by Glitter | Jun 26, 2015 | Fashion, How To, Travel
Heading to Paris for work, I wanted to keep my wardrobe simple and my suitcase light. I have a little trick for when I am trying to go to the max with my wardrobe, but at the same time manage the increasingly smallness of my luggage. After years of living on the road and having to still work it like the sassy boss ass bitch I am, I found my balance by committing to the church of color poppin’. Color pops are the simplest form of color blocking and can do MIRACLES for your look. I mean you wear some hot pink pants and no one can ever pay attention that you forgot to do makeup, haven’t slept in 3 days and that there is a piece of bread from the sandwich you ate at 2 am more than little drunk most definitely stuck in your hair. Instead they just gush and co over your sassy fancy pants. Fashion witchcraft!!!! Here’s how I maximized the colors to keep me looking ace while traveling for work in Paris.
On Monday I rocked a pair of hot pink crops from Nordstrom with a black crepe top and patterned, but still neutral bomber. The key when wearing the world’s brightest pants and trying to be professional, is to keep the top simple. However if you aren’t at work, treat those pants as a neutral and go crazy. Just do you!
Tuesday I brought out my favorite chartreuse a-line skirt from Eloquii. I paired it with a check patterned top from Target. the key to this look is to make the top strong enough to support such an unusual and bold color. A plain black top could come off thoughtless and make the look seem as if it was “missing something.” Introducing the subtle pattern makes the style sing and the boys go ooh la la.
On Wednesday I rocked my most favorite clearance rack find- my neon orange moto jacket from target- over a sleek black dress and leggings. To pull this look off, I relied on accessories to tie the deeply contrasting colors. This Oliver Bonas necklace did a rad job of bringing together two cross spectrum colors and made the pairing almost seem obvious.
When you travel, bringing your entire bejeweled caboodle filled of sparkle is not always option. I instead opt for clothing with interesting necklines and pizazz to make the look a stunner even with out my preferred amount of bling. Here I used this amazing secretary pussy bow blouse from Monif C and add a little of snazziness with this cheap yet elegant looking Charlotte Russe tulle skirt. It looks sassy, classy, and leaves nobody thinking “where’s the glint, Glitter?”
Today, I faced the reality that I needed to be comfortable and kept my color blocking look real… real simple. I paired this t-shirt dress with my go to Lola Getts leggings and the bomber jacket. I like that even though I am wearing the same jacket as Monday, changing up the color blocking helps the jacket feel fresh and unique.
So ladies and likely gay gents, that’s how I use color blocking to make the most out of my travel wardrobe. It’s s simple and fun way to make travel clothes stand out with out having to over pack or haul every accessory you own (even though I always want to). So get out there and get get get it poppin’ with some fun colors. It is summer after all!
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by Glitter | Jun 24, 2015 | Fashion, How To, Travel
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Macaroons, croissants, wine and baguettes to you all! This week I’m blogging from the quaint cobblestone streets of Paris as I take on the city one board room at a time. In between fierce meetings (Buy! Sell! Buy! Buy!) I’m finding myself exploring this beautiful city as a flâneur (a person of leisure wandering the streets) and clearly brushing up on my French! My goal is that when I take the stage in a celebrity death match-style karaoke battle later this evening I won’t be told “tu chantes du yaourt” which literally translates to “you sing yogurt!” That’s apparently a French thing. Yogurt singers. While my French obviously needs a wee bit of brushing up, my French fashion style is on point! After many a fun trip to France for the work ( ooh I sound so fancy), I’ve become pretty aware of what makes Parisian women some of the most fashionable in the world. So grab your beret and your over-sized sunglasses because I am about to share with you five ways you can bring ze Parisian flair to your daily wear. Props to my lovely Parisian coworkers for being French, stylish, and willing to allow me to chase them with a camera.
- Structured Pants: Many still consider Paris the fashion capital of the world and while we are often enthralled with what’s happening on the runway, the fashion on the streets can be just as notable. There’s a perception that French women rock the fancy frocks all the time, but the reality is that they want to be as comfortable in their day to day wear as you and I (sans yoga pants; sad face). The French love a good pair of trousers for their versatility and comfort level. The average lady on the street would much rather be in a nice pair of slacks coupled with a stylish top than to be dressed to the nines on a day to day basis.
- Minimal Make-Up: When it comes to make-up, French women abide by the “less is more” philosophy, which also happens to be my personal philosophy on eating steamed carrots. In this theory, make-up should be nude and almost invisible, used to merely enhance your natural features yet not stand out on its own. The rare exception might be a pop of color on the lips for a little ooh la la man flirting. This way the only thing that should be standing out is the bootay!
- A Fitted Staple Jacket: Another stand out wardrobe staple for the ladies of Paris is a well-cut jacket that is tailored to their body. Rather than having a closet full of jackets that almost fit, French women will spend the big bucks to have one or two jackets made especially for their body for daily wear. And with the versatility of a exceptionally tailored jacket they really get their money’s worth.
- A Statement Scarf: French women love to spice up an outfit with a sassy neck scarf. With all the amazing fashion brands available in Paris, the scarf is the most financially accessible for the average person to add to their wares. In order to incorporate upscale elements into their outfit, French women rely on scarves to help show the season’s current trends without breaking the bank. It’s almost like French women invented the phrase “ballin on a budget!”
- Neutral Palette: I have also found that French women dress in primarily neutral colors, especially black, to serve multiple purposes. Relying on nominal but thoughtful accessories to add interest to the look, French women can wear their neutral palette wardrobe in a variety of ways to make an expensive but minimal wardrobe serve any event. (Just beware of that powdered sugar on your delicious crepes! It will leave hand prints. And trust me, trying to lick them off does not work. )
You can combine these looks together or you can pick and choose different elements to create your own je ne sais quoi! Now, I am off to a power lunch with a street mime, a plate of cheese, and copious amounts of wine. It doesn’t get much Frenchier than that! Au revoir, chiennes!
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by Glitter | Jun 22, 2015 | Fashion
This fancy pants plus size blogger had one hell of a week. First I suffered through what can only be called the death star cold. It was like all the snot from all the noses in the world decided to move into my respiratory system and executed a hostile take over. It was the worst. In the midst of all this, I found out I needed to be better by the weekend because I was flying to Paris! So basically my week was all: “hack hack. cough cough. What the hell am I going to pack? I need more Kleenex. Macaroons for every meal! Why is that Lifetime movie not on iTunes yet? cough cough. sniffle” Here’s a a round up of what I wore this week.
On Monday I got sentimental AND sporty. I combined deep thoughts with a sassy pair of City Chic clearance harem pants, a Forever 21 crop, and a Fabeltics tank top worn backwards. Because sometimes I do that- wear clothes backwards. I’m rocking my favorite pair of nike air max (they’re sparkley!) and wistfully dreamy gaze off into the sunset.
On Tuesday I tried my first dress from Gwynnie Bee, this little Triste number. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. I wore this stain glass masterpiece with a tutu from Charlotte Russe Plus underneath to ad a pop of pizazz and some extra length I desperately needed.
On Wednesday I took amazon scarf and tied it as a cute tube top. I layered it over a basic cotton staple skirt from Primark. I kept the vibe chill and sun rays soaked in by complementing the look with my favorite pair of vintage shades and my go to teva flip flops.
Thursday meant round two of my Gwynnie Bee arrivals. I paired the this beach print dress from Jete with an orange crocodile belt and a cardigan from Forever 21. For accessories I wore basket weave shoes and gussied up my bun with a string of artificial flowers.
Friday I had this weird 80s lazy rocker chic look going on. Check out my Madonna inspired lace fringe top from ASOS worn over a pink swimsuit top and leather look leggings from Macy’s. I wore my favorite worn out Clark’s brogues with a pair of aviators that somehow ended up in my house, but definitely aren’t mine.
Saturday was little hippy dippie as created a quasi festival lucky, which I then proudly donned at the arcade. It was a festival of gaming! The peplum crop top is Eloquii paired with black leggings and a kimono from Swimsuits for All. I wore it all with my absolute fav metallic crocodile shoes from ASOS and necklace a friend purchased for me in India.
Sunday’s look rounds out the comfort parade. I pared my mesh sleeved top with basic back leggings and a fringe scarf I made myself out of an old t-shirt. It might be the only craft I ever did successfully.I style the look with a delicious s’more frappacino and Crocs. Don’t hate on my Crocs. They’re comfortable and I love them.
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by Glitter | Jun 19, 2015 | Fitness, How To, Workouts
I associate summer vacation trips from my youth with long stretches of driving coupled with limited bathroom breaks. This explains my unusually high number of bladder issues as a child as well as my irrational fear of mini vans. This summer’s travels for me are both for work and for pleasure (wink wink), but who are we kidding here…everything I do has to have my tramp stamp of approval for fun and fabulous! With some jam packed weeks coming up jet setting all over the world, I put together my workout keys to success for traveling.
Be Prepared
I hope the phrase “be prepared” brings to mind Scar singing to the hyenas in “The Lion King,” because that’s what I’m belting out to the people on the street from my balcony as I type away. You’re welcome people on the street. No, I will not do an encore performance. Ok, maybe just one.
In Greece, I packed work out clothes that transitioned well to casual attire, that way I could hike to the sites and still be dressed appropriately.
Plain and simple, being prepared means making sure you pack yo shit. This should include workout clothes as well as any additional things you may need to complete your workout (straps, blocks, etc.) If you have a ten day vacation, this does not necessitate ten days of outfits! Choose some key pieces and plan to wash (in a washer and dryer or hand wash in the hotel bathroom) to keep yourself smelling so fresh and so clean clean.
I also absolutely love using the “My Fitness Pal” app on my iPhone. By logging my meals, snacks and exercises it helps me keep my goals in mind as well as adjusting calorie allotments for the day based on my activity level. However be warned, MFP is community sourced and can over exaggerate calories burned exercising, so if you’re excessive like me, use a heart monitor to under how much you’re really burning. Most of the time, It ends up being more than than you think on vacation. Which means- MASSIVE MEAL SPLURGE TIME and um of course being “very careful” the rest of the day.
Plan for a Daily Workout
Obviously, if you don’t plan to workout it’s just not going to happen. If you have a meeting at 8 am, plan to get up at 6 am to get in an early morning workout. If mornings just don’t work for you, maybe evenings before you set out for a night on the town will work best. Regardless, create a plan and STICK TO IT.
In Belgium I combined fitness with boozy memories and brews by taking a walking tour of the best local pubs.
When you know where you’ll be staying, be sure to check out what the hotel has to offer in regards to accommodations. I’ve stayed in hotels that offer top of the line workout equipment as well as classes to keep you on track, conversely I’ve also stayed in complete dives that offered an early 90’s Nordic Track tucked away in a broom closet.
You can also build exercise into your daily schedule. Hopefully you’ll get your cardio through exploring a new city, swimming in some exotic location, or, in my case, drunkenly dancing on the bar into the wee hours of the morning looking as amazing as I know I do. So take the focus off the cardio if you’re meeting those goals and instead focus on your stretchy stretches and weights.
Glitter’s Real Hotel Workout Extraordinaire
In Miami I mixed business time with fitness time by figuring out how to work out in the pool while taking a conference call. Fitness McGyver
As an added bonus, I went ahead and put together my own personal hotel workout that I do when traveling and short on time. I do this in my hotel room as soon as I wake up so that I can start my day off right. I do the following circuit as many times as I can, but with a minimum of two full circuits. I also take a 1-2 minute break between each circuit. I purposely designed this routine so that you have to get up and get down a lot because that’s actually another exercise secret in itself.
- 15 jumping jacks (or as I call them, Jumpin’ Jack Flashes)
- 5 push-ups (does not matter if they are full push-ups or girly ones on your knees)
- 5 triceps pushups ( some people call these dips. Just like a push up but elbows in vs. out)
- 15-30 second superman (try to hold out for the longer time!)
- 10 round the world squats (5 each leg. Lunge forward, then to the side, then back)
- 15 sit ups
- 20 cross sit ups (10 each side)
- 30-60 second plank
- 30 high knees ( 15 each side)
- 30-60 second wall squat
Although vacations are a great opportunity to get away from your normal routine and explore and try new things, it’s still important to keep those healthy habits going. So pack some sexy glitter approved workout attire and get up and shake your groove thang before going off and conquering the day. Your hips will thank you later, because they surely do not lie!
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by Glitter | Jun 17, 2015 | Fashion
Ah, the summer solstice is upon us again…a time to celebrate the joy, warmth, and laughter of summer. It can be a time of purification (schedule that colonic!), renewal (Netflix subscription!), and healing of the self and soul (or as I call it, a three day weekend binge drinking in Cabo). And in the Glamorous World of Glitter, that means it’s also time to renew my wardrobe for SUMMER VACATION! In order to kick off what is sure to be my most kick ass summer ever, I’ve compiled Glitter’s Summer Essentials Guide. Whether your excursions are for work or for play there will be no sacrificing of style (or humans for that matter) when you stick with these six fundamental pieces.
Wide Brimmed Hat
What is more glamorous than lounging pool side with a wide brimmed hat protecting that delicate porcelain skin? (Or, in my case, trying to hide the smeared mascara from channeling my inner Ke$ha the night before.) These hats offer great sun protection while looking chic and sophisticated. So go ahead and brush your teeth with a bottle of Jack, a wide brimmed hat is sure to hide your previous evening’s indiscretions. Five below, has a ton of these cuties, at $5 a pop, you can score few without feeling guilty.
Tribal Print Romper
Plain and simple, rompers are THE laziest way to look fancy. And the tribal print is so popular right now because it creates the illusion of being tall and slim. Not to mention they are so comfortable and require literally no effort to wear. Fancy, tall, slim and comfortable?? Sign me the hell up. I’ve pretty much fallen head over heels with Rue 21’s rompers this season, 2 for $25? I’ll take them all!
Colorful Sarong
First of all, can anyone say the word “sarong” without breaking into Sisqo’s 1999 Summer Anthem “Thong Song?” It’s a challenge to even type “sarong” without singing in my head “Sa-rong, sa-rong, sa-rong.” Sarongs are extremely versatile; for about $9.99 on Amazon (link here) you’re looking at something that can be used as a skirt, shirt, scarf, belt, and bathing suit cover-up. Your dress will be so scandalous and ya know the other brothers couldn’t handle it. Curses…there’s that Sisqo again!
Floral Shorts
For so long I was afraid to wear patterns on the lower half of my body because it makes ze butt look big. Well newsflash people: my butt is big and I’m proud! In fact, I’m so proud I have decided to dub this “the summer of the bootay.” Floral shorts can take a simple t-shirt and class it up. T-shirt with khaki shorts gives the impression that you’re a young food delivery kid. But a t-shirt and floral shorts and suddenly you are Ms. Fancy Pants strutting her stuff down Rodeo Drive. Live the dream, free the bootay.
Retro Style Sunglasses
Retro Style Sunglasses instantly adds something different to your look. It’s a finishing piece to any outfit, really. Plain and simple: they are cool. I love them. I own several. You should, too. **drops mic**
Chambray Shirt
Is there anything hotter than Jay Leno’s denim on denim look? When that handsome silver fox would do his “man on the street” bits for the Tonight Show I must say that this girl really stood up and paid attention. We can’t all be as visually stunning as Jay Leno, but we can invest in a great Chambray Shirt. White shirts get so dirty so easily (here’s looking at you, last night’s queso). A good chambray shirt will hide dirt, be visually interesting and won’t wrinkle as much. And for you jet setters, they travel really well. This is truly a great staple for your wardrobe. (Also…call me Jay Leno. I’m available.)
There you have it; six essentials for any summer wardrobe. Here’s to summer and its long days and short nights! Let’s truly make Summer 2015 The Summer of the Bootay (bootay rockin everywhere)!
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