Hello one and all! I bring exciting news. Over the past week, I've been helping to plan a fat clothes swap happening in Leeds - and after some doodling and planning last night, we have flyers and further information. The swap will be happening on 29th October upstairs at The Packhorse in Leeds (1-5). It's only £1/50p to get in, and we'll be donating any money we make to a local charity.

This is going to be a body positive event, with feminine and masculine clothing, open to people of any identity. Bring along any items you have to swap (we recommend 5, but bring more or less if you want) and swap them for things you do want! Yay!

You can find the facebook event here and feel free to email me with any questions about the event.

K x

This week's been a hectic one for me. I'm approaching a busy time with work and blogging hasn't been at the forefront of my mind! I thought I'd post another post-swap outfit in the mean time. This is made up of a top and skirt both from the swap - the skirt I've owned before but sold on because I thought it was too short, but regretted later, so yay for having another one back in my life!

Dress and skirt, free through Fat Swap Shop
Tights, Dorothy Perkins
Shoes, Primark, £12

And another plug (sorry) - some more new eBay listings can be found here

More substance coming soon!
K x

Hey all! I'm back with another work outfit - I wore this on Friday, then out for some Greek grub with my lovely boyfriend (the memories of which are still making me salivate!). The skirt was another find at the Fat Swap Shop event last weekend. It's a high waisted pleated linen skirt, and I've worn it at least twice this week. It goes with everything!

Top, Primark, £6 (still in stores)
Skirt, free, fat swap shop
Belt, £5, M&S
Tights, M&S
Shoes, Primark, £12

Hey everyone! This weekend I had the privilege of going to a fat clothes swap, organised by Claire in London, and I thought I'd post one of the things I got, which is this grey tailored jacket. I love dressing up my jeans with a smarter blouse, and this jacket makes the look even smarter.

Jacket, free via Fat Swap Shop
Blouse, M&S, £15
Jeans, Beth Ditto for Evans, £8
Loafers, Primark, £8

The event was fantastic, and it was a really affirming space for me (I'm hoping to get something similar happening in Leeds later this year) and a positive experience. I love clothes swaps, but normally don't find much in my size - it was great for this not to be an option! I love the ethos of clothes swapping, and particularly the difference between these environments and traditional high street environments. I feel that particularly in plus size spaces, we're marketed to in particular ways, which stress the importance of "flattering" shapes and disguising our fat (this dress your shape guide from Evans being a perfect example).

High street shopping isn't a particularly fun experience as a fatty - in shops which have a larger size ranges, the larger sizes often aren't in stores (HELLO DOROTHY PERKINS), or the plus size ranges are hidden in the darkest corner of the store, or even only available online. I find that most of the time I now shop online, and that's disappointing and expensive when you factor in postage costs. This is often why, when I go shopping in stores, I hit vintage shops and charity shops - I probably stand the same chance of finding something, but I'm not made to feel inferior by my size being hidden in a corner/not in store/only available online. Everything's together, and I find I have more fun rummaging.

Coming to events like this is both amazing for my wardrobe(!) and for my experience as a fat woman. Instead of constantly having to compromise, the experience is fun and empowering. It's great to see people laughing about clothes, and also being able to see something that doesn't fit one person suiting someone else so well. I consider myself very lucky to know so many awesome people, and to be able to partake in events like this! So thank you very much to Claire for organising, and I'll be posting with more bits and pieces I scored as the week goes on!

Okay, so apparently trying to get a good picture whilst packing (and without a chance to dry my hair even) and eating some semblance of breakfast does not give a good result. I present to you the obligatory blinking shot, with added carrier bags and broom. But hey, I'm fairly certain no one comes here for my sterling photographic skills anyhow.

I've been stealing my boyfriend's braces constantly recently, pairing them with high waisted skirts, circle skirts and for a more dapper look as per today. They add such a pinch of old school masculinity to an otherwise fairly everyday style.

Shirt, 50p, market stall
Shorts, ASOS, £8
Braces, pinched from my boyfriend
Tights, Evans (spot the holes? Time for a new shop I think)
Loafers, £12, Primark

Another outing for the polka dot pencil skirt today. I found this bateau neckline top in a draw whilst sorting out clothes for swapping this weekend - it's maybe my oldest charity shop find that still exists in my wardrobe! Everyone knows that I love a bateau, but it really does seem timeless for me.

In other news, I'm listing some bits and pieces on eBay over the next few weeks - you can find the bits and pieces here if interested.

Top, charity shop, £4
Skirt, Dorothy Perkins, £12
Tights, M&S
Shoes, Primark, £12

So today I finally had my home connected to the internet again! Yay! After many a month without regular access, and with only weeks left at my current job this is a relief for many reasons!

I spent yesterday going through some holiday photographs from my month in the US in July. I was really happy to come back home (though I had an awesome time) to the grey/green landscapes that make me happy to be a Yorkshire resident again, but after a week of solid rain, winter-y temperatures and dark days, I am definitely missing summer (and the two weeks I spent in Southern California with my partner's family). I'll post a few outfits from the trip over the next week or so - here's the first. The dress was an impulse buy in Forever 21, not my usual style but the ruffles swayed me. The t-shirt was something I picked up from Rebecca in Portland, who helpfully let me rummage through some clothes she was giving away!

Dress, Forever 21+, $27 (ish?)
T-shirt, from Rebecca!
Necklace, Primark £2

Hi again - hope everyone had a nice weekend. Mine was spent working (boo) and then roadtesting my birthday present from my father for this year - a very nice new sewing machine! I've been working with an ancient 70s machine since I started, and, whilst it served my purpose initially, it's proved inadequate as I've progressed onto dressmaking and more elaborate projects. My new machine is such a relief in comparison - no jams, easy threading, and it weighs about a fifth of the weight of my old model!

I spent yesterday catching up with some projects; altering some curtains, starting a new skirt project (well, nearly finishing actually!) and shortening this dress, which was a thrift store buy on my American travels. It was mid calf, and I took it up to knee length and sewed up the front (WHO invented the button up dress? I don't think I've ever owned one that hasn't popped open at every available opportunity). It's got the cutest sailor collar and a cinching back tie:

I'm still not absolutely happy with the fit, but it deserved it's first outing at least.

Dress, $5, thrifted
Loafers, £12, Primark

Here's my Friday for you. This top was a Primark score in the summer, and is my go to casual top for lazy days - I love teaming oversized tops with skinnies or mini skirts. I also dragged out my uber goth platforms - traded online earlier this year. You totally can't see their amazingness, but they're crazy embellished with a two inch black platform. I traded them initially out of nostalgia - these were my shoes of choice during my teenage years - but they're great to give an edge to an otherwise plain outfit.

Top, £6, Primark
Skirt, £3, Primark
Leggings, ASOS Curve (£17? I can never remember)
Shoes, traded, £free
Bag, £1.50, car boot sale

Also, some people kindly pointed out that my twitter link on the left was sending everyone to tumblr - I've changed this now, and you can follow me @shecametostay.

K xx

Old favourites

This dress is possibly my oldest and dearest vintage dress - the only one that's survived eBaying and wardrobe clearouts, and numerous seam breaks and repair jobs. It's a 50s sundress that I treated myself to towards the end of my undergraduate degree - the floral pattern and sweetheart neckline were definitely too much to resist at the time. Sadly summer dresses seem hard to wear in a British summer, but nonetheless it remains dear to me.

Cardigan, £6, vintage
Dress, £40, vintage
Belt, old vintage stock
Loafers, £12, Primark