CROPPERS

Now I love a good crop top but being plus size I find it hard to style them on their own and as winter is now in full swing in the UK this means I can get away with LAYERING. I love layering, it's probably my favourite thing about winter...other than Christmas obviously! This also means playing around with crop tops which I bought a few of over summer but never had the confidence to wear!

Here's a few ways i'd wear them, (very few because i'm meant to be working, I'll add more another time or as I wear them!)

I LOVE the detail on this toppers crop so adding a plain blouse underneath I think looks really cute, even a printed blouse I'd also add a chunky necklace, plain black or high-waisted wet look leggings and probably a fur gilet. I like to mix up the textures in my outfits!

Completely forgot I had this dress until I was searching through my wardrobe to style this crop! I like the high collar on this tarten crop but as it's tight fitted and REALLY SHORT I do not have the confidence to wear it on it's own! 

I'd probably style it with a chunky necklace, a chunky black belt around the waist of this midi dress, probably my chunky black boots and tights if it's freezing!

I bought this jumper from skreened.com and bought it in an XXL as I wanted it super oversized! It's also from US so even bigger than expecting and was way too long for me so I got me scissors and snipped it! It is now cropped at the front and the hem dips low at the back with a raw edge which I love because it has a roll to it! I like to pair this with my pleather skirt, blouse underneath, tights and boots or converse for a more casual look (perf for uni!)

I know I don't have many examples but might help you have a think about what you can style your crops with, even if you do have the figure to wear them on their own there's nothing wrong with a bit of layering! 

Right back to the never ending uni work!! HURRY UP MAY!

Christmas Lights

Last week me and my best friend/ housie went to watch the Meadowhall light switch on in Sheffield but we got there a mere 6 hours before hand to do just a spot of shopping. I didn't buy much as on a tight budget and some of what I did buy were Christmas presents from other people. Weird I know but I'm hard to buy for!

I wanted to wear something comfy and not too warm as I HATE being boiling whilst shopping it's the worst! Thought this outfit was pretty fitting.

Hat- Lazy Oaf

Fur Shawl- Topshop

Wet look leggings-Primark

Cardigan- Pink Cadillac

Boots- ASOS

THIS HAT IS NOW MY LIFE ♥

T-shirt- River Island

Curb chain, eternity, cross and skull midi and normal size rings- H&M, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins 

Chunky knitted scarf- H&M

Boots- Firetrap vis USC

I love these I have wanted a pair of pointed block heel boots for ages and fell in love with these love with 

Recent ootd's

THE STRESS OF UNI IS TConverse OFIFE :( I'm going to try and really get into blogging and use it as part of a get away from uni work as its literally taking over everything.

Here's a few recent ootd's I've managed to snap

London

Tarten trousers & Poloneck- Primark

Coates- Nan's (vintage)

Chain- Topshop

Boots- Office

Leeds

Tshirt- River Island

Chsin & wet look leggings- Primark

Watch- Michael Kors

Boots- Office

Same as above but with Primark leather jacket, Vera Moda khaki DIY jacket and New Look tarten snood

Freshers

Dress-Asos

Converse

Chain- Topshop

Uni

Mesh jumper- Primark

Jacket- Vera Moda

Jeans-Dorothy Perkins

Converse

Fabric Shopping

In preparation of our final collection, my year were allocated the time to travel down to London (home for me) to go fabric shopping. 

Although I had already been to most of the ones we visited for my placement, it was much more of an eye opener visiting them for your own collection and it has definitely given me a clearer view of which direction I'd like to go in.

We visited the Fabric Forum show but didn't have huge amounts of time to look around but managed to get a few business cards from places I took an interest to. We quickly popped to a shop near here which stocks left over fabric from designer and high street collections for reasonable prices.

We then went to various fabric shops all over; Shepherds Bush was a great place for samples, Portobello wasn't as impressive as I thought and the store we went to there was more organic type fabrics which I'm not a massive fan of. Soho was great but mainly for more elegant fabrics being mostly silk shops, although I will definitely be using some of the leather and feathered fabric I found there. It's TO DIE FOR (Just a little excited) White Chapel has an amazing trimmings shop which holds thousands of various fastenings etc.

We also visited Harrods to look that womenswear collections and get a feel for the fabric, cut and silohettes then went onto Liberty's to do the same as well as look around their fabric department.

I took loads of photos but don't want to reveal too much at this stage so will only share a few.

If you'd like to know where any of these places are just ask :) 

Harrods & Liberty's

Primark AW1314

Most people that know me know I love a bit of Primark. Mixing pieces with other high street and vintage pieces as well as it being affordable fashion. Their AW collections are always my favourite and this year they've upped their game yet again.

Here are a few of my favourite pieces from this years collection (courtesy of Look magazine)

Underwear set £5

Glitter body con midi dress £13

Panelled t-shirt £12

Velvet crop top £6

Velvet leggings £7

I'm really hoping they will sell the underwear set in my size as most of their cute underwear doesn't fit beyond a size 34DD. I will probably cry if not.

The panelled tshirt I'd probably style with the velvet leggings, as I have a purple pair from a few years ago and they fit amazing.

Velvet crop top I will probably layer with black sheer shirts and high waisted jeans.

The 'tiara' will probably be paired with my favourite plain black asos dress.

DIY: Dress > Short shorts

Been on a bit of a DIY frenzy since I've finished my placement, which I guess is kinda good for my bank balance.

I currently have a playsuit that I absolutely love the shape of but not so fond of the print and I was going to buy some fabric and make up a pattern but I remember I had an old dress I bought from ebay for about a pound but the top was far too small for my boobs. BOO But the skirt was so large I thought would make the perfect pair of shorts so...I got sewing!

Step one. 

Lay the skirt flat and measure the front width and back width. Measure the crotch depth before taking to the scissors, and cut this measurement at the half point. Turn inside out and pin the front and back together.

Step Two.

Sew 1cm parallel to the edge and square along the top (basically a rectangle around the edge) Snip into the corners of the rectangle so the fabric lays flat. 

Step Three.

Either roughly roll or do as I did and measure to the point you want them rolled to and fold evenly, it helps to give each press a quick press to hold them in place. I then did a quick stitch along hidden points to keep it folded.

AND FINALLY...

This photo doesn't do them much justice but I will definitely take an ootd photo when I get round to wearing them!

Hope you like!!

Remember to follow my instagram for lots of fashiony photos and ootd's @ Katie_cmanning

Playsuit DIY

I bought this playsuit from the amazing Blitz Vintage in Brick Lane just after my birthday. I absolutely love it but more so because of the high waisted shorts and the AMAZING print but I know i'm never going to wear it as a playsuit so I thought why not seperate the top from the shorts. It's a really easy task, you don't need to be a pro using a pair of scissors and a sewing machine so anyone can do it.

 

Step one.

Lay the playsuit out flat and cut as close as possible just above the waistband.

If there is an elasticated band like there is on mine make sure you hold back the over locked edge and cut just above the last elasticated thread. This will need to be folded and sewn down to make it even along front edge, also to hide the over locked edge.

Step Two.

I love the white funky buttons on the shorts but i'm likely to wear a belt over the top so needed to change them for something a bit flatter. Unfortunately I couldn't find any two of the same in the button tin my nan gave me but I did find two 'make your own' buttons which you can cover in any fabric of your chose. I chose plain black. 

Another step that is so simple to do yet makes such a difference.

Step three

Once the shorts were done I finished the top with a rolled hem, and sewed the edged of the lapels together to make a boxy cropped t-shirt shape with a collar.

Now I have a super cute twosie.

I'll probably wear them more as separates and will style the shorts with a high rolled tshirt, rolled shorts, black studded belt.

The top i'll probably put on under my black pinny dress or with my my super high waisted black leggings.

I'll style both with my chunky gold chain and cut out boots.

So excited to wear these!! I love DIY'ing it's so fun creating new clothes from oldies, changing and customising things can make your wardrobe so refreshing when it's getting a little boring.

AND ITS FREE (mostly)

Have you done any DIY recently or want to customise something but not sure how?

Kates xxx