Harper’s Bazaar, W Magazine, Vogue Paris and many other fashion gods noted that florals- and especially those with a vintage charm- are a staple part of the Spring 2018 wardrobe. However this glitter bomb, must argue the retro print floral pants are are the very forefront of this trend. Let’s talk about why.
Floral Dresses and Shirts Aren’t New
Trends by definition, represent a change in direction from the norm. Floral print blouses, skirts and dresses- while still very much en vogue- have been around a very long awhile. They also aren’t going anywhere. They’re basically a staple and can be found in some variation in nearly every woman’s wardrobe. The prints may change season to season, but I think over the last 30 years it’s been pretty easy to find any of these pieces in a floral print. But floral pants? Unless you’re a vintage fan or shop retro forward brands, you probably would have been hard pressed to find a well cut trouser in a bright floral up until recently.
How to Rock Floral Pants: The Basics
Now sometimes floral pants get a bad rep. People call them grandma-y or frumpy. Oh hell no. Floral pants can be modern, edgy and chic. The easiest way to rock a bold floral print pant is to pair it with tailored solids that highlight various tones in the pant. Here I’ve taken these rad 1960s inspired daisy print plus size pants from Modcloth and paired them with a light pink, long line blouse from New Look (no longer available, similar style linked), knotted at the waist. To add a touch of pizazz to the top, I buttoned the collar of the shirt all the way up and wore pearl chain necklace around it- I call this my jewelry bow tie. Lastly, I accentuated the teal in the pants with this architecturally styled coat from Eloquii (no longer available, similar style linked) and I drew out the burgundy tones in the print with a cute wine colored heel.
How to Rock Floral Pants: Advanced
For more advanced fancy pants action, try pairing two different florals in similar hues together. You can take the same approach with any print- even stripes. I personally am loving some of the stripe and floral pairings I have been seeing floating around on the internet. Maybe it’s because I just love any excuse to put more colors on my body at once. Yep, it’s probably that.
My Favorite Floral Pants
To make rocking some sexy grandma floral action easier on you, I’ve rounded up my favorite pantaloons in bloom below. Click the images to shop.
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Just before my vacation to Hawaii, Torrid send me two swimsuits from their new 2018 swim collection to try out. Both suits featured a vibrant tropical print I adored- mama love herself some color! I tried the first suit out- a super sassy laced up one piece– on a catamaran cruise around Oahu.
What I liked most about this suit is that it felt sexy, but was also super practical and pretty modest. While the suit laced up the front- giving the air of drama and a peak of extra skin- there was no need to fear any thing slipping out of place. This is the type of suit one could easily take tubing without fear. If you’ve been behind a boat, pulled in a tube- you know what I mean. If you haven’t- lets just say many a girl had lost her bikini top falling off said tube on a tight turn.
The longer I wore the suit the more I wanted to wear it. I can imagine wearing this plus size one piece swimsuit as a body suit with some cute distressed denim shorts or a flowy skirt. It’s definitely going to get as much air time away from the pool as in it.
I also received a plus size bikini top with a peplum in the same bright jungle floral. This suit top came with black bottoms and a matching cover up. I wore this set to the infamous Waikiki beach for some sun and wave action. Here I am rocking this babelicious look in front of the infamous Royal Hawaiian hotel- an icon in Honolulu.
My first impressions is that Torrid has definitely improved the fit of the top this year. In previous suits sometimes the underwire would dig into me; in the 2018 variation I did not have that issue. Additionally, this year’s suits allows you to have the choice to push-up remove the padding from the cup. You would have to claw the extra padding from my cold dead hands, but girls with larger cup sizes will appreciate this little added detail and the extra cup room.
The cover up was really soft, but the color was noticeably darker than the suit. As a result, I personally think the two items would look better not wore together. Overall these suits are great example that Torrid continues to innovate and invest in creating great fitting a plus size women’s swimsuits.
My Favorites from the Torrid 2018 Plus Size Collection
Below are some more of my favorite pieces from the new collection. Click the images to shop.
While I received this product in exchange for an honest review, I was not financially compensated for this post.
Today I am partnering with Modcloth to share how wearing color can change your life. People always comment on how colorful I dress. Take for example, this bold, striped and pleated skirt from Modcloth. Even paired with a more subdued cream blouse, it’s still making a statement when I walk down the the street. I wear bright colors like this because I actually believe bright clothing means bright days. Science agrees. Recent studies have shown that looking at bright warm colors releases dopamine — known as the ‘feel-good hormone.” Increasing dopamine in our system can improve mood, increase our ability to focus and even boost our sex drive. Cool tones, can cause us to release oxytocin, as result making us feel calmer and refreshed.
Wearing Color Allows Me To Be Seen
Personally, I wear color because it feels rebellious. As a plus size woman, for years I’ve been told to hide- to avoid colors. “Dark clothing will slim your hips, darling.” Barf. As a result, the options that were available to me to be bold and bright were limited in my youth. Now as the tides have turned and brands like Modcloth are making colorful options in my size- I can’t help but indulge in all the hues. Colorful clothing helps me make a statement about my worthiness to be visually acknowledged. It says I am not hiding anymore. I want to be seen.
Color Can Be A Motivator
Wearing bright colors does more than give me empowered warm fuzzies. Color psychology is the scientific study of hues as a determinant of human behavior. It is shocking just how much color affects the decisions we make and opinions we form every day. Take the colors in this skirt. Reds can act as stimulants- giving you energy and a sense of power through out the day. Yellows can give you sense of confidence- increasing your likeliness to self-perceive as competent and happy. Blues carry an air of honesty and professionalism. That’s a lot of good vibes packed in one little skirt.
The Basics of Color Theory
Below is a high-level guide to Color Theory or essentially what different colors can evoke in us. Note: Color Theory is a very complex subject and saturations, tones and pairings can change how colors are perceived. I would suggest reading this three part series on color theory for designers for anyone really interested in learning more.
Add a Punch of Color to Your Look
Now that you know color can literally change your outlook each day, here are some ideas of how to add color to your day-to-day wardrobe. Clothing options are size inclusive (available from size xs to 4x) and are from Modcloth. Click the images to shop!
Thank you to Modcloth for sponsoring this post. I earn affiliate commisions off of some of the links included in this post.
In high school there was nothing I wanted more than every pair of pants I owned to be in overall format. I am not sure why, but in the late 2000s, every fabric, every color, every style was best served with a bib and some over the shoulder closures. I suppose that’s why I am so ecstatic that overalls are making an “overall” comeback. As girl who’s pants generally have issues staying up- they also solve all my problems.
This year’s overalls have one major deviation from their predecessors- the fitted waist. Let’s sing all hallelujah to whomever had the critical thought, ” you know if we just added buttons on the side- we could have a fitted waited and an overall.” God bless them.
Today’s look is a celebration of one of my favorite pair of overalls on the market right now- this distressed pair from RWN. Paired with a simple cream turtle neck, yellow duck boots and a fun houndstooth coat (here’s an alternative as this one is sold out) the look is an ode to casual cool. The distressing, fitted waist and design decision to have a tie closure instead of metal clasps make these denim bibs more than just a another rehash of a previous trend. I’m in love.
I earn affiliate commissions on some of the above links
Today I am giving my review of a brand you guys have requested I haul more than any other brand- Maurice’s. Maurice’s is a size inclusive brand that offers clothing from sizes 0 to 28. Now candidly, I have purchased from this store before, but only one specific items. Maurice’s makes some of the most comfortable plus size leggings out there and I’ve been addicted to them since I first tried them. However, for some weird reason I’ve never purchased anything else from them, so I think the term ” a brand new to me” still applies.
Trying Out Maurice’s Plus Size For The First Time
The look I styled from my Maurice’s haul is the perfect for a comfy day at the office. I paired their window-paned treggings with a super soft green cowl neck with herringbone rib details and topped it with an open black cardigan with lace up back. I used an obi style belt to wrap the cardigan closed and finished the look with a pair of well-worn Bass brogues. The outfit is delightfully cozy and I swear it feels like I’m still in pajamas. I’m a fan.
My Final Review
Overall, Maurice’s is an excellent option for plus size ladies who want no fuss, comfortable clothing that can be dressed up or down as needed. I love that they are size inclusive and offer plus size up to a 4x. The clothing is definitely cut with a plus body in mind and I noticed the arms were delightfully roomier than many other plus options. I was also super impressed with how quickly items were shipped and delivered. I received my order with 3-4 days; 3 days sooner than anticipated. The only complaint I have is that the treggings- while stretchy- have some design elements that don’t work for ladies with larger hips/booties.The haulvideo below shows each item from my trial order and how they fit. Final verdict: I would recommend Maurice’s as a great place to shop for plus size clothing.
Over the last 6 months I found myself dragged into the politics of blogging. I heard gossip, I repeated gossip and in the end no one was better for it. Before I get into some deep thoughts, here’s the outfit details. The dress and Jacket are from Fashion to Figure. They are worn with Maurice’s leggings, booties and a contemplative expression.
It’s so easy. You hear something- a tidbit, a thought, and opinion and next thing you know you’ve passed it on to someone else without even a second thought. It happens so organically it can be hard to realize you’ve even done it. But eventually the drama spreads and a small comment becomes something that might negatively affects someone’s life.
Over the past month I’ve reached out and apologized to people I’ve felt my gossiping might have hurt. It was overwhelming. I did it because I didn’t like this bad habit and I felt I dramatically needed to correct it. I did it because I was sorry. In most cases, it was much more meaningful to me than the person involved. One person laughed at me, shocked I would apologize for such behavior. It was normal, after all.
I am realizing that gossip is a toxic destructive behavior we pass off as common and acceptable. Its ok to posture. It’s ok to assume. It’s ok to take everything you hear as absolute truth. But it’s not. Gossip is just a manifestation of jealousy, inadequacy, and denial wrapped up a socially acceptable package.
I look back to the incidents where I found my gossiping. Sometimes it was easier to talk about someone else than myself. Sometimes I wanted what other people have. Sometimes even surrounded by people I felt lonely and just wanted to be included. Why didn’t I say these words. Why didn’t I let people react to me? Why did I hide behind the stories of others?
As I have begun to dissect why I gossip and what I am using it to deflect from, I have realized that I have never won by gossiping. I have only lost. Lost opportunities to really connect with people. Lost chances to be vulnerable. Lost chances to change my experience. I am painfully learning bad habits die hard- especially when they are ingrained into our everyday culture. However, as I have learned many times in my life- the hardest things to do are often the most rewarding. I’ll keep trying and as result keep growing in the process.
Today I am giving my review of a brand you guys have requested I haul more than any other brand- Maurice’s. Maurice’s is a size inclusive brand that offers clothing from sizes 0 to 28. Now candidly, I have purchased from this store before, but only one specific items. Maurice’s makes some of the most comfortable plus size leggings out there and I’ve been addicted to them since I first tried them. However, for some weird reason I’ve never purchased anything else from them, so I think the term ” a brand new to me” still applies.
