Style Inspiration: December!

First of all, I want to wish you guys a HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2012 looks like it's going to be a big year, especially in the UK what with the Olympics this summer. Of course, we're hoping for bigger and better things at Yours Clothing, so keep your eyes peeled!

For now, it's my favourite blog post - the round up of YOU looking fabulous in Yours Clothing! You've been uploading your outfits on facebook, twitter and your blogs and we want to celebrate that. December was no exception, with all of you getting into the festive spirit...

Andria and Holika (of La Diva delle Curve) opt for a glamorous purple theme, with help of our evening dresses!

Here is the gorgeous Jo in her purple gaga sleeve dress and embellished shrug from Yours, as well as the adorable Laura in our polka dot palazzo pants!

The lovely Lesley is another fan of our gaga sleeve dresses - here she is in our purple and floral versions!

Natalie of Definatalie has a wonderful summery look in our striped maxi skirt and crochet top, and Rosie (A Rose Like This) looks cute as a button in our leopard peter pan collar tunic!

The ever-impressive Sam of Stiletto Siren works our bomber jacket to perfection, while Shu Shu wraps up for winter in our snuggly black toggle coat and jeans!

Thanks everyone for sharing your looks with us and generally being fabulous - here's to another 12 months of incredible plus size fashion! xxx

Tales from the Dressing Room

Hello everyone! I hope you're all very well - can you believe it's only 9 days until Christmas? Where has this year gone, I ask you!

Before I get into the nitty gritty of this blog post, I must plead with you to vote, vote, VOTE as it's the final day of 100% People's Plus Size Awards. We really want to win Best Independent - it would really make our Christmas!

Earlier this week I headed down to my local Yours store with a view to trying on some items that are popular among you. As I'm a 5'1", size 20-22 pear shape, I thought it'd be good for those with similar bodies to see what the clothes look like on someone who isn't model standard! Here are the photos and my thoughts...

First item I tried was this Leopard Print 2in1 Belted Dress in a size 22. A small word of warning, the top part is see-through so you may need a vest to hand! But it's beautiful and from the front does give me a bit of a waist! However, as you can probably see, the bodycon skirt shows the outline of my belly, which is a dealbreaker for a lot of plus size women. I would definitely recommend this for hourglass or busty shapes to really emphasise those womanly curves of yours!

Next up was the Winter Ditsy Tunic, in a size 20. This fit absolutely perfectly - the empire line waist means it works well on my pear shape, flowing over my belly and hips. I would also recommend it for apple shapes. The material is cotton, so I would pair it with thick tights or leggings, boots and a warm cardi for winter.

I tried this Black, Grey & Red Floral Tunic in a size 22-24, though I could easily have gone down a size. These styles are so popular with you guys, and it's easy to see why. They're so comfortable and roomy, just an absolute joy to wear, no matter your shape. The scarf is detached so you can add it to any outfit, too!

Finally, and my favourite of the bunch, is the Spotty Gaga Sleeve Dress in a size 20. If you're looking to emphasise or create curves in places you didn't know you had them, this is absolutely the dress for you! On my pear shape I felt sexy and curvy in a way I don't normally. Absolutely perfect!

What do you think, ladies? Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to try!

Lots of love,

Lauren xx

Lauren's Christmas Wishlist!

Hello my lovelies! I hope December is proving wonderful for you all so far. As well as getting into the Christmas spirit there are all sort of exciting things afoot at Yours HQ, namely the Nicky Hambleton-Jones competition, and trying to stay in front of 100% People's Best Independent Plus Size Retailer category. Please help us stay at the top as if we win, we'll have a celebratory treat for you all! 

I can't wait for Christmas, it's my favourite time of year! Although I love to give presents, I've also made a wee list of things I'd like to find in my stocking Christmas morning...

Black Crop Pyjamas, £16; Jet Bead Ring, £6; Black Studded Bow Stretch Belt, £10; Large Animal Clutch Bag, £16; Black Suedette Lace Up Boot, £30; Black & Tan Frill Chiffon Dress, £38; Black & Nude Star Print Tights, £8

Phew! Santa's clearly going to be a little busy this year... What Yours Clothing items would you like wrapped up under your Christmas tree? Let me know on facebook, Google+ or twitter! 

Lots of love,

Lauren xx

Celebrity Look: Jessie J's Superstar Tights!

Hello there everyone! Can you believe it's December already?! Have you got your Christmas decorations up yet?

Before I talk about my favourite item this week, I really want us to have a weekend push to get back in front of both our categories in the 100 Percent People awards! Please vote for us as often as you can in Best Retailer and Best Independent Retailer as we really, really, really want to WIN!

You all know that Yours Clothing, unlike most plus size retailers, pulls absolutely no punches when it comes to bringing our customers versions of the latest and most current fashion around. So no sooner had (a rather cross-eyed) Jessie J strutted her star printed tights on the stage, than our very own plus size version appeared! Check it out:

Star Print Tights, £8

Aren't they just brilliant? I've ordered my pair already! Now don't worry, you're not obliged to wear tiny hotpants like Jessie. I think they'd look just as great with a more demure style of dress, like our gaga sleeve dress in any block colour, and paired with our patent courts. This will give you an elegant look with a flash of star style!

What do you think? Will you be rocking these in the run up to Christmas?

Lots of love,

Lauren xx

The Yours Clothing Competition: Win £250 worth of clothes!

Hello everyone, hope you're having a fabulous November so far?

I certainly hope you've voted for us in 100 Percent People's Plus Size Awards - we're storming ahead in both our categories, which is wonderful! But we still need your help - you can vote once per day, and voting closes on Friday 16th December at midnight so please keep them coming!

As well as asking you to help us out, though, we've got an amazing competition just for YOU. It's our most audacious giveaway yet with our biggest ever prize: £250 worth of whichever clothes you want!

So, how do you enter? Simply head to our homepage, scroll down to the bottom where you will see a link where the arrow points:

Fill out your details, click enter and voila - you'll have entered our prize draw.

Entries close on December 31st. We will be picking a winner on January 1st, 2012. Meaning that whoever wins can start a brand new year with a whole new wardrobe! What are you waiting for?

Lauren xx

Help Yours Clothing win Best Retailer!

Hello my lovelies, how are you?

It's come to our attention that UK plus size lifestyle website, 100 Percent People, is having it's annual plus size awards - and we've been nominated in not one, but TWO categories!

We're up for Best Plus Size Ladies Retailer and Best Independent Plus Size Ladies Retailer. We're up against fierce competition in both categories so we'd love to grab as big a share of the vote as possible, and hopefully win!

All you have to do is follow the links above, select "Yours Clothing", and click vote. No signing up required! 

Please let us know if you have voted, as we might have a potential treat in store for you all - you can let us know here in the comments, on facebook or tweet us.

Thanks so much guys - we couldn't do it without you!

Lauren xx

Shapewear Calculations

Hi everybody! Hope you're having a great week - it's just flown by hasn't it? Yours have made the weekend that little bit sweeter, too, by having yet another three tier offer. Our last one was so popular that we've brought it back again! Here's what you can save and how to do it:

• Save £2.50 on non-sale orders over £35 with the checkout code TWO
• Save £5 on non-sale orders over £50 with the checkout code FIVE
• Save £10 on non-sale orders over £75 with the checkout code TEN

Enter them at the checkout, and you're done! Now on to today's blog topic: shapewear!

Shapewear is an essential part of a Yours customer's wardrobe and a favourite of style gurus such as Gok Wan and Trinny & Susannah. The aim of shapewear is to smooth and hold the body tightly, resulting in a smooth, lump'n'bump free silhouette. Shapewear can give confidence to even the most insecure of women, meaning they can feel and look fantastic no matter the occasion.

Some shapewear brand names charge as much for a pair of slimming knickers as we do for a dress, so here at Yours our range of shapewear manages to sculpt and control but at a price that's still friendly to you! 

But what garments are best for you? And what type of shapewear goes best with which garments? Well, I've dug around and come up with a few combinations that I think would work very well, whether for evenings or casual wear!

Black Lace Gaga Sleeve Dress, £32 and Firm Control Floral Shorts, £10

As lovely as our lace gaga sleeve dress is, it can be quite daunting - a tunic shape, and stretchy to boot! For this, our high waisted, long length shorts are a perfect option. The high waist means your stomach and waist will look flatter, your bum smoother and more pert, and the length means the tops of your thighs will also be smoother. And with the delicate floral print, it looks just as good when the party's over and the dress comes off! ;)

Mustard Full Length Leggings, £9 and Firm Control Floral Shorts, £10

We've got a range of brightly coloured leggings available online and in store at the moment, including on-trend mustard. But lighter colours can be scary if you feel they will show up things you'd prefer to hide, such as cellulite or any extra fat. Wearing the nude version of our floral shorts should eliminate some of this worry, by smoothing and controlling the tops of your thighs so you can strut around with confidence!

Multi Colour Block Tunic, £28 and Black Waist Cinching Sculpting Skirt, £12

As with the black lace dress, this gorgeously bright multi colour tunic is made of jersey, so will fit close to the body which I know is a frightening prospect! Our sculpting skirt sits high on the waist, nipping it in, and flattens the stomach minimising the overhang (don't worry, we all get it!) leading to a much smaller silhouette, and leaving you confident and able to turn heads for the right reasons!

Black & Red Pleated Dress, £32 and Tummy Control Waist Cincher, £6

There's nothing worse than a dress with a defined waist when you don't have one. But if you're an apple, then you CAN rock a dress like this with the added help of our waist cincher. Acting similar to a corset but much more comfortable, it is lined with power mesh and bones to create an hourglass shape underneath.

Well I hope you enjoyed this post, ladies! Of course, shapewear is completely optional and there's nothing intrinsically wrong with your bodies - but I know a lot of you feel more confident with them, so hopefully this helps somewhat. Do let me know what you think!

Have a fantastic weekend,

Lauren xx

Celebrity Look: Katie Holmes

Hello everyone, hope you're having a great week so far! Have you seen we've added hundreds of new reductions to our sale? You can get some wonderful bargains - my favourite is our pretty lilac animal print tunic, now half price!

Katie Holmes has become one of the biggest fashion icons since marrying Tom Cruise, and I am a huge fan of her effortless, minimalist style. Her simple blue dress on the red carpet is elegant without being too showy, and such a wonderful colour to boot. Luckily, here at Yours we have similar dresses that are equally as glamorous and even more flattering!

Sequinned Shoulder Mesh Dress, £35; Embellished Waist Evening Midi Dress, £35

This is a great look for glamorous Christmas parties! While Katie keeps her accessories to a minimum, our selection of jewellery can add some extra sparkle.

Do you think you'll rock a blue gown this Christmas? Let me know in the comments!

Lauren xx

Lauren's Fashion Fixer: Summer Festivals

Hey everyone, hope you're all very well!

Everyone and their aunt has been talking about how best to dress for this year's festivals - most opt for playsuits and maxi dresses, which is okay if you're in the VIP area at Glastonbury but maybe not so practical for the rest of us!

Here are three Yours Clothing looks that are chic and practical - though I've taken the liberty of assuming the sun will actually come out...

On trend 70's

Clockwise from top left: Shoes, Kurt Geiger; Blue floral wide leg trousers, £22; Ivory embroidered smock top, £25; Floppy felt hat, ASOS; Floral satchel, £20; Wooden necklace, £10; Tortoiseshell wayfarers, £6

Kitsch & Cute

Clockwise from top left: Heart buckle belt, £10; Polka dot 2in1 tunic, £35; Turquoise wooden bead necklace, £6; Fabric flower ring, £5; Tummy control leggings, £12; Wellies, Hunter; Diana Flash camera, Lomo; White chiffon shrug, £12

Tribal Rock

From left: Black skinny jeans, £18; Oatmeal feather print t-shirt, £14; Brown gladiator sandals, £20; Brown stone ring, £6; Aztec bracelet, £8; Tan fringe bag, £12

I love all these looks, especially the first because it's SO on trend. Look 2 is definitely the most similar to my own style... so it's not a shock when I tell you I've bought it myself already!

Hope you like these looks, ladies. Let me know what you think! Which festivals are you attending this year? Let me know in the comments, or on twitter or facebook. Hope to hear from you soon!

Lots of love,

Lauren xx

Lauren's Fashion Fixer: In the Coral Club!

Hey everyone!

As I'm sure you know, Yours aims to cater to all types of plus size women and make sure everyone gets to dress exactly how they want: whether you prefer comfort and practicality, or fast and hard fashion trends. Our Limited Collection has some fantastic, uber trendy items this summer which are perfect for those of you who want to head out on the dance floor!

Coral is a key colour this season and it looks fab with a tan (real or bottled) - I've picked three plus size clubbing outfits that are definitely not for the faint hearted!

Look 1: Colour Block

Clockwise from top left: Purple shrug, £5; Blue corsage, £4; Limited Collection 2in1 coral mini dress, £35; Purple bracelets, £8; Shoes, Brian Atwood; Hot pink clutch purse, £8

Look 2: Ms Sassy!

Clockwise from left: Limited Collection coral power shoulder tunic, £30; Studded stretch waist belt, £10; Paisley lace tights, £10; Shoes, Jeffrey Campbell; Silver loop necklace, £10; Black studded clutch, £12; Black stretch ring, £5

Look 3: Ms Classy

Clockwise from left: Limited Collection coral one shoulder corsage mini-dress, £35; Gold drop earrings, £6; Shoes, Schuh; Gold studded clutch, £5; Gold statement necklace, £; Gold swirl stretch ring, £5; Black leopard print tights, £8

What do you think peeps? I've gone for the very trendiest and most body-conscious, however I know a lot of you will want a little more coverage. You can always swap the tights for leggings and add a cover up if you prefer.

And if you feel the need to smooth some lumps and bumps, there's always our shapewear range that can help you feel even more confident!

Hope you like these looks, and if you have any sartorial dilemmas let me know via facebook or twitter, I'd love to help!

Until next time... Lots of love!

Lauren x

The £19 maxi, this summer's must have!

Those of you who are on our mailing list have been enjoying some super bargains this week - if you haven't signed up yet, do so now to not miss out!

As you know we always have incredible deals and money saving options, and true to form we've brought out a range of colourful maxis that are stylish, versatile and bang on-trend... and for as little as £17.50 each! Check it out:

You can shop the maxi dresses, along with other gorgeous items here. What colours will you go for? I'm all about the hot pink and turquoise, myself!

Until next time, lovely ladies!

Lauren xx

Style Inspiration: May

Well it's that time of the month again, where we showcase our gorgeous customers and bloggers wearing Yours!

It's been great to see more of you from the facebook group uploading photos - keep them coming and you could be featured in June's inspiration round up :D

First up is the stunning Samantha Jayne in our border print maxi, £30...

And here she is again in an older maxi of ours. Gorgeous!

The lovely Nadia of My Stylish Life wears our colourful patterned shirt that's now only £7 in the sale!

Mandy looks incredibly chic in her feather print maxi dress and black shrug for a night out.

The lovely Letilor does this season's colour blocking trend with the help of our indigo stretch skirt, now only £10!

And she also looks delightfully sweet in monochrome with our 2in1 prom dress. So lovely!

@JKimbers dressed up in the style of Adele and looks simply fabulous in our pearl embellished shift dress - only £20 now!

Мария looks super sweet in one of our 2in1 tunics that have been so popular this year.

WOW! Jackie dressed up as a bunny girl with one of our bustiers - doesn't she look amazing?

Hollis looks absolutely gorgeous with our butterfly print halter maxi, £35.

Blogger Kimberley of Fab Finds under $50 uses our purple military shrug to complement her patterned maxi dress.

The lovely Curvy Canadian rocks our silver & black shrug, which is still available in our sale for only £3! Wowza!

And finally, the lovely Carmen (also a recent competition winner!) wore our elegant colourful maxi dress, £30 and steel mesh shrug, £12, to look like a total gem on her birthday.

Don't they all look beautiful! If you have a photo of yourself wearing Yours Clothing, we'd love to feature it on the blog! Get in touch via twitter or facebook and you could be featured amongst these super stylish ladies!

Until next time...

Lauren xx

Dresses with sleeves!

One thing you guys have been telling me over on facebook and twitter is your desire to see more sleeved dresses available. As I'm plus size myself, and have spent many a summer sweltering underneath a cardigan just so my arms weren't on show, I completely understand. Showing arms, especially upper arms with the dreaded "bingo wings", is a very frightening thing for us plus size ladies.

As Yours are committed to bringing you fashion that's equally trendy, flattering and practical, we have a few summer dresses that have sleeves! No need for a shrug with any of these, just cool, pretty, practical fashion! Here are some of my favourites...

Our hugely popular colour block chiffon sleeve mini dresses have returned, this time in a whole rainbow of colours! As well as purple, you can also choose from hot pink, mustard, forest green, lime green, red, pastel pink and pastel blue- and all only £16!

Clockwise from top left: Black leaf tunic dress, £25; Floral chiffon tunic, £25; LIMITED COLLECTION coral cape dress, £35; Black & pink print dress, £22; Blue cross over tunic, £25

Our selection of gaga sleeve dresses are comfortable, flattering, and available in black, charcoal, grey, purple and royal blue!

We also have these fabulous maxi dresses with sleeves available! Black belted maxi, £20; Purple floral maxi, £30; Ditsy floral maxi, £30; Green paisley maxi, £30

So many dresses, and it's not even the whole selection available! If you'd like to see all of the sleeved dresses we have, then simply head here and tick the "sleeved" option in the left column, which filters all our dresses with sleeves.

I'd love to know what you think! Any in particular that you'd like to snap up?

Until next time...

Lauren xx

Celebrity Look: Samantha Cameron

Hello everyone! Hope you've been enjoying our new look site that launched this week! Remember from now until midnight Sunday everything is 10% off with the code REDESIGN.

Can you believe it's been a week already since the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton? As well as being a huge and happy news story around the world, it was also a big showcase for fashion. While no-one overshadowed the bride in her Sarah Burton for McQueen creation, there were some wonderfully elegant - and downright scary - outfits on show.

One of my favourites was Samantha Cameron, wife of prime minister David Cameron, in her elegant teal Burberry dress. I know, I know, she committed a rather large faux pas in not going for a full head-piece, but I just love the contrasting jewel tones of aquamarine and amber. And not only that, but you can recreate the look here at Yours Clothing! Have a look:

Turquoise tunic, £19

Orange pashmina, £6

Multi colour bead necklace, £8

Shoes, Kurt Geiger

Hair clip, Glitz 4 Girlz

What do you think? Would love to know your opinions! Is there anyone you'd like to see as a Celebrity Look? Let me know in the comments, or on twitter or facebook. Can't wait to speak to you!

Lauren xx