Wheelchair Fashion: Once upon a snowy morning

Wheelchair Fashion: Once upon a snowy morning

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fashion, ootd, plus size, retro, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

Hi everyone. Long time no see. Thank you for sticking with me.
I’m finding blogging increasingly overwhelming lately so I'm not sure I'll be posting very often. Maybe twice a season. Maybe.
I really would like to post more but as this post took almost a month to put together I'm not sure it's feasible...
Make sure to check on my Instagram though, I post on there usually a few times a week. It's a mixture of outfit photos, flat lays & pictures of my adorable cat, hopefully it'll tide you over till my next blog post :)

So, this outfit post. My idea when I heard it was going to snow was to do a whole Narnia concept complete with photo in front of a lamppost. My clothes kind of got away with me however & I ended up with this whole fairy tale theme instead. To me it feels like a kind of Snow White meets Red Riding Hood, Grimm's Fairy Tales, blood on the snow vibe you know? Kind of with a bit of a fae, old magic Wild Hunt feel, at least in my mind.
I guess there's just something about people with pale skin & dark hair wearing red in a snowy landscape that instantly feels a little ominous in a fairy tale way..... I think the trees help too, so maybe it's pale people, wearing red, in snowy landscape surrounded by trees that's ominous in a fairy tale way... This is getting us no where.
(Blood on the snow is a reference to Indexing by Seanan McGuire btw. Also the Hogfather by Terry Pratchett but Indexing is more relevant in this case, this whole thing is making me think of the Whiteout Wood where the Snow Whites live...).

The original outfit concept had been Narnia (I was thinking my House of Haute plaid skirt, an olive leaf pattern cardigan I have from Collectif Clothing, a cream blouse & this hat) but when I looked in my wardrobe this skirt practically screamed at me. The last time I wore it for a post was about this time last year for that year's Christmas look & it has to be one of my favourite pieces. For a starters it always looks like it's in motion (which makes it a stunning piece for wheelchair users), for another thing it rustles when you walk & I always get an almost childlike sense of glee in that. I think it unlocks the sensory memory of those ugly taffeta party dresses that were a thing for little girls when I was a kid that I loved & but my mum couldn’t afford (plus I didn’t need one & they were ugly & when I was actually able to buy a party dress I always picked something else because even as a kid I kind of knew they were ugly....). They used to have a whole rack of them near the checkout in the BHS we went to & I thought they were the greatest thing ever, I don’t even think they make them anymore....
[Edit: I checked & wow, kids partywear has moved on a LOT since I was a kid! I guess puff sleeves, cheap faux velvet stuff & ugly scratchy lace are out of style these days...lol.]

It definitely feels like a party item. Unfortunately they don't make it anymore, like I said it was a last year Christmas item but people at Collectif clothing, if you are reading this PLEASE MAKE MORE!!!!! I'm thinking a teal maybe & a silvery grey? Maybe a dusty pink or lavender for summer? I would buy ALL OF THEM....plus maybe a few for giveaways....

Other than the beret (my favourite from Imogens Imagination on Etsy), the gloves (vintage), the tights (M&S thermals) & the shoes (Lulu Hun from Collectif Clothing, also out of stock but only just. Sorry) the rest of the outfit is from Modcloth.
Let me re-phrase that, the other key pieces are from Modcloth. That sounds much better :)
Modcloth is one of the few places I can find blouses I like in sizes I can wear so other than my beloved Collectif clothing pussy bow blouse most of my tops come from Modcloth. As do a lot of my thinner cardigans, mostly because I am in love with their Charter School Cardigans. I just love the shape of them (they are a regular length cardigan which I actually like better than most cropped cardigans, especially when I'm wearing skirts, & the fine knit makes them sit beautifully on my shape) & the colours they come in. This grey is an old one & they don't have this exact colour any more but they always have lovely new colours coming in so I like to keep an eye out.
This top is....it looks really beautiful. The problem with this top is that it was washed once (once!) on a gentle wash before it started to bobble & turn grey. Which really sucks because it is SUPER pretty. It's one of those pieces that isn't the obvious choice but that really sends an outfit over the top once you put it on. Hopefully the top I got is just a random dud but I'd be hesitant about buying it again...

So that was my snow outfit.... I hope that this post makes up for the wait :)
Like I said I won't be posting as often but if there are any specific posts you guys would be interested in seeing please let me know & I will try to get round to it (energy permitting).

Thank you again for sticking with me :)

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Wheelchair Fashion: Stealing a moment

Wheelchair Fashion: Stealing a moment

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autumn, fashion, ootd, plus size, retro, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

Post-Halloween Autumn. It's kind of an awkward time.

Stores & TV have already decided it's time for Christmas & the weather has started to get frosty but the leaves have barely turned...
This time of year always flies by so it's kind of nice to steal a moment of quiet, to just let time slow. Just for a minute. Just to enjoy the last of the season.

Snuggle under a blanket with a hot chocolate, a pile of biscuits & a good book.
Light a candle, put on your favourite jumper & make something pumpkin spiced.
Make s'mores on the stove, paint your nails & watch movies in bed.

Or you could, you know, get up before dawn to take photos in a picturesque Yorkshire village at sunrise....

Maybe I'll try the first three options next time.

If I'm honest I quite liked getting up & taking photos. The fact that it was the 2nd day of the first period I'd had in a while was not quite so much fun (the cramps were a beeyatch!) but I wasn't going to let it ruin a the only day with relatively good weather for weeks (by which I mean that there were rainbows when it rained). As I said in the last post Autumn weather in Yorkshire tends towards changeable, in that it changes between grey & wet, grey and cold, grey and windy & grey and all three lol.
It was nice to have  a morning of sunshine, even if it was in between showers. I was really worried on the drive over because it was very damp & very dark. Luckily we drove into a band of sunshine about 5 minutes before the sun came up.

For all that the weather was glorious (& it really was...until we got rained off about 2 minutes after the photo below) the photos aren't really my favourites.


It was just one of those days I guess. Some days the photos are just harder to take than other days...
Something about the awkwardness of taking photos in the middle of an empty village & menstrual cramps & the vagaries of fate lol
Interestingly though my period really changes the shape of my face (see if you can spot the differences lol) and it makes the photos look....weird I guess. It just doesn't really look like me. Even more so than normal.
I never feel like the person in the photos is 'me'. Mostly because I'll see people leaving these comments about how beautiful or effortless I am & I'll be sat in the same pjs I've been wearing for 3 days with greasy hair & soup stains all down the front of my top... I struggle to mesh the two halves of myself in my brain.
I'm working on it by wearing more of my pretty clothes in my day to day & trying to remember that being sick doesn't define me.

For all that I don't love these photos I love this outfit.
For one thing the blouse is a proper colour! It is so hard to find tops that I like & that fit me (I know I've said this before but it is super frustrating) and finding ones that aren't white, off white or cream is even harder. This is from Modcloth (and is currently on sale). It goes up to a size 4XL, it's a super cute colour (and it also comes in a pine that's great for Christmas-y looks), the lace is adorable, it's really versatile & it washes amazingly.
The cardigan is another one of the EmmyDesign Sweden cardigans I LOVE (I have 3 & wear them all the time). I was so nervous about buying this one, I don't really wear a lot of teal, in fact I think this is the only piece of teal clothing I own. It has actually turned out to be one of my favourite pieces. I wear it all the time just in casual wear & I'm always wanting to pair it with burgundies. I think it's so fun with the two tone teal & it's like the opposite of burgundy on the colour wheel so it works really well. All that colour theory technical-ness lol. Plus it is super super warm & comfortable. Unfortunately these cardigans seem to have sold out everywhere but they are worth keeping an eye out for...
I got the skirt from TopVintage Boutique. It's actually a size too small because it only went up to an XL but it was far too cute not to get. Plus the wheelchair means no-one is going to know if the zip is open a bit at the back lol. What drew me to this skirt was the tweed & the ribbon detail at the bottom. The detail that made me fall in love with the skirt was the great pleat detail.
Also the glitter.
I wish it showed in the photos because I LOVE the glitter. It totally takes the skirt to the next level.

Oooo, and the shoes. The shoes are these bettie page shoes & I am totally in love with them (even though they are secretly cursed, literally everything went wrong whilst I was trying to buy these).

What's your favourite way to enjoy the last of Autumn? Also do you ever feel disconnected from a part of yourself?

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Wheelchair Fashion: Femme Fatale

Wheelchair Fashion: Femme Fatale

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autumn, disability, fashion, ootd, plus size, retro, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

You know it is very hard to write a blog post when your cat is sleeping next to you looking super adorable... I think it's a plot to prevent me from being productive. Especially as she leaves as soon as I give up on my laptop.

I think this is a blog post for which I need to set the scene.
It's night. There's fog. That film noir music starts to swell in the background. A wheelchair user rolls into the light of the single lamppost. Her face is all but obscured by the night & yet you can see the determination in the glint in her eyes and the set of her mouth. She’s hunted for the secrets only she knows. Knowledge too deadly to trust to any man.
A car passes between you and she is gone, back into the night & the safety of the shadows.

Lol. This shoot had the silliest & most convoluted backstory. My mum & I just kept adding to it all the way through planning.
So it's the cold war (or maybe the early 40's, not quite sure) I'm working as a lab assistant but am actually more qualified than my boss who is making me do all the work & then stealing my ideas & giving them to the enemy. I've been working undercover building a case against him with the government but then I discover something (I think super powers but it doesn't really matter) that I don't trust him with so I take the research & leave. But then for some reason I also don't trust my own government so....you can see how convoluted it got. Would make a great film though. Way more fun than another fast & furious sequel.

The whole story is really all about how next level badass I feel in the dress. Like Veronica Mars meets Kate Daniels meets my avatar in Secret World...and if you got all of those references you not only win a gold star you also get a high five :)
This whole look spawned from the Autumn-Winter Miss Candyfloss collection (which has a whole femme fatale, Agent Carter vibe). I loved the collection, it was so bad-ass yet it also felt like something powerful women from the 1940's/1950's would have worn. I love that there was a collection focusing on the kickassness (what? It’s a word) of the women at the time. There are so many representations of susie homemaker style women of in the 40’s & 50’s & so few of strong independent women like Agent Carter (who I know is imaginary but doesn’t feel imaginary).
Kind of cute anecdote, the first thing my littlest brother said when he saw me wearing this was that I looked like Agent Carter.....he then said I wasn't pretty enough to be Agent Carter but I'm still counting it as a compliment lol.


All I can say is I have actually had dreams where I was wearing this dress I loved it so much. It gave me badass film noir anti-hero vibes the whole time I was wearing it & I LOVED it.

Am I answering an invisible phone? Am I playing an invisible piano? Am I communicating in some super secret spy language? I guess we'll never know...

I did feel very film noir down by the canal, even the weather conspired turning a morning that was supposed to be sunny & clear into one that was drizzly & very overcast. 90% of my lighting came from street lamps which made for interesting lighting & a very draining shoot.....especially when you are the only one who knows how the settings work on the camera lol.
Down by the canal has changed a lot from when I used to mooch around town in my teen years. It used to have a much more grungy graffiti & litter vibe than it does now (there used to be a tunnel with some very interesting anatomical graffiti that always made me giggle). Most of what's there now is posh apartments for people who work in town & some places to eat. Plus a courtyard with speakers hidden in the trees playing birdsong....(totally creepy btw, if you want bird song in your courtyard put up bird boxes & bird feeders...).

It was actually the second time I tried to shoot, the first time nothing worked. It was too dark & the background was wrong & so were the angles.... Mostly though it was just too busy (problems with trying to take photos somewhere urban in winter, golden hour is at 7....just as people are starting to go to work. I have been doing outfit photos for years & I have never been stared at more than during this photoshoot....

The dress was from Miss Candyfloss but I'm pretty sure it's sold out everywhere.... Sorry about that. It may be worth haunting their social media though because sometimes they do re-releases?
The petticoat I got from Vivien of Holloway. I actually don't recommend it to wheelchair users, it was quite slippy & a bit too long for my skirts. A nice petticoat but not one I'd buy again...
I got the hat from Top Vintage Boutique. I'm not sure it'll get worn a lot just because it's quite a statement, you can't be subtly vintage in a hat like that, but it's definitely cute. I particularly like that it has an alligator clip instead of a comb, a must if you have fine, slippy hair like me. Also if you recently cut most of it off... The hat stayed in place really well with only a reasonable amount of hairspray (my hair wasn't crispy afterwards...that denotes only a sensible amount of hairspray was used).
The gloves are vintage & I got them from Etsy (it's where I get all my vintage goodies).
The shoes are from Modcloth. I've been trying to find different & more interesting vintage style shoes & I've been looking at these for a while. I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure on sizing & you can't fudge with open sided shoes but I finally got the largest size 11W (I always get my shoes too long because otherwise I don't fit comfortably width wise, my comfiest B.A.I.T. shoes are a size 11). I could totally have gotten away with a size smaller, these are about a size too long on me but honestly it doesn't matter, I don't walk in them anyway. The real issue is that they are awkwardly high on my footplates. I'm going to have to think long & hard before I get any other heels this high. However cute they may be.

I think that's everything...
Is the construction super noticeable in the above photo? I thought the black & white made it less obvious but I'm not so sure now....
Something about the balcony & the construction reminded me of when I was in Venice (a long time ago). It had the same kind of feeling, especially in black & white. I colour it's just a big old mess.

You know this would make a great Halloween costume. Like I'm in costume as a 40's spy but at the same time all the pieces are re-wearable & I'm not a creepy misogynistic Halloween cliche... Plus I look awesome & confident. And warm.... You know the more I think about it the more I like it as a concept lol

Do you do anything for Halloween? It's not a big deal where I live so we don't really do anything. Mostly we watch Hocus Pocus & eat fun sized chocolate bars in the dark. That's pretty halloween-y...

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Wheelchair Fashion: Rockabilly Cat Lady

Wheelchair Fashion: Rockabilly Cat Lady

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disability, fashion, lifestyle, ootd, plus size, retro, spring, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

I hope you don't mind but my cat kind of crashed the party a little for this ootd post. Of course you don't mind, she is totally adorable & cats do rule the internet after all. Of the many MANY things that prevented me from posting over January getting Renata (my cat) was one of them.
The last time I had a cat I was maybe 3? I don't remember her at all but I have been pestering my mum for a pet ever since I can remember. There were always so many good reasons why we couldn't get one that it didn't seem like it would ever be possible.... I guess I finally wore her down though because last month we went to the RSPCA & adopted Renata (formerly Lulu). She is a 9 year old former stray with a food allergy & the sweetest, most cuddly cat ever. She will literally snuggle up to anyone who has a lap spare & spends most of her day on the end of my footstool pushing me off 😊

I get the feeling I might be talking a little bit too much about a cat in what is supposed to be a wheelchair fashion post...that isn't even in a wheelchair. There are two very good reasons for that 1) it was -2°C & raining & 2) my chair is broken again. Also inside I can put my pjs back on as soon as I've finished. Which I did.

Not that I didn't like this outfit, super cute & really comfortable for being real people clothes, I especially like the jumper (collectif clothing £14.75 on sale, usually sizes 8-22). Now I usually don't pick things that aren't a deep scoop neck because I realised in high school that high necklines make me look like my boobs start at my chin & end at my waist (not a flattering look) & that I generally can't pull them off (otherwise I would have some of the miss fortune knitted tops). But 2016 was a year where I took a whole load of fashion risks, totally changing my style being one of them) & I'm trying to keep that doing in 2017 so I bought the top, it was on sale anyway so I wasn't loosing anything...I seriously love it. Cute top, cute print, flattering cut. Can be dressed down, can be dressed up. Light enough to layer but warm enough to wear on it's own. Would work in all seasons, especially spring/English summer though, you ever notice how nautical is in every year?

The skirt is also on sale btw, although I got it at full price. You know, usually I would regret that but I have gotten so much wear out of this already that I can't be mad about it you know? It's quite a long skirt, not really the length I would choose for wearing in my wheelchair usually, but it's not too long if you're not sitting down. The fabric is nice & heavy, it's cute with a petticoat & that sparkle is EVERYTHING! I don't particularly like the belt but that's a personal preference thing, not a problem with the belt.
Plus the zip is good, nice lining & the cut with the cool panelling....awesome.

The headband/scarf/whatever thing is also from collectif clothing. It's my first one, I've never had anything like it so I don't know how it stacks up to any others but it's nice & wide, long & very soft which makes it pretty multi-purpose. You can tie the bow any which way you like & I have to rate it just for that. It's a good introduction to the whole hair bow thing if nothing else.
I am totally hooked, I already ordered a whole bunch more on etsy.

So you don't think the whole look is from collectif clothing, the belt is from modcloth (too old for a link I'm afraid). I'm truly not sponsored by collectif clothing, their store is just in the UK & has a good range of well made clothing so when I am being brave I tend to pick them as I can always return something if I hate it. Only one return so far & it was my mistake not anything wrong with the item.

How was your January? Do you have any pets & any advice to a new pet servant owner?

P.S. I call this 'wheelchair fashion' because it is what I would have worn in my wheelchair if I'd been able to use it.

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Wheelchair Fashion: Only 8 more Sleeps till Christmas...

Wheelchair Fashion: Only 8 more Sleeps till Christmas...

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Christmas, disability, fashion, ootd, plus size, retro, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

The festive season is very low key in my family. The house really isn't big enough for a Christmas Tree - we used to have one when we were kids that went up Christmas Eve & came down Boxing Day - & we don't really do any other decorating. That's not that we don't celebrate in our own way but it's more 'Happy Holidays' than 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' you know? Plus I'm always extra sick over Christmas so we are even quieter than we were before I got sick.
The one, over the top, glitzy, 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' thing I go nuts for is the festive clothes. The festive season is the one time of the year where you can wear the most fun, sparkly, glamorous clothes. Or at least buy them, put them in your wardrobe & never wear them. I have totally done that, like more than once.

Christmas fashion being the best part of the whole thing (in my opinion) I was really happy to treat myself to this outfit. I had thought it was a massive splurge & that none of the pieces would be re-wearable but I actually really love them, despite their quirks.
The top is from Collectif Clothing (£53.50, UK sizes 6-22. I chose an 18). I seriously love this top, it's comfortable, easy to get on & it feels like I'm wearing shapewear even if I'm not. Plus that neck line is incredible, I wouldn't have thought it would work for me but it is super cute & is making me re-think what looks good on me.
It has a few quirks though. Firstly, it hates boobs. Seriously. I had 4 safety pins on this & it still kept moving around. It was literally impossible to keep the shawl bit at the back down without the safety pins, I was thinking of adding masking tape at one point. Now this may be because I got it smaller than my usual size based off of the size guide on Top Vintage.net. but I'm not sure that it would have looked as good if I'd gotten it any bigger though.
Also the zip is a bit tricky, after the first few times it stopped going up over the area where the ruching starts. That's pretty standard. waistbands & ruching are really hard to set a zip into but it's a little annoying. It's a pay off though, I'm happy the zip is in the side, even if it means that it doesn't totally unzip...
Don't let that put you off though, it is totally possible to hide the safety pins. Plus, I got my younger brother to try it on to see how it would work on someone with no curves. I was convinced it wouldn't work but it was AMAZING. This top creates curves, it's legitimately magic. I recommend it to anyone wanting something sparkly to wear during the festive season.

The skirt. Legitimately the best skirt I've bought all year, if not the best item of clothing I got all year.
The skirt is also from Collectif Clothing (£69 UK sizes 6-22, I wear a 22). The fullness is amazing, the fabric is stunning & there is a light layer of netting inside it that acts as a very thin petticoat. It's thin enough that you could wear a petticoat if you wanted but enough that it gives the skirt shape.
My only problem is the length of the skirt. In my chair it's not too bad, & as most electric chairs are even taller than mine it probably wouldn't be a problem for them either, but it might be one to avoid if you use a manual chair simply because it's so long & full.

The belt is from Modcloth (£29.99, sizes S/M & M/L, available in 4 colours) it's actually slightly too small for me but I extend my belts with ribbon when they are too small, yet another quirk of this outfit. The tights & shoes are old, M&S & accessorize respectively I think.

Oh & the necklace is from a small independent sell that doesn't sell online unfortunately because this is really cool, it's both a necklace & a broach making it multipurpose. It's a piece of coniferous tree (I think a kind of fir?) that has been coated in silver. Very festive no?

What's your idea of festive fashion? How do you celebrate Christmas?

Happy Holidays everyone. 

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Wheelchair Fashion: Freezing in Wonderland

Wheelchair Fashion: Freezing in Wonderland

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disability, fashion, ootd, plus size, retro, summer, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

Why do I persist on taking photos in the freezing cold? I don't look happy & it makes it hard to get good photos....mostly because the shivering makes it hard to focus on posing...

I have been wanting to take photos in this skirt for AGES! It's really, really pretty but autumn was incredibly beautiful this year so it kept getting pushed back & now it is way too cold to be wearing this outfit. I mean it's got to be pretty bad when the fleece lined ballet pumps are the warmest part of your outfit... I'm thinking of investing in a pair of cute thermals for next time.

 I am totally incapable of making sentences at the moment. I wish I could explain how much I love this skirt - it's probably the only wonderland themed item of clothing I have ever fallen in love with - but that would involve my brain making sentences.
It's a lovely 50's style skirt, not a true circle but it is full enough that petticoats still work underneath it. The button came off the first time I wore it but it's easy to sew back on & I'm pretty sure it was my fault. Plus the pockets are good & the waist band is a nice width.
I sound really boring but it really is pretty. I got mine on Unique Vintage.com (XS-4XL, $72, I wear a 3XL) but it's also available on deadly is the female.

The top is from Heart of Haute (XS-3XL, $40, I wear a 2XL) & is one of my favourite pieces from last year. It's such a good basic, coming in such a lovely range of colours...it's also SUPER comfortable since it's in a lovely soft, stretchy fabric. Very different to the Pin Up Girl Clothing tops that I usually wear (very structured with only a little stretch).

The belt is years old, from a Spring/Summer Hell Bunny collection. I wish I could find more belts this width, they seem to have gone sadly out of fashion which is awkward for me as they look best on me. I've been wearing belts this width for 7 years, random but true. It's pretty much my signature, the only part of my style that hasn't really changed at all...seriously in that time I have gone from wearing leggings, plaid shirts & long vest tops to wearing a LOT of black to the vintage style I wear today...

Gosh it was difficult to focus whilst reading, or more accurately trying not to read. It's hard to avoid when you are holding one of your favourite ever books... (I wanted to be holding 'Alice in Wonderland' but I actually don't have a copy & the copy of 'Through the Looking Glass' was so worn that I didn't want to expose it to the elements, or the rough & tumble of my handbag. This is actually one of my much loved Eva Ibbotson romance novels).

Thank you for bearing with me through this very incoherent post. I will try to be better next time.

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Wheelchair Fashion: Hurricane Plaid

Wheelchair Fashion: Hurricane Plaid

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autumn, disability, fashion, ootd, plus size, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

Autumn/Winter weather is kind of crazy in England, or at least in Yorkshire it is. It gets cold & grey & very very wet. This makes it tricky to get photos, especially as I can't cope with going out on a weekend. (P.S. Did you know that the North of England closes 90% of it's gardens & stately homes during the week in winter? It's super frustrating.)
Anyway the last two weeks I have been waiting & waiting to have sunshine....or at least no rain. Today I managed it & boy was it fun, I swear I saw boat row by in the air & a mean school teacher cycle past as she turned in to a witch.

A.K.A. it's was really windy. Like ridiculously windy. And there was a torrential downpour part way through. Also the temperatures were sub-artic & now I am just feeling sorry for myself. It made for beautiful photos but a very sore & uncomfortable body, I am however thinking of getting a wind machine. Hair-o-graphy doesn't work when you have a pixie cut but I've invented skirt-o-graphy instead. I'm expecting to see it on the next season of RuPaul's drag race.
As I am writing this I realised that binge watching 3 seasons of Gilmore girls over the past 5 days has definitely influenced the way I am writing this post. I have a tendancy to take on the personality of my favourite female characters when I binge watch TV, I used to watch Veronica Mars in high school for this exact reason (I become a bad ass when I watch Veronica Mars, I become Lorelai meets Lane meets Paris when I watch Gilmore Girls for too long). So if this post is weird, that right there is your reason.

I'm just lucky the photos turned out so well, it's 100% down to the dress. It's from Miss Candyfloss (107.50 Euros, I'm a size 3XL), mostly out of stock there but it's also available from Top Vintage & Deadly is the Female (deadly is the female is your best bet).
Nothing about this dress should have worked for me, it's quite high necked for me (I have too much boob for high necklines), the plaid looks really dark indoors & the way the shoulders are set makes me look microscopically broader in the shoulders which doesn't seem like a big deal but when you are already built like a rugby player...quite honestly I was freaking out when it arrived. I also made the rookie mistake of trying it on without shapewear, I was convinced it looked awful.

It's actually stunning. Firstly it has an almost true vintage feel; no real 40s/50s clothing comes up to my size, it just doesn't happen, so items like this that look & feel like they are really vintage are real godsends. Secondly the fabric is super soft, it has a felt meets real plaid texture but much finer woven than either of those, it's feels almost wooly which is perfect for a winter dress. Thirdly my petticoat fits underneath it nicely, it fits in my wheelchair & the skirt doesn't get in my way. Fourthly there is a side zip! Praises & halleluiah. Whilst it is not possible for me to get dressed by myself, I like the idea & that zip gives me the illusion that if I wasn't too sick to stand up long enough to get dressed without help I would be able to put this on without anyone else zipping me up. That illusion is nice.

Seriously if this dress had pockets it would be the best Autumn/Winter dress I have ever owned.
Actually it's already the best Autumn/Winter dress I have ever owned, I just like things to have pockets.
Plus it is one of those dresses you can wear for absolutely anything as it can be dressed up & down.
There are seriously so many good things about this dress I could go on for ever.

Also I want to mention my wheelchair is finally electric again!!! The wheelchair it's self isn't fixed but they lent me the part I need until my part is fixed, if that makes any sense. I have never been happier to go out, possibly ever, than the first time I went out after getting my controller back. I'm pretty sure my mum was even happier lol.

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Wheelchair Fashion: Autumn Pinup

Wheelchair Fashion: Autumn Pinup

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autumn, fashion, Favourites, ootd, plus size, retro, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

I am so happy it's Autumn. I LOVE Autumn clothes, I love the colours, the patterns, the makeup, the food, the weather & most importantly the fact I don't have to shave my legs anymore lol.
I'm not as happy that the light is harder to take photos in but I'm working with it :)

So these clothes are from Miss Candyfloss, there's this new collection from them (the librarian collection) that's absolutely stunning & incredibly autumn-y & perfect......I wish more of it would work for me because it really is beautiful.

This skirt (from Miss Candyfloss, 80 euros in sizes XS-3XL) is totally my favourite part of the collection, so far anyway. It is unbelievably stunning, this amazing heavy embroidered top layer over a softer, satin-y under layer.
There is no stretch in the skirt so it's a good idea to get the exact right size, I think it runs a little small, it didn't fasten up on me but that might be because I'm bloated :) Also, with the overlay being such a thick fabric you end up with quite a bulky waistband. It's not too noticeable if you wear a wide belt over it but if you don't have one or like wide belts it could ruin the silhouette a bit...
It's described as a skirt for bad hair days, something that draws attention & it totally is that. It is a total show stopper, only bested for me by this top.

I am 100% in love with this top (Miss Candyfloss, 52.50 euros, XS-5XL) . More like 200% in love. I did not know it was possible to love a top as much as I love this one. At some point when I feel more confident with my body I'm going to do an outfit post that shows quite how amazing this top makes my body look, I honestly felt sexy which is not common feeling for me/ I mean it never was a common feeling for me but I have definitely not felt sexy since I got sick. Pretty, well dressed, confident but never sexy. I'm not sure why but I kind of want to cry, my body confidence has been at an all time low recently (it always is when I gain weight around my face) so to feel sexy despite that was totally amazing.

I wish the top was still available in more colours in my size because I adore it. I would totally buy one (or more) in every colour.

I just realised that this is sounding like an advert for Miss Candyfloss, it's seriously not :)

The only things I can think to add to this post are a rant about what's going on with me which I'm not doing (mostly because I'm super boring) or a list of all the things I am loving ATM which I feel deserves a better place than being bungee in at the end of a blog post.... Maybe I'll do a proper once a month round up of the things I'm loving... Could be fun, if I ever have enough energy ^^ Writing the blog posts I do write is a mega push as it is at the moment. I think it's just with the last few weeks being so insanely hard (my brothers going back to college/uni has not been a smooth road & that has taken it's toll) but I'm not sure.
Are there any types of posts you guys would like to see more of?

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Wheelchair Fashion: Spring Breakthrough

Wheelchair Fashion: Spring Breakthrough

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disability, drag race, fashion, ootd, plus size, retro, spring, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

A few things happened this week that made me think about who I am as a blogger. Firstly Rachel of Happy Little Syllables listed me as one of her 5 favourite spoonie bloggers, and honestly I think my heart sunk a little bit. That is utter craziness, it is amazing to be recognised for my blogging, I was totally honoured & I still am but it kind of made me feel the way you do when you get praised for a piece of work you don't feel happy with. There was an essay I did in high school when I was trying to get through my A-Levels after I had developed M.E. (which I swear to goodness I could have done if they had just given me text books, coursework & left me too it rather than insisting I went to class & did exams) which I was not happy with. I used to be really good at essays but I just couldn't get this history essay to flow the way I wanted it to & I HATED my teacher & wanted to show him that I was still just fierce as I had always been. Eventually I ran out of spoons & had to hand it in as it was. I got an A for that essay & to this day that makes me want to scream & being one of Rachel's top 5 bloggers felt like that.

The second thing that happened was Season 8 of Drag Race. Now I don't know how many of you have been able to watch it so I am not going to give any spoilers but WOW! Drag Race is kind of my therapy, I love the idea of "we are all born naked and the rest is drag" and I really try to live that but drag is more than clothes, it's a persona, it's an energy & an openness... Season 7 was full of queens who were serving the drag race visual (some of them better than pretty much any other queen ever has) but there has to be more than that to make someone a drag QUEEN you know? When I'm watching season 8 & I'm seeing queens like Kim Chi, who are just as visual, you start to realise that you have to have the whole package.... I'm rambling massively, I'm trying to take you through my thought process I guess.
There is this one queen, Kim Chi, who is struggling to own her body & that's impacting on her drag & that, whilst I've learnt to own my body, I'm struggling to own my brain & that's been impacting on my blog. I've been focusing so much on my photography & how my looks because I hate what the M.E. has done to my brain & I'm scared that I can't match up to who I once was.

Fashionable & confident in front of a camera is someone who I have become so I don't have anything pre-M.E. that that person has to live up to. Seriously the girl I was in high school would have killed to be so happy in her skin & so confident in her style, even if that meant she had to use a wheelchair.

The person I am now though remembers the brain I used to be & I mourn her. I feel incredibly vulnerable trying to do anything verbal, or academic because it is so difficult for me now & more than anything else that reminds me how much I've lost. When I first started having problems with thinking & logic I could honest to goodness feel the spaces in my brain I had to think around to do things. My brain must be like a gosh damn assault course for thoughts at this point because it gets harder & harder all the time.

But that's not a reason not to try. If Kim Chi could turn out a dance challenge I can turn this out. So from now on I will try harder to be more than just a blog full of pretty pictures, I will try to be more open & chatty & I hope you will cope with any incoherency my I end up typing.

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Wheelchair Fashion: Holiday Pastels

Wheelchair Fashion: Holiday Pastels

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Christmas, fashion, ootd, vintage, Wheelchair, winter

Wow, I seriously need a hair cut! And I totally need to get dressed up in my pretty clothes more often...I think this is probably the first time since I stopped doing outfit posts & it feels like it's been years.

My brain is seriously mush so I am struggling to come up with anything to say in this post so I'm going to focus on facts.

When I gained all my weight recently I had to get rid of my tulle skirts. More than any of the clothes I had to get rid of (some of which I'd had since I was still in high school) getting rid of my tulle skirts hurt the most. I'm not exactly sure why but my tulle skirts meant a lot to me & I hated the idea of getting rid of them.
Luckily Modcloth came out with nearly identical tulle skirts in my size only days later :) They are not the same as my old ones, obviously; the tulle is slightly less soft, the lining is slightly less stiff & the waist band doesn't sit quite right. All that aside, putting this on felt like greeting an old friend, it made me feel happy all day...even after I'd gotten back into my pjs :)

The top is another purchase from after I gained weight, it is the Lily top from Heart of Haute & I seriously can't recommend it enough! I have it in both the white & the blue & I love it so much :)

The shoes are from B.A.I.T. footwear & the bag & belt are both old.

A quick hint for non elastic belts like this one. I extend my belts with ribbon looping it through the buckle & the holes where the buckle is supposed to fasten...and then I get someone else to tie it so I don't have to see how much ribbon gets used lol :)

Happy Holidays everyone

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Wheelchair Fashion: Tattooed Countrygirl

Wheelchair Fashion: Tattooed Countrygirl

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chronically ill, disability, fashion, ootd, photo, spring, winter

This half term is kicking my ASS! On Sunday I had a whole day of powerchair football & there were only four players there from my team most of the time so I had to play the whole time. Since I'm the oldest on my team I do a lot of the organising (a.k.a. I sit in defence & shout at the kids in attack to remind them what they are doing & what the rules are).......all in all it was a crazy draining day, even before I include the yellow card I got.
Then it was half term & my foster brother has been there 24/7 which is a lot more tiring than I remembered, I think because my brother isn't home to take up any of the slack.

Anyway, outfit photos. This is the outfit I wore to get my new tattoo done,

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Everyday Fashion: Roses are grey, Snowflakes are blue

Everyday Fashion: Roses are grey, Snowflakes are blue

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chronically ill, fashion, ootd, spring, tattoo, winter

I feel like a genius for coming up with this name ^^ I am such a dork.

I had totally forgotten that valentines day was coming up (it's not really a big deal in my world) so it is a total coincidence that this outfit is kind of valentines-y. It's a great look to rock though if you have casual plans for valentines day....or any other day for that matter, and look no stripes ^^

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Wheelchair Fashion: Frozen 60s

Wheelchair Fashion: Frozen 60s

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casual, disability, fashion, ootd, photo, spring, Wheelchair, winter

I hadn't realised until I started editing these pictures how many of my outfits recently have included stripes, my next outfit will either be all stripes or no stripes ^^

Tuesday I looked out of my window & saw bright sunshine & thought 'oh good, the weather is picking up' so out came my most 'spring is about to spring' outfit (a.k.a. a light weight jumper, no layers & no coat) & got my mum to load up the car....

That is ice all around the water spout btw, it may have been sunny but the weather had not picked up & it was NOT as warm as it looked.
Lets just say I was out taking photos for less time than it had taken me to get my shoes on & A LOT less time than it had taken me to put my makeup on ^^

In my head this is kind of a 60s fashion meets Parisian meets modern nautical-ish spring fashion...making it a very convoluted vision for such a simple 'I wish it was spring already' outfit.

I am so ready for spring. I am over jumpers & layers & cold weather & super ready for pretty summer dresses, spring flowers & warm sunny days with just a touch of a breeze....only one of which is really a part of a Yorkshire spring lmao.

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Everyday Fashion: Accidental Fashionista

Everyday Fashion: Accidental Fashionista

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blogging, crafting, disability, DIY, fashion, lifestyle, ootd, random, winter

The weather has been seriously conspiring against my efforts to blog. First it snowed - which could have been good except it melted really quickly into a grey slush - then it rained & now it is unendingly cold & grey & miserable.
Add to that a schedule (not mine) that has made going to town (where most of my in door photos are taken) impossible & you will end up with a very frustrated blogger.

These pictures were taken on Tuesday after I got back from yet another fruitless photo taking mission. I'd had to remove my belt (my abdomen was screaming at me) & I was at my new desk working out some of my frustration playing with mixed media (my new obsession).

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