M&Co [site: www.mandco.com] has three stunning plus size maxi dresses on offer in sizes 18 to 28. My favourite is the Boho Daisy Maxi Dress at just £30.00, reduced from £45.00. The first thing that caught my eye was the colour, a lovely tie dye blackcurrant purple with pretty daisy print. The neckline is embellished and the contrasting horizontal bands around the hem really complete the detail of this 70’s style maxi dress. Team with a pair of wedge sandals for a perfect summer look which can be worn well into autumn.

Plus size maxi dresses from Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters [site: www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk] has a couple of very trendy plus size maxi dresses to choose from. I love this online exclusive: the O&O Orbit Maxi Dress which has been reduced from £48.00 to just £25.00. The colours of this dress are very vibrant and summery. The plunge neckline is very flattering and feminine. This dress is available up to a Large.

Plus size maxi dresses from Simply Be

Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk] has a cosmic selection of plus size maxi dresses but new in and a firm favourite of mine is the Pick Up Hem Printed Maxi Dress at £58.00. White and green butterflies are fluttering all over this pretty blue dress which makes the dress really come to life! The varying hem line is not only flattering but a hit on the catwalk this season so makes for a very trendy and sexy look!

Where to shop

If you have been inspired by these plus size maxi dresses then revisit the online stores at M&Co [site: www.mandco.com], Urban Outfitters [site: www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk], and Simply Be [site: www.simplybe.co.uk].