curvy fashion – Page 3

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

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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 😉

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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!

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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

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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! 🙂

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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.

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Keepin’ It Casual

Here we go… Keepin’ It Causal continues on the blog with yet another quilted vest from Old Navy – they were only $15…had to get it in black as well 😉 (Click here to see the other colour I got.)

Zoomed in view of the various patterns mixed into this casual look!

I tried taking a close up so that you are able to see the different fabrics, textures and patterns that help create more ‘interest’ in this causal look 🙂

For Fall especially, try not to be afraid of bright colours. Fabulous colors make an otherwise ordinary outfit totally vibrant. Since I kept the footwear simple and black, I went for bright yellow and a multi-coloured scarf for some pizzazz.

This was another quickie outfit – comfortable enough for window shopping on WQW (West Queen West), yet polished enough for a casual lunch out somewhere too 😉

There we go …playful prints for Fall. What do you think of this look? Yay or Nay? Use the Comments section, tell me your thoughts.

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Sweater Weather

Continuing with casual looks on the blog today. Fall and Sweater Weather seem to go hand-in-hand. Turns out most of my outfit is from Reitmans today.

I think I put this look together for some errand running and grocery shopping. Since this is a short-sleeved sweater, had the weather been cooler I could easily worn a long-sleeved tee underneath to make this look work without additional outerwear wearability. 🙂

I just love this stripped glossy patten leather Kate Spade NY purse! (As I’m sure you know by now, as it seems to make an appearance is many of my outfit posts lately – click here, here, here, here.) It just give any outfit a more polished look I think. 🙂How I Got The Look: Sweater, white tee & capri activewear bottoms all from Reitmans; Sneakers from Ardene; Necklace gifted and stripped glossy patten leather purse from Kate Spade New York

If you’re looking for more Sweater Weather inspirations click here, here, here and here.

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Denim Daze

For the past few years I’ve totally been a skirts and dresses kinda gal. I very rarely ever wear jeans.

Don’t get me wrong – I love the look of denim! It’s just not the first think I of wearing. But for Fall they are pretty perfect for a causal vibe. (Click here to see how I incorporated denim previously this week.)

I picked up this faux hoodie-denim jacket from The Hudson Bay Co. this spring from the Jessica Simpson Collection.

I wasn’t sure if mixing dark with light denim would work — but I like how it turned out. Since I kept the colours pretty simple throughout the outfit, adding the pink plaid pop of colour in the footwear and scarf really worked out nicely 🙂 (Click here to see the shoes and here for the hoodie-jacket in other looks)

This jacket doesn’t quite keep me warm enough for the cool Fall temperatures — so a hat not only helps keep the heat in, but also helps facilitate me not brushing or doing my hair! #winning

How I Got The Look: faux hoodie-denim jacket, Jessica Simpson Collection; Black n’ white striped tee from HBC; Plaid loafers from Payless; Dark bootleg jeans from Old Navy; Scarf and knit hat from Ardene; Stripped paten leather purse, Kate Spade NY

What do you think of this casual look? Do you like mixing denims and patterns? Use the Comments section…tell me your thoughts.

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Stripes & Leopard

The week began with a post I called Edgy Officewear — there was quite a few comments on the PPMeow Facebook Page encouraging me to do more office appropriate looks on the blog. (Thank you for the feedback and interaction … it really does help me create content that YOU want to see & read…so keep those comments coming!)

It just so happens that I’ve got to head into the office 3 days in a row this week. HAZZA!!! If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you know that I’m one of those fortunate/unfortunate people who get to work from home most days…so planning work wear this week was a real treat for me. Nerdy-Nerdsony thing to say – yes, yes, I know. 🙂

I’ve been more daring these days with mixing patterns in my looks. When I first picked up this fabulous stripped cropped blazer from one of the many blogger racks at this year’s BigDeal Toronto event, my first thoughts were…

BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE! BEETLEJUICE!

But the cropped style of this blazer and the classic black n’ white combo really hooked me …..and the price: $10!!! Yup! It needed to come home with moi! (Stay tuned for a complete event recap blogpost for BigDeal Toronto soon friends).

Being both petite (short) AND plus sized, finding perfectly fitting dress pants are the biggest nightmare ever. Buuuuuut I have fallen in love with Old Navy’s Pixie Pants … they fit perfectly even after several washes. (Click here to read my post on discovering this line of fabulous pants.)

Let me apologize for the gloomy photoshoot – it was a rainy day in Toronto and I only remembered to take pictures of this outfit AFTER a full day at the office…hence the wear down of makeup and disastrous hair. I was pooped! I dunno how you normies do it – going into the office everyday! Ew! 😉

How I Got The Look:

Striped cropped blazer, Forever21+; Black jewelled tank, Reitmans; Red pants, Old Navy; Leopard fur heels, Calvin Klein; Michael Kors bracelet watch and simple gold earrings.

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