Etoile

My younger self would tell you suits are terrible and boring. They are for bank managers, and government officials. Now in my thirties, I view suits in a completely different way. They can mean business, but you can also have fun with them. There is no wrong way to wear a suit these days, and I am proving it by rocking an all white suit in a fun casual way. 

I am a blazer addict- they are a great way to spruce up a look without a lot of effort. I am wearing a tee shirt and shorts, but the blazer pulls everything together and makes it chic. The Bryant blazer from Lane Bryant has been my go to this year. They have made several different versions (ponte, lace sleeves, off the shoulder), and the fit it perfect. I wear a 18 or 20 in blazers due to my arms and chest, and these give you the room to move around. Nothing worse than feeling restrictive in your blazer. Since this one is lined, I went with a 20. I love the nautical vibes with the gold buttons. Even though this blazer is white, you will definitely see me in it way after summer is through. 

Suits can be fun just by adding items with cool detail, like these Allie Scallop Shorts. Suits can read serious, but with pairing the blazer with shorts with cool detailing it makes it casual. I have been a fan of the Allie since their debut last fall, and with them adding new silhouette's, there is an Allie for everyone. The waist band prevents gapping, and these are one of the most comfortable shorts I own. Wearing shorts this length for me was a no no when I was younger, but I am at a point in my life that why should I not wear something I like cause of what someone might say. These are my thighs, and these thick thighs are enjoying their summer in shorts, dresses, and whatever else I want. 

My collection of graphic tee's continue to grow with the addition of the Etoile tee from Asos. Etoile means star in French, and I feel quite Parisian in this outfit with my red lip and cool shades. Asos has so many cool items, and the Daisy Street brand has some gems. 

I ended out my look with my new sneaker of the summer, all white Nike Blazer low tops. My summer sneaker for the past two summers has been the Adidas Stan Smith, but when I went to get a new pair, they were sold out in my size. So when I was browsing Footlocker for another white sneaker these popped up on sale. They are extremely lightweight and they are very comfortable. Just to avoid a sold out situation, I may buy another pair for next summer...lol.

So lover's what do you think of my casual summer time look? 

His & Hers- My Adidas Edition

Rocking matching outfits has always been something associated with things that couple do. It can be theme driven, holiday inspired, or just simply done cause it's Tuesday. I've always thought its fun to wear coordinating outfits, whether it's planned or not. One night while I was driving through Brooklyn, I saw this Adidas wall. When driving around NYC, I take notice of any cool walls that can inspire a look. I'm big on finding locations that with the right outfit creates the perfect synergy. So when I saw this wall, I said to my boyfriend we should shoot this together in some cool Adidas gear. He was like "Hell Yeah"

As two people that love hip hop and fashion, us doing Adidas is our way paying homage to the culture. Adidas Superstars were worn with the fat laces, and were made popular by Run DMC. As their popularity increased Adidas saw how rappers had a stadium full of people rocking Adidas, and gave them a contract. They were the first rappers to get a multi million deal. Our style, the music, the way we just live proved to companies that this music was more than just beats and scratching- it was a major culture that still till this day heavily influences all facets of life.

Kay already knew what he wanted to wear, he was going with the traditional track suit. I thought he was going to go full blown retro with Superstars, but he switched it up and went with his Adidas Conductor Hi with the matching socks. Yup- he just had to show off his socks matched his kicks. I have Superstars, so that was my ode to the culture, but what can a plus size gal wear that works with her style and works with theme. I've always loved Adidas apparel, but when it came to finding something to fit- that has been a challenge. Yes, I can easily wear items from the men's section, but I feel that when you are plus size and you want to wear something cool from a brand that does not carry plus, you have to go to men's section- I wanted to task myself and see if I can find women's apparel. 

I went to the Adidas site to see perhaps if they might have expanded their size offerings. With Nike & Puma dabbling in plus, I was sure that Adidas would come on board. On their site, still no plus, but Simply Be has a small capsule of items. There were leggings and a track jacket, but I wanted something different. So I decided to take a chance, and give the straight sized items on the Adidas website a go. The worse that could happen is that I would have to send it back. I love anything with mixed prints, so when I saw this polka dot skirt with the tropical print waist band, I said ok this is something that's definitely up my alley. Don't you hate when you see something you like, click on it, to see there are only two sizes left, S & L? The way I looked at that screen you would have thought it insulted me. What to do, what to do- the skirt is soo me. There are plenty of times, I talk myself out of something, but that day I said order it. Yes, this size 16/18 plus size woman, ordered a size L in a skirt. 

When I received the skirt, I said ok let's hurry up and try this on so I can send it back. I put it on, and it fit! With it being a line, my hips and tummy have all the room it needed and in no way did I feel restricted. The waistband is stretchy with a drawstring so it was snug on my waist not tight. Knowing that I could fit this L skirt, I will definitely give XL from them a try. I know that sizing varies by item, and you must try things on, but I am going to stop dismissing straight size items. Once the skirt was a keeper I decided a crop top would be the best option. I wanted to ensure that I show off the mix print, and it's the summer, so it is that time to show off the middle. I went with a XL in the top, and it's really stretchy. I decided against one with a cap sleeve since I knew with my arms it would look way too small.  

I will say that I was really worried that I was not going to find something for this post. As a major athleisure lover, when it comes to the major brands majority of them do not have plus. Nike has the biggest offering online as well through other retailers & Puma is on Asos. The majors definitely have a lot of room to add to their assortment. It's cool to know that I can give straight size a go and could find something that works for my body, but what about anyone else that is bigger than an 18? Adidas is really missing out- this skirt alone is a major piece that is so versatile no one would even guess its from them. Any body- plus or straight can rock this skirt.  

This was definitely fun to do with my boyfriend. Now I am wondering what else should we tackle together? Any suggestions?

Flower Power

Florals were definitely something I would say I had no interest in. Growing up florals were very blah and frumpy. I definitely did not see my tom-boy self wearing them. Twenty years later, my closet is full of them. 

Over the years florals have definitely evolved from boring and blah, to fun and flirty. The use of bold color, cool silhouettes, or the combination of the two have really made florals completely wearable no matter what size you wear. It's funny to think that florals was once a no no since big prints were not "flattering" especially on a bigger figure. My how they were proven wrong. 

I am a big fan of high waisted wide leg pants. I feel like they are the perfect pant for the summer. It's definitely a piece that you can easily dress up or down. Depending on my mood, I will wear them with a tee and sneakers for a casual look, with a pair of heels and an off the shoulder top for a night out, or with a button up and a good sandal. These Eloquii pants are not only super cute, but they are warm weather friendly. Even though I am all about pants, you never want to wear a pair that make you hotter than you already are. I went with a size 18 in these just to make sure they fit without being too tight on the thigh. 

With florals I like to mix it up. Literally. I love to mix florals with stripes. There is barely a stripe/floral combo that I have not liked. When I bought these pants I was wondering what top would really make the pants pop. The pant is soo cute, that I felt that it needed another showstopper that would not detract from the print, but bring it all together. I bought this one shoulder striped top last year and I was looking for the right piece to pair it with. These pants were it. The stripes bring out the blues in the pants, and make the whole look fun and fresh. 

If you have not gone to Target these season, you are totally missing out. Besides the great items from Who What Wear, their brand A New Day has some bangers as well. In addition to the clothes, they have a great assortment of slides and shoes. The Stacia knotted sandal comes in this great bold yellow shade (to me it looks golden), and these come in wide width. They are also available in navy & green, so for $23 you can buy all three and not feel the slightest bit guilty about it. They are comfortable, cute and extremely versatile- get them asap!!!

My statement earring obsession is still going strong, and when I saw these cute wooden hoops on sale I just had to have them. Can't go wrong with a fun earring for less than $15. 

The finishing touch for this look was the right handbag, and I knew that my Ark bag from Cult Gaia totally work with my look. With it being a neutral it does not compete with my look. When I mix prints, I want the focus to be on my clothes, not my handbag, 

Are you all about Flower Power? Let me know. 

Denim FTW

I love denim. For me its one of the most versatile pieces in my wardrobe. I love dressing it up with some cute shoes, or rocking it with a tee and sneakers. This season, denim has been given an upgrade. You don't just have to stick to jeans or a jacket. I present to you, the denim dress!

I have been eyeing the Rebel Wilson x Angels collection since the preview I attended last year with Dia & Co. Each season, there is always several pieces that I could see myself wearing and this season was no different. I could have went for their denim- I have heard good things about them, but I decided to switch it up, and get the dress. This denim dress is definitely an item you would want in your closet. It is quite stretchy, which makes it easy to move in. I went with an 18, and it was perfect. When it comes to items that are made to fit close to the body, I don't want it too tight especially since I have wide hips and a booty. It being stretchy just ups the comfort level. If you are like me, dresses with pockets automatically makes it keeper. Added bonus- the dress is on sale, so check it out. I can wear this dress all year long. I can easily wear this in the fall with a blouse underneath, or with a turtleneck & blazer with some boots. 

I wanted to keep the denim goodness going by pairing the dress with a pair of denim block heel sandals. These are the Ivee from Betsey Johnson. I found these cuties last summer, and must say they were a great buy. They are easy to walk in, and the knot detailing makes them stand out. These also come in other colors which are still available in certain sizes. 

I decided to keep my accessories simple with some metallic earrings from Madewell. These are sold out, but I have found a similar pair. I kept it neutral with my Cult Gaia Ark bag. I will say that this bag has been in heavy rotation and it's still going strong. I opted for a pop of color with my favorite red sunnies and lippie from Nars called Starwoman. 

Have you tried anything from Rebel Wilson x Angel collection? What are some of your favorite pieces? Share in the comments!

The Shoe That Has Changed My Life

For as long as I can remember, I have been a shoe addict. I think I inherited my addiction from my mom. Growing up, she had an amazing shoe collection. No matter the occasion, my mother had the perfect shoe for it. Following in her footsteps (pun intended), I have been working on my shoe collection, but when you have wide feet, finding the perfect shoe requires a lot more work and a lot of patience. 

Jumpin jumpin- this navy jumpsuit is super cute and hella comfy

My mother describes my feet as Barney Rubble feet (I am dating myself, but hey oh well...lol). They are short and wide, but here is the kicker, I have a narrow heel. So when I go shoe shopping, I would have to be mindful if I size up to accommodate the width of my foot, and that my heel does not come out of the shoe. Epic struggle. There has been so many shoes that I have passed on because the fit was just not right. Now here comes Shoes of Prey to change everything. I don't have to forgo wearing certain styles just because they don't fit. I can make my own shoes that work for my needs. 

The best pics are those when I am laughing at randomness

Shoes of Prey is a one stop shop for shoes. As soon as you go on to the site, they ask for your size, their shoes start at a size 2 and go up to a 15. Just the fact that their size range is that vast is impressive, but then you add the option of narrow, wide, and extra wide?!?!? I was extremely giddy. So when the brand reached out, asking me if I want to customized a pair of shoes for myself, I said absolutely. 

Would you wait up to two weeks for the shoe of your dreams? I did!!! Soo worth it. 

So then what oh what should I get....there are so many on their site that you can search for hours. To aid in my search I looked for those shoes that came in wide width. I was looking at all the great choices like the Bay (flat), the Austin (ankle strap pump), and the Ludlow (sneaker). I went with the Jasmin which is a heeled mule. I've been obsessed with heels and slides, so getting Jasmin was a no brainer. 

Now for the fun part. Picking out all the components of the shoe. Since I have been on a major color kick, I wanted a bright bold color so I went with red suede with a rose gold trim. I wanted a heel that I can walk in, so I went with the 2.8 inch block heel. The best part is that I got a chance to inscribe my name in the shoe! Normally I wear a 8.5/9 in medium width shoes. Since this shoe is wide, I went with a 8.5, and 

I wanted to battle test these and see how comfortable they were. When I buy new shoes, I first give a try at home just to see how well it fits. If that goes well, I do a short term test, and wear these while I doing something low key for a couple of hours. I was wearing these for a while and I did not want to take them off. No matter how low or high a shoe is, after standing around for a while, my feet start to ache. Not in these shoes. Great cushioning, and the fit was perfect. Now I know there is a perfect shoe out there that is stylish and comfortable. I love my mules so much, that I am already looking into customizing another pair of shoes. Definitely check out Shoes of Prey, there is something for everyone. Added bonus if you use my code STYLEOVERSIZE, you can get a free inscription!!!

 Back in my day it was called a fanny pack...lol

My shoes look amazing, fit great, and I can easily dress them up or down. Since it was casual day out, I wore this super comfy jumpsuit and was able to keep my hands free with my cool quilted fanny pack. I topped out my look with my favorite rose gold accessories. If you had a chance to customize your own shoe, what would you choose? Heels or flats? Prints or Solid Colors? Sound off in the comments!!!