#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

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.

Six Take: No H8

Hey Everyone,

So me, and my fellow six-take bloggers, Rikke from Sticky, Sweet Danish, Jessica from tooMANYsequins, Jessica from Chic in Every City, Yoli from Diva in Deep Thought, and Sarah from Queen Sized Flava made in Montreal, have decided to write a post entitled "No H8" to promote greater understanding, acceptance, and love of others and what you might perceive to be their differences. We were inspired to do this after one of us endured hateful and abusive messages through one of our social media networks. We must show others that we will not be intimidated by their hatred, and that's what this post is all about.

Like many women who self-identify as fat, I was bullied mercilessly as a child. Other kids would call me "tub of lard" or "connect the dots" (because of my freckles) and I was often the object of other kids' cruel and elaborate schemes, one which involved getting a boy to pretend he liked me, me letting my guard down, and them pulling the rug from underneath me. These experiences left me scarred and lacking self-esteem entirely, and I found it difficult to believe that anyone would ever like me or even want to be friends with me. I suffered from two particularly traumatic physical assaults at school which resulted to my mother pulling me out of that school and registering me at another. The second school was somewhat better, though not by much. I internalized much of the bullying that had become a daily expectation; I became introverted and focused intensely on my studies to distract myself from the constant abuse from my peers. I think I also felt that if I wasn't pretty, that I should at least be smart, so that I could have something going for me...

When High School started, the aggressiveness of the Middle School bullying had dissipated, but there was a whole new sort of passive aggressive judgement that was rampant. I was lucky enough to go to a school where uniforms were required, so I didn't have to try as hard to keep up with all the brand names everyone was wearing, but on casual days, where we were invited not to wear our uniforms, you could tell that there was a lot of judgement going on regarding who was wearing what. There were also a few prank phone calls to my house. I thank my lucky stars daily that I don't have to be in High School in the Facebook era. Who knows what sort of trauma that could cause. People are so callous online. They think that the distance created by the medium of the computer gives them license to berate people, when if faced with the same thing one is critiquing in person, the berater would simply remain silent on the issue. The distance between people in an online discourse is no excuse for one to treat another poorly. Even in online environments, people should treat each other with the same respect that they would observe in-person.

Recently, there was a hashtag trending on twitter - "#onlyfatpeople." Some fat-haters began to put hateful messages after the hashtag - things like "order a diet coke with a supersize combo at McDonalds because they are 'watching their weight.'" There were a number of other terrible comments which I won't reiterate here, partially because I don't want them to function as a trigger for anyone, and also because I don't want to dignify their terrible message by re-broadcasting it. Quite frankly, those idiots and their hateful messages are not worth my time. I posted a response to this hashtag on twitter and had a number of people congratulate me for standing up to these bullies (and got about 100 new followers - welcome, by the way, if my response is what brought you here), and also a number of bullies trying to force me back into submission by way of body-shaming me. After experiencing this journey of self-acceptance, a self-acceptance that has come by way of the scripto-therapy that this blog has given me, I found myself steeled against their bold and impudent attacks. I was not affected by it. I recognize that their hatred comes from their own deficiencies, and I accept their difference in opinion. So I politely (and eloquently) told them to f*@# off. I have come to love myself and nothing can change that now. I am me, and I will be me, and I don't care what anyone says about it. I use fashion as a language to express who I am to the world. I will no longer be shy, and I will no longer submit to body policing by others who would force me into striving towards an ideal female normalized body that I would never be able to healthily (mentally or physically) inhabit.

So the pictures that accompany this post are not themed. They are just me being me, and being totally happy with who I am and what I have on and what that says about me. I can't help it if others are going to be hateful, though I can control my reaction to it. In my own life, however, I have adopted the principle of No H8, and I hope all of you will too. We are all people with hearts and hopes, dreams and desires, families and friends, and no one wants to feel the sting of hatred and we should strive for peace and understanding always.

Jacket - Forever 21+/Skirt - Thrifted/Petticoat - Sofistafunk/Shoes - Honest Ed's/Top - Redress NYC/Sunglasses - Vintage Clothing Sale in York, UK

Remember:

Above all else, to thine own self be true.
- Shakespeare

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.
- Siddartha Gauttama

Life isn't about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself.
- George Bernard Shaw


You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
- Winston Churchill


No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Outfit of the Day- The Movies

Hey Guys,

A little while back I went out on a date with Peter to go see a movie. I'd been really wanting to see Woody Allen's new film Midnight in Paris, but I just hadn't gotten around to it. When I noticed it was playing at my local cheap cinema (like $3 a ticket), I decided that I had to go see it before it goes to DVD (especially now that Blockbusters are closing down and there are next to no independent movie rental stores in Mississauga). I'm not sure how I am going to rent the obscure things I like to watch now. They're likely not going to make it onto Rogers On-Demand (please ignore this if you have no idea what I'm talking about - basically it's just a way to order your movies direct to your TV through your cable provider). So I might have to go to an independent rental store in Toronto if there's something that's particularly rare or under-appreciated I want to see. Do any of you Torontonians have suggestions on where I should go?

So anyways, even though we were only going to the movies, I felt like putting on something nice for our little "date night." I always either wear or bring a cardigan with me to the movies because every time I go it's like sub-zero temperatures in there! There are brown patches on the elbows of the sweater that you can't see in these pictures, and which make it look very professorial, which I love in a playful, ironic way.

Cardigan and Necklace- Courtesy of Penningtons/Camisole, Bracelets, and Skirt - Forever 21+/Clutch - Thrifted/Shoes - From Redress NYC (but originally from Target)/Earrings - A gift from my sister (she brought them back for me from her honeymoon in Greece)

A Coffee Date with Sarah from Garters and Stockings!

Hey Guys,

I've been a very bad blogger lately! I'm so sorry it's been so long. Peter is on vacation and I'm sort of just in relaxation mode...

Recently, Sarah from the blog Garters and Stockings (formerly La Grande Fille) and I went out for a coffee date. We had a great chat about all sorts of stuff, from fashion to body positivity to blogging and everything in between. It was a great time. We were both also at an event on Sunday hosted by Addition Elle (along with Alison from Round Raglan Road who I featured on here a while back). It was a great event and it involved a bunch of Toronto fashion (both skinny and fat) bloggers styling models with two looks using Addition Elle garments. All of the looks turned out fantastic, but I'm not allowed to share with you until mid-Septemberish. There will be a facebook contest where you vote for your favourite outfit, and the people at Addition Elle want us to wait to reveal our looks because they have to design a facebook app first that will support the contest. I can't wait for you all to see what I put together. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised with what was available for me to work with. Their flagship store on Yonge Street in Toronto is amazing. All I can say is that my looks involved red cheetah, aubergine, and a hooded jacket that will knock your socks off.

Without further ado, here are a few pictures of our coffee date. Stay tuned for a review of a new denim technology offered by Lane Bryant (who will begin offering international shipping in September) in the next couple of days. =D

Pants - Lane Bryant Icon Line by way of Redress NYC/Shoes - Target by way of Redress NYC/Top - Necessary Objects by way of Redress NYC/Bandeau - Dots/Necklace - Forever 21/Earrings, Bracelet, and Purse - Thrifted

OOTDs: Showing a Friend Around Town

Everyone,

My friend Jen came over from Ireland (a couple of weeks ago, now, actually), and I'm finally getting around to posting the pictures of what I wore while I was showing her around town. On day one of her trip, we went to the Toronto Islands and visited Kensington Market and Chinatown. On day two, we took a bus tour of Toronto and went to Casa Loma, and on day three we headed down to Niagara Falls. I hope she had fun! I know I had fun showing her all of the sights!

I got this shot of the Toronto skyline as we made our way back into town on the ferry from the Toronto Islands. It was such a perfect day to go to the islands. The dreamiest sort of weather - warm, but with a lovely cool breeze coming in from the lake.

The next day, we went to Casa Loma, a castle located in Toronto that was built at the turn of the century by Sir Henry Pellatt, a very wealthy Torontonian with a monopoly on electricity. The provincial government decided that it was not fair to let one man have this sort of a monopoly, so they fixed that and started offering Hydro power to Toronto. This development, as well as a number of other poor investments on Pellatt's part, lead to his rapid financial demise, and he had to sell everything he owned for a fraction of its worth in order to avoid bankruptcy so that he could keep his royal title (I'm not sure if the British monarchy will still strip you of your title if you file for Chapter 11, but it's definitely interesting). He ended up living in a small apartment above the garage in his former chauffeur's home. 

It's just as beautiful inside, with stunning furnishings and an amazing ballroom and library. The opulence is astounding, especially considering Pellatt's modest accommodations after his financial ruination. Jen wore this dress that I'd been eyeing for awhile on Dorothy Perkins' website and I recognized it right away. I think I have an internet window shopping addiction problem! Still absolutely love the dress. It has a lovely bow in the back as well.

I also really liked what my sister Gill (right) had on, and it was sort of weird that we ended up in the same colours! So I decided to force her to allow me to put her picture up here too ;D She told me where she got the dress, but I can't, for the life of me, remember... Was it H&M? If you're reading Gill, can you comment with where you got it from? 

Top - ASOS Curve/Shorts - Dots/Bracelets - Forever 21/Belt - Thrifted/Purse - Costa Blanca/Necklace - Charming Charlie/Shoes - Target/Sunglasses - Gifted from Kmart

Casa Loma is a really beautiful sight, and the picture doesn't even do it justice. If you're ever in Toronto, make sure to check it out. My eldest sister got married there. So beautiful. 

The next day, we went to Niagara Falls. We did a walk along the falls, got some Linner (that's a combination of lunch and dinner) and decided to get on the Maid of the Mist. Hilarious! We all got absolutely soaked, so it was a good thing that we brought sturdier ponchos than the ones we were given by the Maid of the Mist people. My mascara was running like nobody's business. It was amazing how close to the falls you get though. Pretty incredible. We also got on the Niagara Skywheel, which is like a very high tech ferris wheel. You get your own completely enclosed pod, sort of like the London Eye, but with much smaller pods. The view is awesome. This is the (comfy) outfit I wore for our day (including a lot of walking) at Niagara Falls:

Sorry for all the nublies in this shot. I have to go over this top with my nubly shaver!

That's the Falls in the background. Top and Necklace- Forever 21/Tights - Torrid/Shoes - Target via Redress NYC/Belt - Redress NYC/Purse - Thrifted/Sunglasses - Courtesy of Kmart

And just to show you guys how seriously I take myself, and also that I can rock anything, even a translucent blue poncho layered on top of a bright yellow rubber poncho while soaking wet, I've decided to share this picture that my sister took just after I got off the Maid of the Mist. Enjoy! Rockin' a poncho.

Six Take: A Tale of Six Cities (Toronto)

Hey everyone!

Sorry it's been so long since my last post! I've been working on this epic six-take featuring city-inspired style. Since I am from Toronto, and it's such a diverse city (both in population and in terms of its architecture and things to do, I couldn't just take pictures of one place and outfit, so I took inspiration from a number of different locations across Toronto. I've been putting together the outfits and shooting them for over a week! I hope you like it!

Toronto is situated on Lake Ontario, one of the 5 great lakes. The lake is a big part of Toronto culture and recreation, with residents and visitors flocking towards it on hot days. There are loads of beautiful yachts docked along the shore, as boating is a favourite pass-time of Torontonians. I interpreted Toronto's love of the lake with this nautical look.

Hat, Purse, Earrings, Necklace, and some of the Bracelets - Thrifted/Shoes - Penneys (Ireland)/Skirt and Camisole- Ricki's/Tunic - Forever 21+

Another really amazing part of the city is Kensington Market. It's crazy colourful community with lots to see and do. Since it is a market community, there are loads of vendors selling everything from fresh fruit to linens, meat and fish, chocolate, baked goods, and clothing. It is a very socially conscious neighbourhood, so you find a lot of vegan, gluten-free, vegetarian, organic, and fair trade options there. There is a street in the community that consists mostly of eco-friendly fashions (more organic and fair trade, and of course, vintage), and I absolutely love getting lost in it on a Sunday afternoon. I interpreted this neighbourhood in my outfit as sort of nouveau-hippie/bohemian chic. 

This car is a project called the "Community Car Reclamation Project." It's an old car that has been totally gutted and has been reclaimed as a street garden. It's permanently "parked" in a municipal parking spot, but the city would never dare to try to remove it because of its significance to the community (not to mention the logistical difficulties of such an undertaking).

Earrings, Purse, and Skirt - Thrifted/Necklace - Dollarama/Top - Dots/Scarf - Costa Blanca/Shoes - Target/Sunglasses - gifted from Kmart/Hat - Domino Dollhouse

Another important part of Toronto that I wanted to highlight (probably because I am there so much) is the University of Toronto. It's my Alma Mater, so I couldn't resist! Many of the buildings on campus have been around since the 1800s, and it's one of the best preserved parts of early Toronto as there were a couple of massive fires around the turn of the century here. It's a beautiful place for a walk, especially on a hot day, since there are loads of shady trees to sit under. These pictures were taken in front of Hart House, which functions sort of like a student centre for U of T students. I interpreted U of T style as sort of preppy - the summer scholar...

Jacket - Thrifted/Shoes - Dorothy Perkins/Purse - a gift from my Dad (tag says Esprit)/Shorts - Dots/Camisole - Forever 21+/Bracelet - Dollarama/Necklace - Gifted from Charming Charlie

St. Lawrence Market is another really fun part of Toronto. The building that houses the market used to be Toronto's city hall (way back when Toronto was still called York). It also functioned as a jail for much of the late 1800s. Today, it is where Torontonians go to get their produce at the Saturday farmer's market and all of their spices, seasonings, meat and fish during the week. On Sundays, it even hosts antique vendors. I interpreted this Toronto site by wearing a fruit themed outfit. I kind of feel like I'm channelling Carmen Miranda a bit here!

Scarf and Clutch - Thrifted/Shorts - Dots/Top - Forever 21/Shoes - Target/Sunglasses - ASOS/Earrings - Etsy store called Bonjour Button

And the last area of Toronto of which I did a style interpretation is the Distillery District. The buildings in this district are some of the best-preserved examples of Victorian-era industrial architecture in the world, and as a result, have been the backdrop for quite a few films set in this era, including Cinderella Man and Chicago. The plant in this area was owned by William Gooderham and James Worts and produced rye-whiskey. In the 1920s, after the decline of the (short lived here in Canada) prohibition, the company was purchased by Harry C. Hatch and was renamed Hiram Walker (who still make Canadian Club). The rye-whiskey was produced at this site until 1990, after which it was converted into "the distillery district" which is now home to loads of trendy restaurants and boutiques, a excellent theatre, and functions as the backdrop to many important art exhibits (including Nuit Blanche). I interpreted this area of Toronto into my style by trying to emulate the style of the roaring twenties, just after the distillery was purchased by Harry Hatch and prohibition had ended.

Dress - Penningtons - Shoes - Redress NYC via Target/Purse - Gifted from Jessica at Chic in Every City (she's awesome) by Simply Be/Hat - Thrifted/Necklace - Garage Sale

So, lovelies, what do you think of my city and my style?

Make sure to visit all the other wonderful bloggers participating in this take of six cities!

Jessica - Too Many Sequins - Australia

Sarah - Queen Sized Flava - Montreal, Canada

Rikke - Sticky Sweet Danish - Copenhagen, Denmark

Yoli - Diva in Deep Thought - Baltimore, USA

Jessica - Chic in Every City - Philadelphia, USA