Throwing some sass with Lady K Loves

In the world of ‘body shapes’ I’m considered a pear shape, which means basically that my bust is smaller than my hips with a small waist. I’ve always struggled with body labels and being called a pear in my earlier twenties use to bring to my frustrated tears of denial as I didn’t want to be ‘labelled’ as something different. It was particularly hard coming from a family of women who were all pretty petite and column shaped as once puberty hit I always felt like the odd one out.  While pear shaped women are being represented more now than they ever were in the 1990’s and 2000’s (though the hourglass of a large bust and big hips still seems to take the centre outside of the more petitie ladies), I find the ‘pear shape’ is still twisted into something mostly unobtainable for most women, so I wanted to share these fun photos of me with my natural shape. Now don’t get me wrong: my love of shapewear isn’t due to self-loathing or self-hate now days. I love how fun it can be to tweak my shape to suit different looks or eras and it really helps me fit into clothes better as well as giving my shape neater lines, but I do find most brands don’t really cater for pear girls. I normally have to compromise waist size to fit my hips and my bust is normally left behind completely in firm fitting one pieces. So I was incredibly excited when I received an amazing parcel of UK Brand Lady K Loves to find these amazing gingham Wendy trousers (not that I own much of it but I’m actually gingham crazy!!) and finding that they fit my body without any smoothing or cinching. Pear ladies, these pants are a must!

Scarf ~ Baby Blue scarf from Daisy Jean Floral Designs
Earrings ~ A few seasons ago blue earrings from Sparklelux
Beads ~Pastel Pink beads from Debstar Designs
Brooch ~ War Paint brooch by Vixen by Micheline Pitt from Vintage Pip
Top ~ No brand Marilyn style top
Pants ~ Wendy Trousers in Blue Gingham from Lady K Loves
Shoes ~ Kmart

LadyK Loves is a UK based brand that make retro and vintage styled pieces in limited runs. When I first heard of Lady K Loves it was due to their incredible curve friendly jeans early last year. Upon further inspection I found they also stock a tops, playsuits, skirts and outfit sets as well as their well-known jeans. One thing I’ve noticed through looking through their Instagram and hashtag is that ladies of a variety of sizes and shapes wear their clothes, so their products aren’t just suited to the girls with bigger curves. Made with fun prints and patterns, they’ll have a piece for everyone’s tastes! I was incredibly excited for the Wendy Trousers in blue gingham and after wearing them a few times to be able to give you all the best feedback, I can honestly say I’m in love! 

Firstly, I actually love gingham print! One of my aims is to bring more gingham into my wardrobe over summer and it’s such a great summer colour too in pastel blue! Blue Gingham not for you? No problem, because the Wendy trousersalso come in Black and White Leopard, Cornflower Blue, Leopard, red gingham, rose red, black and a teal stripe pattern. The Wendy Trousers are made from what feels like a cotton (their website doesn’t say but they are super breathable!) and feature a darted high waist with a tapered cigarette style leg. This high darted waist is a lifesaver for gals with a small waist and a decent size difference between their hips, as it stops any gaping (especially at the back) and the belt loops allow for the option of throwing in a pop of colour and some extra cinching. 

The Wendy trousers are done up with an invisible side zip and button, which is another great feature for smoothing the figure. I tend to carry a fair bit of my weight on my tummy, but by moving the zip to the side it reduces the bulk on the front and smooths everything out. My tummy has never looked flatter in such a light coloured pair of pants and its one of my favourite things about them. These incredible trousers not only fit my tummy but they also fit my hips and booty, which is my biggest issue with firmer pants. They aren’t too firm on my hips or my thighs and I don’t get any pulling through the crotch area (awkward) when I sit down or bend over. This for me makes these pants TRULY awesome and is one of the reasons I cannot wait to add more to my wardrobe. 

The styling potential for these pants is huge! Being such a soft pastel blue I’ve loved teaming them with baby pink so far! But I’d love to try other colour matches once I invest in some more summer tops in the next few weeks! For this shoot I kept accessories simple in white and pink to let the Wendy’s truly shine. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a firm fitting pair of pants as much as I love these ones!  I’m actively trying to not wear them constantly (which is always a good sign right?!) and I cannot wait to add some more colourways into my wardrobe. 

For reference, at a 30/32 waist and a 44/45 hip I’m wearing the size large. Some of the colours have more stretch than others (make sure you check the description and size chart when ordering!!) so it depends on if you prefer a looser more casual look or a firmer fit. Wendy trousers are normally £48/$77AUD/$58USD but their older colour ways are currently on sale for £38/$61AUD/$46USD, so if you are loving these pants now is the time to snap yourself up a pair! I received my parcel from Lady K Loves in around 10 business days internationally and it was beautifully presented!

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this review! I’ve got some more gorgeous Lady K Loves goodies coming your way very soon!

Til next time darlings!

Disclaimer: Whilst I received these pants as part of a sponsorship with Lady K Loves, all opinions expressed are honest to help ensure the most accurate information for my readers. 

Garden Wanders ~ 1940s styling with Vivien of Holloway

As a pear shaped gal who loved 1940’s styles, it can be hard. I spent a lot of my free time on the train or my break at work looking through sites like etsy at the amazing 1940’s true vintage pieces on there. There are hurdles of being a pear shape when it comes to this era though. The 1940’s were more of an A-Line skirt than a circle or swing, as fabric was often rationed which means they are a slimmer fit through the hips. Therefore, I find that most 1940’s items are too small in the hips but would fit perfectly in the upper body. It’s important to remember I think: the state of the world during the 1940’s. World War 2 didn’t end til 1945. The world was not as technologically advanced then and getting goods out to the people for the most part took time in both manufacture and transport, at least in stark comparison to today. With the war taking a good chunk of resources, a lot of people were on rations, which lead to a very trim frame for women. Flash forward to the modern world and that’s hardly the case in developed countries at least. So while I do still hunt for true vintage, I’ve been looking for reproduction 1940’s items that I can add to my wardrobe to wear regularly without fear of damaging them. Enter Vivien of Holloway, a brand with some truly amazing 1940’s pieces!

Scarf ~ Baby Pink nylon scarf from Daisy Jean Floral Designs
Earrings ~ Pastel pink/white eclipe studs from Revere Folie
Brooch ~ Sundae Brooch from Deer Arrow
Blouse ~ Raglan Blouse in Mint from Vivien of Holloway
Pants ~ 1940s Swing Trousers in Soft Sand from Vivien of Holloway
Shoes ~ Saddle shoes from Royal Vintage Shoes

Vivien of Holloway is an amazing brand that hails from the UK that stocks a large amount of 1940’s inspired stuff. One thing I’ve always admired about their stock is that it has an authentic feel to it, which is one of the main things that keeps drawing me back into their store. As I’ve gotten more and more interested in the 1940’s, my desire for an authentic polished look has grown.  Swing pants are something I’ve recently fallen in love with big time. For someone on the go a lot like me, they are amazing. Able to be dressed up for work or down for weekend business errands, this style of swing pants are quickly becoming a staple in my wardrobe. Blouses have also become a recent love, especially as my hunt of investing in more 1940’s suits continues. A blouse and swing pants combo felt like the perfect fit!

Starting with the blouse, I was absolutely smitten with the colour. Green is a favourite of mine and soft pastels even more so. I got the size 18, which is a 40 Bust and a 32 Waist, which is pretty close to my measurements. This blouse did fit a bit roomier than I was used to, namely to my rather narrow rounded shoulders but it wasn’t SO big it wasn’t unwearable. I actually found it a pleasant change compared to my firmer fitting tops and it’s a welcome alternative. I could easily size down though for a firmer look or stick to this size for a more relaxed fit. This blouse is made of poly cotton, which means it breathes quite well, which is a MUST for someone with sensitive skin like mine. 

The sleeves are comfortable and not too tight. Their Raglan blouse comes in an array of different prints and colours. Some of the other colourways I'm dreaming about are the birdie Raglan Blouse and the flamingo Raglon blouse. If long sleeves aren't your thing they also have to Jo-Jo blouse, which is the short sleeve version and I honestly cannot wait to get myself some of those in some of their fun prints for the coming Australian summer. My favorite Jo-Jo blouses atm are the pink spiral blouse and the blue crepe gingham. This blouse is truly everything I’d hoped it would be and its one I cannot wait to style in other ways as well as add more to my collection!

The Vivien of Holloway 1940’s Swing Trousers in soft sand are probably the best fitting pair of trousers I own! While many of my other swing trousers have required being taken up or are much too big in the waist, these ones just fit perfectly not just on my waist, but my hips as well. I’m wearing the 32 waist and 44 hip pair, which are almost exactly my measurements. I love how comfortable these are. The waist side button up also means the lines of these pants are incredibly smooth, as I personally find sometimes zips can bunch on me. I stepped outside my comfort zone with these are got a lighter colour than I normally be comfortable in. As a curvier girl I tend to stick to darker colours that are a bit kinder on the slimming factor, but I find with these pants it’s not an issue at all. Their design and the cut from the waist to the hips, along with the side buttons actually smooths across the front! This is amazing for helping to hide problem areas or bloating and is a feature that I find a lot of modern clothing lacks!

These pants are incredibly comfortable to wear and I cannot wait to get them in varying colours and style them in different ways. Their versatility is truly their winning point. Team them with a blouse or a knit top for a more work appropriate look or go casual with a statement tee or a halter top. I’d love to wear this with a halter top in summer. These pants are flowy enough they wouldn’t be too hot either! I’ll definitely be investing in these in some more colours and they do come in a big range too! The Bottle Green is to die for and I definitely need the burgundy pair as well!

The Raglan blouse retails for $66.13AUD and the Trousers are yours for $93.27AUD plus postage. Considering the quality these prices are very good, even with our poor Australian dollar at the moment. Vivien of Holloway do ship worldwide as well, so ladies outside of Australia, you can also snap yourself up this amazing outfit too!

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this review. I’m honestly loving all the plush green leaves around home at the moment and they made such a great backdrop for this vibrant outfit. I was so grateful for a chance to work with Vivien of Holloway on this outfit for you all and you can expect to see it in something exciting that’s coming very soon to my blog!

Til next time darlings!

 Disclaimer: Whilst I received these items as part of a collaboration with Vivien of Holloway, all opinions expressed are honest to help ensure the most accurate information for my readers.