Here we are: the last Thursday of December …. the LAST THURSDAY OF 2016!!!
All month long PPMeow! teamed-up withStyleCassentialsto bring you another collaboration featuring some of the Winter Trends for 2016 Holiday Season!!!
To wrap up our December long series we’re putting our own spin on wearing VELVET!
As luxurious as velvet it… I’ve stayed away from it so far, as I just haven’t found a piece that I liked myself in.
The velvet slip dress was the “IT” item this Fall. So I kept an eye out for one that might work for me and my bod. I ordered one from ASOS way back at the beginning of this month – but it has never bothered to arrive.
And then I found this one on the Forever21+ Instagram page:
Remember Carrie Bradshaw’s “the naked dress”from SATC? That’s basically how I felt when I first tried this dress on upon its arrival in my mail. 😮
This dress has a fantastic hemline, with a bit of ruching in the mid-section to help mask any tummy troubles from that 2nd helping of dinner or in my case a cheese fondu party.
I didn’t feel comfortable having the ta-tas all out-and-about in this brown/pink curve-hugging velvety frock for holiday house parties among married and coupled-off friends.
Sooooooo I wore a thin long-sleeved band tee underneath it + sheer hosiery + mid-calf length black boots … and BAM!
Holiday Ready rocking this Winter Trend! ❤
I’ve styled this velvet dress in 3 different ways throughout December …. which way do you like it best?
How I Got The Look: Velvet slip dress, Forever21+; Bomber stripped jacket, Old Navy; Boney M tee, super old from my radio days; Black mid-calf boots, Steps
Cassie is wearing this high neck, long-sleeved grey velvet frock….with a little cutout. Her gold accessories, purse and strappy shoes really add to her overall glamorous look!
Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on Cassie’s winter trend of velvet in her outfit. Or her Instagram here. Or visit her Facebook page here.
There you have it!!! The entire month of December with a featured Winter Trend!!!
We hope they bring you some fashion inspiration to try yourself this month – maybe for NYE 😉
To see how we’ve put our own unique twists previously this month click on the below links:
Canadians know how to make sure they squeeze out as much summer as they possibly can – cuz Winter is Coming and will last 8+ months of the year! 😦
That’s why we gotta make the most of the August Long Weekend!!!!
This was the first time I stayed in town. The streets of Toronto are filled with loads of party people and tons of Americans who come up for Caraibanna ! The weekend is dedicated to TONS of parties happening everywhere and the weather is usually picture perfect!
I was lucky enough to have some RMT benefit dollars to burn – so I grabbed a gf and we drove to Caldeon, ON to spend the day luxuriating at a day spa!
The Millcroft Inn & Spa had an outdoor terrace, indoor and outdoor pools, an indoor whirlpool, an Infrared Sauna, private men’s and women’s locker facilities with herbal steams rooms and showers.
It was the greatest!!!
Plus, they’ve got an award winning resturant – where we had lunch overlooking this gorgeous pond + waterfall. ❤
This was the 2nd summer in my life where I have come to peace with my body insecurities and donned a bikini (aka fatkini)! 🙂
This was an intensive week of non-stop dance with workshops all day, everyday to improve your dancing skills. Taught by amazing dance instructors from all over. Followed by nightly live bands to dance to until the wee hours of the morning!
Here’s a quick run down of those live musical acts:
Truth: When I signed up for this trip, I figured I’d have a ton of other Toronto dancers going with me. But with the CAD$ being so low…that wasn’t the case. And then I had a lower back injury that led to me doing very little dancing all winter. I started to chicken-out and was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up with everyone else at this camp.
What if they were all amazing dancers and they discover that I’m a dancing fraud!?
What if they’re all super young and I’ll be the oldest granny of the group?!
What if I sit all alone for every meal with no friends all week!? The Fear Was Real!
As the travel date got closer and closer… turns out that there were only two other Toronto dancers heading to Beantown …and we were all arriving at different times.
So I forced myself to be brave, packed my electric heating pad, a sh!t-ton of Ibuprofen and muscle pain ointment and off I went to spend over a week at a dance camp, in a city where I know nobody… dun dun dunnnn!
I had to audition to get into an appropriate “track level” for all your classes that week. Terrifying? Yes!
Result: Turns out I’m an intermediate dancer!
This was the first time I participated in a group routine and performed in public!!!
I’m happy to report – we didn’t mess up once on stage!!! Woot! Woot! 😀
Me and my routine dance partner, Eddie
Here’s the routine. We were nervous that we’d screw it up…so we claimed a spot in the back row…far right, if you’re looking for me.
Look for my especially twirly skirt. 😉 Click here to read about my outfit if you’re curious.
I was way too busy having the time of my life … that I didn’t take too many pictures during my stay at camp.
Luckily I’ve managed to find a few of me taken at the fun photobooth the last night of camp – celebrating its 20th anniversary!
Visit my Instagram channel to see all the camp adventures + video clips of a few lessons and a mini private concert with Norma Miller – Lindy Hop swing dancer known as the “Queen of Swing”
DOWNTOWN BOSTON
Camp ended on a Thursday…and with the long weekend here (Canada Day), I decided to stick around Boston and explore the city solo.
My hostel – HI Boston – was right next to the Boston Common – pretty much right in the heart of downtown.
I slept the day away – my body was exhausted after 7-days of dance. But in the evening, I walked around on my own and found myself in the Public Gardens just as the sun was setting…
Gorgeous pink skies in the Public Gardens, Boston
And at the other side of this the park… I stumbled upon this landmark…
“Where Everybody Knows Your Name!!”
Naturally I had to stop in and have a cuppa Calm Chowda at the bar and channel my inner Norm. 😉
Friday I was a proper tourist! I was determined to maximize the day AND night!!!
What better way to explore a new city than on foot! I discovered a fab lil’ company called Free Tours by Foot which does just that! These tours are among the best things to do in Boston, taking you through many of the city’s most famous neighbourhoods. Best part: there is no charge to take our tours. Meaning you may pay what you feel the tour was worth after the tour is completed, thus ensuring that your tour guide must strive to give his or her best on every tour. Win. Win.
What I saw on the Freedom Trail Walking Tour:
Massachusetts State House
Park Street Church
Granary Burying Ground
King’s Chapel
Old South Meeting House
Old Corner Bookstore
Old State House
Boston Massacre Site
Faneuil Hall
In addition to all these historic sites … I managed to drive by the Harvard Campus at night …. took the T-train on a pub crawl to some uptown Boston Bars…. checked out the local Lindyhop Social…. brought the house down with newly made friends while Karaoke’ing in Cambridge … caught some live jazz over brunch…and even had a bit of a romantic interlude that weekend to boot! 😉
Overall, my trip to Boston was da.bomb.com! ❤
It’s a fantastic city – super green – with lots to see and do. Sadly, I dedicated an entire day to shopping and came up empty-handed. Nothing wow’d me enough to spend my money. Nothing. Very, very disappointing. 😦
Who’s been to Boston? Were there some “must do’s” that I missed? Now that you’ve read about my adventures, would you take a trip out there too?
Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.
Toronto finally had amazing weather this past weekend. Which makes what I’m about to announce even more timely!!! 😉
Petite Plus, Meow! is proudly bringing you another special Double Featurewith fellow petite plus blogger, Cassie from Style Cassentials.
Together, we will be exploring and putting our own twists on several Spring trends…all this week!
Today we’re talking about Doing White Right.
Photo Credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography
This enchanting Tatyana Boutique Flower Cart dress is adorable … and restocked for this season …just sayin’ 😉
I picked it up during their blow-out sale this past Fall….and have been waiting patiently for warmer months arrival to finally take this faboulousness out to be seen. It’s made from a supple cotton blend in a clean white with pops of vivacious green trim at the arms, with red shoulder straps…
And just look that the cutest flower cart hem detail of the skirt. ❤ ❤ ❤
How I Got The Look: Dress from Tatyana; Sunnies and Purse are vintage finds; Heels from Aldo; Sneakers are Keds
What I really loved about this dress is the scalloped off-the-shoulder design!!! ❤
The adjustable straps and a fitted bodice that’s darted through the natural waist adds some visual interest too.
The dress came with a skinny yellow belt to help highlight an hourglass figure and helps break-up all the whiteness of this frock.
Sadly, if you’re a top-heavy/chesty/a member of the big-titty-committee this skinny belt might get a bit lost. 😛
Note To Self: must buy thicker yellow belt.
This voluminous gathered A-line swing skirt has hidden side pockets (#winning) and goes perfectly with heels OR casual Keds.
The perfect for Springtime and ready for Summertime too!
Photo Credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography
Cassie is Doing White Right with this adorable collared shirt dress and white pumps! Loving the black buttons down the front of the dress.
And that telephone clutch with fur pop-pop. **swoon**
Head over to Style Cassentials for all the details on how Cassie has styled the trends. Or visit her Facebook page here.
Cassie from Style Cassentials, Doing White Right
Curious about our previous collaborations?
Click here for the Fall Series and here for the Holiday Series. 😉
Cher. Dionne. Tai. Even Ambuler. These ladies shaped the 90s in one of the most iconic movies ever.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Clueless.
Clueless is an unabashed celebration of being a girly girl. The ladies love fashion, makeup, and shopping yet their interests aren’t portrayed as silly or symbolic of their feminine natures.
Because strangely enough you can like high heels and lipstick and still like boys and be a bad-ass-bitch too. 😉
How many fantastic, over-the-top looks were there in this flick? I’ve just picked out the few that I really, really loved….
SO. MUCH. PLEATED. PLAID. ❤
Now this below look was Cher’s 2nd choice of course, as she couldn’t find her 1st choice before her driving test… 😉
Where’s my white collarless shirt from Fred Segal! It’s my most capable-looking outfit!
I just love this red outfit Cher’s wearing while playing cupid to Mr. Hall and Miss Geist.
CHER’S MATCH-MAKING LOOK
And last, but not least, this sweet pale pink satin ensemble Cher wears for Mr. Hall and Miss Geist’s wedding …
Kinda timeless, hm?
PRETTY IN PINK FOR THE WEDDING
What else makes this movie so great?
Well, this may be the only film we have that proves that Paul Rudd did at one point have the ability to age.
Gwad! He’s. So. Dreamy. ❤
In addition to all of the above…..this flick introduced us to smart, real words like “sporadically” and “existential” while simultaneously creating an entire new teen-friendly vocabulary of words like “buggin’,” “jeepin’,” and “hagsville.” 🙂
And for the love of one-liners …. many of which continue to come outta my mouth occasional…
Whateve’r!?
Ugh, As If!
Rollin’ with the Homies
She’s a full on Monet
People will be quoting this movie for the rest of eternity.
Need help translating Clueless terms to their meanings now? Click here!
This past weekend, I was doing just that, Rolling with my Homies at the Quote-A-Long screening at the Bloor Cinema to do just that.
Naturally, we had to dress the part…
Two total Betties and a Baldwin 😉
How I Got The Look: Skirt, Forever21+; Argyle sweater, Reitmans; Glossy Mary-Janes, Payless; Knee-high socks super old
I had another outfit planned …see my Instagram channel , if your curious – oh, and follow me 😉 …but since it was eff’ing cold, I went to this argyle sweater instead.
Oooooooo! Project!! 😉
There you have it friends…What I Did AND What I Wore!
Still can’t believe it’s been 20 years of Clueless. Not sure how that happened, as I haven’t aged a day 😉
Hope you enjoyed this post…and this great spoof below.
Your shape is unique, which makes it sometimes difficult to find bras that are made in standard sizes, work for you. I am desperately in need of a bra-shopping-haul.
Buuuuuuut with the CAD$ being in the toilet right now, cross-boarder shopping and online shopping has been put on pause until further notice. 😦
So I thought we could all use a good ol’ rant about boobs and our bra-blems!!!
Underwires stabbing you in the chest.
Straps constantly falling down.
Riding up back-band.
Oh and a personal favourite: The Quadboob…ugh! #TheWorst
Just writing these few frustrations is annoying enough.
But we – the boob having ones – have to deal with these frustrations on a daily basis, forever!!!
No wonder all of us women agree that ripping off your bra the moment you walk in the door at the end of a long day is THE MOST glorious feeling!
So, let’s look at some solutions to some of these common bra-blems…
BACK BAND RIDING UP
If the band of your bra rides up in the back (i.e. curves towards your neck, not straight across your back), that indicates that the band size is too big.
Solution: Go down a band size.
Remember that the cup and band are not independent; cup volume changes if you change only the band size. And every brand of bras is different … so its best to get properly bra fitted EVERY TIME you’re out shopping for a new bra.
QUADBOOB + UNDERWIRE POKE
Quadboob occurs when breasts spill over the cups, either on the tops or out the sides (like into the armpit area), giving an impression of four breasts. If this happens, generally that means the cup is too small and you need to go up a cup size.
Sometimes even if the cups are the right volume, too wide wires can cause a bra to cut into the breast tissue, making the bra look too small.
If the underwire frequently pops out the bra, the band is too large or the wire has been overly distressed by too small of a cup. Typically, go up in cup size and down in band size.
To avoid underwire betrayal aka poke-outs and try to protect the longevity of your bras ….
you should neverput them in a washing machine! 😮
How many of you actually hand wash your dedicates… like your bras?
I have to admit, the best I do is clasp them and shove them into a mesh bag so that I can toss them in with whatever load of laundry is about to be done.
Not a good move if you’re trying to extend the life of your bras.
Did You Know That….
Bras should never be washed in hot water ….
And they should never be put in a tumble dryer….
AND every time they are washed...you should stretch the wet underwire casing just after washing to avoid shrinkage??
Me neither!
I had no idea I was taking such poor care of my bras.
It made me think… am I even putting on my bra the ‘right’ way?!? 😮
ThridLove published a Fit Issue that has a few more tips for ya, if you’re interested.
What are some of YOUR bra-blems?
Share them with me and your solution (if you got any) in the Comments section below 🙂
This high waist circle skirt featuring a fan design on green fabric with pockets and pleating detail around the waist is what continues to make this skirt one of my beloved pieces of my closet ❤ ❤ ❤
It was a pricey piece…so I’m thrilled to be able to make it work for springtime too!
Wanna see this Fanny Skirt styled in different ways? Click here and here and here 🙂
How I Got The Look: Checkered shirt, H&M+; Fanny skirt, Tatyana Boutique; Purse, Aldo Accessories; Glossy pumps, Payless Shoes; Bracelets and necklaces are super old
No matter what the season, it seems you can’t really got wrong with a checkered shirt. I found this one at H&M+ … anything black n’ white makes it really easy to pattern mix with.
Want more on mixing patterns, click here, here and here. 😉
Ha! I think I was trying to Lindyhop on carpet for this shot. Leave it to the artsy eye of Rebecca Northcott to capture the silly moment perfectly. xo
What do you think of this look? How do you transition pieces from your winter wardrobe to spring?
Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.
NOTHING worn in this post is from a “plus-sized store”!
I found such luck at the following shops: H&M, Winners and The Gap recently. And here are my finds from these spots into one complete outfit post!
Me trying hard to show you the back of this top. I just love how the hi-low hemline gives this tunic top a dramatic look from behind.
Let’s talk about this hi-low tunic I found at Winners! For us petite (short) babes, the hi-low look isn’t always easy to pull off. But luckily once I washed this top it shrunk-up just enough that it was no longer touching the ground!
Originally, i found this top a bit ‘blah’ as the length of the ‘low’ part of the shirt fell past my waist and made me look frumpy.
Soo I did a lil’ sewing-fix myself creating a bit of a rise at one side of the top in the front – voila! Perfect-For-Moi! ❤
And now… my bottom half 😉 I don’t wear pants often. I’m more of a skirts and dresses kinda girl.
I do enjoy leggings, especially during winter as they help keep my cute summer dresses in closet rotation. But I never really wear then as ‘pants’.
That was until I found these great ankle zip point leggings from The Gap!!!
The fabric is made of: 4% Spandex, 38% Modal, 58% Cotton. Which makes these leggings oh so comfortable, while looking perfectly fitted and rich.
I’m wearing an XL – I was thrilled that all of my ample booty fit into them. 😛
And it actually hit me just at the ankles and sat above my waist perfectly!
How I Got The Look: Ankle-zip leggings, The Gap ($25); Hi-low tunic top, Winners($30); Purse, The Shoe Co.($60).; Pumps, Nine West($50); Scarf, H&M($20)
As usual, now that you know What I Wore... let me tell you about What I Didwhile wearing this outfit…
Not only was it I able to wear this casual look to the office, but it let me do double-duty into a night of dancing too!
But I’ve recently started to explore other types of partner dancing. Have you heard of Fusion Dancing?
It is where dancers from a mix of different dance backgrounds come together – to create a fusion of partnered social dance!!!
Everyone is welcome, regardless of experience. This means…Zoukers, Bluesers, Swingers (you know what we mean), Improvers, Contemporaries, Salseros, Kizombies, Tangueros … this is a place for everyone to come together and play on a dance-floor. Visit Dance Alchemy’s new FB page for more deets if you’re interested!
Here are a few snaps of me….getting my Fusion on in my OOTD above 😉
Photo credit: Kevin SueChueLam
What did you think of my outfit?
Would you ever try out partnered social dancing like Fusion?
Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.
The last day of February, already ….. oh, it’s A Leap Year!
Let’s recap the fun-filled adventures that took place in the Life and Times of Moi this past month….
What I Did, What I Wore, and What I Cooked 🙂
Cabin Fever – Winter Edition
Over Valentine’s/Family Day long weekend, me and some lindyhopping friends made the long drive out to Algonquin Park to Wolf Den Lodge for a Winter Cabin Adventure!!!
It was THE COLDEST WEEKEND of the year. -38C degrees …so cold your nose hairs froze and your glasses not just fogged over, but frosted over instantly!!!
In-between communal cooking, snowy hiking, colouring and games, dancing and singing. There. Was. Drinking. 😮
Scotch vs. Bourbon vs. Rye? Do you know the difference? Neither did I. Find out more here. **hiccup**
I needed to get myself some proper waterproof winter boots and snow pants for the trip!
With end of season sales everywhere, finding boots wasn’t too difficult. I bought these Sorrel’s online – had them delivered right to my door.
Boots were easy to find…and on super sale with the winter season coming to an end. These grey-blue fur-trimmed Sorrel’s were $85
Finding plus size snow pants was a bit more of a challenge. But those Facebook Groups for plus size sales & swaps helped me find these waterproof omni-heat bad boys from Columbia.
Sadly, I didn’t end up taking too many photos this weekend – but did manage to capture these few…of winter-cottage outdoor glory!
Fashion in February
Bah! So I admit, I haven’t been very good about photographing my outfits and making them into blogposts for you.
But if you’re following my Instagram Channel – then you’ll be able to see my Outfits of the Day as they happen.
Here’s a few quick snaps of some of the looks I rocked over the month.
Ok!!! This Cognac brown “Indiana Jones” vibe hat was a whopping $5 buy (Reitmans)!!! Paired with brown booties and a new cross-body hassle purse (The Shoe Company). Bird dress was custom for moi in Vietnam, grey leggings from Old Navy and the long white sweater, is also from Reitmans.
OK! Remember when I was trying to get to University’s Alumni Day this past Fall? And how I never made it cuz there was a crazy, bonkers, blow-out sale at Tatyanna Boutique on WQW? Well…that’s where I picked up with ruffley, frilly frock for only $8!!! Yup!!! $8!!! You can’t even buy the material for that price! I added a touch of turquoise with the skinny belt and drop earrings…to pull out the colours from the polka-dots. I unveiled this outfit at February’s Vintage Spectacular Dance at The Great Hall to see the GTA Swing Band for a night of dancing with LindyHop Revolution ❤OK!! I finally got myself some “Cold Shoulder” action when I found this dress at Forever 21+. Got me looking like a 90s Fly Girl from In Living Colour… for a night of ‘clubbing’. Turns out, I am NOT a clubbing-type-girl. Ew.
February Recipe: Spaghetti Squash
Ok! I just recently discovered this vegetable… and it has quickly become a new favourite!!! Spaghetti Squash might be the easiest thing to cook, and just one will yield a ton of food!
THIS is a spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash can be baked, boiled, steamed, and/or microwaved. It can be served with or without sauce, as a substitute for pasta. And the seeds can be roasted, similar to pumpkin seeds.
Here’s how I cooked it….
STEP 1: Cut the sucker in half. Scrap out all the seeds and guts…just like you would a pumpkin.STEP 2: Salt n’ Pepper to taste, and pop half of it into the microwave on High for 11-minutes. Then let it sit and cool for about 3-5-mins until you can handle it.STEP 3: Use a fork and scrape away!!! ….ooo look at those pretty strands. ❤
That’s basically it! You can totally dig in and get to eating 🙂
But if you wanna get a bit fancier…. you can sauté some onions, garlic, parsley, chilli flakes, etc. in a bit of butter….
STEP 4: Getting Fancy… sauté up some onions, garlic, chilli flakes in butter…and add some protein even (like shrimp, tuna, leftover anything)VOILA!!! Fancy sautéed Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp
Waddya think of this recipe? Think you’re gonna try it out yourself? Super easy right! 🙂
I cooked up the other half of the spaghetti squash and served it up with some left over salmon from early that week (see image below) – just as delicious!
Soooo has Cupid’s arrow struck you this year? Are you gearing up for a big romantic Valentine’s Day with your beau?
Or rounding up your squad for a fabulous Galentine’s together?
Regardless of what you’re up to this weekend-o-love, you will surely need a fabulous outfit! 😉
So that’s what this post is dedicated to: Valentine’s Day Outfit Inspirations!!!
I’ve come up with 3 different looks, pulling items (both old and newish) from my closet to come up with looks that could take you from romantic reservations, to a mystery date out n’ about, or to a no-boys-allowed party! ❤
1. Lady in Red
You can’t really go wrong with wearing Red for Valentine’s Day!
I picked up this great “perfect red” dress during a Black Friday Sale from Kiyonna …. the sheer sleeves, scooped neckline and perfect length made this a must buy.
Outfit Deets: Mohair purse, NineWest; Shoes, Christian S. for Payless; Earrings and necklace, Reitmans; Dress from Kiyonna
Alternatively, if you wanted a more romantic Lady-in-Red vibe maybe ditch the flats for leopard pumps and add a fur collar…and BOOM!
If you’re looking to keep it more casual and cozy, why not pull out your favourite dress like this hot pinky/fuchsia number I picked up from the opening of AdditionElle’s Stockyard location, and pair it with a fuzzy sweater!
Add some bling and pumps and …. Boom! Instant Valentine’s Day magic! ❤
Oooo I’m digging this combo of colours and textures and hardware with the jewels!!! ❤ ❤ ❤
You likee? 🙂
3. Rockabilly Pink
If you want to go all-out girly girl, a flirty-ruffle-y- skirt is the way to go!
Now, I personally never got onto the tutu-skirt trend that seemed to be everywhere for the last little while in plus size fashion.
But this full circle skirt from Tatyana Boutique has an overlay of tulle, which kinda gives you a tutu-vibe. Plus the bold gold flower details on the overlay certainly adds that romantic, flirty, girlie-girl outfit feeling.
Outfit Deets: Blouse & Skirt, Tatyana Boutique; Shoes, Naturalizer; Purse, Kate Spade; Jewellery set (old)
Since the skirt has a lot of drama, I tried to keep the rest of the look simple with blacks and whites.
I was bold with mixing patterns here – stripes and dots – but since they’re all black and white colours, they seem to work nicely, don’t you think? 🙂
This collared tie-up polka-dotted blouse with this peachy pink jewellery set in gold totally compliments the skirt and its details.
I think this set is kind of perfect for this outfit. ❤
So there you have it friends!!! 3 very different Valentine’s inspired outfits that I’m hoping will help you create the best look for your special evening.
Which is YOUR favourite – 1, 2 or 3 … and why? Tell me about your choice in the comments section below!
Hoping that these outfit inspirations earn you a few smooches this Valentine’s Weekend friends, xo 😉
Ever been curious about why kissing is so craved and important? Me too! Find out more about the Science of Kissing here.
Petite Plus, Meow! 
