C Siriano

I'm all about designer collaborations. It's a great way for brands to work with different aesthetics and in turn we get great fashion. When Lane Bryant started working with designers on capsule collections I was excited. It's been through these collaborations, I have scored some pretty awesome items. Christian Siriano has been my favorite thus far. He dresses for all not some, and the things he has sent down the runway has been amazing. His Spring collection had me swooning (C'mon that pink moto was everything), and now the Fall collection has our hearts again. I definitely indulged more this time around. The pieces I gravitated towards were the dresses and outerwear. The first thing I saw at his preview was this fur trimmed vest. 

When it comes to outerwear, vests are my achilles heel. I like the ability of layering different pieces together. Now that it is officially Fall, the weather is very sporadic. In the mornings, there is a chill in the air, and by the afternoon it is warm. Wearing a vest allows me to adjust for the crazy temperature changes. Cobalt blue is a great color that looks amazing on everyone. I have yet to see a woman in cobalt and it does not look good. The fur collar is removable, and this kept me warm while walking around with my girls.

Wearing boots sans tights to me is one the sexiest things ever. That hint of leg is alluring. I have been on the hunt for a pair of over the knee boots with a walkable heel. I love me some heels, but wearing 3.5-4 inch heels all day is not happening. For those that can wear, stand, and/or run in heels all day, I salute you. I wanted something with a bit of a heel, but can be worn with ease. These days when it comes to wide calf boots, the hunt can be serious. I am very particular about  my boots. I prefer real leather or suede, but if they are faux, it has to look good. I'm not the biggest fan of stretch panels, so I want something that some stretch but the majority of the boot is not material. I find it crazy that some places charge over $100 for a boot that is mostly made of a faux leather stretch panel. There is no way that boot is worth that much in my opinion. In my hunt, I came across these from Marc Fisher. I have been a fan of the shoes for a while, but this was my first boot purchase. These are wide calf and I had no issues getting them on. My calves are 17.5 inches, and I'm 5'5" so I need the boot to hit in the right spot. I'm quite happy with them, and best believe I will be getting much wear from them.

I'm always in need of a good work bag. I want something pretty, but functional. The Myriam tote has tons of pockets. I can fit my laptop, wallet, camera, and all the essentials I carry with me on a daily basis. When running around a good life bag as I like to call it, has everything I need to get me through the day. Have you indulged in any serious fall shopping? Would love to know what was on your must have list?

Check Me Out

When I was younger, I always loved houndstooth. My mom had this cool houndstooth coat that she would wear to work. My mom was always the epitome of work chic. 20 years later, and houndstooth is still a go to print. Houndstooth for me was synonymous with workwear, but in actuality this print can be edgy and fun. 

Is it me, or when you stare at my dress it looks like the classic arcade game Space Invaders?

This houndstooth dress from Ellos is a great addition to your wardrobe. This dress is definitely classic. A sheath dress in houndstooth is something that you can dress up or down. I wanted to keep it classic but add a slight twist. A little classic, some edge, and just all around fun. I love wearing dresses in the fall. The cooler temps call for some great booties, and jacket. I was in need of new pair of Chelsea boots, and when I saw these on the site they were added to my cart immediately. Finding a good pair of booties is vital for me in NYC. I need a pair that are not only comfortable, but can handle walking around in these streets. These are 100% leather, and I love them. 

With such a classic dress, I decided to keep it going with the classics, and pair it with a moto jacket. This is my oldie but goodie from the Who What Wear Collection. For $40 this jacket has been a great addition to my closet. I wear it all the time, and with it being cropped it works with everything. My Rebecca Minkoff Quilted Affair came along for the ride and completed my look. All that was left was a high pony and a purplish black lippie. I love mixing things up and it's easy to do so when you have versatile pieces that can be dressed up or down. How do you switch up your classic pieces?

Running Around

Weekends for me consist of running errands. Pick up this, get gas, go get my hair done, meet friends, Target. When I'm out and about, my go to's are things that are all about comfort. Just because something is comfortable, doesn't mean that you can't look pulled together. The best looks for me are the one's where I just throw on something and go.

A couple of week's back while at the Avenue talking fall trends with my fellow Instagram Wives, I came across their new ponte jean. I love a good ponte pant. Ponte is wrinkle resistant, stretchy, and super comfy. When I tried these on in the store, I fell in love. The fit is great, and the rise came up right at my waist. They are soft like a great pair of leggings, but you get the structure of a pant. I will be wearing these pants all season long. If you are looking for a pant you can wear to work and on the weekend, I say give these pants a try. These are available in petite, regular, and tall lengths and go up to a size 32. 

I have been in the market for a new white button up, and this two pocket tunic was right up my alley. I first saw this shirt over the summer during FFF event with the Avenue. I love that it is long enough that you can wear with leggings, but it's still dressy enough to wear to work. The colorblocking gives it a fun vibe and having pockets is the icing on the cake. When running around, I can just put my phone in pocket and carry a smaller bag. I have been trying to be less of a bag lady. The bigger the bag, the more I put in it. 

Charge it and go!

On a daily basis I carry in my purse: lipstick, wallet, portable charger, headphones, and a cord. Having all those items in addition to whatever else I need can make my bag heavy. Not having a charger is not even an option anymore, but all those things could never fit in a wristlet. Well now I don't have to worry about that. This wristlet charges your phone!!! I'm a bit of a techie, so I love anything that looks good while serving a purpose. You can have something cute, functional all in a small wristlet. Inside the wristlet there are slots for your cards, room for other essentials, and then there is a separate part with a portable and cords. Whether you are team Iphone or Android, the wristlet can charge any phone. Definite must have (could make a great gift for the Holiday's), and it's only $30. 

To top everything off I went with some velvet flats from Marc Fisher. Menswear inspired pieces are still big this fall, and adding in velvet just gives it a great mix of boy meets girl. I loved how comfortable they are and they are just too cute. I seriously have another color sitting in my cart right now. o wear 

So what do you wear when you are out and about lovers?

Hello Ellos!!

Last week I had a chance to meet Ellos, the latest brand to come stateside. They are the leading Swedish plus size brand, and now they have their sights set on the US. I was invited to a lovely rooftop hotel party in downtown Manhattan with spectacular views of the city. It was there, I was able to chat with team (they are amazing by the way), look at all the drool worthy clothes being modeled, and catch up with the blogger boo's. 

If one had to describe the brand, I would say that they are an affordable contemporary line. They have great pieces ranging from $24.99- $249.99. The line features items that you can easily take from day to night, and some great casual pieces for the weekend. I love that their basics have great detailing, which ups the ante. For example, their ankle side zip pants (which I wore in my latest post) have zipper detailing in the front, and ankle notches. 

The preview had all of the current fall assortment, as well as what is coming in for Holiday. The Holiday collection as well as all of the outerwear was a hit with us all. My favorite pieces were the leopard coat (which I ended up ordering), the funnel neck coat, and the leather tee shirt. Yes ladies, Ellos offers real leather items!! 

 

My holiday favorites were the sparkly jumpsuit and the fur coat. Like seriously...look at this jumpsuit. Isn't she just everything??? I love pieces that make an impact without requiring planning. All you need is this jumpsuit a great shoe and some sparkle and you are ready for a night out. Hell I would wear this jumpsuit to go to the bodega...lol. For those that follow me on Snapchat (@styleoversize) you got to see me and the IG Wives try on the coats and channel our inner Cookie Lyon.

I had a blast and getting a chance to talk to the team about clothing and hearing how passionate they are about the brand is amazing. Meeting teams that really believe in the value of great looking as well as great fitting plus size clothing are always a treat. 

Ellos is now available at Fullbeauty as well their website in sizes 10-28 US. If you sign up today, your first purchase will be 20% off and there is free shipping when you spend $75!! happy shopping!

Smooth

A jacket is a mainstay in my closet. The right jacket can make a simple outfit look amazing without much effort. My trick to looking effortlessly cool is through a moto jacket. Moto's are the perfect layering piece. I do not know one item of clothing that I own that does not look great when I wear it with a moto. Moto's in my opinion are enhancers, they just give an outfit the right amount of oomph. I have a good amount of moto's in a variety of colors, but one color always alluded me- RED. Red is not my favorite color, but the color has been a big part of my life. My mom loves the color red, and she would wear it any chance she got. As a plus size girl being raised by a plus size mom, it was amazing to see her wear bold color. My mom didn't shy away from most colors, and I definitely inherited that from her. 

So back to the hunt. For about a year or so, I have been wanting a red moto. Trend forecasts from the runway shows had lots of crimson jackets in the form of bombers and embellished moto's. Seeing the boldness of the jacket really spoke to me. I wanted to strut around the streets of NY grabbing everyone's attention...lol. I love a great statement maker, and I knew when I found the right moto, it will speak volumes. 

This jacket was a hit...so many compliments. Blogger approved!!

While casually checking out Fullbeauty's website for jackets, I came across a red jacket. Not burgandy, not a quilted jacket, but a red suede moto!!! Wait, there's more. It's REAL SUEDE!!!! Finding real leather items or suede are rare in plus, so when I see a great item I get it. This jacket is from the Studio Untold Collection. I went with a size 20, and it fit perfectly. It's cropped, but I still have room to layer with a chunky sweater when the temps drop. After adding this amazing jacket to my cart, I decided to check out what other goodies Fullbeauty had to offer. One of the latest brands added to their site is Ellos, a Swedish brand now stateside. I was in need of a new pair of trousers, and these Ankle Zip Pocket pants were a great addition to my closet. If you are looking for great items to mix into your current work wardrobe, give this brand a try. To finish off my look, I went with my Zara tie up flats (I love being tied up...lol), and my oldie but goodie clutch from Banana Republic. 

Laughs and a view....great little hotel in the city

I received so many compliments on my jacket. It's not every day models ask me can they touch my jacket to feel how smooth it is, so I consider this a win. I got a chance to strut around NYC in a bold moto, just feeling ever so confident.The event I attended was amazing, and stay tuned to the blog because I have tons of pictures (this view alone is A1) from that night. Trust me, you will swoon. Muah!!