Meet Jaye

A couple of week's ago I was geeked out about the fact that Eloquii named their new wide leg crop pant after me. To be such a big supporter of a brand and for them to name a pant after me is such an honor. 

The Jaye wide leg crop was modeled after their Kady pant (which is one of my favorite pants of all time). Cropped pants are big this season, and with these you can wear them well into Spring. Wide leg pants were always hard for me to wear because if the length was too long I would just be dragging fabric along (not a good look). Cropped wide legs, on the other hand work a lot better for my 5'5" frame. These hit me right at me sweet spot so visually I'm not making myself look shorter than what I am. The fit is exactly the same as the Kady which is great because there is no guesswork in figuring out your size. 

I have been trying out new silhouette's, and next up on my list was a boxy top. I have been looking for a new denim shirt, so when I spotted this on Eloquii's site, I definitely wanted to give it a try. A big concern with chambray is that if it does not stretch depending on the fit of the shirt, it may be too snug. This top has ample stretch and the wider sleeves gives you extra room in the arms; a major concern for me wearing tops is the arm width- I have some big guns, so I need tops that can handle them :).  

Besides the pants, another exciting addition to the website is their new lineup of shoes. As a serious shopaholic, shoes will always be an achilles heel for me (pun intended). I can't pass up a good shoe, and the Zuri is a definite must have. I love the color blocking and the ankle tie. These come in two other colors and I am telling you if you want them you better act fast, because the new releases are going quick. My statement necklace is called the Courtney. It is one of my favorites. I love jewelry that adds a bit of interest to my outfits without being over the top. I topped off the outfit with my new cropped moto from the Who What Wear line. I bought the 2X and it has a good amount of room in the arms. If you are a size 18-20, the 2X will definitely work. Now that you have have met Jaye, I think she would love to spend some time in your closet. Later lovers!!

Velvet

"That's beautiful- what is that velvet?" Eddie Murphy- Coming to America

Velvet was always a favorite during Christmas time. I remember all the parties as a child I would go to with my mom and all the ladies wore their best velvet gowns. When velvet was going down the Fall 2015 runways, it no longer was held to the month of December. There were pants, jackets, shoes (I found a pair of blue velvet heels from Zara that are the cutest) all made of velvet. This dress from Junarose  was a great find. When I first saw this dress, it reminded me of a dress someone in the 60's would wear. With its shift style and its lace, I just had to bun up my hair and add a red lip and I was out the door. Added bonus, velvet keeps you warm in chilly weather. I went with the 2X, since this was my first purchase from the brand. It fit well, definitely will get more things from them in the future. I might have been able to fit the 1X, but since this was sold out in stores, I had to just go with the 2X from online. At first I was going to pair the dress with heels, but then I decided to switch it up and wear some loafers. Loafers with a dress give it retro vibe. I remember when all I wore was a pair of loafers (and yes Mommy had to put pennies in them). Even though you grow up, there are some items that just grow with you. Keep it cute, keep it you. Muah lovers!

Peekaboo

Valentine's Day is around the corner! Lingerie is always on the top of my list of things to buy myself during this time of the year. Great lingerie has a way of making you feel sexy. I love wearing a lacy bra and cute panties underneath something simple like sweatpants and a tee. I get a kick walking around looking like a bombshell and no one knows but me. I also believe great lingerie adds a little pep to your step. When you feel good, you look good.

This year my lingerie of choice came from City Chic. I went with the Lou Lou contour bra. Balconette bras are always a great choice for women that have a fuller bust like myself. I do not believe in sacrificing support just because something is pretty. You always want great cleavage without the fear of popping out. This bra definitely delivers on the cleavage front. When it comes to my undies I love a good boyfriend or cheeky panty. The Lou Lou panty is super cute with it's lacy front. I definitely like the fit of them. This was my first time trying their lingerie, and I am definitely impressed. Understanding their sizing is key, I definitely suggest measuring yourself if you are trying them out for the first time. In their panties, I wear a XS which is (14/16) and in their bra I converted my 40H to their 18H. 

Now as much as I love wearing sexy lingerie, the thought of actually taking a picture of myself in it hardly ever crossed my mind. I loved the mystery of it all, and taking a picture is putting myself out in plain sight for the world to see. Then I said, I can do this no problem- I'm a hot woman, nothing to be ashamed of. Until I got in front of the camera- then I got all shy. Within 10 minutes, I was like I'm going to do this, to you know what, I don't want people to get the wrong impression. As confident as I can be, there are times when being completely open and raw scare me. As I continue to grow, the will to push myself to try new things (not only in this platform, but in all aspects) is needed and it will always be scary at first. This is the start of a more open Jami. Baby steps, baby steps. Today I am not ready to take pictures in just my underwear, but I do love this picture. It's me embracing and trying something new, and trust me, posting this picture of me with my shirt open is definitely new. Happy Valentine's Day Lovers!! 

Yoga

I remember when I first started going to yoga...it was about 8 years ago. I wanted to try something new because I hated going to the gym to lift weights. I went to the Y and signed up for the Wednesday 7:30 session. I got to a packed class with the most peppy teacher named Peggy. She is not like your typical yogi (you know what I'm talking about, all monotone like a flower child). Peggy cracks jokes, tells stories about what it was like when she was learning yoga, and bakes cookies. Yes- cookies! After class she will pull out some chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies she has baked. I know, I am supposed to getting healthy and I am chomping down on cookies. Eh, oh well...lol. Contrary to popular belief, her yoga class made you work. I felt it the next day, and I was hooked ever since. Any one that knows me Wednesday was my no plan day. There were plenty of times I passed on dates, or afterwork events because I wanted to go yoga. It helped me improve my breathing, and I definitely had less aches and pains. When I didn't have class, my mother could tell...she would say "You need to go see Peggy, you are getting angry." LOL!! She was right- yoga mellowed me out. It was because of yoga I wanted to work out more. Who would have thought yoga was the gateway to change my whole mindset about exercise. 

In the past year, the activewear selection has definitely stepped up. Lane Bryant's Livi collection has been a go to with their functional workout gear that looks and feels great. As most of you know Lane Bryant has been very big on collaborating with different brands to bring the plus size woman more options. Sophie Theallet's first foray with Lane Bryant was all lingerie (which was super cute), but this time around she tackled activewear. I loved all the pieces in the collection. Anything in a bright pink will always catch my attention, so when I saw the lookbook, I definitely headed to 34th Street to try on these pieces in person. The crop top is a must have (and it's fleece lined), so you can look cute and stay warm. The snakeskin print is a nice touch as well. I paired my crop top with the fleece lined joggers. Pink trim is everything. I originally tried on 18/20,  but they were a bit too roomy so I went down to a 14/16. What I loved about these joggers was the high waisted panel. With these you can do all the stretches you want and not have to worry about having plumbers crack, or having to fiddle with your pants because they are falling down. When it comes to footwear, I always like to wear something fun and unexpected, and these chukkas from Cole Haan are just that. These have been in heavy rotation because they are comfy, are animal print, and on sale. I went with the wide width version since a good deal of Cole Haan's fit on the narrow side. So there you have it lovers, my yoga approved, but you can also wear it to not do yoga approved outfit. How's my pose?