#Jeansdujour - Colour Blocking for Fall with Addition Elle's Denim Jeans

It's #jeansdujour time, and I thought I would share with you some of my tips for successfully colour blocking this Fall using coloured jeans. Addition Elle has all sorts of colours of jeans for curvy women in stock right now, so it's a great time to take a second look at this trend of colour blocking and try it out for yourself!

What is colour blocking? Well, really the term itself is quite self-explanatory - you wear clothing that creates blocks of colour on your body. Usually you'll want to avoid wearing patterns/prints while colour blocking, as it tends to take away from the sophisticated simplicity of the look, which is really the essence of what makes colour blocking so great.

In my first colour blocking outfit below, I've created a bold look using a primary colour (royal blue), black, and white. These Love and Legend Skinny Leg Jeans in Royal Blue are the perfect bottom to make a statement and to colour block with. I paired the bold blue with a more subtle black and white so not to overdo it with colour. The sophisticated cut of the blazer (and especially the large notches on the lapel and peplum waist) and the geometric shapes used in the jewellery give the look a slightly edgy, fashion-forward vibe.

Jeans, ring, and camisole- c/o Addition Elle/Blazer - ASOS Curve/Shoes - Rainbow/Necklace and Earrings- New Look/Purse - Random store on 6th and 36th in NYC

If bright primaries are not for you, I totally get it. You can still accomplish colour blocking using a more muted, subdued palate. In the look below, I combine rose, moss, aubergine, tan, and gold to create a more earthy, bohemian interpretation of colour blocking. The amazing colour of the Love and Legend Coated Skinny Jean in Black Cherry is absolutely perfect for Autumn!

Jeans and Bracelet- c/o Addition Elle/Top - store in Pacific Mall/Cape - ASOS Curve/Shoes - CBX/Sunglasses - Forever 21/Earrings - Vintage

So, what about you? Have you tried colour blocking before? Which look do you prefer, the bolder, edgier look, or the soft and romantic bohemian?

All the Latest Trends with Addition Elle's Perfect Fit Curvy Jeans

Hey Guys!

So for this week's #jeansdujour post, I wanted to show you a few different outfits featuring the latest trends with Addition Elle's Perfect Fit jeans. Addition Elle has come out with the Perfect Fit jean - a collection of three different denim fits uniquely designed to work with customers' different shapes. They have Curvy jeans (that's me!) which is smaller at the waist and fuller at the hips, Shaped, which is gently curved from the waist to the hip, and Versatile, which is a straighter cut that works for most customers because of its stretchy fabric. I am wearing the Curvy in blue (and petite - I am only 5'4", and these work amazing well on me).

The first trend I wore is lace. Lace is the perfect fabric to make your plus size jeans look very feminine and pretty. The jacket I wore is another trendy piece. The puffy sleeve is definitely making a comeback, albeit a more conservative puffyness than its 80s counterpart!

Jeans - Courtesy of Addition Elle/Shoes - Old Navy/Purse - CBX/Top - ASOS Curve/Jacket - c/o Stefanie Bezaire

For my second look, I wanted to show you some of the geometric stuff that is on trend right now. This look is a little edgier, but the pink in the top softens it up a bit.

Jeans - c/o Addition Elle/Shoes - Target/Top - Anthropologie/Braclets - Forever 21/Earrings - New Look/Body Jewellery - Aldo

And for my final look, I broke out the vintage vixen vibe. Polka dots are always fun, and when you mix them with a great colour like this one, and put them on a jacket cut as well as this one, they just pop, you know? Polka dots are great, and I do love a good peplum waist!

Jeans - c/o Addition Elle/Jacket - Vintage/Shoes - New Look/Earrings - Vintage Alfred Sung/Necklace - Your BIG Sister's Closet

So, which is your favourite look? And which trends are you planning on wearing this season?

Curvy Girls' Cross Border Shopping Trip Haul Video

Product Review - Eshakti!

Hey Guys!

So I was recently contacted by eShakti to see if I would like to do a review of one of their products of my choosing. Since I had a couple of eShakti dresses on my wishlist already, I excitedly agreed! If you are not yet familiar with eShakti, you are in for a real treat. They offer sizes 0-26W (so for any of you who are not plus size out there and reading this, yes, you can buy from them too!), and you can also simply send them your measurements so that they can custom size ANY PIECE from their collection for you. They do this for a $7.50 charge normally, but for your first custom sizing order, they waive the fee. The prices are reasonable and the selection is wonderful. You can also customize the length (if you are particularly tall or short - or particularly conservative or racy), or the neckline to your preference. For instance, if you see a dress that has a sweetheart neckline, but would prefer a v-neck, no problem - just ask. Sleeves are the same. You can choose whether you like sleeveless, cap sleeves, spaghetti straps, 3/4 length - whatever! The ability to customize gives you an amazing amount of choice in terms of how your finished product turns out. This is a very unique and rare concept boutique that is giving its customers the ability to find a piece that suits and fits them perfectly. I highly recommend them. Apparently, Shakti means power in Sanskrit. eShakti therefore means the power of the Net. Eshakti's philosophy is that the internet empowers customers and helps companies be customer-centered - and by allowing you to specify exactly what you want, they are empowering plus size (and straight size) consumers to get just what it is they're looking for.

You might remember this dress from my A/W 2011 wishlist... I absolutely adore it! I wore it to my sister-in-law's birthday part at West 50 in Mississauga. I felt like a million bucks all night. And this dress is on sale for only $29.95 right now! That's a steal.

Dress - c/o eShakti/Tights - c/o Secret/Shoes - Rainbow/Jewellery - Forever 21/Belt - Redress NYC

I totally love this dress and can't wait to wear it again! I might even pop a cropped blazer on over it and wear it to work. It's so chic, and the peplum waist-line is really in right now. There are a bunch of other dresses I want from eShakti too now! It was really great to just send my measurements in and not worry about receiving something that may or may not fit. I know a lot of people I talk to (especially straight size women) are wary of shopping online because they're not sure if they'll like the fit of the garment once it arrives (plus size women are decidely less picky about this, because if limited to brick and mortar stores, we'd have SO little to wear!). With eShakti you don't have to worry about fit at all, because it's made for you. I would definitely say that if you are concerned about internet shopping and fit, eShakti is a good store to start with - this way, your anxieties about proper fit don't have to be a consideration for your first purchase. I am so pleased with my dress and its fit. Usually I find that dresses that are fitted throughout tend to be really tight around my hips (my widest part), causing the dress to bunch and bind all night, meaning I'm always fidgeting with it. With this dress, I was not concerned about it riding up or bunching at all, and it was totally comfortable for the whole evening. I think it was Coco Chanel who said that "there is no luxury without comfort," and this dress definitely delivers in both of those categories. Needless to say, but I highly recommend eShakti. Check 'em out.

Outfit of the Day - The Boho Chic Teacher

Yep, you guessed it! Another teaching outfit... Kmart sent me this beautiful dress as a part of my sample package and I absolutely adore it! As soon as I saw it, I knew it would pair well with the faux-fur coat that I got at a nearby Goodwill on a cold day for an autumnal bohemian look. I added my ever-present (but favourite) tassel bag and my over the knee torrid boots to complete the outfit, as well as some gold accessories. Peter said that I look like a Russian princess. Not sure if he meant it as a compliment or not, lol! My sister in law saw me in this and was petting me, lol! Well, it is nice and cozy and functions well as a warm blanket for when I am napping on the bus on the way in in the morning! What do you guys think?

Coat and belt- Thrifted/Dress - Courtesy of Kmart LYS/Boots - Courtesy of Torrid/Purse - CBX/Necklace - Courtesy of Penningtons/Earrings - Hand-me-downs from my mom

So what do you guys think? Are you partaking in the Faux-Fur trend this season? Do you like my outfit?