Serving Looks

The TCF Style Expo was last week, and I must say it was awesome. It was my first year attending- last year I had serious FOMO so I made sure I was better at all my trip planning for this year. I must say, Marie Denee knows how to throw an expo. With two days full of events I knew I had to make sure I was bringing it, but at the same time keeping it cool and cute. There is nothing worse than being in the South in the summer sweltering in your clothes. So here it is lovers, my looks for Day 1 of the Expo.

DAYTIME

I wanted to wear something different so I wore this great maxi dress from indie brand Obioma. This Maryland based company mixes African Print with modern designs. Their prints are amazing. I first met the brand at Full Figured Fashion Week, and I fell in love with this dress right here.

This strapless maxi was the perfect dress to wear to the expo. The print is a standout, and you can never go wrong with a maxi dress. I am wearing a 2x in the dress which allowed for me to move around freely. If you are not one to go sans sleeves, no worries- the print comes in a cool skirt or jacket. If you love the strapless maxi style, this also comes in two other fun prints. Your girl was super lucky because Obioma was at the expo, so I was able to get another fun dress to wear! 

Charming Charlie Earrings

I kept my accessories simple with my trusty watch and these great earrings from Charming Charlie. These unfortunately are sold out online, but check your local store. I found these when I was walking around the store and fell in love. Even though these are not available, these shorter version ones look amazing as well. Since I was doing a lot of walking, wearing heels was not an option. I wore the Greta slide from Ann Taylor in Azul. If you are looking for a slide, definitely check this one out. I bought these for $35! They are soo comfy, I am seriously thinking about getting another color. 

NIGHTTIME

For the mixer, I wanted to go for a sultry nighttime look. One night browsing good ole Asos, I stumbled across this great dress. The ruffle detail had me swooning, but the price had me adding it to cart immediately. The Truly You Ruffle Dress was on sale for $41!!! Yes, you heard me, a great dress for a night out for a great price. One of my boo's called me a sexy senorita...lol. I went with a size 18, and it was a perfect fit. I must say cobalt blue looks great on me. The bold color against the melanin is a win win. I paired the look with this great Mermaid Clutch from Courtney Noelle, and my favorite Vince Camuto sandals. 

I was excited to attend the expo, but I was not prepared for the awesomeness of Day 1. It was great meeting new bloggers, catching up with the boo's, and just learning from all the great speakers during the panels. Stay tuned because my recap of the expo is coming soon. In the meantime tell me what do you think of my looks!

Prints Are Us

While I was in Atlanta enjoying all that the TCF Style Expo had to offer, I had a bit of time to do a quick shoot with my booski ShaKera of The Real Sample Size. One of the main takeaways from the weekend besides the great energy of all the attendees, but the messages spread especially in the panel discussions. One of the major discussions of the weekend was about personal style. 

ShaKera and I love a good print, and Eloquii, so our looks totally reflect us. I have been all about showing off a little arm, so when I saw this one sleeved dress, I was totally intrigued. Yes, I will show off my arms, but trying a one sleeved dress was new to me and I loved it. I was scared that it would not work for my  It's made of a lightweight scuba so no wrinkles, but also it has a bit of stretch. I am wearing the dress in a 18 because I wanted it to hug the curves, and not be too binding. The split gives a little leg, which is always hella sexy. I wanted to make the colors pop, so I wore my cobalt sandals. I ended out my look with these super cool shades. I have been seriously digging the shades from Eloquii and these clear ones gives off a cool girl vibe with its reflective lenses. 

ShaKera opted to step out of her zone, and wear a pencil skirt. Since she loves to mix things up, she paired the skirt with an asymmetrical one shoulder striped ruffle top. I love how the stripes play well with the skirt and it brings out the color to make the skirt pop. She also added more color with a bright yellow pump and earrings. 

As a whole, we all have to find your way to your individual style. I know for myself, I always wanted to wear as much color as possible, but most options in my size came in black. When you live in NYC, wearing black becomes your uniform and it is quite chic, but my soul and closet craved something different. I wanted prints and color, and to live my life out loud. So anytime I saw color, I went for it. I took any opportunity to wear as much prints and color because it just put me in a better mood. When I wear fun prints, my mood changes. There is an extra pep in my step enjoying all eyes on me. I know for some the willingness to wear a bold print is scary or showing your arms is just not there and that is ok. I just went for it, but hey you can start off small with a printed scarf or a shoe, and work you way up. If you are hesistent about showing off your arms, start with a cold shoulder top, or off the shoulder. At the end of the day, wear what makes you walk around town with an extra pep in your step. 

Wake Me Up Before You Kimono

When you love wearing color as much as I do, passing up a great colorful piece is hard to do. This kimono was that hard to pass up piece. 

I have talked about Melissa McCarthy on the blog several times. She has great denim, dresses, and the kimono's are a fan favorite as well. The Geo Print Kimono stole my heart immediately. It is definitely a versatile piece you can wear all year round. It is lightweight for the summer, but great for layering in the cooler months. I loved the colors, they are bold yet wearable. Her kimono's are oversized, so I am wearing a 1X, and as you can see, it's roomy, but not overwhelming. 

I wanted the kimono to be the star of the show, so I wore all white so that the colors in the kimono can really pop. I wore a simple white tank from the Gap, and my favorite white jeans from Melissa McCarthy. These are from last year, but I linked their newest pair here. For accessories I went with my block heel sandals from Nine West, and the ever so chic bag from Mango. When it comes to accessories, Violeta by Mango really has some gems that are seasonless. Their shoes are one, and their bags are another. A great tote is always needed and this one with it woven leather details is my new favorite. It holds a good deal and it goes with everything. If you are looking for a new handbag, definitely check this one out. Are you all about color, or do stick to neutrals? Have you tried a kimono- I am definitely falling in love with them, and feel like I need another. Let me know in the comments if you are all about a good kimono. 

Sporty Spice

This weekend I headed to Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY to celebrate all things hair- Curlfest. This is year two for me, and what a difference a year makes. The plethora of melanin was beautiful. I definitely wanted to capture all the beauty of Curlfest, so Grown and Curvy and I took tons of pictures of the event. Trust me, if you have not attended Curlfest, make sure you add it to your calendar next summer. It is an amazing event. 

I was given the name Sporty Spice because I am definitely  all about athleisure. Comfy but cool is definitely the name of the game especially in this NY humidity. I ordered these wide leg track pants from Eloquii a while back and I knew it would they would perfect. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about a good cute dress or skirt, but when it's hot and lots of walking is involved, I like to wear pants. I don't want to worry about chub rub. I just want to enjoy my time in the sun. I am wearing a 16 in the pants, and they fit wonderfully. They are the perfect length for me to wear sandals. If you love a wide leg pant, you will not be disappointed. 

I paired the pants with their printed crop top. I went with a 18 in the top because I needed room for the girls, but I did have room. I wonder if the 16 would have fit better, but the back coverage was perfect so I was happy over all with the 18. I will say this- the straps are long, and were slipping at times throughout the day. It would have been nice if the straps were adjustable so that it would prevent the slippage. 

I finished off my look with another cool headwrap from the Wrap Life and bold red sunnies. The wrap is called Tembi, and this is one of my favorite wraps. The bold color brings out the best in any outfit I wear. If you love a good head wrap and don't like to shy away from color, get the Tembi. You will not be disappointed. 

As for the event, me and my blogger boo's had so much fun. Stay tuned for my next post with all of the beautiful ladies from Curlfest. Later lovers!!

Ga Ga for Gingham

Gingham has become a big part of my wardrobe. It started last summer when I bought this cute skirt. This season, gingham has become the ultimate summer staple and has been used in fun silhouettes. 

This top is from the Violeta from Mango is a great addition if you like a little gingham. It's cold shoulder takes it up a notch and it's extremely lightweight. I am wearing a L, which is comparable to a 18/20. This top is currently on sale, so definitely check it out (lol) before it sells out.

I am always on the lookout for new denim, so any chance I get to try a new brand I am all for it. The latest on my list was SLINK jeans. SLINK jeans are premium made denim using their exclusive technology. I have been wanting a new pair of skinny jeans, so I went with the Danika. I love the distressing of the denim, but this particular fit sits quite low on my waist. I prefer a higher rise, but for those that like low rise jeans these should be a great addition to your closet. I went with a 16, and everything fit in the legs, just that the rise was a little on the short side. I do like the denim itself, but I would have to try a different fit before I can add SLINK to my approved list of jeans.

I wanted to keep the gingham going, so I wore my gingham block heels from Betsey Johnson. Every time I wear these sandals I receive tons of compliments. It's a fun, comfy shoe that you can wear with anything. 

I was able to try Violeta and SLINK at Fullbeauty. Fullbeauty is a great one stop shop for plus. Their wide range of brands like Melissa McCarthy, Fashion to Figure, Ellos and Jessica London definitely cater to anyone's style. If you are looking to try new brands, then definitely head to Fullbeauty first. You may end up with some goodies that are on sale.