Long time coming

Wearing this skirt was a long time coming. I picked it up way back in April at the Fat Girl Flea Market. From what I can tell it's quality, made of a thick, almost suede-ish/velveteen sort of fabric (I'll have to check the tag), and really well constructed with finished seams and darting at the waist. It was originally almost ankle length, and a little roomy when I picked it up. -23lbs later, it's way too big and begging for a make over. Last week my most patient mother helped me hem it up and take it in at the seams (thanks, Mom!). Voila! A funky new skirt for work! But, I may have placed an order from Forever21 for snugger, shorter, jersey version for play :)

Top: Lane Bryant
Cardigan: ...no clue
Skirt: FGFM
Tights: We Love Colors
Boots: Evans
Watch, necklace, belt: Syms

Bronze glow

Jacket: eShakti. Tank: Lane Bryant. Jeggings: Old Navy. Pumps & Ring: Nordstrom Rack. Necklace: H&M. Bracelets (from left): Brooklyn Flea, Mom's, a Brooklyn street fair, Forever21, purchased in Greece.

Do you like this jacket I picked up from eShakti?? I've been eyeing it up for a while and finally took the plunge a few weeks ago! The fabric is different than what I expected, I thought it'd be a thick cotton, but it's quite thin and almost a swishy sort of fabric...the sleeves hit below the elbows but I like my shorter so I rolled them for now; I'm planning to shorten the and perhaps take them in a bit as they're slightly baggy on me. All in all though, a really cute jacket - It'll be great as a dress topper!

If you want to snag it for yourself, you can still use code FFF0811 for $20 off until October 31st!

Did I tell you I have the best boyfriend ever?? How can you not love a man who surprises you at work with flowers and the like :D

Fun with Colors

I don't think it's possible to fully express my excitement that it's tights weather at last! This weekend we saw temps dip all the way down to the low 50's/high 40's, so I was very happy to have this pair of gorgeous maroon tights courtesy of We Love Colors to keep my legs nice and cozy.

I'm very particular about my tights. It can be tough to find a pair that fits just right, especially for us curvy ladies. I can't stand tights that don't have enough stretch, either they give me the always attractive muffin top and pinch in the oddest places (I'll leave that to your imagination), or they slide down and I end up with the crotch halfway down my thighs. On the other hand, there are those tights that have too much stretch, and they lose their elasticity after one wear and end up pooling around my ankles.

We Love Colors has solved the problem of ill fitting tights and best of all, they've done it for the plus size girl. I'm wearing a pair of their Plus Size Nylon/Lycra Tights and they are absolutely heaven. No tummy squeezing, uncomfortable pinching, crotch drooping, or ankle pooling here. Just vibrant color and insane comfort. I'm wearing a size A/B, and the fit is perfection. If you're between sizes I would recommend sizing down as these are very stretchy and have a lot of give. I will definitely be picking up a few more pairs for the season! I'm thinking Mocha and Hunter Green...

I love the funk that this unexpected pop of color gave to my otherwise classically feminine outfit. This maroon color is so rich and will definitely be in my regular rotation through out fall and winter!

Cardigan: Borrowed from Mom
Dress: Forever21+
Tights: We Love Colors
Wedges: Bandolino via Lord & Taylor
Necklace: Lane Bryant
Ring: H&M
Bracelet: Premier Jewelry
Belt: Off a dress

By the way, did you check out the winner of the LucieLu giveaway?

A new species discovered...Arianis Bloggeristrus

The nonstop rain we've been having here in NJ has turned my backyard into a veritable jungle. Standing there in my bit of leopard print, I have to say, I felt right at home!

My red skirt from F21+ continues to be one of the best $7 purchases I've made all year, and I was happy to step away from my usual red/black/white combo by pairing it with this shimmy bronze tank and a touch of sheer leopard. I've had this button down from Old Navy for ages but always have trouble styling it. I know, I know - leopard, sheer; what's the problem? Well I figured it out, for today at least, by simply rolling the sleeves and twisting the front into a knot for a high-waisted look.

Are you surprised to see my nude Bandolino's make yet another appearance on the blog? They've been my footwear of choice for the past three OOTDs and many unblogged outfits in between. I just can't contain myself!

Button down: Old Navy
Tank: Lane Bryant
Skirt: Forever21+
Pumps: Bandolino via Lord & Taylor
Ring: Vintage via La Casita
Necklace: Gifted
Bracelets: Syms, Brooklyn Flea, F21

Thanks to the BF for being my photographer for these photos, even though he insisted on cutting off my feet in half of them ;) Gotta keep training him I guess! 

Oh, and don't miss my LucieLu Giveaway!

Swimwear for the Curvy Girl

Memorial Day is almost upon us, and for many (myself included) it marks the beginning of the much loved, but also much dreaded summer season. I say much dreaded because summer=swimsuits, which can be the bane of any woman's existance - thin, thick, short, tall, curvy or straight.

Besides the challenge of finding a suit that's cute and not matronly in a plus size, it's also hard for a girl with big girls to find a suit with enough support and lift to be worn comfortably. It boggles my mind there there are so few stylish bra-sized swimsuits out there!

So, on that note, I've gathered up a bunch of options I've seen around the interwebs - one and two piece suits, bra sized and not. Enjoy!

 Bra-sized

Tankini

One-piece

I like to mix and match my tankini swimsuits, and I've found that Land's End has some really great options as far as bottoms go.

I've already put in an order for two one-piece swimsuits, the mocha ruched one and purple v-neck above it, both from Land's End. I'm also planning to buy a tankini, either the beige and black striped one from Fig Leaves, or the navy and white polka dots from Land's End.

Hope you all have a lovely and safe Memorial Day weekend :)

Mint Chocolate

Laundry. It's right up there with dishes and vacuuming on my list of things I loathe doing. But even more than doing laundry, I loathe when I'm down to the dregs of my closet - which is exactly where I'm at right now. The very dregs! That being said, I was pleasantly surprised with how this outfit turned out. Sunshine and gorgeous weather steered me back to my new Michael Kors cropped pants, and I took the opportunity to pair them with this great pair of sandals I scored from Payless. If you see these in your local store, grab them! They're super cute and not nearly as uncomfortable as I thought they would be. For the price you can't go wrong.

The challenge here was finding a top to pair with my bottoms! When laundry day rolls around I inevitably find myself with a closet full of black, as my bright colors are always the first to be worn. I've had this bronze metallic tank for a while, but haven't worn it lately because of a spot on the front where the metallic seems to have rubbed off. With my fringe necklace covering the imperfection, I reached for the last colorful cardi I've got at the moment, this much worn and beloved chartreuse number. I really love the color combo! It's earthy and organic, while the metallic top and statement necklace give it some edge. Win!

Top: Lane Bryant

Cardigan: Nordstrom Rack

Pants: Michael Kors via Nordstrom

Sandals Payless

Necklace: Forever21

Bangles: Forever21

Oh, by the way...have you entered my tru.che Giveaway?