Make ’em Swoon

Whether you need a special dress for a cocktail function, be a fabulous guest at a wedding or just want that va-va-voom dress for a special night,  Kiyonna will have a dress for you.

This purple Valentina Dress is kinda perfect for making that special someone swoon on Valentines Day.  It comes black, white, mauve, navy and burgundy (which I have also) 🙂

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Photo Credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography

No matter your shape, the contrasting side lace panels will give you a knockout hourglass silhouette.  The silky stretch fabric on the front of the dress elegantly flatters your curves while the ruching in the mid-section masks any tummy troubles.

It’s a fantastic dress!

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Kyionna has so many lovely black lace dress options that make every body type look and feel sensational!

Rebecca and I are both wearing dresses from Kiyonna — This line seems to have a ton of lace offerings to the plus population…and their sizing is nearly perfect for those in the petite category when it comes to arm & shoulder lengths too!

For other posts I’ve done on Kiyonna, click here, here and here.

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Kiyonna dresses that will make ’em swoon for Valentines Day

Want to save 20% off on Kiyonna order – click here friends!!!! 🙂  

Do you own any pieces from Kiyonna?  Which ones caught your eye?  Tell me about them in the comment section below.

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How I Got The Look: Dress from Kiyonna; Shoes from Torrid (click here & here to see them in other looks)

Photo credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography

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Shout-outs from Kiyonna

Ooooooo!!!

 Just discovered that Kiyonna Clothing gave me shout-outs on their Facebook page and their “Real Curves” Pintrest page of me in their Valentina Illusion dress!!! ❤

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If you missed my original blog post about this dress, not to fear….just click here 🙂

 

And if you wanna buy this dress for your very own, or anything else from this lovely line….with a special PPMeow! 20% off….click here 🙂

 

For other blog posts I’ve done on Kiyonna Clothing check these out:

FRUGALISTAS UNITE: KIYONNA SALE!

and

KIYONNA’S BLACK LACE

and

#MYVEGAS STYLE

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Photo credit: Rebecca Northcott, Rebecca Northcott Photography

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How to Wear Sequins & Shine

Sequins was a big trend this winter….and it seems to be carrying into spring.  But knowing HOW to wear sequins is a bit tricky.  So I thought I’d dedicate this post to just that!

I personally own 5 sequins/shiny items:

  • Copper/silver  chain purse (Aldo)

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  • Black pumps (Guess)

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  • Copper/Gold tank-top (INC, Hudson Bay Co.)

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  • Gold sequins mini-dress (Sears)

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  •  Blue & black headband/fascinator (Ardene)

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Here are a few general tips for incorporating sequins into your wardrobe:

  1. Mixing sequins with simpler articles of clothing that do not have embellishments will almost always look good. You can dress up something old or something plain without fear of going overboard. For a super casual downtown vibe, I’ve donned my sequins tank layered with long cardi or flannel button-down, black jeans, and a beanie.
  2. If you’re a little wary about wearing sequins on your clothes, you can still work this style out through your accessories!  You might choose a pin, a headband, a purse, shoes, or a piece of jewelry – sequins are great for accent pieces.  As you can see … I started that way with a purse, headband and shoes…easing myself into the sequins scene. 🙂
  3.  You don’t have to stick to standard black or even silver. Sequins come in every color of the rainbow, after all, different colored sequins can create a dazzling effect.  There’s no reason not to experiment with different colors.
  4. However, let me repeat: do not try every colour all at one!   A multicolored sequined extravaganza might be great for a costume and is common with Bollywood looks….., buuuuuut keep it down to one or  two.   Otherwise you’re going to look a little like a disco ball threw up on you, and possibly blind someone.

So waddya think?  Were my general tips above helpful?

Would YOU incorporate a bit of sequins into your wardrobe and outfits?

Rebecca Northcott, of Rebecca Northcott Photography took a few fab shots of me in this gold sequins dress – insisting that this glittery frock be brought out and worn more often.  I wholeheartedly agree!  I’ve only worn this ONCE for a company Holiday Party (more than a year ago).  But by pairing it something more casual, like these tall knee-high/thigh-high black leather boots (from AdditionElle), gives the dress more wearability for a fun night out and about rather than just limited to a Holiday/New Years/one-time only events.  What do you think?   DSC_5404DSC_5386 DSC_5387 DSC_5389 DSC_5398  DSC_5407

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Spring Photo Shoot with Rebecca Northcott

What do you immediately do when a camera is pointed at you and you hear, “Say cheese!”?  Do you know which side is your “good side”? Do you know what angle and what light really makes you look your best in photos?

I’ve generally got one standard photo stance: look straight ahead at the camera, smiling ear-to-ear with an involuntary head tilt.  Not at all model-esk.

Rebecca Northcott is a photography who has recently moved from Leeds, England to put down roots in Toronto, Canada with her hubs.  Yup …she’s a newly wed! 🙂  She’s already done a few outfit photoshoots on my blog here, here , here and here.  (More to come in the future too I’m hoping, xo Bexx). Since I began blogging a mere four months ago…I’ve realized how difficult it is to pose for that perfect shot!  I’ve been fortunate to have Rebecca’s professional eye – a much welcomed change from those photos taken with my shaky hand and iPhone.

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Rebecca has been developing her craft since she was 17, she’s had her work published in magazines and has worked for a range of clientelle over the years. Her recent move to Canada has been a blessing and also a challenge going from a huge client base in UK to rebuilding from scratch here.  Rebecca’s photography style is classy natural lighting with up close portraits. They are her favourite.   Her self-proclaimed OCD about having perfect sharp images is a standard she has set for herself, one which gives her a buzz and excitement as nothing else does.

She shared with me that she still get nervous before every shoot,  because she knows how important it is to the client she’s working with.  Having worked with her several times, I can confidently say that she will produce something wonderful each time – it has always been a pleasure and a fantastic experience working with her!

In an effort to continue to keep her portfolio current, she asked me and a few others bloggers to model some of the lovely Spring Arrivals of Your Big Sister’s Closet so she could snap some editorial type pictures .  How do you say no to a request like that? 😉

So last weekend we, Alex of Not Afraid to Wear Heels, Hanna of Classically Curvy, Karen of Curvy Canadian and moi, PetitePlus, Meow! arrived at the store to get styled in fresh spring fashions with light pastel-makeup faces and headed to High Park for the photoshoot.  Weather forecasted a +7 degree day … but I was still armed with nude hosiery and a shawl…mama didn’t raise no foo!

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The above summary shot links to Rebecca’s Photography page on Facebook, where you’re able to read all about the collaboration and a bit more about each of the outfits worn in each shot.  Between the multiple bloggers who were involved in this shoot,  I thought I would dedicate this post to the artist, Rebecca Northcott, and the art of photography.

I recently stumped upon this article called “The Truth About Photography and Brown Skin”. Writer and photographer Syreeta McFadden eloquently breaks down the problem: Photography has an “inherited bias” against dark skin. McFadden explains that when it came to the invention of color film — developed to be used by the public and taken to a lab — “the technician worked off a reference card [aka Shirley Cards] with a perfectly balanced portrait of a pale-skinned woman.”   This is how modern photography was calibrated: Using a white woman. Which means, as McFadden points out, “film stock’s failures to capture dark skin aren’t a technical issue, they’re a choice.”

Looking at my fellow models from the above “Is It Spring Yet?” photoshoot – I can only imagine that editing MY photos must have taken a lot more time and careful adjusting before they were ready to be shared with the masses.  Take a look at the end results of my photos with the talented photographic eye of Rebecca Northcott below:

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Rebecca Northcott Photography‘s future goal is to get her own studio space and possibly photograph a celebrity or two (here’s hoping!), while continuing to provide her services and create collaborations on personal projects to those in the community who cannot afford professional portraits.

If you want to get in touch with Rebecca, lifestyle photographer specializing in Weddings and Portraits for families in Toronto, Ontario (GTA), use the various links baked into the above post ….as her website is getting a facelift at the moment 🙂

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