Making changes – and a Pink Clove dress.

Back in the BC years, I took great care in how I looked.
I liked to make an effort with my hair, make up and clothes.
Not for anyone but me might I add.
In my opinion, I had a nice style.

Once I fell pregnant, I started a slow decent into not giving a damn how I looked.
It was so slow, I didn’t even realise!
It started with comfortable maternity clothes then moved on to practical, parenting clothes – after all, a pencil skirt is not conducive to chasing down a fleeing toddler.
Massive weight gain didn’t help either and before long I found myself with a staple uniform of jeans and tunic tops.

I’d tell myself
“It’s OK, I’m not a total frump, after all I make sure my hair and make up is always done”

But it wasn’t OK.
I’d gone from feeling a hundred pounds to feeling like 75p, a crumpled bus ticket and a soft biscuit.
I was never going to be the blogger showing you their ‘Outfit of the Day’.

I realised that the stuff I was wearing to ‘feel comfortable’ and try to hide myself was actually making me look even worse, like a rectangle on legs and so, I decided it was time to make more of an effort.

Since summer, I have been trying to ditch the jeans (or at least the massive tops),  I’ve worn more dresses and skirts and have felt a lot better about myself.
Alas, as a ‘bigger’ lady, it’s not that easy to find clothes that are flattering.
Don’t get me wrong, there are more and more places these days offering ‘plus sized’ clothing,

(Why do they need to call it plus sized? Can’t they just call them clothes?)

but there still seems to be this school of thought that assumes because you’re over weight, you’re also tall with big boobs. Like an Amazonian Goddess rather than a pale Oompa Loompa.

After spending so long dressing like an event marquee, I don’t even know what is actually flattering so when Pink Clove appeared in my inbox offering me the chance to choose one of their dresses I was happy to oblige. It was a chance for me to try something a little different, besides, we were attending an Eid celebration so I needed something new.

I was in my element going through the options though I quickly realised that there wasn’t a lot to flatter my fat knees so I chose the Lillian floral wrap maxi dress – one of their plus size floral printed maxi dresses perfect for this Indian summer we’re not having…
The dress has a wrap front, tie waist and a big floral pattern – all things I would usually avoid for fear of looking short and round.

When it arrived and I tried it on I was really surprised, not only is the dress flattering (I think) but it’s really comfortable too.
The wrap over bit had to be tacked as my bosom was not quite ample enough to hold it in place – aside from that it was perfect. I wore it to the celebration and, for the first time in AGES, didn’t cry at how hideous I looked or felt.

I am honestly surprised at how a revamp of my wardrobe has made me feel a bit better about how I look. It’s sometimes the little things we overlook that can make us feel better about ourselves.
I’m hoping that by feeling better about how I look will eventually make me feel better about me generally and maybe I’ll find some of that ‘old me’.
Maybe.

I received the dress from Pink Clove in return for sharing my thoughts. As always, all opinions are my own.