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.

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My Two Cents: 3 Things I’d Like to See At Plus Size Fashion Events

I am not one to pretend that I know everything about fashion or the fashion industry. I really have more opinions and critiques about it than actual knowledge of what goes into creating pieces and promotional events. That said, I do think that it is worth analyzing what gets presented to us, especially since I’ve noticed that they tend to be severely lacking. Just last week I attended the Modamix and Addition Elle fashion event at Lord & Taylor in the city and while it was great seeing pieces first hand, styled by the very person who designed them, it left much to be desired. The murmurs that I heard from where I stood assures me that I wasn’t the only one that expected a little more. With that in mind here are just three things that I’d like to see happen at these kinds of events: Continue reading

Shopping Without Spending A Dime

With the move seven months ago I received the gift of the holy grail — a closet! I know for many people in the world this is nothing to be excited about, but for me this was the best thing to happen to me since learning how to manage my naturally curly hair. Having a closet has opened a world of organization that I could only simulate in my old apartment and has also given me a sense of financial and fashion accountability I really didn’t have before.

I’m a clothes hoarder. It’s a fact, which is why I can admit it so easily.  I have more clothes and shoes than I care to admit, due to my former habit of buying anything and everything that managed to fit my plus size frame. I have also kept most of my high school clothes which actually makes up the bulk of my wardrobe. It is worth noting that I have been out of high school for seven years now. Clearly I have lost track of what I was keeping and have to cut some ties with my past.

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This is actually less than half of what I currently own….

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