I can’t believe that I’ve been home for a week and a half and am just blogging about Day Three. I need to tap that energy source I had while in NY, but I’m pretty sure it was just part of being in the hustle and bustle of the city. Anyway! On to one of my favorite events, the cruise! I had tough time finding something for the cruise this year. I didn’t want it to be lace embellished like last year, and that’s all I could seem to find. I ended up with a dress that I meant to get shortened but never did. Kind of glad though because it ended up being a very chilly and windy evening. The cruise is all about having a good time with good people, so that’s what I did: some talking, some dancing (aka moving my shoulders), and taking in a beautiful view.

Gaelle of The Curvy and Curly Closet, Jennifer of Jasifer Lions Club, and I waiting to board the boat. Can I just point out have they both have cute facial experiences and I am always stuck in the “smile for the yearbook” pose.

 Brittany convinced me to wear eyeliner during the trip. I feel like a changed woman. I love the Maybelline Master Precise Eyeliner now.

Brittany

Marie of The Curvy Fashionista and Kim of The Curvy Spot both wearing pieces by Jibri

Brittany and I

My dress is from DEBShops.

Sandra of La Pecosa Preciosa

I wore beaded sandals from Nine West Outlet.

These girls! I love seeing a blogging sister pair. Mele from Falala Mele and Theresa from He Called Her Siki-Lou.

Olivia of Wait Until the Sunset partying hard in her ruffle butt dress.

Sam of Curvy Sam and I

Sam, me, Jennifer, and Olivia — did I mention that it was windy?

Brittany

The Evans team getting a quick photo.

Jenny of Babblings of a Mommy with her husband. Her and Sandra got their skirts from eShakti I believe. Such a great piece.

Olivia’s dress fit her fun personality perfectly.

Hanna of The Wardrobe Challenge!

Karen of Curvy Canadian

Georgette from Grown and Curvy Woman!

And, of course, we can’t do a FFFWeek cruise without doing pictures in the photobooth courtesy of Sonsi.com

Check back in for FFFWeek Day Four later in the week and look through my previous posts about FFFWeek here, here, here and here.

I felt extremely fortunate to be invited to Arcadia’s press day, and while there I was able to preview Evans and Dorothy Perkins‘ autumn and winter lines. I’ll admit that my 9am appointment felt super early after the white cruise the night before, but I tore myself out of bed and made my way to meet Olivia at the preview. I’m so glad I did.

When I first arrived, I recognized fellow blogger Amy of These Girls Turn Heads. She walked us through the jewelry for the various brands.

One word came to mind: opulence. Lots of big stones, colored gems, and a healthy does of sparkle. There was also a lot of metal work with metal bows, chains, and fringe details.

I was personally most drawn to the earrings and rings. I love the post earrings that are big and going to show through my dark hair. I also like the rectangle-accented bracelet shown at the bottom of the top image.

After talking with Amy, another Arcadia team member led us through Dorothy Perkins and Evans. I believe his name was Tom, and he was so friendly and excited. I really enjoyed talking with him and Olivia about all of the clothing. I immediately was drawn to Dorothy Perkins’ racks. I love the color schemes and the patterns. Dorothy Perkins goes up to a US 18, so I had to keep my love at a distance — which is frustrating. I’ve never ordered from them before but know a lot of plus bloggers who do. I will definitely try some of their oversized items or stretchy items because they are too good to not give it a go — at least once.

Now shoes I can partake in! I loved these heels and booties with the embellished toe cap. To me it played well into the embellishment shown in the jewelry.

Dorothy Perkins had a good playful attitude with their clothing. There was embellishment in sweaters, different textures, and metallic threading.

They also had some matching sets which were really cute.

After Dorothy Perkins, we headed to the Evans section. I’ve been an Evans fan since I learned of them. I especially love their Collection line and the various other lines they carry: Clements Ribeiro, Live Unlimited, and Scarlett and Jo. Evans carries up to a size US 28, and I’ve always found their clothing roomy. Some of their lines do not go up to a 28, so be sure to look at size ranges for each individual line.

We started with the items that will roll into stores the soonest, which can be seen in the above picture. Lots of stripes and graphic prints, color blocking, and bold colors can be expected.

Later in the season we will see that theme of embellishment come into the pieces offered, and Evans’ mainline will have some oriental influences shown in the cuts and fabrics offered. 

This dress had mesh at the top with a velvet body of the dress. This dress had a sweetheart neckline and a sparkly embellishment on the neckline.

Clements Ribeiro continue their love of bold prints, colors, and playfulness. This cat has zipper eyes, and I know I’ll see this popping up in a lot of bloggers’ closets.

One of my favorite pieces was the above coat (which is blurry – ugh!). It was cape-ish with pleated leather sleeves. It made me want to move back to the mountains so that I could wear it often.

After we looked through the line, Carina from Evans asked up to film our favorite items. I’m awkward enough on my own, and it only multiplies when I think a camera is going to capture it. We’ll see if they put out a video or if it was for internal use — regardless, someone will end up rejoicing in my awkward mumbling.

It didn’t help that the cameraman was cute!

Arcadia gave us a goody bag with lots of great items that will show up in future posts. What I loved most though was Evans’ lookbook. Here are some of the items I am most excited for during Autumn/Winter.

Live Unlimited

This cardigan is quite beautiful with mixed fabrics and a print on the backside.

Embroidered sheer top

Lace biker jacket (Olivia’s favorite) with PU panel leggings

Evans Collection

Knitted biker jacket — love the chevron and the zipper.

I’m in love with this print. It’s really perfect for working and then transitioning into going out at night. Both top and skirt are part of the collection.

Grey Seam Panel Tunic

One of my favorites: the blurred check kimono dress

Evans Mainline

Jacquard cocoon coat

Embellished jacket, embellished front vest (or tank top as we Americans say it), black coated jeans (love)

Clements Ribeiro

Sorry for the shoddy picture, but I couldn’t find the promotion versions of these.

I walked away from the press day really excited about what Evans was doing and also a little terrified for my wallet. With Evans housing their own lines and also collaborating with others, there is starting to be a lot of different voices being represented in Evans store, which allows more women to find items that fit their particular aesthetic.

What piece(s) caught your eye? What are you most excited for in the AW’13 items?

Oh, we also received a 25% off code for Evanusa.com! You can use it too, now through July 15th, 2013, with the code: FFFWEEK13

Happy shopping:)

On Thursday I headed over to preview Torrid‘s fall fashion line, and I was pretty excited because last year’s event was fun and Torrid is a store that I can actually physically go to and try on the items (a rarity in plus-size shopping it seems). Last year we previewed their at-the-time new Stiletto fit jeans, so I was interested in what denim they had lined up for fall.

After a sangria and a quick look around, the designer of Torrid’s line walked me through some of her favorite pieces for fall. There was a lot of prints, bold colors, and military inspired pieces.

Torrid had a good amount of blazers in various cuts with a full sleeve, which a lot of shoppers wanted as plus size blazers often only come in 3/4 sleeve only. The blazer she is wearing has a two-tone floral print.

Plaid blazer with a black lace maxi.

The print shows up again in this dress (is it a babydoll cut? I honestly don’t know!). This dress also comes in a black and white lace print.

Prints and studs were also featured in the looks. This lightning bolt dress is cute–and would let me live out my Harry Potter dreams.

After looking through the racks, Brittany grabbed my attention trying on some of the pieces from the fall line. She is wearing a striped top and their new jeggings. These jeggings are AMAZING. I don’t say that lightly! Jeans are hard to find. I put on a pair in a 28, which can sometimes be tight, and they fit loosely, so those on the upper side of 28 definitely try them when they come in. They have a zipper and button enclosure and fit closely at the ankle.

I got in there to try on the jeggings and a top from the fall line.

And then I tried on the dress. I’ll admit, this cut feels not “me”. Maybe it’s because I wore this cut when I was 8-9 years old and can remember them vividly. I got a lot of compliments on the shape though — what do you think?

I loved Shainna of A Thick Girl’s Closet‘s look pulled from the Torrid Fall Preview.

After trying on some looks I noticed that Sarah of Style It Online was looking at some clothing. She is one of my absolute favorite bloggers and was featured in my 20 bloggers size 24+ post. Needless to say, I promptly went over and gushed to her about how much I love her blog.

I also spotted Beck of The Manfattan Project looking gorgeous as always.

And Chasity of Garner Style who was also featured in that post.

After a bit, Jessica Kane talked greeted all the attendees and talked about Torrid and plus size fashion.

The designer also greeted us and discussed some key themes for their fall line.

After, bloggers mingled more and checked out the clothing. I spotted Kellie of Fatshion Insider.

I spy Jennifer of Jasifer Lions Club.

Dani of Danimezza

Marcy of Marcy Guevara, Margie of Margie Plus, and Kiah of From the Rez to the City

I wish I had had the courage and more time to introduce myself to a lot of the bloggers attending. Shyness is something I’m ALWAYS working on – it’s tough!

Before heading out, I got to have a quick chat with Elann Zelie. She’s designing her own line — check her out!

Brittany looked so cute and had a great time at the Torrid event. I think her favorite item was the jeggings too. Check out what she wore here.

I had to skip out a little early and head to the next event, but I had a great chance to look over the collection. I really appreciated the designer walking through the different themes in the clothing and what Torrid’s intentions were. I also loved getting to try on the pieces and chat with Torrid salespeople who work in their physical stores. I was struck by how often they asked for our honest opinion and discussed how they took customer opinion and made design decisions based on them.

Thank you, Torrid, for a great time!

After a full morning of activities, I headed back to the Affinia for the blogging/social media panel that was moderated by Marie Denee and had the following speakers: Ty of Gorgeous in Grey, Carina — Senior Marketing Coordinator at Evans, Heather — Marketing Manager of Lane Bryant, and Dina Fierro who is a blogger and digital PR maven.

Marie kept the conversation going and helped clarify what some of the marketing speak was all about.

Because 3 of the speakers came from business perspectives, we heard a lot about collaborating with brands, how brands use social media and think about blogging, and the responsibility one carries by having a space on the web (such as brands using social media to field customer service queries, create a positive atmosphere, respond to instant feedback — positive and negative).

Heather, Carina, Dina, and Ty

I’ll be transparent here and say that a lot of the conversation was about practices that I currently do not put into use but would need to think about if I were to see my blog as more than a way to be connected to other women and the plus size community (aka as a future business/career). I think I’ve maybe reached out to a brand first twice in my entire blogging experience. I’ve only worked with brands through them starting the conversation, which probably wouldn’t work for someone who really wants to monetize their blog or work with brands. If you are someone who wants to pursue brand relationships, the advice they gave was to come with an idea, a unique way of working with the brand, and approach the brand with the idea. It’s a lot like a job interview in that you have to market what you bring to the table.

The team from Just My Size sponsored the event — such a lovely group of women who were so excited to be involved.

Packed house with a lot of questions

After the blogger event, me and Brittany scooted on over to Bloomingdales to take in the show. I didn’t get to stay and watch the runway. I arrived when the event started, but the runway itself didn’t start until an hour and half later. We were able to have some yummy drinks, but my feet and body were dying at that point. The long stand became too much, especially when someone much taller than me swooped in front right when the runway started. All is well though because it was Brittany’s 24th birthday, so it was time to celebrate!

I have no idea what this drink was, but it was so good. Anyone who attended that knows needs to leave a comment with the details!

Olivia, Jenn, and Ben came out to celebrate with us. We found a cozy Italian restaurant and settled in for good conversation and good food.

Birthday drinks

Olivia and Jenn sneakily told the waitress that there was a birthday in the room. Love Brittany’s face here!

This was one of my favorite nights. It was intimate and fun. It reminded me how much love comes from relationships built through social media and blogging and how freaking cool it was that I’ve been able to meet these wonderful people from all of the world and share a little bit of their joy.

If you were to attend a blogging panel, what questions would you have?

Friday morning I headed out to attend the Just My Size brunch at the Affinia Hotel. JMS was probably the big name brand that I knew least about, so I was excited to hear more about their brand, and I definitely learned a lot. JMS is often carried in Walmart and Kmart, among other stores (check out a local store near you), and I’ve worn their tights before and knew that they carried upper plus sizes. During the event I learned that they carry sizes 14-40, and that their price points make them so much more accessible than the majority of plus brands. For instance, a lot of brands that do carry above the size 28 have prices upwards of $80 for tops. Looking at Just My Size, their extended size items range from $20 – $32. From what I observed, they specialize in clean cut basics, while also providing some trend inspired pieces, intimates, and swim.

At the beginning of the event, we all had some yummy breakfast and talked about fashion and plus women’s perspectives on fashion. Here, Gaelle was discussing the attitude toward plus fashion in France with JMS team member Crystal.

JMS displayed results from their survy throughout the event space. This one says, “61% of respondents agree: ‘I’m more comfortable with myself today than five years ago.’” Do you agree? I’m certainly part of that percentage.

I noticed a bold colors and prints in a lot of their pieces. 

I liked the polka dot swimsuit and this wrap dress the most. Both are super easy to wear. You can also see their semi-sheer hosiery here, which is their new piece for transitioning from summer to fall.

After some more conversation, the JMS team addressed us and discussed how much connecting to plus women meant to the company. They serve a large general public by at Kmart, Walmart, etc, and they really consider what every person needs and what prices we can afford.

Some of the JMS team

I personally see myself buying more of their intimate line because I already have too many basics these days, and in my goody bag from the event were some of their items to try: tights, underwear, and a bra.

I received the Just My Size Pure Comfort Seamless Wirefree Bra, and I LOVE it. I already ordered it in the other colors. It’s not a bra that I would wear out during the day (I prefer underwire), but it gave great support and I loved the band that came down underneath it.

I kept it very casual at the event wearing a Target maternity (yes, you can try these sections out!) dress and a Eloquii jeweled belt.

Thank you, Just My Size, for the invite. I loved learning more about your brand and am so happy that people have access to quality items from your brand.

One of the biggest events of FFFWeek is the Indie Designer Showcase. I think everyone is excited to learn about up and coming designers and to see fashion that is more unique than the typical retailer. I arrived a little early and had a chance to talk a bit with the Fashion Front members and see what everyone was wearing in the audience.

Bloggers looking pretty! From left to right: Bella, Lilli, Dani, Ty, Ashley, Brittany, and Karen

Reah Norman, friend, Rosie Mercado, and Sarah Sapora of SWAKDesigns

Shainna of A Thick Girl’s Closet, Chante of Everything Curvy and Chic, and friends

Cassandra and Stephanie of Daily Venus Diva

Brittany and Olivia joking around

Jennifer and Ashley

After chatting for a bit, it was time for the show to begin. I had a good seat, but I kept getting heads/cell phones in my shots, so I took two pictures from each and am linking the photos to a fellow blogger’s posts that have better shots of the looks. The names will take you to the designer site and the pictures will take you to more FFFWeek shots. In no particular order:

Tru Diva Designs

Sean Anthony Designs

Huudaverti

T-Tyme Lady Couture 

NakiMuli

Live Unlimited

OnOz

Amiiee

ZMJ Denim

The Skinny Billionairess

Youtheary Khmer by Theary Sim

Rue 114

After the show, we headed outside, snapped a few pictures, and chatted some more. The venue is on a closed road, so there was plenty of space to talk further with the people who attended the event and see what everyone was wearing.

Jennifer– blogger and designer of Seraphim, Brittany, and Jennifer of Jasifer Lions Club

Brittany and I

Fashion Front bloggers: all linked above and additionally Marie Denee and Gaelle

Brittany and Olivia (with an awesome Sonsi gift bag)

What I wore: Rachel Pally Dallas Maxi Dress and Topiary Designs earrings (wish I had worn them in black)

A couple of weeks ago, the lovely Beth at Lovedrobe.com reached out to me to see if I’d like to review an item. I had definitely heard and seen the brand before, but had never bought from them because I thought they only went to a UK26 (US22). I was very wrong! When I went to the website, I saw many items up to a UK30/32 (US 26/28), so I agreed right away and they sent over a piece for me to try.

Looking at their site, I loved a lot of the items they carried. Lovedrobe incorporates different fabrics, patterns, colors, and details into their styles that make clothing items special. If I were to go on a spending spree, this is what I’d pick up:

Left to Right, top line then bottom line: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

For the review, I asked for a dress that was definitely outside of my comfort zone. It’s shorter and sassier than I usually go for, but I love clothing that allows me to express different aspects of myself or try new things.

I received the Koko Coral and Stone Geometric Pattern Dress in a UK 30/32. This dress is in a non-stretchy material, and I found the sleeves slightly tight. This isn’t unexpected, as I have bigger arms compared to my top/size, but it’s something to be aware of if you also are shaped that way. I loved the houndstooth pattern in coral. I often associate houndstooth with fall and winter, and this piece with the coloring is a perfect summer addition and can carry through to the fall. The top is quite fitted through the bust and waist, which I love. This part fit perfectly and I had plenty of room in the back and bust to move around.

The length is shorter than I usually go for. If I were to bend over, it’s possible that I’d show things that I’d rather not show. Granted, I have a big behind, so someone smaller there would not have the same issue. I recommend leggings/shorts, opaque tights if you also find it a bit short. I added a orangish-coralish belt and some casual bracelets for a simple, no-fuss summer look.

If the pattern is a little much for you, then a cardigan or jacket would be a perfect addition. I basically only wear jean jackets in the summer because it’s so easy to add to almost every look, so I wanted to show you that as well. I tried the dress with a jean vest, and that’s a cute look too. There’s plenty of room to play around with styling this piece.

And now to the best thing! Lovedrobe.com really wanted to also give away a piece to a reader and give you all a discount code to use during purchases through the remainder of July! You can receive 15% off of your purchase with the code PLUSSIDE (this code is currently not working, but it should be resolved soon and I will update and post on twitter when it is back working!). They’ve recently put a lot of good items on sale, so there are some major sales to be had!

For the giveaway, one lucky entrant will win a dress of their choice from Lovedrobe. I love this giveaway because you can pick an item that is in your style and size range. This giveaway runs from today until 7/31 at 11:59pm EST. To enter, you must do the “leave a comment” entry, but all other entry methods are optional and earn extra entries. Best of luck, and I’m excited to hear which piece you would pick if you won!

Disclaimer: All comments must have a valid e-mail address to win. Please comment separately for each entry. WordPress.com does not allow javascript, so I have to run this giveaway the old fashioned way (rafflecopter, I really wanted to use you *cries*)

Giveaway Entry Methods:

1. (Mandatory to win) Visit Lovedrobe.com and select a dress that you would possibly pick if you won the giveaway. Come back here and leave a comment telling us what you’d pick!

2. Follow @_lovedrobe_ and @theplussideofme on Twitter and tweet the following: “Fingers crossed! Just entered to win a @_lovedrobe_ dress from @theplussideofme http://theplussideofme.com/2013/07/20/lovedrobe-review-and-giveaway/” Comment here with your twitter name.

3. Like Lovedrobe on Facebook and comment here with your Facebook name (name can be shortened in comment).

Giveaway ends on 7/31 at 11:59pm EST.

Don’t forget! You can receive 15% off of your purchase with the code PLUSSIDE at lovedrobe.com (this code is currently not working, but it should be resolved soon and I will update and post on twitter when it is back working).

*The dress shown was gifted to me by lovedrobe.com. The opinions expressed are my own.

By the 6th day of FFFWeek, I was on my last ounce of energy and my ankles were humongous. Woo! It was a long week, but so, so fulfilling getting to talk with everyone and meet new people. On the last day, me and Brittany (my friend from home) decided to fit in some touring of NYC before the runway. We first headed to Central Park. We wanted to spend a few hours there, but really only snuck in about an hour before we went to a bus tour. I had really wanted to ride the carousel, so we were off to find it and during our walk we happened upon a baseball game. It was a pretty perfect scene. Made me want to move to New York City ASAP.

We found the carousel, and I was off to have my ride. I thought it’d be more open and you’d get more of a view of the city, but that wasn’t the case. Either way, I had fun. It was a bit of an attempt to overcome my fear. I never let myself ride a carousel when I was younger due to insecurity over my weight–or if I did ride it was only the stationary items on the carousel. Not this time!

After this, we went looking for the road so we could get a cab to our tour spot. I’ll admit that it freaked me out how easily it could be to get lost in the park. It is HUGE and didn’t have many signs. Good thing for map applications on cell phones! We then went on a 3 hour TV/Movie tour that took us to a lot of locations used in movies. It was a nice way to see many parts of the city, and it was hosted by a funny comedian. Good times

Later that night we headed to the Retailer / Boutique Runway. My camera died half way through, so luckily Brittany snapped many good pictures. First, the brands!

Curvy Couture

Dean of Fashion

Evans

Swimsuits For All

with Kellie and Gabi

Lane Bryant

Kaylene

Curvezz

Ashley Stewart

And the main sponsor of the week, Sonsi

styled by Reah Norman

Before, during, and after the runway, I got some shots with some of the lovely people I was able to hang out with during the week, such as Jen who owns and designs Seraphim.

Brittany and Jen

Me and Brittany

I wore a City Chic dress with an Eloquii belt.

Jenny from Babblings of a Mommy

the Evans team

Lilli of Frocks and Frou Frou, Jennifer of Jasifer Lions Club, and Ashley of This Is Ashley Rose

Sam of Curvy Sam

Somehow I missed getting pictures of the remainder of the night. We were exhausted, so Brittany and I just headed to a nearby restaurant with Olivia and her fiance Ben, and new friends Nadine and Emily. It was the perfect intimate ending to a full week.

I’d like to say thank you to Marie Denee and Gwen DeVoe for inviting me to be a part of the Fashion Front. It was truly a gift and an inspiring experience.

Which retailer/boutique’s looks did you enjoy the most?

P.S. Don’t forget to enter to win a dress from Lovedrobe.

Hi all!

It’s time to announce the winner of the Lovedrobe giveaway . To pull a winner, I write down every entry in chronological order on en excel sheet. Everyone gets a number, again in chronological order, for every entry they posted. I then go to random.org, generate a random number, and whoever is next to that number wins the prize.

There were 119 entries in the giveaway:

And Random.org selected #18:

Which goes to Briana P! Congrats! 

I hope you all had a chance to use the discount code for Lovedrobe. They sell items on their own website as well as a range for Simple Be, so check them out.

Thanks for entering

It’s been quite awhile (a year!) since I’ve participated in collaborative blogging challenges (I used to be a part of Five Take), and recently I was inspired by a group of bloggers doing themed posts called Outside of My Comfort Zone. Their mission is to push the boundaries they have either adhered to or unknowingly kept and try new things fashion-wise that aid in confidence and body acceptance. I had been following their posts for awhile, but it was Rachel’s post about Fashion Rules that kind of shook me and reminded me that I still have a really hard time getting out of my own comfort zones. I may have different comfort zones than a few years ago, but I still find myself sliding back into old habits (jeans + tshirt has been my jam this summer). I asked these lovely ladies if I could join, and here I am taking on my first post.

This week Rachel chose the theme Stand Out from the Crowd. I think we can all on some level relate to the desire to fit in to a crowd and not draw attention (hello, high school). There’s certain situations where I feel confident to stick out, such as in a classroom, but there are also situations or ways of being that I shrink away from. The one I have the absolute hardest time with is dressing “sexy” (whatever that is). I can go out with friends and they are willing to own their sexual appeal, but not me. I even feel awkward writing about it.

While I will always be a more conservative dresser, I need to work on allowing myself to be and feel sexy, and for me that translated into a well fitted dress and red lips.

This City Chic dress is my kind of sexy. It fits closely up top and flares at the hip, enhancing my natural body shape. I love the white piping. It’s simple, but that’s me. Red lips are always sexy to me. I wore Revlon’s Just Bitten Lip Balm Stain in Romance.

While “sexy” is my Stand Out from the Crowd look, others may have took on that theme completely differently. Check them out below:

Stephanie at Seeing Spots

Leah at Just Me Leah

Mary at Mary’s Big Closet

Becky Brown at Does My Blog Make Me Look Fat

Emma at Meet The Millards

Rachel at A Dress Is for Life

Natalie at A Wheelbarrow Full of Style

Nikki at Natty Nikki

Rebs at Sullen Hearts

Verena at A Plus Size Fashion Obsession

Beka at Beka’s Stuffy Stuff

Vicky at The Curved Opinion

and Rachel at Happyness Magnet (will be back in September)

City Chic Dress, Urban Outfitters heels, eBay clutch

Do you struggle to stand out from the crowd? How so? How would you have taken on this theme?

This OMCZ challenge is a little funny because if there is any kind of clothing that will keep me in my comfort zone, it is very much so my nightwear. I am the most picky person with what I wear to bed. It can’t be pants because they will get caught up under me as I sleep. I can possibly do a short dress, but I will find myself swaddled like a baby in that too. When I walk around the house in “loungewear”, I do awful things like wear once-expensive basic dresses/sundresses that look like I have beaten them up and that they only would cost $5. For as much as I love to dress up, when I dress down, I dress really down.

So, this challenge made me think about when nightwear is important to me, and honestly I can only remember purposefully buying pajamas around Christmas time every year.

When I was in high school, me and my friends all bought onesies or footie pajamas. We would wear them on band trips or basically just to have a laugh. They became a staple in my Christmas morning look because there was nothing that awakened the Christmas spirit like channeling the child inside myself and making everyone else slightly uncomfortable at the same time.

(source)

As I outgrew the onesies, my next holiday pj of choice were the themed pj pants from Old Navy. Every year, all of their sections including plus get holiday print pjs.

(their Halloween styles are out now)

As for nightwear, I’m about as boring as boring gets. Let’s hope the other ladies in the OMCZ challenge take their nightwear a little more creatively:

Stephanie http://www.seeingsp0ts.blogspot.co.uk

Leah http://www.justmeleah.blogspot.co.uk

Mary http://www.marysbigcloset.blogspot.pt

Becky Brown http://www.doesmyblogmakemelookfat.com

Rachel http://www.adressisforlife.com/

Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk/

Nikki http://www.nattynikki.blogspot.co.uk/

Rebs http://sullen-hearts.blogspot.co.uk/

Verena http://aplussizefashionobsession.blogspot.de/

Beka bekasstuffystuff.blogspot.com

Vicky www.TheCurvedOpinion.com

Hollie Http://www.prettybigbutterflies.com

Sabina http://www.femmefatalexsabina.blogspot.de/

Do you take your nightwear seriously or are you like me and basically have it as the last thing you think about?

Eek, late for this week’s OMCZ, BUT I really enjoyed it! This week’s theme was “pick your own” way of breaking out of your comfort zone.

As much as I have worn dresses out to events and on this blog, there is one place that I go to often that I have never worn a dress to: to work. I teach at a university. I walk around campus all day and then I’m up and down during my classes. It has to be a very, very comfortable dress for me to consider wearing it to class. Kiyonna had sent me their Trinity Twist Dress (I already had the top version), and I knew it would be perfect for school because of the soft and light weight material and the length of the dress (right below my knees).

It’s finally feeling fall-ish in NC, so I went with an accent scarf and a denim jacket. This made it super easy to wear all day. Whether I was teaching or in my cold office, I felt comfortable and chic. 

When I first started blogging, I was surprised how many people in the fatshion/plus-size fashion community wore dresses all of the time. I grew up in jeans. I wore jeans EVERYWHERE (a lot of times accompanied by flip flops), so dresses have always felt a little odd, even though I am getting more and more used to them. Dresses are definitely more comfortable than some of my dress pants, so it looks like I will need to continue pushing OMCZ at work.

Check out how the other bloggers broke out of their personal comfort zones:

Stephanie http://www.seeingsp0ts.blogspot.co.uk

Leah http://www.justmeleah.blogspot.co.uk

Mary http://www.marysbigcloset.blogspot.pt

Becky Brown http://www.doesmyblogmakemelookfat.com

Rachel http://www.adressisforlife.com/

Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk/

Nikki http://www.nattynikki.blogspot.co.uk/

Rebs http://sullen-hearts.blogspot.co.uk/

Verena http://aplussizefashionobsession.blogspot.de/

Beka bekasstuffystuff.blogspot.com

Vicky www.TheCurvedOpinion.com

Hollie Http://www.prettybigbutterflies.com

Sabina http://www.femmefatalexsabina.blogspot.de/

Are there certain kinds of clothing items you hold back from wearing at work or school (not necessarily inappropriate but outside of your comfort zone)? 

*Kiyonna gifted me the Trinity Twist Dress. All opinions expressed are my own. (It’s a wonderful piece–and on sale right now!)

It’s finally my favorite time of the year, fashion-wise and everything-else-wise too . Every weekend there is something really fun to do, and for the last few weeks, I’ve been wearing the heck out of this Evans top as I went to the ren fest, the county fair, and today to a bonfire. I had been wanting to wear the top with a leggings and boots look, but I very rarely actually wear anything tucked into boots. It’s a look I love, but not one I’ve worn before, and I tended to talk myself out of the look thinking it didn’t look “right” or wasn’t my style (whatever that is). I shared a quick pic on Instagram, and everyone told me to go for it, so I finally did!

It ended up being perfect for the bonfire and walking around outside. I love the style of the boots, and I’ve owned them for a year but this is the first I’ve worn them out. Over the past year or so, I’ve become more and more aware of how much the way I dressed as a kid and teen has affected how I dress now. Also, how people dress where I live really affects things. When I go to New York City, I feel more free to wear whatever I want because everyone is dressed differently, but here just wearing a nice top and jeans can be “overdressed” to others. I know that I get to chose whether to dress according to those things or not. I guess that’s what the OMCZ challenges are for!

Evansusa.com top, Old Navy leggings, MIA boots

What’s your fall go-to outfit?

A couple weeks ago, the lovely Stefanie at Dots Fashion contacted me to see if I would like to visit a local store to check out their plus-size line. In the last few years, I’ve become more and more accustomed to shopping online, especially since there are so few brick and mortar plus size stores in my area. Because of that, it was quite the surprise when I realized that there was a Dots location only 7 minutes from my job! I was really excited for an opportunity to actually shop in person with friends. I called up my sister and we planned to head over there last Friday. Unfortunately, she was sick, so I headed over on my own and went crazy with dressing room shots as I tried on many different items from Dots.

When I first arrived, Kanessa, the store manager, introduced herself and showed me to the plus size section of the store. Many of the other sales associates also introduced themselves, and I felt very comfortable right away. They all were happy to be there and seemed excited to help the women shopping come up with different outfits for events. It was really nice to see how large the plus size section was and how the items were actually displayed and not just crammed everywhere like I’m used to. It was obvious that the section have different clothing stories with various styles to appeal to many different shoppers.

Kanessa walked me through the different section and explained who the clothes are geared to. Each section had clothing that could be mixed together to create many different looks, and I did not notice a single item over $30, which is GREAT! I liked the idea that if I wanted something quick, I could come here and find a piece without breaking the bank.

Animal prints, leather, and red: I liked the trench coat above and the red leather-look jacket

Power purple and graphic prints: I liked how they mixed prints with the skirt and scarf

Southwest inspired: Probably the most opposite of my style, but I liked that this section was so different than the others

They also had a moto section, which was my favorite. I ended up getting the vest above!

Low price tag but still detailed designs

Each section mixed items with displays, showing looks pulled together with accessories. The store showed that they know plus size women want to mix pieces in interesting ways and create whole outfits rather than only wearing basics.

After looking through the section, I decided to try on some pieces that caught my eye, and I also tried on some of Kanessa’s suggestions. Dots really takes an active approach in helping customers build outfits, with sales associates suggesting ways of mixing items. This seemed pretty unique to me, because when I worked retail, we were there to help out but we did not work as stylists. Something to note is that Dots’ plus size section sells sizes 1X-3X. On their website, this translates from a 16/18 to a 24/26; however, I found the items to fit me tightly, and I would say that the items fit a lot like Forever21. It’s a bit Junior sizing in my opinion. Because of that, I did not try on any jeans/dresses, but they had a lot of cute ones if you are in that size range.

The first piece I tried on was the Fleece Ruffle Coat in green. I LOVED the color. The coat was soft and warm. It had a bit of stretch, but was ultimately too small for me to purchase for my closet.

I then tried on this cropped animal print top. Top top part of it had a sheer black material. I thought this was really cute, and I could see myself wearing it with a black maxi skirt. This top was paired with red accents, which goes perfectly.

I also tried on this striped cardigan-type top. The print was cuter in person, but I wasn’t sure about the shape. Kanessa suggested the belt below.

I then tried this gray top with a faux leather trim and pocket. Kanessa brought in this print scarf to go with it, which I liked a lot. The print is actually skulls, which I typically shrink away from, but the design of these skulls were fragmented which was cool.

My last pick was the faux leather vest. They had this in 3 different colors, but I went for the charcoal/black one.

As you can see in the picture, it had so many details, but it was still only $26! I ended up picking up this piece for my closet too.

After trying on clothes, I went to the accessories section. They have a lot of shoe styles to choose from. They offer extended calf boots, but they were too small for me (as is every wide calf boot I’ve ever tried).

I really loved these ankle boots on the left with the three buckles. They didn’t fit my ankles, which is again typical, but I know some others who’d love this style.

There was a lot of jewelry to look at. I appreciate the stretchy bracelets and rings so that people of various sizes could wear them. 

Stefanie from Dots Fashion had sent me a $50 gift card to use (Thank you, Dots!), so I purchased the faux leather vest, the animal print crop top, and a set of eye shadow colors — all for $54! At many plus size stores, that’s just ONE top.

Kanessa and Kristin, who helped me throughout shopping while also styling other customers at the store.

I’m always going to be a girl who shops around and picks up pieces here and there from many stores, but it was nice to know that there is a store only a few minutes away where I can find items I like and for good prices. What’s even better is that I can visit this store with my family and friends, and we can find pieces in various sizes and styles. If you want to shop at Dots Fashion, check out their Store Locator or you can shop online.

Do you shop at Dots? What are some of your favorite items that they are selling currently?

*Dots Fashion sent me a $50 gift card to use during my visit to their store. The opinions expressed are my own. Thank you, Dots, for inviting me to visit and shop!

I was really excited when I heard the theme for this week’s Out of My Comfort Zone post. I wore horizontal stripes pre-finding fatshion blogs, but once I started finding bloggers, I really, really began loving it. It’s a big revelation when you finally see that you have nixed out various items, patterns, etc just because of old rules heard over and over again. Beka picked this theme, and she reasoned it perfectly:

“I decided on horizontal stripes as I think these can still be seen as something that makes some people feel larger than they are. Well what rubbish! I want to see you all rocking the burglar look!” 

I knew immediately that I wanted to wear my City Chic pencil skirt that I bought at the end of the summer season. This skirt is not-so wintery, but if you’re like me, then you are probably used to making mad dashes from a car to a building to avoid the cold . I paired it with a chambray top, red/coral accessories, and animal print low heels. I have no idea if the shoes make sense, but I thought they were cute in how they clashed, so whatevs

This skirt is a AU 24, which is not at all my pant size, but it fits really well (and I’m not wearing any type of spanx here so if you wanted a smoother look you could get that). I’m not sure if all City Chic skirts run large, but I definitely recommend them for those who have large hips. It’s very rare for me to find pencil skirts that are built for larger hips, as they are usually cut much straighter through the waist and bottom hem.

Besides putting this skirt to its first use, I was also able to wear this Amrita Singh ring that I bought YEARS ago but haven’t worn often. This is also another “rule” breaker because it’s a big ring on a little finger. I have short fingers. I always will. There’s no way I’m going to nix all statement rings because of my short fingers.

Want to see other ways of wearing horizontal stripes? Check out the other OMCZ bloggers below:

Stephanie http://www.seeingsp0ts.blogspot.co.uk

Leah http://www.justmeleah.blogspot.co.uk

Mary http://www.marysbigcloset.blogspot.pt

Becky Brown http://www.doesmyblogmakemelookfat.com

Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk/

Nikki http://www.nattynikki.blogspot.co.uk/

Rebs http://sullen-hearts.blogspot.co.uk/

Verena http://aplussizefashionobsession.blogspot.de/

Beka bekasstuffystuff.blogspot.com

Hollie Http://www.prettybigbutterflies.com

Sabina http://www.femmefatalexsabina.blogspot.de/

Katt http://acurvycupcake.blogspot.co.uk/

Mookie http://muki7x7.blogspot.co.uk/

Old Navy chambray top, City Chic pencil skirt, Amrita Singh ring bough via ideeli.com, and Target heels similar

How do you wear horizontal stripes?

P.S. The next OMCZ challenge’s theme is my pick! Can’t wait to do it

One of my absolute favorite brands to work with is Kiyonna. I joined their

Blogger Brigade before the summer, and since then they’ve dressed me for events at FFFWeek, looks for summer, and even pieces for me to wear to work (I teach at a college). When they asked what I was interested in this past month, I knew I wanted one of their fancier dresses in navy. They have so, so many good semi-formal dresses, and right now a lot of their styles come in navy or a combo of navy and black, such as this knit wrap dress and this bodycon dress. This is their Scalloped Boudoir Dress, which is coincidentally the very first design that I ever bought from the brand — back in 2008! Kiyonna’s clothing always has such great quality, and the love truly is in the details. I put this piece on, and I instantly felt beautiful. It’s just one of those pieces that feels special. Because of that, I wanted to get a little fancier than my typical brick background, and my friend Brittany (who came with me to FFFWeek) used her photography skills to capture the dress.

I wanted all of the attention to be on the dress, so I paired it with light tan heels and this super sweet clutch by Miss Selfridge, which I received at Arcadia’s press day over the summer. I love the light mocha color of the clutch and all of the beading.

Besides the navy color, my favorite detail on this dress is the scalloped hem along the neckline, sleeves, and bottom hem. Again, it’s the extra detail that makes Kiyonna’s clothing so loved.

Taking these photos reminded me how transformative outfit shots are. Sometimes it’s hard to love yourself, and often that gets filtered to your looks because “looks”, whoever’s they are, get criticized so often. My face is fuller than its been in the past, but I still am able to recognize my beauty in these pictures. I loved seeing the photos of me laughing at Brittany. It reminds me that I am loved and have wonderful people in my life. I’m thankful for where blogging has taken me.

Kiyonna Scalloped Boudoir Dress (gifted), New Look heels, Miss Selfridge clutch

Are you loving navy this fall/winter? What’s your current “fancy” dream dress?

Just a couple weeks ago I had my 3rd blog birthday. I actually missed noticing it (oopsie), but I thought it would be a great time to see how much things have changed since I started blogging. Looking at my first blog post, I noticed how unsure I was BUT also how hopeful I was. I had already been reading blogs for 3 or so months, and I was so, so excited to begin. I didn’t even post a current picture of myself that month. That October (2010), September of 2012, and this past September (2013) are the ONLY months were I have not posted an outfit shot. I’m pretty impressed with my commitment, even if it’s waned at times. I never imagined that after starting my blog, I’d still be here typing 3 years later. I didn’t imagine that I would have traveled to NYC for FFFWeek twice! Once as an official blogger of the Fashion Front! This blog has brought crazy opportunities my way and even better people. It’s seen me through insecurity and sickness, and it’s where I come back to when I am most inspired and creative. My “About Me” has stayed relatively the same since I started. In it I said, “I’m so excited to offer my voice here, whether it ends up being a soft echo or a loud roar.” This blog has definitely been a “roar” in my life, and the conversations and sharing that’s happened here and in the community have changed me. This blog has seen me through being a grad student, becoming a part-time teacher, and now a full-time lecturer: just growing up. I’m thankful to all of you and my fellow bloggers who I see as dear friends. Wanna see my changes throughout the years? Here’s a photo from every month of this blog (except both Septembers), and each month/year links to the original blog post.

October 2010

November 2010

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 2012

August 2012

October 2012

November 2012

December 2012

January 2013

February 2013

March 2013

April 2013

May 2013

June 2013

July 2013

August 2013

October 2013

November 2013

Thanks for reading, commenting, and tweeting with me for the last few years. It’s meant the world to me!

Hello! Just a quick post today I am up to my eyes in responding to student work as we quickly approach the final weeks of the semester. Wow! I can’t believe that I am already about to complete my first semester there. I can’t remember if I mentioned it on here or not, but in August I got quite the surprise of being taken on as a full-time lecturer at the university where I did my graduate work. The first two months were hard (and I was sick with Anemia–which is awful), but the last couple months have really been inspiring, fun, and (still) hard. I love it though. I’m very thankful to have a job that makes me happy and fulfilled, even though I know it’s not guaranteed after this year, I’m still glad to have this year to learn and grow as a teacher.

Besides my job, I have lots of other things to be thankful for: readers who come back when I disappear for a month at a time, fellow bloggers who are constantly “putting themselves out there” for readers, like me, to read and enjoy, that my health issue is continuing to get easier to manage, and my family and friends. I’ve gotten a lot of opportunities this past year in blogging and in my work world, and I hope to continue to put myself out there to gain more.

I hope those that celebrate Thanksgiving had a wonderful holiday, and that those who are outside of the US or working over the holidays also experienced the joy that surrounds holidays.

As for Thanksgiving Day itself, I wore this super comfortable Kiyonna Wrapped in Romance Dress. I always get compliments when I wear a Kiyonna dress, and when I’m wearing a maxi I tend to respond that I get the luxury of looking nice while wearing, what feels like, lounge wear. It’s THAT comfortable!

This is a true wrap dress. There’s plenty of fabric, so it is not one of those wraps that you have to keep tugging at all day. It has dolman sleeves, so it’s a little more drape-y up top. I really loved the gathering at the shoulders. My hair is unfortunately covering it up, but it gave the top a great shape.

I accessorized with a gold, glittery clutch, a big cocktail ring, and gold lace earrings. I was overdressed compared to the rest of my family, but what’s new there? :-p

Kiyonna dress (gifted), Aldo clutch (similar), Target ring, etsy Topiary Designs earrings

What did you wear for Thanksgiving Day?

The other day, the team at Just My Size (who I met in New York during FFFWeek) e-mailed me to say that they wanted to send me a little holiday gift. Just a couple days later I received the cutest holiday selections with everything I would need: a comfy shirt, underwear, a bra, and tights. It was lovely and thoughtful, but little did I know that they would then offer to send a holiday gift to three of you, personalized with your sizes in everything!

To enter to win a Holiday Essentials gift from JMS (sizes up to a 6x!), comment on this post with your personal holiday essential(s). What do you need most through the season? I think my essentials are tights and a deep red lipstick.

You can comment and enter through Monday, December 16. You must live in the United States and leave an email address or Twitter username to contact you through. Winners will be selected using random.org number generator.

Thank you, Just My Size, for the holiday goodies and sponsoring this giveaway!