Plus Size Spring 2018 Trend: Multi-Color Magic

In Spring 2018, the color is, well, all of them. Multicolor prints are having a moment- primarily in two bold variations. One is the concept of rainbow or multicolor variations of traditional stripes, dots and patterns. Dolce & Gabana sent bold multi-color  dress with rainbow corsets down the aisle, while Emporio Armani showed off crisp many hued pinstripe suiting.  The second popular iteration of this trend is art inspired multicolored pieces. Missoni sent pieces with prints inspired by Andy Warhol down the spring 2018 runway and Coach doubled down on their collaboration with Keith Haring’s estate.

Multi-Color For the Real World

For most of us a wardrobe of technicolor fashion may seem way beyond our comfort zone; heck sometimes all rainbow print can be scary. However, have no fear!  Rocking this trend doesn’t mean that you need a full ROY G BIV moment. Nay! Instead looks for dress, skirts, shirts, and more with patterns that boast at least 4 different colors. This is fashion, not skittles, you don’t need to actually taste the rainbow.

Styled: Stripes of Many Shades

The dress pictured above is from Modcloth. It’s 100% on trend with out looking like my annual outfit for the pride parade.  I particularly like the unusual color pairings; who knew mint could look so good with orange? The cardigan layered over top pulls the look together. with it’s multi-colored buttons. It’s a subtle and wearable way to give a nod to this season’s most colorful trend. The shoes and bag featured here are no longer available

Score Some Multi-Color Magic of Your Own.

To help you live your most colorful life this spring, I’ve rounded up my favorite pieces with plentiful pigments below.  Click the images to shop.


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Plus Size Trend Alert: Grandma Floral Print Pants

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.

I earn commissions on some of these links that helps support my content creation.

 

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I Finally Found a Moisturizer Routine I Can Stick To

This post is sponsored by Olay, but all opinions are my own.

Dirty little secret time, up until recently I haven’t had a skincare routine in months. I had tried a system before, and granted it did make my skin feel nicer, but it was just too much work. If I have to make the decision between breakfast or putting on 12 different concoctions to fix my face– cereal is going to win every dang time. However, as I get older I have realized the toll of not having a regular routine has taken on my skin and I needed to find something that fit into my life without overwhelming me.

While visiting my parents for the holidays, and with this skincare conundrum on my mind, I couldn’t help but recognize that my step-mom’s skin always looks lovely. She is in her 60s and her skin is GLOWING.  Naturally, I asked her secret. Turns out Sheri had been using Olay for years. As serendipity would have it, that very week I was contacted to try out their new Luminous Whips product. I had very high hopes (based on Sheri’s experience) that this would be the product for me.

I started using Olay Luminous Whips just before the new year and I am addicted. First and foremost, it’s easy. It’s one step that not only moisturizes, but leaves my skin so soft that I have to keep from awkwardly touching my face all the time to feel how velvety smooth it is. It also absorbs into your skin super quickly meaning you don’t have to wait or blot or so whatever else you’re supposed to do when you face is lotion wet. It’s not technically a primer but it acts as one, so I was able to remove that entire step from my make-up routine. My face gets greasy throughout the day and I usually find by 5 pm my make-up has slid here there and everywhere. However, Olay’s Luminous Whips keeps my face matte and my make-up in place. It’s simply magical.

Last but not least, look at the image above. I only have mascara on and my eyebrows are tinted. The glow, the smoothness and the awesome texture of my skin is a direct effect of me using this product over the past week. Sure, my skin isn’t perfect, but I think the awesome glow after only a week of use is obvious. While this post was sponsored by Olay, I stand behind this product and now use it regularly because it makes my morning routine easier to manage, minimizes the appearance of pores and keeps my face looking dewy all day. This product is Glitter approved for busy boss babes on the go.

 

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Torrid 2018 Plus Size Swimsuit + Bikini Review

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.

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How Wearing Color Can Change Your Life

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.

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