2014 Plus size fall fashion

Toronto Vintage Society’s KITSCHMAS CABIN!

Earlier this month the Toronto Vintage Society gathered together to celebrate all things MERRY, KITSCHY and BRIGHT by turning the Cadillac Lounge into a winter cabin!

But what the heck do we mean by “Kitschy”? Good question!

“Kitsch”, according to Wikipedia, is; (/ˈkɪtʃ/; loanword from German) is a low-brow style of mass-produced art or design using popular or cultural icons. Kitsch generally includes unsubstantial or gaudy works or decoration, or works that are calculated to have popular appeal. Click here to read and see more about exactly what this means 🙂

The Event:

$5 at the Door got you entertainment galore!! 40s/50s themed decor and suggested dress code with Best (and kitschiest) Dressed prizes to be won! Along with vintage cocktails flowing all night and home made treats, handmade kitsch and vintage chachkas for sale!

1484630_1501533413463064_7980386887426767101_n — The Cadillac Lounge transformed into our Kitschmas Cabin

The Toronto Vintage Society never does anything half-assed …. always FULL ass! 😛

Not only were we able to transform the Cadillac Lounge into a wintery holiday cabin, there was all kinds of fun entertainment all night long to get everyone into the festive spirit no matter what your ‘thing’ was. There was even a Nail Artist: Strawberry LIPs n TIPs creating one-of-a-kind holiday art one nail at a time!!

Loving my amazing Rudolph nail art – outstanding!!!

This party was non-stop entertainment which included…vintage vinyl and holidays classic movies played all night long by our very own DJ Tarana Pete…

FullSizeRender-4 — DJ Tarana-Pete spinning vintage vinyl & holiday movie classics

PLUS Performances by ELVIS and his burlesquing alter ego – Blue Suede Sue. Then the adorable Miss Kitten Monroe.

10603597_10152560924619072_3980949005719585555_n — Me with the talented Tia Brazda and delightful Kitten Monroe

AND performances by the Tia Brazda Swing Band with her hit song Christmas in Mexico!! Take a listen and get yourself a copy… Tis’ the season for this catchy toe-tapper of a tune 🙂

Ooooh…and there was plenty of swing dancing too!!!

As you can see…..We PACKED the place! It was a spectacular night!!!

FullSizeRender-3 — I’m pretty sure I managed to sell raffle tickets to every single person in here!

And to top it all off…..we even had an amazing Winter Wonderland of a photo booth setup with SANTA!

Click here for the full TVS Photo Booth album — each picture just jumps off the screen with happiness and joy!

If you didn’t make it out to the event, you can relive the fun – prepare to smile your faces off 🙂

Dancing went on until the wee hours of the morning …. AND there was even karaoke in the backroom!!!

I’m not gonna lie, due to all the liquid courage (who knew apple cider and rum would be such a delicious combination) I may have gotten up on stage to belt a tune or two. There is evidence of this on someone’s phone…dun dun dunnnn 😮

What I Wore:

I picked up this Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress during Tatyana‘s BOGO event – yup…Buy One, Get One FREE!!! This dress comes in a variety of solid colours that are just as lovely. But I really, really, really loved this black, white and red polka-dot pattern. And was determined to xmas-ify for THIS holiday event!

With an amazing lattice style around neckline and sleeves you really don’t need any accessories to jazz this frock up! The waist features a bow at the center that leads to its full circle skirt. There’s a three-eye-hook closures above the back zipper…which requires a buddy’s help, at least in my case 🙂

The Alika Circle Polka Retro Dress WITH crinoline

The dress on its own is quite lovely with the full circle skirt. But it gets even for amazing with a puffy red crinoline underneath! Plus, it hides any additional lumps & bumps that may have resulted due to vintage cookie eating the weeks before….click here to see what I mean. 😉

And I’m happy to say that EVERYTHING I’m wearing in this post came from Tatyana Boutique on West Queen West, in Toronto. To read more about Tatyana’s new Toronto location click here.

Red Crinoline, Harlow Heel red shoes and Audrey red purse courtesy of *Tatyana Boutique – Toronto.*

As lovely as everything looked all together, my outfit was incomplete. It was missing the much needed “Kitschy” factor.

AND THEN THIS HAPPENED…..a fabulous Poinsettia fascinator!!! Hand-made by the crafty curator of TVS, Miss Jacquie – isn’t it amazing? Totally helped perfect my look for the evening’s event! 🙂

10836532_10154951382190397_472092834_n — Handmade Kitschy Poinsettia Fascinator …. I’m told that there are some available for sale at Damzel’s East location, FYI 😉

Earrings from *Your Big Sister’s Closet*; Hair flower made by Jacquie Jeffery

And ….TA-DAH! My vintage kitschmas look was complete!

10846889_10154855023210184_691336119_n-2 — Blurry end-of-the-night selfie

Extra Bonus to those reading this right now!!! Tatyana Boutique will happily give you 15% off until December 31st by mentioning this blogpost friends >>>>

Merry Kitschmas to you!!! Ho! Ho! Ho!

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Comment. Share. 🙂

CNL Designs: Redesign of Rosegal Dress

Y’all know how weary I am about online shopping and the potential “shipping back hassle” if something doesn’t fit right…right?

Well, since taking the Measure ME Beautiful Challenge and learning what my measurements truly are, I’ve been braver about ordering things online.

Like this adorable Roesegal Peter Pan Collar Dress — isn’t it just delightful? And to my heart’s content it went up to XXL, who’s measurement chart said this would fit a 95cm (which translate roughly to about 38-inches waist – HAZZA!). Knowing it would be a bit snug, with the free shipping, I figured I could get it taken out a bit by a sew-fabulous gf, if needed and it would be fine. It was just too cute – and it had to be mine.

Weeks go by, to the point of me forgetting that I even ordered this piece in the first place…..and then this dress finally arrives. The website is a liar! The dress measures 15 inches across — It is COMPLETELY too small. And now I have a broken heart and a beautiful dress that will never be worn by moi 😦

My shipping back hassles were immediately realized – and I was forced to put this baby on my TrendTrunk in hopes she’d find love on a slender diva.

And then I met Carmen Nadine Lewin, Owner of CNL Designs who specialize in custom clothing. I shared the story of my pink dress sadness … then handed it over to her to work her magic, as she began to redesign this frock just for me. 🙂

Step 1: Create more room for ‘The Girls’ 😉

Step 2: Add length to the hem, keeping it 30-plus appropriate for my comfort level 😉

Step 3: Recreate the sweet features from the original piece – like the Peter Pan collar in delicate lace instead.

While Carmen was busy fixing the dress, I focused on accessories 🙂

I added a bow-tie skinny belt (Sealed With A Kiss) to the waist with my owl earrings (Forever21)…

In the end, we decided not to recreate the Peter Pan collar, as it would cover up the sweet little pleated details on each shoulder. Instead we kept the arms and neckline simple with black piping instead, leaving the only lace detail for the hemline.

And Vola! Here’s the dress recreated to fit moi:

Even with the black lace hem, the skirt is a bit shorter than I typically like to wear. Wearing some opaque tights would totally give this frock a different look and feel. Adding tall boots to this sweet little dress would totally change the look again 🙂

So thrilled this online purchase wasn’t a complete waste! (Thank you Carmen, xo)

Waddya think about this dress’ transformation by CNL Designs? Carmen Nadine has quickly become my hero!!! Click here to see her magic at turning me into SHE-RA Princess of Power this year for Halloween!

Looking to hire her for some custom duds for an upcoming event? Or perhaps you’d like her to repurose/redesign something that no longer fits you right. Whatever it maybe, Carmen Nadine Lewin can help you get that custom-one-of-a-kind-unique-to-you look! Just click here and tell her Irene of Petite Plus, Meow! sent ya 😉

Now, I’ve yet to wear this redesigned dress out yet. Where would YOU wear it? How would you ‘winter-ize’ it? Use the comment section and tell me your thoughts friends.

Stay tuned to the blog for more CNL Designs features on the blog. xo

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Share. Tell A Friend, friend 🙂

Getting It REIT

I have to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised by all the sale items in Reitmans these days. My entire outfit (minus the accessories) in this post has been assembled from the pieces I’ve picked up at from their Clearance Sale racks.

The easiest way to make your Summer pieces more Fall appropriate isn’t to ditch them altogether, but to come up with new ways to wear them.

Mark downs were as follows:

‘Love’ sweater $19 …. Black n’ White striped maxi skirt $19 ….Wine moto jacket $59

I picked up this wine moto jacket, that your advice PPMeow readers, when it was on sale (at $75). Buuuuut it was further reduced upon my last visit, and I managed to get a price adjustment for the difference. BOOM!

Aren’t these socks great!! They were birthday prezzies – pink owls – aren’t they a “Hoot” 😉

How I Got the Look: All clothing from Reitmans;Red leopard circle scarf from AdditionElle; Michael Kors bracelet watch; Suede booties from Nine West + Gloves from Danier Leather + Faux Fur purse from Aldo Accessories (click here for details on these three items)

I wore this outfit on a mid-week date night.

I’m really diggin’ this maxi skirt with the high side-slit… Casual yet sexy at the same time….to show off my legs. I love my legs! 😉

If you haven’t gone to Glow-in-the-Dark Mini Putt….you need to get to there! Sooooo much fun!

Sadly, I lost by one stroke. Meh … I let him win 😉

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Comment. Share. 🙂

SONSEE Woman – Product Review

The easiest way to make your Summer pieces more Fall/Winter appropriate isn’t to ditch them altogether, but to come up with new ways to wear them.

I picked up this dress from BIGDeal Toronto‘s pop-up sale.

I picked up this sheer, pleated, sleeveless dress from BIGDeal Toronto’s pop-up sale a few months ago, and was determined to transition it for Fall/Winter wear. (Click here for other ideas to transition summer into winter outfits.)

Transitioning this into a Fall/Winter outfit required hosiery and a sweater. I love the way adding tights to dresses and skirts easily give them a whole new look.

Personally, I think tights give my outfit a chic, sophisticated, lady-like look. Lucky for me Sonsee Woman sent me two packs of tights to review, which do just that! 🙂

Sonsee sizes come in Gorgeous (14-16), Flawless (18-20), Stunning (22-24) and Radiant (26-28).

Unlike shape-wear – Sonsee is both comfortable & smoothing with broad ranges in sizing, products and seasonal colours. I was sent “Shadow” – a solid grey colour shown in these pictures, and “Black” which I’m yet to wear (click here to see how I’d wear them).

I have to say, I’ve become ever dependent on buying cheap hose from the Dollarstore. Being petite (aka short) their ‘queen size’ seems to do the job, but these are only really good for one-time wear.

These Sonsee tights were such a nice change in terms of fabric quality, with a fabulous “sheer:thickness ratio”. Meaning I didn’t have to fear ripping them as I rolled them up my leg. They’ve got an anti-roll waistband which allows you to wear them high or low on the waist with comfort. And there’s extra reinforcement at the thighs for greater durability – and “Lighting & Thunder” – my loving nickname for MY thighs – really appreciate that! 😉

Since I wear a size 18 in clothes, I ordered my Sonsee tights in size Flawless (18-20). Being petite, this size was a bit too big on me. Next time I’d order a size smaller to avoid extra length and scrunching at my ankles, as you can see in the close up shots in the pics above.

To up the sophisticated vibe of this outfit, I added my navy statement necklace & earring set from LOFT and covered up my arms with a simple v-neck grey cardi from Old Navy.

You really do get what you pay for. These Sonsee hose transitions this Summer dress perfectly into sophisticated chic Winter wear, don’t you think?

What do you look for in your tights and hosiery products? Leave a comment and share your thoughts friends 🙂

FYI — Sonsee Woman offers FREE worldwide shipping – when you buy two or more pairs; enter coupon code: SONSEELOVE at checkout, just sayin’!

How I Got The Look: Shadow grey tights, Sonsee Woman; Grey & black maryjane shoes, Nine West; Tri-coloured pelted sheer-dress, BIGDeal Toronto pop-up sale; Grey cardi, Old Navy; Statement necklace and earrings set from LOFT.

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Comment. Share. 🙂

Farewell to Fall: Round Up!

Ok friends….seems like Fall came and went in a blink of an eye and we’ve already been thrown into Winter weather. I thought before we start focusing on winter wear, we’d take a look at some of the trending colours and vibes in Fall fashion on the blog.

Here’s a roundup of a few I personally have embraced over the last few months of blogposts. Each image is linked to this individual post, just click on it for more details on the look 🙂

Proofs-14 — The Classic Combo: Black n’ White

Fall (and Winter) is perfect for ‘Sweater Weather’ …. so here are a few looks incorporating just that – sweater glamour:

Transition Summer into Fall with sweater love

The big patterns I noticed and loved the most this Fall have been BLOOMS ON BLACK and PLAID!

plus size fashion for fall — Blooms on Black

and last, but not least….is LEATHER!! It was everywhere:

Loving the leather at the hems and shoulders of this Newsprint Navy frock

Warming up my leather moto with a black n’ white plaid poncho

Wearing a leather jacket as a blazer to take a jumpsuit to the office

Profs II-62 — Leatherette panels and collar for some edgy office wear

leather plus size fashion — Adding leather to dark florals

And of course a combination of everything above to transition a maxi skirt for sweater weather and leather — a little teaser of an upcoming blogpost friends 😉

Transitioning Maxi into Fall wear — Transitioning Maxi into Fall/Winter wear

Waddya think of this Farewell to Fall roundup? Think there’s potential to take some well into the Winter months too.

Any stand out as your personal favourites? Leave a comment and tell me your thoughts!

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Comment. Share. 🙂

Fuchsia & Faux Furs

I’ve been doing my very best to avoid wearing ‘wintery’ things just yet, avoiding bulky sweaters and a giant winter coat at all costs.

That’s why I really loved this two-toned, short-sleeved, light-weight polka-dotted sweater from Reitmans. I love me some colour, so I decided to go with bright bottoms and bright jewellery, keeping my shoes simple.

I finally got myself a haircut – waddya think of my new do?

These pics aren’t the best to show it off…as sadly the new cut went right into a furry hat, as it was quite cold this evening.

Since us Torontonians will have to endure Winter for, what will feel like 8-months of the year, I’m avoid wearing a proper winter coat for as long as I possibly can. I went for this double-breasted button herringbone jacket instead. For other looks in this jacket click here.

I also got to unveil my new leather gloves I picked up from the Danier Leather Friends n’ Family sale. Mixing in expensive pieces with non-expensive pieces, to give me an overall sophisticated, business casual look.

Waddya think of this combo?

How I Got The Look:

Fuchsia pants from Old Navy; Polka-dot sweater from Reitmans; Fur bag from Aldo Accessories; Shoes from Rockport; Statement necklace & earrings from LOFT; Gloves from Danier Leather; Jacket from Forever21+; Michael Kors bracelet watch; Beige scarf from Winners; Fur hat…sorry friends, I don’t remember

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Comment. Share. 🙂

Shopping Haul: Toronto Premium Outlets

Last week after an innocent brunch with a new friend, we decided to hit the Danier Leather Friends & Family one-day sale. In an effort to avoid downtown locations, we thought we’d take a drive out to Halton Hills for Toronto Premium Outlets instead.

And this was the result…

I know! I know! I’ve got a problem! Buuuuuut when I explain how each purchase came about, I’m sure you’ll agree that they HAD to be made. 🙂

Here we go…

Remember when my heart was torn between which furry purse to buy …

Well, I found it on sale …the very last one (which scored me an extra 10% off at Aldo). Clearly, it had been waiting for me!!!

ADIDAS

I haven’t bought myself a new pair of sneakers in maybe 5-years. These hot pink laces totally caught my eye. Tagged at $110, marked down to $60 PLUS, for today only they were $40% off!!! That’s basically free… 🙂

Oh man…those hot pink laces are gonna make me move super fast! I’m sure of it! 🙂

As we continued looking for the Danier.…we came across these babies in the window of NINE WEST:

These lovelies are uber comfy and made of suede …on sale for $99 + 20% off at the cash!

And then there was a giant sale sign that forced us into ROCKPORT …where I found these basic black lace ups for $29!!!!!!! I’d be losing money if I just left them behind, right? RIGHT!

And then finally we made it to our original destination: DANIER LEATHER!

I have to say that for an “outlet” this Danier location didn’t really have ‘outlet pricing’. Buuuuuut with the 30% off the lowest ticketed price with the Friends & Family day sale, the sting at the counter wasn’t too bad.

Picked up two beautiful pairs of leather gloves: brown with rabbit fur cuffs and black weaved leather … both of which feel like butta! And this lovely black with gold hardware purse marked down to $50!

I was too busy shopping to take Outfit of the Day pictures. But did manage to get this one shot:

What I Wore: Danier moto jacket; Black n’ white plaid poncho, Reitmans; Leather cuff leggings, Forever21+; Wine coloured sweater dress, Reitmans; Studded flats, Payless and my MK cross body purse.

Can’t wait to incorporate these new pieces into looks – stay tuned to the blog for those outfit posts!

If you haven’t made a visit to Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills yet…I highly suggest you do! PS: They have a Hudson Bay Company Outlet!! My hands (and credit card) were too full for me to explore this time around. Guess that means I’ll have to stop by again and soon! 😉

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Comment. Share.

Meow! Meow! Meow!

A few weeks ago I made a bunch of cute Meow! tees to sell at the blogger closet sale, BIG Deal Toronto (stay tuned for a blogpost recap on that event soon).

I love, love love these tees!!!! 100% Cotton. Pre-Shunk. V-neck. They are fabulous! I’m partial to the white one, because the PINK stands out more. But for Fall, I thought I’d go for an ALL noir look, and have put together TWO looks with these Meow! tees for your reading and viewing pleasure 🙂

#1: Meow! Rocker…

Keeping it real simple with a black on black polka dot pencil skirt (Old Navy), open-toed black leather booties (Aldo), and my moto leather jacket (Danier).

I couldn’t help myself … chose to break up the ALL black look with a hot pink studded belt (Your Big Sister’s Closet) and purple leggings (Old Navy) for extra Fall warmth.

#2: Meow! Cozy…

Fall is all about sweater weather! So to take this look into a more cozy vibe….simply replaced the leather jacket for a tri-toned open cardi sweater (Winners) and did up my hot pink gold studded belt (Your Big Sister’s Closet) over top of it, to cinch in my waist and create a nice casual hour-glass shape. And of course, my paten leather stripped Kate Spade purse to complete both looks.

So, waddya think of these two looks dressing up a simple cotton Meow! tee? How would you style one?

Although not plus-sized, this fashionable petite babe Tammy, totally did it right for a casual sophisticated Sunday Brunch vibe in her Meow! tee. Don’t you think? Bravo Tammy… “me f*uckin’ ow” indeed! 😉

Loving the look on a few PPMeow! readers who’ve purchased tees and sent in their pics!

Screen Shot 2014-11-04 at 5.53.36 PM — Want a **Meow! tee** of your own? There are a few for sale left – only $20 CAD. Message me via the blog OR through the Facebook Fan Page and we’ll make it happen!

Want a Meow! tee of your own? There are a few for sale left – only $20 CAD. Leave a Comment below with your request….OR Message me via the blog OR through the Facebook Fan Page and we’ll make it happen! 🙂

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Share. Tell A Friend, friend 🙂

Crop Top Goes to Work

Pulling off a crop top takes a lot of guts. Wearing one as a plus size babe takes extra courage, as this is an item of clothing not typically deemed as “acceptable” to be worn by a larger lady, with mainstream beauty standards being what they are.

So how does a plus sized gal – moi – dare to wear a crop top to the office?

Let me show ya! 🙂

I took this simple black 3/4 sleeved crop top and layered it over top of a sheer white collared shirt, to create a demure Monday morning polished and sophisticated look.

Since the majority of this outfit is quite monochromatic, I decided to add a blingy statement necklace with loud bright pinks and greens, and earrings to match. (For other monochromatic looks click here, here and here.)

Old Navy‘s Pixie pants were recently on sale again recently – which I immediately alerted everyone to via the FB page – you’re welcome 🙂

old navy sale — I look a little hysterical, I know! Shopping deals on perfect fitting pants do that to me 🙂

I found this great houndstooth pattern among them. Just love the look of them with these glossy pumps!

Plus, I finally unveiled the wine moto jacket y’all helped me buy … well, helped with your comments on FB to determine whether or not I should bring this baby home from Reitmans! Haaza!

Reitmans moto jacket — Curious about my #ootd in this picture? Click here 🙂

How I Got The Look:

Wine Moto Jacket, Reitmans; Statement necklace and earrings, LOFT; Striped paten leather purse, Kate Spade NY; Houndstooth Pixie pants, Old Navy; Sheer collared white shirt, Winners; Black 3/4 sleeved crop top, Forever21; Black glossy pumps, Payless; Michael Kors bracelet watch

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Share. Tell A Friend, friend 🙂

Transitioning…Ooh La La

The easiest way to make your Summer pieces more Fall appropriate isn’t to ditch them altogether, but to come up with new ways to wear them.

Here are a few simple ways to stretch your wardrobe and make all your old favorites work until Winter.

This simple short-sleeved navy geometric patterned, faux wrap cotton summer dress has been in my Summer-outfit-rotation for a few years now. I picked it up from the GAP in LA…and even though it’s starting to fad, I just can’t part with it. It’s kinda perfect for Lindy Hop lessons – that’s where I was off to in this outfit. 😉

To make it work for Fall weather I simply added tights. If you’re not into tights, try leggings (like I’m doing in these pics). They’re perfect to wear under your summery dresses for more coverage and warmth, while still staying fashion-forward. I chose a loud colour to help break up the other darker colours of this outfit.

Boots are an autumn staple! They make all of your summer outfits warmer and more functional. Easy Peasy!

You can find booties on the cheap and wear them with your favorite skirt and cardigan/sweater combo like I’ve done in this Outfit of the Day. Boots are an ideal item to stretch your wardrobe — I highly suggest you getting a couple of pairs in different heights. 😉

How I Got The Look: Navy geometric patterned dress from GAP; Ooh-la-la sweater, Navy & gold earrings and tights from Old Navy; Guess purse

So waddya think of the tips in this post? Will they help YOU transition some of your Summer pieces into the Fall? Use the Comments section and let me know.

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Share. Tell A Friend, friend 🙂