DIVA ( Fashion, life, Music, Photography)

D104S13B - Dea London

2013-04-01T05:18:00.001-07:00

D104S13B - Dea London

This blog has now moved to http://janiebritton.skyeladder.net/wordpress/

2012-12-02T05:26:00.003-08:00

This blog has now moved to http://janiebritton.skyeladder.net/wordpress/

Dea London - Fantastic designer based in London

2012-12-02T02:48:00.000-08:00

Dea London - Jelena Fehmi http://www.dealondon.co.uk/

July this year I had the great pleasure of attending an event in Leeds called Plus North organized by the lovely Becky and Toni and sponsored by Simply Be.

This event was all about loving the skin your in, and celebrated, Beauty, Curves and Confidence!. There were several designers/retailers touting their wears, but I knew I had struck Gold when I came across the amazing and awe inspiring designer, Jelena Fehmi with her new female career focused “DEA London” label.

On their website they describe their range as “Quality garments made for the everyday goddess in the working place." I couldn't agree more,

Jelena, was delightful enough to answer a few questions for me and allowed us a little peak into her studio so we could see were the creative process started.

“Thanks, it was a pleasure to meet you at Plus North, thankyou for agreeing to this interview.”

So tell me how did you get started and Why?

I have been running a bespoke studio for over 15 years, tailoring for customers who weren't able to find professional work wear in their size on the high street. With increasing demand I decided to start my own label and offer a custom tailored approach to the plus size fashion industry.

How many people work with you at Dea London?

We have a small team focused on the creation and delivery of bespoke work wear. I am very proud of the hard work and creative input that my team places into every stage of the fashion process, from new collection design to the assembly and fitting of the outfits.

Its such an interesting name how did you come up with it?

The word Dea means goddess in Latin. Our name describes the radiant beauty of a fuller body figure.

So what do you hope to achieve with your business?

I want to make career focused women look and feel confident, stylish and professional. I want customers to love how Dea clothes make them feel.

I just love the way you describe your brand , how did you come up with the idea?

Most of my private customers are ambitious, educated and successful businesswomen, who spend most of their time in a hectic business environment. To save time, they prefer to buy unique good quality clothes that will stay in fashion. The brand image came from working with these amazing individuals, true goddesses in a workplace.

How do you ensure that you are competitively priced for the currently market/climate?

We use high quality fabrics and ensure that our work is finished to the highest standard. Our garments are designed to be worn over several seasons and in different combinations. Our customers are women who appreciate the benefits that quality brings.

For all the readers out there that fancy getting into the fashion industry - were do they start?

Know your customer.

Does your company run internships?

We offer a number of internships throughout the year. Interns whether international or based in the UK work on the day-to-day duties from production upto helping run events.

Where can customers purchase Dea London merchandise (is it just online or do you have a retail outlet?

At the moment you can purchase garments from our online store www.dealondon.co.uk and very soon from www.onestopplus.com. We also have an international stockiest in Split (Croatia).

What’s your favorite piece out of your current collection and why?

I love dresses; an outfit is only truly complete when you wear a dress.

What fabrics do you use and how do you choose them ie cottons because they are cool, silks etc?

I adore classic fabrics, they look and feel great. I often add a bit of colour to follow working place etiquette and carefully experiment with new fabrics from the mills.

Was Plus North the first time you had displayed your clothes in that type of environment?

Plus North was our first event of its kind in Leeds. Becky and Toni have done a great job organising it. Usually we organise private press and buyers events in our studio in Dalston.

At Plus North I noticed a collection of beautiful dresses in vibrant colors, were does this fit in with your working place collection?

It is the “prototype’’ collection for the fuller figured body shape. I wanted to show with this collection that it is not necessary to wear black all the time. The right vibrant colours in the right patterns can bring out the best in any body shape.

How do you make use of color in your collection and why do you think it is important to utilize the right color? ( ie empowering etc)

Playing with colours can be great fun. Traditionally darker colours are used to minimise body shape. I am currently working with bright colours around neckline and shoulders to emphasise the face.

What inspires and influences you?

Naturalism. For many cultures in the world, a fuller figured feminine body is a demonstration of femininity, health, wealth, respect and desire.

Why do you think your designs are different compared to other plus sized designers?

There are few Plus size designers. Most of the available larger dresses on the high street are simply graded up versions of existing size 10 dresses. This approach creates poor quality fits and misses the natural beauty of a fuller body size. My designs are created specifically to produce a stylish look for fuller figured women.

Do you have any celebrity clients?

Not at the moment. I am personally a fan of Sarah Milican and would love to produce a dress for her.

Do you intend to show your designs on the catwalks this year?

Yes, we are currently searching for a suitable show in the UK. Next year we will be showcasing at the FFFW in New York.

Do you have any plans to get your designs into other retailers such as Debenhams, Selfridges, Simply Be etc?

Naturally, we would love to eventually have our designs distributed to a wider market. At the moment we are still growing Dea and focusing on our existing customers.

What makes a piece of clothing “Dea London”?

Quality, cut, colour and the goddess who wears it.

Evolve’s motto is ‘Be Proud…Be You’ – What makes you proud to be you and what is Dea Londons Motto?

Love what you are doing, be enthusiastic and the role model for you team. Plan well ahead and have no doubt of success.

“Everything is possible

Hope you enjoyed this article, get online and check out Dea London , they really are beautiful Clothes.

Janie Britton
http://janie.skyeladder.com/ (modeling)
https://www.facebook.com/JanieBrittonmodelpage
http://janiebritton.blogspot.com/ ( Blog, Band, Modeling)
wwww.skyladder.com ( Band)

Matalan Makeover suprise - Janie Britton and Fashion Sense TV - “Kats Closet”

2012-11-27T00:58:00.001-08:00

I remember a couple of weeks before, I was at work in Liverpool on a customer site.

My husband Paul rang me and said that a lady had rang me up asking for me saying I’d won a makeover.
I assumed it was one of those services where you go along having won a supposed prize , they take your picture and then charge you loads for a few naff pictures. I said that I didn’t see the point of phoning but he insisted “Now I know why lol”.

So I phoned and spoke to the lovely Emma and she told me that I’d been chosen for a special Matalan makeover and explained that Paul had entered me into a competition and that they’d picked me and that this was his way of thanking me for looking after him :0) .

She explained it would be a complete make over, hair, makeup clothes and that it was an all expenses paid trip to London. Of course I was totally thrilled and said yes immediately: 0), well which girl wouldn’t right!”.

So the day came for me to go and have the makeover, it took about 5 hours to drive down to London, mainly because I had my two dogs with me. Plus my lovely hubbie Paul, is still recovering from a Pulmonary embolism, broken ankle and shoulder operation , so as you can imagine we had to stop quite a few times ( I know, I know I need to wrap him in cotton wool, if his mum had still been alive, she would have said tie a piece of wool around his finger – apparently it stops you being so clumsy, well that’s what they say anyway :0) ).

Lovely Matalan as part of the overall experience booked us into a hotel. It was right next to Euston Station and was called the Euston Thistle. It was rather plush and had a massive bed and the posh-est bathroom you’ve ever seen. London prices though for car-parking , good god I nearly died.
The price for a 24 hour stay was virtually £30.00, ouch!

So the first night in London, saw us walking the dogs around by the station, were they were quite happy padding through the leaves and scaring the tourists ( I have never seen so many people scared of pups before, especially these two lol) .

Then back to the hotel for tea, it was very nice a sort of chicken burger but I’ve never had my meal served on a chopping board before, very quaint. Again the price , eeek.
So to the next day, saw us waking up to a very noisy and crowded London.

We worked our way downstairs to the restaurant rubbing the sleep out of our eyes and ended up having a full English, it was lovely. So nice for somebody else to cook. ( thankfully,no chopping boards in sight this time) .

I was told by the lovely Gurvinder at Atomize TV that climate cars would pick us up at 9:30am to take us to the shoot, apparently when the car arrives they send you a text.
Right on time my phoned beeeped, checked the Text, and we went to meet the car which was a Toyota Prius, goodness what a plush car.

So off we went to the TV company, on arrival we were greeted by Gurvinder one of the assistant produces and Emma from Matalan. We were led into a room and introduced to the fabulous Kat from “Kats closet” and Closer Magazine, Next I was introduced to the producer Amy and the hair consultant (Aaron Blondell) , beauty consultant (http://www.helenharrall.com) and camera/photography chappies .

I’d watched a few of the programmes online so sort of got the gist of what was going to happen.
Kat and the producer Amy asked for a private chat, this involved stepping outside of the room were I was asked what size lingerie I wore lol:0).

Paul was taken to sit in what they call a viewing room as the makeover was not only being photographed but being filmed as well. ( excited :0)

I was a little worried leaving him as hes really not been that well but the production crew sensing my fears told me that they would keep checking on him . They even brought in food and drink in case we needed anything.

I was then whisked away into Kats closet for a bit of a chat with the lovely Kat telling me what she had in store for me that day.

So here’s a confession for you!. I must admit here and now to being very soft, as Kat was asking me why I thought that Paul had put me forward for the makeover.

She asked about the year we had, had and I went to bits . You see Pauls my soul mate and its been a very stressful year seeing him in so much pain, its totally broken my heart. I explained that as well as him being in constant pain with his right shoulder and a broken ankle this year. I’d nearly lost him again to the blood clots and that I just couldn’t imagine life with out him truly. In fact I’m sat here with tears in my eyes , whilst I write this ( I’m such a softie) . So when you do watch the programme please bear in mind you might need some tissues ( very sorry) .

So back to the Closet, Kat showed me a variety of clothes and we discussed style , shape, fabric and color looking at the things that would suit my shape and coloring.

We looked through a variety of clothes including a very stunning adelesque Rogers Chiffon Dress.
It was a Chiffon overlay dress with sweetheart neckline and 1/2 sleeves. The dress had a lovely pinky colored satin underneath and looked very elegant and feminine. It also had a bit of

You can see the dress here http://www.matalan.co.uk/fcp/product/fashion-to-buy-online/Plus-Size/Rogers-Chiffon-Dress/65292&resultsPerPage=100&attrList=Dept,brand
Prize £28.00

I was also shown a lovely Turquoise dress “Dipped Hem Prom” again a lovely dress
http://www.matalan.co.uk/fcp/product/fashion-to-buy-online/-Dresses/Dipped-Hem-Chiffon-Prom-With-Gold-Belt/66599&resultsPerPage=100&attrList=Dept,brand http://www.matalan.co.uk/fcp/product/fashion-to-buy-online/-Dresses/Dipped-Hem-Chiffon-Prom-With-Gold-Belt/66599&resultsPerPage=100&attrList=Dept,brand
Price - £20.00

Kat said that I couldn’t see what I looked like until I was completely made-over ( arrr but!) , so all of the mirrors in the room were covered up and Amy the producer stood at the door making sure nobody came in. I remember the door opening and the lift was just outside, Amy literally ran to stand in front and cover the mirror in the lift lol so I couldn’t see what was going on. That was me gone, I cracked me up laughing and shared a giggle with Kat.

So onto the makeup, , I’ve never really used a lot of makeup, but I’m happy to try anything. The first thing Helen (Helen Harrall) applied was like a pre solution , apparently it helps to keep the foundation and power on and stops the makeup sliding off. Perfect for people with an oily T Zone or if you’re going to go clubbing :0) .
Next the eyes, its very strange having somebody applying makeup that you cant see.
Especially having mascara applied, its very ticklish.

Whilst the makeup was being finished off the hair stylist (Aaron Blondell ) explained how he would like to do my hair, it sounded amazing. He told me that the trend currently was to have your hair in a bun type effect with a plait forming part of the fringe.

Talk about being totally pampered, hair and makeup done and it was time for lunch. It was chicken green Thai curry and it was so tasty with like a brown/bean rice and a nice cup of tea to finish it off with.

The production staff were amazing, constantly asking me , if they could they do anything for me. It was a surreal experience and I feel truly blessed, they were so lovely and I was treated like a total Queen and not allowed to do anything. To be honest the only thing I asked for was for them to check on Paul, make sure he’d had his pain killers and oh please may I have a cup of tea?

So back to Kats closet and I was given shapeware to put on, I had to tug and tug and, it was very difficult to get on , but it really did work to smooth out my lumps and bumps.
Next Kat passed me a couple of dress’s to try on, together with lots of different accessories. She advised which one suited me best, talking about the cut of the garments, and the style.

So to the end and the reveal – I came out of the dressing area and stood in front of the mirror for the final reveal.

It was almost like a ta-da moment , the sheet was whisked off the mirror and I stood looking at myself.

I was totally shocked, I actually looked pretty ha ha, my hair was amazing, I’d never thought of having my hair piled up so high, I loved the plait and the way my fringe was swept to one side.

Kat explained that to appear youthful instead of wearing dark eye makeup, it was more attractive to utilize paler creams and browny type colors. The makeup was so pretty and it was definitely something that I’ll try in the future.

I couldn’t believe the effect that the makeup had in opening my eyes up.
The best bit though was the dress, it was the Rodgers Chiffon dress that I’d described earlier. Kat was right it really flattered my curves and had the most amazing see through chiffony sleeves. It was so very femine, sexy and pretty.

So the end of the makeover came boo, the cameras were turned off and it was time for me to get changed. Once changed, I was told to choose what ever I wanted out of the clothes I’d been shown to take home. Super generous of Matalan, I went home with a large bundle of clothes, thankyou x. Aso thanks for the bottle of wine x

It was an amazing experience being filmed, something I’d quite like to do as a professionally to be honest (presenting that is, hint hint :0) .

I had such a fantastic day and I still cant get over it, I have never felt so pampered in my life and I went away on the day feeling so incredibly relaxed and pretty for a change.

Thankyou to my lovely wonderful hubby , my soulmate, thankyou for putting me forward for this amazing prize.

Finally, I just wanted to say a huge thankyou to Matalan and Atomize TV for the most perfect day. Again I cant thank you guys enough for the experience it was totally amazing and you treated me so , so well.

You are all wonderful xxxxxxxx

BTW you can catch the programme here :0)

http://www.closeronline.co.uk/makesfashionsense/ ( see Kat's Closet - Surprise Christmas Makeover)

http://www.wirewax.com/7002571
http://www.itv.com/matalan/ ( see Kats Closet - Merry Christmas Makeover)
http://www.matalan.co.uk/fcp/content/makes-fashion-sense/site-content?icmpid=hp_mfs_290812
http://www.aaronblondell.com/ ( Hair Consultant)
http://www.helenharrall.com/ ( Beauty Consultant)

Its also in Closer Magazine today ( hope I dont get into trouble for posting this) :0)

OMG - apparently I was on this morning as well - just checked back as put it on record just in case :0) re the Matalan makeover piece :0)

Thanks all
Janie Britton
www.skyeladder.com (band)
http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder

Excited from Lancashire - Matalan Makeover advance notice date

2012-11-23T04:09:00.000-08:00

Had a mail from the TV company re the Matalan Makeover piece.
So excited :0)

"film is being finished in the edit as we speak and will be going live on the website on Tuesday next week (27th November). You'll be able to see it on www.itv.com/makesfashionsense
The story will also feature in that week's copy of Closer magazine. Hope you're looking forward to seeing it. I've seen sneak peaks and it looks great."

https://www.facebook.com/JanieBrittonmodelpage

Flugel Horn - love it.

2012-11-22T09:57:00.001-08:00

Loving Skye May Fall with the Flugel Horn added - let me know what you think

http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder/skye-may-fall-pre-mix

New demo - Name of the Game - Skyeladder

2012-11-16T00:05:00.003-08:00

Such fun at the studio last night loved it and hope you all like the results. Still very much in draft version - but hope you all like xx

http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder/name-of-the-game-early-demo

Let me know what you all think, we are hoping to build this into an epic three part song :0)

Santa baby - send me a boot delicious pressie from Simply Be

2012-11-13T05:37:00.000-08:00

Has anybody checked out the amazing new range of shoes at Simply be.
They are so fabulousa, I have added them to my Christmas list, Santa I hope you're getting this :00) .

"Hello shoes , I love you all and hope and pray that Santa sends me a size 8 in all of these - thankyou very much xx"

http://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/_/N-1ytvgps/Ntt-6991/products/show.action?SearchKey=P_BoUid&originalSearchTerm=Fast+Fashion+Footwear&cm_sp=DAL%20Freeformat-_-Most%20Wanted-_-All%20most%20wanted

Want to be in a video? - Skyeladder - Simply B-eautiful a song celebrating curves and fashion

2012-11-11T04:22:00.001-08:00

So a while ago we wrote a song called Simply B-eautiful, its a song all about celebrating curves and love of fashion. I've added to this song and will be recording additional parts to it this week.

http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder/simply-b-eautiful-1

The intention then is to do a video, so if you would like to be a part of this video , leave me a comment and I'll get in touch xx

Copyright
Song Copyrighted to Jane and Paul Britton 2011.

Lyrics
I've been on the road for a long time
Trying to find the right clothes to be mine
Trying to find the clothes that make you go - you know!
I've been out of luck, couldn't find you
I've been looking around with out a clue
But now I've found the clothes that make me Be
Simply Be, Simply Be , Simply B-eautiful.

Links
http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder/simply-b-eautiful-1

wwww.skyladder.com ( Band)
http://janie.skyeladder.com/ (modeling)
https://www.facebook.com/JanieBrittonmodelpage
http://janiebritton.blogspot.com/ ( Blog, Band, Modeling)

Congratulations Gemma Cruickshank - Miss BBW International 2012

2012-11-11T03:55:00.001-08:00

So its now 11th of November and the event has taken place. The very beautiful Gemma Cruickshank has taken the Miss BBW International 2012 crown.

Well done and enjoy your year xx

Note: Photo copyrighted to Miss BBW International 2012

Look at the size of that crown, its gorgeous as is the lovely Gemma - xx

Congratulations also to all 5 winners 4th Katie-Anne Mumby Cole 3rd Georgina Hawes 2nd runner up Severine Spicer 1st runner up Kimberlea Randall and Gemma Cruikshank was crown Miss BBW International 2012

Miss BBW Website Links
http://www.missbbwinternational.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-BBW-International/217136901669469

Evans at the Trafford Centre "Whats your shape" Event 10/11/2012

2012-11-10T14:27:00.001-08:00

Evans Vintage

So I saw this event on the Evans facebook page, ( Evans at the Trafford Centre "Whats your shape". ) thought mmm not sure that I believe all this shape nonsense. However I figured I would go along and see what it was all about as I had a coat to take back.

Re the Coat.
Surprisingly enough it was the "Evans Black Faux Fur Trim Coat" that a lot of the ladies on the Facebook page loved. I bought the coat because I liked the way it looked on the model. Although not a massive fan of black, I bought it anyway. When I tried it on however, it just hung off me like a sack, shame really!.

I think with a few detailed tucks to fit the waistline a tad, and maybe a detachable collar, with a bit of different color detailing specific areas, given those alterations I think it could have been a good coat.

To be honest, this is the problem, that I often have, unless clothes are bespoke/made especially for me, I do find myself having to vamp things up a bit. I generally have to put a few alterations in here and there - good thing I can sew :0), but I shouldn't have to do this - Should I?.

Anyway back to the event, I was greeted by Carina the lovely lady who commented on my facebook query, and who is also located at the Evans Head Office. She recognized my name and my face which was lovely to be honest, I was quite touched :0).

I filled in a form detailing my contact details and I was pointed to a a lovely young lady who was there, to give me shape advice. So the session started and I was taken into the back to get measured.

Cardinal Sin Number One was committed, almost immediately, the first thing she said to me was "Oh yes I can see you are an apple shape" .

Now I knew after going on the Evans calculator that I wasn’t, but I let her carry on.

She finished measuring me and said actually you’re border line Hour Glass, which I think surprised her.
( Lesson Number One, here is to take a good look at your customer and don’t make assumptions)

The second half of the Shape session was getting an overview of what would suit me and what to avoid, this was basically read to me from a list on a card that the lady was holding. I didn't really see the value in this and pretty much thought I could have done that myself.

We did however look at some clothes hung on one of the rails. The sort of clothes that I was being shown were so not my style and I was also surprised that she didn't ask me to try anything on!.

This was when Cardinal Sin number two was committed, lovely though this young lady was she referred to a black cardigan ( one of my loathes at the moment is everything's black) , she pointed to the sequins around the collar and said even her own mother had this cardigan. ( Oh dear I thought , how can I run away without being nasty. Please don't ever tell your customers that your mother is wearing said object, you don't want your customers to feel older than they are. We all want to be told we look youthful and are beautiful lol) .

I was then showed a very matronly flowery top and advised it would be good way of reducing my bust. ( Errm okay, I'm quite happy with my bust and believe in accentuating my best assets) .

I was also asked if I ever considered palazzo (wide legged) pants, and was advised that a flower print with a plain top would look great on me . Again I disagreed, I had in fact tried the "Swan" ones on and they were definitely a contender for "is my bum big in this" and reminded me of pyjamas.

So not me and I have to admit feeling very very deflated.

So the session ended with me actually giving the young lady advice around types of customers, how everybody is different, what type of clothes goes with what and that assumptions shouldn't be made based on age/shape etc.

Now heres the good bit!

Fortunately for me , I then met the Manager of the Trafford Evans store, fantastic lady, totally clued in,.

She asked me for some feedback on the session , I explained the above and she was a little surprised I think but got it. I said to her that experience in this game really matters and that Evans need to ensure that they understand their customer set, that everybody needs to know the Shape thing off by heart if they are going to push it.

I also talked about how as an Evans customer I used to love the varied quality designers as well as the Evans own brand. We discussed the quality/cut and great value for money the clothes used to be. I wanted to understand why the online concession pieces took over , in my eyes this was a move in market for Evans and really effected the quality and fit of the Evans product and caused a lot of the issues that I see re fit that we are seeing today.

BTW , I have been told that Evans is moving away from having these online concessions, in my book I was glad to hear this.

Vintage Evans Tee

We then talked about the good old days of the amazing tees that Evans used to have, remember those Punky Fish and the tees with Blondie and David Bowie - everybody needs good trendy value for money basics.

Vintage Punky Fish Tee and Fur gillet

Evans Vintage

I also remember wool jumpers and cardigans, I personally hate all of this nylon stuff, I cant quite get myself to pay nearly £50.00 for nylon.

Evans Vintage

Remember "The Seven Collection", I remember driving so excitedly to Sheffield and buying everything, the collection was so me and I cried that I had hold of so many beautiful clothes.

I also remember in-store, items from "Anna Scholz", "Dawn French" and the amazing "Beth Ditto Collection", all amazing collections good quality fabrics and amazing for the money. It was good to talk to somebody so knowledgeable from the Trafford Evans store.

See below for Beth Ditto vintage dress and Shoes ( see moi 2nd to left in my band).

At the end of the event I was given some money off vouches to use in store - so thank-you so much for those and I hope you didn't mind me being totally honest.

I did spot a great top (Evans Red Animal Print Shirt) , perfect for most shapes, I think it would look great with skinny pants or a pencil skirt. Plus I saw some great pants Evans Black Coated Jeggings.

Good news for us , is that Evans are taking our views seriously, I think this type of event is healthy and constructive and a very clever marketing ploy.

So all in all , an interesting experience, I was chatting with Carina , at the end and she was very keen to get our views, so get commenting and I'll pass any comments through.

Links
http://www.evans.co.uk
http://janie.skyeladder.com/ (modeling)
https://www.facebook.com/JanieBrittonmodelpage
http://janiebritton.blogspot.com/ ( Blog, Band, Modeling)
wwww.skyladder.com ( Band)
www.callmediva.info ( Band)

-

Miss BBW International 2012 - 10th November - UK Heathrow Airport, Marriott Hotel

2012-11-10T01:11:00.005-08:00

So I've come to hear about another great event "Miss BBW International 2012" . that's promoting positivity, confidence and great self body image.

The events tonight at The Marriott Hotel, so if you're in the Heathrow London area, make sure you go along and support this great event.

The doors open at 6.30pm till 2am show starts promptly at 7.30pm.

So for all of you that want to enter this event ( me included) sorry all but you're too late for this year. However , why not enter next year, in order to participate in this amazing celebration of curves, you need to be over 18 and over a size 18.

Miss BBW Website Links
http://www.missbbwinternational.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-BBW-International/217136901669469

This type of competition is totally unpresidented within the fashion industry.

We would normally see models in the UK industry below a size 18 in order to be regarded as suitable to represent plus sized fashion. If you look at our most popular plus sized retailers , they are using size 12/14/16.

This event is a terrific boost in pushing forward and encouraging the use of , what I call plus plus sized models ( size 18 and over) in the industry and totally shows that curvy ladies are beautiful.

Tickets for the event, are a tad pricey at £67.00, however, it does include a three course dinner, champagne reception and live entertainment.

I believe the totally amazing Alison Hammond form ITV1s this morning is presenting. BTW Alison is an amazing character, I walked down the Evans catwalk at Liverpool Fashion Week 2011 with her and she is tremendous fun.

Also showcasing are comedian Junior Simpson, pop sensations The Diva Dolls, Fabia Cerra from Britain’s got Talent and vocalist Annaleigh Koch.

So lets have a look at our 19 beautiful ladies.

Note all photography within this blog is copyrighted to Miss BBW International 2012

Please come and support this event, these ladies are pushing themselves into the media for a reason - so please get to the event, if you cant get there blog and advertise this event.

Only then can we change the fashion industry perception of the types of models, we want to see out there in the industry.

I dont know about you ladies, but I personally would like to see size 18 plus models being taken as well as the 12/14/16s on via fashion houses to display their clothes at catwalks, tv ads, catalogues and general advertising bill boards.

BTW its also great to hear that these ladies are being sponsored ( provision of a dress for the event) by some great fashion labels such as "Dea London". As you know I adore "Dea London" clothes and would totally faint at the chance to own a piece.

.

Bianca Blundell

Cacherel Jules

Caroline Dawson

Cleo Peacock

Cloe Lipinski

Gemma Cruickshank

Georgina Hawkes

Kathryn Brady

Katie-Ann Mumby-Cole

Kimberlea Randall

Kirsty Evans

Maura Jackson

Michelle Blundell

Samantha Gray

Sarah Hadzipasic

Severine Spicer

Stephanie Shell

Sue Wadey

Trene Rama

Thanks for reading all.

Janie B
http://janie.skyeladder.com/ (modeling)
https://www.facebook.com/JanieBrittonmodelpage
http://janiebritton.blogspot.com/ ( Blog, Band, Modeling)
http://www.skyladder.com ( Band)
http://www.callmediva.info ( Band)

Say hello to my mum in law on bonfire night - "Francis"

2012-11-03T11:14:00.002-07:00

On Monday its the five year anniversary of my mum in laws death. Shes called "Francis" , she was a fantastic person - she died of Emphysema ( a nasty disease that inhibits your breathing).

We'll be celebrating with the biggest firework we can find and also say Hello Mum when we set the fireworks going. Last November whilst up in the Isle of Skye we wrote a song for her memory and its simply called "November" http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder/november-1

Check out http://www.breathoflife.org.uk/ they are a registered charity who actively help people in North Staffordshire who have breathing problems or lung disease.

They have a just giving page here, it would be great if a few generous souls out there would help. http://www.justgiving.com/lungcancerappeal

This great group are also on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Breath-of-Life/183349898354849

This blog goes out for everybody who has lost a mum or dad and whos missing them at this time of year.

Matalan - Beautiful Cerise blouse from the Rogers and Rogers range of Matalan

2012-11-03T03:11:00.000-07:00

So I was lucky enough to spend some time with the Matalan team recently and wanted to show you some great new looks from their Winter Collection.

Here's the first item, that I've reviewed.

Product Info:
Website - Matalan
Range - Rogers and Rogers
Color - Cerise
Fabric - 100% Polyester
Price - TBC
Item No - TBC
Size - 20

In a shocking pink/cerise with black contrasting trim , this blouse is a fantastic addition to your working wardrobe.

The neck line is very flattering and is brilliantly accentuated with the addition of a bib pin tuck effect around the neck line, which extends to the mid chest area. This gives the illusion of a wonderful floaty swing type look to the blouse.

The blouse is 100% polyster, this fabric is so light that it allows the blouse to skim your curves. Its also great at wash time as well in that its a quick drier, which is exactly what you need at this time of year.

This look is so versatile, so why not team it with a great pair of leggings and high heels for a great evening look.

My verdict:
This top is a winner , its bright its fun and made me feel very feminine, sexy and was just perfect. I wore it on Friday to an onsite customer meeting and I must say that I felt smart elegant and very confident.

Note: links to the top on the Matalan website and pricing will be provided at a later date.

Christmas Give Away

2012-10-27T04:05:00.001-07:00

So I am planning my first give away for Christmas - as soon as I reach 200 follower I will announce the first prize :0)

Search for a winter coat - its cold! - Open to reviews

2012-10-27T03:02:00.001-07:00

So its cold outside, first snow of Winter has fallen on the East side of the country and this is the time I start to think about getting a warm winter coat.

So before I start , let me issue a statement to all the shops out there that believe that this years Winters plus sized trend is all about Padded and quilted coats.

Wrong! errmmm no thanks it just makes bigger girls like moi, look like we're wearing our duvet and makes us look twice as big as well. I know some people like them but in my opinion its a big no.

I'm looking for a coat that is warm, preferably wool , non of this pretend wool stuff that I've seen a lot of online this morning. Also instead of designing a coat with straight lines , which by the way does nothing for us shapely girlies. Lets have elegant lines with some tailored fitting , designers we need you to have some vision and make the most of our curves, please do not hide us in a sack.

Also another of my pet hates!, believe you me, we are not afraid to be seen in color. We like other colors , so you dont need to stick to dark grey, navy and black, we are happy to wear for instance red or Turquoise or even bright pink, I know shocking , isnt it!. We will not run screaming into a cupboard and yell out unclean, unclean at the sight of a tailored colorful coat.

Looking at whats currently out there affordable coat wise , I really am losing the will to live. What I am looking for is a good warm , wool, tailored, colorful ie not black/navy coat that I feel good in. It also needs to be a reasonable price, I'm not rich and I know a lot of my readers are in the same boat, with regards finances.

Answer's on a post card please, happy to review any coats sent in, get in touch via superbabe_666@hotmail.com

Designers if you;re up for the challenge, I'd be happy to hear from you, I'm a size 20/22 in most things - here's my current measurements xx

Name: Janie Britton
Location: North West Lancashire
Hair - Dark Brown shoulder length
Eyes - Hazel
Height 5:8
Shoe - Size 8 EE,
Bust Cup size C - 125cm
Waist 118 cms
Hips 124 cms
Dress size 20/22 dependent on retailer

Chicken ala Autum Veg test crash - in progress people - Recipe Number - 1

2012-10-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

What could be better, than listening to some Skyeladder music on our cd player, singing along and inventing a new recipe from scratch on a lovely Sunday evening.

Well you're seeing is as its being made , so here we go, your ingredients and approximate price list is at the bottom of this page - so lets let cook.

Preparation

First of all prepare the chicken, you can get a couple of chicken breasts from your local butchers or supermarket. Ensure that you cut off all the fat first as we want to make this as low fat as possible.
Cut the chicken into strips of around 3/4 of an inch. If you're a bit squeamish most supermarkets will sell already prepared strips of chicken for you.

Chop up a small chilli and add it to the chicken , ( your preference, you can leave the chillis out of the recipe if its too much heat for you or you can do what we do and remove the seeds to reduce the heat).

BTW an interesting fact for you - according to a feature on the news last week , a bit of chilli each day promotes health/weight loss - I'm not guaranteeing this though until I've tested it :0
Oh and dont touch your face whilst touching chillies, because believe you me it flipping burns.

Then pan fry the chicken and pepper, with a tiny amount of oil and light coating of cider or white wine
Once the chicken is cooked , put it to one side to cool. (Very important - ensure that the chicken is white inside, no pinkness or blood we don't want you all getting food poisoning. )

So lets get on preparing the rest of the meal.

Next are the sprouts, we love them in our family so we are using a whole bag.

Peel the sprouts and then chop them into thin strips. As you are chopping you'll find that some more leaves will come off , but dont worry about this as they will crisp up beautifully in the oven.

Next take a whole bulb of garlic and grate it ( if you're not a fan then just try a couple of cloves) .
The great thing about grating it is that the skin is left behind, so no more having to struggle peeling the little devil !.

Oh shall we do the ginger next, same principle, grate the ginger , you can buy fresh ginger from most grocers.
Again we love the stuff , so use a big chunk, but its entirely up to you guys as to how much you want to use.

Mix the garlic and ginger together.

Next step is to Pop the sliced spouts into a baking tray and add the garlic and the ginger.

Add about a two desert spoon's of olive oil or if you haven't got it vegetable oil, stir ensuring that the sprouts get a good coating of the garlic/ginger mixture.

Next Chop up Carrots and one pepper and julienne them - for anybody who doesn't know what julienne is , its a method of cutting an item into thin strips or in my case chunky.

Add the carrots and pepper to the spouts ( garlic and ginger mixture) , toss until coated and add to a pre-warmed oven Gas mark 6 for around 60 minutes. Ensure you give the them a toss every 10 minutes to ensure they cook equally.

So whos for some celeriac chips then?
Take a Celeriac , you know the round hard thing you get from the grocers,. Chop off the root, peel it and slice into chip sized portions. ( a tip for you, if you are not using the celeriac chips straight away , pop them in a bowl of cold water with a plate on top to keep them nice and fresh) .

BTW if you dont have a celeriac and have a swede or indeed a pumpkin as its nearly Halloween then , they'll will do just as well.

Put the resulting chips into a baking trip, lightly drizzle and sprinkle some Garlic lovers grinder on (you can get it from Tescos, but its basically dried Garlic and Pepper).

Again when you've completed the above, pop the celeriac chips into the oven Gas mark 6 for around 50 minutes.The chips will take around 5 minutes less than the sprouts/carrotts/pepper tray. Again same thing toll them every 10 minutes to ensure they cook equally.

Okay we're now had the sprouts in for 20 minutes and the celerac in for 15 minutes - so its time for the 2nd tossing. You should start to notice that the sprouts are taking on a slight browny color.

On with the mushrooms !,
Take a small tray of mushrooms and roughly chop, the rougher the better :0) , add them to the sprout/carrot and pepper backing tray and pop back into the oven to continue their baking.

When you're about five minutes away add some Parmesan to taste to the sprouts/carrots mixture ( dont use too much otherwise you;ll drown out the natural flavors).

Next add the chicken and chilli that you prepared earlier to the sprouts/carrots mixture and pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes until the chicken is lovely and hot.

So heres the finished article , we've tried it and all I can say is yum , yum, yum.
Not bad for an experiment and super healthy :0), .

Ingredients to feed a family of four
2 x Chicken Breasts
1x small Chilli
1 x medium sized Pepper
1 bulb of Garlic
1 small bag of Sprouts
4 big Carrots
1 small tub of Mushrooms
Black Pepper to taste
Fresh Ginger to taste
1 whole medium sized Celeriac
Parmesan to taste
Veg or Olive Oil

Approximate Cost - £8.03
Chicken - £2.60 ( Fresh for 3 breasts its £4.00 or you can go for frozen which is slightly cheaper)

Chilli - £0.10
Pepper - £0.80
Garlic - £0.12

Sprouts - £0.90
Carrots - £0.20 - ( $1.00 for a bag)
Mushrooms - £1.00 ( tescos sell packs for £2.00)
Black Pepper - £0.01
Ginger - £0.10
Celeriac -£1.00
Parmesan - £1.00
Veg/Olive Oil - £0.02

Exciting Friday phonecall :0)

2012-10-19T08:22:00.001-07:00

So I've just had a very exciting phone call, I'll let you know more shortly :0)

Keep a watch on - http://www.matalan.co.uk/fcp/content/makes-fashion-sense/site-content

My lovely hubbie put me forward for a makeover :0)

Healthy Eating and moi Low Carb sort of

2012-10-18T10:12:00.001-07:00

Hello all I'm Janie Britton , I'm 44 ( 45 on Christmas Eve, dont forget the pressies :0) ) .
I'm 5:8 and have been overweight , well since I was born I think. I have high BP and Diabetes Type II and since hitting 40 I have been allergic to tons of stuff.

The reason I have embarked on this expedition I guess you could call it, is to improve my health.
I'm not necessarily bothered what size I am , however if I manage to open a few more doors to some of the clothes shops out there , then so be it lol.

For years I have been fighting with my weight, ask my sister she will tell you .
I've always been volumtious , or as my mum used to say when she was alive "you;re just big boned" or in everybody else's eyes Fat lol.

The amounts of times I've been on the latest fad diet were you seem to loose weight then pile it back on again and some. It seems that you starve your body of essential nutrients and then it hits you the next time around because it thinks your're in starvation mode and just stores more and more fat.Then it makes you feel even worse because you have lumps on your bumps and you eat more, oh its a vicious circle!.

The amount of money I have wasted joining gyms as part of my New Years resolutions and just let it slide, basically because I found it too darned boring . Or I was basically intimidated by all the "Beautiful People".

Well at least and this sounds a bit cheesy hey, but I seem to have found a good balance in loosing weight and controling my blood sugar count - result.
So over the next few weeks, I'm going to show you what I do for exercise and also publish meal recipes that seem to suit me.

Remember these are things that work for me, you may need to tweak them to ensure they work for you.
I've tried to add prices to the recipes so that you can see how cheap it is to make your own food and also added pictures and instructions.

I'm also going to take pictures of myself and tell you how much I weigh - blimey I'm brave.

Hope I can help some of you.

Remember this is not a diet , its a lifestyle change.

Disclaimer -this is my healthy eating plan, its something that works for me, I hope it works for you as well but be aware that you probably need to tweak, depending on what suits you re your dietary requirements ( allergies , medication clashes) /your fitness and overall medical condition. Same goes for exercise, I saw my doctor first to ensure what I was doing suited me and didn't stress or create any additional issues, I recommend you do the same.

Melon-ic Parts and blushing

2012-10-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

I was out with friends on Wednesday and we were talking about things and got around to swimming etc and I said I was too shy to be seen in a swimsuit.

To which one of the chaps replied saying you;re not that shy as you;re wearing a see through top.

At that point I covered my melon-ic parts and blushed very heavily.

Slink Magazine - Issue 7 Published article Plus North P71 - Dea London and Simply Be and Evans

2012-09-21T09:52:00.002-07:00

Well I've just had a nice surprise, the Plus North article that I wrote and my pics have been published in Issue 7 of Slink Magazine. Its page 71 - very excited. Thought I would share :0). There is also a mention about fav new fashion find, Dea London of course, lovely Simply Be and Evans.

http://www.slinkmagazine.com/

Laters
Janie Britton
http://janie.skyeladder.com/

Skye May Fall Demo and my encounter with a badger

2012-08-16T23:29:00.001-07:00

Another wonderful evening at Starring studio recorded the demo for "Skye may Fall" Vocals/keys and pretend trumpet.

Our producer Neil very kindly poped some driven overdrive guitar right under neath - lovely.

We need a trumpet player. Were are you when we need you :0) ,the one I'm thinking about has just returned from a trip around Europe so heres to hoping hes up for some recording as hes a mega talented chap :0).

This is Janie ( moi) on keys.

Got home around quarter to twelve and as we were driving down our hill we saw a badger.

Amazing I stopped the car and we looked at each over - felt like it was forever, such a magical moment, I think we we both so suprised to see each other. Then quick as a flash the badger darted up a path and disappeared out of my vision.

So check out the demo and let me know xxxxxxxxxx

http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder/skye-may-fall-demo

Demo for Lost Horizons - Skye Ladder

2012-07-26T16:52:00.004-07:00

New demo, just back from recording the vocals and adding some weird chanting to Lost Horizons, still some cool organ to add into the break but you get the gist x
http://soundcloud.com/skye-ladder/lost-horizons-demo

Listen to more Skye Ladder here

Favorite trend Summer 2012 - King and Queen of Scarves

2012-07-15T12:51:00.004-07:00

I’ve always been a big fan of scarves, so it was no surprise to me when they came back this summer in a big way. Scarves are a great accessory, in that they add a level of color, beauty and sophistication to any outfit.

Look at my collection :0) , I have scarves from Skye Batiks, Tie Rack , Evans and M&S as well as lots of lovely boutique type stores.

It’s amazing how a simple scarf can transform your look.

For instance you could tie the scarf around your middle, adding a flash of color that pulls in and defines your waist line.

Or you could tie it around your forehead and produce an almost bandana effect.


This is a Skull scarf from Bury Market

Pauls Scarf is from Burtons (isnt he cute and how nice is he to let me play dress up lol )

Combination of Evans scarf around my head and Skye Batiks around my neck.

You can even use scarves to tie up your hair.

Or just wrap it around your neck in the standard way to keep those chills out.

The great thing about Scarves is that come in a variety of colors and fabrics. My favorite at the moment is faux fur, I just love the feeling of the fabric against my neck, so warm, comforting and luxurious, just pure heaven. Hint hint hubby :0)

Interestingly enough the scarf effect has also taken the form of scarf dresses, named predominately because of their prints, color and amazing fluidity within the cut of the fabric.

Check out the Simply Be one here for £24.00

You can even make your own scarf dress following these easy instructions.

Makeup
Foundation faker - Benefits - some kind of gorgeous medium
Bronzer - Benefits Hooler
Eye Lashes - Benefits Bad Girl lashes
Black eyeliner - Chanel
Eyeshadow - Urban Decay
Lipstick Chanel - no 14 Rouge Allure

So take a fashion tip and get rummaging around and find one that best suits you, xx.

Plus North July 2012 sponsored by Simply Be - Beauty, Curves and Confidence

2012-07-09T10:28:00.003-07:00

Plus North , what an amazing event.

Sponsored by Simply Be

As soon as I heard about the Plus North event and the fact that there was a bloggers catwalk , modelling Simply Be clothes, I knew I had to be part of it. A Brilliant lovely safe environment for people to accept the size they are and not be judged - perfect :0)

For those of you , who didn't make it, well shame on you lol,this was an incredible event celebrating Beauty , Curves and Confidence! The event was held on the 7th of July at the totally beautiful Aspire venue in Leeds, not that far from the train station so cracking location.

Say hi to the lovely organizers, Becky and Toni, fellow bloggers.

I live in Rossendale N/W so it took me about an hour to get there , parking was fairly simple,
I planted the car at Leeds Train Station, not bad all day price at £4.00 .

When we arrived at the venue we were greeted with a big smile and a hi via our organizers Becky and Toni.

They quickly found a comfy seat for my poorly hubbie ( who you've probably read in previous blogs has been quite ill recently and still using crutches).

As you can see the venue is so pretty, with high ceilings, arched Gothic type windows and wooden floors paired with the , lovely purple and white balloons table decorations. The catwalk was on the ground floor placed right in the center , with a big screen to advertise the clothing brands.

Also on the ground floor we had The Mighty Boof - a great photo booth where we could dress up and get our photos done. Such great fun :0)

Oh and cakes with sparkly bits - yum :0)

We also had the luxury of a free nail bar, were some lovely
ladies volunteered to do free nails in exchange for a charity donation.
Totally, loving the green x.

I popped up stairs to meet the rest of the bloggers and the Simply Be crew , I was very curious to find out what I was going to be wearing for the catwalk show. First thing I saw was the Simply Be merchandise area. the colors were great and it certainly stood out from the rest of the retailers. They showed a wide range of dress's, jumpsuits, and tops from Simply Be's own brand and a range from their designers, Zandra Rhodes, Joe Brown and many others. Coupled with a sample sale of hand bags, lovely and Gok and Simply Yours underwear.

It was an absolute delight for us fashionites.

Whilst browsing I spotted the lovely Anita, we have been planning to meet for yonks. Anita is a great ambassador for Plus Confidence and has a group that focus's on body image.Here she is on the phone lol, having her Benefit cosmetics applied to enhance her beauty on the catwalk.

Did you have the scouse eyebrows as well Anita? , I cant remember.

There were also some great retails on the 1st floor - Excite clothing were located in the top left hand side, They had some great clothes, unfortunately I didn't take any pics doh!. However I did love this dress which retails for £27.00.
Excite clothing Embellished Black stud Dress.

One great discovery at this show was Dea London, if you get to see their clothes you will understand what I mean. I tried a couple of jackets on, oh the quality was lovely. Great colors, fabrics and cut - just wonderful. I would love to model these clothes. On their website they say "Quality garments made for the everyday goddess in the working place." I couldn't agree more, there are no prices on the website so I haven't got a clue how much these clothes are , however these are pretty much tailored to your fit so you can imagine. However I am positive, that you would look and feel a million dollars, I'll let you know :0) .

Evans also had a display, the only thing I really saw that caught my eye was this lovely B&W dress.
I did ask if I could try the dress on but was politely declined - oh well!

So down to what I got to wear on the catwalk.

Whoooo to Simply Be.

Well here you see moi in my new play-suit from Simply Be.

I love it, its so colorful, funky, fun, a bit retro and so comfortable and me totally down to a tee :0)
Big thanks to Simply Be for letting me keep it xxxxxxxxx.

Simply Be - Ruby Rocks Print Playsuit - Size 20 £45.00

http://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/ruby-rocks-print-playsuit/vx804/product/details/show.action?pdBoUid=5227#colour:PRINT,size:

You'll see me below prancing along the catwalk, I was very excited and decided to twist turn, walk backwards and wave lol.

I also modeled some lingerie, there are some pictures here however you'll probably get a better view from the video below, so I apologize now for scaring you all lol. - https://www.facebook.com/JanieBrittonmodelpage

Lingerie -
Bra - Eve - 40C - £9.50
http://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/eve-underwired-lace-mesh-bra/qx011/product/details/show.action?pdBoUid=5912#colour:BLACK,size:

and briefs - £5.00
http://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/eve-spot-mesh-lace-briefs/qx012/product/details/show.action?pdBoUid=5912&affinity=true

Grazia Floral Print Maxi Kaftan - £45.00
http://www.simplybe.co.uk/shop/grazia-floral-print-maxi-kaftan/vx336/product/details/show.action?pdBoUid=5257#colour:PRINT,size:

Thanks to the lovely Sarah Cutts for filming the event and putting it on you tube for all to see, for that Sarah we salute you xx.

http://www.youtube.com/user/FoundOnFilm

I also just wanted to acknowledge the style of the following individuals, not that you all didn't look fantastic, but I just loved the way these people looked from head to foot :0)

I need that cardi in my life x

So that's it, I don't know how many people came through the door but it certainly seemed packed.

Everybody I spoke to said it was a fantastic event , I've never ever felt so empowered and proud of who I am and I wanted to say a big thank-you to Becky and Toni for making me feel good in

the skin that I am in xx.

Links
My music and blog links janieskyeladder.com
Plus North
Simply Be
Excite Clothing
Evans
Dea London
Benefits Cosmetics