#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?

#Jeansdujour - Yes, Plus Size Women CAN Wear (Snake Print) Skinny Jeans!!!

There is a common misconception that plus size women shouldn't wear skinny jeans. This is totally absurd. Plus size women can look great in any kind of jean, they just need to style it well! A pair of skinny jeans looks amazing with a long blouse or top, a really well-tailored blazer, and of course your favourite heels. And these are just some possible suggestions. There are so many great ways to style skinny jeans to make them look totally amazing on you. As Coco Chanel once said "Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions." You don't need to worry so much about your size, but more about the aesthetic of the shapes you are creating using different garments. Don't be afraid to experiment with coloured jeans or prints either. There are far too many women out there who are too self-conscious to try styles they're not used to, and it's such a shame. You don't know just how beautiful you are. You should feel totally free to express yourself through whatever sort of fashion calls out to you, even if that means rocking snake print skinny jeans as a plus size woman! Don't let anyone tell you what you should or should not wear just because you're plus size. Welcome to the fashion democracy, ladies!!!

Jeans - c/o Addition Elle/Top - Re/Dress NYC by Necessary Objects/Shoes - Rainbow/Jewellery - c/o Penningtons/Jacket (in later shots) - Sears by Attitude Jay Manuel

Outfit of the Day: Chantilly Lace on a Pretty Face

Hey Guys!

I am so sorry, it's been forever since I've done an outfit of the day post! Peter was like, "Hon, shouldn't you be taking some pictures for your blog? We haven't done that in a while..." Hahaha, so when I went out for Easter with my family yesterday, I made sure to take some time before leaving to snap some shots. I promise I won't let it be so long the next time. It was the end of term with school, and it was a really busy time (all my students had their essays due, and had a million questions, and then I had to grade all of them). They've got their exam on Saturday, so I just have to go in for that, grade those, and then I have the whole summer to relax work on my dissertation.

So without further ado, here is my outfit... The lace is certainly not from Chantilly. The dress is from F21, so it's more likely to be from Guangdong, haha. But I like to make my titles creative, so... yeah. I really like how this outfit turned out. I bought this dress a couple of months ago at the F21 in the Eaton Centre because I fell in love with it, but then when I got it home, I was like, where on earth am I going to wear this? I'm sure many of you have experienced similar conundrums. I just decided I'd break it out for Easter. Why not, right?

Jacket - Attitude Jay Manuel for Sears Canada/Dress - Forever 21+/Shoes - Rainbow/Hat - Vintage/Purse - Thrifted/Necklace - House of Harlow

And just a quick reminder, if you haven't purchased tickets for the Curvy Girls' Cross Border shopping Tour that I'm organising and leading from Toronto to Buffalo on April 21st, then make sure you get yours soon! You can read more about it here.

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.

An Evening Spent Gussied Up at Gussied Up!

Hey Everyone,

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to attend a mix-and-mingle event at Gussied Up (a fantastic plus size boutique here in Toronto that I have written about on here before). Whitney Thompson, winner of America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 (the only plus-size winner to date), was there to promote a new clothing line with which she is affiliated called Allistyle. So I got to meet her, as well as reconnect with a few familiar faces from the Toronto plus size fashion community, which was great! Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Liis from On The Curve Events, Karyn from KillerKurves.ca, and Mari Grace from Mari Grace Accessories, chatting

Me and Whitney Thompson, winner of ANTM Cycle 10

 

A couple of close ups of my outfit... Dress (which I ADORE) - Courtesy of Damn You Alexis/Tights - Courtesy of Secret/Shoes - Rainbow/Purse - Aldo/Necklace - Ardene/Feather Fascinator - Urban Outfitters

A beautiful bracelet given to me at the event by Mari Grace, from Mari Grace Accessories

Left to Right: Myself, Courtney, Sarah, Liis, and Karyn

All in all, it was a great evening spent with old friends and new, and a wonderful continuation of the affirmation that the Toronto (and Canadian) plus size fashion scene is heating up fast! Thanks for a lovely night, ladies!