We’ve officially made it to December and that means its time for holiday parties and gatherings. As someone who has a natural aversion to sequins (which tends to be very popular this time of year), I’m always looking for alternative holiday fashion. For the most part that means occasionally stepping out of the familiar seasonal fashion color spectrum of red, green, black and gold. For this look I shopped my closet for a blouse that would go well with this chiffon pleated skirt from Torrid that I managed to buy back in October for only $6! Even though both of these pieces are from spring collections, the ivory and turquoise palate simply said winter snow to me. 
Tag: Outfit of the day
Autumn Blush
This time of year the color palate tends to be browns, burgundy, forest greens and harvest oranges; the last thing expected are pastels like blush pink. Yet these kinds of colors do help the season’s fashion be a bit more interesting when styled right. This dress is one that I found in the clearance section at Torrid last month for only $13. I remembered eyeing this dress for the longest time and had thought about how I would wear if I ever bought it so this was a pleasant surprise for this fall. With the quarter-length sleeves and the inner lining, this outfit works well for fall and by simply swapping my boots for flats or sandals, it can also be worn for spring. I paired the dress with my double buckle belt, which turned out to be the best idea as the addition of the brown really is what makes this look “fall-ready to me.” I also added my heeled two-tone boots from Avenue to keep me warm during these low temp fall evenings.
Fall Weekend Getaway (feat. Gwynnie Bee)
Last weekend I got to head over to Lancaster, Pennsylvania with two friends and my mother. A retreat of sorts, it was a trip I wasn’t expecting to go on until my mentor casually mentioned that she had purchased my ticket because I deserved to take some time to unwind. (I truly really am blessed with some great friends.) I had to travel light so I looked to Gwynnie Bee to help me make a decision as to what to pack. Gwynnie Bee is a subscription box service that allows you to try different styles and brands for an affordable rental fee. For my first box I got these two beautiful printed dresses that were just perfect for the occasion especially since they both go well with my favorite crossbody satchel.
Day 1- Pennsylvania Dutch Country Sightseeing and Shopping
One we entered Pennsylvania our first stop was Kitchen Kettle Village. A very picturesque countryside attraction with small shops and restaurants, I got to sample authentic Amish jams, and window shop scented candles, soap, hand-carved signs, handmade quilts, and leather goods. I totally missed my chance to take a buggy ride tour of the nearby Amish farms, but I guess there’s always next time.
This Hemant & Nandita print A-line dress is meant to be worn in the summer yet when paired with a turtleneck or denim jacket, can easily be worn during these early fall days when the temps are just beginning to drop into the mid-60s. The pattern and colors are stunning in person so I highlighted this with black tights and boots. (Style notes: I would suggest either sizing down or wearing this dress with a belt because it runs a bit large. As it is not lined I wore a slip underneath, this helped with the static, but it did cause the dress to twist on occasion.) Continue reading
Fall Transition Kimono Style
I’ll be honest, my personal style is eclectic. I can go from hyper feminine to polish professional, to dark and edgy, to Sunday Best within a week. Notice that there is no mention of boho in that mix. I’m not sure what it is about that particular trend that I find not for me. My workaholic nature probably won’t embrace the concept of a light and relaxed style. Anyway, that changed once I saw this floral print kimono on the Wet Seal Instagram feed I wanted to see what I could do with this new addition to my closet. I’ve teamed up with fellow “budgetista”, Angelica from Affordable Curve for some transitional style inspo, make sure to check out her looks here.
Look # 1 : Breezy & Dressy
With this kimono’s dramatic bell sleeves and floral blossom print on a brilliant blue background I immediately thought about sizing up to wear this as a dress only to realize I should have sized up two sizes because of my large bust. When that original idea didn’t pan out I thought, why not wear it over a dress? I love the mix of silk, jersey and faux leather textures here. I swapped the fabric belt for my new faux leather obi belt I managed to score from Torrid last month for less than $2! (Note: Always check the clearance section between seasons.) The strap front pep toe heels are a step above the heeled sandals that I would usually wear to the office during the summer. For a more conservative professional look I could swap them for flats or closed front pumps.
Summer Weekend BBQ Ready (feat. Lovesick)
Summer is here and that means fun in the sun with family and friends. One of my favorite summer activities are barbeques. There is something to be said about how much better hot dogs, burgers and even fish taste fresh off the grill. Anyway, while I am still working on organizing one, I happy to know that I have my outfits ready for the occasion. So with this Independence day weekend already in full swing, I figured why not celebrate in style with my new favorite pieces from Lovesick., the affordable sister brand of Torrid.
Lovesick officially launched in late April with most of the pieces clearly having a more boho vibe, which is far away from my usual style; this is not to say that I haven’t given it a try in the past. Though it is nice to have a new affordable plus size fashion brand out there and I also greatly appreciate the fact that when you make a purchase Lovesick donates 1% to Plan International USA’s Because I am a Girl project. Their projects are designed to end the cycle of poverty and to empower girls through education. They use the funds donated to provide tuition, uniforms and school supplies to girls around the world. As someone who has been homeless due to poverty, and has also volunteered for a the women’s empowerment non-profit (4 Real Women International, Inc.) for the last 5 years, this is a cause I am more than happy to support.
That said, check out my two Summer BBQ inspired looks styled with two of my first Lovesick purchases.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.
Look #1: Oversized Boho
This gauze fabric top with sharkbite hem was made for summer. It is really lightweight and airy so you can stay cool in the summer heat. Unfortunately by the time I finally got around to placing my order they no longer had any in a my usual size, yet I feel that going up a size gives this look a more laid-back fit. I paired it with these midrise jean shorts I got early fall last year. As you can imagine, shopping out of season I scored a major steal, but more than that I had some time to work up the courage to actually wearing these. It took me 8 years before I started wearing shorts again and these are currently the shortest pair I own, yet they won’t be the last.
Big City, Curvy Girl, Thin Wallet 