My New Obsession : Elle King

Tuesday 28 February 2017

When Navabi shared a photo of Elle King on their twitter after the Grammys, I was immediately crushing on her look and curious to know more. Who was this fox with amazing taste?

I shared the photo on my facebook page and was informed that Elle was a musician, a country musician in fact. Well, I love me some country music so I headed right to Youtube where I promptly fell completely in lust with her. Her music is totally my sort of thing, bluesy, a little sleazy and wonderfully twangy country. I listened to about 4 tracks on Youtube before I ordered her album 'Love Stuff' which has not left my car stereo since it arrived. I am obsessed.


'America's Sweetheart' is a favourite from the album, it's so catchy and I can't get it out of my head. I really like this because while it is self deprecating it's done in a way that is fun and at no point puts anyone else down which is a common theme when this is done usually. I can't stop singing this!

'I told you I was mean' is a ballad with a twist, it's about leaving a man you used because you were lonely that you never loved. It's bluesy and a truly unusual love song in that it's pretty soul destroying for the man it's about!


Irritatingly this video isn't available in the UK, but I have been able to watch it on my phone. This is from before Elle's first album and is called 'Good to be man'. It's bango-filled country at it's finest, all about why it's good to be a man these days. Hilarious at times and painfully true.

Elle's voice is so distinctive, the way she rasps and the gravelly tones are just sublime. She's a curvy babe who is confident and loves herself which is always incredible to see, and her songs are just in my head all the time. I can't wait for her next album!

Much love,
Kitty xxxx



My New Obsession : Elle King

Tuesday 28 February 2017

When Navabi shared a photo of Elle King on their twitter after the Grammys, I was immediately crushing on her look and curious to know more. Who was this fox with amazing taste?

I shared the photo on my facebook page and was informed that Elle was a musician, a country musician in fact. Well, I love me some country music so I headed right to Youtube where I promptly fell completely in lust with her. Her music is totally my sort of thing, bluesy, a little sleazy and wonderfully twangy country. I listened to about 4 tracks on Youtube before I ordered her album 'Love Stuff' which has not left my car stereo since it arrived. I am obsessed.


'America's Sweetheart' is a favourite from the album, it's so catchy and I can't get it out of my head. I really like this because while it is self deprecating it's done in a way that is fun and at no point puts anyone else down which is a common theme when this is done usually. I can't stop singing this!

'I told you I was mean' is a ballad with a twist, it's about leaving a man you used because you were lonely that you never loved. It's bluesy and a truly unusual love song in that it's pretty soul destroying for the man it's about!


Irritatingly this video isn't available in the UK, but I have been able to watch it on my phone. This is from before Elle's first album and is called 'Good to be man'. It's bango-filled country at it's finest, all about why it's good to be a man these days. Hilarious at times and painfully true.

Elle's voice is so distinctive, the way she rasps and the gravelly tones are just sublime. She's a curvy babe who is confident and loves herself which is always incredible to see, and her songs are just in my head all the time. I can't wait for her next album!

Much love,
Kitty xxxx



Birthday OOTD with GatsbyLady*

Sunday 26 February 2017


For my birthday two weeks ago a cute dress for a family dinner was in order, and this beautiful 'Amy' dress* from GatsbyLady fit the bill perfectly. It's cute, a little quirky, the right amount of vintage, and I love it.


Bell sleeves are a huge trend for this year and this dress features them in a way that fits it's style wonderfully. I used to love bell sleeves as a teenager but they fell out of fashion and were impossible to get hold of, so glad to see them back!


I felt like a seventies dream when I put this dress on, so my trusty biker boots and mesh leggings that look like tights were the order of the day. These are footless leggings, and then the waist and butt area of them is a traditional legging material. It makes them comfy to wear and with boots they look like tights. I like that they flash a bit of tattoo through them.


It's fairly low cut, but nothing too much. I'm wearing a lace bralette under it and it didn't show at all, so most bra styles will be just fine with it. The fabric is gorgeous, soft, stretchy, thick enough to smooth out any visible bra patterning but not so thick it's overly warm.


I'm pretty tall, 5ft 11 (which apparently baffles everyone who reads my blog!) and the dress sits at mid-thigh on me. It'll be longer on most but I love a bit of thigh flashing so the length is great for me.


It was raining when I took these photos, so a windswept look was always going to happen. I'm considering changing my hair colour, any suggestions? I've been pink for a while now.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx

*denotes items gifted to me for review purposes. In no way does this impact upon my opinions which are entirely my own.

Dreaming of Manon Baptiste : Colourpop Hot to Trot

Birthday OOTD with GatsbyLady*

Sunday 26 February 2017


For my birthday two weeks ago a cute dress for a family dinner was in order, and this beautiful 'Amy' dress* from GatsbyLady fit the bill perfectly. It's cute, a little quirky, the right amount of vintage, and I love it.


Bell sleeves are a huge trend for this year and this dress features them in a way that fits it's style wonderfully. I used to love bell sleeves as a teenager but they fell out of fashion and were impossible to get hold of, so glad to see them back!


I felt like a seventies dream when I put this dress on, so my trusty biker boots and mesh leggings that look like tights were the order of the day. These are footless leggings, and then the waist and butt area of them is a traditional legging material. It makes them comfy to wear and with boots they look like tights. I like that they flash a bit of tattoo through them.


It's fairly low cut, but nothing too much. I'm wearing a lace bralette under it and it didn't show at all, so most bra styles will be just fine with it. The fabric is gorgeous, soft, stretchy, thick enough to smooth out any visible bra patterning but not so thick it's overly warm.


I'm pretty tall, 5ft 11 (which apparently baffles everyone who reads my blog!) and the dress sits at mid-thigh on me. It'll be longer on most but I love a bit of thigh flashing so the length is great for me.


It was raining when I took these photos, so a windswept look was always going to happen. I'm considering changing my hair colour, any suggestions? I've been pink for a while now.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx

*denotes items gifted to me for review purposes. In no way does this impact upon my opinions which are entirely my own.

Dreaming of Manon Baptiste : Colourpop Hot to Trot

Colourpop Hot to Trot Lippie to Go Set

Tuesday 21 February 2017

By now it's reasonably obvious that I really love Colourpop's products, and as a little post-Christmas treat I ordered a few of their sale items and value sets, including this Hot to Trot Lippie To Go set. I'm not usually one for lip liner, but I know generally it's seen as a beauty must to really help keep your lippie where it should be, so when I saw this lippie stix/lip liner combo I had to give it a go.




The packaging is a purple cardboard box with white patterns on it and a pale pink inside which is a cute touch. It arrived a bit bashed but after a journey from the US and customs etc I can't complain about a bit of bent cardboard.


The packaging is the classic white design with holographic font, one end is the lip liner and the other is the lippie stix. They have a really firm and distinct 'click' into place which is something I really like, I hate losing lids in my handbag and these don't shift unless you want them to.


Some of these are colours I already had, but I couldn't resist the travel size/lip liner combo. The colours are listed on the back so you can see which colour is the liner and which colour is the lippie stix.


With every swatch I did of the lip liner, the very tip broke off, bar one. The ends were really hard and when I applied a bit of pressure to get them to work it just snapped off. I was a bit gutted but they still worked just fine and were much softer once the tip was gone.


The lippie stix end is the rounded, slightly angled applicator. I really like the shapes of the lippie stix and their small size, I actually think they are easier to apply than traditional lipstick shapes, they are much more precise.


And the ever important swatches! I've swatched the lip liner and their corresponding lippie stix next to each other, they aren't all exact matches which I like, it can make the application a bit more interesting. The pale fawn colours are a bit too light for me in the Skimpy/Cookie set on the far left, so I've given that to my Mum who it really suits. Bound/Cami is next and I can already tell you that this will be a firm favourite of mine for spring, it's a lovely mix of pink and purple. The middle one is LBB at both ends, so the only true match, I love a good purple and wear LBB a lot so I'm glad to have the liner too. Bossy/Trust Me is a fantastic true red with cool tones which is exactly what I like for my skin tones, and Dukes/Chateau is a fab browny purple, perfect for those days you want to be a bit more dramatic and goth.

I really like these as a set, and will certainly be keeping my eye out for more like this, at $18 for the full set, meaning $3.60 per lip liner/lippie stix you really can't go wrong.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx


Colourpop Hot to Trot Lippie to Go Set

Tuesday 21 February 2017

By now it's reasonably obvious that I really love Colourpop's products, and as a little post-Christmas treat I ordered a few of their sale items and value sets, including this Hot to Trot Lippie To Go set. I'm not usually one for lip liner, but I know generally it's seen as a beauty must to really help keep your lippie where it should be, so when I saw this lippie stix/lip liner combo I had to give it a go.




The packaging is a purple cardboard box with white patterns on it and a pale pink inside which is a cute touch. It arrived a bit bashed but after a journey from the US and customs etc I can't complain about a bit of bent cardboard.


The packaging is the classic white design with holographic font, one end is the lip liner and the other is the lippie stix. They have a really firm and distinct 'click' into place which is something I really like, I hate losing lids in my handbag and these don't shift unless you want them to.


Some of these are colours I already had, but I couldn't resist the travel size/lip liner combo. The colours are listed on the back so you can see which colour is the liner and which colour is the lippie stix.


With every swatch I did of the lip liner, the very tip broke off, bar one. The ends were really hard and when I applied a bit of pressure to get them to work it just snapped off. I was a bit gutted but they still worked just fine and were much softer once the tip was gone.


The lippie stix end is the rounded, slightly angled applicator. I really like the shapes of the lippie stix and their small size, I actually think they are easier to apply than traditional lipstick shapes, they are much more precise.


And the ever important swatches! I've swatched the lip liner and their corresponding lippie stix next to each other, they aren't all exact matches which I like, it can make the application a bit more interesting. The pale fawn colours are a bit too light for me in the Skimpy/Cookie set on the far left, so I've given that to my Mum who it really suits. Bound/Cami is next and I can already tell you that this will be a firm favourite of mine for spring, it's a lovely mix of pink and purple. The middle one is LBB at both ends, so the only true match, I love a good purple and wear LBB a lot so I'm glad to have the liner too. Bossy/Trust Me is a fantastic true red with cool tones which is exactly what I like for my skin tones, and Dukes/Chateau is a fab browny purple, perfect for those days you want to be a bit more dramatic and goth.

I really like these as a set, and will certainly be keeping my eye out for more like this, at $18 for the full set, meaning $3.60 per lip liner/lippie stix you really can't go wrong.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx


What I Got For My Birthday Part II

Sunday 19 February 2017

Today is part II of my sharing what I got for my birthday last week. I split it up into two posts purely so it wasn't really photo heavy. Check out part I of the haul here.




From my little brother and his girlfriend I got this fab Skinnydip London bag. It's a clutch style, but does come with a shoulder strap too. It's two separate halves that zip together and attach with poppers. So if you are going out and don't need to take much with you, a simple unzip and you can take out half the bag instead. It's a lush blue snakeskin with a touch of shimmer to to it. 


They've clearly been paying attention to my love of Skinnydip London as they also got me this planet bag that I have been lusting after for absolutely ages. It's glittery and beautiful and I love it.


Some girls get excited when they see a blue Tiffany's box, not I. I get excited when I see a BloodyMary Metal box! My parents got me this gorgeous BMM daggers necklace, it's so divine and very me. Silver is my favourite metal and they cast everything in silver, yay!


And finally, my amazing husband Stu got me a BMM necklace I thought I'd missed out on forever. The cat skull! The detail is beautiful and it's so pretty. It sits at a lovely length on me and I can just see myself wearing it constantly.

I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful family and loved ones.

Much love,
Kitty xxx





What I Got For My Birthday Part II

Sunday 19 February 2017

Today is part II of my sharing what I got for my birthday last week. I split it up into two posts purely so it wasn't really photo heavy. Check out part I of the haul here.




From my little brother and his girlfriend I got this fab Skinnydip London bag. It's a clutch style, but does come with a shoulder strap too. It's two separate halves that zip together and attach with poppers. So if you are going out and don't need to take much with you, a simple unzip and you can take out half the bag instead. It's a lush blue snakeskin with a touch of shimmer to to it. 


They've clearly been paying attention to my love of Skinnydip London as they also got me this planet bag that I have been lusting after for absolutely ages. It's glittery and beautiful and I love it.


Some girls get excited when they see a blue Tiffany's box, not I. I get excited when I see a BloodyMary Metal box! My parents got me this gorgeous BMM daggers necklace, it's so divine and very me. Silver is my favourite metal and they cast everything in silver, yay!


And finally, my amazing husband Stu got me a BMM necklace I thought I'd missed out on forever. The cat skull! The detail is beautiful and it's so pretty. It sits at a lovely length on me and I can just see myself wearing it constantly.

I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful family and loved ones.

Much love,
Kitty xxx





What I Got For My Birthday Part I

Thursday 16 February 2017

I turned 29 on Sunday and had a really lovely day. It was basically a birthday weekend, with drinks with friends on Saturday, then lunch out with my family on Sunday and then a relaxing evening with my husband to finish the weekend off. Perfect! I'm incredibly lucky, and spent the weekend feeling so fuzzy and loved! I always love seeing what people got for their birthdays, so I can't resist sharing what I got either. I'm splitting this into 2 posts because I don't want it to be too photo heavy of a post, so part II will be my next post up.


My dear friend Max (and Mummy blogger at MaxandJackson on tumblr) got me this stag head construction kit. I'm a bit obsessed with stag heads so this is very me, I might have to try and paint it to match one of the rooms in our house too!


Disaronno was a bit of a theme in presents from my friends, with a large bottle from some, and then this lovely set with two Disaronni glasses and a bottle from others. I've never seen these glasses before but they are so cute! I'm not much of a drinker, but I do like me some amaretto on the rocks.




My Nanny and G (our nickname for my Grandad on my Mum's side) got me not one, but two awesome pairs of Converses. Black and white pattern hi-tops, and rose gold lo-tops. I can't wait for the weather to get warmer so I can wear them all the time. You can never go wrong with Converses. One of the things I really love about Converse these days is that the vast majority of their styles and patterns go right from a size 3, through to a size size 13, and they even carry up to a size 15 on their site now, just in more limited options. This means that I can get the funkier and more traditionally feminine styles, even with my size 10 feet! Go Converse for not letting gender define what patterns you have available in different sizes.


One of my presents from my Mum and Dad was this new wok. I love a good wok and basically use it to cook every day. We are in the process of getting a new kitchen and one of the upgrades we are getting is an induction hob. With an induction hob only pans that are magnetic will work on it, which meant my beloved wok would be useless to me. I was SO excited when I opened this. It has a handle on both sides! Way easy to lift up and manoeuvre when my carpal tunnel plays up. 29 is apparently the age when woks become amazingly excited.



My Mum and Dad also got me this incredible Freedom Makeup eye shadow palette. It has 32 shades in it, and it comes in a really fun leopard print packaging. When we go away anywhere I'll only need to take this one palette with me from now on! So awesome.

Part 2 will be up on Sunday!

Much love,
Kitty xxx








What I Got For My Birthday Part I

Thursday 16 February 2017

I turned 29 on Sunday and had a really lovely day. It was basically a birthday weekend, with drinks with friends on Saturday, then lunch out with my family on Sunday and then a relaxing evening with my husband to finish the weekend off. Perfect! I'm incredibly lucky, and spent the weekend feeling so fuzzy and loved! I always love seeing what people got for their birthdays, so I can't resist sharing what I got either. I'm splitting this into 2 posts because I don't want it to be too photo heavy of a post, so part II will be my next post up.


My dear friend Max (and Mummy blogger at MaxandJackson on tumblr) got me this stag head construction kit. I'm a bit obsessed with stag heads so this is very me, I might have to try and paint it to match one of the rooms in our house too!


Disaronno was a bit of a theme in presents from my friends, with a large bottle from some, and then this lovely set with two Disaronni glasses and a bottle from others. I've never seen these glasses before but they are so cute! I'm not much of a drinker, but I do like me some amaretto on the rocks.




My Nanny and G (our nickname for my Grandad on my Mum's side) got me not one, but two awesome pairs of Converses. Black and white pattern hi-tops, and rose gold lo-tops. I can't wait for the weather to get warmer so I can wear them all the time. You can never go wrong with Converses. One of the things I really love about Converse these days is that the vast majority of their styles and patterns go right from a size 3, through to a size size 13, and they even carry up to a size 15 on their site now, just in more limited options. This means that I can get the funkier and more traditionally feminine styles, even with my size 10 feet! Go Converse for not letting gender define what patterns you have available in different sizes.


One of my presents from my Mum and Dad was this new wok. I love a good wok and basically use it to cook every day. We are in the process of getting a new kitchen and one of the upgrades we are getting is an induction hob. With an induction hob only pans that are magnetic will work on it, which meant my beloved wok would be useless to me. I was SO excited when I opened this. It has a handle on both sides! Way easy to lift up and manoeuvre when my carpal tunnel plays up. 29 is apparently the age when woks become amazingly excited.



My Mum and Dad also got me this incredible Freedom Makeup eye shadow palette. It has 32 shades in it, and it comes in a really fun leopard print packaging. When we go away anywhere I'll only need to take this one palette with me from now on! So awesome.

Part 2 will be up on Sunday!

Much love,
Kitty xxx








Trying Wolf & Whistle

Tuesday 14 February 2017

Wolf & Whistle are a brand that are new to me, so when they got in touch asking if I'd like to try some of their plus size range I was excited to give them a go. They are newer to the plus size market, and they go up to a size 26, which is more than a lot of brands have been doing for years. A bit of chatting with their team also told me that they are hoping to expand their size range, so fingers crossed! Their spring range is a floral pastel dream, very unlike my usual style, but absolutely beautiful. I opted to try out two of the tops!


First up, the peach frill top*, which retails for £30. It's a lovely pale peachy colour, and the material is nice and soft, is a little sheer. You need a flesh coloured bra under this one for sure, with smooth cups only, as the material shows up every detail in whatever is underneath it. The frill down the front is a cute touch, and the back features a gold zip running all the way down the top.


I got my usual size in this, and it did fit a little awkwardly. I could have done with a bit more space on the waist and the bust area. I'm not very busty so this isn't a problem I usually have. The arm holes are a good size which can often be a problem in newer brands who aren't allowing for plus size arms. With a little work, this could have been perfect, but it just wasn't quite there.


This is the pink + grey floral camisole* and it retails for £22. This is a great silky material, almost like the fanciest pajamas you've ever owned. It's very reminiscent of something from the nineties, the floral pattern and the hints of nineties tie in with two key trends for spring. It's a spaghetti style top with a cross over at the back, and the pattern and colours are so damn pretty.


I could have done with a little more room on the bottom of the top as it's supposed to be a loose fit, and maybe a little more length in the straps. I am 5ft 11, so I tend to expect a bit of an issue with strap lengths on tops like this so it's a fairly standard problem I have. I think this will be a gorgeous top for summer holidays, and if you are of the no-bra persuasion like I am, you can totally get away without one. The back of this is my favourite as the cross over is adorable!

Despite the fit issues, the quality of these tops is obvious. Wolf & Whistle are a newer brand to the plus size market, so over time these issues will hopefully work themselves out. I'd recommend sizing up if possible for now.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx


*denotes items gifted for review purposes. In no way does this impact upon my opinions which are entirely my own.


Trying Wolf & Whistle

Tuesday 14 February 2017

Wolf & Whistle are a brand that are new to me, so when they got in touch asking if I'd like to try some of their plus size range I was excited to give them a go. They are newer to the plus size market, and they go up to a size 26, which is more than a lot of brands have been doing for years. A bit of chatting with their team also told me that they are hoping to expand their size range, so fingers crossed! Their spring range is a floral pastel dream, very unlike my usual style, but absolutely beautiful. I opted to try out two of the tops!


First up, the peach frill top*, which retails for £30. It's a lovely pale peachy colour, and the material is nice and soft, is a little sheer. You need a flesh coloured bra under this one for sure, with smooth cups only, as the material shows up every detail in whatever is underneath it. The frill down the front is a cute touch, and the back features a gold zip running all the way down the top.


I got my usual size in this, and it did fit a little awkwardly. I could have done with a bit more space on the waist and the bust area. I'm not very busty so this isn't a problem I usually have. The arm holes are a good size which can often be a problem in newer brands who aren't allowing for plus size arms. With a little work, this could have been perfect, but it just wasn't quite there.


This is the pink + grey floral camisole* and it retails for £22. This is a great silky material, almost like the fanciest pajamas you've ever owned. It's very reminiscent of something from the nineties, the floral pattern and the hints of nineties tie in with two key trends for spring. It's a spaghetti style top with a cross over at the back, and the pattern and colours are so damn pretty.


I could have done with a little more room on the bottom of the top as it's supposed to be a loose fit, and maybe a little more length in the straps. I am 5ft 11, so I tend to expect a bit of an issue with strap lengths on tops like this so it's a fairly standard problem I have. I think this will be a gorgeous top for summer holidays, and if you are of the no-bra persuasion like I am, you can totally get away without one. The back of this is my favourite as the cross over is adorable!

Despite the fit issues, the quality of these tops is obvious. Wolf & Whistle are a newer brand to the plus size market, so over time these issues will hopefully work themselves out. I'd recommend sizing up if possible for now.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx


*denotes items gifted for review purposes. In no way does this impact upon my opinions which are entirely my own.


28 Things I've Learned in my 28 Years

Sunday 12 February 2017

Today I turn 29! I'm not massively into my own birthday, I much prefer celebrating other peoples and giving gifts, but I do enjoy getting to see my family and loved ones. For something different this year I thought I'd share 28 things I've learnt in the last year, some daft, some not so, but all new to me. So, here goes....

1) I really, really love BBQ sauce. Specifically Red's Unholy BBQ sauce. For some reasons I was convinced that I didn't like BBQ sauce but ended up trying a little bit at some point, and I fell in love. It is soooo good. Red's Unholy BBQ sauce is also vegan, so extra awesome points to them! Gimme it in pasta sauce, with fries, on pizza, with onion rings and cheese, mmmmmm.

2) There are some (not many still) but some retailers who do actually size women's shoe styles in a size 10. This year is going to be all about shoes!


3) That I still think peppers are the grossest thing ever, and I definitely won't ever not hate them. Their skin feels like flesh to me, they creep me out so bad.

4) That I can blog 3 times a week, every week, and not just because I'm forcing myself to write and shoving filler on my blog. I've really worked on my blog this year and am really proud of how far it's come. My aim is to carry on in the same vein for the next year too.

5) That Twitter is my favourite social media platform. I'm on it every day and I love it. I've met so many inspiring people because of it and learnt so much about myself and how to love myself because of the people on it. It's made me more focused and more political. You can follow me @kittyrambles

6) To embrace my height more! I've always swayed away from heels, at 5ft 11 I always felt self conscious in them. I'm probably going to write a whole blog about wearing heels and being tall.


7) That I cannot help but either think that something is just 'ok', or become completely besotted with it. I always end up super obsessed with my interests and get so into them. I never just like things a little bit! I still play PokemonGO every day...

8) That how much I fancy Freddy Flintoff is actually quite inappropriate. I am quite inappropriate.

9) That I cry at everything, and that's ok. I'm a hyper emotional person and I feel other people's feelings so much. I cried for half an hour the other day watching How To Train Your Dragon 2, and I am banned from watching any kind of programmes about vets.

10) That buying good, comfortable pants is an absolute must, and I really have to do better at this. Wearing bad pants all day is not OK!

11) That having my photo taken by someone else really isn't that traumatic, and that I can love photos of myself, even ones I haven't taken. My blog has forced me to be photographed by people other than myself, and it's been liberating.


12) That pink or colourful hair feels much more me than my natural hair colour. I feel so much more confident with my brightly coloured ombre hair!

13) That I really suck at wrapping gifts. It generally ends up looking like I've done it with my eyes closed and my hands behind my back.

14) That I have to have really hardcore cases on my phone, or I will smash the screen. No pretty cases for me, only the mega bulky ones to protect them from my clumsiness. Two screens this year. FFS.

15) To stop saying sorry so much. I used to apologise for everything, from a genuine mistake to the weather not being what someone wanted. I apologised for everything, whether in my control or not. This is a direct result of the relationship I was in before I met my husband, and something I need to continue to work on. Things that aren't in my control are not my fault, and I don't have to say sorry.

16) That there are never enough purple lipsticks. I need every shade ever.



17) That as pretty and cool looking as they are, square plates and bowls are a pain in the arse and do not fit in a dishwasher properly. Stick to round ones if you want them to fit!

18) Also, never ever buy scatter-back sofas. They will never look as good as the day you got them, and you will spend your life fluffing pillows and trying to make them look good again. I regret buying scatter-backs so much.

19) That while we have successfully trained Ashen out of his fear of jumping (yes really), his fear of the tight rope at the local park knows no bounds.

Ashen, the clearly terrible rottweiler who is very concerned whenever his human's feet leave the ground.

20) That when I talk to any and all animals I do a ridiculous voice that I don't even know I'm doing. I only know I'm doing it because my youngest step son now also does the same voice when he talks to animals... oops.

21) I will never get tired of spicy chips with cheese and garlic mayo. Nom.

22) And that I will never understand why Stu thinks cheese on chips is basically sacrilege. It's awesome!

23) That I am officially an adult because getting a new kitchen is the most exciting thing that's happened in ages!

24) That getting a new kitchen is also really stressful but will be so so worth it to be rid of our seventies nightmare that is literally held together with sellotape.


25) That maybe 40 succulents or cacti might be about the limit when it comes to our house. Because all the window sills are kind of full and maybe I should calm it down a little bit. Obsessed.

26) That cognitive behavioural therapy can be completely life changing. It was for me! I went from panic attacks whenever I was going to a social situation, or just avoiding them whatsoever, to feeling brave enough to walk into a pub on my own (providing that I know people who are already in it!). It's been incredible and I am so grateful that I found a therapist who 'got' me and helped me so much.

27) That 3 cats is the perfect amount of cats.

28) That sometimes life really does work out how you dream of it.


Because I got that beautiful long haired man, and I got the giant rescue puppy dog Ashen. I'm so lucky.

Happy birthday me!

Much love,
Kitty xxxx



28 Things I've Learned in my 28 Years

Sunday 12 February 2017

Today I turn 29! I'm not massively into my own birthday, I much prefer celebrating other peoples and giving gifts, but I do enjoy getting to see my family and loved ones. For something different this year I thought I'd share 28 things I've learnt in the last year, some daft, some not so, but all new to me. So, here goes....

1) I really, really love BBQ sauce. Specifically Red's Unholy BBQ sauce. For some reasons I was convinced that I didn't like BBQ sauce but ended up trying a little bit at some point, and I fell in love. It is soooo good. Red's Unholy BBQ sauce is also vegan, so extra awesome points to them! Gimme it in pasta sauce, with fries, on pizza, with onion rings and cheese, mmmmmm.

2) There are some (not many still) but some retailers who do actually size women's shoe styles in a size 10. This year is going to be all about shoes!


3) That I still think peppers are the grossest thing ever, and I definitely won't ever not hate them. Their skin feels like flesh to me, they creep me out so bad.

4) That I can blog 3 times a week, every week, and not just because I'm forcing myself to write and shoving filler on my blog. I've really worked on my blog this year and am really proud of how far it's come. My aim is to carry on in the same vein for the next year too.

5) That Twitter is my favourite social media platform. I'm on it every day and I love it. I've met so many inspiring people because of it and learnt so much about myself and how to love myself because of the people on it. It's made me more focused and more political. You can follow me @kittyrambles

6) To embrace my height more! I've always swayed away from heels, at 5ft 11 I always felt self conscious in them. I'm probably going to write a whole blog about wearing heels and being tall.


7) That I cannot help but either think that something is just 'ok', or become completely besotted with it. I always end up super obsessed with my interests and get so into them. I never just like things a little bit! I still play PokemonGO every day...

8) That how much I fancy Freddy Flintoff is actually quite inappropriate. I am quite inappropriate.

9) That I cry at everything, and that's ok. I'm a hyper emotional person and I feel other people's feelings so much. I cried for half an hour the other day watching How To Train Your Dragon 2, and I am banned from watching any kind of programmes about vets.

10) That buying good, comfortable pants is an absolute must, and I really have to do better at this. Wearing bad pants all day is not OK!

11) That having my photo taken by someone else really isn't that traumatic, and that I can love photos of myself, even ones I haven't taken. My blog has forced me to be photographed by people other than myself, and it's been liberating.


12) That pink or colourful hair feels much more me than my natural hair colour. I feel so much more confident with my brightly coloured ombre hair!

13) That I really suck at wrapping gifts. It generally ends up looking like I've done it with my eyes closed and my hands behind my back.

14) That I have to have really hardcore cases on my phone, or I will smash the screen. No pretty cases for me, only the mega bulky ones to protect them from my clumsiness. Two screens this year. FFS.

15) To stop saying sorry so much. I used to apologise for everything, from a genuine mistake to the weather not being what someone wanted. I apologised for everything, whether in my control or not. This is a direct result of the relationship I was in before I met my husband, and something I need to continue to work on. Things that aren't in my control are not my fault, and I don't have to say sorry.

16) That there are never enough purple lipsticks. I need every shade ever.



17) That as pretty and cool looking as they are, square plates and bowls are a pain in the arse and do not fit in a dishwasher properly. Stick to round ones if you want them to fit!

18) Also, never ever buy scatter-back sofas. They will never look as good as the day you got them, and you will spend your life fluffing pillows and trying to make them look good again. I regret buying scatter-backs so much.

19) That while we have successfully trained Ashen out of his fear of jumping (yes really), his fear of the tight rope at the local park knows no bounds.

Ashen, the clearly terrible rottweiler who is very concerned whenever his human's feet leave the ground.

20) That when I talk to any and all animals I do a ridiculous voice that I don't even know I'm doing. I only know I'm doing it because my youngest step son now also does the same voice when he talks to animals... oops.

21) I will never get tired of spicy chips with cheese and garlic mayo. Nom.

22) And that I will never understand why Stu thinks cheese on chips is basically sacrilege. It's awesome!

23) That I am officially an adult because getting a new kitchen is the most exciting thing that's happened in ages!

24) That getting a new kitchen is also really stressful but will be so so worth it to be rid of our seventies nightmare that is literally held together with sellotape.


25) That maybe 40 succulents or cacti might be about the limit when it comes to our house. Because all the window sills are kind of full and maybe I should calm it down a little bit. Obsessed.

26) That cognitive behavioural therapy can be completely life changing. It was for me! I went from panic attacks whenever I was going to a social situation, or just avoiding them whatsoever, to feeling brave enough to walk into a pub on my own (providing that I know people who are already in it!). It's been incredible and I am so grateful that I found a therapist who 'got' me and helped me so much.

27) That 3 cats is the perfect amount of cats.

28) That sometimes life really does work out how you dream of it.


Because I got that beautiful long haired man, and I got the giant rescue puppy dog Ashen. I'm so lucky.

Happy birthday me!

Much love,
Kitty xxxx



Models Own Win

Tuesday 7 February 2017

I was recently incredibly lucky on Instagram, and thanks to a competition I have won the entire of Models Own's new spring nail varnish collection! I'm a total nail varnish addict so I was utterly thrilled, and I had to share all the colours with you guys.


When this huge box arrived I knew it was going to be a real treat! There are basically 5 sets of 5 polishes, all that look lush.


Lovely bright pinky tones that are perfect for spring.


Pastels are always a key trend at this time of year.


A good range of nudes which is such an interesting look for nails, I'm really excited to try these!


GLITTER!


And the ones I was most excited for, the holochromes. I love shiny, I love metallic, I love iridescent. I had to try these first, and got great coverage in two coats which is great. I usually need 3 or 4 coats due to accidentally staining my nails with orange nail varnish at Halloween that still hasn't grown out, but this was full coverage at 2 coats.


The nudes and pastels are all part of the HyperGel collection, which is extra glossy and gel like, aiming to give a salon finish. I'm so trying these next! It's going to take me a while to try them all.

I've finally gotten rid of all my super old nail varnishes since I won these, so my collection is still pretty big, but much newer and better now! I've been lucky enough to win about 7 competitions over the years on instagram, it's always well worth entering them, you never know!

Much love,
Kitty xxxx


Models Own Win

Tuesday 7 February 2017

I was recently incredibly lucky on Instagram, and thanks to a competition I have won the entire of Models Own's new spring nail varnish collection! I'm a total nail varnish addict so I was utterly thrilled, and I had to share all the colours with you guys.


When this huge box arrived I knew it was going to be a real treat! There are basically 5 sets of 5 polishes, all that look lush.


Lovely bright pinky tones that are perfect for spring.


Pastels are always a key trend at this time of year.


A good range of nudes which is such an interesting look for nails, I'm really excited to try these!


GLITTER!


And the ones I was most excited for, the holochromes. I love shiny, I love metallic, I love iridescent. I had to try these first, and got great coverage in two coats which is great. I usually need 3 or 4 coats due to accidentally staining my nails with orange nail varnish at Halloween that still hasn't grown out, but this was full coverage at 2 coats.


The nudes and pastels are all part of the HyperGel collection, which is extra glossy and gel like, aiming to give a salon finish. I'm so trying these next! It's going to take me a while to try them all.

I've finally gotten rid of all my super old nail varnishes since I won these, so my collection is still pretty big, but much newer and better now! I've been lucky enough to win about 7 competitions over the years on instagram, it's always well worth entering them, you never know!

Much love,
Kitty xxxx


Ethical Plus Size Shopping

Sunday 5 February 2017

Shopping for plus size clothing is a tricky process, we can't just buy from any old store, and it often means limited options in more restricted sizes. So when programmes like Dispatches reveal the ugly truth behind our fast fashion, it brings up a whole new set of ethical questions. When even UK stores and factories aren't obeying the law and aren't paying their staff minimum wage, or treating them fairly, what can we as plus size women do to try and shop ethically?

I tweeted about some of our options, especially as fashion bloggers, but I wanted to compile them into a blog post with more info too.

I bought these vintage sunglasses second hand on Depop.

1) Buy second hand.

This isn't the easiest option for a plus size body, second hand and thrift shops tend to not be an option, but the likes of Ebay and Depop are. You can filter by size, and Ebay launched their Curve Hub last year to promote their plus size section. There are also plus size fashion Facebook groups dedicated to selling clothing, so you can really grab some bargains and show a previously unloved item some love! You can also use these sites to sell on your own pieces that you didn't wear as often as you might have wanted to, or if you can afford to, donate them to charity shops in your local area. Being plus size can bring with it economic prejudices, so any second hand bargains can be a life saver for a plus size babe on a budget. Be proud that you got yourself a second hand steal and tell everyone how/where you got it!

I cut the sleeves off and covered this old jacket in pins when I realised I owned two identical jackets in slightly different colours. I wear this way more now!

2) Customise what you already own.

So many of us own clothes that we just don't wear, but don't like quite enough to wear. Give your wardrobe a new lease of life by customising what you already own. I've tie dyed dresses, cut the sleeves off old denim jackets and covered them in patches, cut up old band t shirts to make them cuter and more. There are so many different ways to update your clothes in relatively simple ways. Iron on patches and pins are easy and cheap ways to bring something up to date and on trend. Zoe from IKIWN has written a few articles for She Might Be on how to customise old clothing, including updating an old winter coat and a way to try out the embroidery trend with what you already own.

This tutu* and flower crown* are from Tutu Factory!

3) Shop independent.

When it seems that companies don't even know how their factories and sub-contractors are operating or treating their staff, buying from independent and small businesses can be a much better option. Small businesses need our support, and when you are buying from a one person business or a very small team, you can generally feel more comfortable in knowing that they are being paid a fairer wage. There are so many amazing indy brands out there producing incredible clothing in inclusive sizes, it's just a matter of knowing where to find them!


4) Rewear what you already own.

Now this one is for bloggers more than anyone else. We're all guilty of wanting to show off our new finds, or only wear things once on our blogs, but let's be real, that's not how life works! Take the pleather jacket in the photo above, I have worn that a couple of times a week, for a couple of years now. I've also shared it on my blog a good ten times. I used to feel a bit of a sham as a fashion blogger for sharing the same pieces over and over again, but that's reality, that's how we really dress, so it's honest and right to share that too. We aren't all wearing pieces from the ASOS New In section every day, we're wearing the jacket we love over and over again, so share it on your blog again, and show how you'd style it with something else.

Upcycled vintage pleather jacket from Plus Equals.

5) Go through your wardrobe every season.

It can be easy to forget what clothes you have buried in the back of your wardrobe from season to season, so go through it as the weather changes and reassess what you own. You might have forgotten the cutest dress, or think you need a new winter coat, when really there is one you didn't remember you had buried in the deep dark depths of your wardrobe. I try to go through my wardrobe 4 times a year, and what I'm not going to wear I donate to charity, and I almost always find some old treasure I didn't realise I still owned. Find hidden goodies that you already own, a free new wardrobe in your size too!

I forgot I owned this t shirt for about 2 years...

If you have any other tips, please do share them! Plus size shopping can be hard enough without the guilt of never knowing if the person who made, packed or shipped your clothes has been paid fairly too. Once you are shopping for size 24+ clothing it becomes a whole different ball game. Do what you can when you can, but don't beat yourself up over the new purchase you had to make. Plus size shopping is a difficult thing at the best of times, and being able to buy clothing second hand in your size can be a privilege that the higher end of the plus size spectrum don't have. Do your part when you can and together we have to keep pushing retailers to be more ethical.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx

Eloquii Wishlist : The world is a scary place

Ethical Plus Size Shopping

Sunday 5 February 2017

Shopping for plus size clothing is a tricky process, we can't just buy from any old store, and it often means limited options in more restricted sizes. So when programmes like Dispatches reveal the ugly truth behind our fast fashion, it brings up a whole new set of ethical questions. When even UK stores and factories aren't obeying the law and aren't paying their staff minimum wage, or treating them fairly, what can we as plus size women do to try and shop ethically?

I tweeted about some of our options, especially as fashion bloggers, but I wanted to compile them into a blog post with more info too.

I bought these vintage sunglasses second hand on Depop.

1) Buy second hand.

This isn't the easiest option for a plus size body, second hand and thrift shops tend to not be an option, but the likes of Ebay and Depop are. You can filter by size, and Ebay launched their Curve Hub last year to promote their plus size section. There are also plus size fashion Facebook groups dedicated to selling clothing, so you can really grab some bargains and show a previously unloved item some love! You can also use these sites to sell on your own pieces that you didn't wear as often as you might have wanted to, or if you can afford to, donate them to charity shops in your local area. Being plus size can bring with it economic prejudices, so any second hand bargains can be a life saver for a plus size babe on a budget. Be proud that you got yourself a second hand steal and tell everyone how/where you got it!

I cut the sleeves off and covered this old jacket in pins when I realised I owned two identical jackets in slightly different colours. I wear this way more now!

2) Customise what you already own.

So many of us own clothes that we just don't wear, but don't like quite enough to wear. Give your wardrobe a new lease of life by customising what you already own. I've tie dyed dresses, cut the sleeves off old denim jackets and covered them in patches, cut up old band t shirts to make them cuter and more. There are so many different ways to update your clothes in relatively simple ways. Iron on patches and pins are easy and cheap ways to bring something up to date and on trend. Zoe from IKIWN has written a few articles for She Might Be on how to customise old clothing, including updating an old winter coat and a way to try out the embroidery trend with what you already own.

This tutu* and flower crown* are from Tutu Factory!

3) Shop independent.

When it seems that companies don't even know how their factories and sub-contractors are operating or treating their staff, buying from independent and small businesses can be a much better option. Small businesses need our support, and when you are buying from a one person business or a very small team, you can generally feel more comfortable in knowing that they are being paid a fairer wage. There are so many amazing indy brands out there producing incredible clothing in inclusive sizes, it's just a matter of knowing where to find them!


4) Rewear what you already own.

Now this one is for bloggers more than anyone else. We're all guilty of wanting to show off our new finds, or only wear things once on our blogs, but let's be real, that's not how life works! Take the pleather jacket in the photo above, I have worn that a couple of times a week, for a couple of years now. I've also shared it on my blog a good ten times. I used to feel a bit of a sham as a fashion blogger for sharing the same pieces over and over again, but that's reality, that's how we really dress, so it's honest and right to share that too. We aren't all wearing pieces from the ASOS New In section every day, we're wearing the jacket we love over and over again, so share it on your blog again, and show how you'd style it with something else.

Upcycled vintage pleather jacket from Plus Equals.

5) Go through your wardrobe every season.

It can be easy to forget what clothes you have buried in the back of your wardrobe from season to season, so go through it as the weather changes and reassess what you own. You might have forgotten the cutest dress, or think you need a new winter coat, when really there is one you didn't remember you had buried in the deep dark depths of your wardrobe. I try to go through my wardrobe 4 times a year, and what I'm not going to wear I donate to charity, and I almost always find some old treasure I didn't realise I still owned. Find hidden goodies that you already own, a free new wardrobe in your size too!

I forgot I owned this t shirt for about 2 years...

If you have any other tips, please do share them! Plus size shopping can be hard enough without the guilt of never knowing if the person who made, packed or shipped your clothes has been paid fairly too. Once you are shopping for size 24+ clothing it becomes a whole different ball game. Do what you can when you can, but don't beat yourself up over the new purchase you had to make. Plus size shopping is a difficult thing at the best of times, and being able to buy clothing second hand in your size can be a privilege that the higher end of the plus size spectrum don't have. Do your part when you can and together we have to keep pushing retailers to be more ethical.

Much love,
Kitty xxxx

Eloquii Wishlist : The world is a scary place