the latest from the blog
and there's plenty more where they came from
It’s been a while since I had my heart broken
It's hard to believe that my first post about our new puppy, Fetch, is probably my last. No sugarcoating it here, this past few weeks have sucked. Big time. Skip this one if you're not in the mood, folks. I just wanted to make sure he was documented here, where all...
Where to begin…
I've sat down to write this update post multiple times now. It's been a while, and there is a lot to catch up on. Stuff with me, the business, the house, finding my feet after the year that was 2020 and everything in between. But then the sheer volume overwhelms...
I stopped writing about confidence when anxiety took over
Writing a blog about confidence is pretty tough when you feel like a fraud. I should know; that's exactly how I felt. Looking back, I knew things were really out of control when I attended an event in Brisbane, pre-Covid. In a room full of people, most I'd known...
New to me plus-size brands giving big summer energy
A beach baby since before birth, I'm team summer, even if it leaves me a frizzy, sweaty mess more often than not. Thankfully, after a little exploring online, some new to me plus-size brands with big summer energy popped into my feed. Everything you need for a...
What I learned when I gave up drinking
I'm serious when I tell you when I gave up drinking, I hadn't intended to. One day I was changing how I ate, looking to achieve a whole host of things, and I decided alcohol wouldn't fit in with those changes. So, I stopped drinking. Now, It's been three months...
Make something, even if it sucks: Ask Suger
Considering I was in my office this morning before 6 am, you'd think I'd be ready to roll with this email early, right? Apparently not. I got caught up making a few changes to the blog branding I had a dream about last night. Saying it came to me in a dream seems a...
How much I made on Fiverr in my first year
It all started with a simple question, can I earn money on Fiverr as a photographer? Keen to get into doing more product photography, I was looking for a way to find clients and generate more work for myself. A YouTube video about a freelance copywriter on CNBC's...
Feeling left behind in life: Ask Suger
A couple of weeks ago, I received an Ask Suger talking about the changes they had been going through in their life and how they felt behind everyone else they knew. And it wasn't that they were not getting what they wanted, feeling as if they were taking giant...
How did I disappear from my life?
Where did I go? That's the question I've been asking myself lately. How did I manage to disappear from my life? Somewhere around late 2020, I stopped documenting my life, being in pictures and outside of the weekly Suger News emails sharing. Where did I go? I don't...
Taking Shape x Elverina Johnson collection
Taking Shape is thrilled to reveal the first-ever First Nations designs by the highly regarded artist Elverina Johnson. A highly respected Gungganji Gurugulu woman from Yarrabah in Far North Queensland, Elverina is one of the Nation’s most recognisable and...
Where to buy on trend women’s shoes for large feet
Welcome, fellow large footed friend. If your internet search for women's shoes for large feet has landed you here, I’m glad you found us. I know that search well. You don’t get to be a 178cm tall woman without big feet. It’s par for the course, as they say. These...
I’m learning to embrace procrastination
I've displaced myself again. As I mentioned in the email on the weekend, I'm having the floor of my office and the adjoining patio fished with epoxy. So, that meant time to pack it all up again. Which is, I have to say, a pretty smooth process these days. Changing my...
I’m grateful for you, Kelvin
This one is easy, as far as choosing one thing every day to be grateful for, because today is Kelvin and my 16th wedding anniversary. Go, team. It feels like so long ago that we first met, and yet, not simultaneously. There we were, just a couple of kids with no idea....
Taking a social media break helped me figure myself out
Over the last month, on my social media break (as much as work allows), I've noticed a few things. Things about my life that I completely missed in the non-stop app switch that is social media. Firstly, I'm not very satisfied with my life. I keep looking for meaning...
Googles ‘what are bats a sign of?’
I'm starting to think I jinxed us all when I put up my 'today has been cancelled go back to bed sign'... Sorry about that. The wheels have fallen off, and it's one time too many for people out there. I wanted to acknowledge that before we got into it today. Without...
Pinterest bans weight-loss ads; a win for users sick of Noom ads
If you've spent any time on Pinterest in the past year, you would have noticed the increase in ads from a certain non-diet diet company. My streams were bombarded, and despite reporting them as irrelevant or worse, they would still be there. It was not ideal,...
How I wear ankle boots as a plus size woman
Oh hey team, it's ankle boots daaaaay! I was a wee bit excited to write this post because I love ankle boots and I want to make the plus size women of the world love them too. Because they're awesome. Short versions. But because nothing is easier to wear, can keep you...
How to turn your summer dress into a top!
If an item of clothing is going to live in my wardrobe, it had better be versatile. I don't want any one-trick ponies. After wearing a dress as a top the other day, I thought I'd share more about how. So, this post is about how to take that summer dress you love, and...
Five things that make your blog reader friendly
I read somewhere on Facebook this week that list posts are passé. Done. Over. It turns out that I didn't get the memo because I LOVE to write the darn things. List posts help me corral my thoughts and line them up in neat little rows for you all, which is virtually...
Investment Plus Size Coats for all the stylish winters
Buying a plus size coat isn’t something I do every year. But, when it comes to my wardrobe, an investment plus size coat is my go-to. I want something I can wear year after year, and I recommend that to you too. So, when you’re looking for a winter coat, take your...
hey, i'm suger
I'm Melissa Walker Horn; around here, they call me Suger. I'm a photographer and business owner, a sneaker-wearing, wine-drinking, o.g. blogger. I love a casual ootd, my family, + the beach. I've got a thing for cheese, but there's no way you'll ever catch me eating apricot chicken. I'm here for the casual ootd and stripes, and I hate fussy, overly styled clothing and ruffles.
My story is about self-awareness and confidence, a gift I wish to offer every woman and girl out there. When it comes to this blog, that's all I hope to deliver – to you, your friend, daughter or a lady you met on the street. And as far as I'm concerned, you must keep showing up for people.