Laid Back Chic

Glasses: HERE| Earrings: Bauble Bar| Top: HERE| Pants: HERE

Purse: HERE or HERE| Sandals: Jeffrey Campbell

Photography by A. Robinson

I spotted this two-piece leopard print set online a couple of weeks ago, immediately I was totally smitten. I added it to my online shopping cart and purchased it right away --> which is a true indication that the likeability factor was HIGH 😁 You see, normally items sit in my online cart for days....and a number of them are periodically moved to my Wishlist, LOL! 
When this set arrived by mail it did not disappoint, the fit was on point, it looked exactly the way that I envisioned it in my mind- clearly an added bonus. 
I'm partial to the color RED forever and always, it's totally predictable that I opted to pair this ensemble with red sunnies, earrings, lip stain, and sandals😍

Until next time Babes,

Xx

Fall Flow

earrings: c/o HERE| one shoulder top: c/o HERE| jeans: c/o HERE| watermelon clutch: c/o HERE| patent leather sandals: old, another option HERE

When Forever 21 reached out to me and asked me to style a few pieces with Fall in mind, I thought it was going to be a challenge. I’m totally still in a summer frame of mind😲 I was wrong Babes-this assignment was a breeze! I found a number of pieces that are great for transitional wear, including this one-shoulder striped blouse. Cold shoulders are all the rage, this number gets an update for Fall with a one-shoulder feature and long sleeves. I decided to pair it with medium wash blue denim jeans plus  pops of red. Red can go with practically any color, but there is something about pairing red with blue that just feels right.

Like it or not, Fall is just over the horizon, soon the days will get shorter, the leaves will change colors and eventually fall off, and in some areas white stuff called snow will fall from the sky!

However, we need not get too far ahead of ourselves just yet 😊 
For now let’s live in the present and fully enjoy the glory  of  S U M M E R 2017!!!

Until next time,

Xx

Mixed Feelings

I’ve recently had one too many conversations with peers who for one or more reasons loathe their own bodies. I actually cringed to listen to a number of things that they said about themselves, as most comments were (not surprisingly) in reference to having gained unwanted weight and how their lives had drastically changed...or so they felt. Their comments gave me cause for pause, because in case they hadn’t noticed, I am a full figured woman! Hello! If they hated the way that they looked, were they not in affect saying that they hated the way that I looked?! And why did they choose to take up those conversations of such subject matter with me?

Yes, those conversations gave me cause for pause, and I have since taken some time to reflect on how different my personal feelings on the matter are. If by chance it isn’t clear, “I am a full figured woman”. I have always been a full figured woman. Give or take a few pounds, I have remained in sizes 12-16 (depending on the cut of an item) for almost 20 years. I’ve previously written about the years of my life that I wasted feeling ashamed of my curves, my body type, and yes my size. I like many women fed into the propaganda that ‘If only I was smaller’ my life would somehow improve by leaps and bounds…

The truth then is exactly the same truth today: Happiness is a choice! Now is the time to love myself, to love my body, to be happy, and to live with gratitude. Of course, I understand the desire to lose a few unwanted pounds, especially when it seems that they have crept up on you! I cannot however, sympathize with hateful speech towards your own body, which in turn teaches young girls, young women, and even influences other adult women that their personal self-worth should be heavily tied to their personal appearance- and even more so- the opinions of others.

If there is only one thing that I could gift every single woman that I come across, it would be constant awareness of everything about 'her' that is truly wonderful. In the interim, I stand in my own truth, embracing this body that I have been given, and styling it to the nine on every possible opportunity : ) Yes I am plus size and I feel fabulous!!! 

Until next time,

XO

Hat: BCBG| Sunnies: Nordstrom| Top: Here| Shorts: Forever 21 Plus| Suede sandals: Via Spiga| Purse: Vintage

Cage Me Up

Bell sleeves are high in demand this season. To be honest, I overflowed with excitement at the prospect of adding a few belled lovelies into my collection. Every store I perused, there they were, enticing me, begging to come home with me-LOL! Seriously, the variety of styles currently available is unmatched! From high fashion to fast fashion, from wool to cotton, in tiers, and or embellished – the list really goes on and on.

For my first acquisition of the hot commodity, I finally settled on this  plus size caged body con dress. The exaggerated trumpet sleeves won me over! For a night out, I styled it with a faux fur vest- yet another winner from ELVI :) I especially love the knit detail on the back of the woollen vest, isn't it stylish?! The neutral color palette matched up so very well together, and the added fuzzy layer was extremely practical for chilly night air.

Purple lipstick: Here| Vest: c/o ELVI| Diamond Heart Shaped Earrings: c/o Kevin Jewelers (similar here)| Dress: Here| Shoes: Nine West, older

Since my sleeves were clearly doing all of the work, I opted for a minimal approach with accessories and finished off the look with a pair of diamond heart earrings from Kevin Jewelers. They feature ‘dancing’diamonds :) There are pins in place to support a hanging diamond in the middle of the hearts! The hanging diamond stays in motion and appears to twinkle from every direction, so glamorous <3

I mentioned previously that I am working with Kevin Jewelers as an Influencer. An absolute perk of this partnership is visiting a store each month and getting the inside scoop on upcoming deals and sales! You’ll be happy to know that there are a number of good things on tap this month! For instance, right now there is a destination deal called “Diamonds, Deals, and Destinations”. To put it simply:

• With a purchase of $299, you get a FREE trip to Vegas!
• With a purchase of $2,499, you get a FREE trip to Hawaii!
• Use promo code "KJLANovember" during November for 10% all in-store purchases

I don’t know about you, but freebies like that are right up my alley! Head on over to Kevin Jewelers, pick out your bling + a getaway!

Until next time,

XO

Just Trenched

Today’s style story offers a glimpse into what day to day cool weather wear looks like for me in my neck of the woods! 

Hat: Here| Sunnies: F21, old| Trench coat: Here| Tank: F21, old |Coated denim jeans: Misses & Plus| Booties: Marshalls |Purse: Kate Spade

I was born and raised in Michigan, and was accustomed to long grizzly Winters and short intense Summers. That called for puffy coats, fur, fur, faux fur, and more fur :) When I moved to the west coast of the country, I had to shift my way of thinking, even in relation to my idea(s) of dressing for the season.

This look is a perfect example of how I like to employ layers and mix in differing style elements from a variety of seasons. You see, generally speaking, mornings start off brisk and without a lot of sunshine. If I’m going to be out and about in the elements, I need layers. This can be a bit tricky… by midday the intensity of the sun shifts temperatures drastically (in my head at least by 20 degrees). At that point, it is necessary to begin removing layers one at a time, if not all at once! However just a few hours later, the sun drops, and temperatures are back to brisk formation, requiring layers to be reapplied in rapid fashion-LOL!

This way of dressing/undressing was such a conundrum for me when we first moved out west! It is only as of late that I feel I am getting a handle on it :) Nonetheless, just when I think I’ve gotten the hang of it totally, Summer weather makes a total comeback and the concept of cool weather wear goes out the window completely, LOL!

I’m curious, how do you dress for cool weather in your neck of the woods?

Until next time,

XO

All About That Lace

Lace continues to be on the red hot list this season. This is not surprising at all to me, it gives off an air of romance, femininity, and class. I gravitate towards feminine styles of clothing nine times out of ten.  This vintage inspired lace dress caught my eye during a recent impromptu ‘Shop Til You Drop Marathon’. Have you been a victim of this marathon before?  Honestly, I set out the day to hit 3-4 sales, and before I knew it I had been in over 15 stores and had more ‘hits’ than ‘misses’ in my hands…LOL!
Back to the story at hand: I actually ran into this store looking specifically for a dress that I spotted online. This lace beauty just so happened to be misplaced onto another rack - I scooped it up and jetted off to the fitting room. I loved the way that it looked when I saw it on, I mean it has bell sleeves too! I decided to snag one size down. I searched the whole area, yet I could not find another dress like this one anywhere. So… I made the executive decision to get this one anyway…
I generally style items new to my collection in a number of ways. This helps me to get a true feel for which style pairings I like it with best. This dress was no exception. I wore it to the office one day styled with a turtleneck jersey dress underneath. It was a perfect match!  I’m happy that I purchased it in a larger size :) Next up on the list for this number is to style it with a wide leather belt…I just might blog that look too – stay tuned!

Until next time,
XO

Sunnies: Nordstrom| Vintage earrings & necklace| Dress, similar here| Vintage clutch, similar here| Cork sandals, similar here

Fall Mixer

Fall is officially underway, I figure what better time than the present to host a Fall Mixer?! Not to worry Loves, you’re invited! What type of Fall Mixer do I have in mind? Seizing the opportunity to wear mixed prints of course- LOL! 

I love a good print toss, and as I’ve mentioned before, one seamless ways to do so is by utilizing black & white. See examples here, here, and here. 
Not only is black and + white a favorite color duo, but it also makes for effortless print mixing, whether you choose to do so in pairs, triples, or quads! Today’s print mix features stripes x floral print, which can be worn throughout every season.

Although cooler temperatures are coating most of the US, don’t hastily pack away all of your summer fashions just yet. Take for instance this summer tube dress. I scored it on clearance at the end of the season. Instead of waiting until next Summer to wear it, I decided to pair it with a classic button-up. If the temperatures were cooler, I would wear this layered with a moto jacket, patterned tights, and booties ;) When you think about it, the possibilities are endless, especially when we choose to think outside of so-called dressing norms!

Sidebar: I have a healthy collection of vintage pieces, take for example this netted pillbox style hat. Oftentimes I don’t think to pull them off of display until special occasions arise, but this season I am making a conscientious effort to create opportunities to sport my vintage wins more often. 
Stay tuned to see more & follow me out on social media: Instagram/Facebook/Twitter.

Until next time Beauties,
XO

Netted pillbox hat: Vintage| Top: Talbots| Dress: Forever 21 Plus, ON SALE NOW!| Booties: Marshalls| Handbag: Vintage