Fall Weekend Getaway (feat. Gwynnie Bee)

October 5, 2016October 6, 20163 Comments

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 →

Why Fa(t)shion?

September 22, 2016December 4, 20163 Comments

I have been very fortunate to have major support for what I do here on this blog. I’ve had friends and family help me pick out blog shoot sites, take pictures and point out new industry updates that I may have missed due to my hectic schedule. And every once in a while they question what I decide to feature in my posts, but with recent events being what they are, I’ve noticed that these private exchanges have shifted. I’ve begun to get messages saying that with my academic background and intellect, my time and efforts would be better spent writing about social injustices instead of fashion. To be honest, I have been anticipating that comment for a while now. The very act of getting dressed is considered to be a necessary, yet frivolous, part of everyday life, so the pointing out that fashion plays a central role in society is met with denial and ambivalence. The thing is culture, race, socioeconomics, gender, capitalism/consumerism and even politics all intersect in fashion.

Everyone whether black, white, rich, poor, male, female, adult, child or teen interact with it in some capacity. Just think about the amount of effort we put into figuring out what to wear for everyday occasions like going to work, job interviews, graduations, dates, quinceañera parties and of course weddings. Fashion, even at its most simple, conveys culture, social status, income level, education, age, sexuality, and even nationalism. Continue reading →

Too FAT For Short Hair?

July 18, 2016July 20, 20163 Comments

My hair and I are like Ross and Rachel (yes, I finally got around to watching Friends while I was in college and have since reference the series when appropriate). Admittedly, part of this complicated love-hate relationship is due to the fact that it is thick and curly, thought that is a topic for a future post. My hair is a dull shade of dark brown and has a mind of its own, to the point that I refer to wash day as “taming the beast.” Even still my hair has been considered my most beautiful feature. This was only cemented by how people reacted to it on a daily basis – – with awe and compliments. Continue reading →

Summer Weekend BBQ Ready (feat. Lovesick)

July 1, 2016January 9, 2017Leave a comment

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.

Continue reading →

theCURVYcon 2016 Recap

June 26, 2016November 25, 20164 Comments

Last year marked the first ever annual Curvycon and as you can guess, I was beyond upset at the fact that I couldn’t attend. So I made a point to get my ticket for this year’s con early so I wouldn’t miss out. This was incredibly important to me because Cece Olisa and Chastity Garner were the two first plus size bloggers I found when I was introduced to the medium. Words cannot express how significant this event is for the body positive and self love movements. There was just this feeling of love within every aspect of the event that I just had to share my experience.

Day 1 – Healthy Curves Workout and Pop-Up-Shop + Sip hosted by Gabifresh

The morning started with sessions hosted by blogger and CURVYcon co-creator, CeCe Olisa, and fitness guru, Anowa Adjah. I must say that they were not playing around with this workout which made me glad that I came prepared. It felt great to workout in a non-judgmental space with body positive instructors. I especially appreciated how both Cece and Anowa made it fun and educational, stressing that working out is not punishment for the body you have but rather a form of self love.