Posts Tagged ‘womens clothing’

Yesterday marked the summer solstice, the longest day and the start of summer. An estimated 18,000 people watched the sunrise at Stonehenge, at the annual pagan festival. The days now begin to get shorter, so we need to make the most of the lovely sunshine we have left. So Bravissimo ladies, get out there and enjoy every minute. To help you make the most of the summer months stylewise, here are a few wardrobe essentials from Pepperberry that you won’t be able to do without.

The Printed Wrap Dress comes in sunny yellow, which is on trend at the moment. Wrap dresses are hugely flattering for bigger boobs, so this dress really does create amazing cleavage. It is suitable for work, worn with a fitted jacket and heels, or a day out with the girls, accessorising with a cardi and a pair of wedges.

Everyone needs a maxi dress in their wardrobe, they are great for a holiday to make you feel a bit dressed up after a day in your beachwear, or for a wedding or day at the races. The Floral Print Maxi Dress is a beautiful, feminine and floaty maxi, it has a large, vibrant floral and is fully lined.

The Bandeau Strappy Top in fitted jersey, is a must have for every summer wardrobe, it comes in black, cobalt blue, lemon, orange and white, you can wear it as a bandeau, or with the strap as a halterneck, it has a integrated bra, so you can go braless too. This top is extremely versatile, you could wear it with wide palazzo pants, cropped tapered chinos, a fifties full skirt, or a great pair of shorts; which brings us nicely to the Button Front Short, they come in navy and white and look great with a vest, or a little cotton shirt and waistcoat for that smarter look.

Finally to finish off your summer looks, you need something fabulous on your arm, so check out the Canvas Shopper Bag, this bag is an excellent wardrobe staple and will look great with any of the above outfits.

The end of another bank holiday weekend. So, was it glorious weather anywhere in the country or, was it decidedly soggy everywhere? It maybe summer but don’t be fooled by that minor detail. You can stride out in the morning with your summer dress on, wearing your favourite peep toe shoes and by midday that same day, your feet are cold and you would rugby tackle a grandma for her cardigan.

The good news is that the transition between chillier and warmer weather at this time of year can easily be navigated with items that you probably already have in your wardrobe, add them to your summer clothes and you have a wardrobe that will see you through to August.

The denim jacket is a winner this time of year and everyone has one somewhere in their wardrobe. A denim jacket can be worn over a pretty day dress, see Pepperberry’s Cotton Frill Day Dress, or looks fantastic with a maxi dress, like Bravissimo’s Coral Print Maxi Dress, and, if sandals are a touch too optimistic, a pair of plimsolls will work just as well with both of these looks.

The other great transitional piece is ‘The Shirt’ – it can be worn with jeans, or this season’s khaki or beige chinos. See Pepperberry’s fabulous Relaxed Fit Chinos in stone. The humble shirt can also be worn with a button through denim skirt, which is more substantial than a cotton skirt, if the weather is chilly. So whether it’s classic white or checked, the shirt is a must, for the changeable weather. Don’t miss Pepperberry’s own version – the Check Woven Blouse.

A boyfriend cardigan is incredibly versatile, it can be belted and worn over tapered trousers or skinny jeans and can also be worn loose over shorts or a dress. Pepperberry’s Boyfriend Cardigan in Mocha looks fabulous over the Mint Swirl Dress, wear with leggings, if there is a nip in the air. Also everywhere in the high street at the moment you will find shorts. Love them or hate them, Pepperberry have a pretty fabulous pair, the Button Front Shorts in white, which look great with a wide striped vest or t-shirt, add plimsolls or a pair of wedges to complete the nautical look.

So we can now feel confident that whatever the British weather throws at us in the coming months, we have it covered and, someone once said, “There is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothes.”

This week saw The Duchess of Cambridge’s first official royal duties at Buckingham Palace. And if that wasn’t enough excitement for one day, we also got Michelle Obama thrown in for good measure.

We were fairly fond of ‘Our Kate’ anyway, she seems a lovely girl, down to earth and happy in her own skin. What we love about her, is that she chose to wear a high street dress for such an important occasion, which was a brave step and shows she knows her own mind. No doubt her advisors would have been urging her to use a designer, so how fantastic that our future queen is celebrating and supporting our high street. Incidentally, ‘that dress’ has now sold out in every high street in the UK.

The dress itself is a stunning, bandage, body con dress, and actually would work just as well on bigger-boobed Bravissimo girls. It is extremely versatile and can be worn as a work dress, with court shoes and a blazer or can be accessorised with gold chunky jewellery and hooped earrings for a glamorous evening look. For a similar dress you could try the Black Chevron Ponti Dress by Pepperberry.

Michelle Obama opted for a different style and wore a sweet fifties style prom dress in a damask floral silk satin by Barbara Tfank, a designer from LA. She wore it with a candy pink bolero. For a similar style dress take a look at Pepperberry’s Petal Print Dress and accessorise it with Grosgrain Tape Cardi in dusky pink.

For more gorgeous dresses just like Kate and Michelles’, keep checking the Pepperberry website, as new designs are being added regularly.

So this week saw one of the biggest nights in the ‘oh no not more TV awards’ calendar, the Soap Awards. However we love The Soap Awards here at Bravissimo, firstly because they look like they are having a right giggle and secondly because the fashion is so much more accessible than other big awards ceremonies like The Baftas or The Oscars. Yes, we love those events because of the sheer glamour and star quality, but our favourite soap stars dressing up to the nines for the night is much more fun. So let’s look at who got it very right on the night and who needs to sack the stylist.

Katherine Kelly (Becky from Corrie) looked stunning in a grey and yellow one-shouldered draped dress with a high split.

Jennifer Metcalfe (Mercedes from Hollyoaks) wore a black pantsuit, it was definitely show stopping but a bit too revealing, the trousers were too wide and too short, they would have looked more elegant, had they been tapered and longer.

Jessie Wallace (Kat in Eastenders) looked very glamorous in a white flowing, Grecian inspired dress with an encrusted jewelled neckpiece. Her accessories, makeup and hair, fit perfectly with the dress, nicely understated for such a statement dress.

Alison King (Carla in Corrie), wore a long tunic style kaftan, it wasn’t the best choice, Alison has got a great figure and this dress was shapeless and hid her body, it also looked quite beachy.

Shobna Gulati (Sunita in Corrie) should probably get another stylist, this outfit looked like she was attending a fancy dress party as a flamenco dancer! The tulle skirt was too big and fussy, the bolero looked like a bad eighties mistake and the pink shoes were not needed.

Jo Joyner (Tanya in EastEnders) hit the right note and wore a simple black fitted wrap body con dress, which flattered her bigger boobs brilliantly, she accessorised it with nude heels and gold clutch, her hair was just left natural and tousled and she looked radiant with a light tan.

If you’re attending a glitzy event this summer, and want to get the right look, browse our Pepperberry Evening Dress range and you’ll be sure to add a touch of elegance to the occasion.

So this weekend kicks off with Friday the 13th, as legend would have it, one of the unluckiest days in the calendar, it doesn’t particularly inspire that Friday feeling as we welcome in the weekend.

So let’s turn this silly superstition on its head starting tonight, and if it’s true, that you make your own luck, this weekend could be your luckiest yet.

We can all fall into familiar patterns when it comes to our free time, just as much as we do in our careers. Instead of falling asleep in front of the TV after a take-away, why not plan a special night out or night in over the weekend. Suggest an evening out with friends, even if you have nothing to celebrate, start with early cocktails, then a few belly laughs over a meal, remember getting ready is part of the night, it’s great fun to really glam up, even when it’s not a special occasion. If you are coupled up, why not go out on a romantic date with your partner, it doesn’t matter if you have been together for years, try out a different bar or restaurant, go to a local museum or art gallery, or just go for a walk and take a picnic, make sure it is something that you wouldn’t normally do and it will create that instant feeling of being on a mini break.
The Lace Overlay Dress by Pepperberry is on trend in black lace and is a great LBD for a night out with your partner or an evening with the girls.

If you are exhausted from your week at work, plan a weekend of pampering yourself, take long bubbly baths, read a good book if you haven’t picked up a book in months or listen to the radio instead of watching the TV.

Do the lottery if you never have. Propose if you have been plucking up the courage or bake a cake, even if the last cake you made was in home economics. Have a great weekend, whatever you do, be lucky.

 The 70s has been a massive influence on trends for this spring/summer however there are certain rules for keeping the look modern and avoiding a 70s through back situation. The first rule is to not go OTT, your outfit should have subtle nods towards the 70s and not be a full on homage to the era, so pick your pieces wisely. A flared jean, a flowing silk/chiffon blouse and a sheepskin gilet are key pieces to this look but try to wear them individually with your existing wardrobe and give a 70s spin to a modern outfit. Flares are also great for creating a leg lengthening effect just add heels and a braided belt and you’re good to go. For an evening style go for a wide leg trouser in a silky fabric, the fluidity of the material will provide a flattering effect, if they’re a high waist style then tuck your top in to make the most of the trouser length. Our Jewel Appliqué top with its embellished waist is the perfect partner for glamorous wide leg trousers.

  Accessories are great for adding detail to an outfit without going whole hog on a particular look. To get the 70s vibe wear long pendants, gem stone rings and top it off with a felt hat. Fringe detailing on bags, jackets and boots will give a 70s bo-ho feel, whereas gold jewellery, slick accessories and killer 70s eye make-up will give a more glamorous finish.  

 Colour is also important to consider when contemplating 70s style. Some of the hottest shades of the season are orange, blue and rusty red which fit perfectly with the era. Denim is another hot 70s look but give it modern twist by wearing a denim dress or jacket with an oversized corsage, wedge heels and that all important felt hat. So why not experiment by adding some 70s inspired colours into your spring wardrobe. Geometric and clashing prints were also at the height of their popularity in the 70s, plus they were big on the catwalks for spring/summer. Add a paisley print for extra fashion kudos and whether you’re exploring 70s trends for the first or second time you can still rock the look in a modern way.

 Dressing for work isn’t always the most exciting reason to put an outfit together, however add a few new pieces to your existing wardrobe and you’ll get lots more options. All Bravissimo clothing is designed to fit big boobs and so you can expect great fitting clothes with a fashionable spin that fit and flatter you figure.

 The Top Stitched Jersey dress will become your best friend, smart enough for the office yet in casual heavy weight jersey it is also comfortable and chic enough for more relaxed days too. Wear with tights now and bare legs and heels when the weather gets warmer.

The charcoal colour will suit just about everyone, add bold and brightly coloured handbag and heels to off set the dark tone of the dress and nail the flash of colour trend this season.  

 Our Pintuck Shirt in classic white or blue stripe can be worn smart or casual and we think it looks great with blue jeans and boots for the weekend. Wear with a blazer and pencil skirt in the office or for more formal occasions. For those of you who have been blessed with ample bosoms finding a good fitting shirt can often end in tears. That’s why we regularly update our shirts and tops to keep our Bravissimo girls happy and stylish whatever they’re doing! Go on girls; show the men how it’s done in a sexy fitted shirt.

 We love the versatility of the Raw Edge Jersey top. Wear it under a smart jacket and trousers as an alternative to a shirt or with jeans and a cardigan for more casual affairs. The cross over front and empire line will flatter your boobs and the three quarter sleeves are perfect for in between season dressing. Plus the fabulous petrol blue colour will make a great addition to your basic pieces.

 Trousers are huge news this season and our Button Detail Trousers in navy fit the bill. With a wide leg and turn up hem, these trousers rock a casual smart look creating a versatile trouser that can be worn for so many different occasions. Navy also makes a change from boring black and will look just as fresh in summer when teamed with a crisp white top and red accessories.

 With Valentines Day just around the corner, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we were talking about love. However there’s something just around the corner that we’re even more excited about at this particular moment in time; spring.

 The odd glimpse of sunshine over the past few days has given us more hope than a valentine’s card from a mystery man and has the prospect of turning into something more lasting than a bunch of flowers or box of chocolates. Now that we’ve finally seen the back of January, the route to the new season is short, hopeful and full of new trends to get our teeth (and ample bosoms) into. And talking of trends, we’re very excited to be bringing our new clothing range Pepperberry into stores over the coming months, offering our fabulous Bravissimo girls even more choice of great fitting clothes for the fashion conscious curvy, very curvy and super curvy girls out there!

 We think spring is also possibly our favourite time of year, as it signals the end of winter and that alone after the last  long, dreary and unrelenting winter is reason enough to celebrate. However it’s also a time when flowers start to grow, the nights get lighter and people are generally in a much happier place. Take a sneaky peek at our early spring collection for some inspiration for the new season.

 We particularly like the light weight Zip Detail Mac with polka dot lining for in between season dressing, the Cap Sleeve Knitted Top in petrol blue or coral for everyday wear and the Relaxed Fit Chino in seasonal stone for a staple trouser to see you into summer.

 You may have heard the news that we are launching a new clothing line called Pepperberry. The new clothing range will be taking over from the original line to give our Bravissimo girls even more fabulous clothing and lots more choice. We’ll be kicking off the new collection with a 60 piece range covering dresses, skirts, jackets, tops and trousers as well as belts, bags, scarves and jewellery to complement the new range.

 Pepperberry will offer the same great fit and style that the Bravissimo clothing range offers and will continue to operate under the Bravissimo umbrella, however, this additional brand aims to give more choice and more fashion forward pieces in the 8-18, curvy to super curvy size range. Hooray!

 So when’s it all happening we hear you cry…?

 The new range will be fully launched in March, however we are opening two stand alone clothing stores in Scotland this month and our new Reading shop, opening on the 14^th February, will stock both the Bravissimo range (lingerie, swimwear, nightwear) and the Pepperberry brand. We will then be converting more of our shops to sell both ranges. We hope you’re just as excited about this as we are and if you don’t have a store in your local city don’t panic as the Pepperberry range will also be available online and via mail order.

Watch this space for more info or follow us on Facebook for the latest news and to keep in contact with other gorgeous Bravissimo ladies!

 We’ve worn our trusty winter boots now for what seems like an eternity but with the weather staying persistently cold and the inevitable shift from snow to rain as the climate warms just enough to turn the frozen stuff into liquid stuff, we’re left with one hell of a dilemma; what to wear on our feet?

 As women we tend to notice what other women wear, more so than men would probably notice of other men, so we were shocked to have seen some brave ladies wearing ballet pumps over the past few days. You know who you are. The odd sunny morning however does not a summer’s day make and we’re sure you were regretting the pumps come lunch time, especially if the seemingly sunny day turned into a rainy day; ballet pumps + puddles = wet feet. Fact.

 So it’s far too cold/wet for pumps and we’re bored stiff with boots therefore we need an alternative and what better alternative than brogues? They’re flat (i.e. comfortable), stylish and look great with skirts, trousers and dresses alike. There’s also plenty of choice from the classic black or brown to the more adventurous metallic shades and heeled versions, so whatever your style you can put your best brogue forward when trans-seasonal dressing!

 If brogues aren’t your thing then why not switch your knee boots for ankle boots? Daintier than longer styles but still great for keeping your tootsies warm and dry, ankle boots will also see you into the summer months. Wear them with skirts and dresses without tights when the weather gets warmer. And whilst we wait, not so patiently, for spring we’re going to try a denim skirt with ankle boots or brogues and tights for a wearable look in between the seasons.