Hello Lovelies!


Went shopping with the BFF yesterday and found a few terrific sales pieces (i.e. the Ralph Lauren denim skirt I've been stalking since spring) and a few things that really made me ask..."Which fat girl was measured for THIS?".

 
I'll talk about my shopping bonanza in an upcoming post but for now...
 

ITEM #1:

Can someone PUH-LEASE tell me what this is about?

 

WHAT IS THIS in a size 3X??? Is it just me that feels something's dreadfully wrong with tight sleeves and empty pastry bag shoulders? How is this even constructively possible?

I mean COME ON! Who are these people fitting? We all know that 99% of the time, cheaper seams/brands/materials = bigger size than normal. I'm fine with that, I don't have size sticker shock or anything. I never hesitate to grab a 3x for those brands I know full well are going to be one wear and done (I'm a 1x/2x or 20/22 in "quality merchandise" depending on the designer).

SMDH!

On to the next one...

 ITEM #2:

 
I LOVE sales.  Who doesn't?  I love buying black dresses on sale.  Again, who doesn't?
I'll tell ya what I don't like...unnecessary accessories designed to enhance the the garment but are mysteriously inappropriate for said garment...

 

(I apologize for the lack of clarity in this picture but it was 1050 degrees Fahrenheit in the plus size dressing room...nevermind that the BFF and I were tee heeing every 5 seconds)

 

This my friends, is a size 20 dress.  HOWEVER...they must have made it and mixed it up in the Misses section as well because you cannot tell me that belt is not a size 12.  How is it that on a plus size dress I have exactly 1.5 inches of decorative belt for my dress?  I have earrings longer than the amount of belt left over.

 HHHhhhhh!

Now this was a pretty cute dress.  Knit, well fitted, not clingy in the least, cute pleats...you get the picture.  I had no hope of fastening this belt and eating, sitting, walking, or breathing if purchased.  Please also answer this question...

 

In the broad scheme of things, why create such a tiny belt for the 4"inch high waistline of the dress?  It's a waist thong people!! What am I going to do with that?  I know, I know...I have 10,000 belts I could've used but I said no on straight principle.  Some of these designers need to THINK!

 

Side note:  I think I've found my dream jeans...

 

Michael Kors

Although this picture shows why you have to try things on for yourself, these jeans are PERFECT!  They reach PAST the Amazonian ankles of my 5'10" self and hug the curves (not squeeze like a denim boa constrictor).  I've gone all day without even wearing a belt!!  For those of you who don't understand:  Junk in the trunk + smaller waist= everyone seeing what Cacique from Lane Bryant really means.

 

Love them, they're on sale @ Macys. Will be buying another pair!

 

xoxo for now!

Amazon

Who said anything about a schedule?

Oh blog friends...

Why do I set these ever so lovely goals??  I even have a "sewing journal" to document plans and schedules.  What good is all this when I start 4 things at once and have the NERVE to cut out another 2 things behind them....smh @ myself.

I mean...do I really need this for fall/winter?

Hhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Someone direct me back towards the path of outerwear...

Falling into Fall (it can't be helped)...

Hello Daaaaahhhlllings...

So while I'm still sewing some summer stuff for fun, one of my favorite sales hit this week...the big three Super online sale!  I killed it....and when I say killed it....

I mean KILLED it!

Details (from top left):

Bodycon dress: HERE
Coat 1: HERE
Two-tone cape: HERE
Coat 2 (my FAVORITE!): HERE
Maxi dress: HERE
Tapered pant: HERE 
Fur vest and jacket: HERE

Wide leg pant: HERE

Now honesty being a bug in my big girl drawers...HOPEFULLY I can complete at least 4 of these items.  I'm more determined to set and stick to a schedule this go round (these pieces would be long lasting staples...fingers crossed).

Let's see who wins this battle. :)

xxxx
Amazon

Left the sunshine..gotta substitute...

Hola Everyone!

I've been back from vacation for a week and am still struggling to pep my step...ugh!  I WILL say I was bitten by the sewing bug yet again (thank God!  I was scared for my sewing machine's life).  At this point I'm just sewing up random things in whatever fabric I have handy before summer ends.  I'm beyond Frankenstein at this point; it's reached "fat girl on a rampage" level now.

Here's the first victim:

McCalls 6559

This pattern is breezy easy and more importantly NOT A SLEEVELESS MUUMUU!  I had some lovely double knit in daffodil that called for a figure gracing ensemble...well this was it! Unfortunately I didn't get a shot from the back but it's slightly racerback (my fav!).

 

 

I LOVE IT!

B-U-T...

I could've sworn I added 2 inches to the hem so that it was floor length...WRONG! I really wanted a no non-ankle showing look but I guess we'll try next time.  This has to be one of the most comfortable dresses I've ever made (subcounciously my body agrees because my stomach didn't even TRY to hide itself smh).  Anywhoo...Love it and expect to see at least 2 more before (crying inside) summer ends.


Details:

Dress: DIY--Mcall's 6559; double knit in "daffodil"
Shoes: imports from Grenada (now officially retired)
Belt: Ashley Stewart
Bag: Louis Vuitton
Jewelry: Bracelets: imports from Trinidad; Ring: Tiffany & Co.; Necklace: Ashley Stewart

More to come...

Fatkini time...Big Fat Summer Challenge finale.

Hola mi gente!

We'll chat details later on but here's my final post for the 2012 Big Fat Summer Challenge (coming all the way from Barbados at that--sorry it's the hotel room and not the pool or beach)..

This is a straight idea steal from Mizz Chastity Garner of "The Curvy Girl's Guide to style" (I'll post her link as soon as I get to a real computer--currently fumbling and finger cramping on an iPhone--no daggone time "smooth over some bumpy parts" haha).

Na-choo-rAL light (of the fluorescent variety)

xoxoxo

Cropping it before Crop Over...BFSC (the good and the ugly)

So I'm headed to the lovely Barbados in a few hours...wanted to get this post out while I have the chance.  :)

The lovely crop top (second to last thing on my Big Fat Summer Challenge list.  HHHHHHH!  THIS mess was a challenge.  Had to find something that covers 2 out of the 2 1/2 back/belly rolls, doesn't cling, looks nice and fits the purpose.

In steps our friend ASOS.   Following the example of a few of our fashionably curvy divas, I ventured into the world of straight sizes...

Someone rescue me!

Apparently both of my goddaughters are professional photobombers...Isn't she beautiful though?

I have to tell you...I loved this outfit.  I was sufficiently covered and comfy.  What do you think?

Let me share this with you though...

If plan to go to the movies with your beau and reach in for some sugar while on the concession line, make sure you put a pretty bra under that there crop top ok (thank you lady in the pretty gold dress for pointing out that I, Tiffany McGuire, flashed the right side of the room with black satin).

That's all.

Baby girl semi-posing + a shot of the full length of my skirt

I love this skirt but boy am I glad I hemmed the heck out of that polyester.  Bad enough it's hotter than a winter weight sharkskin suit, it also frays like all heck.

Top: Asos
Skirt: DIY
Bracelets: Misc (gifted and purchased)
Belt: Ashley Stewart

Crop top # 2...not so great...

I liked it in the mirror, got compliments on the outfit but in pictures there are a whole lot of reasons why this top is not for anyone over a 36 C...

Ahh well:  E for effort!

Top: ASOS
Skirt: DIY
Shoes: Steve Madden
Bracelets: Miscellaneous (gifted and purchased)
Handbag: Louis Vuitton
Belt: Onestopplus.com

One more to go!  Pray I finish this two-piece in time....

I'm a slacker...

Firstly, let me apologize for my complete slackness.  I'm leaving for Barbados on Tuesday and while I started around 7 items of clothing to create my ultimate island getaway look, the only thing that was actually made in completion is my debt to Macys....hmph!
 
Three more days until the end of the BIG FAT SUMMER CHALLENGE and I have 3 more items to check off my list...both pushed me out of my box but will probably get worn to DEF for the rest of the summer.  :)  Pictures and posts to follow soon (I promise! Amazon honor...)

For now...
Here's a little arts& crafts I have going on...the middle three were made by moi...  The two beaded ones were simple enough...tutorial for the boxed bracelet (I KNOW you remember that pattern from our youth...grown up lanyard playtime--Big girls use leather :)).

Tutorial HERE.

TWO OUTSIDE BRACELETS: ASHLEY STEWART & LANE BRYANT; THREE INSIDE BRACELETS DIY

xoxo
Amazon

Mrs. Roper attacks!

Hello All!

So striking my sewing list down one by one... up today Mcall's M6552.

Simple pattern but as you can see, I'm gonna have to do some adjusting (bustin' loose in the cleavage area).

In theory I loved this dress.  A few inches added and I actually had maxi a dress that reached my feet. :)  The fabric (while lovely) was not ideal for this pattern  The sleeves were super wonky so I just hacked them off.  Unfortunately with the accessories, it's a little Flinstone sexy sirenish...  I'm definitely going to remake it (if only for pride's sake) but using something a little more...how do you say...less Mrs. Roper and more 70's show love child. :)

Quickie...Big Fat Summer Challenge--Hi-Lo

Hola Mi Gente!

Just a quick hello and pic post.  If I had extra alien hands and feet I couldn't begin to count the amount of sewing projects on my sewing table, chair, machine, bucket, dress form (you get the idea).  Short story long, I'm going to overwhelm the world with posts in the coming weeks but for now...


Hi-Lo (sorta)...

Top: Old Ashley Stewart; Jeans: Seven (deconstructed by me!); Sandals: Gifted from Mi madra--origins Grenada; Sunnies: Not really...Semi Prescription...LOVED the frames

I've had this top for AGES!  Thank goodness too.  I was stumbling on the Hi-lo portion of our challenge (not normally my favorite style).  These were a wonderful pair of Seven jeans that I deconstructed and destroyed about 5 years ago.  My rump got too plump for them but I hate throwing away my work (bad habit).  Good thing I kept them.  5 years and 30 lbs. less later...BAM!  Bleach high and sandpapering off my fingerprints was almost worth it...

ALMOST...

Gotta do something about that wonky hem.  Ignore my "swolled" toes :)

Adios for now! :)

Short Shorts...the devil they are---Big Fat Summer Challenge ctd...

This past weekend I ventured into unknown territory y'all.  Sights, feelings and sounds unknown....the world of the ROMPER  (BIG TIME shiver...someone queue the scary music).

Now I'm not a fan of the romper by nature of the name alone.  My big behind doesn't romp (at least not in the category of fashion he he).  I prefer the more adult (yet still youthfully named) playsuit...hold all comments please. :)

The mother figure loves to pin the boobage area...Me?  Not so much! :)

LOVED this color and style! BOO to my hungry thighs eating the inner fabric (WTH)!

  

It's so funny...I'm never afraid of showing my two fat knees in a skirt but tell me I have to wear shorts and you may as well tell me granny square sweaters and my old catholic school midcalf skirt are the vogue (let us say "not a chance in you know where" together).

Ah well!  For the sake of my beloved Big Fat Summer Challenge I have made the effort (and I think conquered my fear enough to have fallen slightly in love).

Playsuit: ASOS; Belt: Onestopplus.com; Clutch: Vintage Gucci; Sandals: Gifted from Israel; Bracelets: Gifted and Purchased from/in Trinidad; Watch: Emperio Armani

p.s. That's my oldest munchkin godchild sneaking in the picture lolol. LOVE IT!

Big Fat summer challenge---knocking them down... Wear something strapless and Maxi skirt

Hola Mi Gente!

Two down on this fabulous challenge.  This was an easy one. :)  I've had this strapless top since around 2000! Isn't it lovely how old construction is still relevant and durable?  The skirt is my own DIY(aka...took a mass of fabric, sewed up on one side, hemmed, added elastic and VOILA!).

Top: Lane Bryant (when they still had the old blue label); Skirt: DIY (Batiste fabric); Bracelet: Tiffany & Co, Gifts from Trinidad, Watch: Armani Exchange, Rings: Tiffany & Co and Macy's

Simple...I love it. :)

http://www.jasiferlionsclub.com/2012/06/big-fat-summer-challenge.html

Hot floral mess...

Last week, I took it upon myself to make a dress in one evening...

Who the HECK knocked me in the head with the stupid stick???

Dress: DIY; Belt: Onestopplus.com; Shoes: Steve Madden via Nordstrom Rack; Bracelets DIY (beaded) & Lane Bryant (big bangle)

Don't get me wrong...I love the fabric (stretch cotton) and technically I like the design (although it's not my usual style) but ONE NIGHT for a dress soup to nuts (AKA...nothing was cut or prepped beforehand) is CRAZY!!  You can tell what part got done at 2:30a...

All kind of fit issues...this is why I've been pacing myself.  <le sigh>.  I basically used the bodice from my peplum top and free handed a skirt (rectangle of fabric gathered in to join with the bodice).

I figured out way too late what holding tightly to a stretch fabric while attaching binding can do to a neckline/armhole...wonk city...

The dress looks like it can stand up on its own. :(

BUT...

I do love the fabric.  Thankfully I have a bit left...maybe a slim-line skirt to make happy. :)

Isn't it pretty???  Looks like a psychedelic dream...:)

-Amazon

Gratuitous body con post--kind of Big Fat Summer Challengish

Love this dress from my newfound obsession RTW online store--ASOS (newfound for me at least :) ).

Just a quick and gratuitous post!

Dress: ASOS Curve; Belt: Ashley Stewart; Sandals: Payless; Necklace: Gifted from Mexico

 

<3 these glasses. :)

Side note:  I ordered a 22 for this dress because I normally go up a size in "bodicon" items.  Not much conning of the body going on here!  Thank goodness I actually enjoy the fit.  :)


p.s.  Did you know that dress tags indicate the back of a dress?  I thought I knew too...On this day, I was wrong. smh

Mellow in Yellow---Big Fat Summer Challenge

Loving this challenge...


As I previously said, most of the items on the Challenge list are things that I'd wear anyway so I've been challenging myself to reinvent the way I wear them...lots of fun but challenging at the same time.

Apparently yellow was my color du jour this week. :)  Almost had to wear my shades indoors...this crap was bright!

First up:

I've recently discovered ASOS Curve line for us blessedly curved women (2000 years after it debuted lol)...I was a little apprehensive at first (le online ordering of clothes is not usually a good look for me). 

BOY was I pleasantly surprised!

Don't you love how my sandals make my foot look like a cracked pumpernickel bread loaf?  HA!

This shirt was B-R-I-G-H-T! Whooo!  Loved it though.  Sheer yellow poly that came with a belt of the same fabric (hate those things...they're like dental floss for your love handles).  The front is a combo of a cowl/wrap top.  Very pretty in detail but for someone like me who only likes to wear a bra under her blouses you may or may not have a little peep show go on (no big deal...everyone needs a little spice in their life no?).

Top: Asos Curve; Jeans: Baby Phat; Belt: Ashley Stewart; Bag: Louis Vuitton; Bracelets: Lane Bryant/Ashley Stewart; Sandals: Gifted from my dear Mama's trip to Israel

Part II:

Made this skirt 2 years ago...(secret: it's actually a tube dress...my hate for strapless devices led me to convert it).  In an ode to my lovely locs and Mr. Marley...I decided to take a "casual" look for a spin (I am NOT  a t-shirt fan---for the 1000th time)---this is definitely not a combo I'd normally wear.

T-shirt: no clue; Skirt: DIY (no pattern, lots of yellow and some elastic); Sandals: gifted from Israel (dear Mamma loves me) Bracelets & rings: Tiffany & Co and gifted from Trinidad; Watch: Emperio Armani

Was going to smooth out my bakery rolls but eh...natural look and all that. :D

 

 

Lots of made by me stuff coming up! Stay tuned.  :)

BFSC aggaiinnn...Bodycon time (sort of)!

Hola mi gente!

Here's another quick post for the BFSC!  Bodycon...ooohhh.  I actually doubled up on this part twice this week (this was yesterday's dress--today's shall follow later). 

Yes, yes...you have seen this dress before BUT...

I think it's so much cuter now (and that's with me loving it before)...

I'm thinking about adjusting the bottom to make it a little more shapely/bodyconish but we'll see...

Dress: Ralph Lauren; Shoes: Steve Madden; Belt: Onestopplus.com; Bag: Burberry

I'm definitely going to have to make my own bodycon dress in the upcoming weeks.  Everything fits great until it gets to my thighs/knees then we have baggy central.

Stepping out the box..Big fat summer challenge time!

So we've discussed this...I'm not a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl.  AT ALL!  I'll do it if I have to (and laundry is backed up for weeks without a dress, skirt or blouse in sight). That's usually it. I thought I would conquer that look for the "wear something that you normally wouldn't wear" part of the BFS challenge but I decided to go another route...

The OVERSIZE shirt (sans belt). I normally dislike oversize anything without a belt as much as I dislike the t-shirt and jean combo but this shirt called to me (you know your clothes talk to you too).  I loved it! More importantly, I didn't even want to belt it (MONUMENTAL for me).

Top: Asos; Leggings: old; Sneakers: Reebok; Bag: BCBG Girls

This is my kind of t-shirt!  I poured myself into some liquid leggings, slapped on the uber bright Reeboks and was good to go!  Casual Amazon. :)

Amazonian issue #788: Why can't my leggings be an actual ankle length??? HHHHHHHHH!

Pattern review Vogue V8815...Floral Birthday party

No...it's definitely not my birthday but this floral fabric I have here definitely makes me feel like a Springtime Birthday party ad!

L-O-V-E-D this pattern.  I mean it was an absofrigginlute DREAM to sew (even WITH the bias binding---dreaded addition that it is).  Easy to read, easy to sew.  For the first time EVER in the history of my Amazon sewing days, I sewed this bad boy straight out the box (so you KNOW 3 more are getting made).  It's such a figure flatterer how can one go wrong???

 I twiddled with the lighting on this one a bit...gotta love pic monkey. :)

Again...love this top (but boy do I hate putting in zippers...meh). :)

Deets:

Top: Floral Cotton (floral ribbon print); black bias binding (single fold)
Jeans: Seven (believe it or not they're allegedly "full length jeans" hmph!)
Sandals:  Avenue Cloudwalker wedges
Hat: DIY (it's amazing how much I can get done on the train...)

Toodles!