by Glitter | Dec 19, 2017 | Fashion, OOTD
I’d like to thank Macy’s for sponsoring today’s post. I have been giving some serious thoughts into the concept of investing in clothing. I’ve talked about it before, but plus size women have for years been taught to invest in ourselves “when we lose weight” or when “we earn it.” The truth is you don’t have to really earn anything, you are worthy of the same quality upscale items regardless of whether you lose or gain 10 pounds.
One of my favorite places to find a wide variety of quality plus clothing is Macy’s. As a busy woman, constantly on the go, I also adore the one stop shop aspect of it all. I can get all the things I need to wear, get my eyebrows waxed and finish my holiday shopping at my local store. Fresh coat of paint, presents and perfect arched brow? What’s not to love. Today, I wanted to show you two awesome holiday looks I pulled from their plus size section that are perfect for the festive season.
Day: Casual Holiday Cool
This look is perfect for brunches, lunches and gift exchanges- oh my! I took a super fun velvet embossed pair of William Rast jeans. Yes, I can finally have Justin Timberlake touching my butt- he designs these jeans! And yes, I’ve made that joke before, and I will continue to make it forever. I will never get over it. Never. The top is a super fun off the shoulder number from City Chic which I cannot get over. It has the most luscious goddess-like flowy sleeves and you know I am sucker for a big sleeve. I finished the look off with a cute pair of booties and fun metal earrings I scored from the Macy’s Accessories department.
Night: Festive Party Queen
If velvet were a person, I’d probably be in a semi-committed relationship with them. They’re comfortable, classy, and forgiving- basically everything I want in a partner… err, dress. This lovely Tommy Hilfiger velvet dress is what we call a “one and done”. It doesn’t need any extra fanfare to shine like the top of the Chrysler building. So, I kept it simple. I pulled a little faux fur stole on and a paired it was an adorable pair of flats I already had. Viola! Who’s ready to awkwardly explain to people you haven’t seen in years why you’re still single and wake up the next day to holiday cookies, screaming kids and a hangover? This girl.
Thank you, Macy’s, for sponsoring this post!
by Glitter | Dec 15, 2017 | Fashion
Did you know that Amazon isn’t only a place you can buy whatever your drunk mind thinks you need at 3 am on a Friday night, but also a great place to shop for affordable plus size clothes? No, this post isn’t sponsored. This is my reality. I freaking love amazon shopping.
See this dress? It was $11. It’s mind blowing that I can look this fancy for the same price as New York takeaway lunch. It’s comfortable, flattering and just really dang cute. And when I find deals like this, I get so excited I want to tell everyone.
Is it just me? Because every time I find a good deal I literally want to call every female in my phone and just blab at them about it. It’s the thrill of the bargain. It’s shopping adrenaline. Its a badge of honor. It’s just the best.
And I want you to have those feelings. I really do. So I have rounded up some of my favorite plus size bargain dresses from Amazon. Also, shortly on YouTube, I’ll be doing a fun haul featuring some of the dresses below. Again, I didn’t get paid to say this- it’s the thrill of the conquest that’s driving this post. So go forth and save!
Other Awesome Bargain Amazon Dresses
$22.99
$39.99
$18.99
$36.99
$37.99
$32.99
$18.99
$14.68
$34.99
$11.99
I earn affiliate commission on some of the above links which helps support my blog.
by Glitter | Dec 14, 2017 | Fashion
Sequins have such a troubled history. Once the darling of decorating, then the mark of cheap fast fashion, and now who knows. Sequins are very much a teenager again- figuring out just who they are in the world. For me sequins are a statement- best used in unexpected ways to add charm and adventure to an outfit. This plus size sequin oversized biker jacket from Isolated Heroes is a perfect example of this. I paired it with a velvet crop top from Fashion to Figure, a velvet skirt from Eloquii, a faux fur stole from Amazon, and my favorite green velvet boots from Asos (alternative).
Sequins started their foray into fashion as literal pieces of currency worn by Egyptians as a way to showcase their wealth. I imagine King Tut strutting around the pyramids declaring ” I’m so wealthy I can sew all this glittery cash money on my coat”. In fact, the name sequin comes from “sikkah” the Arabic word for coin.
Now the 17th century brought to life the sequins we know today- smaller in size and used for ornamentation versus ostentatious displays of wealth. Sequins were broadly incorporated into textile designs until the 1920s when sequins began to coat fabric entirely leaving them dripping in sparkle. However these dresses were covered in thousands of pieces of metal. They were heavy. Too heavy.
In the 30s, things got weird. Because the metal was so heavy, designers started using gelatin (like jell-o, jell-o sequins folks) to make the shiny accents. These sparkles were finicky and would pretty much dissolve if exposed to heat. As a result, sequins became primarily winter wear. Also, better not make out with a girl in a sequin dress, because you might get caught sequin handed. There was a popular phrase that “missing sequins could tell tales” because women and there dance partners were often judged at the end of the night by where on the dress the sequins had dissolved.
Modern sequins came about in the 1930s when Herbert Lieberman in partnership Eastman Kodak ( yes the camera film company) created sequins from acetate stock. However less likely to melt if people got frisky, acetate sequins were still incredibly fragile. In the 50s Dupont invented Mylar which coated the acetate sequins giving them strength and greater durability.
Acetate sequins were used primarily until vinyl eventually took over, because they were cheaper and more durable. However, sequin pros will tell you nothing shines or holds it’s shape as well as a acetate sequin coated in Mylar. Nothing. However, as I am not made of money- just fashion dreams- I’ll be over here appreciating just how magically sparkly this jacket and it’s vinyl sequins are.
by Glitter | Dec 13, 2017 | Fashion, OOTD
I have heard it time and time again from my internet friends and many kind old ladies in retirement homes, that I have a face of a 1920-1940s film star. Maybe the 20 year span is a reflection of the length of my career had I been born then and wasn’t completely rubbish at acting. One never will know. Well, unless we invent time travel and I am alive and rich enough by then to afford such history spelunking. 
So even though I may never get to be a flapper (other than at some weird murder mystery theme party), I can incorporate elements of those swinging 20s into my wardrobe. However, I’ve never liked literal translations of fashion inspiration. Instead I like to use elements of an era to drive my creativity. So when sitting down to create this 1920s/1930s themed look, I couldn’t help but be inspired by the Art Deco movement.
Art Deco was a 1920s art movement characterized by precise and delineated geometric shapes paired with bold, saturated colors. While Art Deco was predominately seen in the architecture and interior design of the time, it also bled in the era’s jewelry and fashion. Art Deco not only stood for glamour, it also symbolically represented faith in social and technological progress.
I created this “berries” (1920s slang for cool) look by pairing a luxe bee-printed blazer with a creme ruffle neck blouse, and tuxedo striped ankle pants. The tuxedo stripe is a nice mirror for the black satin used for the jacket’s lapels. I gave the look some extra polish with black and gold sling back shoes, geometric earrings, and a bright red lip. The result makes me look like a total “baby vamp” (a popular and cool woman). Lets get blotto (drunk) and find me a bimbo (sexy man)!
Lets discuss how this art movement is fully manifest in this awesome look from Modcloth. First, the bold jacquard print of this blazer mirrors the saturated, luxe hues that would have been used in upholstery, curtains and anywhere one could drape in fabric. The bee- often used in art to symbolize the power of community and personal progress- included in the print could be interpreted as subtle reminder of faith in community. This isn’t any jacket, it’s a blazer of hope.
The shoes’ Arts Décoratifs nod is more subtle. The line of the slingback leaves the gold block heel exposed, showcasing the bold geometric lines that were popular during this era. However, the overall style of the shoe remains far too plain the fully fit in the 20s, making it a perfect mixture of modern elegance and vintage charm.
Lastly the earrings in this look leverage a geometric print that was very popular during the era. Art Deco incorporated elements of many ancient religions- including those from China, Mexico, Egypt and Persia. The triangle, used by many of these regions’ endemic religions as a proxy of strength and knowledge, was often incorporated into many designs of the 1920s as symbol of power. This final touch polishes off an outfit of hope and celebration, that recognizes the thoughtful design of the Gatsby era in a deliciously modern way.
Thank you to Modcloth for sponsoring this post!
by Glitter | Nov 28, 2017 | Fashion, OOTD
When I received this skirt I just wanted so bad to style it in a way that wasn’t formal. Luckily the pieces just sort of came together in my head and the next thing I knew I had created a look I was proud of. Sure I create a lot of styles I think are good, but few do I step back and marvel at. This was such a bizarre mix of items that, when jumbled together, worked in such a delightful way.
The orange beret is from Amazon, a rare midnight ” I can’t sleep” find- and yes it comes with the netting. The sweater is from Zara. It’s not plus, but I find their XXL to be fairly true to size. The distressed metallic skirt (on super sale right now!) from Macy’s I am I wearing accents the sequins in the sweater, and really makes them pop. To bring out even more color in the jumper I added a yellow neck scarf from Modcloth and a bright red lip from bite beauty. For my final accessories I added one of my favorite bags from Min & Mon and the most amazing wide fit booties (seriously the insole padding is amazing) from RWN by Rawan.
