Having arrived back home in the wee hours of the morning from the amazing white party cruise, I found it hard to even wake up early.  Even though I arrived late I did manage to through the booths at the expo and connect with brands and designers. Check out some of my favorites below.

1.) ChafeZone

The first stop I made was to the ChafeZone booth. I have seen this brand featured in FabUplus magazine so it was nice to learn more about the company and the product. I even got a sample that I got a chance to try last week when I wore a romper to work for the very first time. It is amazing! I definitely recommend trying it if you haven’t already.

2.) Obioma

As a proud Afro-Latina you would think that I would already have an African print piece in my closet but until very recently that was not the case, mostly because the prints that I fall in love with tend to be very expensive and some designers actually don’t include plus in their collections. This is why I was pleasantly surprised by the collection presented by Obiama. They go up to a 5XL in many of their designs though most are a bit of a splurge. I took advantage of the situation and got my first African-print skirt. I can’t wait to feature this piece on the blog.

3.) Shun Melson

After following this brand on Instagram for a while I was happy to finally get a chance to see their designs in person. I really love the fact the pieces have bold and bright prints that many other brands tend to stay away from. By this point of the day my wallet was begging for mercy so I didn’t get to purchase anything, however,  there was a high-low military inspired peplum top that I am definitely getting for Curvy Con so I will be ordering from them very soon.

4.) Avenue

I was very excited to see the Avenue booth full of pieces from their upcoming pre-fall collection. Last year they showed us a lot of rose gold accessories, colored butter denim and of course, their performance collection. This year it was all about burgundy, corset belts and embellished denim. It was a small sneak peek but I’m really looking forward to seeing these pieces in store.

I also got to finally see some of the pieces from their affordable sister-brand, Loralette pieces person which was great. I was told that the boho-inspired  collection is cut much smaller than the Avenue pieces so now I know how to go about shopping there. I already have my eye on that pink lace bralette.

5.) Bottomless Closet

 

After hearing throughout the week that there was a charity that partnered with Full Figured Fashion Week I made a point to find out more. This is how I met Alison of Bottomless Closet. This is a non-profit organization that serves disadvantaged women in New York City, helping them to gain the tools as well as the wardrobe that they need to securing a job.  I was told that while they do receive many donations they really do need plus size items to include in their boutique as many of the women they work with are a size 16 and up.  As someone who has been homeless twice, I really want to pay it forward and help women as well as their families get out of poverty in any way I can. I’m already going through my closet again to see if there is anything else I can donate. If you are able to help as well I recommend visiting their website to see how you can help too.

Once the Expo ended I made my way to the Ashley Stewart for an exclusive look at it’s first-ever career collection and to showcase the new denim.  We were given a walk-through of the collection which included all kinds of jean cuts, even a distressed pair that has coverage under the frayed details and suits that could be paired with pants or skirts for work. The best part? Everything in the collection is priced under $50! Very budget friendly.

We were also treated to a fashion show that showcased looks styled with items from the collection. I really appreciated the fact that this career collection has a bit of edge to it, playing with traditional cuts and styles for the workplace.

As for my outfit for the day, this was the second year that I attended the expo in black so I may just make it my thing from now on. Very much like last year, real life came into play the day of this specific event – last year it was a meeting at work and this year it was a funeral for the mother of a close friend. I had to make the most of the situation, but there was no way I wasn’t going to be there for my friend in this time of mourning. I ditched my original outfit for the day choosing this black chiffon dress instead so that I could easily transition from the morning church service to FFFWeek without any problems.  As I made my way to the Expo, I added a pop of color with my “Flirtatious”  pink lipstick from Iman Cosmetics that matched with some of the flower petals from my floral cross-body handbag. The little black dress – always there to help you get out of  a fashion pinch.

That said, the Ashley Stewart blogger-exclusive preview marked the end of my time at Full Figured Fashion Week this year. It was a very busy buy inspiring week and next year is only going to be better!

~Get the look~

Chiffon Tie-neck Dress | Fashion to Figure (similar here and here)
Floral cross-body handbag | CARLOS by Carlos Santana (gift, similar here)
Studded Detail Flats | Torrid