Mascara, Coffee, and Metallics

There are things that this lady needs to function. One is coffee. If you follow me on Snapchat (styleoversize) you see me heading to my favorite spot for my Venti Soy White Mocha. The next, a little lippie and mascara. I am not a makeup artist, but I feel like I have mastered a good natural day look and mascara is soo needed. Therefore when I saw this tee on sale at Old Navy, I grabbed it and checked out. For those that are new to the blog, "Hi, my name is Jaye and I am graphic tee addict." 

I found this great tee while I was walking around Old Navy. I haven't been frequenting stores as much as I used to these days (the ease of online shopping), but while I was out on a much needed break from work I went in and checked out what was new. I found a couple of other goodies in Old Navy but I made sure I bought this tee. There is no such thing as having too many tee's in my opinion. This tee was only $14 and I am wearing an XL. Their shirts are roomy enough to accommodate the twins while still looking semi fitted. Graphic tee's tell a little bit of my personality- funny and cute...lol. Definitely check them out cause they have a lot of options.

Okay, so can we talk about this metallic bomber??? Bombers have been my weakness, and when I saw this on Simply Be's website I had to have it. The amount of bombers I own might be a little high, but how many sites/stores have a metallic bomber...in plus....and it looks great against this skin??? Yeah, so she had to come home to me. I am wearing a 20 because I wanted room for layering so I can get so many uses from this jacket. I will say this before and I will say it again, if you have a great jacket in your wardrobe, you are set. I will be wearing this jacket A LOT!! The brassy color pairs with almost everything, and it's just so cute. 

So what does one wear with a metallic bomber, and a graphic tee...to be honest- anything. I wanted to girly up the look so I went with the Eloquii's metallic pleated skirt that came out this past season. This skirt may have dropped in the Winter, but it is definitely an item you can wear all year round. For a rather mild day, you can go sans tights and wear some cute flats and a button up. In chillier weather a nice cashmere turtleneck sweater with some heeled booties, and in the summer time with a cute off the shoulder top and wedges. There are so many ways you can wear this, the skirt is definitely something you should add to your closet. 

Statement sunnies like these upped the cool factor of my entire look. You don't have to spend tons of money on a pair of cool looking sunglasses. These are only $20 from Eloquii!!! Currently they are sold out, but there is a waitlist so that means they are definitely restocking them. The detailing of these makes them look way more expensive than their price tag. 

My footwear of choice was my Adidas Superstar. I love wearing girly items like a pleated skirt with sneakers. Dressier items like the skirt feel a little bit more casual when you wear them with sneakers, or a cool pair of oxfords.

The old rules of not wearing something casual with a dressy item has been voided. Nowadays, it's all about mixing high/low, nighttime in the daytime, and boy meets girl. Wear what you like, and you will never go wrong. Now for me, it's time to get that coffee...enjoy lovers!!!

Crazy Sexy Cool

Sexy these days for me is not always about wearing the highest of heels and the tightest dress. It's about wearing things that make you feel good which gives you that extra pep in your step. I will always be a tomboy at heart, but what I notice about my style is that I can mix feminine with masculine and make it look effortless. It's something about the juxtaposition of the two that speaks to me. 

Hey, how you doing? G is for Glamour and Griggs.

Lane Bryant's collaborations over the years has brought us some great fashion. So of course the latest between Glamour Magazine and Lane Bryant is no different. We are getting magazine-runway-streetstyle pieces in plus size and your girl is happy. The latest in their collaboration is all about athleisure. Thought to be a passing phase, athleisure has been going strong and shows no signs of slowing down. It went from just wearing your gym clothes as clothes to becoming a lifestyle. Sneakers that we wore growing up are back with a vengeance and we all can benefit from a break from our heels and still look good.

Yes, you rang??? 

This collection features pieces that you can mix and match to play off the fun vibe. My favorite piece from the collection is the Lena wide leg pant. As a big girl, we are told to stay away from white, and stripes. These are definitely not on the so called 'approved flattering' clothes for plus size women and I love it!!. I have always loved the thought of wearing a wider leg pant with a good pair of sneakers to give them more of a laid back vibe, but up until now I could not find the right wide leg pant. The wide leg on these allows me at 5'5" to wear them with sneakers or shoes depending on my mood. There is something about this stripe that just makes these pants super cool. They are lined, so I suggest sizing up to find your right fit (especially for my fellow #teamthickthighs). I am wearing a size 18 which still keeps them on the fitted side but in no way tight. 

I also picked up the G hoodie. I know that the G stands for Glamour but my last name starts with G so in my mind this jacket was made for me. Before my love of bombers, hoodies were my go to. They are great for layering. I wear mines under denim jackets, under vests, so many things. Back in the day hoodies massively oversized so wearing them with dresses and skirts were a no no. 

Now hoodies are long, short, cropped, fitted completely oversized, and just all around a piece that you can wear with everything. I definitely see myself wearing this hoodie to work with a button up, jeans, some cute flats with the sleeves rolled up. 

Becky and I enjoying this wonderful afternoon.

This season there has been a lot of great options in tops. You have cut-outs, off the shoulder, one shoulder, flare sleeves, lace, you name it, there is top like it. With the laid back vibe of the pants, I figured a cute cutout top can give me a little edge. Cut outs placed on the shoulders are a great option for those who want to show a little skin, but are not ready for an off the shoulder look, but to be honest, cutouts were a gateway to the off the shoulder tops for me. Another thing that I love about this top is the choker. Chokers have hit the big time, but I love the fact that this is an all in one item. You don't have to worry about additional accessories because you are all set when you wear this top. It's loose shape at the bottom is tummy friendly and with this length you can wear it with a nice pair of leggings, or tuck it into a full skirt. 

Stripes in my pants calls for stripes in my kicks, so my shoe of choice is the oh so classic Adidas Superstar. I love these sneakers. There is something about a fresh pair of sneakers on a gorgeous day in NYC. It just changes how you walk, how you feel. Lane Bryant is having a 40% off sale, so definitely check it out and get your Spring wardrobe ready. Spring is almost here (30 days and counting!!!), and I can't wait to share all the goodies that I have been waiting to break out. So lovers, what is your one item you are the most excited to wear this Spring???

Take 40% off Apparel & Accessories! Use code MONUMENTAL at checkout

Overalls

One thing I loved to wear when I was growing up was overalls. I had so much Osh Kosh B'Gosh, you would think I had stock in the company. Even though I do not have as many overalls as I did back then, they still hold a special place in my heart. Here it is some 20 years later and we have both now are all grown up. The latest in overalls come in a variety of silhouettes to suit your needs. I have seen boyfriend, cropped, and now wide leg overalls. Wide leg overalls? Yes please. These here from Melissa McCarthy 7 are the most comfortable overalls ever. The 1% stretch makes them easy to move around in and the wide leg gives the illusion of longer legs (which is always appreciated). Since I wear a 16-18 in bottoms, I went with a 1X. Beside them being comfy, they have the deepest pockets for pants. Usually pockets are very shallow in jumpsuits & overalls, but these definitely can hold some stuff. (GO POCKETS!!!!)

I went with my oldie but goodie coat from Eloquii and turtleneck. My coat is no longer available, but I did find something similar from Target. For accessories, I went with my Dooney & Bourke drawstring bag, and Nine West block heels. So tell me lovers, do you have an item that you loved when you were a child that is now back in spotlight? Share in the comments!

Mixing It Up

Even though I embrace and love color, as a New Yorker wearing black is a major part of my life. Great thing about fashion these days is the way you can play around with patterns to ante up your basic black items. 

Graffiti walls and bright lippies are a weakness of mine

In middle school all I wore were plaid button ups. It was the 90's and I loved the look of grunge plaid with baggy jeans. It was the start of me coming into my own with my look. Even though my clothes are more fitted (my twelve year old self would have never thought I would be in skinny jeans), I still love a good plaid shirt. I picked up this flannel shirt from Ellos on sale ($24) and its perfect for this Feb winter weather. I love feeling nice and toasty without having to wear a lot of layers. This shirt also comes in red so if you are on the lookout for a good flannel shirt, then look no further. 

Say what now?? I'm fab? YASSSS!!! lol

Ombre jeans hit the scene and I was very curious and wanted to try a pair. At first I wanted a dark blue to light blue pair, but I thought about how well can a dark wash that fades to a super light wash would look in the winter.  While online browsing (that is the way I unwind...I know #shopaholic), I stumbled upon this pair that went from black to grey. Also, they were on sale so that just made it a must have. I have raved about Melissa McCarthy jeans and these skinny jeans are another hit. The stretch of these hug the curves while still being comfy. It's cold out here in these streets, and you can be warm without having to sacrifice your style. I loved the way the jeans look with the flannel shirt. It's a fun twist on basics. 

Headwraps are a godsend. I need more!!

My oh so favorite moto is with me once again. When I say, this jacket is a major part of my wardrobe that is an understatement. Having a moto in my opinion is a MUST. It edges up any look, and its great for layering. I have at least 10 moto's in all different colors. It's crazy how 3-5 years ago finding a great staple like a moto was far and few between for plus, and color- forget about it. I am glad that we have so many brands out here that make great items that fit our bodies. Keeping the edginess going with these great leather (yes leather!!) booties. Great heel height and goes with everything in your closet. Are you loving my updated monochromatic look? Make sure you comment below! Later lovers!!

YEAR 2!!!!

I can't believe that it is my two year bloggerversary. The year has gone by soo quick, that I can't believe it's here. I wanted to wear something fun and bold, so I decided to rock this great jumpsuit from Eloquii. I love one and done dressing, and besides a dress, the jumpsuit is another great item to have in your wardrobe. I love the bold color and the off the shoulder ruffles. I paired the jumpsuit with my all time favorite bomber. This silver bomber looks amazing with everything from jeans, to this jumpsuit and even dresses. It just makes everything better and way more fun. All that was left were some more red accessories and I was all set. 

 

HAPPY MOMENTS OF YEAR 2

JAYE PANT

How many people can say, I have a pair of pants named after me...this lucky gal can say she was one of them. Spring 2016, Eloquii debut the Jaye pant - a cropped version of their ever so popular Kady pant. It was such an honor, and I was floored when Jodi, the Creative Director of Eloquii told me they were naming it after me. The brand will always have a special place in my heart, not because of the great honor, but because they made me excited about clothes again. Thank you Eloquii!!!!!

PLUS MODEL MAG BLOGGERS TO LOOK OUT FOR

I started out the year with a feature from the lovely blog editor Marcy Cruz. She named me one of the three bloggers to look out for in 2016 alongside The Real Sample and Mustang Sally. I was soo stoked to see myself named among some serious blogger hustlers. I hope I did Marcy proud. 

FASHION BOMB DAILY

Every week I would look to see who was the latest to be featured in Fashion Bomb Daily Bombshell or Bomber of the week. In February, I had the pleasure of being featured and I was ecstatic. Being picked to be a part of such a great bunch of fashionable people (especially as a plus size woman), was an honor

ESSENCE

Believe it or not when I was younger I told my mom I wanted to be in Essence Magazine. Twenty years later and I was featured on their site for having great style at the Curvy Con. Website is a start, but trust me, the mag is next!!!!!

INSTAGRAM WIVES WERE BORN

Started with a video, and now we're here. Jessica from Revelist gave us a name neither her or us would have ever thought would have gone viral the way that it did. When I started blogging it was nice that I had a network of women that have been there to help me out, make me go to events, and learn the business side to blogging. The Instagram Wives may have started in a video, but it's about working together. When women come together, we can do anything. Maddy from PMM loved our story so much she featured us in the Denim Issue of Plus Model Magazine! Double score!!

HITTING 7K ON INSTAGRAM

Milestone are always a good thing, and I was so happy that I was able to hit my goal of 7k this year. Insta Fam held me down and I thank you for that. 

TRAVEL & FUN

This year, I actually got to take some time out and go away. I attended my first BlogHer conference out in LA (swag on top of swag, on top of swag). I definitely recommend going at least once in your life if you are a blogger. There were a lot of workshops I attended that definitely helped me in regards to managing my blog. Business of blogging is a big one, so it is always good to learn some new tips, make some new connections, and the added bonus, enjoy the gorgeous LA weather. Also, my lookbook with the Instagrams Wives was a big hit as well!!!

I also got a chance to visit Philly. Philly has completely changed since I visited last six years ago and I am happy that I was able to work with Visit Philly and get to see the city with Georgette from Grown & Curvy Woman.  It was great to see the city, especially the mural tour, and have fun with my boo. 

HOLIDAY AD CAMPAIGN WITH FULLBEAUTY

Fullbeauty asked me and the Wives to be a part of their Holiday Campaign. I had so much fun getting glammed up and shooting all the pretty looks. The video turned out so well, and our photo's really captured our individual personalities. 

POP UP PLUS LOOKBOOK

When your friend owns a boutique and asks you to be a part of it, you don't say no. I ended out 2016 working with the Pop Up Plus team shooting an amazing lookbook and hilarious gag real for them. I don't get dressed up too often, but when I do watch out! The denim obsessed borderline tomboy can pull out the stops especially when it comes to getting pretty for the Holidays. 

I just want to say thank you to all of the brands that worked with me this year. Shout out to Dia & Co, Fullbeauty, Eloquii, Just My Size, JC Penney, Simply Be, Lane Bryant, JD Williams, Torrid, Essie, Pop Up Plus, Ellos, Avenue, SWAK, and City Chic, Modamix, and Fashion To Figure. Without you, the blog would have not been as successful. I am truly appreciative of all the likes, love, shares that have been bestowed upon me. I love you all and make sure you keep up wth me to see all that goes down in Year #3.