A Caged Heart (feat. Black Thorn LA)

I’ve mentioned this before but I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day. No, it’s not because I’m one of those “bitter single people,” I just find Christmas to be more romantic. (Maybe Hallmark is partially to blame for this, but who knows.) Although I must admit that being a chocoholic I do look forward to all the V-day chocolate so that’s something at least.

So as you can imagine rather than celebrate this “holiday” in the traditional sense, I tend to use it as an excuse to dress up in theme-inspired outfits, as well as a moment to treat myself. This year I’m combined the two and decided to  get myself something from a brand I’ve been wanting to try since they launched back in 2018 – Black Thorn LA.

Black Thorn LA is an alternative/spooky loungewear and sleepwear brand that carries both straight and plus size options, up to size 3X. It is also very affordable, as most of their products are $50 and under, however, this isn’t even the best part. No the best part is that both the straight and plus size pieces are priced the same! I just had to point that out because this is simply unheard of especially when it comes to plus size alternative fashion.  (And just in case you’re still looking for some alternative Valentine’s day “nightwear” definitely check out their plus size lingerie collection. They have some great pieces available including body suits, robes, bralettes and more.)

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Winter Vamp Coat Style

It’s no secret that I have a thing for coats, jackets and blazers. I have quite the collection that manages to expand every other season or so, my favorites being more military and Victorian inspired in design, often times with a cinch waist.

Over the holidays one of my dearest friends, Tan gifted me this coat and I love it so much had to share it with you. Sure, winter is soon to be over, even so this is actually the best time of year to shop for a coat if you’re on a budget and in the market for a new one.

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V-Day, Me-Day

Five years ago a close friend and I decided to give “us” a try and my first thought that spring was how I finally had someone to go on my “dream date” with. Christmas is the time of year I actually consider to be romantic so when we broke up a couple of months later that summer, not only was I heartbroken that our “relationship” never had a real chance, but being “alone” again meant that  I couldn’t go on that date. For the rest of the year I moped about this. Well, I did until I took myself on the date instead and I found myself loving every minute to it.

This has become a bit of a tradition for me since then, though I have branched out of doing this solely in the month of December. And while I learned that I can enjoy my own company, I love that in the five years since that day I have met people with similar interests that I also can share  experiences with. I also take great care to show them just how much their friendship means to me at every opportunity including Valentine’s day.
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Be Mine

When it comes to Valentine’s Day the immediate thought that comes to mind is the concept of sexy. I’m the kind of person that has never considered myself sexy by any means but I’ve noticed that what women in particular are drawn to is pretty uncomfortable. With the pencil thin heels, and revealing outfits in various shades of red and/or pink. There isn’t any necessarily wrong with that, yet I think being comfy, sexy and cute should always be an option if only to leave your date choices  open to some non-traditional ideas outside of a formal dinner and a movie. For me any potential date, be it for Valentine’s day or otherwise,  would involve a lot of walking since I love playing tourist in the city so in I would definitely reach for this comfy yet cute outfit.

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Casual Valentine’s Day Peplum

Being single my plans for Valentine’s day tend to range from being  supremely casual to classy   so I decided that this year I would cover both kinds of activities. So for the next week I will be featuring some affordable Valentine’s day outfit inspo, starting with this first look  that is perfect for a casual shopping date, bowling, or even karaoke.

20160127_145602 (2)I don’t know about you, but I am still not ready to let go of peplum. The cinched waist of a peplum top is like wearing a fit and flare skater dress that is so versatile as it  can easily be paired with pants or skirts. It is this fact that drew me to this Bongo Junior’s Plus ribbed knit peplum sweater as it was a new take on an already classic piece. My fall/winter wardrobe vastly outweighs my spring/summer wardrobe for reasons I have already discussed on the blog. What can I say? I love knits, just as much as I love the winter cold. So considering the number of sweaters I already own, I really didn’t need to add to my collection, but the uniqueness of this piece stayed with me even after I left the store and shared it on Instagram that I just had to return to Sears to pick it up a couple days later.  Continue reading