Sunday, November 28, 2010

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.

earrings: Francesca's, tank: Motherhood, sweater: Old Navy, skirt: NY&Co, tights: Target


So yesterday I was feeling a bit grinchy. Actually, maybe a lot grinchy because I was totally bummed I was missing out on picking out the family Christmas tree and had to work instead. The result? Some grinchy green tights that were incorporated into my lovely outfit I wore to work. My logic was all my moodiness would be put into the tights, not into my not-so-happy attitude being misdirected towards customers. Not to worry, I made it through my shift with a smile on my face and with my job (my mom was worried about the latter).



Upon a closer look of what I was actually wearing, you might just see I was wearing a shirt from a maternity store. There aren't any little fatshionistas on the way, I'm just your friendly Motherhood sales associate who gets a mighty nice employee discount. I couldn't turn down this basic tank top with the glimmer of the beading detail. So now you know my secret. I sometimes shop at a maternity store. But you won't find maternity pants anywhere near my closet. That might be taking it a bit too far. I'd be like Joey Tribbiani on that Thanksgiving episode of Friends. Actually, that might have come in handy this past Thursday because, boy, was I stuffed.

credit: http://fffriends.tumblr.com
Man, I love me some Friends.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got through Black Friday relatively unscathed.  'Til next time, honeys!



Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Some Black Friday Pre-Gaming (Holiday Gift Guide)

1 Bloomingdales "Converse by John Varvatos Textured Crewneck Sweater" 2 Urban Outfitters "SUPER Black Wayfarer Sunglasses" 3 Neiman Marcus "Three-Point Deerskin Gloves"  4  Neiman Marcus "Leather Case for MacBook Pro"  5 Michael Kors "Tortoise-Bezel Watch"  6  Urban Outfitters "Charles & 1/2 Joey Faux Leather Moto Jacket"  7 Fossil  "City Bag- Decker" 8 J. Crew "Suede MacAlister Boot" 9 Banana Republic "Faux-Fur trimmed Merino wool trapper"  10 Neiman Marcus "TOMS Beaumont Velvet Skull Shoe" 
 1 Ann Taylor Loft "Raquel Slipper Bootie" 2 ModCloth "Beret of Hope" 3 Anthropologie "Traveling Companion Box" 4 Old Navy "Ruffle-Collar Wool-Blend Jacket" 5 ModCloth "Flock Party Apron" 6 Piper Lime "Big Buddha Sasha Clutch" 7 Fossil "Key-per Laptop Tote" 8 Anthropologie "That's A Wrap Robe" 9 J. Crew "Printed Wool Wrap"  10 J. Crew "Crystal Flower Pin"

Before you run off to eat your weight in turkey, 
followed by a marathon of shopping, followed by eating your weight in leftovers, I just wanted to share with you my personal gift giving guide for the 2010 holiday season. This lovely idea came from the wonderful brain-workings of my fabulously fashionable friend Lee over at It's A Beautiful Day.  He's lovely. His blog is lovely.  You should go check him out, yes?

If you lovely people have any more suggestions for future content, do tell because I am listening!  I will also have an editorial calendar posted in the next couple weeks just to make the posts a little bit more predictable.  Thank you Tayler and Lee for sharing some great ideas!  I used one of the ideas today and I'm looking forward to using the others in the future.  Have a happy Thanksgiving, honeys!

Coming soon:
  • Men's wear for women
  • Work wear
  • Affordable shoes
  • Statement jewelry
  • Affordable holiday fashion

Monday, November 22, 2010

Let your voice be heard!

So in an effort to make this blog a wee bit more manageable over the holiday season, I have decided to come up with an editorial calendar!  The idea came from this lovely little article on IFB (found here) I recommend reading it if you are a blogger and find yourself wrapped up in holiday festivities, or in my case a massive research assignment due in January.  This is mainly so if I find myself with some downtime, I can go ahead and get started on future posts.  Sound good?  So I want to know what you want to see.  Is it outfit posts?  Product reviews?  Weekly picks?  Celebrity style?  Interpretive dance videos done by yours truly?  Well, maybe not the last one, but you get my point. Also, possibly considering a new blog name with this revamp, so if you have suggestions for that too, lay it on me.

As you see, my goal is going to be four posts a week, but this probably won't become a habit until after finals.  So, let me hear you!  I want your opinions and ideas!  I'll give a big shout out to people who make suggestions in my next blog entry, so there's the little teeny incentive of being able to "plug" your blog.  'Til next time, honeys!









P.S. If you leave a suggestion and want to plug your blog, leave a link :)

Friday, November 19, 2010

Mama needs a new pair of shoes.

Lela Rose at Payless

I have decided to give myself a lazy day.  Allow myself to regenerate a little, perhaps.  Well, not entirely lazy.  I did write a cover letter and submit my resume for an internship.  Go me!  Other than that, the day consisted of sleeping in, doing the equivalent of window shopping online, and watching reruns of The Office. I think my landlord has heard me laughing enough to last him an eternity.    And it's not the cute giggly laugh, it is the horribly boisterous guffaw with the occasional snort sprinkled in.  What can I say?  I'm cute.  

Anyways, while I was "window shopping," I made finding affordable guest designer lines the object of my search.  Talk about a gift to poor college students.  It seems like every designer and their uncle has made their pieces more affordable and accessible by becoming a guest designer.  Lela Rose, one of my absolute favorite designers, has such incredibly flirty and feminine pieces that I just dream about.  Unfortunately, products are more often than not outside of my measly budget.  Well, wasn't I absolutely ecstatic to see Lela Rose has a guest line at Payless Shoes?!  The shoes (seen above) are nothing short of the flirtatious and feminine design, yet much shorter on the cost.   I'm about to run out and snatch up those classic tweed pumps and I am drooling over that wonderfully saturated cranberry color. 

Here are some more guest lines I came across on my search.  Enjoy!

Lanvin for H&M
Christian Siriano for Payless
Isabel Toledo for Payless 
Vera Wang for Kohl's 
Mulberry  for Target
Dolce Vita for Target 









P.S. If you liked what you just read and want to keep up, be sure to follow through Bloglovin' and Google Friend Connect!  Just click the button seen in the right hand column.  Merci!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Revealing the inner g(l)eek,

I love Amber Riley.  There, I said it.  So while I'm sitting around waiting for Glee to begin, I figured I'd count the ways of why I find her so fabulous.  Needless to say, I'm pretty sure her voice could shatter glass.  It's that powerful.  But for the purposes of this blog, let's focus on the style aspect.  This is one girl who knows how to dress in the best way for her body.  Her outfits always appear perfectly tailored and never has fabric that looks too loose or snug.  Each dress features some detail that creates a wonderfully curvy hourglass figure and adds length by hitting above the knee.  The first and third dresses feature an empire seam, which falls at the smallest part of every woman's body: right under the bust line.  The second and fourth dresses utilize belts to achieve a curvy silhouette.  Oh and one more thing, Amber Riley is no shrinking violet.  This girl radiates positivity and confidence, which just makes her so darn charming!   'Til next time, honeys.








P.S.  Posts might be few and far between in the next couple weeks because of school stuff (jeez, I hate finals), but I'll do my best to keep you lovely people reading and entertained :)

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Gay BINGO Charlotte: A Glee-ful Celebration


Fellow fashion blogger, Lee, from It's A Beautiful Day








 

Forgive the copious amounts of pictures from last night, but I felt words alone could not convey how spectacular the evening was. Last night was the 10th and final Gay BINGO Charlotte, and boy, did they do it up BIG! The Diva of Ceremonies, Miss Shelita Hamm herself, and the Bingo Verifying Divas were nothing short of fabulous. The BVDs danced their hearts out to the likes of Olivia Newton John's "Physical," Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time," and a Glee rendition of "Don't Stop Believin'." The most remarkable part of the evening by far was, over the past 10 years, Gay BINGO has raised over $900,000 for RAIN, the largest HIV/AIDS service organization in the Charlotte, NC area.  Gay BINGO has truly left its mark in bringing us closer to ending this crisis.  'Til next time, honeys!


Friday, November 12, 2010

Field trip!

caridgan- thrifted, shirt- NY&Co, belt- AE Outfitters, skirt- Fossil, leggings- Target, shoes- Nine West

Happy weekend, honeys! I hope you have managed to leave the stresses of the work/school week behind. I am back in the good ol' Dash, which is Winston-Salem to you outsiders, for the weekend and decided to go along with my mama on a trip to this little new park. It's absolutely lovely, if I do say so myself. So after my mom ran her little heart out around the path while I read a magazine, I had her snap a few photos of yours truly. She was a trooper as we walked around trying to find places with good lighting.

I decided to abandon the skinny jeans for once (well more than once, but I need to do it way more often) and paired a nice full, flowy skirt with some chocolate brown leggings. Turned out quite nice, don't you think? The skirt flows away from the body, which is a wonderful way to conceal larger hips and thighs. Dark leggings underneath have a slimming effect on legs. The cardigan hits at the hip and adds length to the torso while the belt over top adds definition to the waistline, creating an hour-glass silhouette. Well, that's all for now! I'm off to celebrate my grandma's birthday.  Shhh! It's a surprise, I only say it on here because I'm pretty sure she doesn't know about this blog o' mine. The 10th and final Gay BINGO tomorrow night! 'Til next time, honeys!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

sweater song

sweater- Steve & Barrys, tank- Gap, belt- AE outfitters, jeans- NY&Co, shoes- Aldo
Honeys, I am pooped.  And I am pretty sure that level of pooped-ness will only increase in the days to come.  Maybe now it's time to stop saying pooped?  I'm pretty sure three times is enough for one blog entry.  But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  My precious gam gam's (aka Grandma Sheila) birthday is this weekend and it is also Gay BINGO!  Sad to say it is the final Gay BINGO and oh, how I will miss the divine diva Shelita Hamm, but it is still going to be a fabulous time.  If you are in the Charlotte, NC area and are interested in having a wonderful evening in support of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) and the LGBT community, click here and more information about RAIN can be found here.  Did I mention this year's theme is Glee?!

http://charlotte.creativeloafing.com

Now onto the outfit!  Oh, how I love this wonderful grandpa sweater.  It makes me want to put on some big wire-frame glasses and make myself a gin martini, or at least that's what my grandpa would do.  He also still argues court cases in his sleep years after being retired.  Funny and true!  So here's what I like about this outfit. Dark colors worn in a sweater on top and dark rinse jeans on bottom are slimming on a curvy figure.  If you have a feature you want to accentuate, look for details to draw attention to that area.  This top in particular had a glossy gray fabric with a scalloped edge and some cute little buttons.  Cute as a button, right? Shoes with a heel add height (yes to long and lean!) and lifts your rump.  For those who can't really wear stilettos without knowing danger is looming, a stacked heel is a safe(r) bet while still giving you the same effect.  'Til next time, honeys!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

What I am lovin' this week (Nov. 7)

1 "Suede Tote" Gap, 2 "Crosby Snake Print Archer" Cole Haan, 3 "Escher" Nine West, 4 "Pretty In Pleats Mustard Skirt" C. Luce, 5 "Yukata Dress" Anthropologie 6 "Soda Fountain Dress Ginger" Mod Cloth 7 "Warm and Bubbly Dress" Mod Cloth 8 "Cascading Chrysanthemums Top" Ruche, 9 "Delicately Dijon Dress" Mod Cloth, 10 "Autumn Wheat Dress" Mod Cloth

Happy daylight savings time, honeys!I've seriously been looking forward to gaining that one measly hour of sleep since September, but one hour seriously makes so much of a difference. For example, I woke up naturally at 8:30 this morning then did three loads of laundry (folded too!) by 1 o'clock. Now if I could just maintain that wonderful pattern, that would be lovely. Unfortunately I know it won't be long until I get some class assignment that causes me to stay up way too late and I will be back to my old habits.





Now the inspiration for this installment of "What I am lovin' this week" comes from a bit of a random place. There is this wonderful little tune by the name of "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I heard it earlier this year, loved it then. It recently popped on my Pandora radio station, I'm loving it even more now. The song and video might as well have just fallen out of the 1960s, which got the wheels turning about clothing of the era. I immediately thought of this lovely mustard yellow. It's just so soft and golden, reminds me of the glow from a fireplace. Maybe you have the same thoughts or maybe it's just me.  'Til next time, honeys!








Thursday, November 4, 2010

lay[er] it on me.

vest- Fossil, sweater- AE Outfitters, ruffly tank- Anthropologie, skinnies- NY&Co, booties- ALDO
Honeys, it's cold outside.  Like seriously, we are talking a chance of snow tomorrow.  I have a love/hate relationship with the place I live, and it's usually in the winter when I get not-so-lovey with this town o' mine.  Don't get me wrong, there's nothing I love more than a hot chocolate (especially the salted caramel from Starbucks.  YUM!), a chunky knit sweater, and burrowing up inside.  But when it's month after month of taking my life into my own hands walking on the icy sidewalks around campus and scraping my windshield in the morning, I don't become such a happy camper.  Good news is a new season is a new reason to do some shopping (that rhyming was not intentionally planned).  And even more exciting, we are just that much closer to the holiday season and a much needed month-long break from school!  Well, I do believe it's time for another outfit post and another lovely commentary, oui?

So these pictures were obviously taken prior to this nasty weather, hence the sun shining bright and the grass is actually green.  Oh, how I'm already starting to miss those days.  But I won't fret, because I love being able to layer tons of different pieces into one cohesive look.  I got a wee bit layer-happy with this outfit.  When layering, choose pieces with different necklines for a slimming effect, like a scoop neck ruffle tank, v-neck cable knit sweater, and a tie-front sweater fest.  The cable-knit detail is classic and elongating on the torso as the pattern runs length-wise.  And I finally get to show off my bonitas botitas: my pretty little boots.  
Cute, right?!  I love 'em dearly, but these babies proved themselves to be a bit of a hazard.   Yup, totally hit the pavement.  The heel hit some wet leaves going downhill and I was a gonner.  Even better, the huge bag I was carrying catapulted forward with the downhill momentum.  I must have looked insane to the girl who saw my utter fail since I was laughing so hard, but hey, one of the best traits to have is to be able to laugh at yourself.  'Til next time, honeys!




Tuesday, November 2, 2010

"The Year of Curves"








Fall/Winter 2010/2011 Elena Mirò at Milano Moda Donna (found here)
Go ahead, take a gander, honeys!  Isn't it just fabulous?  So, I'm not typically one to pay attention to runway fashion shows (though I should), but this one absolutely demanded my attention.  I am such an admirer of Elena Mirò and her work that resonates through the plus-size fashion industry.  Her designs are tailored to curvaceous women, while preserving the modernity and chicness seen throughout the fashion industry regardless of size and shape.  And here's the kicker:  Elena Mirò has been the only plus-size label to participate in the Milano Moda Donna runway show since 2005.  Mirò's accomplishments are truly something to be celebrated throughout the fashion industry and by every curvy girl.  Here's to 2010/2011 being the Year of Curves!  'Til next time, honeys!