Feeling Blue with Joanie Clothing, Simply Be, ASOS Curve and Tatty Devine

(All of the items in the post are ones which I've purchased myself, but links are AF links where possible.)

Since my friend Kat cut in my fringe about a month or so ago, I've felt so much more like myself again, and have definitely embraced the inner rock and roller who I always wanted to be! This is the first outfit post I've managed to scrape together in FOREVER, partly because I've been slowly rediscovering what my style is again, and partly because I've been buried with shoots and edits. I've got an exhibition opening at the end of May which I'm really excited about, but that along with freelance work is sucking all of my time into a giant black hole. I'm not going to complain though - it's nice to have creative things on the go which are coming together, but I'm hopeful that my blogging schedule will be a bit more regular again soon. I've got a few bits shot and some more which I'm hoping to do this weekend, so if you're still with me and reading this, thank you for sticking around!

Spring Affair - Ladder Detail High Neck dress from Simply Be

I do love a cute fluted sleeve, and when twinned with florals and lace I'll probably be swooning over it. That was how I felt when I spied this adorable Ladder Detail High Neck dress from Simply Be, and knew it'd be the perfect item as we slowly transition into spring.

Flight Of The Bumblebee - Beating The Winter Blues With Brightness

With all the fun of the festive period well and truly in the rear view mirror, it's so hard to not find yourself in a gloomy funk as we claw our way through January. Between the perpetual grey gloom, the infrequent work (#freelancelife) and the constant bombardment of "New Year New You" dirge, January just feels like one long struggle. Now that we're entering week 17 of the first month of the year, I'm attacking it with the only way I know how - dressing up in obnoxiously bright colours, painting myself in so much highlighter I can be seen from the ISS and generally living my best life as a chubby bumble bee.

Happy Feet - A Summer Sandals Wish List

I don't know about you guys, but the torrential rain of the last few days has had me dreaming of sandy beaches and summer vibes. I've found myself browsing all of my favourite places to get some inspiration for when the sun decides to come back, and get some idea to up my summer footwear game as right now it's jelly shoes or bust! Here are a few of my favourites which I've come across.

Boots Made For Walking - Lorraine Kelly Ankle Boots Extra Wide EEE Fit from JD Williams

I've been a huge fan of the collections from Lorraine Kelly at JD Williams ever since I saw her first Spring preview last year. Her biker mac has been something I've pretty much lived in ever since I got my hands on it, so when I heard that she had launched a range of footwear, I was really excited to see what it looked like.

I'll be the first person to admit that I'm useless in most heels. However I do love a good chunky design, and when I was kindly offered the choice to review something from the range, I decided to risk my lack of balance in these lovely wide fitting ankle boots.

When I took them out of their box, it was love at first sight. Available in a choice of black or tan, I choose the black ones as I figured there would be more in my wardrobe for them to go with. They feature a quilted design, zip fastening, but most importantly, the comfiest block heels I've ever worn in my life. At 2 3/4 inches my feet would normally give up in defeat after about 30 minutes, but somehow, these £65 beauties have been designed as the footwear holy grail - heels which I can actually walk more than ten paces in!

I teamed the boots with my LK biker mac, and felt like I was ready to tackle all manner of 70s style spy shenanigans. There are so many different footwear designs in the collection, ranging from sky blue court shoes to cherry red wide calf boots so is perfect for injecting some colour into your Autumn / Winter style. You can view the whole range here and get to putting your best foot forward!

Until next time,

Diana xx

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

So Long, Sweet Summer - Enjoying The Last Rays With House Of Fraser

With our Summer being a complete wash-out at the moment, it's hard to know whether to leave home in sandals, boots or a wet suit! Layers have become my go-to option but it's difficult with temperatures soaring the second the rain stops. Summer is definitely clinging on by a thread, but I'm not quite ready to completely pack away the sandals and shorts  just yet. It's all about those transitional pieces which straddle the seasons with ease, especially those picked up as cut-price bargains.

Department store House of Fraser really know how to put on a sale, with a plus size section filled to bursting with discounted dresses, shoes and more. I was kindly asked if I would like to review some of their items, and quickly found myself swooning over cute prints and pretty shapes. There were so many brilliant options that it was almost impossible to choose!

Dress: Samya Fit & Flare dress, via House of Fraser. Was £40, reduced to £10.

My first pick was this stunning floral print dress from Samya. The two things which struck me were the Autumn colour palette and how the full, vintage styled a-line shape was given a modern update with the gold exposed zip to the front. The material has a lot of stretch, so I was able to buy my usual size to fit my waist and not have to worry about it being too tight along my bust. It was also stiff without being too heavy, and teamed with leggings, boots and a cardigan, was a perfect option for an Autumn day.

 Sandals: Evans Extra Wide Fit Black Sporty Mesh Sandals via House of Fraser. Was £35, reduced to £15.

The other item which caught my eye were these "sporty" sandals from Evans. House of Fraser have a huge selection of wide fit shoes and boots available online, but I loved the versatility of these ones in particular. Extra wide for comfort, they have a padded sole and a zip back fastening but also work with everything from dresses to denim. They are the sort of shoes which you can walk in for hours and feel like you're merely cloud hopping!

I'm off to the Lake District in just under two weeks, and am hoping that the weather dries out a little as these sandals would be perfect for exploring in. I love that they are both pretty and functional, and are the perfect run-around shoe for warm and busy days.

There are lots of plus size bargains to be had on the House of Fraser website, so if you're looking for some new shoes or an outfit, click here!

Until next time,

Diana xx

Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, Bloglovin and Facebook.
www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)