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Gussied Up & Tess Munster!

Gussied Up, a plus size clothing boutique owned by the lovely Victoria McGroarty, celebrated the store’s 3rd anniversary this weekend – with a Meet & Greet with Miss Tess Munster!

This delightful Bathurst boutique has classic pieces and Canadian designs in sizes X-3X. With versatile pieces like day-to-evening dresses, casual blazers, leggings and cute but practical undergarments.

This past visit I had my eye on the vintage-inspired bathing suits — any era with fashions that celebrates hips & tits wins my heart every time! The feminine details for belts and bling is what I go weak in the knees for (ended up buying a sweetie-pie one I’ve had my eye on since seeing it on Instagram).

With the weather oh-so gorgeous, I walked up from West Queen West (a significant distance) – so I decided to dress down cozy and comfy with my navy faux Toms (Airwalk from Payless), pink stripped maxi (from AdditionElle), cat-eye sunnies (from The Public Butter), pink moustache scarf (from Winners), faded denim-hoodie jacket (Jessica Simpson from HBC) and my MK grey cross body bag to make my Saturday afternoon stroll to meet Miss Tess Munster!

The line up to meet Tess nearly wrapped the corner of Dupont! Lucky for me….Rebecca (of Rebecca Northcott Photography) and I had a “tag-team approach”… and who ever got there first would save a spot for the other, regardless of the dirty looks to come our way by fellow-in-line fans! 😉

Tess is a Plus-Size Model, Make Up Artist, Body Positive Activist and Blogger based in L.A., who turned her hobbies into a successful career. She is a petite woman with an amazing smile that truly does light up a room!

She recently founded the #effyourbeautystandards movement which has over 65,000 shares on Instagram alone, that changed her life. She receives letters and emails from different women every day thanking her for empowering them to love their bodies, and to not be ashamed of being short, pale/dark, or dare I say…Fat.

The features that Tess was bullied about in her youth, that she now embraces, that has led to her success. She really is an inspiration, encouraging other women to embrace and accept who they are, as they are.

Tess hopes that girls who are bullied, and women who lack confidence will begin to see their inner and outer beauty at whatever size.

For everyone that says we can’t show our tummies, wear a pencil/form-fitting skirt, wear a bikini, wear sleeveless tops… YOU can!

That’s the main message of the #effyourbeautystandards campaign — Tess wants YOU to join her in wearing “daring” fashions & stop hiding your body because society tells you to.

BE a total babe regardless of our size..big OR small we all deserve to feel beautiful.

Take a look at some of the beautiful shots Rebecca captured at the Meet & Greet with Miss Tess Munster at Gussied Up:

Tess was a delight to meet! A genuinely nice person — happy to give hugs, pose for pictures …even TAKING SELFIES with her adoring fans!

I’ve got a massive #girlcrush on this woman – even more now that I’ve met her!

10255049_10152291511960376_5493591035417597110_o — Tess with Rebecca, of Rebecca Northcott Photography

Tess is proof that determination, relentlessness, and positivity can look beautiful on anyone, and that there is a wonderful life past a size 20.

Gussied Up located at 1090 Bathurst St (at Dupot) in Toronto, Ontario. You should def make a visit to see what fabulous fashions finds need to be yours!

Here are a few shots taken by my iPhone camera too:

Me with Gussied Up owner, Victoria — Me with Victoria, Owner of Gussied Up!

Shots taken with my iPhone: Me + Victoria and Me + Tess Munster

#OOTD: Pink Blush Lace

I must control my shopping! I must control my shopping!

This has become my yoga mantra these days. But everywhere you look there are lovely spring fashions and sometimes it causes me to lose my mind. Especially when the prices are under $29!!!

My newest weakness is Forever21+. I try so hard to limit my purchases from this spot, as the price point is TOO perfect that EVERY SINGLE plus size diva in Toronto is gonna be rocking the same outfit. Buuuuut, I’m only human….and there’s no harm in trying things on…right? Right!

I tried on three items recently: this purple halter dress ($29), pink blush lacey dress ($29) and this green maxi dress ($17).

Did I leave empty handed? NOPE! Another mini-haul for moi!!! Only two of the three dresses above…and this cutie-pie cherry-rope bag ($12)!!!!

I love pink!!! I would wear pink head to toe everyday if I could. So this pink blush lace dress needed to be worn ASAP!! Just wore it to the office this Monday, with a grey cardi to keep it more professional and warm enough for spring weather 🙂

How I got The Look: Dress from Forever21+; Grey cardi from Old Navy; Mint-toed nude pumps from Hudson Bay Co.; Necklace from One Girl Who (St. Clair W/Bathurst Sts.)

#OOTD: Pink, Pearls & Perkins!

Between my recent vintage shopping and new pieces I’ve picked up here and there over the past few months, there are a ton of NEW (+ new-to me) accessories that I haven’t integrated into an outfit from my closet as yet. So, I was determined to adorn myself with newness in my office outfit(s) this week.

I’ve been waiting patiently for Spring to officially get here already to wear these pieces I picked up from Your Big Sister’s Closet

On Monday I finally unveiled them to the office, along with my new Dorothy Perkins pencil skirt with my mint-toed nude pumps and lacy shoulder pink 3/4 top. I have this top in mint seen here, but I recently re-discovered that I had it also in pink (hidden in the deepest corners of a drawer). Hooray for buying things you in multiples once they’ve stolen your heart completely! 🙂

I also wore these behind-the-ear cuffs I picked up from the Steampunk Fair a few weeks ago. Thought it might be too edgy of the office, but I wrote them anyways anticipating less than positive reactions from colleagues. Between the necklace and the skirt, this unique piece of jewellery got oh-so-many compliments! Thrilled that the ones I picked up – the clock-arms – there weren’t too many for sale that looked quite like them. 🙂

Putting all the above pieces together….and TA-DA! A more exciting Office ready Monday. Waddya think? Belt? No Belt? You Likee?

How I got The Look:

Mint-toed nude pumps from HBC, Eaton Ctr

Checkered pencil skirt from Dorothy Perkins, HBC (Yonge/Bloor)

Pink lace shoulder top from Forever21+, Eaton Ctr.

Pretty in Pink …

I love pink! I would wear it head-to-toe everyday if I could. But working for a Financial Institution as a Consultant of Training & Development Solutions, delivering instruction to classrooms of people regularly, I’ve got to tone down the passionate pink panther within me for the office. 😉

This shot is my absolute fav of me pretty in pink with the city in the background! On NYE I paired this high-waisted flare skirt with a black crop-top. Yup…I got brave and bared my mid-drif…and it was awesome! Sadly all of those shots were taking by wobbly drunks, selfies included, and such blurry pics are not cute for a blog, so stay tuned.

This black n’ white skirt has quickly become one of my all-time faves…and the pop of pink just makes it pretty perfect! Plus, with it being a pretty simple look, I can add my Stella & Dot bling to kick it up a notch! So now I’m looking for ways to bring this dynamic duo to the office.

Here’s what I’ve come up with …once the weather gets a bit more spring- like and I can wear my lovely peep-toed heels again.

Blazers are basically the best invention ever to give any piece of clothing a polished and immediate upgrade. I’ve paired up the above look with a classic black n’ white tuxedo blazer and pushed the colour limits of office-acceptable with a Kelly green blazer too.

You likee? 🙂