Spotted

I am one of those women that say I'm going to take some time off, and before I know it months go by. I was this close to repeating such once again, but I made it my mission to take a couple of days off just to lounge around, and just enjoy some me time. To celebrate my day off and the gorgeous convertible driving weather (along the coast with my big shades and scarf tied around my neck blowing in the wind. I enjoy old Hollywood movies, especially one's from the 50's & 60's.), I treated myself to some comfort food and light shopping. For such an easy, breezy day, I went with Eloquii's Wide Leg Pants and Scoop Neck Crop Tee. What I like about these pants is that it is made with a light weight non-stretch fabric that drapes. I have tried other types of wide leg pants with stretch in it, and the leg winds up wrapping around the ankle while you are walking. For me, the lighter fabrication works best. Since the pants easily stay up high on my waist due to the elastic in the back, I decided to rock the crop top to balance the proportions. Besides being a fun and easy print, I love the length on these pants. Normally when wearing wide leg pants, I have to wear heels in order to avoid the pants from seriously dragging, these are perfect with flats. I definitely recommend these pants if you are looking for a great wide leg pant to wear with a cute sandal. My handbag is the newest member to the family that I got on sale from Kate Spade. The Carson bag can be used as a clutch or a crossbody. I should have taken a picture of the inside, but it has a great grid print and tons of pockets. I enjoyed my day off, and coming up next will be what I did on my night off. Muah lovers!!

#NSale

It's the best time of the year...the Nordstrom Anniversary sale! As a kid I lived for back to school shopping, now I did enjoy school, but I loved picking out all of my new clothes way more. The Nordstrom Sale rivals that feeling for me. It's back to school shopping sans homework. For me its a win-win. Nordstrom's sale has something for everyone- beauty products, accessories, shoes, and great designer items. I wanted to talk about some of the great items that are up for grabs. Without further ado....

SHOES

Flats have become a major part of my shoe life. I love the fact that I do not have to sacrifice comfort for style. Working in NYC, the streets are not the best when you want to walk around in heels, but flats can get the job done. First up, is the Vince Camuto Empa Flat. It comes 4 colors (black, grey, wine, and putty patent). I went with the grey because it looks so good against my skin.  I will be wearing these with my skinny ankle pants, graphic tee, and a blazer all fall. Next up we have the Louise et Cie Barry Ankle Strap Flat. These are soo stinking cute!! I love me some animal print, so when I saw these in the catalog I fell in love. These will be my go to with dresses and skirts so I can show off the ankle strap. The last of my shoe purchases is the Halogen Olson flat in Stingray Black. I love the texture and studs on these. They are soo roomy. My feet are a little on the wide side, so anytime I am shopping for shoes, my first concern is fit. All of these shoes are available online and in stores, so if you get a chance try them and let me know what you think. 

CLOTHES 

Nordstrom's plus size section is the best out of all of the department stores. There is not only their private label Sejour, but they also carry City Chic, Eloquii, Vince Camuto, and a plethora of other great brands. If you have not checked out the plus size lookbook, here it is. There are so many great items. Besides being a denim addict, I am also a leather (faux or real) addict as well. For my leather fix, I went with Sejour's Leather Detail Dress in burgandy. The collar and bodice are made of real leather. What sold me on the dress was the fact that it was offered in another color besides black. Don't get me wrong, black is great, but I love it when I have a choice. I bought the dress in a 16, and it fits great. I love the color, and what's best of all it has pockets!! Definite must have. I also bought Eloquii's Faux Leather Culottes. When these were first on Eloquii's site, I waited because NYC was freezing, and my size sold out. I was excited that I was given a second chance, and I was not missing out on them. I went with a 16, and as you can see these fit great. 

There are so many other great items that are up for grabs. If you are in the need for new jeans, there are some from NYDJ, Halogen, Wit & Wisdom, and Kut from the Kloth. The outerwear this season is cool- there's parka's, fur coats, and cute vests. The workout gear has some cool reversible pants and jackets. Definitely head to Nordstrom and check out their Anniversary Sale before the prices go up on August 3rd. 

Chambray Heaven

As of late, I have been all about my jumpsuits and today I am sharing one from Modamix. I got this cutie when I was at Curvy Con last month. This is the epitome of my summer dressing- one and done. With jumpsuits and dresses, all you need to do is put it on and you are out the door. I am big believer that you can get easily get dressed and still look pulled together. The Modamix Chambray jumpsuit is a must have for your closet. Chambray does not stretch so I went up a size and went with the 18. The waist has elastic- which is a major bonus. When it comes to elastic waist, I am concerned that it will sit so close to my boobs that it looks like a bad empire top. This is not like that AT ALL. The elastic on this jumpsuit defines my waist, so I did not see a need to wear a belt. Accessories wise, I went with my big chain bracelet, some cool sunnies, and my big tote. This tote is from Dooney & Bourke, aka "My Life Bag". Anytime I have to travel, it has enough space for my camera, laptop, and all my random stuff in pouches (ask my friends, my bags are a treasure chest of products). This is the extra large version, but there is a medium sized one currently on their site. My wedges are oldies but goodies from Dolce Vita. I felt that the height and punch of color was a great way to tie in all the cuteness I am serving up (HA!!). Ladies, Modamix is a great resource for one and done dressing (they have some of the cutest dresses). Definitely check them out. Later lovers!

Feeling Blue (In a Good Way with Harper + Liv)

Today, I wanted to share some looks from the new brand Harper + Liv. If you have not got a chance to check out this brand, please do so now. Their Summer collection is a mix of boho with tropical vibes. The collection has crochet pieces, distressed jeans, and tropical prints (they have great printed pants). For this look, I paired their Embroidered Mesh Tank with their Distressed Capri Jeans.

This tank is on the sheer side so if you like to err on the side of caution and not have your bra show, they do make a great bandeau that you can wear underneath. The mesh on the tank allows for ventilation, so despite the humidity, I was very comfortable. I wanted the tank to be on the looser side, so I went with a 2X. Summer dressing for me is about looser fits. I do not want to be stuck to my clothes at the end of the day. The detailing on this top is simply amazing. I love the lace and flowers. I made sure I took a close up so you can see how beautiful this top really is.

The underrated star of this look is the capris. Wearing denim in the summer for most is a no no, but I am always in the hunt for lightweight denim because I am a denim addict. These are lightweight, and the bonus is that they do not stretch out despite having 2% spandex. I have several denim capris that are good until you sit around in them and then they are soo stretched out that I am constantly pulling them up (because I hardly wear belts, I know- bad). That is not the case with these. The distressed capris are a must have for your summer wardrobe. The length for me hit my sweet spot, so I will be wearing these well into fall.   

My second look is all about this gorgeous kimono. I was never really into kimonos, I thought they would make me appear wider due to the volume, but this one has made me a believer that you can rock volume without looking like a sack. The Georgette Kimono is absolutely beautiful and can be dressed up or down, which is great because I definitely would wear this to work over a nice tank dress. Since, the kimono is quite roomy, I sized down and went with a 1X. The geometric print is so much fun, and I love how down the back and on the trim they switch it up with a tribal print. 

Cut off shorts! Yes, I am wearing them, and I love them. When I first saw them at the showroom I was concerned about how much skin was going to show, but I wore a bikini and didn't hide my legs, so I am adding shorts to my repertoire. Not only do these look good, but they fit well. When you have big thighs shopping for shorts can be frustrating. Either they are too tight making your legs look like sausage casings or they are too big making you look sloppy. These are fitted, but the cut off allows for a more roomier fit. I am in love with my choices, and I hope you do too. For both looks, I went with a necklace from Baublebar, Ray Ban sunnies, and Vince Camuto sandals. There you have it lovers, Harper + Liv is a definite must have in your wardrobe. You can find them at Lord & Taylor, Dillards, and now Macy's.com!

The Curvy Con!

Last Saturday, I attended the Curvy Con held at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. The purpose of the event was to get plus size brands, bloggers, fellow shopaholics and fashionistas all in one room to talk, shop, and celebrate all things plus size. I decided to go with another jumpsuit, this time from Lane Bryant's 6th and Lane Collection. When I tried this jumpsuit on, I felt like I can do no wrong. This jumpsuit is comfortable and sexy, which was needed while walking around checking out all that the Curvy Con had to offer. This jumpsuit to me is an ode to the 70's with its wrapped bodice and wide legs. Unfortunately the jumpsuit is sold out online, but I suggest heading to Lane Bryant. Right now it is their Semi-Annual sale, so you might luck out and catch this bad boy 40% off. With the jumpsuits bold color, I wanted to go with an equally bold clutch to showcase that wearing color on color is never a bad thing. My beautiful cobalt clutch is from Sole Society. I recommend you head to their site, because they have a great assortment of shoes, bags and accessories that are very affordable. My necklace is from Baublebar and its called the Gold Tassel Strand Necklace. I wanted to wear heels, but since I knew I would be walking around, I went with my Circus by Sam Edelman sandals (and my feet were happy that I did).

My first stop was the Modamix booth to check out their Summer Collection. The first thing that caught my eye was their Chambray Jumpsuit. Being a newly minted jumpsuit addict, you know I just had to try it on. I went with a size 18 since there was no stretch. It looked so great on me, I bought it right there on the spot. There is a pic of me trying it on Modamix's gram account.

Also, I got a chance to chat with the Modamix team. I love conversing with women that are passionate about bringing great clothes to all women, and they are pretty awesome to boot. They even let me catch a sneak peak of their Fall & Winter Collection. All I have to say is be prepared for bold patterns, and lots of color.  You can find Modamix currently on Macys.com, Dia & Co, and Lord & Taylor in the Fall.

Next up, I stopped by the Eloquii booth to chat it up and see what they had (even though I practically live on their site daily). They were having a $39 pant promo, so I knew this was the perfect time to buy their Printed Wide Leg Pants. Also, while I was there, I snapped some pics of the ladies, and won a necklace from their bubble gum machine! OWWW!! Eloquii is another brand that I love because they are serious about great fashion regardless of size. Added bonus, I got to order all that I wanted and they shipped it to my house free of charge, because I was starting to look like a bag lady with all my goodies. 

After chatting it up for a bit and taking pics, I headed to Lysse booth. Now I have heard about their leggings since they are sold at Nordstrom & Lane Bryant online, but this was a great chance to see what the brand had to offer in person. I was checking out their leggings, and found a pair of white moto leggings. Now at first I was nervous about them because white can show all your lumps and bumps. I was with my fellow blogger boo Pepper, and she assured me that these will smooth anything you can throw at them. My thing is if someone "Swears to the testament of these leggings" that is good enough for me. I was able to snag these cuties for $40 and I am soo excited to wear them. I went with a 2x as per the rep's suggestion. When I tried these on when I got home, I did not see any lines, bumps, or anything. These leggings are soo good, I need to get another pair to wear in the fall. Thank you Pepper for the recommendation!!

I did get a chance to check out the new plus size brand Eleven 60, created by the lovely Kierra Sheard. I have seen pics of the line, but it was nice to get a chance to look at the pieces in person. My favorite piece from the collection is the J Trench. Now this coat retails for $400, so it is not in the budget, but that does not take away from how amazing the coat is. The London's Owl dress would make the perfect addition to anyone's fall ensemble. Definitely looking forward to see what else she has planned for Fall.

Hooked Up Shapewear- ingenious! All of their shapewear comes up all the way and hooks to your bra to create a smooth line with no back fat. I was raised on the importance of great shapewear so I definitely gave them a try. I went with the bikini style, but they have boy shorts, biker shorts, as well as slips. Some shapewear can feel very constricting, but this does the job without that binding feeling. A major win-win!

Dia & Co.  is a great mail service that provides women with options of clothing to amp up their wardrobe. You fill out a survey, and one of their stylists creates a box of items that would work based on your style. Whatever you want to keep, that's what you will charged for. Nadia & Lydia really want to ensure that all women have access to great looking clothes in the comfort of your own home. At their booth, there were some cute pieces up for sale. For the event that had a giveaway, write about your style or describe yourself, take a selfie with their logo and you are automatically entered to win a box curated by Cece & Chastity.

During my breaks from shopping, I did go and listen in on some of the panel discussions. I enjoyed the Rock Your Confidence panel and How to Be Stylish. The panels gave some great advice and the moderators as well as guests asked questions to foster an open environment for sharing thoughts and experiences. I had to leave early for another event, so I missed out on the Amber Riley panel discussion :( but I am sure it was good. I enjoyed myself, got a temp tattoo, got a chance to meet new people as well as expand my fashion jones by getting to know new brands. All & all the convention was a success. 

As I was writing this, I got an email from the Curvy Con stating they will be back next year for not one, but two fun filled days! See you June 17th and the 18th 2016!