The past month of my life has been a whirlwind of activities. Between finishing up the semester, having a heap of grading to complete, attending a bunch of events, and trying to make time for sleep, I was exhausted and a little concerned about my long week of traveling. I was looking forward to these trips for awhile, but I hadn’t considered that I would have been so busy leading up to the trips. My apartment was a mess, I was having to stay up late at night to pack — yikes! Luckily, I did make it on the road, got through some storms on the way, and ended up having a good time.

First stop on my week of travels was Kentucky. My aunt lives there at a home school for the intellectually disabled. She’s lived there since before I was born, and I’ve visited her, I think, 4 times in the last 6 years for her school’s Family Weekend. I travelled with my sister and two aunts, and I knew it would be a mostly relaxed time. My aunt loves two of my favorite things: shopping and going out to eat–but maybe not exactly where I’d want to eat or go shopping. We had lunches at Frisch’s (a big boys diner type restaurant), and she tackled her long shopping list at Walmart. We also got a chance to hang out at her school, squeeze in a book fair, do some swinging, and see a talent show.

my aunts and sister

I got way too excited about this book fair. I LOVE book fairs, and I spent a good deal of time trying to look for odd shaped erasers that I would never actually use and other fun things.

I love this picture of my aunt swinging! The weather decided to be perfect for this one day of campus activities, which I was very thankful for. Warm with a breeze: I’ll take that any day.

I wanted to wear an outfit that was really, really easy. Black jeans+black top+kimono=easiest, most relaxed outfit possible. This outfit takes barely any thought, and yet I looked put together. Win!

ASOS kimono from last year, Torrid black jeggings

We headed home on a Saturday, and I had another whirlwind experience getting ready to go on trip number two. Visited my pup, cleaned out my car, laundry and packing, caught up on work, and errands. Woo! Again, I made it, and I honestly surprised myself with how much I could get done in such a small amount of time. For this trip I was heading to the beach for a few days with my sister and her husband.

The beach was kind of perfect. Not many people out there on the beach, and it was actually kind of cool. I was able to stay out sunbathing most of the day since it wasn’t too hot to do it. Note to self: May is a great time to head to the beach. Also note to self: Do not even attempt to take a “cute” selfie on the beach in the sun. It’s impossible.

For the most part, when I am at the beach, I am a beach bum. Not a lot of fashion is happening between sleeping in, sunning, and playing games of Mexican Train with the family. We did head out one night for dinner, so I slipped on an Old Navy top and my new ALDO purse.

I really like the print of this top with its small pops of yellow. Though it doesn’t photograph that well, I like that it fits closer to the body in the shoulders and bust but then is wider toward the hips. It also felt nice to put on a face of make up after keeping it so simple all week.

Old Navy Top (no longer available), Torrid Jeggings, ALDO purse

I headed home a few days later, finishing up Me Before You on audiobook on the way home. After I got home with my pup, I think we slept for about 12 hours straight. What a week, but a good one. I guess if there’s one thing that I’m okay being tired from, it’s traveling.

I started wearing make up in middle school, just simple things like lip balm and blue eyeshadow :-p. About 15 years later, I finally feel like I’m starting to get a hang of this make up game, mostly due to finding the right products for my face and a little help from youtube. I thought I’d post my favorite products for you to see, and risk never having someone love me again because of the faces I’m making here.

Step One: Starting a base

My biggest issue with achieving a look I want is the dark circles under my eyes (which always lead people to ask me if I’m sick or tired), and blue-ish tones under various parts of my skin (yay for being Italian). The blue-ish tones are an issue for people who have PCOS as well. I always start my make up process with a CC cream, which is a color corrector product. I have blue, yellow, red tone — all over! Almay’s CC cream is very light, and while it does even out my tones slightly, I mostly use it because it has the right amount of moisture for my skin and sets a good base. I love the way my skin feels after using it. I apply this with a wedge sponge.

Step Two: Concealing dark spots

The CC cream does not, however, cover the blue tones on my face. I have tried so many concealers. Read that very slowly because my search for a good concealer really was a multi-year struggle. But I found one!! That I LOVE! I finally broke down and went into Sephora and explained my issues with my blue tones. The person who helped me let me take a sample of Benefit’s Erase Paste in Fair and their brand’s color correcting product. As soon as I started using the Erase Paste, I knew it was what I was looking for. The consistency is kind of pastey. It’s a little sticky, and that works well for getting it to not just come right off as you apply it. I put it under my eyes, above my upper lip, and chin, and then I use a cheap beauty blender to even it out. You can put this on heavier or lighter depending on your need. Again, LOVE this product. It’s awesome!

Step Three: Applying foundation

I’ve used different kinds of foundation. I’ve tried Bare Minerals powder foundation, and then their liquid foundation. I saw that a good number of youtube vloggers were using Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation Stick, and I was looking for more coverage and decided to go for it. I had someone in Sephora color match for me, which worked in my favor because I would have bought one that was too light. I like that this product can be applied lighter or heavier. Right now I put a swipe on both cheeks, chin, and forehead, and then I use a brush to blend it all over.

Step Four: Warming up

I used to just want to cover blemishes. I would only use concealers and foundations, completely washing out any color from my face. I learned that when you make a base (foundation), you have to add back color, which is why so many women do contouring. I don’t often use the Mary Kay Bronzer because it is pretty strong, but sometime I will use it for slight contouring. I mostly use this Physician’s Formula Bronzer in “Healthy Glow” (almost out in my pic!), and it just adds a little warmth back to my face without it being too strong.

Step Five: Blush

Blush is the product that I have the hardest time with in determining what is too much or too little. I remember my mom telling me that I needed to wear it (again, I used to wash myself out with just foundation), and so I started wearing it. It surprised me that this Sephora blush in a pink-orange color looked most “natural” for me when wearing it (Color 05). It matched my own natural blush. I sometimes apply this and then need more or need to rub a little off. Hmm.. make up is hard sometimes.

Step Six: Eye focus

I don’t often wear eye shadow or eyeliner, but if I do want eye shadow, I reach for this really easy bronze color from Mary Kay. I’ll admit that I was skeptical of Mary Kay (I am about most companies who have this seller model for some reason), but I really like some of their products–this being one! It’s their cream eye shadow in iced cocoa, and I really like the consistency as well as the pigmented color. I also really like their mascara. Mascara was also a hard thing for me to find. I used Bare Minerals for a long time, but their version started clumping really easily and didn’t make my eyelashes pop. I now use Mary Kay’s Ultimate Mascara, and I don’t plan on finding a new mascara any time soon.

Step Seven: Final touches

I don’t really do lipsticks or lip glosses. I get annoyed with them or the color looks off on me. Lip balm is my go to, though. I really like Burt’s Bee’s Tinted Lip Balm. I’m wearing Red Dahlia here, which is their darkest color. I also like their Rose color (brighter red) and their Zinnia color (orange/coral). I also included images of two other products I sometimes use: NYX highlighter and Make Up For Ever Microfinish Powder.

I am in no way a make up expert, but I am happy to say that I have found things that work for me — a make up look that makes me feel good and matches how I like to look. I am still open to finding good eyeliners and blush tips or any other great finds you’ve come across, so if you have any, please leave them in the comments!

P.S. Please say you still love me after seeing these pictures

I have a love-hate relationship with Target. It’s one of those stores that frustrates me constantly with its mediocre-at-best plus size clothing selection, while also pleasantly surprising me with the occasional awesome piece. Shopping in the store isn’t exactly fun either. Target said they were revamping their plus section, and they did to a certain extent by coming out with the Ava and Viv line, but actually shopping in the store is the same: racks mixed in with clearance and maternity racks, few styles actually in store to try on and purchase, etc. After a little hunting yesterday, I found this black and white striped maxi dress hidden in the racks, and yet again I was both glad for and annoyed at Target.

Maxi dresses are my go-to in spring and summer, but they are often sleeveless or too formal. While I love sleeveless dress for outside events and to throw over a swimsuit, I usually want some type of sleeve for work or for other indoor activities. Because of this issue, this dress really appealed to me with its long capped sleeves. I usually only find plus size clothes that are 3/4 length sleeve, full sleeve, or sleeveless, so this is a nice in-between: long enough to be comfortable and different enough to stand out from other pieces in my closet. I also liked the horizontal strip at the end of the sleeve.

I also liked the sporty feel to the dress with the tie at the waist and pockets. Sporty isn’t a word I’d typically use to describe my wardrobe, so this was as “sporty” as I probably would go. I plan to wear it with colored tennis shoes once I get them in the mail. I assumed at first that the tie would be too low on the waist for me, but I enjoyed the shape it created.

I am slowly building up my tolerance to accessories. I value them aesthetically, but rings and necklaces get on my nerves when wearing them. One accessory I can get down with is a good purse. A colorful, patterned purse goes well against this black and white dress, and I liked that this Aldo purse had a small amount of stripes to tie back into the dress. I think most purses would go well with this piece. You could stick to a neutral or put in a pop of color to have the piece stand out (similar purse here).

I love the ease of this piece, how put together you can look with minimal effort, and how comfortable it is to wear. I even got a compliment on it within 2 hours of putting it on — it’s just a piece that does stand out.

This is one piece that I’ll go out on a limb for and say it’s worth searching out the racks (or saving your peace of mind and ordering online :)).

In the last few weeks, I’ve had a similar experience happen maybe 3-4 times. I’m engaging in someone’s words, media, and art. I’m thinking alongside them and interested in what they have to say. Then, BAM! They make fun of fat people or make stereotypical or false comments about fat people—basically they make me realize that they are not my kind of people. They believe “truths” about fatness that I disagree with wholeheartedly. They see fat bodies, fat bodies like mine, as worthy of ridicule, shame, or pity.

At what point do we decide to disengage with people we like because they make it apparent that they can’t stand our bodies? This is something I’ve asked myself multiple times, ranging from people with whom I have a relationship to people I just find interesting.

I’m sure that most of us have experienced something similar to the following scenario:

I was listening to the Brain Candy Podcast hosted by Susie Meister and Sarah Patterson. It was an episode titled “Vaginas”, so you can guess the focal point of their conversation. I found myself listening and enjoying what the two had to say, when suddenly Sarah brought in a story from one of her friends. I knew it was going to be annoying when the first thing that she said to describe the main woman in the story was that she weighed 400 lbs. *shock* *horror*. As soon as someone’s weight came into the story about them, then we, the listeners, know that weight is meant to signal something about the person described. Well—what were these 400 lbs supposed to mean about this person? Sarah went on to describe a story that involved mayonnaise, lubrication, and maggots, and let’s just say it was a gross story. BUT inherent in the joke was that this fat woman was so disgustingly fat (and all the things associated with fat – not clean, dirty, sexually dirty, lazy, etc.) that she deserved our ridicule. Sarah then ends it saying that the woman used mayonnaise because everything else in her fridge was cleared out because -HAHA- this 400 lb fat person has most definitely eaten herself out of house and home.

People…people. Not today.

I like Sarah and Susie, and so I wrote to them after hearing more than one comment about fat people letting them know that I heard their comments and that they should reconsider how they talk about fat people. I think they see themselves as feminist-ish, so I was hoping they would be open to considering the narratives they put out about fat women and people in general. They discussed my letter in a later podcast, and their response was kinda “meh” and that some things just need to be seen as a “joke”. They noted that the comment probably was offensive because people were offended, but brushed it off besides that. Apparently I was not the only person to comment on the way they discuss fat people.

Today, maybe because I wanted to see if they had shifted their tones at all, I began listening to their latest “Body Positively” podcast. I ugh-ed myself through Sarah’s discussion of a size 12 model for American Eagle/Aerie, as she almost patted herself on the back for saying a size 12 person was beautiful, while referencing the girl’s big butt and tiny waist. Then Susie brought up Tess Holiday. Sarah follows her on instagram and seems to like her. Susie makes some comment about how large Tess is. Something like she’s bigger than what’s even considered “plus size” (who knew Susie was an expert on plus sizes?!), and then Sarah made a comment on eating one’s self to death. This “death” comment ironically hit the last nail in the coffin for me when it comes to listening to Sarah and Susie. I tried to imagine a scenario where I would comment about someone’s assumed habits and likely death before I would discuss them as a person, and I just can’t imagine it. I pressed pause. I deleted their podcast off of my phone. I had enough.

I’ve officially become one of those people who is a killjoy. Who can’t get behind the joke because I’m positioned at the end of it. A 400lb person is almost me. Could be me. Is my friend, neighbor. Is a human being with feelings, loved ones, etc. Who has unique qualities as any other person. I’m SO tired of these jokes. I’m so tired of someone’s weight being a reason for their ridicule OR a prop to make the punch line even funnier.

I’m also really tired of consuming media that reinforces beauty ideals such as the size 12 “acceptable fat” conversation above. I’m tired of listening to thin women talking about fat women. I can’t give one single more minute to these kinds of conversations.

I’ve had so many moments where I’m engaging in media, when *BAM* there’s a fat joke or diss. It feels like the cartoon equivalent of getting hit in the head with a frying pan. It reminds me *pang* that I am the invisible consumer of this media who is being shamed *pang*, that I’m not the imagined thin consumer *pang*, that I don’t belong here *pang*, that I’m the joke rather than the reader.

I’m done listening.

Working in higher education, I’ve heard a lot of conversations about students wanting trigger warnings, not being open to engage with controversial topics or strong stances, etc., and I wonder about my own refusal to go any further with media like this. What does ignoring this media do for me or others? I tried to “talk back”, but that didn’t seem to do much at all. Again, at what point do we decide to disengage with people we like because they make it apparent that they can’t stand our bodies? Does that mean being really selective of what we read from certain people or cutting off consumption of their media all together? I have to admit that my gut instinct is to unfollow, unsubscribe, etc., and to not allow one more penny or minute to go toward them, but is that realistic? I only experience this with topics of fatness, and so I can only imagine how this issue is compounded for those who have multiple marginalized identities. Well, I can do more than imagine it–I can listen to people’s experiences with it.

Words become us – our thoughts, our beliefs, our actions, our views of the world. To consume these words feels wrong because they feel like violations against myself. My only option seems to be more selective of whose words I let become me and to be more considerate of what I create and put out in the world too.

Have you had similar experiences to this? How do you handle it? What are your thoughts on consuming and reacting to views that are against who you are?

One of the most exciting things about plus size fashion at the moment is that new lines and collaborations keep popping up. When hearing about each new place to shop, my inner teenager who had only 2 places to go to gets really, really excited, but if you’re above a size 22/24, so many of these new opportunities are still out of your reach. Because of that, I get even more excited when there’s a new line that goes beyond a size 22/24. Enter Lovesick, a sister brand of Torrid. They  advertise themselves as sizes 10-26; however, many of their tops and dresses are available in a size 5, which is comparable to a size 30. I decided to try multiple pieces, and as a definite size 4/28 top and dress size, the 5’s were too big on me and the 4’s fit perfectly. I decided to purchase the dress below in a 5 because it seemed straight cut and I was worried about the fit on my hips, but I definitely could have sized down once to have it fit slightly more to my form.

This style isn’t my typical look, but I really enjoyed the departure. It was freer flowing, boho-ish. The sleeves were too long and loose compared to the way it looked on the model, but again I really liked how flowy and light it was. I completed the look with a braid at the front of my hair and curls, though my hair is too dark to see that detail.

I wore it with black leggings since I was heading into work. One of the issues I often face with leggings in being really picky about what shoes are worn with them. Typically I would opt for booties, but it’s summer time, so I went with these sandals from Torrid (which I got on clearance in store — not many left online). I liked that the criss-crosses and ties of the sandals made my foot more covered up than a typical sandal or flat.

I always carry a crossbody bag, and I recently had to replace my 2-year-old Aldo bag. I picked up this bag at TJMaxx for cheap.

I knew that some people would wonder what this piece looked like with a belt. In my mind, it’s too short of a dress for a belt. The belt also cuts away at the flowy, boho style of the dress, but it’s definitely an option for those who want it.

Lovesick Dress, Catherines Leggings, Torrid Sandals, TJMaxx Purse

I definitely recommend trying out Lovesick if you are within the size 10-26 range, and even if you are a dress size 28-30 (though I only recommend size 4 or 5 tops and dresses). I’ve been happy with each of my pieces, and with every order I understand their sizing/fabrics better. Next new-to-me brand I want to try? Rebdolls. Let me know if you’ve shopped from them and if you have any tips on sizing/selections.

Growing up on the lake, I am pretty realistic about swimsuit looks. I always love seeing the glammed up styles from bloggers who have caftans, hats, and jewelry on when heading toward the pool, but when my swimming sessions often are with my siblings, who have absolutely zero patience for over primping, then I know my looks have to be much more simplistic. Usually my swim look is a cute swimsuit + a pull over tube dress from Old Navy + sunglasses + the closest shoes to the door. That said, I wanted to find something in between the overly casual and the glam looks that I adore.

Enter in the “Wild Child” dress from plus size Indie brand Zelie for She. Super comfortable and easy to wear, but the fabric elevates this maxi to be more than just a casual, every day piece. I’m in love with this print, which is shown in more detail below. I also like that if you go more toward glam, various lipstick colors can easily go with this, along with many jewelry styles. This dress comes in a “one size fits all”, which I was nervous about. I decided to go for it since the shape widen out from the top, but I do think I am close to the top size. It just fit my bust and shoulders, but would fit someone larger on the bottom. Oh! And it has pockets!!

I also love it without the belt for a breezy, flowy look. I like how without the belt you can see the stripes and the short brush strokes on the print. It has the perfect amount of transparency for a good balance between seeing your swimsuit underneath but also mostly showcasing the dress itself.

Swimsuit shopping is always a little frustrating. I am a good bit larger at the bottom of my torso/bum, so finding a swimsuit that fits top and bottom and is long enough in the torso is like trying to find the needle in the haystack–or as big of a haystack as it can be when plus size swimsuits are already limited!

I really liked the ties on the front of this Torrid swimsuit. If you’re concerned about them opening, they are sewn so that they will not open. In fact, you can’t space them out even if you wanted to. I really liked that this suit was so long in the torso. I could probably have even more length and it would have fit fine. There are some downsides to this suit. The built in “bra” does not work for me at all. It’s too loose under the bust, and the closure on the back comes apart easily (under the swimsuit fabric but is in there for support). I think I will cut the back bra closure off because it serves no purpose for me. It would have been a better product had it been a typical bra closure. I chose to wear a bra under this suit, which does not show on the outside. I personally don’t mind doing this, as it’s something I’ve had to do since I was young. There’s also boning on the sides that is made out of plastic. You can actually see it on the suit to the sides where it peaks out in an angle. The plastic bends and then makes a shape that isn’t there. I might cut those out too, since it would just lay on my natural shape without those. Even though the suit isn’t perfect, I still really like the style, and it’s a little more fun than some of my past suits.

So this is my in between swimsuit look — not fully glammed up and not super casual. Of course the clothing items themselves are only one part, so make up and hair can easily shift an outfit into the style you want. If you want more swimsuit looks for inspiration, check out the Instagram feed for the Golden Confidence Pool Party that happened last week (which sparked my inspiration).

Yesterday my family came together to celebrate a belated father’s day and my sister-in-law, Brittany’s, birthday. Typically I show up very, very casually dressed because my family likes to go out on the lake on the boat, but yesterday I had received my first order from Colourpop cosmetics, and the new makeup inspired me to look a little nicer than I usually do.

I am trying to venture out a bit with makeup. A couple years ago when I went to FFFWeek with Brittany, she convinced me that eyeliner is okay to wear. Haha, I really thought it looked like too much (and in North Carolina, most people keep things extremely casual with very natural makeup styles). Now I’m nudging my way into wearing lip colors that are a little more attention grabbing. I’m slowly doing this. Colourpop‘s products definitely fit their name, and I thought the lip color was a little too vibrant, but looking at the pictures now it seems fine, and I’m realizing I’m mostly limited by the way I’m used to seeing myself versus what actually looks fine.

Speaking of limiting the way I see myself, I’ve been blogging for almost 6 years. Granted, the last few years have only had sporadic posting, but I’ve seen a lot of pictures of myself. Brittany was helping me take pictures, and I realized I still only pose in certain ways and feel uncomfortable taking pictures that are beyond smiling at the camera. This is another thing I want to allow myself to be and do without feeling insecure. It may seem small (and kind of silly), but it’s linked again to the way I limit the way I see myself, so why not expand that.

As for the outfit, I’m wearing one of my favorite tops I’ve purchased this summer. A bardot style striped top from Torrid. It has navy stripes and can be worn more off the shoulder than I’m showing here.

I added this orange-red bag from Old Navy and sunglasses from Urban Outfitters. Warning, if you purchase this bag, it has a bad smell due to the way it’s manufactured (I’m guessing). Prepare to air it out for a couple days before wearing it out.

By the way, family party = dog party. How cute are they?

So lipstick and new poses, baby steps to get back on track with trying things I like but am insecure about. Such tiny things that remind me that positive body image is a constant work in progress.

Hi everyone! I have to laugh at my last post — June 27th. Just a week before I started teaching again, and then once I was teaching…well I fell back down the black hole of a work-consumed life. Going to try to reach a better state of balance, but we’ll see how that goes one my new semester starts next week.

On to stuff I’ve been doing! At the end of July, my entire immediate family flew out to Los Angeles to attend an event honoring my dad. He was being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his his industry’s major association. My dad is a hard-working person, and I think most people see him this way, but it’s not often to get to hear “We see you and recognize you”, especially on such a big forum. The event meant a lot to him, and it meant a lot for all of his kids to come and celebrate with him. Let’s get on to the trip:

When I say my “entire immediate family” I mean “all 9 of us”. Yes, 9 full grown adults all flying in for a trip together. (We are an odd number because I’m the only single person – wahhhh :-p.) Sometimes it’s hard to make it through a family meal with all 9 of us in good spirits, so I was a little nervous. Luckily everyone was in a great mood the entire time, so it was kinda magical. Because there were so many of us, we all flew in on different flights and only planned to have dinner all together that evening. We went to an Italian restaurant called Tutti Mangia, and I had the most delicious ribeye with truffle butter (yes, it was awesome).

Day One

We had one full day of doing whatever we liked before my dad’s main event, so we decided to be full on tourists. We headed down to Hollywood to visit the main street there and go on a tour of the area.

Here is my family exhibiting tourist-y behaviors. Siblings in the back getting photos, and my brother posing up front. Gotta love a pose that gives the knees a time to shine.

We walked down to the main street there where they had the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I only took a couple shots of the stars, one being Daniel Radcliffe.

Later I found the Harry Potter trio’s handprints in front of the TCL Chinese Theater. More exciting was seeing Shirley Temple’s and Bing Crosby’s. I have to imagine that putting your handprints down back then was a little more exciting than it is now.

We only had a little time before our tour of Hollywood/Beverly Hills, so we headed into a candy store where we’d meet our tour guides. The store had exciting features like an M&M Eminem:

It also had guys making candy. I had seen a video circulating on Facebook a month prior of how people make this candy (layering and then rolling into thin/reduced pieces), so it was fun to watch them in person.

The tour we went on was for stars’ homes in Hollywood/Beverly Hills. There were a lot of things I wanted to do while on the trip, but I didn’t get a chance to (Disneyland, studio tour, Santa Monica Pier), but this was one thing we could easily fit into our schedule and many of us could do at the same time. It ended up being an interesting tour with some limited views of homes and good views of neighborhoods in this part of CA.

I wasn’t good at taking pictures during the tour, and eventually I gave up. I also might have spilled Sprite on myself at the very beginning of the tour and was slowly crystalizing into sugar. I did get this picture of Nicholas Cage’s home – You’re welcome for this insider look into his life!

I was more so fascinated by the various things people had to do to perch a house in the limited space available. These houses below would give me anxiety-filled dreams of beams breaking and the house sledding down the hill.

Afterwards, my sister Katie, her husband Brandon, and I made a side trip to go see Jen at The Plus Bus Boutique (owned by Jen and Marcy, I believe). I met Jen a few years ago at Full Figured Fashion Week, and I had kept in touch with her and her business venture online. I really wanted to stop by the store itself. This is the kind of business that I wish was available around me. I love that her shop also has community events where women are encouraged to come in together and shop but also just have fun, hang out, and meet other plus size women. I shopped with friends growing up, but never had a friend around my size that shopped plus size alongside me. I think it’s really great to have these social events for women and to have a meeting place where people “get it”.

My sister Katie, Jen, and me

My favorite piece in my size: A Joe Browns dress perfect for fall

Katie’s favorite was a Jessica Simpson dress

So many colors and prints!

After talking visiting the boutique, we headed back toward the hotel. We were about 45 minutes from just about everything in LA due to traffic, so it was dark by the time we got in. We went for a quick dinner and In-N-Out, which I had heard of before. I’m sorry to report that the food was most definitely “Meh”, though maybe we just got a bad batch!

I finished the night out with a swim in the pool with my brother and his wife Brittany (who I traveled with to FFFWeek the second time around). I wore this Lane Bryant two piece (top can be found here and bottoms were purchased last year). This is actually the first time I’ve ever worn a two piece in public. I’ll admit that sometimes doing so feels very radical in the moment of wearing it, walking around the pool, going from pool to hot tub, etc. I felt good, so it worked for me.

Day Two

On day two we all went out to breakfast together again. My dad and mom had events all day related to his Hall of Fame induction, and we really only had about half a day to do things. We decided to head to a local mall that had a City Chic. I was really interested in seeing what their store would be like. They had a gorgeous display and set up.

I thought everything was displayed really well, and it made me want to look at various pieces. The sales associate was really nice and fun. She immediately keyed in on my brother-in-law who read as “Southern” quickly. The changing room was nicely decorated as well and had a chic seating area. As nice as the store and sales associate were, I was so incredibly disappointed in the visit. I knew that City Chic carried up to a 24 (their “XXL”), but in this store they only received items up to their XL/22. I’ve worn their pieces before and know a 24 can work for me depending on shape/fabric. What a disappointment. I want to love brands. I really do. But when I enter into their stores and cannot shop, when they actually DO have clothes that fit me but do not stock them, I leave disappointed and unimpressed. This isn’t just City Chic. I went to Torrid right after, and while some Torrids carry up to 5 in shirts/dresses, I couldn’t hardly find any 4s in the store. Really, I just wanted to try on jeans, but they only carried up to a 26 (they carry up to a 30 online). Their sales associates were also super friendly, and I could tell they felt uncomfortable with not being able to provide things for me to try on, but ah.. it wasn’t meant to be. Note: EVERYONE I met who worked in CA was super friendly to the point where we all commented on it. North Carolina is supposedly known for “southern manners”, but the people in California were much more friendly and helpful everywhere we went.

That night was the big event. I headed back to my room to hurry and get ready. I went with simple make up (the only thing I really know how to do) and wavy hair. My dress is Kiyonna and earrings are Aldo Accessories (similar).

My mom and dad in front of his display.

My sister Katie in ASOS, Brittany in City Chic, and me in Kiyonna

Katie, my brother Danny, and me

My dad and me

All 9 of us

Day Three

On the last day in LA, I wanted to make sure to spend time with my parents. They had been busy with things from my dad’s event, so we hadn’t done much more than eat together. My mom wanted to go to a miniature train show, so there we went. Yes, I went to a miniature train show during my trip to LA. Yes, it made me think of the Borrowers. Yes, it kinda made me want to shove everything off my kitchen table and start creating some random scene for an electric train to run through.

That afternoon I headed back out with Katie and Brandon to visit Laguna Beach. Danny and Brittany had gone on a previous day, and the pictures they took were gorgeous. I also wanted to live out my high school fantasies of running into Stephen Colletti while walking along the shore.

Stephen Colletti was no where to be seen, but it really was a gorgeous beach. It was crowded, so it took us awhile to find a place to park and to venture out to the beach itself. We found a small beach with a community walk down and garden.

All of the houses and cliffs were eye candy. Every where you looked there was something beautiful.  I loved that the part of the beach that we went to had rocks coming out of the ocean. NC beaches (the ones I go to) are very flat, so it was exciting to see the waves against cliffs and rocks.

Day Four

Day four was spent flying back to North Carolina on two delayed flights. I did manage to read all of The Cursed Child during the flight and got home safe and sound. My suitcase on the other hand…

A few weeks ago, Irresistible Me reached out to see if I wanted to try out their hair extensions. Being someone who pretty much wants to try most beauty-related items, I jumped on the chance to try out their product. I had purchased a clip-in extension years and years ago (it was one large piece), and had liked the added volume but disliked the fact that it was one large piece, so I was happy to see that their remy clip in hair extensions came in 8 pieces, allowing me much more customization as I used the product.

Left: without extensions, Right: with extensions

I have fine hair that has some natural curl and wave to it. I am particularly thin toward the front of my hair and at my crown, and though my hair was long this summer, the ends lacked any kind of volume. I was interested to see if the clip-ins would look natural with my individual hair needs.

But first, let me share how I picked out my extensions. Madison from Irresistible Me passed along a couple tools to help me make a decision. One was this YouTube video that shows, compares, and describes the various colors they offer. The other was this pin that showed the different lengths of the extensions. Based off the description and view of length, I went with the Medium Brown in 16 inches. Madison also told me that the three options of weight (100g, 140g, 200g) refers to the total weight of the hair without the clips. This is relative to length, since a 14″ 200g piece will look thicker than a 24″ 200g piece. I was dipping my toes into the clip-in pool, so I wanted something that would look natural and not be too long for me to work with, so 16″ and 140g it was.

Wearing the extensions in both of these pics. Different lighting, but in each the extension color works into my natural color.

My hair this summer was the longest it has been since high school. I usually have it shorter than this, so one thing I noticed when I got in the clip in extensions is that they extended my length only a little but extended my volume a lot. The ends of my hair was thin and sat flat against me, but with the extensions, the ends of my hair were full.

Left: without extensions, Right: with extensions

Because these are remy extensions, they can be washed and you can use heat tools on them. I’ve tried them out with many different hair styles, using both a curling wand and a flat iron on them.

One of my favorite uses is incorporating the extensions into a braid or up do. As I mentioned above, my hair is fine and thin, so using extensions allows me to thicken up a braid. Now in the image below, I wanted a thick braid and I achieved it with just two clip-in pieces, one of them being the thickest base clip-in. I’ve also done this with with just one clip in for a thicker braid than my natural but not as thick as the one on the right.

Left: without extensions, Right: with extensions

I also like to incorporate them with curled looks. This style already gives my hair the most volume, so incorporating the clip-ins just adds more oompf. My natural hair had gotten light on the ends, and seeing the clip-ins darken the color of my hair toward the ends with the pops of lighter pieces inspired me to get my hair dyed to replicate this color.

Left: without extensions, Middle and Right: with extensions

I’ve enjoyed working with these clip-ins over the last few weeks. There were so many times when people weren’t sure whether I had them in or not, and they kept remarking on how long my hair had gotten. I was a little nervous at first that the clips would show, but it wasn’t an issue — they looked very natural and worked well into my hair.

If you’re in the market for clip-in extensions or are curious to try them out, I do recommend Irresistible Me. I am not someone who had much experience wearing these, and I found it really easy and fun to work them into my normal styles.

*Irresistible Me gifted me these clip in extensions in exchange for an honest review on my blog. All opinions on the product are my own.

Schools are starting back, stores are advertising their fall decorations, and fashion magazines are revealing trendy layered looks for fall, but we’re still in the last weeks of summer, and it’s hot as hell.

There comes a point in the summer time where pants seem impossible. I mean I wear them because they make up the majority of my wardrobe, but it’s one of those items you peel off as soon as possible. Dresses are a must at a time like this, and it’s easier to feel the energy of summer when your dress is light and airy. While we might all be dreaming of fall, let’s keep the inspiration flowing in these last few weeks of summer.

ASOS Dress (similar), Eloquii Belt (similar), Avenue Wedges, Lane Bryant Bangles

A few weeks ago I decided to purchase a wrap dress as a transition piece for fall to summer. When I look for dresses that will transition from summer to fall/winter, I look for one that is short enough to wear with tights as it gets colder and one in a color and/or print that would lend well to the fall season. While I had originally imagined that fall look (black tights, scarf included), I had the opportunity to wear it in its summer version today as I hung out at my parents’ for a boat ride and then dinner.

When I first spotted this ASOS Curve wrap dress, the color and price were what I noticed first. At $32, this dress is cheaper than most plus size companies’ prices for a sweater. I tend to go for jewel colors in the fall, so this shade of green-blue was right up my alley. I didn’t realize the wrap was a faux wrap, as it is sewn in, but I was happy to discover this, especially because the length is a little shorter than what I usually wear.

I accessorized the look with a couple different pieces: gold jeweled sandals from the Nine West outlet, a gold ring from ASOS Curve, a shell bar necklace from Charming Charlie (similar), and cat eye sunglasses from BP at Nordstrom. I’m really, really into these sunglasses, and I highly recommend stopping by the junior’s section in Nordstrom to look at sunglasses and jewelry if you’re ever in there to shop.

The dress is definitely shorter than I am used to. In fact, I was thinking this is the first time I’ve seen my knees in a pic outside of a swimsuit in awhile. The length can feel uncomfortable on me. Mostly I worry that the skirt will jump up too much when I walk and reveal my bottom half (eek). This will be fine once I’m wearing it with tights, but my mom also did a quick check for me, and it seems to be more in my head than actually happening in reality.

If you’re looking for a comfortable and affordable wrap dress, I definitely recommend this piece. ASOS Curve sometimes runs large, and that works for people like me who wouldn’t typically fit in their size range.  I recommend sizing down a size or two from your typical size that you would wear at Torrid or Lane Bryant. I will share my fall styled look for this dress in a couple months or whenever it cools down enough for tights.

P.S. The pups were on hand to “assist” with my attempt to take pictures, but they ended up completely ignoring me.

Having been blogging about plus size fashion since 2010, I consider myself a pretty expert shopper in terms of knowing how to get good deals and a bit of a shopaholic in how often I look at various online stores. As I looked at items to add to my closet for this current and coming season, I knew I wanted some pieces from more expensive brands than I typically shop, like Melissa McCarthy, so when the Labor Day sales went live, I hopped on the chance to get some of the pieces I had been eyeing for prices I was willing to pay.

My most affordable buys were from Lovesick.com. Lovesick is a sister brand of Torrid, and I find their sizing to be generous and their prices low. They have well-cut basics and sometimes more stylized items, and I like that I can always find items that are the right length for me. I picked up a deep v-neck tee in green and a floral tiered blouse. I tend to only know how to dress up, so the v-neck (which fits so well!) will help me with more casual outfits.

I also shopped at jcpenney.com for the first time since maybe I was 10-12 years old. JCP now has the Boutique+ line with some designs from Ashley Nell Tipton. I also picked up leggings and a pair of black jeans from the line (the jeans were too long on me), but I’m loving the lace up dress so far. What I really love is that the line is carried up to a 5X/30, much wider range of plus sizes than most department stores carry.

I did my heavy-hitting shopping at MelissaMcCarthy.com. I wasn’t sure what I thought of the line when it first started, but I think it hits design-wise exactly what I need for work and for how I like it dress in general. I’ve had the chance to try some pieces out, and the fabrics are great, construction and fit are really nice, and again, this is another brand who has already expanded sizes. Originally she had through a 3X and now she has though a 4X/28. Looking at her fit chart, her pieces size a little bigger than other places who carry the same sizes, which works out for more people. I purchased her ponte peplum top in purple and black, her fringe kimono from her summer line, and her marble pencil skirt. Melissa’s items are on the upper end of my price range, and I’m willing to buy items but not many at one time. Luckily she had a Labor Day weekend sale, and I swooped in for these items. Keep an eye on her website–there aren’t sales all the time like some brands, but they do come eventually.

My big splurge item was on a leather jacket from Sejour at Nordstrom. I had tried on the jacket during Nordstrom’s anniversary sale, but talked myself out of the piece because of the price. I then thought about this piece many, many times. It had gone back up to full price, which kept me back from the piece. It then went on sale for 40%, and I decided to go for it. It’s the best fitting leather jacket that I’ve ever owned, and will be really easy to wear over many kinds of tops.

With all of these purchases occurring in or around this last weekend, I am mentally putting a stop to any more clothes buying until October or later. Let’s hope it works. I have the misfortune of either not finding anything I like or having a time where I like so many things and cannot afford them all. I happen to have the latter happening now, so let’s see if my willpower can keep my wallet closed.

What new additions are you making to your closet for the fall season?

Styling looks that are a. work appropriate, b. slightly “well dressed” but still meeting some level of comfort, and c. fun is not exactly an easy thing to do. Some days when I go to work, I am thankful that I had enough energy to wake up and dry my hair. Other days I’m stuck to what’s clean and available. Then I have my on point days, where the stars align. I can fix my hair AND have an outfit that not only “works” for work but also is an expression of my style. The following look is one of the latter–though, I’d make a small edit next time…

I put this look together when working on a project with other bloggers (more details about that to come next week). I don’t often think too far ahead about my looks. I usually just document an outfit when I can or when I get an item I want to show, but for this project I wanted to illustrate different aspects of my style. One of those aspects is that balance between well-dressed and comfortable that I try to get when I go to work. For those who do not know, I teach at a university, and I also hold an admin position. While I want to look professional, I’m really only comfortable in either jeans or dresses… and mostly only jeans. This means that I rely on my tops, accessories, and hair and make-up to make the whole outfit work in my workplace setting. For the project, Torrid kindly sent me some items of my choosing to put together a look that showcased my work style. If you’ve read my blog for awhile, you know that I have a lot of love for their jeans, but their extensive size range allows me to find comfortable pieces in every category of clothing they sell.

For this look I chose the following items: Torrid’s Crepe Laser Cut Blouse and their Lace Up Block Hills, both given to me courtesy of Torrid. I also was given a pair of jeans that I decided didn’t work for this particular look, but I’ll show those in a future post. I wore my own pair of Torrid jeggings in black.

I love the laser cut detail of the blouse. It gives a scalloped hem and a nice small detail to the outfit. I find that a lot of plus size clothes leave the detail for the neckline, and I liked that this piece left space for jewelry up top but was not basic at all. I wondered how the laser cuts would show up with black-on-black, but the different materials worked well next to one another.

I’ll admit that the shoes.. these shoes.. they are so cute! BUT! I am not someone with the ability to walk long distances in them (read, here long distance means 3 feet). As much as I admired their design and liked the look, in the future I will need to go the flats route. Luckily, Torrid has me covered with flat sandal designs that are similar to this heel, such as these three designs: 1, 2, and 3.

I wanted to go for green accent pieces, so I opted for this Shiraleah ‘Dora’ purse that I purchased last year from Nordstrom Rack and this Florence Collar from BaubleBar. I also “accessorized” with some hair extensions from Irresistible Me. I had been eyeing this necklace for a long, long time, but I couldn’t convince myself of the $58 price tag. It went on sale earlier this summer, and I picked up for around $30, which is more appropriate for its worth.

By the way, Brittany (my lovely sister-in-law) helped me take these pictures in scorching-early August-North Carolina heat. We deserve a cookie or something for making it through ;-p.

I can’t wait to share more details about this project and even more looks that define my style very soon. Fall is also an especially good time to experiment with new work styles because being cool will no longer be my top priority. Keep checking back to see the other looks, and I will, of course, let you know once the full project is live.

*Torrid gifted me two items in this look for use in a project. I chose the items featured.

I moved into my first solo, independent, only-me home a little over two years ago (see my two posts about my move here and here). I started with a lot of hand-me-down or donated furniture, no artwork on the walls, but a new blank space where the possibilities were endless.

It’s been fun (and expensive) making my home, and it’s also been a big learning experience. I am a naturally very messy person. As long as the place I want to be, say my bed or the couch, is clear enough, then I can usually ignore most clutter and piles of things. Couple that with a tendency to buy too many items, and you’ve got a messy home on your hands. This is something I’ve always known about myself. I was always the messiest kid in my family. I tended to never treat my items with much care. I also have a tendency toward depression, which completely takes away any motivation for keeping things decluttered and clean.

Turning those habits around is an on-going challenge for me, but my home, and the desire to have a home that is welcoming to others, is pushing me to confront those challenges. After deciding to no longer date earlier this year and working through the summer straight to teaching this fall, I let my home really go in terms of clutter and mess. I could feel myself coming out of my depression in September, and I’ve seen a huge rise in my energy and motivation. I also happened to be introduced to organization/decluttering YouTube channels via Natalie of Natalie Means Nice. It sounds so silly, but these YouTube channels have been able to motivate me to clean and declutter so much. I guess it makes sense — reading blogs changed how I viewed clothes and myself — why wouldn’t normal, everyday people help me work through my home?

I started by watching a professional discuss home organization but then moved to someone, Sophia, who was trying to work through her own issues with decluttering and organization. Sophia has a completely different living situation and style from me, but she does have the same struggles as me (hello, fellow shopaholic). All it takes is a little YouTube, a list, and I’m off to clean. I’ve managed to work my whole way through my main living area: livingroom, diningroom, and kitchen. I even made sure to FaceTime my sister to show her my progress. I’ve also worked on getting more personalized style in my home, so I figured it was time to update you all. And if you’re a messy person like me, who actually likes a clean place, check out those channels!

Let’s start by my back door.

I picked up this wood pallet North Carolina piece at an antique/craft show. I also purchased the comfiest chair ever from my friend, Ashley, when she was redoing her apartment. Lola quite enjoys lazing on this chair, back behind the cushions, and keeping an eye on the animals in the back yard.

Between the chair and couch is this Windham 2 door, 1 drawer cabinet from Target. I had been eyeing this collection for awhile, so when it went on super sale, I snagged it in “Overcast”. I had some cut wood that was left over from my sister decorating a party, so I keep a faux plant on top of that and am almost constantly burning a candle on the cabinet if I’m in the room.

I also got this couch from Ashley. I think I paid $100 (!!!) because she was getting a new couch. I also put up this metal wall art from Kirklands.

Across the couch is a closet and then my TV center. The apartment came with built-ins, and I don’t have a big TV, so it fit perfectly there. They did have these oddly-tall sections at the bottom of the center, which ended up fitting my card tables and tripod perfectly. I also keep blankets, now in a basket, and a small ottoman and a basket of Lola’s toys. Lola spends a lot of time in the livingroom, so keeping her toys accessible to her but out of the way was what I needed. I purged all the toys that I hadn’t seen her even sniff in months.

Next to the built-ins is a bump out from my front closet. I have a simple squared bookcase there with all of my DVDs, some books, and other assorted items. I used some baskets to hide oddly shaped items. One holds a lot of tech things, like a lens for my camera, and the other holds some puzzles and games. The center holds some tech stuff that’s not-so-pretty to the eye. If anyone has a suggestion on how to hide that, let me know.

On top I have agate bookends, a lamp, and vase–all from Target. I also have a little photo gallery above that bookcase. Something that happened organically over time was that a lot of the decorations in my livingroom were wood and stone related, so I ended up going further with that in this space.

Next to my couch is a hallway to the second bedroom and a bathroom. There’s also a half wall that connects to my kitchen.

I put in a long bookcase with a shorter height along that wall. I keep all of my coffee-table type books here, as well as some games. I bought two wooden boxes from Homegoods with a chevron pattern to hide knickknack items. One thing I’ve learned from YouTube is “everything must have a home”. If it doesn’t have a place that it belongs, do I need it? If so, find it a place.

On top I have some items that I’ve collected over time. One is this letter box that can light up. I put that phrase on there awhile ago. Maybe I should change it to “Embrace the clean” — nah, not as fun. I picked up the candle in front of it over the summer. Pineapples aren’t as in-season anymore, but I still think it’s cute so it’s still there. I just recently added this print of a tree ring. My sister had propped up a painting I did in this same spot, and I loved the placement of art but not so much my painting. This rounds out my wood-theme well. By the way, I just bought the print from art.com (cheap), and then bought a more affordable frame at Michaels. I think the whole thing was $40 in all, counting shipping prices.

I picked up the “yum” pie dish in the dollar section of Target. I thought it was cute, and I don’t make pies, so I used a plate display to prop it up for fall decoration.

On the other side of my bookcase are some more fall/Halloween decorations. I picked up these little dog figurines at Kirklands. I have a dog-obsession, not afraid to admit it, but what often happens is that I cannot find a lookalike for Lola. She’s some kind of yellow lab mix, and companies just don’t have the ability to make figurines to represent all the mutts out there. When I saw this figurine, with the standing up ears like Lola, I had to go for it. Then later I felt like it needed a friend and picked up another. I think they were around $5 each. I also picked up the “Hello Fall” wooden jar piece from Kirklands. This is about as southern as it’s going to get in my decor.

The little orange frame was a piece from my aunt. I think she put card stock or illustrations that she liked in the frame. The lamp is also from Target.

My diningroom is mostly the same, except with more things! The metal chair was bought to be my chair for my vanity area in my bedroom. It hasn’t made its way there yet, and I’m not sure that it will ultimately go there, but for now it’s in my diningroom. I did put up some wall art from Kirklands (I’m now realizing that my entire apartment is Kirklands+Target+Ashley :)).

I organized this bookcase by category. The left hand side is what I use most: a basket holding Lola’s important items, like heartworm pills, her Thundershirt, and paperwork for her microchip; a toolbox with a hammer; and the rest are random items that I use maybe once or twice a year, such as office supplies, flashlight, and hooks for hanging wall art.

On top of this bookcase is a desk organizer with some important mail/paperwork, a notebook, hand sanitizer, and an extra charging cord. I also have a picture from college, faux plant, and a cat statue I picked up at an antique store. So, this cat statue… it’s a little weird but I like it. Now, though, my sisters and friends like to laugh about me becoming a cat lady, even though I don’t even have a cat!! (but I want a cat). I also have a little dish that can hold my keys but often holds random jewelry that I take off when I get home. Above the book case is a little board that I got when I first moved in. I honestly do not use it or switch things out from it, but I see no reason to take it down.

Across the diningroom is my kitchen. It is as basic as can be, but I did go through and reorganize where dishes, pots and pans were. When I first moved in, I put things where I thought they should go, and I never changed their location. It’s just now that I rearranged based off of what was frustrating about my kitchen.

I think the only visual change is that I got rid of my microwave and got a toaster oven in its place. This freed up more counter space, which I love. I also put up this shelf that holds cookbooks and also has a rod for hanging items like oven mitts.

I am not that experienced with decorating a home, but I do for the first time feel proud of how my place looks, and I love that I now have little decorative pieces that I adore. Next up on the decluttering/organizing/cleaning list is my bedroom… And let me tell you, that’s going to be a huge project..eek!

What do you do to declutter and/or organize your home? Any good tips you can pass along? Any YouTubers that I should check out?

On the occasion that I need dressy attire or semi-formal wear, I always look to Kiyonna first to see what they have available. I started wearing Kiyonna when I attended a wedding in 2010. I had never had a dress that fit me so well, and I felt elegant in the piece. So when I had an occasion this past summer, I looked back over their collection again. I still wanted the great fit and elegance of Kiyonna, but I also wanted to select a style that was more bold than the demure styles I typically pick. I was really intrigued by the shape of their Foxfire faux wrap dress, so I picked it up via their Amazon shop in ‘Merlot’. I was excited to try on this style, but even more excited about the color. My life needed a little red dress.

I loved the ruching on the side and the way the “wrap” dress front hangs on the body. I could have done without the halter strap on the dress — just a normal sleeve and shoulder would have worked for me, but it does add something different to the dress that not all dresses have.

The back comes down in a deep-v, and the dress fits closely to the body.

I kept my jewelry simple because I just can’t take a lot of jewelry. These earrings worked well and brought in other colors to the look without demanding a ton of attention (similar style here).

I also pulled out a clutch that I got years and years ago from Evans when I used to do blogging collaborations with them. It’s still in great condition, and I love the beading and color.

I love this little red dress and how powerful and beautiful it makes me feel. It’s a great option for a date night or for an event where a less-than-modest dress is appropriate. As always with Kiyonna, the fabric is heaven, and the size fit just as described in their size chart. I highly recommend this piece!

*Shopping tip: this style is available on their Amazon shop but not their regular website. I sometimes find the Amazon store has other colors too. Downside- no discounts.

**Dress purchased on my own. Post was not sponsored.

Dress: Melissa McCarthy, Earrings: Forever21, Sandals: Torrid

My vlog is about blogging for 6 years, and what this vlog has shown me is that even after 6 years of posting pictures and writing and thoughts to the web, posting a video is TERRIFYING.

Here’s to moving outside of my comfort zone!

Over the last year I’ve been working toward buying more quality pieces for my wardrobe that could work well in a professional environment as well as evening/”going out” type of situations. Finding pieces with eye-catching and adaptable styles in good fabrics and in my size is a tall order that I often can’t achieve, but I do feel that in the past couple months I’ve made some great discoveries as I’ve found more brands that offer these kind of pieces (mostly) in my size. Now when I’m considering higher-quality items, I’m thinking of quality materials, polished styles, and better fits, not necessarily higher price points. This look has some of my latest finds that are helping me improve my wardrobe, and I wore it out today to an academic conference:

Top: Eloquii, Skirt: Melissa McCarthy Seven7, Shoes: Lane Bryant

I’ve known about Eloquii for years. In fact, I still have pieces from their first existence as a sub-brand of The Limited, but I am not a regular shopper of Eloquii because they do not offer all of their styles in sizes 26 and 28. I had a couple months there where I would go to their site, and literally every. single. item. I. wanted. stopped at a 24. I also had purchased some items about a year ago that I thought had good promise, but they ended up being slightly too tight and too short, and so they never became a part of the circulation of my wardrobe.

I’ve been really impressed with Eloquii working toward offering more sizes lately. They now have some petites as well as the “Viola” cut, which is meant to fit shapes where a person’s bottom/pant size is 1-2 sizes larger than their bust/top size. When looking at their site at the Viola options, I saw a few styles up to a 28 that I liked, and Eloquii always has great sales, so I took advantage and decided to try them out once again.

I was pleasantly surprised. Everything I ordered fit me really well, and this top, which was purchased at a 28, is even a little big in the bust and sleeves. Not at all what I was expecting from my last experience of things being too small (I like this top so much that I’ve already ordered it in a size down). Putting on this top, the fabric was denser and nicer than one typically gets in plus size clothing. And, I should say, with the coupon this top was only $35 dollars — “nicer” pieces are not always expensive. This is cheaper than some Old Navy tops and 1000x better quality. Once I tried it on, I knew immediately that I wanted to pair it with the marble print pencil skirt that I had purchased from Melissa McCarthy Seven7.

Top: Eloquii, Skirt: Melissa McCarthy Seven7, Shoes: Lane Bryant

Melissa McCarthy’s line has impressed me over and over again. She has great quality items. This skirt’s fabric is so nice, the print is vibrant, and her pieces would work wonderfully for tall people. Most impressive– after one season of offering items up to a 24/3X, she expanded to a 28/4X. I’m hopeful that she’ll keep exploring more sizes, but I will note that her dresses and skirts are roomy and many could fit someone at a size 30.

At 5’4″, I need to alter her items (for example, I pulled up this skirt to be right underneath my bust — that’s how long it is on me), but it is always easier to take fabric off than to not have access to it at all because it’s too small/short/etc. Melissa’s line is just outside of my typical price range. It means not spending money on more affordable fashion that won’t last as long in order to purchase one piece from her. Now, this isn’t hard for me because I own too many clothes as it is, but it might be harder for others who are building their wardrobe. She does occasionally have sales, and I recommend hopping on it when she does.

Top: Eloquii, Skirt: Melissa McCarthy Seven7, Shoes: Lane Bryant

Lastly, Lane Bryant has been impressing me lately with shoe options. Often times the shoes I like are “online exclusives”, so I take a gamble on them, and these cutout block heels really paid off. The heel height is perfect for me–I cannot do high heels. The base is cushy and comfortable. I’m into the ties, and I love that the ties are suede and just as nice looking as the shoe themselves. I think I bought these with a coupon too, and I feel that these shoes look more expensive than they actually were.

I finished my look with cheaper jewelry – simple silver earrings from a local boutique and a really old faux white-marble stone ring. One place I haven’t made investments? Jewelry. Maybe someday….

Have you tried these brands — what did you think? What brands do you buy from for higher quality pieces? 

I’m back at it again with another video-blog on YouTube. Come learn about GwynnieBee plus-size clothing rental subscription service through hearing about my process of joining the service, getting my first box of clothes size 24+, and using the website.

Get a free month of service by signing up through my referral link: http://goo.gl/Llbr4
**I get a credit toward my subscription if you sign up through my referral link.

This is not a sponsored post! I pay for my own service, and I wanted to share about my experiences.

If you’re already a GwynnieBee subscriber, what brands should I try out? What’s in your closet now?

Interrupting your Election Day anxiety-cheering-whatever-your-emotion evening with a short post of a simple Fall outfit that I wore today. November has finally brought in the cool crisp weather that I’ve been wanting all October, so I could finally wear a jacket and not sweat underneath it. Also, I happen to fall under the anxiety camp in terms of today’s emotions, so layering up in a jacket and scarf was just what I needed to feel a little more cozy during an uncertain time.

Easiest fall outfit = black leather jacket, jeans (in black or blue), boots, and a scarf. I’m always up for  easy-peasy outfit that looks pulled together but takes no thought (because at 6am, I’m not thinking well).

The scarf was featured in my last vlog post, and it came free from GwynnieBee (referral link). Jacket is a splurge item from Sejour at Nordstrom, though there are similar more affordable options here, here, and here. Plain black tee from Old Navy, jeans from Torrid, and ankle boots from Evans (similar).

I hope that however you feel about elections, that you all are having a good evening. I’m currently watching Good Girls Revolt, snuggling with Lola, and everything feels okay (for now).