plus size fashion blog – Page 3

Springtime Oldies

April showers, bring May flowers…. or so they say.

You know what that means? Closet purge and spring cleaning!!! And just look what I found in the back of mine:

Kinda thrilled this dress I picked up a few summers ago from GAP in LA (size XXL) still fits!! What’s more exciting is that 2015’s springtime trend of sheer fabrics!

Seems like sheer fabrics are never going away and thank goodness for that! Not only do they jazz up tops and dresses but they make us feel like we’re wearing nothing at all. Keeping it light and airy…it’s a lovely feeling. 😉

Something NEW … picked these babies up for only $3.99!

In an effort to keep it springtime cute, yet weather appropriate (yes, it’s still pretty chilly in Toronto friends) I paired this cutie-pie green & yellow frock with a simple beige v-neck cropped cardi from Old Navy. And stepped up the dazzle with these new dangly earrings from Forever21, keeping the footwear simple and warm with my suede booties from Reitmans.

But I felt something was missing. So I tried a belt.

Picked up this gold metallic belt at the store closing sale of Fashion Crimes, on WQW. This might have been the first time I’m actually wearing it, come to thing of it. The thick belt and skinny chain in the back did add a bit of pizzaz to this outfit, I think.But then I finally unpacked my travel luggage from my Asian Adventure, and found this tried and true brown leather belt, and then I was torn.

Which look to YOU prefer best: 1. Leather Belt 2. No Belt OR 3. Metallic Gold Belt? Let me know in the comments section below.

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Florals & Stripes

SPRING IS FINALLY HERE…with weather that matches. Finally!!!!

Now I know florals for spring isn’t a new concept or new fashion trend this year or any other year. 🙂

So, I tried doing the floral trend by mixing it up:

I’ve been trying my hand at mixing patterns more. Taking this floral dress and pairing it with a striped black and white cropped blazer really amped up this look, right?! I’m really digging the contrast.

In an effort to keep this outfit ‘work-wear’, I wore dark stockings along with my black suede booties. This was the outfit I wore to the office for my first day back from my big Asian Adventure (I’m working on those posts friends…stay tuned).

Both these pieces were thrifted finds as last year’s BIGDeal Toronto Sale (and the first time I’m wearing this dress ever). I’m not the biggest fan of floral patterns — but I really liked these colours on this white background of this dress.

Plus, being a peplum skirt it creates hourglass-come-hither style hitting the curves in all the right places …. that always gets a BIG thumbs up from moi!

***How I Got The Look:*** Floral peplum dress & Stripped cropped blazer from Forever21; Black suede booties from *NineWest*

Dunno what sort of plan y’all might have this long weekend, but this might be a good Easter weekend outfit inspiration, hmm? 😉

What do you think of this look and the pattern mixing? Would love to know your thoughts in the Comments section below.

For other looks with this striped blazer click here and here.

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First-Lady Fashion: Michelle Obama’s Influence on Clothing

Throughout history the first-lady has influenced fashion trends, however, none have had as much of an impact as Michelle Obama. Her clothing choices can result in stock prices for the clothing companies to rise as much as 2–3% for up to 3 weeks after she wears an outfit. Her fashion appeals to the people as she mixes more affordable brands like Gap and Target with high end pieces.

I personally really enjoy Michelle’s style choices. Try incorporating some of the first lady’s fashion into your own wardrobe. From exposed zippers to statement necklaces—Michelle Obama has championed many of today’s popular fashion trends making her a style icon.

What are your thoughts on the First-Lady’s style? Are you able to use any of the above tips and tricks in your own personal style? Let me know in the Comments section 🙂

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FYI…

Hi friends, just a quick note to say I’m sticking to my New Year promises to myself and am taking my first vacation of the year. I’ll be exploring three countries in South East Asia with just the clothes on my back!!!

Looking forward to the warm weather, exotic foods and hopefully I’ll find some great plus-size clothing to bring back. 🙂

I won’t be doing regular blogposts while I’m away, but will be INSTAGRAMING on the regular. Follow me and my Asian Adventures. xo

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Layers and Leopard

I’m sick of winter! I’m sick of wearing boots! I’m sick of wearing my winter coat!

I’m sick of winter! And it’s making me moody!

I’ve found that wearing colors … even just a pop of color … often helps boost your mood 🙂

This is why I went with a aqua-teal blue collared shirt to pair with my leopard pencil skirt for spending a day in the office last week.

FullSizeRender-7 — Yikes! Dunno what happened with my iPhone camera …ignore the white lines on the shirt, camera malfunction 🙂

Layer your shirts, blouses, tops, etc! An outfit can go from blah to amazing by just adding a simple cardigan, jacket, or even a plaid shirt! (Maybe not with leopard. Or then again..hummmmm)

I especially love this open 3/4 sleeved black cardi I picked up from Reitmans a few years ago …cuz there’s a bit of lace along the shoulders and down the front that just adds an extra oomph to anything worn underneath it. Don’t you agree?

How I Got The Look:

Leopard pencil skirt, SexyPlus Clothing (click here and here to see in other looks); Collared shirt, Lane Bryant; Black lace cardi, Reitmans; Jewellery set, Necessities; Black laced cardi , Reitmans; Booties, Nine West Outlet

Never underestimate the power of good accessories. Many a plain outfit has been saved by the addition of a scarf, belt, or piece of jewelry. But try sticking to one focal point accessory. For example, if you’re wearing a big statement necklace, like me in this outfit, keep your earrings small or skip them altogether.

I picked up these baubles last week – you may have already seen them on my Instagram. Are you following me yet? you should 😉

What tricks have you been using to keep warm, cozy and cute during the winter months that help you make the most of your current closet offerings? Tell me about them in the Comments Section below.

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Keepin’ it Cozy!

I shop A LOT, I know. But before I make a purchase, I always try to make sure I can wear something multiple ways.

If you can’t think of at least two places to wear it, don’t buy it …. is a good rule to follow, I find.

Do you remember this fabulous acid pink dress I bought when AdditionElle opened their new Stockyards location?

Now, that we’re in the depths of January – a pop of hot pink colour is a sure-fire way to lift my mood and spring in my step.

Wore this dress to the office the other day. I simply threw on a warm, extra furry, black and white cowl-neck sweater (a gift I got for Xmas) over top of the dress … belted it … and voila! Winterized and office ready! Boom!

Belts can make everything better. Either a skinny belt over a top, sweater or a sash on a wool coat; having something there to define where your waist is makes you look shapelier. I really am pleased with how it transformed this furry sweater overtop of this dress.

I often pick out my outfits the night before – especially for those days I’m headed into the office. I cannot tell you how many times I used to not bother, then be in a rush in the morning and just put on the first thing I could find in a hurry. With a bit of pre-planning you’ll pick something practical, stylish and feel great, rather than rushing and feeling like a hot mess all day!

Plus it gives you time to pick out your accessories — which I had a habit of running out without when I would pick it out in the morning! I feel naked without earrings and hate looking for the time only to stare at my bare wrist. **grumble grumble**

A little planning the night before is totally worth the effort friends. 😉

How I Got The Look: Acid pink swing dress, AdditionElle; Black n’ white furry sweater, LauraPetites; Sliver buckle belt, Reitmans; Booties, Nine West Outlet

What tricks have you been using to keep warm, cozy and cute during the winter months that help you make the most of your current closet offerings? Tell me about them in the Comments Section below.

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Little Black Dress #4

Continuing with January’s Little Black Dress series on the blog today.

If you missed any of the previous LBD’s….click here, here and here.

Today’s LBD is a brand new one I picked up during the holidays when there were crazy sales and deals to be had.

LBD #3: Sheer Panel Swing Dress from CLEO

This dress fit me like a glove right off the rack!!!

It’s the perfect length, no hemming required. The arm holes required no pinning and the neckline didn’t reveal too much cleavage.

Plus, the broad straps easily allow for a regular bra to be worn – #winning 🙂

Sheer panels seemed to be pretty fashionable this holiday season. I like how it adds textural interest in a minimalist way to this all-black dress, bringing lightness and breathability to heavy fabrics in the winter.

I really want to come up with ways to take this frock outside of being just a cocktail dress. If you’ve got some ideas for how to do it – share them with me friends! 😉

How I Got The Look: LBD and jewellery set from Cleo (click here); Wine glossy pumps from BCBG; Sheer hosiery from Dollarama

Do you have a favourite Little Black Dress? Where’s it from and how to you style it? Tell me your tips and tricks by leaving a comment below.

WANNA see the other LBD’s I’ve talked about so far – click #1, #2 and #3.

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Little Black Dress #2

Continuing with January’s Little Black Dress series on the blog today.

Today I took a cheap little summer office dress and transformed it into winter wear ….

LBD #2: Belted Merona from Target

This dress is pretty great. The long silver zipper down the back adds this simple, sexy quality to an otherwise pretty modest dress. These pictures don’t showcase the large buckle belt that comes with this dress.

My apologies for the poor photos quality in this post – it was pretty dark outside when I remembered to snap pics. Pardon my winter-bun-headed look ….its the only way to keep my hair from getting crazy static once the parka goes on.

Here’s a zoomed in look at this fabulous hot pink sweater I picked up on sale at Winners. It fit nicely under the dress as its quite light-weight and the details up the arms really add a little dazzle to break up this all-black look.

How I Got The Look: LBD from Target; Hot pink sweater from Winners; Glossy silver pumps from Payless; Sheer hosiery from Dollarama; Necklace & earring set from LOFT

Do you have a favourite Little Black Dress? Where’s it from and how to you style it? Tell me your tips and tricks by leaving a comment below.

WANNA see the other LBD’s I’ve talked about so far – click here.

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Little Black Dress #1

I dunno about you friends, but January is officially Little Black Dress month for me. There has been WAYYY too much eating over the festive season … and this holiday weight is making me choose blacks over other fun colours in my wardrobe these days.

Lucky for me, I’ve got a lil’ Collection of LBDs that don’t nearly get enough of my attention all year round. So why not use this month to let them shine 🙂

LBD #1: Forever21+

Truth be told, I bought this dress as a Halloween Costume one year, when a girlfriend and I dressed as Robert Palmer girls. The best (and easiest) costume to pull off I tell ya.

What sold me about this dress was the different textures of fabric used. The top is this shiny poly-blend with a sweet little twist to the neckline which leads to off the shoulder sleeves, and the skirt portion is a ribbed cotton.

There is beauty in simplicity. I tried sticking to a head-to-to black … keeping the hose and heels black too. But in the end, I needed more — and that’s when this red blazer just kicked it up a notch.This giant pearl necklace is my absolute favourite (Your Big Sister’s Closet) – it just adds the perfect punch of sophistication to this entire outfit.

Do you have a favourite Little Black Dress? Where’s it from and how to you style it? Tell me your tips and tricks by leaving a comment below.

How I Got The Look: LBD from Forever21+; Red blazer from Jessica, Sears; Glossy black pumps from Payless; Sheer hosiery from Dollarama; Necklace from Your Big Sister’s Closet; Gold earrings from Ardene

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A New Year, A New Start

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!!!

This month (January 6^th to be exact) Petite Plus, Meow! turns ONE YEAR old! I’m truly humbled by the positive response the blog has gotten so far. Thank you.

My very first outfit post, entitled: Peplum, Pencil Skirt and Pink Pumps really shows how green I was to the world of fashion blogging – complete with uncreative title, with no clue what I was really doing in terms of key words/tagging – simply publishing content with no one to read it, basically. Somewhere over the 170 blogpost write-ups of last year (yup…that’s how many there were), I think my personality, charm, wit and modesty 😉 began to come across – or at least I hope it has.

As much as I love fashion – I’ve never felt like an authority on anything fashion related. This Fashion & Lifestyle blog started as a fun outlet – and continues to be a place to capture all those things I’m passionate about, new things I discover and try, thoughts and general musing that take place in my life, with the occasional quote/comic that inspire and amuse me …. shared with readers in hopes that you’ll enjoy them too.

Two years ago, the world as I knew it was turned upside down, and I got an opportunity to reassess and really focus on me again. I began investing in higher quality fashionable pieces of clothing, shoes and accessories – decorating my outside in an effort to uplift my inside. The more ‘grey’ I felt, the more dressed up I would get, sticking to that old adage of ‘fake it ‘til I make it’…if I LOOKED happy and put-together then I’d eventually FEEL that way too. And it totally worked!

The last year of blogging has definitely helped boost my own self-image, self-love, body acceptance and self-confidence. And for that, I am forever grateful. As much as I loved my life last year – I often find myself asking “There’s gotta be more to life than THIS?”

I’m not really one for New Year Resolutions… but this year, my focus is simple: Getting and Staying Happy! 🙂

In an effort to figure out exactly how to get started with this lofty goal I applied the STOP-START-CONTINUE approach to behavioural change. It is also often used in feedback surveys in Adult Instruction (i.e., my day job). In business management before the new year begins management will often ask these three questions:

1. What can we STOP that is not producing the desired outcome?

2. What can we START doing to produce the results that we are looking for?

3. What are we doing that we should CONTINUE doing that is working/producing the desired results?

This same business principle can be applied to our own life in making this year the best year possible. In order for this to really be effective, we do need to set goals and monitor the progress so we can make corrections as they are needed, but this is a good start to turning an idea into action. Better than a New Year Resolution I think 🙂

OK. Now that I’ve explained the concept, let me apply it … and by capturing it on the blog it will keep me accountable to monitor the progress of each item – win:win.

2015 will be the year I will STOP:

Making excuses for people. When people show you their true colours – believe them, the first time. This applies to everyone – friends – old and new, love interests, family members, co-workers and networking contacts. “Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who love you no matter what.”
Being overly critical of myself and of others, when it comes to my career-expectations. I need to adjust my expectations – personal fulfilment and satisfaction isn’t solely achieved in or by one’s work-life. And that’s ok.

2015 will be the year I will START:

Shopping Less and Travelling More – with or without a travel mate. Which means I gotta learn to drive. Drivers and pedestrians of Toronto streets, you’ve been warned. Dun dun dunnnn…
Turning off Netflix to read more. Perhaps we can start a virtual book club on PPMeow! Thoughts?
Cooking more using recipes I’ve never tried before. And sharing my culinary accomplishments and fails on the blog.

2015 will be the year I will CONTINUE:

Blogging and Instagram’ing regularly about What I Wore AND What I Did. Outfits of the Day, shopping sprees, fashion collaborations and new collection launches, as well as reviews of the various products I try, events I attend and other lifestyle activities I participate in …especially if for the first time.
Surrounding myself with positive, interesting, enthusiastic, fun people. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. When it comes to relationships, we are greatly influenced — whether we like it or not — by those closest to us. It affects our way of thinking, our self-esteem, and our decisions. Positivity begets positivity. Negativity….ain’t nobody got time for that.

TA-DAH!!! There you have it. My Action Plan for 2015. Are these things above gonna make me get and keep me happy? Who knows. But it’s a good start for the New Year ahead for PPMeow! 🙂

Hoping this first week of 2015 is starting of right for each of you….and that you’ll continue to follow me & the blog on our adventures all year long.

What do you have planned to tackle and accomplish this year? Taking a look at things in your own life – what can you do to make this year better than last year? Would you try using this STOP-START-CONTINUE approach to help you do just that? Tell me about it in the comment section.