Those of you who follow me on Instagram and Facebook know that earlier this month was my 26th birthday. Celebrations this year have been very low-key, with some exceptions of course and most of this has to do with the craziness that has become my schedule in preparation for a couple of events that I am volunteering my time and skills to help execute. That said, the day of my birthday I found myself in Long Island doing some fashion recon at Lane Bryant.
Of course the original reason behind my trip to LB was to check out the highly anticipated Christian Siriano collection. Unfortunately the Lane Bryant location I visited did not have many pieces from the collection in my size so I only got to try two pieces out of the four I wanted to try, though I made up for it by trying on some additional pieces that caught my eye, so check it out below! Continue reading
Category: Shopping
French Blue Stripe Shirt Dress
It took a while, but I am finally able to share with you the second spring dress I got from Fullbeauty as a result of winning third place in their Own Your Curves Star Style contest. This i my second Ellos brand dress and I am obsessed. The shirt dress design is adorable and chic with the pastel french blue stripes. The fabric is a light and airy cotton, perfect for a spring afternoon tea party in the park or even for graduation. The full skirt is so flowly that all you want to do is twirl, as you can tell I did that a lot during this shoot. Also it HAS POCKETS! All around this is a must have dress for spring.
This dress is also available in a cherry pink stripe and you should check out how Amber from Style Plus Curves styled it on her blog here.
Style notes: Pay close attention to the sizing when ordering this dress. It took me three exchanges to get it right. The first time was my fault for having clicked on 1X (my usual dress size) not realizing that for Ellos a 1X is a 22/24. The 14/16 that I then exchanged it for was too small in the bust so I recommend that if you have a larger bust like me that you consider sizing up. 
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My 2016 Affordable Prom Picks
Here are my picks for the 2016 Prom season. All of these are within my affordability rules, being less than $200. I made sure to include a variety of retailers, dress lengths, and silhouettes so that everyone has options. I strongly believe that prom is a time to make a statement, which is why I included styles that wouldn’t normally be associated with prom. No matter what you decide, choose what works best for you and more importantly what makes you feel amazing. Happy shopping!
Style Notes: For tips on shopping for your prom dress watch my first YouTube video here.
ASOS
Macy’s
My Current (Affordable) Spring Favorites
While I continue to write the finishing touches for upcoming installments of +Size Matters, I decided to share some of my favorite pieces from various plus size spring collections online. I got to say that I am really loving the coral and mint colors that are clearly this seasons favorites as well as the new takes on some old prints and textures like florals, denim, crochet and chambray. The best part about this list is that these same pieces can carry over into summer be it for a day out with the family or time in the office and it is budget-friendly as everything on this list is less than $40 (minus shipping.) Happy shopping!
Handbags & Totes
Getting Spring Ready at Old Navy
NYC has been warming up so I figured that it was time to check out some spring collections and my first stop was Old Navy. Now I’ll be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with Old Navy mostly due to the fact that they have yet to offer their plus size clothing in any of their store locations. Although it is yet to be seen if they will ever offer plus sizes in store, I often make a point to try on their straight size offerings when I can as they are very budget friendly. I say this because I believe one shouldn’t avoid certain retailers just because they don’t cater to the needs of plus size consumers as there are possible styles for a full figure hanging on the straight size racks. Of course they tend to be limited in number, but they are worth taking a look at. I didn’t purchase anything during this visit, yet I wanted to share some of my current favorites some of which are available in plus size. Check them out and let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: Originally this post was meant to be my first “inside the fitting room” video but due to some technical difficulties I was not able to get this edited. For this reason I must apologize for the limited images.
1.) Dresses
Cutwork Cami Dress | Eyelet Tie-Waist Shirt Dress (not found online but available in store)
I’m not sure what is is about spring that brings out so many cami dresses at various retailers, but the navy blue detail on the hem of this cami dress makes up for the repetition of this style. I should note that while this dress is lined the material has a bit of sheer. Even so, with some flats or sandals this is a great piece to wear for a spring picnic in the park and when paired with a cardigan it can be used at work. I have a very low tolerance for heat which makes me sweat buckets once the temperature goes higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit so I have made a point in the last five years to find some comfortable and office appropriate summer work wear. I think that paired with some wedged sandals or nude heels the tie-waist dress will definitely fit the bill. I am wearing an XXL in both, but considering how roomy these dresses are (the cami dress actually has a smocked back) I suggest sizing down in both. Continue reading
Big City, Curvy Girl, Thin Wallet 