The Look for Less... Revisiting People Stylewatch July Edition

For a while now I have been wanting to start a "Look for Less" on my blog. I want to take the magazine trends, and find bargains for us stylish big girls. As I was browsing the "People Stylewatch" July edition, I fell in love with the dress in the Plus Size Blogger picks by Ashley Falcon. The dress, priced at $119, really is not that bad of a deal for an investment piece. It is shaped in such a manner that many body types can wear it well. The thing that stuck out to me about Ashley's picks were the accessories- the prices were all through the roof. If you are on a budget, like me, then paying $295 for a pair of shoes really is not going to work for you. You don't have to sacrifice style for price though. I found some nice alternatives for the accessories. I even changed found several similar style shoes in different heel types (wedge etc). Not all of us can wear those high high heels that we love so much.



Here's what ashley picked!


And here are the options I chose:



My favorite of the shoes above are the ones from ASOS. I love those, but I would have style the accessories a little differently.

Here is how I would have style it:

I like adding in the black with the nude. To me it is a little more edgy. So what would you do? How would you style this gorgeous dress?

Thrift Stores or Consignment Shoppes around Atlanta?

The trouble with losing a lot of weight is that your clothes just don't sit you right anymore. You don't want to spend a lot of money until you finish losing weight, so you walk around looking like a bum in baggy clothes until you can find some cute cheap ones that fit. This is where I am having trouble. All the thrift stores around where I live, well, they suck.

My friends and I are going thrift and IKEA shopping in and around Atlanta in a few weeks, and I was wondering if any of my find followers might know some good thrift stores or consignment shoppes that have cute but cheap duds for the plus size gal. Any ideas, ladies? Help me out! :)

My Journey to Weight Loss with Weight Watchers..

About two months ago, I started Weight Watchers. I was to the point where I wanted to do several things: feel better, get pressure off my joints, and have my clothing fit better. I was almost a size 30/32, and a size 28 on bottom. I had topped out at my highest weight ever- 338 pounds. The first week on Weight Watchers, I lost 7 pounds. I quit drinking regular sodas and started drinking water and one diet soda a day. I have just finished my second month in Weight Watchers and I have lost 28 pounds! I have just done this by eiting my food, and eating snacks during the day with healthier meal options. Given all my health problems, I don't exercise a lot. I am going to try to change that. I found out last week that if my doctor writes me a "prescription" that I can use my flex card at the gym for the payments. As soon as I get all my gear together, I intend to start at Bradley Wellness Center here in Dalton. They have a pool, steam room, workout area, classes, and indoor walking area. I get a discount from work. My first goal was 25 pounds, which I met, and my next goal is 40 (total) pounds. My long-term goal is to be either a size 18 or 16, depending on how I feel once I make it to an 18, which I fully intend to do. I have not been a size 18 since Junior High! Anyway, I just want to say that if I can do this, then anyone can! I don't mind being plus sized. The only thing that really bothered me a lot was my chin(s). I don't dislike myself, but I really want to feel better. I already do. And admittedly, I want to look like a curvy goddess. :) Wish me luck!!!

This was before I started the diet. Look at that chin! lol

No One My Size to Trade Clothes With...

You know, I see so many of you exchanging clothes, and I find it such a shame that I have no one to exchange clothing with. I am on the larger side of BBW. I'm a 26/28.

The other women that I know who live near me, the ones who are my size, well, let's just say they don't take care of themselves. A lot of women around here think a tshirt and some stretch pants is a dressy outfit round these here parts lol.

Oh, to have someone to be able to exchange clothing with......

An Actual Outfit Post!!!!!

Well Im FINALLY getting to my outfit post. THis is from a few weekends ago. My college roomies visited me. We had a great time. My friend Elizabeth curled my hair for me :) It's not a great post but it's a start. Im hoping that once I get a place closer to work I will have daily posts, or at least 3 or 4 a week.

So without further tishtosh. Here I am!



And here's the breakdown: dress: $9 Target 2010
Ruffle Belt: Torrid $24 2010
Cardigan: TJMaxx $15 Jan 2011 (Bday Money)
Booties: Evans UK: Jan 2011 (gift)
Vintage Watch bracelet and necklace: Self made from vintage watches and a vintage necklace. (sorry there isnt a better pic of the necklace but here's the bracelet)

Getting my Butt Kicked!

Well ladies, I am getting my butt kicked! No I am not being abused physically.. I started my new job last Monday and it is kicking me around pretty good! It's not the job itself that it doing me in, but the fact that I get up at 5am then have an hour commute there and an hour commute home.

Also, for 11 years I work 7pm til 7am, now I am working 8am til 5pm.. I am allllll out of whack.. The only good thing is that I get to dress up! The job itself is not that bad, other than it's being A LOT of knowledge to process. I kind of like it, and everyone is soooo nice!

But the sleep thing is not the only thing getting me down. I am now SICK, for the first time in 2 years. The lady who sits beside me in training has the flu and she has infected me and the girl who sits on the other side of me. I dont have insurance yet, not for 60 days, so I cant really go to the doctor. Also, my college roommates are visiting me this weekend for the first time since 1997!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I will be SICK!!!!!!! I bought some TheraFLu to take tonight. Let's hope that kicks it out before the weekend.

I havent been able to catch up on reading my blogs either, much less posting, so once I get used to everything and my life slows down a bit I will post some outfits. :) I have bit taking a few pics, just ones with my cell phone, but still it's a start.

Shapestylist at igigi.com (and I got a deal today!)

I have been over to http://www.igigi.com MANY MANY times. I've longed and pined over their beautiful clothing but never really been able to buy anything. I'm a bargain shopper and, even though I'm told they have great quality, I havent been able to make myself pay a bit more for their items. Wellll, I was over at Fatshion Chic Blog tonight and I found that igigi has a ShapeStylist calculator on their site! You answer questions about your body and it determines your shape and what kind of fashions your shape should wear.

For years I have always thought that I was an inverted triangle shape because I am so much bigger up top than on the bottom. I was wrong! Because I have no defined waistline combined with my top-heaviness, I am a Diamond shape!! Isn't this just the coolest thing? You can go on over to igigi.com and check out the ShapeStylist for yourself here: ShapeStyler Calculator at igigi by Yuliya Raquel

Here's what it had to say about the DIAMOND shape!

What to Wear:
•Cowl, scoop, v-neck, and styles exposing the neck
•Sleeves 3/4, 5/8 and bracelet-length
•Details designed to draw the attention to your shoulders and face – earrings, necklaces etc
•Monochromatic looks. Un-tucked tops. Flat-front pants
•Princess seams, dropped waist, blouson styled tops
•'Peak' empire waist. High slits. Straight, tiered, tulip and trumpet skirts

What not to Wear:
•Turtlenecks or styles that cover-up neckline
•Designs with horizontal stripes, heavy pleating, ruffles, or extra details at the midsection
•Super-clingy and very fitted styles. Full-length sleeves
•Pants with front pleats. Wide leg and baggy styles


About the Diamond shape:
You have a fabulous frame! Your face, neck, and bust are proportionate to each other and your balanced thighs, shapely legs, and amazing arms accent your voluptuous assets. The greatest concern you have is your midsection and the challenges you face are extra weight around the mid-section area, which sometimes include the "love handles". Often, this means you don't have a defined waistline. Another challenge is finding a balance between your broad hips and generous thighs while enhancing the flatness of your bottom and elongating your slender lower legs.
And with all the amazing styles available to complement your figure, you'll be happy to be called the diamond of all shapes!


Go on over to igigi and check out their stuff and their calculator!


Anyhoo, today I went to the Lane Bryant Outlet here in town. I was just looking for a bargain, hoping to find some tops to go with my brown pants. They had an extra 50% off their clearance. I didnt find any brown tops but I DID find something curious.. I found a Turquoise Loop 18 (Junior Plus) cropped cardigan for $9.99. With the 50% off it was only $5.00! It was really nice. Looking at the Loop 18 things online they look, well, a bit cheap In My Opinion. But this cardi in person didnt look cheap and was very roomy for a Junior item. The sales lady said that they got it in from another store, they didnt have anymore in stock. It was a size 25/27 and, as I said, is very roomy indeed. I think $5.00 for a bit of color in my wardrobe is well worth it!

Kathy Ireland by Murval City Chic Quilted Faux Leather Evening Bag.. a Review

I was contacted by CSN stores to do a review.. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. I chose the Kathy Ireland by Murval City Chic Quilted Evening Bag in black from http://www.csnstores.com . CSN was a pleasure to shop at. The order was sent quickly and I received it just as quickly. I like that. I am an instant gratification kind of person, and this store definitely delivered for me.

Here's my Review:

PROS:

The bag is just about perfect.. It's pretty to look at and very soft. It feels like lambskin leather even though it is faux. It's a decent size for an evening bag also, large enough for essentials and small enough not to be in the way.. It looks very well-made and is a great price!

CONS:

My one gripe is that the straps, being chain, are very heavy. I think this is because it's a double chain, not just a single one. I think that if it were a single chain it would have been perfect.. :)

CSN has many different types of stores. It's a one-stop-shop kind of place with a lot to choose from. I would recommend it highly, especially given the decent prices and super fast shipping!

Another Awesome Giveaway at Big Beautyful Mess!

Hey ladies! Go on over to Big Beautyful Mess's blog and check out her latest giveaway from Size Appeal!! BBM Always has the BEST giveaways! PLUS she has great style and a wonderful blog to boot! Check out the giveaway and show her some love while you're there!

You can find the giveaway here:

Size Appeal Giveaway at Big Beautyful Mess!~

Torrid.. Made out like a Bandit!

Wow Torrid has some great buys, including $4.99, 9.99 and 14.99 Hot Buys.. They still have a lot of sizes left too! I just made my order, and I made out like a bandit!I got 3 things for $14.41 TOTAL including shipping, because I still had my $10.00 off birthday code! :) I got these items...

Red Ruffle-front Zip Tank (4.99)


And

Black Stretch Mirror Belt. I love how this mimics a bow :) and I love mirrors (I have a collection).. Who doesnt love shiny? hehe (8.49)

And last but not least..

a I (heart) my Big Tatas magnet for my car! :) Gotta Love it! (1.99)

Take off my ten dollar coupon code and WOW, what a deal. YAY!

Soon, my dear followers :)

Soon I will be starting my new job. The class starts on or around Feb. 28th.. I'm excited!!! Since November, Ive been volunteering and training at a chiropractor here in town. I worked the office and decorated his new office when he moved. I am making this my last week there and next week I will take the time for myself before the new job. I need to get my closet organized! Well... as well as I possibly can.

Some of you know that back during the summer there was an "incident". The roof leaking, combined with A/C and Water pipes in mall hall closets that my landlord failed to tell me about caused me to lose two closets full of clothing, bedding, and my suitcase to mold. My landlord didnt fix my leak for two months after I told him about it. Also, the closets are still full of mold, which he has yet to even attempt to fix. most of my coats were in there, my wool peacoat, wool houdstooth coat, and my collection of about 25 jackets. All in all I probably lost about $3000 worth of stuff to the mold.

Anyhoo, now I have but one closet to use.. a SMALL closet.. I live in an older house and the closets were smaller then. with the proceeds of a summer yard sale, I bought an antique wardrobe so it's like a small closet too. But that's all I have. That's not NEAR enough space.. So the organizing is going to be...uh.. interesting to say the least.

I'm hoping to get it all organized, get jewelry projects finished, AND get pics on my blog :) let's all cross our fingers shall we? :)

Opinions: Do you wear your boots and tights in summer?

Since I am starting my very first actual job where I get to dress up, I was wondering what your opinions are on wearing boots (ankle boots/booties) and tights in the summer.. I am really getting into dresses right now, and Id LIKE to wear my booties but I don't want to look.. well... like a dork.. lol.

Also, I don't feel "right" without tights or hosiery under my dresses. Do you ladies still wear them in summer? My legs are sooooooooooooooooooooooo white! And I also have a tattoo that I'd like to lessen the appearance of.. But again, I don't want to look silly or die from a heat stroke. Are there certain types of hosiery that are better for summer months?

AND a question.. maybe another silly one. What in the world do you wear under dresses these days? Back in the day when I went to church every Sunday we wore those frumpy slips. Now bear in mind, I still down one.. But I'd rather be chic not frumpy.

I will love you ladies forever if you could give me advice! :)

Doing the Boogie Dance..

I got a job!!!! More importantly, I got a good paying job! lol It's with the company I worked for for almost 11 years, only this time it's in an office setting. I am so excited. I get to dress up for work! In my Security position I had to wear a uniform I hated. I am beyond excited!

I got a call about a job!!!

Woohoo, I finally got a positive call about a job! I interviewed for this job almost two weeks ago. It's a Medical Unit Clerk in a mental health facility. Anyway, the lady handling the account called today and said that the job is on hold for a few weeks (for some hours and duties changing) BUT that he wants to bring me in for it once that is done :) YAY YAY YAY! I am so excited.

I DO have another interview tomorrow with the company that I worked for 10.5 years (it's my 3rd interview), but I never know how they will go. They are unpredictable. But they pay awesome! If I got hired for that one too I'd have a hard decision.. Take the lesser paying job at a new company OR the higher paying job at a company that I know can be.. difficult, for lack of a better word.

Either way, after the HORRIBLE few days I've had in my personal life, this is good news either way!

Lost in a tide of Mayhem and Foolishness..

I havent disappeared. Ive been lost in a tide of mayhem and foolishness..

Mayhem: Multiple job interviews, volunteering at a chiropractor, decorating said chiropractor's new office, applying for more jobs, and NOW I think I'm getting the flu.

Foolishness: My arm has popped out of place off and on since Last week (lucky I volunteer at a chiropractor and he pops me for free, but if you've never had your shoulder and clavicle popped back in its soooooooooo painful. And since ive had to have it put back multiple times, it's soooooooo sore), my hip popped out last week (again with the lucky), and I'm missing two orders from Evans with no replies to my emails.

Some of you know, I've been Unemployed since June. Before that I was with the same company, Mohawk, for 10.5 years. I tried to get into another department but they didnt take me, so I was laid off. WELL, last week I got a call from them wanting me to come and interview for that department again. I interviewed today and I have to take an assessment on Friday. I hope I get it. I've not always had good experiences with the company but they pay GREAT.. And I need to feed my shopping habit. So keep your fingers crossed.

I also interviewed for another position with a different company last week. I havent heard anything yet but I am still hopeful. I don't like not working-Not just because of the money issues but because of the boredom.. I need to get a job fast.

Anyway, has anyone else ever had trouble with Evans UK? I used some of my Christmas money and bought several things from them. They were sent on Dec31st and Jan 1st... But I have not received them. I have emailed their customer service 3 times with no responses.. I know it takes a long time to get packages internationally but I didnt think it would take this long. Also, when I go to my tracking numbers it says they are both not found.. Any ideas?

Anyway, I found my camera cord AND my other camera so hopefully after all the mayhem and foolishness is done I can start posting outfits :) YAY..

A B&Lu Giveaway at Big Beautyful Mess

Hey evryone. I just wanted to post and let you know that there's a giveaway going on over at Big Beautyful Mess! She is giving away a $75.00 Gift Card to B&Lu.. Also, she has a GREAT blog. It's one of my favorite fashion blogs for BBW.. Go on over and friend her and check out the giveaway.. I promise, once you find her blog you will love it!

Here's the link to her giveaway!

$75 B&Lu Gift Card

Torrid's Basic Black Leggings: A Review

Last weekend was my birthday :) And because of that I got an awesome $10 off (of a $10 purchase) coupon from Torrid. My friends Kay, Autumn, and I were going to Torrid on Monday.. well, we were going to the mall, I was going to Torrid lol.. Anyhoo, I forgot my coupon. Nice huh? The good thing was that the lovely sales lady let me pull up the email on my phone and show her the code :) Happy face reinstated!

They had 50% off on clearance but, well, they had bunkus really. Not in my size anyway. I'm a firm size 4 at Torrid.. or a 26.. I searched the store for something I wanted, and it seemed that everything I wanted was not in my size.. I finally found a pair of basic black leggings. I had wanted a pair, but I was unsure about how they would look on me..

I ended up getting these basic black Torrid leggings and I LOVE them.. Seriously.. I HEART them!!!! With my coupon I scored them for $10 and they were worth every penny! They are so soft and comfortable and, even though I thought they might make me look un-even, they looked great! I am very top heavy.. Not just through the chest but the shoulders and "love handles" area too.. I have very little butt and hips.. But I still looked good in the leggings. I would LOVE to have a pair of these with ruched ankles :)

They were knit leggings, but the knit was not so thin that I got cold. It was in the 40's here and I stayed warm. The only Con I found in these leggings were that the ankles were a bit big on me, BUT I have smaller ankles. Otherwise, I loved them and I would highly recommend them to anyone who will listen :)

50% Off Highest Priced Item at the Avenue!

Hey ladies! I just scored a 50% off coupon code for The Avenue and I thought I would pass it along to you! It's good until June 30th, 2011, according to the website.. I know it works because I just used it. I scored these Cloudwalkers Pam Cuffed Booties for $7.50 plus shipping!!! It was a grand total of $13.48, and the money was a gift from my mother for my birthday.. What a deal, and they have great reviews.

So here's the code: JLE4473

Just enter it into the Promotional Code slot before you checkout!

Happy Shopping! :)

O' Camera Cord, Where Art Thou?

I finally broke out my camera.. I took pictures for my FIRST outfit post.. I came home and went to plug the camera into the computer... and........ no cord. I searched my laptop case.. no cord.. I search where I keep software.. no cord.. I searched everywhere I could think it might be.. no cord..

Now if I had an SD card this wouldnt be bad right? Wellllll... The card is in my other camera.. the other camera that I cannot locate.. *sigh* Looks like it's going to be a while before I start posting outfits. Guess I will have to get creative on this blog..

I'm sorry! :(

I Just Discovered a New Online Store with Plus Sizes

It's amazing what you can find on facebook, isnt it? There was a link today on the side of my facebook page to a store called Ruche, and they sell vintage-inspired pieces. They have a curvy section that goes up to a 3x, and they have some VERY cute, romantic-looking things there. I especially love this top:



I would suggest you go on over to Ruche and check it out. They even have home stuff.. And if any of you have ordered or DO order from them, please let me know. I'd love to see how the things fit and to hear about the quality..

Enjoy your weekend, and remember that NO WEEKEND is complete without shopping lol..