Zebras & Birds

As summer winds down, retailers have enticing sale signs in their windows….and for an addict like me, it is VERY difficult to walk by without shopping. But I’m doing my best to create my outfits of the day from the items that hang proudly in my closet that deserve my love and attention 🙂

I threw this look together today – keeping things simple for lunching with a gf + her baby, followed by lindy hop lessons in the evening (minus the sandals for that).

I picked up this sheer bird top during the Spring from Reitmans, from their regular section (it’s an XXL). The berry bandage skirt is from Forever21+ and was cheap-cheap-cheap ($6). The blue sandals were picked up earlier this year on a cross boarder shopping extravaganza.

The only ‘newness’ is the Zebra clutch – what I love about it: large enough to hold my laptop, while still looking oh-so chic!How I Got The Look:

Sheer bird top and black tank from Reitmans; Berry skirt from Forever21+; Blue sandals from Payless; Zebra clutch from AlterEgo Clothing; Drop earrings, handmade and gifted.

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9-to-5 & 5-to-9

I wrote this a while a go — and seeing the remaining ‘summer day’ left in Toronto are ones that require sweaters and closed-toed shoes, this post needed to be shared sooner than later.

Enjoy. xo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trickiest part to summer (I think) is figuring out what to wear to the office that’s professional, while keeping you cool and comfortable in the heat of summer days. Here’s a quick outfit of the day that got lost on my iPhone – pardon the sleepy expression – early morning sun and posing on my balcony clearly don’t mix:

9a-5p

I’ve owned these pieces for many moons…but have never paired them together, nor have I ever thought of creating an ‘office outfit’ with them.

How I Got The Look:

black peep-toed flats (Payless) these have become a fabulous ‘commuter’ shoe to get from home to office via TTC (usually with heels in my purse)
The white jacket (DressBarn) is super light and meant for summer wear, I think it was meant to be 3/4 length-sleeves…buuuut being petite it basically looks full-length on moi
Baby blue blouse (Forever21+) super light and airy fabric … I especially like the single pocket detail of this tank
Tribal drawstring pant (Reitmans) possibly the most comfortable pants I own. For the most part, these days, especially in summer (I’m a dresses & skirts kinda gal), but these pants are so light that I often find myself double-checking to make sure I’m wear bottoms at all when in these pants. 🙂

5p to 9p…..remove jacket head to nearest patio pub with co-workers & friends!

What do you think of this look? How do you keep comfortable and cool in the summer with your office looks? Tell me in the Comments Section

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Do You Know Your Measurements?

I’ve recently been shopping with a couple of slender, vintage loving ladies in my life – both of whom have mad sewing abilities, who come armed with tape measure whenever they are hunting for fabulous vintage finds. Both of these lovelies are avid online clothing shoppers as well. The key thing I noticed with both of them is that they knew exactly what their measurements were. Plus, they had a keen eye for what materials and fabrics … knowing what could be taken in/let out easily for possible adjustments to make these new-to-them-pieces work perfectly for their bods (mad skills I tell you).

So let me ask you……Do you know your measurements?

The majority of women don’t. I certainly didn’t. Perhaps I was too scared to know what they are. Aside from us all getting over the bad habit of comparing ourselves to other women, society has taught us that only thin can be beautiful. With most ads showcasing perfectly airbrushed tall and skinny women to promote impossible standards of beauty, it’s no wonder we struggle with self-acceptance. Sigh… But we – people – come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

You can be the healthiest version of yourself and never come close to a size 4. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The#MeasureMeBeautiful campaign encourages women to know their bodies and their measurements, because KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

And your measurements are just that – facts, information. In order to be an informed shopper – you have to know your size. Become educated and empowered. Show the world that your measurements are just that: numbers, facts, statistics. And that they do not measure your worth, greatness, or beauty.

Knowing your measurements will help you look at size charts and know what size you should be trying on in that store, rather than taking what you think is your “usual size” into the dressing room, having it not fit, getting discouraged, depressed and then telling yourself that you must lose weight immediately.

That’s just ridiculous. Fashion should empower women with confidence rather than riddle them with guilt and sadness in retailer’s change rooms. Every woman has the ability to be a fashionista, regardless of their size (or income level, for that matter).

Sizes vary from store to store, and every brand uses a different “fit” model for their line. So let’s throw away sizes all together and simply know yourself! When you know your measurements, you are in control – not the clothing or their designer.

Right? Right!

Here’s mine (and with this knowledge I’ve been in online shopping frenzy mode folks! It’s nuts!!! Stay tuned for blogposts on my haul soon) 😉 ….

The #MeasureMeBeautiful campaign also seeks to reinforce that YOUR SIZE DOES NOT DEFINE WHO YOU ARE as a person! These measurements, my size, the number on the scale do not determine my worth as a person. And I will not let them determine my happiness.

I am many things besides a Size 14, 16, or 18 (at any given store). I am also striving to be a body positivity activist. I am a writer & blogger. I’m a fashionista. I’m a friend, a sister, a daughter. A Learning Designer. An off-key karaoke singer. A lindy-hopper. A homeowner. A grieving mother to a recently departed fur baby (R.I.P. Berto). Why should we continue letting the fashion industry tell us we all must fit into their ‘sample size’ in order to be beautiful or fashionable?

Mallorie Carrington of SmartGlamour came up with this fantastic campaign. She’s challenged me. Now I’m challenging you PPMeow readers, to get involved!

Measure yourself!

Not sure how? SmartGlamour has tutorial videos up here. And for those Petite divas out there who’s not quite sure if they fall under this “Petite” term…here’s a vid just for you:

Visit the #MeasureMeBeautiful website to see what the movement is all about. Take a photo of you measuring yourself and share it along with your measurements on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #MeasureMeBeautiful. Let’s show the world that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

Help us spread the word that your size does not define you. Measure yourself beautiful! 🙂

Screen Shot 2014-08-10 at 7.15.04 PM — Curious about my outfit in this pic? Click here for outfit deets 🙂

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As You Like It

Summer in Toronto is not complete without attending at least one Shakespere-in-the-Park ‘pay-what-you-can’ event! Pack a picnic, a blanket and a friend or two and it’s a perfect night of outdoor theatre. This year, CanadianStage is offering both comedy and tragedy in High Park. The shows will be playing on alternate nights through the summer. Last week, a gf via Facebook invite with a whopping 20+ of us who RSVPd a solid “YES, I’M IN”, were due to go. Which only yielded a total of three persons who – actually – physically – showed up to see the light-hearted As You Like It under the stars. (Why do people suck? Let’s leave that difficult to answer question for another day, shall we?) 😉

Witheth me doth be the most loveliest of maidens; healthy and svetly Sara and lusty and strong Natalie and in the bushes did lurk musical talents of a local school of young violinists. We were merry and gay and mosquito burdened. It was a joyous night had by all.

The performance doesn’t begin until about 8pm (dusk-ish). I got there an hour earlier to secure seats whilst the others were en route from their offices. The three of us managed to get fabulous dead-center seats of the graduated earth seating – cleverly lining our sit-on blanket with a $1 shower curtain to keep the damp out.

Dressing for summer evenings in Toronto hasn’t been easy this year with unseasonably cooler nights. Which means one must think about serious versatility when outfit planning to sit on one’s ass for 2+ hours, while the sun disappears and you’re left shivering cuddled under a blanket, while trying to stay cute. Plus, we can’t forget the inevitable use of a portapotty – dun dun dunnnnn.. 🙂

Keeping all of this in mind, here’s what I came up with to help keep me summer cute & comfortable while the sun was in full-force ,while protecting my freshly washed hair from bugs…

How I Got the Look: White patterned crop top and Tribal pants both from Forever21; Pink leather floral sandals (uber old from The Bay); Aviator sunnies from ElleHardware; Headscarf is vintage, picked it up at the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show earlier this year.

My headscarf was a last-minute addition to my outfit of the day. Since much of my outfit was a simple black N white colour scheme….I made sure that the scarf had loud vibrant colours in it – a Summery punch, if you will. With light rain threats in the forecast that evening, I simply wanted to protect my hair…but didn’t want to wear a hat and possibly be an irritating obstacle to another play-goer with the unfortunate luck of sitting behind me in the park. So this seemed to be the best solution.

I wanted to do wear a more sophisticated head wrap but alas, none of them looked right on my pea-head. Maybe, with practice, I’ll rock a few more of these techniques in the near future — thoughts? 🙂

Fab video of 12 wraps in under 7-mins …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk4dgs93biE

Shakespeare isn’t everyones cupa tea … I never read/studied this particular play in school before, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it…and I didn’t even need to read the Coles Notes before hand. 🙂

There were some fantastic lines in this one…with some hilarious female characters, one of whom is AUDREY who won me over with the following line:

I am not a slut, though I thank the gods I am foul.

Over the past few years, I’ve been more of a “skirts and dresses kinda gal”….but for sitting outdoors at dusk with bugs and cool temperatures, and the possible use of a portapotty at some point in the evening, made pants the best option! These are lovely and light for summer-daytime, keeps your legs from getting bitten by bugs in the evening and comfortable enough to be sitting crossed legged cuddling on and under a blanket.

Are you a fan of theatre – outdoor theatre?

Which ones have you been to….any recommends for me?

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Summertime Simple

BBQ invitations are in full force … and I’m lovin’ it!

So fun, flirty, light-weight summer dresses is what I’m all over when it comes to going from the heat of daytime sun into the wee hours of late night drinking in someone’s backyard or balcony.

Like this easy-peasy summertime look I put together the other weekend:

Waddya think of this cute lil’ cherry tote I picked up from Forever21? Not only is it oh-so cute…. It’s perfect for BYOB and for carrying along pot-luck contributions to shindigs 🙂

Depending on what time these BBQ get-to-gethers take place have ultimately been the determining factor on whether I’m bringing along sun-protection aka a HAT!

I picked up this simple wicker fedora from The Public Butter (vintage shop on WQW) and it has worked with basically ever summer outfit I’ve thrown together.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at Exhibits A, B and C below:

Exhibit C: Best Summer Fedora Ever! (Too much sun & sangria this day) 🙂

How I Got The Look:

Layered strapless dress from Old Navy; Navy peep-toed flats from Payless Shoes; Wicker Fedora from The Public Butter; Cherry Tote from Forever21; Seashell necklace, earrings and bracelet souvenirs from Dominican Republic, Cuba & Halifax, respectively 😉

What’s your easy-peasy Summertime BBQ outfit of choice friends? Tell me in the comments section!

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Speed Dating with 25Dates.com

So, if you’re a 30-something who’s looking to meet a good guy to date before (hopefully) finding one to call your ‘boyfriend’ …. how does one find HIM? Dating is tough. Dating after divorce, tougher. Dating as a petite plus sized beauty, even tougher. (Click here to link to a clip from Louie to see what I’m talking about). I’m not one to write about dating advice nor do I want to start recapping all my adventures in dating via this forum…but I recently found a GroupOn for a speed dating event with 25Dates.com … and since Petite Plus, Meow! is both a fashion AND lifestyle blog, I wanted to share my experience and thoughts in this review with ya …. along with my outfit choice.

How It Works:

In one night, you will sit down, one on one for up to 25 three-minute dates. You will decide who you like, and who you would like to see again. It could be 5 people, it could be all 25! Now we all know there’s nothing without mutual chemistry, so the 25 people you talk to will also be deciding if they want to see you again. If there is a mutual match, your contact info is forwarded to them, and theirs to you. You are then free to explore your connection. Typically, the cost for a ‘regular event’ like the one I attended is $50.

The GroupOn voucher allowed me to attend this event for $25…plus HST once you secure your spot for an upcoming event via 25Dates.com’s site for a date and location and age group that best suited your preference.

Sounded like a good deal. But then I thought, “Do I really want to be meeting men who used a GroupOn to participate in this dating avenue?”

I’ve found with dating in general, it’s best to keep hopes high, but expectations looooow! 😉 I’m thinking these men clearly made some effort in searching out and investing in this event and possibly share a similar view on value vs. money – which is an important characteristic to have in common I think – so why the heck not!

What I Wore:

I picked up this dress from my recent cross border shopping trip from Rainbow Clothing at a fantastic $15!! I decided that it was smart-casual enough with just the right about of cleavage to be “date appropriate”. After all, the mission was to get handsome, eligible bachelors to mark ‘yes’ beside my name in their scorecards after a mere 3-mins of chit-chat and banter. A girl’s gotta use all her assets, so to speak, to hook a guy’s interest at warp-hyper-speed 😉

The Event:

The event I signed up for fell on a Thursday night hosted by Vagabondo Italian Resto + Lounge, a really nice upscale spot just east of the Financial District, specific to Women 30-40 and Men 35-45.

Upon arrival I found the facilitators of 25Dates.com to be a bit disinterested. In fact, there were no official welcomes or icebreakers or formal introductions by the 25Dates.com reps at all. As participants trickled into the venue they were given a scorecard, name tag and a quick rundown as to how the evening was going to unfold: Women to sit on one side of table, Men would do the actual rotating around from table to table. And that was it. If you arrived at the designated time, you were then left on your own until the event official began. I made my way to the bar and ordered a drink – as you’re left to fend for yourself – the fee for this event supposedly covered hors d’oeuvres, but I personally didn’t see any. Those who did said they were sad state of affairs and not nearly enough for everyone in attendance to have a taste.

Considering how much time was allotted to the ‘registration’ portion of the evening, I think 25Dates.com should have included a free drink (or two) instead of hors d’oeuvres with the price of the ticket. This way EVERYONE gets one and a little liquid courage is always helpful, possibly needed and appreciated in a meet-market-event like this one. Also, another benefit to this ‘first drink free’ approach … the facilitators could/should be encouraging everyone to mingle in the bar, rather than having people sit alone at tables until the event was ready to begin. I mean, isn’t that the whole point of this event? An opportunity to meet new people. It’s uber difficult to get motivated enough to come out and try an event like this in the first place, so it’s critical that the facilitators create a more welcoming environment, create rapport building opportunities perhaps by way of some general ice breaker activities to get people comfortable and chatting, prior to the exclusive 3-min one on one dates. Just my two cents.

As the name of the event and company implies, I was expecting to meet at least 25 guys. But there were maybe 16 men at most. With this reduced attendance turnout, you’d think the facilitators could/would modify the event and increase the 1:1 time for each meeting, but this wasn’t the case. Again, another improvement that could have been made that would ultimately benefit all attendees. Also, it seemed that the facilitators didn’t really factor in the time it takes for these men to get up and rotate from table to next table…which ate into the precious 3-min timeline of the next mini-date. Not cool.

When the event ended, everyone hands in their scorecards to the facilitators….if you have matches (that is, you picked them AND they picked you), 25Dates.com will send you an email with your matches’ email address – and then its up to the two of you to take it from there! What I found interesting about the attendees of this event is how quickly people cleared out of the venue once the event concluded. I mean, if you did select ‘YES’ to someone, isn’t this now the perfect opportunity to chat them up a bit more, have a drink with them, grab a bite to eat, etc.?! Since I had plans to meet up with a gf afterwards, I made my way back to the bar and chatted up the last two participants (a guy and girl, friends who work together) and we debriefed our experiences of the night together. Much of my above thoughts and overall mediocre impressions of the event resonated with them also.

The Results:

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised at the calibre of men at this event. Most of whom worked for financial institutions, like myself, were dressed well and seemed generally positive. This is a nice change from what I’ve been finding on free internet dating sites. It does seem that if men have some ‘skin in the game’, i.e. made an effort and shelled out some cash to be a part of a dating/introduction event like this, they seemingly put in more of an effort. Click here and here for my previous thoughts on the Art of Manliness.)

Needless to say that after my 16-mini dates, there wasn’t an instant love connection with any of them. 11 of them seemed very interested in reviewing my CV in full, asking job-realted-interview type questions. Sigh… guess its sort of default topic, but seriously, asking me ANYTHING else would have made for a more enjoyable mini-date. Of all the dudes I met….5 gents really held my attention. Those who made it to the YES category of my scorecard were those who DIDN’T ask me about work right off the bat, those who not only dressed well but uniquely with a bit of swagger in their own personal style, and last but certainly not least, were Tall and Handsome 🙂

Turns out 4 of the 5 men I selected YES to, picked me as well! Since I couldn’t remember what any of these dudes looked like, I used their email addy’s to find and friend them on Facebook. And so far have already begun chatting and making plans with two in particular ……weeeeeee! So there you have it – speed dating, way better experience than online dating. Buying the voucher via GroupOn pricing for this event was of fair value, but had I paid the full price for this event with 25Dates.com I would have been very disappointed.

How I Got The Look:

Coral & navy patterned faux wrap dress from Rainbow Clothing; Brown sandals from Payless; Purse from Guess; Gold bracelet Michael Kors watch + gold drop earrings AND new fantastic lipstick: Rouge Artist Intense by Make Up Forever

Have you ever gone Speed Dating? What were your thoughts and experience like? Would you go again? Why/Why not? Tell me in the Comments section friends.

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Tea Party at Your Big Sister’s Closet

Hoooray for Long Weekend!!! Victoria Day Long weekend is here and what better way to celebrate than with a lovely afternoon tea party at one of my favourite Plus Sized Boutiques in the city – Your Big Sister’s Closet!

The invitation was specific: Wear your filliest frock and fabulous hat!

Say no more….I was on it! 😉

I’ve been dying to wear this grey faux lace dress with a built-in crinoline at the hem – hanging in my closet for nearly 4-months. Yup…bought it a while ago and never had a reason or outting to officially wear it out. Click here for other looks with this dress.

Plus, last weekend I visited the Weston Flea Market and picked up this ridiculously large and fantastic fascinator. Clearly the stars aligned and this ensemble was born to hit the streets of the Junction for an afternoon of tea, scones and plus size fashions!

Take a look at all the fun had and terrific hats & outfits worn:

Check out this mini fashionista who was very interested in us…

10256508_10152352037385376_1548689671421881198_o — Photo Credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography

Me with the talented Annika, owner & designer of Candi Apple Couture

Me getting photobombed in slow motion by the Northcotts…. 🙂

Check out these amazing hats and fascinators on display from David Dunkley Fine Millinery …. A master in his own right, David has studied with the former royal milliner to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. In keeping with this royal millinery lineage, Dunkley’s creations have been sported by members of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s royal entourage and at functions attended by Her Majesty. Ooooo la la, huh? Totally appropriate for a Victoria Day afternoon tea 🙂

10355709_10152352037080376_4810215721512067901_o — Photo Credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography

10372033_10154129628700364_2087184616270040014_n — Photo Credit: Peter Chiem

How I Got The Look:

Grey faux lace dress from Forever21+, Lindy Hop inspired pink & brown flats from Winners; Pink & white feathered facinator from Weston Flea Market (forget the name of the booth); Pink & gold purse from Your Big Sister’s Closet

Our Hosts: Karen Ward & Peter Chiem, owners of Your Big Sister’s Closet

6 Chic Ways to Wear an Oversized Top (Guest Post)

We love flattering outfits, don’t we? Perhaps one of the most flattering styles in 2014 is the oversized top fashion. Oversized tops can look like dresses, they can be flowy blouses, or they can be chunky sweaters. You can wear them with only a few basics, or you can dress them up with accessories. Whether you’re looking to dress up or look chic and comfy, there are a number of ways to rock the oversized top. Take a look at how.

Way 1: Shorts

One of the best things about an oversized top is the idea that it’s a blousy, breezy thing that moves easily around you. When this is true, you can’t wear a maxi skirt or baggy pants, because without the structure, you’ll look like one giant blob. If you have the legs for it, wear short shorts or a short skirt with an overflowing shirt like this one from Kaleidescope Sunday.

Way 2: Skirt with Belt

Another option to show off your great legs with an oversized top is mini skirt. Be careful of how much volume is in the skirt because, again, you don’t want to look like a giant blob, but a skirt like this one from Delia’s.com has a flirty amount of skirt without being too full. The trick, however, to making this combination work is by matching it with a belt. If your oversized top and your skirt are blacks or neutrals, be sure to coordinate your top with a bright colored belt.

Way 3: Printed Leggings

If you’re a cuddler, the type who likes to make sweaters and scarves work for as long as possible, this is the way that you’re going to like the best. Match your oversized sweater with some printed leggings. For an ideal look, make sure that the oversized sweater is a neutral color, in direct contrast to the brightness that the leggings are. If it warms up so much that you can’t justify wearing a sweater, use the same concept with a blousier, chiffon oversized top: match with leggings for a comfy look.

Way 4: The Hat

When you match an oversized top with skinny jeans and a wide-brimmed hat, you can look very stylish. All you need to do is add a hat like these from Asos.com and your look is polished and finished.

Way 5: The Bag

Whenever you have a bag in the crook of your elbow, you look like a girl who has all the answers. Get all the answers by matching a bag like this one from Cosmopolitan with your oversized top and belt.

Way 6: The Glasses

Nothing says a comfy day out like an oversized sweatshirt, jean shorts, and flip flops. The best part about this lounging outfit: it’s chic. What makes it chic is the oversized top that Ashley Olsen selected, her bright purple bag, and these Gucci sunglasses. Ashley Olsen proves that you don’t have to be dressed up to be chic.

Post written by Kristen Kauffman for AllBrandsGlasses.com

Weekend OOTD: Flirty Hi-Lo Dress

It finally happened — I got to enjoy a weekend in Toronto without wearing a jacket!!!

Yup! I’ve been working like a dog lately…..but this weekend I was determined to enjoy at least one of the amazingly sunny days out & about the city! This past Saturday I barred my arms, legs and toes! HAZZA! Even busted out my summer fedora!

As y’all know I’m not a big wearer of make up….especially daytime during the weekend. I also hate doing my hair. Sooooo wearing a cute little summer fedora (or any woven hat) is my solution to looking like I know what I’m doing…outfit-wise 😉

I’m not a big wearer of jeans …but I think a woven hat like this one, would also good pair of worn-in jeans and a simple white blouse – perfect weekend look.

But since I work from home, leaving the house is an EVENT to be celebrated…. so instead I decided to wear this light and airy dress:

I picked up this great flowy Aztec patterned dress from Forever21 during the fall…and never officially worn it out. I had to get it altered (shortened) so that the hi-lo would really be notable and above my knees. Pairing this dress with a simple sandal kept this look daytime casual… for last-minute plans of Saturday Flea Market shopping and lunching with a girlfriend.

What did you wear this weekend to take advantage of the sunshine friends?

How I Got The Look:

White & Gold sandals from Le Chateau

Hi-lo Aztec print dress from Forever21+

Wicker fedora from H&M

Gold & brown Michael Kors bracelet watch

Frugalistas Unite: Kiyonna Sale!

A few posts ago …. I introduced PPMeow readers to a fantastic clothing line called Kiyonna. This company strives to design something a size 6 would die to wear, but they remain focused on expert fit and style for the plus-size woman.

I personally go weak in the knees for all their feminine, black lace options when it comes to dresses and separates.

My coveted pieces is this 3/4 length lace wrap top ….

AND the ultra-sexy Valentina Illusion Dress…

WELL friends…..this fab line is having crazy sales right now …. plus PPMeow is hooking you up with an additional 20% off!!!

Just use this link (also found on PPMeow’s homepage sidebar menu) — and you’ll be directed to the Kiyonna site and get this discount on top of the sale prices you see listed there!!!! Weeeeee!

Check out some of my faves that are on sale right now….that could and SHOULD be yours, you Fruglaista you!!! 🙂

My Top 5 Kiyonna items ON SALE …. I’ve baked in the link to the images below for your shopping pleasure:

#5 ShaylaLace Skirt – comes in purple, white and my fav teal