As is typical in North Carolina, we went from very cold weather to kinda warm weather within the span of a few days. I took a cue from the sun to wear a winter-ish outfit that requires it to not be too cold outside. I got this H&M dress about a month ago from their online store, and I’ve been toying around with different looks. It’s really a piece that allows you to dress it up or down, and this time I chose to dress it a little up.

This dress has a sheer yoke and sleeves, as well as long skirt. I love that the sheer is heavy enough that I feel comfortable wearing such a short lining underneath (or at least short for me). I paired it with jewelry from F21, belt from ASOS, and clutch from Zara.

The skirt also has slits on both sides which gives the dress great movement as you walk.

H&M dress, Zara clutch, ASOS belt, F21 earrings and bracelet

I could imagine this dress working really well with a cool, sporty jacket as well as being worked with a fancier coat/cardigan. The maxi length makes it a good transitional piece from winter to spring, as well.

Are you already thinking of and dressing for spring, or are you still fully winter? Is your fashion seasonal or do you wear the same kinds of things year round?

I’m using my lunch break to blog about Eloquii because I am so, so excited about their return! If you’ve never heard of Eloquii, here’s a horribly brief history. Eloquii launched a couple years ago under the brand The Limited. I really enjoyed the clothes they had. It was often higher quality, trend driven, but also appropriate for work. They tended to have a more “night out” style or clothing and a “in the office” attire. I, personally, could not fit into all of their clothing (size 14-24), but those that I could wear were great, and I still have them. The Limited closed the division in 2013, and consumers were not happy about it. FYI: All images are clickable and will take you to the product’s page.

From Eloquii’s press release:

The company did not foresee what would happen next: dozens of influential fashion bloggers and loyal customers took to digital and social media to express their loss of a favorite fashion resource, demanding ELOQUII’s return.

I can’t help but remember Marie Denee’s open letter to the brand. Plus size women want a brand like Eloquii, and luckily many of the original team have worked to structure the renewed and independent brand of Eloquii that launched today.

“Our goal for ELOQUII is to be the leader in fashion, sizes 14-24,” states Mariah Chase. “We’ve listened to what customers thought about the brand prior to closing, and took this knowledge to build an improved experience that delivers an on-trend and price-conscious brand for a consumer who quite frankly hasn’t had the fashion options she should.” 

“We want consumers to see ELOQUII as their go-to destination for style inspiration,” explains Jodi Arnold. “Most designer, contemporary, and fast-fashion brands do not offer our size range, and what IS offered is missing the mark in our opinion. Our girl knows all the emerging trends, she just wants them to be executed tastefully, in her size and more importantly, readily available.”

I caught glimpses of the line yesterday on Eloquii’s instagram page. Customers will be able to tag images of themselves wearing ELOQUII with the #XOQ hashtag.  These images will populate the website and showcase the ways customers are wearing and styling the product.

For me, Eloquii is a step in the direction I want to go on stylistically. I wish the line included more sizes (that’s my forever wish about everything), and the price range will sometimes be out of my range, but I am happy that this is out there.

I’ve already picked up the following two pieces to see how the fit will be for women who straddle the lines of 24-28. I’m claiming “research” on this purchase :).

What do you think of Eloquii’s relaunch, new direction, and styles? What’s your favorite piece?

This week I wanted to bring attention to the social fatshion movement that happens on Tumblr (and probably instagram-though I didn’t look there) every February. #FatshionFebruary is a tag on Tumblr where anyone can post pictures showing their daily fashions. What I like most about it is a) the community collaboration that happens, b) the focus on acceptance — anyone that identifies with faTshion, c) the relaxed, quick pics. These are not going to be highly stylized shots. These are people going throughout their day and stopping for a minute to participate in a larger movement. I love that. I looked over recent posts, and just selected some looks that caught my eye. Click each picture to be taken to their individual Tumblr sites.

Two days ago Cosmopolitan.com published an article called “What Being a Fat Woman Is Really Like” featuring questions and answers from two self-identified fat women. Some of the feedback received was an enthusiastic applause at Cosmo’s inclusion of body-positive voices, ones often not seen and heard in mainstream media. Others felt offended by the ideas those voices offered. I saw some women say that these women were “just making excuses” and didn’t discuss the “tolls” that being fat had on their lives. The biggest argument was “these women don’t represent me.”

In defense of the original article, they formatted it as an interview, most definitely putting forth that these were two women’s perspectives. But we need these perspectives, and we need even more perspectives into this topic. Being a fat woman surely unites us in some experiences, but we are all individuals with different histories, beliefs, and ways of being. When I saw Claire ask on Twitter if other women wanted to answer the exact same questions, I jumped on board. We don’t need to feel confined or misrepresented; we can in fact speak out our own experiences to show the complexities of being a fat woman. (That said, I totally DO appreciate the perspectives those women in the original article shared).

Below are my answers to the same questions as the original article.

How do you feel when other women around you complain about feeling/being fat?

It used to really bother me. Now I notice it, and sometimes it gets to me and sometimes it doesn’t. I recognize that they are participating in a narrative that happens so much around the idea of fatness and body image. Sometimes people don’t even realize they are participating in this and that it may be hurtful to themselves and others. I know that really, in instances where non-fat people “feel fat”, fatness is being connected to other things, and this is the part that hurts. Almost always when someone says they “feel fat” it’s because they “ate too much”, are bloated, or their clothes are tight. “Fatter” than your norm may not equate being “fat” in society. Those that are fat and complain about being fat, that’s their feelings to feel, and as long as they do not ask me to have those same feelings about my body, then I don’t get personally upset (although I do hope everyone has a positive relationship with their body, and I’ll tell someone I can’t talk about bodies negatively or dieting). Actually I think the phrase that makes me the most upset is when people say they are “being a fat kid” or getting in touch with their “inner fatty” when they eat certain foods or have a lazy day. THAT makes me mad.

How has your body image changed since high school? College?

I’ve been fat my entire life, but my worst point of body confidence and body image was during high school. High school is also the time when I lost the most weight. In high school, almost every boy I liked did not return the admiration. My friends had smaller bodies and loud personalities, and I told myself that they were infinitely more interesting than me. This was partly body image and partly lack of confidence and lack of allowing myself to have and express my own interests. My cousin had a blog where she chronicled her ana experiences. I saw her lose weight, and I wanted to do the same. She was near 105lbs and every boy I liked found her attractive. My jealousy and idolization of her body definitely impacted my actions. I think I lost around 58lbs by skipping meals, working out, and limiting my calorie intake to sometimes 400 calories a day. Some things I learned from that experience: my friends’ moms were often the ones who noticed and congratulated me and I still had the same experience when it came to relationships and hiding behind friends. My body changed, but I was still fat, and I was hiding more of myself than ever. In college I gained the weight back plus some. I had more confidence in my other areas of life, but I pretty much ignored my body. I feel like I separated myself from it, wore my uniform of jeans and t-shirt and focused on my friends and school. It wasn’t until after college, at age 22, that I started being more reflective about myself, what I wanted from life, and what I could do. Grad school skyrocketed by confidence, along with finding so, so many fat fashion blogs. It’s odd how easy it is to find another person your exact same size or larger or differently shaped as attractive and pretty, but you hold that as “unattainable” to you. I started to photograph myself, and seeing myself and other fat women so often majorly impacted my body image. I started with “slimming” camera angles and editing out fat rolls, and now I’ve become so comfortable with what I look like, rolls included, AND I see beauty there. I recognize beauty in myself because I recognize beauty in others.

Have you tried dieting? What happened?

Yes, there’s the example above that lasted for about 6-7 months of my life. When I was in the fifth grade I was on a diet after a stomach virus/ anxiety issue happened. That was for 6 or so months as well, and all I remember was that almost every single day I had toast for breakfast, half a bologna sandwich for lunch, and grilled chicken for dinner. I’ve also tried Weight Watchers in the past (lost 20-some pounds, gained back more after). In college, my doctor put me on a medication that was meant to dull hunger. When I went off of it after a month or so, I had so many heart palpitations that I had to rush to the doctor’s for monitoring. I had heart palpitations after that for a year or so. I haven’t been “on a diet” in 3+ years, and I am at my heaviest but also my steadiest weight.

Do you think in your case your weight is partly or entirely genetic?

All of my siblings are heavy. My dad’s side of the family is almost all heavier people too. There are more things that go into weight than that, I’m sure, but I also know that I’ve been heavier than the norm since I was 1-2 years old. While I’m sure it’s possible to be smaller than I am now, I’m not sure it’s possible for me to maintain a “thin” body.

Do you consider yourself healthy? Have there been instances where people assumed you were unhealthy?

I’m going to say the same as Woman B in the original article: “I could stand to be healthier.” I am not a green juice drinker or kale eater, and I like cake and such. Healthy for me is going to be finding the balance. The most doctor-certified “unhealthy” aspect of me is my autoimmune disorder, which is not related to being fat. As for people’s assumptions, I’m sure they exist. I’ve only had one person make it very apparent to me though. I was working at a tutoring center and eating a sandwich from the deli when a fellow tutor asked, “aren’t you worried about getting diabetes?” I can’t remember how I reacted, but I now think it was such an odd thing to say. I can’t ever remember a time when I assumed that someone’s body would get a disease/disorder/condition.

Are your parents both supportive of you at the weight you’re at? Have they always been?

“Supportive” could mean so many things. My parents do not force me to diet and do not act as though I cannot do things because of my weight. I think I’ve shown them that I am able to be successful, happy, and a good person. I’ve also shown them that I have goals for myself and have my own relationship with my body. Do they every once in awhile make a comment that shows me otherwise? Yes. Comments about what I need to eat or how I need to move come in small snippets. A comment about what kinds of guys will find me attractive came out a week or two ago. These are not things I haven’t heard elsewhere. I’m very aware of cultural narratives that people then take up themselves. I will say my parents are very supportive of my blog and know that my body is my own and I make my choices.

How do you think retailers can improve clothes for plus-size people?

Biggest fix: more size availability. So many choices for those size 24 and under, so few for those above that.

Do you think plus-size women are judged differently than plus-sized men are? How?

I don’t think I am around enough plus-size men to understand what they go through. Of the few I know, they are often made invisible, which is damaging in itself.

Do you think there’s an assumption made/stereotype that exists about plus-size people? How would you respond to it?

Of course! Don’t take care of themselves, overeaters, “let themselves go”, lazy, unmotivated, no determination/self-control, dumb, and many more. As much as these assumptions exist and affect people, in my daily life it doesn’t come up much. I think as soon as I speak to people, many of these assumptions are shown to be what they are. I honestly know SO MANY fat people that live life differently that these assumptions just seem ridiculous.

Do you think there’s ever a right way or time to express concern about someone’s weight?

No. I have to agree with “Woman B” again: “If you’re thinking about confronting someone about their weight, is it really the weight that you have an issue with? Do they seem more tired or out of sorts? Talk to them about that. Do they seem really unhappy about themselves? Maybe compliment them about how cool they are. If you’re just concerned that someone doesn’t look as attractive to you anymore, the problem is you, not their weight.”

What are the worst things people have said to you about your body?

When I was younger it was things like “Brian said you’d be pretty if your butt wasn’t so big” and “who invited Shamu to the party?” When I was a teen, I remember one of my sisters asking why I wasn’t embarrassed to show my arms (because I have an obvious roll on each arm). As an adult, the worst has been at a party when a guy told me he was “drunk enough” to “even hook up” with me. On my blog I occasionally get a comment saying I’m gross or that I make them want to diet.

How did you respond?

When I was younger, I hid myself and tried to not be seen. The comment from my sister was spurred by her insecurities with her arms, but it definitely made me insecure about my arms. I actively tried not to wear sleeveless tops for years after that. When the drunk remark happened, I told him very publicly that his statement was horrible, and then I cried up in my room (sometimes you just need to cry when others inflict pain). The online comments on my blog get dumped in the trash and I go on my merry way. They are often posted anonymously anyway, so I don’t get to know/see who says it.

What have people said (or do you wish they’d say) that would compliment your body or appearance?

I most definitely get more compliments than negative responses. It often has to do with my outfits (I do blog about them after all). Often the most meaningful are comments or emails that are written by women my size or just plus size saying that they recognize beauty in my body/appearance and also recognize it in themselves. Men also say positive things, especially now that I’m older and willing to show full length pictures (in college, so many pictures were just of my face).

Do you find yourself hanging out with women who are closer to your size?

My local friends are all smaller than me and are thin. My sisters are bigger, but I am bigger than them. My friends online range tremendously, but I mostly talk with people who identify as “fat” or “plus size” on blogs and Twitter. I do actively seek out friends who are closer to my size, especially since so many of my interests are size related (plus size fashion, fat studies, fat activism).

How has your weight affected your sex life, if at all?

I don’t know. I think I’d have the same attitude/beliefs about my sexuality whether I was thinner or fatter.

When you’ve been single, has your weight affected your dating life?

I’m sure it narrows the people who will message me on online dating (which is pretty much where I meet people to date). That said, I’ve had more men interested in me this year than ever before, and I’m at my heaviest weight. I think the confidence and the photos I post are the most influential. I purposefully post full body pictures so they understand that I like my appearance. I do have additional concerns that others might not have: is the restaurant/activity that we are doing accessible and comfortable for me? I’m sure that impacts me going into unknown experiences.

Do you feel weird if the guy you’re with only dates larger women?

No, but I was recently confronted with these feelings and concerns. I realized that only dating or even preferring larger women makes me feel even more comfortable. I like that they are attracted to a larger body. However, a man that ONLY wants to talk about or see my body, that’s an issue. I don’t want to date a body. I want to date a person. I think ALL women of any size, shape, etc. will be approached by people who are only into their looks and not other aspects of themselves.

Do you feel weird if he’s only dated slimmer women before you?

I don’t know. I’ve never dated/talked to someone who only dated slim women before me.

I should say, though, that I actually don’t think I like dating much. Sometimes I feel like I force myself to because other people my age are dating and in relationships. I just have other things that take precedent in my life AND I am not attracted to very many people. This view is impacted by more things than just being fat, though.

I feel the need to disclaimer this post. I wrote it after 10 pm after a long work day. I hope it makes sense in the morning! Some things I noticed while answering, many of these questions have less to do with my body and more to do with my confidence and preferences. I will also note that having a positive relationship with my body has ONLY brought positives into my life. When I treat my body with respect and positivity, others follow suit. Also, the questions didn’t hit some of the topics I find important to my life, such as being fat at work. Being a fat woman means that I will sometimes see/hear people making side comments, and sometimes I know it’s associated with being fat and sometimes I assume it’s associated with being fat. For instance, on the first day of classes after walking in, I heard a student ask a fellow student if they’ve seen the movie Precious. I will assume that it’s because of my body. I’m not sure if other fat people would get hurt by hearing that, but it truly does not hurt me. I remember it, but I also know that 5 minutes after the comment I handed those students an introductory letter where a a third of the page is about me being fat (we study identity and writing). I don’t know if 4 years ago I would be empowered and confident enough to do that, but today I am.

What do you think of the Cosmo article? Want to see EVEN MORE perspectives of being a fat woman? Check out the following bloggers who have all answered the same questions:

 Thank you, Claire, for organizing this!

There were 132 entries for the ASOS giveaway, and only 2 could win. Who won? Check below!

Congrats to The Two Cent Chick and Swordlily! I will be in contact today to get your ASOS Voucher codes squared away :).

Thank you all for entering!

When I put on today’s outfit, my sister was in absolute horror. “What?! Are you trying to bring back the 90s?” she exclaimed as I put on my boots. Well… maybe not bring it back, but I can’t deny I’ve been inspired by it. Too many episodes of My Mad Fat Diary and my super duper love for so many UK bloggers (where it seems 90s and grunge inspired looks are most worn) led me to this slip dress and eventually this outfit.

Now, my experience of the 90s was anything but fashionable. The 90s spanned years 2-12 of my life. I went about my life in baggy t-shirts, and I didn’t brush my hair.

I mean, I really didn’t brush my hair. I was in absolute love with the Spice Girls, even dressing up as Baby Spice for Halloween one year.

Because of this, I don’t have a big influence of the 90s on my fashion, as I really wasn’t aware of it when it was going on. That’s probably why My Mad Fat Diary is being so inspirational at the moment. (P.S. MMFD has Danny Two Hats, but Danny, my brother, is Danny Six Hats).

Originally I envisioned it worn with a full leather jacket, but North Carolina went from snowing to warm in the matter of a day! Leather vest to the rescue :).

Something I often struggle with as I get dressed is the way fashion is worn in my area/culture. It’s easy to say wear what you want, but it’s harder in practice when wearing what you want would bring so much attention (I’m okay with “being seen” but don’t want every outfit to be a “big deal” — does this make sense?). I live in a small town in a place where jeans and tees are the standard look and preppy/conservative and country styles are most seen. One thing that I loved when I went to NYC for FFFWeek was that you saw so much diversity in style on the streets. Maybe if I spent more time in Charlotte I would see that diversity, but out in the towns surrounding Charlotte there’s just not much of it.

Dots vest, ASOS Alice and You dress, Evans boots

So this outfit is one of those that will probably pull strong reactions — love or hate. Me? I err on the side of love, but maybe I’ll keep my looks to taking a little of the 90s, and I’ll leave some stuff behind for good.

Are you sartorially inspired by the 90s or any other decade? Do you draw your inspiration from shows/celebs of the time, your own experiences, or something else?

Sorry for the silence from me lately. It’s been a busy/stressful few weeks at work, but things are starting to ease up for a bit. I have been having a lot of fun offline though, and I thought I’d share some of the looks I posted on Instagram lately.

I wore my deep green Kiyonna Wrapped in Romance dress and Forever21 knotted necklace to celebrate my sister’s birthday.

I’ve been loving the ease of maxi lengths lately, especially since the morning can be cold and the afternoon can be hot, so I also wore an Old Navy maxi skirt with plain white top and Lane Bryant jean jacket (similar) to work. By the way, I get a lot of clothes (tops and skirts) from Old Navy’s Tall section. It’s cut a little wider and longer, which allows me to have some of their main-range styles.

Yesterday I had an awards ceremony at work and then I headed out to go see Divergent by my lonesome as a “Yay! You got through a couple rough weeks” celebration :). I wore a Spiegel cardigan and Torrid flowy sheer black blouse. I like this cardigan but the brand Spiegel is kind of odd. They have huge price discrepancies between similar items (one cardigan is $94 and one will be $19), but this particular cardigan is $19.

I’ve decided recently to move out and get my own place closer to work, so I feel like I’m on the brink of a new part of my life. It’s a bit scary but exciting. I’ll be having to budget my spending much, much more and might also share more about searching for a new place. I’ve found myself getting bored of talking only about clothing lately, and my blog started with more topics than that, so I’m going to be branching out more on my topics. I hope you’re ready to go on this ride with me :)

I am just a few short weeks away from wrapping up my first school year teaching writing courses at a local university. I am already dreaming of days spent enjoying the lake with Lola and getting to explore on a couple day trips. At the same time, after about 2 weeks off I’m sure I’ll be ready to get back to it (and I’m teaching in July, so it won’t be too far away). I really love where I work. It is very fulfilling, but it can also be overwhelming (I’m a slow respond-er, so the grade pile never goes away). I’m happy to say that I was offered a position there again next year. Having some continuity with employment is GREAT. I’m so happy, and I’m trying to take a moment to feel the joy rather than worry about everything else coming my way (a new apartment and the bills, bills, and more bills that come with living on your own).

Getting towards the end of the semester is giving me some much needed breathing room, though. So much breathing room that I *gasp* actually wore an outfit that I wanted to photograph! Kiyonna helped with this since they sent me this cute Haven Faux Wrap Top.

Like everything that Kiyonna puts out, it’s high quality and a great fit. I wore a tank top with this because I typically don’t wear tops that “go up” at the bottom hem, but the top is actually long enough to not wear one. I slipped on a couple simple gold accent accessories and wedges and was on my way to dinner with my family.

Kiyonna Haven Faux Wrap Top (gifted), Torrid skinnies (old style), Avenue heels (old style), Aldo ring (similar), ASOS earrings

How have you all been? Looking forward to any spring or summer time breaks/outings?

It finally feels like spring has set in. I’ve been stowing away some dresses for a couple months waiting for warmer weather to appear, so I was excited to put on this eShakti dress to wear for a department party. It was the perfect flowy fabric that kept me cool, which I was thankful for because we sat in the shade by a pond for a couple hours and enjoyed the outdoors.

I used to shop at eShakti when I was first introduced to them, and then it was about a year and half before I tried them again. I’ve been pleased with the three items I’ve purchased over the last two months, but do look out for their sales because shipping can sometimes eat up your budge (especially if you’re buying multiple items).

Woo! The spring semester has finally ended, and although it had some amazing moments and inspiring work from my students, I’m happy to be on the other side of it. Last year, I went straight from spring to teaching over the summer to 2 weeks later starting at a new school, and as a new teacher, I’m pretty excited for some time to reflect and revise my classes before I get back in there in July.

As my last act of the semester, I went in to box up my office in preparation of moving to a different room. I needed something casual, but since I was able to sleep in past 5am I was energetic enough to actually dry my hair and intentionally pick what I wore (you don’t even wanna know the state of my hair this past month). I’ve been saving up to move into my own place, so lately my clothing purchases have been restricted to more frugal places, so this outfit (besides the shoes) is all Old Navy.

I’ve been shopping a lot from Old Navy’s regular women’s Tall section. This works well for me with their soft fabric tops and soft fabric dresses, but this vest is on the small side (though that didn’t stop me from wearing it). I’m kinda in love with the style and length. I can see myself wearing it with maxis and dark denim skinny jeans. Unfortunately, the plus size section does not have this in green, but they do have it in khaki.

For some reason my hair looks half blonde and half brunette, but I promise you that it’s evenly blonde. I’ve been wanting to get back to a lighter color, and I’m kind of in an in-between state, but I’m enjoying it.

Old Navy Tall boatneck top, Old Navy Tall vest, Old Navy Plus jeans, Target flats (last year)

By the way, I know I do not blog as often as I used to, but I do update instagram a little more regularly–you can follow me here (and comment on instagram so I can see and follow you back!)

As part of Kiyonna’s Blogger Brigade, I have gotten the chance to try so many of their styles within the last year, but there was one dress that I saw many others wear that I hadn’t gotten my hands on yet — that is until now.

(image from Kiyonna’s website)

I love the design of the Scalloped Luna Lace Dress (slightly different than the regular Luna Lace Dress). I have the top version in two colors, so I knew I’d also love the dress. It’s perfect to wear to a spring/summer wedding, and I’m sure with the right jacket you could wear it out for a more casual day and evening too.

Now here comes the predicament — What do you do when you get a dress that calls for accessories that you don’t own? I’ll admit that I was tempted to go to the store and scoop out a necklace that went well with it (I may have actually done this at Forever21), BUT I am trying to be much smarter with my money and not buy accessories that only go with one item (consider me a recovering shopaholic). I originally imagined this dress with a great statement necklace in a contrasting color, but I just didn’t have it. Instead, I worked with what I already had

For my first look, I went for a more evening-ish look with a statement earring. Instead of a high contrast necklace, the earrings worked in similar colors but picked up more on green than the blue of the dress. To bring in a different pop of color, I went with a berry colored lip (more noticeable in person).

I also thought about how I would wear this with casual accessories. I’m a little in love with white accessories lately, so I went that route. Again, I didn’t have a necklace, so I decided a headband and bag would do.

Scalloped Luna Lace Dress, Target Bag, Clarks wedges (similar)

The dress fits like a dream. If you’re worried about bra straps showing, no worries! The sleeves are not lined, but the top/neck is, so you will not be able to see straps underneath it.

So what do you do about accessories? Do you buy accessories for specific clothing items (or maybe events–which I’d probably do)? Is your style so consistent that it’s easy to mix around jewelry? Any tips?

The countdown has finally begun — 7 days until I’m in my first place. At 26, I am very aware (sometimes harshly so) that many of my peers have had their own places (and perhaps live-in partners, children, or even home ownership) for years, but this is my first big step into adulthood and financial independence and responsibility. I remember in high school thinking that I would be engaged by the time I graduated from college (HA!) and that I would immediately have a job teaching high school English (double HA!). I didn’t anticipate an incredibly rocky student-teaching experience or going immediately from undergrad to graduate school (while living with my parents), but I am here, and I’m really happy with where I have gone since then.

As much as I sometimes feel shame for being part of the generation that continues to live with their parents into adulthood, I would not trade the experience of the last few years. Living with your parents as an 18 year old is a very different experience than living with your parents during your mid-twenties. I am much more interested in my parents and close with them now. I understand their points of view, and while I still might close my ears when my dad gives me advice on evvvverrryythinnng, I also know their strengths and experiences better. There is a certain element of me “not growing up” while I live here, but there’s also a certain amount of joy in that too. Almost every day I lay across my mom’s bed and talk to her. Thursday nights are reserved for watching Project Runway with her and acting shocked when we don’t agree on a design. I laugh at them for how patterned their weeks are (same restaurant every Wednesday and ordering salmon each time) and they show me how being so messy/disorganized can come back to bite me in the bum (at times ;)). I’m lucky in that they will hear me when I say I don’t need to be “parented” on something and lucky that they love and care for my dog as much as I do. It will be weird to go from a house of 4 to just me and Lola, but I’m ready for it.

As I’ve prepared, I’ve realized how normal it is for me to buy clothing and how odd it is for me to buy things for my home. I remember looking at a dress at eShakti at $70 and thinking it was a good price for what I wanted, but spending $77 on 3 sets of towels took me multiple days to commit to. Something isn’t right here! I’m cutting way back on shopping for clothes and putting my money elsewhere, which feels weird but good. And after going through my closet to pack, I’m realizing that I have so many clothes I barely wear, so hopefully that will help me feel like I’m spicing up my wardrobe.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, then you already have seen a couple things I’ve been working on:

I bought a few things from mostly Target and IKEA, stained some furniture, and assembled. I also have boxes and boxes of stuff. I had been using my bedroom’s closet as a bookcase, and even after clearing out a ton of books to give to the local library, I still had 3 boxes of books alone. I’m starting to think that I have a bit of a hoarding problem.

Something that I also discovered while buying for my place is that, just like with my clothing style, I don’t really have a defined home decor style. When I was in college, I was into the very romantic, shabby chic look, and I still have some furniture from that time that I need to use in my own place. I like hints of vintage but not a lot. I like wood details and simple styles. I like pops of color with mostly neutrals in the room, and I tend toward cooler colors for the most part. I guess this makes me think that I’m a store’s dream customer because I’m reactionary to items rather than someone who comes in knowing what they want. Since it’s my first place, I’m not too worried about it being perfectly decorated. I’m figuring that all out while also working with furniture that some of my family owned and are graciously giving to me.

Even though I’m having a bit of a style crisis, I did go shopping for some things, shown below. I’m excited some things are coming together, and I’m starting to think about artwork and walls. I’ve already ordered some prints of my Instagram photos and some prints from etsy, so good things are coming :). Below is a Polyvore set, so I believe you can click the individual pieces and go to the original source of where I bought them.

Although I’m excited, I’m trying to remind myself that my new apartment adventure isn’t all that interesting to other people (believe me, I have to stop myself from tweeting about getting an internet package and I already tweeted about setting up power), but hopefully you all will still enjoy these posts too.

So I’m wanting to hear about how you bring your style into your home. What’s your favorite home stores, blogs, or styles? Does your fashion sense meet your home? Can’t wait to share with you. 

If you’ve been following my blog for awhile, then you probably are aware that I’m a flats girl. If I do wear heels, they are wedges and pretty plain, but lately I’ve been getting into tennis shoes/ sneakers/ trainers, so when JD Sports approached me to pick a pair and try them out, I knew I wanted something that was very new for my closet.

I tend to go with neutrals on my feet and comfort is the ultimate goal, so I kept the comfort idea but decided to bring in color and fun details that my typical shoes lack. After going back and forth over a couple different designs, I decided to go with a pair of converses.

I went with the Dainty Ox Summer style which has a texture on the main part of the shoe and braided laces. These aren’t wide so I wondered how they would fit, but they are very comfy and have plenty of room.

When it came time to style them, I wanted to pick something that would let the shoes stand out. I’ve been loving seeing a lot of bloggers wear shorter dresses with sporty shoes, so I picked a simple cream dress to go with these.

This dress hit me right above the knee, which is the perfect length for me as I really don’t like wearing any shorter. I prefer this dress free flowing, but you could always belt a similar style if you prefer that shape.

ASOS Curve Dress (similar), JDSports.co.uk Converse Trainers, Forever21 floral studs

I think the dress and tennis shoes combo works really well if you know that you’re going to be walking around a lot or if sandals are not comfortable for you. Around where I live, this is probably a more unexpected combo to wear, so that can be fun too.

I’ll admit that tennis shoes for me used to be reserved to band camp and going to the gym, but it’s fun to see them incorporated into fashion. How do you incorporate them in your fashion outside of the gym? What styles of tennis shoes do you gravitate towards?

I never really considered myself a “modest” dresser until I started blogging, but I think that modest is a good term to describe my style. Half my shy-ish personality and half my profession, I tend to choose more covered up styles, BUT I still like to wear trends and figure out ways they work for me. I’ve been seeing crop tops all over blogs for over a year, and plus size bloggers have shown over and over again that there are so many ways to wear crop tops, and actually of all the skin showing trends, it’s probably the most demure.

From the Corners of the Curve and Garner Style

GabiFresh and Lolly Likes Fatshion

I could see myself wearing this style with skin showing at the beach, but I wouldn’t wear that on a day to day basis, so how do I then wear the style? Well this past weekend I went shopping with my friend Brittany to a fancy-pants Forever21 that had a large plus size section. The only item I saw that I wanted was a crop top (which was lucky since I am pretty much out of their size range waist down), and as soon as I tried it on I was thinking of various ways to wear it. I wanted to wear it in a way that drew attention to the scalloped hem, which was my favorite part of the top.

I paired it with a bright blue maxi skirt from Old Navy. Most crop tops I see are a bit more flowy and oversized, and this one is fitted on me, but I still liked being able to work with proportion by choosing where my skirt sat on my waist and how much of the lace from the crop top laid over it.

I chose scalloped edge studs as well and simple sandals to complete the look.

Forever21 Top, Old Navy Skirt, Nine West Sandals, House of Harlow 1960 Earrings

So this was my first dip into the crop top pool (okay, maybe more like putting just my toes in), but I really love the end result. I could ramp it up with more accessories if I ever wanted, but for me this is the perfect running errands–meeting friends for lunch–daily life look.

Are you a crop top lover (either on yourself or others)? How do you like to style them?

For some reason every year I begin begging for summer in March and conveniently forget that a North Carolina summer means one thing: humidity. Yuck.

It’s been stifling hot here, and it’s only June, but I’m remembering quickly that for me less means more when it comes to my summer style. Over the last year, I’ve been slowly falling back in love with Lane Bryant. They’ve really worked on their designs to make them more contemporary and on trend, and I appreciate it! When I was in the store the other week, I was specifically looking for tops in anything but black (I officially have too many clothes in that color), and I stumbled upon this beauty.

I was immediately drawn to the faux leather and how the design was suitable for day and night. I’ve been trying to find items that I wanted to wear in the classroom and out, and the higher neckline allowed me to do it. I loved the chiffon hem that goes on the front and back, but when I tried it on the chiffon was cut a little too tight around my hips (this is my number 1 clothing problem, as most item are cut pretty straight and I’m a full size bigger at the hip). Well a little at home scissor work allowed me to take off the chiffon in the back and now it’s most definitely one of my favorite summer tops. I wore it around town today to run errands, dog in tow, and it’s such a striking top in person.

Colorful accessories would look really nice with this, but I went with gold jeweled sandals and big earrings. My recent trip to the salon has me even more blonde and I’m trying to get used to having a bit different coloring too.

Lane Bryant Faux Leather Top, Torrid Cropped Pants, Nine West Outlet Sandals (similar), Forever21 Earrings

Coincidentally enough, when I got home from running errands I had a surprise package from Lane Bryant with a preview of their Isabel Toledo collection and her signature scarf. Amanda from Fashion, Love, and Martinis suggested I take it with me to the beach, so it looks like you will see it soon as I leave for Charleston tomorrow night :). Thank you, Lane Bryant, for the sweet and unexpected gift!

So.. about your summer style — do you keep it simple or do you still like to layer and accessorize? 

I mentioned a couple posts back that I was moving, and I’ve been getting settled in over the past 2 weeks. It’s not the most luxurious apartment ever, but it is my (and Lola’s) little place all of our own. I had a good laugh looking at the mismatched furniture on the way over, but slowly things are starting to come together. I’ve even added more than the pics below, but I’m in the process of unpacking all of my clothes, so a more updated look will have to wait.

Lola got settled in pretty quickly, for which I am so thankful. I was more worried about her than me, but she’s done really well with not barking at neighbors and spending more time by herself (she’s lived with 3 adults her whole life). Of course I immediately unpacked my dresses, but I’m realizing now that was probably a bad idea since I need more closet room. Guess I will have to work on closet space based on seasons.

My friend Rachel’s grandparents were giving away their old couches, and thankfully she asked me if I needed them. Initially I was only going to have a love seat, so it’s been great having more seating for when people come around. I absolutely love my room. I went from a basement bedroom with no windows (still a nice room though) to a bedroom with 2 windows and an en-suite bathroom. I’m enjoying it! I rescued my grandmother’s old table from a warehouse and Ikea came to the rescue with chairs. The main thing I still need to work on is continuing to unpack and to actually decorate. White bare walls are everywhere, but I don’t have much art at the moment.

Besides getting settled into my new place, I also visited Charleston with some of my family. You can check out my instagram for some pics from there, but I’ll also be doing a post on what I wore and the exciting thing that happened while there in a few days.

Now that I am back home, I’m getting ready for my summer class to start in July. That means lots of planning and getting my office re-set up this week, but I’m enjoying how that’s getting me out of the apartment. Today I headed over to Starbucks to work on my syllabus some more and I wore a top that I picked up recently from ASOS. For a long time I thought that jeans were the hardest thing to buy, but, with recent luck with Old Navy and Torrid, it’s been tops that have been giving me the most trouble. I think this is because I tend to be attracted toward non-stretchy fabrics, and typically they are cut too straight from the bust to hips for my body type. Almost every shirt I try on is too tight in the hips by an inch or two – companies, can you make some tops with wider bottom hems?!

This shirt is a peplum shape which makes it more comfortable for me to wear. I actually wish I had bought this in a 22 rather than 24 so that the top portion would sit closer and end more near my waist, but I like that this top is a unique look for my closet. I can’t tell you how many plain Old Navy boatneck tees I wear in a week, so it’s fun to wear something that has a more assertive style.

I paired it with post earrings and some button rings I made years ago. I could easily change this look up with more attention-grabbing accessories, a belt, or fancier shoes, but a Starbucks work session just didn’t call for those things.

ASOS Curve top, Torrid jeggings, Target flats, Forever21 earrings, button rings

I have lots of pretty clothes that I’ve been wearing and wanting to show you, but it feels odd to try and take pictures on my back deck. Apartments aren’t known for their privacy, ya know, but maybe I’ll risk being that weird new girl with a tripod soon :).

Thanks for sticking with me through all these new beginnings!

Last Thursday I packed up and hit the road with my sister Katie, her husband Brandon, my brother Danny, and his girlfriend Brittany. Yes, yes. I was that lovely 5th wheel, but it’s okay because I enjoy hanging out with them just that much. If you follow my instagram, then you’ll have already seen some of these pictures, but I thought I would hit the highlights of the super exciting weekend and some of the outfits I wore during it.

I wanted to be comfortable on the road and I was already in a beach mood, so I decided to wear my new Old Navy top which has bright blues and pinks.

Since we left after my sister got off work, we got there pretty late at night, but we were up early the next morning to go to the beach at Isle of Palms. My family stayed on the island years ago for a week, and I just love it. Small enough for a true beach community and nice beaches without too many broken shells. Usually I wear a dress as a beach cover up just because of how simple it is, but I decided to wear an old Avenue tank top I had and this new Eloquii skirt that has a nice draped shape to it.

Friday was Brittany’s 25th birthday, so we made sure to have a good time on the beach.

 I wore a Lane Bryant swimsuit that I bought a year or two ago, but they still have similar styles such as this one.

After lunch, we all heading back to rest and prepare for Brittany’s birthday dinner. We all had big plans that were keeping secret, and I am impressed with our collective sneakiness :) haha. I wore an ASOS maxi dress, which I’ll show in more detail at the bottom of the post.

Dinner took a little longer than we expected, and we really wanted to walk on the beach at sunset, but it became dark really fast. Still… this little (ok big) lovely thing happened.

My family is incredibly excited that Brittany said yes. If you’ve been a long time reader you probably remember that Brittany attended FFFWeek events with me last year. She felt like a sister then, and I am happy that we will only get closer with time.

The next day we went to the beach again in the morning, and then went to Charleston around 4 in the afternoon. We’ve all been to Charleston before, so we luckily didn’t feel the need to squeeze everything in (impossible anyway!). We ended up walking through the City Market and then had dinner at Hyman’s. I wore Torrid cropped jeans and a Lane Bryant tank top.

My sister Katie, me, and my soon-to-be sister-in-law Brittany

Katie and her husband Brandon

The happily engaged couple at Hyman’s

I wanted to show the Eloquii skirt better — although I’m having serious second thoughts on the styling below. In case you are considering buying, the material is a little sheer. I will probably wear black shorts or my cheap asos pencil skirts underneath it when I go out again. That said, I’m super in love with the shape, and I love how it looks with a top tucked in. This skirt can go casual or dressy. And you can get it for 20% off right now (at least as of the day I’m publishing this!).

I’ve been holding on to this ASOS dress for a couple months. It has an open back, which kept me from wearing it a couple times, but I had a “duh” moment at the beach and just wore a black tube top under it. By doing that, you’re just leaving the lace at the top of the back showing (if you even care enough to do this) and it doesn’t show your bra clasps. You can even take a tank top and tuck the straps into your undergarments so that it doesn’t show.

For me, this print is beautiful and should be the main focus of the look. I wore jeweled sandals and a pale pink ring. When fall approaches, this dress will also look good with a close fitting leather jacket.

So this was my weekend :) It was definitely one to remember, and I’m so happy that I was included in their engagement. Must be something about June because 2 years ago I was able to see Olivia be proposed to by Ben, and they just tied the knot!

Do you save “special things” to wear for vacation? I have to admit that I was hoarding a couple of these just for this trip!

A few months ago many of us plus size shoppers realized that our local Targets were slowly dwindling their plus size stock. There were a couple months there where my local stores had ZERO plus size options, and they didn’t really announce or discuss it. In fact, my anger was only made bigger when store clerks would sometimes send me on a hunting game (Oh- I think it’s mixed with maternity or clearance) when in reality the section just did not exist anymore. After a couple months, I think I heard from The Curvy Fashionista that they were rolling out a new plus size section, or at the very least the section WAS coming back but that they had issues with stock or who knows what. About a month ago I did find that the section had returned. For me, it wasn’t anything new or greater than before (at least at my Target), but I knew their online offerings had been growing in number, so I was hopeful (and remain a little hopeful) that the section was better. I did see one improvement. They still had their basics, but they also had more “styled” pieces too, and I actually found a skirt that fit me correctly (major win!). I finally wore it out for a bit yesterday and wanted to show my look.

I really love the print of this skirt. It has a chevron style, and it is very textured with the various shades of gray, black, and blues. I find myself to be pretty picky with prints. I don’t want them to be completely overwhelming, and I’ve been giving myself a rule where they have to also be something I’m willing to wear to work, so this fit the bill. I always feel like I’m under accessorized or have an unfinished look, so at first I added in the House of Harlow sunburst necklace along with a studded belt and flat sandals.

When I was at my local Target, this dress also came in a bright pink, which I loved but probably wouldn’t have worn as often. It has pockets (!!!) and also has an elastic/stretchy section in the back, but the fabric itself is not stretchy.

Old Navy top (other colors available), Target skirt, Nine West Outlet sandals, belt unknown

So I guess I will give Target another chance. They make such cute clothes for their other sections, so let’s hope they realize that they should carry that good reputation to their plus size section.

What do you think: necklace or no necklace? Have you shopped Target’s plus size section lately? Any great finds, hopes, or concerns?

P.S. my hair is blonder than it shows here. Apparently my apartment lights turn my hair red-ish.

About a month or so ago, eShakti approached me to see if I’d like to review one of their designs. After buying and loving one of their maxi dresses in the spring, I knew I wanted to try out another style and customize the look. eShakti is unique for their size range (0-36w!!!) and their ability to customize to specific measurements, heights, and styling choices. It takes a little longer than a typical store to receive an item (within 14 business days of the order), but you get the luxury of buying an item that will hopefully fit perfectly. eShakti always has a lot of designs to choose from, but I find myself always looking to their interesting prints, patterns, or cuts. Usually I find items that I can’t find in other plus size stores. Cue to the dress that I chose to review. This dress is made out of a woven fabric — something I typically have to avoid because of my hip measurements. Since I knew I could definitely get this in my size, I decided to take a risk.

While I thought the original design was cute, I wanted to customize it to make it a great piece that I could wear to teach in or to almost any kind of event. I mad the sleeves elbow length, and I lengthened the dress to hit right below the knee. The length change was really helpful because any skirt that is fitted and shorter tends to slowly inch up when I wear it. This length makes it perfect for me to comfortably wear in professional and fun settings.

I played around with a couple different belt widths, but I ultimately went with an Eloquii braided belt. I added complementary accessories and a knot ring to finish the look.

When it comes to sizing, it can be hard to figure out which one to get. I tend to look at how the garment fits and where will it lay most close to my body. For example, in the maxi dress I bought, the skirt was obviously designed to be big and flowy, so I ordered the size based off of my top/bust size. For this dress, I knew my hips/bum area would be the one to consider, so I sized up to the appropriate sizing for that. Definitely use eShakti’s sizing guide to help you choose which one is right for you, or you can choose to completely customize it to your measurements.

I’m really happy with this piece. It’s very unique compared to the other items in my closet, and I finally found a place where I can purchase clothing in non-stretchy fabrics :).

While this dress is no longer available, you can check out their other designs here. Because they have such a wide size range, once the fabric is gone it’s really gone. I recommend jumping on a design if you really love it because it might not be there for long.

You can also check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Have you tried eShakti? What designs are your favorites? How did the sizes/custom styling work out for you?

I’ve been hoarding this beautiful Scarlett and Jo dress for a little over a month, and I finally had a chance to wear it and take pictures. I really love to “dress up” but rarely have the opportunity to do it, as I’ve said before on here, and yet I still can’t get as “in to” casual clothing as I can dress up clothing. Maybe it’s related to my childhood fashion memories? All of the memories I have attached to clothing were dress up clothes: A strawberry dress for a festival (it was damn adorable), a deep red velvet purse with a “pearl”-stringed handle (that I took to an Amy Grant Christmas concert), and so on. This dress reminds me of those.

When Scarlett and Jo first started being carried at Evans, some (I can’t remember if all) of their items had a smaller size range, but they’ve expanded their designs to carry the full size range that Evans offers. You may remember me wearing their dress here in a smaller size than I usually wear. It’s now available in the full size range.

I’m 5’4″, so this dress runs a little long on me. It hits about 2-3 inches under my knee. It has a layer under the skirt with some crinoline type of material that gives the dress that “prom style” shape. The top is a very soft stretchy material, and the elastic band brings in the waist but is not tight or restrictive. I could have easily sized down once and fit well into the dress.

I went with gold accessories, big gold posts that I got from ASOS and a twig ring from their Curve jewelry. You can check out this Scarlett and Jo dress here. I also really love these two pieces:

Scarlett and Jo Skirt

Scarlett and Jo Floral Print Prom Dress

So what do you think of Scarlett and Jo’s designs? They left me feeling pretty happy…

*This dress was sent as a gift from Scarlett and Jo. I expressed my true feelings about the design.