Hello Dolly

The weather is so flat and grey I feel like I'm living in Mordor. The antidote to this is to ramp up the colours in my outfits which is why this sweatshirt by indie brand  Dolly Rockin it  is so perfect.
I originally brought this top when I went to the Girls day out in Liverpool in the summer but I brought the wrong size so had to mess around with a return and have only just got round to wearing it. Its bubble-gum pink with a black bow and what looks like the Sindy doll logo on the back-its kitsch perfection.

Dolly Rockin it-such a cute brand

I've worn this top of pop art delight with a striped skirt by Nexts plus size range its no longer available but Asos do something similar and my chunky shoes by Deichmann 

My pink patent bag is oversized and vulgar and my hairbow is the height of bad taste-I feel fantastic. 

Good taste is overrated

Postcards from the Edge-what else have I been up to this week

I've been having such a good week-we have launched a new tee-shirt design (our first one aimed at boys but its unisex really) as it has  a back print.Nicky hand printed the first run on Monday and they have nearly sold out-punk rock DIY screen printing rocks!

Ive also been channelling some fierce Durga  vibes this week-Loving me a kick ass Goddess who can defeat the undefeated. She was discussed at my chanting group at the weekend and the idea of her has kept me very motivated-would also love that many hands!

I have fallen in love with Iris Apfel the fashion maven from New York who is in her seventies and a total style legend.She features in the documentary called Iris. If you have netflix go and check it out-inspiring to the max

Oh Iris I love you

On my nightstand this week is the Chrissie Hynde biography "Reckless" her music has been part of my life for a really long time. Will let you know what I think of the whole thing.

I played the Pretenders song "Don't get me wrong" all the time when I first started dating Nicky as it described exactly how I felt-please don't vomit, I'm a romantic fool.

Don't get me wrong

If I'm acting so distracted

I'm thinking about the fireworks

That go off when you smile

Finally the daffodils may not be out in the garden but Nicky brought me a bunch from the green grocers this week and they looked rather fabulous in my Black pug vase-the first flowers to fill my new favourite ornament.

Hope this week is treating you magnificently. Until next time.

Don't forget you can subscribe to this blog via bloglovin and get my blog straight to your email-perfect if you are giving social media the swerve for January.

I am  filming more videos for my Youtube channel so if you would like to see more of my fashion and beauty choices as well as my family vlogs and product reviews do subscribe here is my latest Lush review

           Having trouble viewing this embeded video-click here

   

Brand New Limited edition Design  over at  Nicky Rockets

We have a new tshirt available from the shop today "Northern Pirate" Our very first Tee with a back design- It's limited edition, so if you want one, hop on over to www.nickyrockets.com and get yourself one

All content (text, photos and other) are the property of Perelandra Beedles unless otherwise stated. Please refrain from copying any material without recognition of the author and a link to the source on this blog

Turn and face the strange-Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Its a time of change for me. I've entered 2016 questioning everything and its exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time. 

Albert Einstein apparently said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" and I've realised that some of my habits  are not feeding my soul anymore.
This blog has been my love and passion for over five years, I felt my voice needed to be heard, a fat shaped beacon lighting the way for other women who knew that dress size and body shape had no effect on how much you loved style. 
I believe fashion and personal style are incredible weapons of subversion and I continue a deep love and appreciation for of the art of dressing but recently I have realised I need to broaden my creative horizons and I'm hoping you will indulge me.

Fashion will always be my passion

This isn't a declaration that I'm closing down the blog, far from it but I've realised I need to dig deep and be honest about what I love,what makes me happy and whilst I plan to  continue sharing clothes and style inspiration with anyone who cares to read I don't want to so be tied into the conformity of fashion blogging.I want to share more of my life, loves and dreams on this blog, to create a creative juice bar where you can pop in, recharge and leave refreshed and smelling vaguely of geranium and wheat grass.

la Famille Beedles will be making more appearances

I need to write when the muse calls me, when I'm excited by things, when I'm dying to share ideas or when I feel my outfit is absolutely banging. 
I'm bringing spontaneity back and just like bringing sexy back it feels like an incredible thing.
I've been doing some real soul searching over the last few months, I've immersed myself in creativity, watching cool documentaries, reading, chanting (yep I'm chanting and its freaking awesome) and just generally allowing myself the space to think about what I want from my life.
 The main conclusion Ive reached is that I really want to live as authentic a life as I can,strip away the bullshit and be really careful about who or what I let influence my thoughts and behavior.
To this end Im writing under my own name Perelandra as I no longer feel I need to hide behind a nom de plume.

Emotional style guides and spiritual Lookbooks will definitely be on trend this season

Transformation and change isn't always easy especially when people like the idea of who you are and its not all going to  be Rose Gold and candle lit-as much as I love the pretty, the stylised sometimes being true to yourself gets a bit messy, you colour outside the lines and good girls are told never to do that, but quite honestly who wants to be a good girl all the time. Not I.

Lets go on  a few adventures

So what does that mean? well I'm going to start including more mind, body and spirit piece's on the blog.Profiles of other amazing women past and present and also start to explore fashion and style from a variety of perspectives. There will never be  a time in my life where I'm not excited to see what turns up at London fashion week and I will still curate looks and outfits regularly but I also want to highlight style mavens who have turned their back at following trends but who continue to radiate amazing style.
I'm also hoping to include more content about my beautiful family life, my business, take you on my project to transform my home room by room this year and also include you in our travels and general life wherever I think it may be of interest.Cruelty free beauty is a real passion and whenever I discover something new I will bring it to you direct from my face.

Beauty without cruelty will always have  a place in my animal loving heart and on my blog

To push my luck even further I've recently started loving making youtube videos and will be sharing some of these here too-I know that's a turn off for some but yet again its something I love and enjoy so it belongs here in this maximalist universe.

I understand that for some the idea of  a lifestyle blog is too scattered, its a broad church and I know when there is so much blog content to read its nice to know what to expect from a writer but in order for this blog to be a true expression of me it is probably going to be an eclectic, flibbertigibbet of a thing. I'm hoping it will still be worth your time and you will still enjoy catching up with what I'm up to.
I've always been myself on this blog but have decided to just share more of what makes me tick-its pointless for me to try to impress people who are hardwired to be disinterested or try and run with the cool crowd. I may as well be myself because to borrow from Oscar Wilde, everyone else is taken! 

Don't forget you can subscribe to this blog via bloglovin and get my blog straight to your email-perfect if you are giving social media the swerve for January.

   

Brand New Limited edition Design  over at  Nicky Rockets

We have a new tshirt available from the shop today "DON'T BE AFRAID OF SELF EXPRESSION" - It's limited edition, so if you want one, hop on over towww.nickyrockets.com and get yourself on

All content (text, photos and other) are the property of Perelandra Beedles unless otherwise stated. Please refrain from copying any material without recognition of the author and a link to the source on this blog

Facing The fashion Future By Embracing The Past With Oxfam

Cold weather can be a bit of a challenge if you are a lover of vintage inspired looks. Swing dresses, cute cardigans and circle skirts all seem to lend themselves to spring and summertime but as this outfit shows, its incredibly easy to put together a real cool winter look with even the brightest of frocks.

 Having once almost lived in fifties inspired clothes I now prefer my style to be  a mix of current styles with a nod to past eras but I do still have days when I want to embrace my inner fifties vixen. 

Vintage inspired? Sure but with a very modern sensibility

I'm showcasing this look as part of my entry to be the face of Oxfam's online shop. I've shopped at Oxfam all my life, losing hours in the book section, falling in love with bags, frocks and furniture. Adoring that they all come with a past and are ready for me to take into the future.

the only thing for it when the weather is this awful is add lashings of red lipstick

I absolutely love the shapes and patterns of the 1950's and finding thrifted pieces at Oxfam can really help you pull looks together that are unique and ethically conscious. 

Dressing with a specific decade in mind doesn't have to mean looking like you are attending a reenactment event.  Its all about pulling the past and present together to create stylish, beautiful looks. Not only can you bask in the knowledge that your look will be completely unique but also feel rather good that you  arent adding to the landfills and are helping those most in need. A beautiful combination of style, charity and vintage-not unlike Oxfam.

   

All content (text, photos and other) are the property of Perelandra Beedles unless otherwise stated. Please refrain from copying any material without recognition of the author and a link to the source on this blog

Being More Present-Are we too distracted by social media?

Over on my Youtube channel I have started a fortnightly series which concentrates on our emotional well being. As well as celebrating our "weekly wins" those small victories which may not seem particularly amazing to anyone else but signify a "good day" to us I am also discussing how we can live happier, more contented fulfilled lives.

Image from Pintererst

I kicked off by talking about how I am going to try and be more "present" in my day to day life. This may sound like an odd statement as of course I am physically present in my own world but so often I feel my attention wander.
Checking my phone, getting involved in a twitter debate or skimming over my facebook feed. I'm like a small child who has eatten too much sugar at a party. Unable to focus on one single thing, darting around like a firefly.
I love social media, it for the most part has such a positive effect on my life. I'm self employed so it allows me to connect with dynamic, interesting people daily and feeds my need for fresh ideas, news and of course comedy.
Where it can be less positive is when I allow social media to effect my mood, leave me angry, dissatisfied or feeling irrationally (or in the case of trolls not irrationally) targeted for criticism. 

Take  a day to unplug completely
picture from pinterest

Its like having a rude house guest walk in, get mud on the carpets, pee on the toilet seat and then leave with my unfinished book in their pocket and my favorite lipstick in their bag. Its maddening but I invited it in.
So I have started trying to create new habits. Logging off after a certain time at night, no longer taking the phone into the bedroom and having at least one day a week when I unplug completely. 
Its already had a really positive effect and is actually making me enjoy my interactions online so much more. 

Taking time out from social media is so important

I'm far more selective about what I spend time on, more decisive with the mute and unfollow button and am really starting to see the wisdom in not allowing myself to get caught up in other peoples agendas. Its had an incredibly positive effect on my state of mind as has making a list of my daily wins (which i discuss in more detail in my Youtube video) seeing the value of the tiny victory works well with my "glass half empty" default setting.
Do you long to be more engaged in the here and now? Do you feel you are addicted to social media? and if so is that a problem or a completely harmless enjoyable pastime? I would love to know your thoughts.
My video which discusses this in more detail can be viewed here.

If you can't view this embedded video click here

I am  filming more videos for my Youtube channel so if you would like to see more of my fashion and beauty choices as well as my family vlogs and product reviews do subscribe 

   

Brand New Limited edition Design  over at  Nicky Rockets

We have a new tshirt available from the shop today "DON'T BE AFRAID OF SELF EXPRESSION" - It's limited edition, so if you want one, hop on over towww.nickyrockets.com and get yourself on

All content (text, photos and other) are the property of Perelandra Beedles unless otherwise stated. Please refrain from copying any material without recognition of the author and a link to the source on this blog

The Childhood Heroes who influence my style

Last week probably saw a lot of us thinking about how David Bowie had shaped our style and tastes to some extent. Its interesting when you remember your childhood/teen idols you can trace back how they still inform so much of your style DNA. Looking at my young obsessions its clear that an influence still lingers.

Boy George

As soon as I saw Boy George on Top of the pops I was in love. I loved that he was a boy who looked like an impossibly glamorous girl. I adored his style and also the sexual ambiguity he represented. His eye make up and brows were always totally on point and I was very influenced by him when I first started getting into cosmetics. Boy George taught me how to contour away my double chin, a trick I have held dear long before the khardasians came along.

Madonna

I fell hard for Madonna in the film Desperately seeking Susan. The hair, the cropped leggings, the arms packed full of bangles its a look Ive never grown out of. She even had luggage with skulls on for heavens sake. That movie was my style bible for  a very long time and I still love so much about the Material girls sass.

Morrissey

The Smiths were the soundtrack of my youth and Morrissey my leader. His love of 1950s inspired rockabilly teamed with a very English sensibility influenced my style enormously.band tee-shirts, Levis and long cardigans are still such a good look especially when teamed with Ray bans and a quiff. Viva le Moz

Debbie Harry

There has never been a woman alive I have wanted to look more like than Debbie harry. I would spend hours looking at images of her when I was in my teens wishing I could transform into a punk princess with a Monroe pout and blunt fringe. Whilst being a blonde has never really suited me I have worn a Blondie style fringe many times over the last few decades and still try desperately to copy her attitude.

This post was inspired by the Post 40 blog group I'm in. They have also all blogged this month about their childhood style inspirations. Hope on over and take a look.

Cathy: http://www.southernyacht.blogspot.co.uk/ Christy: http://www.sprintingwithscissors.blogspot.co.uk/ Daisy: http://daisysays.co.uk Kath: https://fatheffalump.wordpress.com Kellie: http://www.bigfashionista.co.uk/ Leah: http://www.justmeleah.co.uk Lee: http://www.pinkybellesshed.co.uk/ Lisa: http://www.kitandkoboodle75.blogspot.co.uk/ Mookie: http://www.mookieslife.com/ Nikki: http://www.nattynikki.com/ Perelandra: http://www.pamperandcurves.com/ Sarah: http://www.plussizeproud.co.uk Steph: http://www.misskittenheel.com Vicky: http://www.therandomnessoftwee.blogspot.co.uk Yvonne: http://woosangwashere.blogspot.com - See more at: http://www.justmeleah.co.uk/#sthash.i0FZQKjg.dpuf

Don't forget you can subscribe to this blog via bloglovin and get my blog straight to your email-perfect if you are giving social media the swerve for January.

I am  filming more videos for my Youtube channel so if you would like to see more of my fashion and beauty choices as well as my family vlogs and product reviews do subscribe here is my latest lookbook

If you can't view this embedded video click here

   

Brand New Limited edition Design  over at  Nicky Rockets

We have a new tshirt available from the shop today "DON'T BE AFRAID OF SELF EXPRESSION" - It's limited edition, so if you want one, hop on over towww.nickyrockets.com and get yourself on

All content (text, photos and other) are the property of Perelandra Beedles unless otherwise stated. Please refrain from copying any material without recognition of the author and a link to the source on this blog