My First Day

Does anyone remember our ‘How tall are you?’ Facebook competition? I certainly do.

My first day on the job, as a digital marketing apprentice and the boss already had me analysing data from the previous facebook competitions. The ‘How tall are you?’ competition being my first.

The first lesson to learn in marketing, as my boss loved to constantly remind me is to know your customers, to understand them and let’s face it, this being my first ever job in a fashion company I had no clue (as you can imagine.)

The question was simple; How tall are you? The response however, was mind-blowing. A girl like me that shops (and sometimes stalks) high street brand websites and facebook pages, I have never seen so much interaction on one post, over such a simple question as to how tall are you.

With over 2,000 responses it was shocking, but what was even more shocking was the answers.

It was not that 58% of responses were of medium height or 20% were tall or even that 22% were petite. (That’s pretty obvious) It was what I found out afterwards.

213 respondents commented that they find it hard to find a dress, of those 74% find it hard to find a dress that fits, 23% find it hard because of their height, 3% find it hard to find a dress that is flattering. Of course, the boss was not in the least bit shocked over the results.

Alas, there is always room for improvement. So this coming May, we decided to treat our #CurvyTall and #CurvyPetite Ladies to a tall and petite collection both consisting of 8 styles each. This is dedicated to the 23% (and of course, many more) that find it hard to find a dress because of their height.

I also found out that 375 respondents had a special occasion coming up, with 61% attending an upcoming wedding. Using this to our advantage, the boss decided to broaden the range of Scarlett and Jo dresses, from S&J classics to the couture range, he made sure that whatever the occasion, a lady had a dress that fits like a glove and makes her feel like a million dollars; as he likes to quote a dress, is not just a dress. Not to mention, we also have a bridal collection coming soon for ladies who are soon to be married.

So here I am now, 4 months into my job (still analysing) and I’m loving every minute! I’ve learn so much about all you lovely ladies, from your favourite colour to your favourite dress length, that it goes beyond a customer relationship, your more than customers your part of the team.

1st S&J BRIDE

Breaking news for this week!

Spring has arrived and, as John Paul Young used to say, Love is in the Air! We are delighted to inform you that Ruth Norman is THE FIRST S&J BRIDE! She discovered that we were doing bridal 5 weeks ago and, as she was struggling to find a dress to fit and flatter elsewhere, we made this beautiful dress for her, because we can always go an extra mile for our S&J members. CONGRATULATIONS, RUTH! And doesn’t she look lovely.

“My BIG DAY was fab! We had a great time and everyone complimented me on the dress! It ‘was comfortable to wear all day, although after eating lots of cake the band under the bust felt a bit tight after a while. A tiny part of the satin trim from where the mesh joins the bust came undone when I first tried it on but I managed to fix it and it wasn't noticeable. I also meant to say that before I found the S&J dress I would've gone with a black and red Hell Bunny dress and pretty much shunned the whole traditional thing. We'd not planned flowers; Ben was going to stay with me the night before. But since I found my beautiful dress I felt like having the tradition! It had been impossible to find a quality, affordable, well made, comfortable plus size wedding dress, and I'd been looking for over a year. I'm so pleased that I saw the tweet about your bridal range!” PS: Note that from the beginning of May the new S&J bridal collection will be available in the shop online on www.scarletandjo.com

Spanish Ambassador For S&J: The Duchess by Ana Pizarro

Her name is Ana Pizarro and she describes herself as a cinema, theatre and chocolate lover, (of course).

She started her blog in 2012 with the aim to do something different: be critical with the high street fashion industry, and she succeeds.

After 4 years she has become one of the top plus size bloggers in Spain and her shape appeared in websites and magazines as Grazia, ComopolitanTV, Divinity.es, El Pais and style has no size, to name but a few.

Last year she became one of the three ambassadors of Scarlett and Jo, and after several months working together she declares herself a S&J fan!

Why do you like being a S&J brand ambassador?

When the S&J team approached me it was a huge compliment because I've been working with them since the beginning. Scarlett & Jo is a brand that reflects perfectly the demand for curvy women. I like to represent the brand because I feel very close to their philosophy and for me it is an honour to make it known in Spain as there is gap in the market for this sort of style. I am proud to represent a brand that is committed to diversity.

Do you feel reflected in the style of the brand?

It is certainly one of the brands that I feel close to, in terms of style. Elegant, feminine and with shapes and patterns really cared. I LOVE IT.

What do you like about it?

I love the fabric, shapes and patterns. They are well studied to favour plus sizes. Besides design and retro style make the collections very feminine and elegant.

What is your favourite outfit?

I would say that I have always had a special attachment for the "Powerfit dress" the red version was sent me first. For me it is iconic, I have not found a dress that I can sit better.

LUXURY STAY IN LONDON

Her name is Kimberley Van Megen and she won the competition 'What can be done better?'.

In February, we asked our followers if they found helpful to see our S&J clothes on different sized, shapes and height models. The prize? A Saturday night stay at Home House London, supper for 2, breakfast either in bed or at the breakfast lounge, a little spending money for shopping, transport to and from Home House, and of course, a S&J outfit.

Kimberley Van Megen, from Holland, joined our competition by following 3 steps: 1) like and share the post, 2) Answer the question “There are different ladies featured ranging from size 14 to 32 and 4’10’’ to 5’10’’ on our website, do you find it useful or helpful? 3) Join the S&J Club for free. Here is the answer that becomes her winning: 

For the special night, Kimberley chose the Fishtail Velvet Maxi Dress. “We are just on our way to drinks and then dinner. Loving my velvet dress, fits like a glove and feeling like a million dollars”.

HE SAID YES!

We help to make things happen, and by things we mean, in this case, wedding proposals.Last month we launched a competition for brave women who successfully propose to their men on February 29th. Before we get to that, Johanna Wroe wins the prize for the most romantic post.

We are happy to share the happiness of Samantha, Sylvia, Cheryl, Nikki, Cleo, Emma, Catherine and Lorna. – Fun and Fairless.- They have each won one of our Scarlett and Jo wedding dresses for their successful proposals. It was actually a three-way tie in terms of the notification, but we changed our mind and decided they all deserve to win. We are so thrilled to share some of their stories with you!

Samantha: “My wonderful Mr. Duncan Barnes said yes!  Here is a photo of him with the ring proposed with and a  picture of both”

Lorna: “Myself & John were introduced in a blind date via a mutual friend and it was love at first sight. However, two weeks after meeting I was booked to go on holiday to Cuba. Despite the absence we text each other every day and he was there to meet me arriving home. We have been together 10 years and through thick and thin we have been there for each other; sickness and health, richer for poorer, better or worse. As I said, ten years down the line we have 3 beautiful boys and a comfortable life but the only thing stopping us being a true family is the fact we aren't married. John being the typical boy bloke has said for a while he wasn't the marrying type. However last year he said to me if I asked he would marry me. So on 29th February I sent him a picture message of the photo that was taken in the Dominican Republic 8 years ago, when we knew we were meant to be together written over with "will you marry me here". After a delay he replied back: Yes let's do it next year! I've spent the past couple of days in shock, as I never thought he really would say yes. I'm so glad he said yes and so are our boys”.

Sylvia: “So I got our 3 week old daughter Hannah dressed  after having this vest printed especially and asked him to  check on her. The answer was yes and hoping for a  September wedding”.

Cleo: “Just before we’d met, we’d unbeknown had a hideous time of things… Both having life saving operations from undiagnosed toxicity in our bodies and I had been involved in a horrible car crash and my best friend had died suddenly. So things were a bit bleak to say the least. Mark and I met just over a year ago after years of being single and vowing never to get married again ever! We actually both got married on the very same day of the same year - 26th July 1996 - almost 20yrs ago, to our ex’s… spooky! Then for our first year anniversary of meeting in November, Mark took me on a surprise trip to Venice to ask me ‘unofficially' to marry him but on one condition: that I too had to by surprise propose to him! So I think he thought I’d chose Christmas or New Year but I already knew that I wanted to chose a date that was special, so I chose leap day! I asked him not only the once, because he has continued to ask me sporadically ever since he first mentioned it in November and always by surprise, but several times during the day. He finally said yes later that day… finally making our engagement ‘official’. :D So for two very unromantic people who actually went out of our way to avoid love altogether, we’ve turned into two of the most romantic people I know! It really isn’t ever too late for love it seems… I am 41 and Mark is 51"

Catherine: “We met 5 years ago via  Facebook and found out we were having a  baby after 2 weeks. However, we are still  going strong after all this time (he is now 3)  and we've also had another little boy who is  1. We recently moved in with his parents to  save, but found out his mum has throat  cancer, so have had to help out more  financially and not able to save. I always wind him up about marriage but he always said he doesn't see the point, so I decided to take matter into my own hands. I text him in the morning with a picture saying guess what day it is? And the picture said would you marry me? But I made out like I was joking (he laughed). Then I made him a steak dinner in the evening and told him to answer my question. That's when he realized I wasn't joking, he said yes I suppose so which is as good as I'm going to get from him and he told me to start planning :)! ”

Nikki's proposal:

When Michelle Came For A Visit To Find A Dress That Fit

Please note all garments shown are from the standard height collection. As you can see, there are just a few tweaks to be made to develop the Curvy TallTM Collection.

Wednesday we were so excited to have in a customer named Michelle Jones! She is a beautiful woman standing just a little over 6'1". We quickly found out how amazing she is, inside and out, when she explained that she needed the perfect dress for a charity event where she is a keynote speaker for Refuge. Refuge is a charity that is committed to a world where domestic violence is not tolerated and where women and children can live in safety.

The first dress Michelle tried on was our sparkle lace midi dress and it looked fantastic on her!  We had the pleasure of spending the rest of the day with Michelle as our guest. We took several measurements to ensure that everything fit correctly and we look forward beginning our line for taller girls! Thank you for stopping by, Michelle, we can’t wait to see the pictures of you in our sparkle lace midi!

And here's what Michelle herself had to say about her visit yesterday.

"I have just left the offices after my day of dress wearing and general amazing behind scene watching. My face can't help but smile. As a 6'1"(and a half) woman who wears a size 22 I find clothes shopping one of the most depressing feelings in the world. Nothing fits! If it fits my curbs it's too short, if it reaches my length it won't go round my lumpy bumpy bits. So I avoid clothes stores as much as possible. So Gifi invited me to come to Scarlett & Jo to see if I could find myself a dress, as I am giving a speech at a rather important function next week. I wanted the impossible. To look amazing! Right from the off Gifi and the team made me feel like I was the most beautiful woman on the planet. This man has dressed curvy women for years and he really knows what he is talking about. He guessed all my measurements near exactly, just by looking at me. He and his team pulled a few dresses for me to try. If I'm honest I was apprehensive. Nothing fits me, and if it does I look like a sparkly potato. The first dress we tried was the sparkle lace midi dress. It's beautiful. So i was gearing up for disappointment. I pulled it on and was shocked. It felt great! I stepped out of the make shift changing area and stood in front of the mirror. It was amazing! The dress fit perfectly! The gathering at the front hid my dreaded belly, it skimmed at my hips giving me an awesome hourglass shape, the lace created a subtle sexy outline. It was stunning. I looked stunning. We tried the next one. A georgette maxi dress. This was a standard cut dress so I was expecting it to not fit. But it did! I looked like Marilyn Monroe or Jessica rabbit. Seriously this dress was magic, it gave me a figure! Measurements were taken to lengthen for the curvy tall range so that it could be better than the already amazing fit. I tried the next, and the next and then the next. I lost count of the dresses I tried on. All of them fit. All of them flattered. All of them made me feel as though I was beautiful. This doesn't happen. There is some trickery surely. I've spent 35 years shying away from anything that's not jeans and a baggy top. How is it possible for me to have tried on so many dresses and all of them work?! I'm not sure I know what magic they weave, all I know is that for the first time in my entire life I have enjoyed trying on clothes. I have walked away from a store happy and looking forward to wearing my dress. It has been an amazing day. The team are all lovely and you have all made me feel so welcome. Thank you so much. And I can't tell you how excited I am for the new curvy tall range! I've seen just a glimpse and it's outstanding. Such simple elegance of the couture range right through to the easy wearability of the standard store ranges. It has been my absolute pleasure to have visited, and I can't wait to come and collect my dress on Friday. Thank you thank you thank you Chelle x"

We will be posting a photo of Michelle in her dress in due course, what a wonderful person she is!

Home House Shoot and Cup Cake Party 2

Home House Shoot and Cup Cake Party 2, a year on, an even better collection, better cup cakes and just the most incredible cast and crew.

Last year, recorded in Betty Pamper's blog, at the time, broke the mould. We demonstrated diversity, positivity, inclusion and acceptance. Faith was renewed. 

This was a different kind of shoot. In that HH1 was a journey into the unknown with purpose, all about social media content and reach both for the 8 participating bloggers and for us. HH2 certainly had the social media aspect, though the bloggers were only part of the cast rather than all the cast. We again included a wider international element. It was a quite an extraordinary atmosphere, beautiful environment and wonderful clothes and a great cast and professional crew to work with and enjoy.

We were very fortunate a year ago to feature Glowpinkstah, the celebrated American entertainer, comedienne and vlogger. This year, we had the extraordinary Lu zieht an fly in from Germany. Lu is the highest ranked plus-size blogger in Europe, she represented the petite, curvy woman and we were also able to feature the spicy rising Spanish star Ana Pizarro, who first came to prominence 2.5 years ago rocking the powerfit bodycon dresses. The plane flights cost less than 2 return rail fares from Sheffield to London. Scandalous that! We were also graced for the first time with Laura of What Laura Loves, the most prominent of the Northern bloggers. You couldn't wish for better ambassadors of curvy fashion than these three fun and fearless ladies.

Ana and Lu wearing S&J back in 2013/2014

One camera for scarlettandjo.com used with professional precision and artistry by Diana Thompson, and another professional camera and video including sound crew for lifestyle shots and video product shots.

It was an atmosphere of endeavour as the 9 women sizes from a small 16 through to size 24 brought each of our products to life through at least 8 changes each. Heights varied from 5'3" through to 5'9" (160 cm - 175 cm). There were a couple of first timers, we get a lot of requests to take part, and understandably a little nervousness. The newbies were soon full of confidence. It helped having 5 make up and hair artists on hand to pamper. They were good!

We decided to use Twitter's live streaming social media product Periscope for behind the scenes and previews of new product to inform with great success. We did have a few of the usual cyber malcontents crop up on our feeds, tragic and sad. This was accompanied by the odd male cyberstalker, but then that's part of the misinformed and misguided joys of the medium.

Fantastic credit should go to our Hanna for amazing organisation of the day from beginning to end; Hanna is simply the most incredibly talented person. Credit goes to Diana for super, super product shots, her calm style and persona, her endeavour and to all the wonderful ladies modelling for bringing the designs to life in such a compelling way. A big shout out to our Alice, our assistant designer, and the S&J design team. Alice designed virtually all the collections that were shot.  A real team effort with the support team running here, there and everywhere ensuring we had everything we needed. Here are a few more behind the scenes shots from the girls Instagrams.

Scarlett & Jo Fashion Shoot at the glamorous Home House in London

the last week has been incredibly hectic for the S&J team. They have been working very hard making over a 100 new outfits for our fashion shoot at the exclusive London members club, Home House. The reason we chose Home House is because the buildings have an amazing history and an eclectic mix of styles in the rooms. We also wanted to share insight to the prize on offer to our members in the current competition.

Our next collection is inspired by the change of season. Spring is a time of renewal, and people are beginning to look forward to summer and the social season. We want our customers to be ready to go out and have fun at the drop of a hat. Be it a wedding, christening, work event or a day at the races, we want you to look fabulous in a dress that fits.

We are very excited to be showing our new couture dresses. If you are on Twitter or Instagram, look out for #scarlettandjo as there will be pictures leaking out from the shoot. We will also be launching our Periscope channel today. In case you have never heard of Periscope, it is a new app from Twitter that allows us to stream live video straight to your phone. This will give you an insight into a live fashion shoot. Will it be chaotic, or run like a well-oiled machine. It will be live so it will be what it will be. We plan to start our first broadcast at around 1pm then every hour or so throughout the day. So we would appreciate it if you install the app and show your love! Existing Periscope users will know what we mean. And remember it could be you who wins a weekend for two, with travel to London and some spends. All you have to do is join our members club for FREE at http://bit.ly/1PKZSv7 In the meantime, have a great weekend. Team Scarlett & Jo

It's December, the streets are adorned with decorations, lights and pretty window displays. The party season is in full swing and you know what that means, every lady is looking for something sexy, sassy and elegant to wear!

Ladies are out looking for that perfect dress for Christmas Dinner or New Year's Eve party. Let’s face it we all love to get dolled up for a night on the town whether you like a classic cocktail frock, figure hugging bodycon dress or something more demure, we have a great selection of clothes perfect for any plus size woman.

It’s the time of year when bargain hunters are out in full swing and everyone wants the perfect outfit for the holidays. Many look out for cheap dresses and unfortunately quality can be compromised. At Scarlett & Jo we believe that a great party dress should be stylish, show stopping and wait for it… timeless! We think that the LBD or glam frock shouldn’t be confined to the wardrobe after just one wear. We have a great selection of long party dresses, both in elegant velvet and luxurious lace.

You may prefer something midi or mini length. Either way, every woman needs that classic go-to dress that never goes out of style. Our vintage inspired collection works for women of all ages, shapes and sizes. Our intricate cuts are designed to give all women that perfect hourglass figure and added sexiness.

If you want an outfit that will turn heads as soon as you walk in the room we have exactly what you’re looking for! Whether you’re looking for some sleek separates or the perfect dress, we feel that style and comfort are key to achieving the perfect party look. At Scarlett & Jo we believe that if you look good you’ll feel good, and with that your confidence will soar! If you prefer something casual with a little extra, why not try out one of our fit and flare dresses or glam up in one of our stylish maxis?

Shimmer and sparkle this party season, be the bell of the ball and paint the town red! Are you planning on having a cheeky smooch under the mistletoe or bringing the New Year in with a bang? Why not opt for an elegant, timeless dress to do it in? We have a series of fun, feminine looks featuring gorgeous necklines and sexy cuts designed to make every woman look and feel incredible!

See more at scarlettandjo.com

WE ARE LIVE! www.scarlettandjo.com!!!!!!

Today is the day! Www.scarlettandjo.com will be launched at 4pm and to celebrate, the beautiful @curvesncurlsuk has posted herself in our dresses! Why not join in and help spread the word to everyone!? 😍❤️ #scarlettandjo #websitelaunch #fashion #fblogger

Wow! @chublifeabz is a Scarlett & Jo convert after wearing one of our new velvets from @yoursclothinguk! We don't blame her, she looks incredible 😍 #scarlettandjo #yoursclothing

The beautiful @jessicaclemmons working it with @jessandthebandits in London. Lovely past S&J Skirt! What a Great Band! Jess also features on the Scarlett & Jo Show, search for it on YouTube! #scarlettandjo #fbloggers #psbloggers #plussize

Something spooky is happening at @yoursclothinguk with @poppyadams and our new velvet maxi which you can buy now! 😍❤️ can't wait to see! Photo: #poppyadams #scarlettandjo #psbloggers #yoursclothing #psblogger #fblogger #fashion

The beautiful Hayley from @curvesncurlsuk wearing past S&J 👌🏼❤️ #scarlettandjo #fblogger #psblogger

Sign up today! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1V2BttzdrZE7GWItro0Uw6loT2yllCykpiFZvYEKA_M0/viewform?usp=send_form how amazing would a Scarlett & Jo website be? With exclusive clothes just available on our website, discounts, offers and so much more! #scarlettandjo #fbloggers #psbloggers #plussize

Working it @mrsbebeblog!! Shots from our new collection are 👌🏼 see https://scarlettandjo.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/paradise-lost-and-regained/ for more. #scarlettandjo #psbloggers #fbloggers