Curvy Con 2016

Ok lovers, I'm back again for Day 2 of the Curvy Con. Day 2 consisted of panels, shopping, and mingling, so I wanted to make sure I wore something fun, comfortable, and above all else- statement making. If you go in my closet these days, Eloquii makes up the majority of my looks. Every month, there is something there that I must have. Like this set I'm wearing. I have been all about showing off my shoulders, and this printed off the shoulder crop top and matching skirt was perfect for the day. The top gives me enough coverage, and the skirt has pockets- the epitome of a perfect outfit When at events, you can never rely on finding a seat, so I wanted to wear something that felt good despite prolonged standing. I decided to go with the Nine West wedges I wore the night prior, because I had them on all night, and it was smooth sailing. Granted the shoes are four inches, but the platform is almost three inches, so it's like you are wearing flats. With the flirtiness of the skirt, platforms just tied the whole outfit together. All I needed was a bold lip and some accessories, and I was all set. 

The event exceeded all of my expectations. With two floors this year, you were able to attend panels upstairs, while shop and socialize on the main floor. There was a section to customize your tee shirt courtesy of JC Penney. I attended a good deal of panels, but my favorite was Dear Retailer. It was moderated by Maddy Jones, Editor of Plus Model Magazine, and featured Lisa Arbetter (Editor-In-Chief of People Stylewatch), Jodi Arnold (VP of Design & Creative for Eloquii), Nathan Laffin (JC Penney VP Brand Trend Design Womens), Christine Hunsicker (Gwynnie Bee CEO & Founder), and Kierra Sheard (Eleven60 Creator). 

If you head to my Facebook page, there is a video of the panel, so you can get an idea of the questions asked. A lot of times we as consumers think that when it comes to Plus Size we are not being heard, but this was a great chance to ask questions and pick the brains of those in the industry. Besides being enlightened by the speakers, I did get a chance also to snag some goodies from Rachel Rachel Roy Curvy, Hey Gorgeous, and of course Eloquii (because I'm an addict). There will be posts on all my newbies, so definitely be on the lookout for that. More importantly I was able to chat and get to see all the new products of online only brands such as Asos, Simply Be, and Curvy Couture Intimates. 

No event is complete without some pics of amazing ladies, so here you go

Foreign Curves, Hayet Rida, Pop Up Plus, Amitabon Boutique, Out Of The Corner, Curves on a Budget, Essie Golden, and The Fat Girl of Fashion. 

 

I had a blast this year, and I can not wait for next year when the event moves to NYFW!!! For my readers out there, if you are in NYC, or will be able to come, definitely come out. I am stoked to see what it's store. Tickets are available now, so definitely get yours before they go fast. Platinum sells out first, so I will not be surprised if those are the first to go for 2017. There you have it lovers, Curvy Con 2016!!

Having some fun at the Eloquii photo booth!!!

Time to Party!!!

Last Friday was Day 1 of Curvy Con. If you have not heard about it, blogger besties GarnerStyle and Plus Size Princess came up with a convention that is about all things plus. This was year two, and it was extended out to two days. Day 1 was all about wellness and fitness, followed by some shopping and ended with a party at the Gwynnie Bee office in Long Island City. I love a good party, so I was super excited to attend. I have never been to their office, so this was a great chance to check them out. 

For such a great occasion I went with this great one shoulderish scuba dress from Eloquii. The colorblocking drew me first to it, but I love the cut-out shoulder detail. With a dress like this, all you need is a great shoe, and you are good to go. When going to events, I don't expect a lot of seating to be readily available, so I wanted to wear a shoe that looked great, but was super comfortable. I saw these great platform sandals while browsing Macy's online. My feet are a little on the wide side, and when it comes to sandals, I am always mindful of my pinky toe. I hate wearing shoes that squeeze my toe. No matter how good the shoe looks, once your pinky toe is in pain you are taking them off. These are wide enough that I just stand, dance, and walk the Gwynnie Bee catwalk, like I did in this photo. I wish these came in a bright color like a nice neon pink or a slushy blue for the summer, but you can never go wrong with classic black. I Definite must have. I wore these for over 6 hours straight and I was completely fine. The party was a hit! We were even surprised with a fashion show featuring their new collection designed by Rachel Antonoff. Her prints were super cute and perfect for summer. I'm eyeing the dresses. Below are some pics that I took of the gals. Day 1 of Curvy Con was a hit, and stay tuned for my Day 2 post. 

Some of my favorite ladies (from L-R) Georgette, Sandra, Darlene, Dionna, and Susie

Lady

Another day, another event! I was invited to the Avenue's Brunch hosted by Plus Model Magazine's Blog Editor Marcy Cruz. Held in Midtown aka the Mecca of Fashion, it was a morning filled with fashion and food. It was a gorgeous day, and I wanted to show off this cute dress from Torrid. I love dresses on a nice day. They make me walk with an extra pep in my step. All I need is a bold lip and some sunnies, and you have a statement making outfit.  

Torrid this season has a lot of great dresses that are covetable, especially this floral one. I used to shy away from florals because I felt that they can be drab, but over the years the prints have been anything but. The fit on this dress was perfect. It shows off my figure but it is not fitted at all. Off the shoulder has been one trend that I have embraced and refuse to let it go. There is something sexy about showing off your shoulders. For those that don't want to draw attention to your arms, I suggest off the shoulder tops/dresses. It draws attention up, so everyone is focused on your face. All that is needed is some bangles and a cute strappy heel and you are all set. I must say, these heels are my new favorite, they are wide width and the straps are elastic so they can stretch and hold your foot in without being constricting. 

I enjoyed myself and I got a chance to check out the late summer/early fall arrivals from Avenue. Trust me, there is something for everyone. I'm in love with the colorblock button downs and the dresses. I also did my first facebook live post from the event, so head to my page to check it out. 

I did a get a chance to take some photo's of the beautiful ladies while ooing over the clothes. Here are some of my favorite looks from the event. 

Well there you have it lovers, Day 4 of Full Figured Fashion Week. Stay tuned for more!!! Muah!

Power Suit

This season I have been all about wearing items that make me feel cool and powerful. One item that I hated to wear was a suit. Suits for me were always stuffy, especially a plus size suit. Neutrals can be powerful, don't get me wrong, but a lot of the suiting options in plus were just a little drab. Lane Bryant changed all of that this season. Their Modernist suit collection has pieces that you can mix together to make an amazing suit. Being inspired by Zendaya in an all pink suit, I wanted to give it a try and wear a monochromatic bright pink suit. Like anything else, I wanted to mix it up, so instead of pants I went with shorts. 

My beautiful pink power suit consisted of the Modernist Suit Jacket and Lena Short in Pink Sparkle. The blazer was bought in my usual size, but I did size up in the short (18, instead of a 16) to avoid them being too tight in the leg. To keep the monochromatic vibes going, I paired the suit with the Muse Sleeveless top in Pink Sparkle. To bring everything together, I went with my multi colored pumps from Zara. With so much color, I just went neutral with my makeup and simple cuff. 

Full Figured Fashion Week invited me out to the Marla Wynne showroom to get a preview of her latest collection. Marla has been very adamant about her fit and how things looks on everyone from a size 2-24. It was great to get a chance to meet her (it was my first time), and just chat it up with all my blogger boo's. Her latest collection consists of a lot of nudes, blush, and pastels- perfect for the gorgeous weather we have been having. Her pants are a fan favorite, so I definitely can't wait to give them a try. Day 3 of FFF was another success, and trust me you will be seeing more of my looks from the week as well as looks from other fashionable ladies. 

Below are some pics of the lovely ladies that attended

Redefining Healthy

Redefining Healthy is the brainchild of Darlene of Suits, Heels & Curves. It's all about shattering the myths that being being plus size does not equate being unhealthy. How many posts have you seen online where a plus size person is judged and threatened with diabetes if they do not lose weight? Darlene wanted to create a space where we can talk about confidence, health, fitness, style and just get the dialogue going. 

The event started off with Owning You Confidence moderated by Marcy Cruz (Blog Editor of Plus Model Mag & Blogger, Fearlessly Just Me) featuring:

  • Valeria Serenil- Tween Contributing Blogger of Suits, Heels & Curves
  • Sasha Renee- Drag Performance Artist
  • Ally Gursky- Blogger, Candied Curves
  • Rosaliz Jimenez- Photo Editor, People Style Watch

The panel spent time talking about past experiences and really delving into how one can build their confidence. It's amazing how many stories you can hear with similarities to your own. It was refreshing to see so many people open and honest about their daily struggles. 

Next up was a quick sexy dance lesson from the ladies of Vixen Dance. Dancing has always been a confident booster, it was one of the few things that when I was in the moment I was not worried about what others thought. Jessie has such a great energy that I definitely want to take a class. 

Gypsy in the City is a beauty and fashion blogger. Ada has the most down to earth personality that shines through her speaking about how makeup was the pivotal driver in her life. After hearing her story, and just giving simple tips on how to look great with a good 5 minute routine was greatly needed. I am not at a point in my life where I wan to do a full blown beat just to go to the store, but a little tips and tricks to help out my morning routine. 

Next up was my one of my favorite stylists Steffany Allen. She is one of the most nicest people you can meet. She does not only know her way to dress a body, she is smart about the business of fashion. She gave great tips for those out there that were a bit timid of trying new things and just overall how can you make what's in your closet work without completely overhauling your wardrobe. A lot of times there are gems in your closet that you never thought you can get a lot of use of. Other times, it's the emotional attachment we have to our clothes, and we have to let them go in order to bring in something new. 

Last, but not least was Sahar Paz, author of Find Your Voice. Let's just say that I was not ready for the the knowledge she dropped.  She spoke about the voice that we all have that tells you you are not worthy, always tearing you down and just leaving in stuck. She told us to name that voice so that when he/she comes around, you know that it is not the real you speaking. Us being in that space to share stories and truths was heavy. It was beautiful, and at the end of her session, I walked up to her, gave Sahar a hug and cried. I struggle with impostor syndrome. I always think that I am not good enough, so I work twice as hard to accomplish things because I do not want others to think that giving me a chance was a huge mistake and that I am a fraud. I always over compensated and would take on so much without even thinking about my well being. When I went to a work event, and found out about this and how so many women of color suffer from this fear of being a fraud, it was a sigh of relief. Sahar touching on that, brought me back to the point that I am worthy no matter what. 

I was afraid to leave my old position because I thought what if I am not smart enough to handle the demand, or why start a blog, no one is going to like it. When I stopped doubting myself, and went back to to the thought of this is for me, and I won't know until I try- this blog would still be on a to do list somewhere. We all deal with our struggles, and it is by being open can we move past to achieve what we desire. 

I tried to get as many pictures as possible of the attendee's and speakers, so here you go!

Since I was helping out Darlene with the event, I wanted to wear something that I can easily move in, not worry much about wrinkles, and still looked pulled together. This jumpsuit was the answer. This was the first item that I saw last Fall during Lane Bryant's Spring Preview that I was swooning over. I love how it gives the illusion of a dress, but it is just a wide legged jumpsuit. This has been in my closet for months, and I felt that this was the perfect time to showcase it. While waiting for takeout, I received an email from Nordstrom about sandals under $50. Of course, I just had to see what they were offering, and I came across the Copa sandal (on sale) from Matisse. The snakeskin makes it a showstopper, but the tie up fringe really take the shoe to the next level. The shoe just tied the whole look together. The event was a success, and I am so proud of my blogger boo. Can't wait for Redefining Healthy LA. Muah!