Inspired By New Look

When you’re a fat girl, shopping on the high street can be a royal pain in the arse. Some shops stop at a 16, some at an 18, and some have plus size lines that in no way reflect the gorgeousness of their smaller clothes.

One shop that I have always found to fall in that latter category is New Look. New Look are famed for selling amazing affordable fashionable high street pieces, and yet their plus size line always seemed so…frumpy. So boring. So safe. And so I avoided them!

Recently I was asked if I would review some items from New Look, and I instantly thought of the Inspire range. I has seen some more impressive pieces from them on a recent shopping trip, and I felt it was time to see if they had some more appealing pieces in stock.

I selected several items and some shoes to go with them, and excitedly waited for them to arrive. It wasn’t long before they did, and this is how I got on…

The first item that I tried, and tested on a lovely sunny day was this Aztec dress.

I got it in a size 18, and the fit was great – although ideally a 16 would have been better.

The dress was a perfect length on me, and I loved the modest neckline.

The pattern was so unlike anything I have ever tried before, but I loved it! I was worried that it may be a bit too much, but it was surprisingly flattering.

This dress looks complete with a nice thick waist belt added too it, and it is a versatile dress that will look great on many occasions all year round.

The shoes I added to the dress were these gorgeous wide fit sandals:

My feet are of the wider variety, and these sandals were ideal and gorgeous looking! My only gripe is that the soles have absolutely zero grip, and so be careful how you go if you are inspired to buy a pair!

I was really excited to try the Aztec print skirt and I chose to pair it with a peplum top.

I found the size 18 skirt to look and feel great, and I have already worn it many times with several different tops and shoes.

I didn’t find the peplum top to be as flattering as I had first envisioned, and I feel it will take a bit of experimentation to make it work for me.

The skirt sat nicely on my waist, and it is figure huggingly flattering.

The shoes that I teamed with this look were these cork wedges.

These wedges are AMAZING! Them being wide fit means that the straps actually fit which is fab, and they look great with everything! They are very sturdy and comfy to walk in and I think I need the black pair…

My last purchase was a nice light raincoat. The was my first foray into trying some coats and jackets at New Look and this plum number in a size 20 was a great choice.

It’s not quite as smart as I had hoped for due to the material being rather soft, but it fits fabulously with room for a jumper or more layers underneath.

The colour is great for a mucky pup like me, and the deep pockets are great for storing my phone and oyster card in.

I have worn it over a variety of outfits, and it dries quickly and folds up neatly to fit into my handbag.

Overall I am extremely impressed with my haul from New Look’s Inspire and wide fit range. I have already had so much wear out of my outfits and I can’t wait to see what Inspire come out with next season – if only their instore range was extensive as the online selection…