I'm not fat, I'm fluffy!

Happy New Year!

Thanks to all my readers/followers, this year has been a great adventure blogging.  I look forward to 2010,  I have many ideas to better this blog, and sharing with all of you.  I have gained so much inspiration from reading other blogs and connecting with other bloggers via Twitter & Facebook.  Let's all keep it up and truly make 2010 a plus year!  Have a great New Year, be safe & don't forget its good to laugh at your self sometimes. Live, Love & Laugh! Those are my words to live by in 2010

I have to share this story with you, since we are talking about laughter.  Many years ago when my niece was about 7 or 8 yrs old, she said something so funny, but yet so touching to me.  All my family & I were at a 4th of July BBQ, it was a hot summer day in LA. All the kids were in the pool, being the fun lovable person, I jumped in with all the kids.  I normally don't like to go into the pool, because I am overweight and embarrassed to wear a bathing suit in front of lots of people. It was so hot, that I said screw it and jumped in and was having lots of fun splashing around with the kids. My niece came up to me & gave me the biggest hug, she said to me "Tia, I like hugging you, because you are FLUFFY!" I started laughing so hard that I started to cry, I thought it was the funniest, sweetest things she ever said to me.  It made me realized it was OK to be overweight, because my family & friend accepted me the way I am. My nieces & nephews all loved to hug & cuddle with me because I was fluffy. My niece just had just figured out a cute way to say it.  Since that day its been a joke between my niece and my family & I, we are not fat we are fluffy!

Today on the Internet I came across this t-shirt which reminded me of this story, I am totally going to buy it and rock it with pride!

T-Shirt found at the Fluffy Shop

Merry Christmas to all!

Thanks to all my followers, hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I look forward to blogging in 2010, have lots of new and fun things coming up.  

Look Out 2010 here comes ChunkyCurlz!

Sex and The City TOO!

I can't believe it, its almost here, Sex and The City 2. Don't know if your a big fan like I am, but my friends and I love SATC. We loved the show, loved the movie & now can't wait for part 2. All the drama, the fashion and the love, so here is a sneak peak of newly released trailer for Sex and The City 2. Enjoy!

http://www.sexandthecitymovie.com/

Christmas Traditions

Today I was inspired by my family and friends on Facebook. In case you haven't notice or already figured out that I am Hispanic, Latina (AKA Mexican-American), well I am and very proud. Most Mexican families have a tradition every Christmas of making tamales. As long as I can remember my mom, has been making tamales for Christmas, and she has been making them she was a child. It's a tradition that we love/hate in our family. Making tamales is a very tedious task, that takes a long time and many ingredients to make. Every one helps out in some way, and by the end of the day we are sick of making them. Until its time to eat, when the tamales are done we are all so happy and can't wait to eat them up. Hence why we have a love/hate for tamales, my mom makes so many we eat them for days. Usually by New Years we are getting tired of eating tamales. Despite all the hard work and time it takes making tamales, I would not give up that tradition for any reason. We joke every year in our family that we are not going to make tamales for Christmas, instead we will buy them or just make a turkey. It's just a joke, because my mom would not even consider the thought of not having home made tamales for Christmas. It just wouldn't be a Mexican-American Christmas with out our beloved tamales.
Having said that, I am getting ready to go make tamales at my mom's house this week, I am already dreading the long hours of work, yet so looking forward to Christmas eve dinner with my family. I need to learn all the secrets from my mom, so that I can continue the tradition of making tamales with my own children some day.
I found a little video on youtube to share with you, so you can get an idea of the process involved in making tamales. I am sure most of you have eaten tamales at some point, but do you have any idea what it takes to make them?

Enjoy! Feliz Navidad

Could it be...my 1st OOTD!

OK so when I started this blog, I said I didn't want to post pictures of just me & outfits.  This blog is not a "look at me & what I am wearing" type of blog.  My intentions were to blog about plus size fashion & shopping, to help other plus size women.  Reading other plus size fashion blogs, I see a lot of OOTD post. Honestly at fist I was like what the heck is OOTD? After some research I figured it out "Outfit of the Day" hence the OOTD post.  The OOTD post seem to be quite popular. I kinda think people like to see what others are wearing for inspiration and styling ideas.  I know when I see your OOTD post, I get ideas about putting certain outfits & how to mix up things that I would have not thought of. 

So today I said hey why not do a OOTD post. Today was my anniversary, its been 7 years since my boyfriend I first met, and we have been together ever since (insert ahh how cute). I was feeling extra happy and put together a cute outfit (at least I think so). We celebrated with  lunch, a little shopping and  coffee, just a simple casual day. So it seems like the perfect 1st OOTD post. Being its my first time doing this kinda of post, I'm not sure if there are rules or regulations. Since its my blog I'm just gonna do it my way, OK!

OK so hope you enjoy my 1st OOTD post, I am looking forward to your comments and thoughts about my outfit. I am not promising I will do OOTD post often, maybe once a week, or even once a month. Really depends on the feedback I get.

 

 

• Top: INC Women, Macy's $35
  
• Jeans: Skinny Boot Stirrup, Avenue $19.96
  
• Boots: Mossimo Kady in Gray, Target (online only) $34.99
  
• Sweater Vest: Black one button, Marshall's $19.98
  
• Accessories: Earrings/Bracelts, Avenue $5/$1
  
• Watch: White Baby G, gift from BF priceless
  

Product Placement Here---> Heel-Tastic

So I rarely feature beauty products on my blog, but when I find one that is great I have to share.  How many of you have issues with dry, cracked heels.  Well that's one issue that I am embarrassed about, but I know many women suffer from the same issue. I have tried so many products from lotions, scrubs to pedicures and paraffin wax.  Most things I have tried gave me minimal results and do not last very long.  Its most embarrassing in the summer time when you want to wear all those great sandals and sexy strappy heels.  Well when I saw the infomercial for Heel-Tastic I had to try it.  Being a skeptic I hesitated to order it, but when I saw it at my local Wal-greens it was a sign. I bought the Heel-Tastic and have been using it for about 2 weeks now.  I must say so far I have noticed great improvement on my heels, and dry skin.  Its a  balm of natural oils and skin moisturizer that come in an easy to use tube that looks like a deodorant, which makes it easy to apply. Although I don't think my dry heels are as bad as the ones in the infomercial or picture on the website, but they are bad enough that I need this product. Hopefully if I continue to use it, by summer time my feet will be as soft and smooth as a babys bottom. So if you have the means I highly recommend  you try Heel-Tastic! I bought mine at Wal-greens for $9.99, if you buy it from website you can get a deal, but have to pay for shipping. If your like me and need instant gratification just go to your local pharmacy and buy it.

New Favortie Jeans

This week I braved the weather here in Los Angeles, it rained almost all weekend to go check the Not Your Daughters Jeans warehouse sale.  I almost didn't make it because of the rain, if you know LA & its people, we don't do well in the rain.  So when it rains 2 or more days in a row we go nuts.  Well like I said I went out in the rain and so glad I did.  I had heard about Not Your Daughters Jeans (NYDJ) how they are great jeans that help your tummy and other body flaws. I had never bought a pair mainly because of the price.  I had seen the jeans at Nordstrom for any where from $89-$130, which is way over my budget for jeans.  Jeans for $100 is not a bargain, I only shop for bargain fashion!  Well when I heard about the warehouse sale from Bargains LA, I had to check it out.  The sale was at the company's LA warehouse, all items were priced at $15 -$25, now that's a bargain.  NYDJ had tents set up in the parking lot, with huge boxes of jeans in every size from 0-24.  It was actually overwhelming the amount of jeans they had in all styles, colors and washes. I eventually chose a pair of black jeans with yellow stitching. I was told by the employees they recommend you purchase a size smaller than your normal jean size.  The reason you purchase a size down was due to the stretch in the material, it really is stretchy and hugs your curves so the fit should be snug, but not tight.  Well being the skeptic that I am, I didn't listen and bought my regular size. Got home and tried the jeans on right away, and the jeans fit loose.  Not super loose & baggy, but I could feel how a size down would fit better, maybe even 2 sizes down if you want a tighter & snugger fit.  The jeans were super soft and comfortable, which for plus size is not always easy to find.  So the next morning I went right back to the warehouse sale and bought the same pair in size down from my regular size.  I also picked up another pair of gray jeans that almost look like corduroy or velour. The jeans are long but that can easily be fixed by a tailor. So I think I found my new favorite brand of jeans, I use to be a seven7 fan, until I tried NYDJ. If you have not tried NYDJ you need to go try on a pair and see for yourself. I am totally convinced they are great, can't wait for the next warehouse sale so I can go buy a pair in every color and wash and get rid of all my other jeans! (OK maybe I am exaggerating) The company claims to have a "Exclusive crisscross fabric panels flatten the tummy and lift the rear". So who doesn't want to flatten & lift, with out pushing your fat up or down and giving you ugly bulges.  Hope you enjoy my post on NYDJ, check them out and tell what you think.

SF days & nights

Today I want to share a video from my trip to San Francisco during Thanksgiving week. My boyfriend & I had a great time, we shopped (of course) we ate and we saw lots of cool things and people. Hope you enjoy the video, we are already planning our next trip and hopefully get to make more videos to share with you.

Its Christmas Time!

 I love the holidays, its such a special time to spend with family and friends.  I just finished some decorating in my apartment, now I am ready for some shopping. How is your holiday shopping coming along? Whats on your wish list for Christmas?  I am still working on mine, I'll share it with you soon.  Here is a short little video of me, just finished some decorating. Enjoy!

San Francisco Inspirations

Well I'm Back, I had a great time in San Francisco. I was lucky enough to spend all of Thanksgiving week in San Francisco. I love the bay area, it has so much to offer and the shopping is great! I must say my favorite was the huge Macy's in Union Square with 5 glorious floors of shopping. I was in heaven when I saw the size of the Macy's Women plus size section. Although it was not an entire floor like the other departments, it was a much larger than most Macy's I've been to. Macy's SF had a extensive collection plus size clothing, as well as racks & racks of clearance items. Which you know I attacked and found some great deals. I had to restrain my self from going overboard on the shopping since I was limited with my luggage space. I mainly picked up some basic tops from INC (my fave Macy's brand) at unbelievable prices. I like to buy just plain tops to add to my wardrobe and wear with vest, sweaters and just as casual tops that I can add different accessories.  Plus I had to take advantage of the black Friday deals Macy's was having, the prices were just too good to be true.  Below are samples of the tops I bought got about 6 in different colors all for $50.  If you shop at Macy's and know the INC Women collection you know a simple top can cost about $29.00, so 6 for $50 was a deal.

 

INC Plus Sz Stripe Tunic

INC Plus Sz Three Quarter Sleeve Tee

This post is not only to share some of my shopping deals from my trip to San Francisco, but also to share my fashion inspiration.  Walking around downtown SF I notice that all the women had one thing in common no matter what size they were.  SF style was chic, modern yet simple.  Most women around town wore simple basic with their own added touches of style using accessories.  I also noticed that all or many women wore great boots.  San Francisco can get very cold and if your in the heart the city, you walk and walk some more.  Every where you looked you would see women wearing boots, mostly flats or small heeled boots, calf length, knee length and over the knee length.  I loved the look so much I decided to come home to Long Beach and recreate my own SF style.  I have always loved to wear boots, since I was a little girl I looked forward to my new pair of boots every year.  This year I have already purchased 2 pairs, but still feel I need one more pair.  Lately I have been craving a pair of gray colored boots.  I have found a few that caught my eye and think I will add it to my wish list for Christmas.

 

Mossimo Kady Gray Boots $34.99

Harlow Motorcycle Boot $34.90

Coconuts by Matisse Gray Suede Boots  $62.99

Once I get my gray boots, I will just need a good pair of jeans, so I can put together my SF inspired look.   Once I have it all together I will do a post and share it with you.  Thanks to all my readers, and the great comments you leave me.  I am still working on my shop I had previously blog about and promise I will post it soon.  After all I do need to make room in my closet for all my boots and clothes!

Hide & Seek!

Where have I been you ask....well I wish I had a more fun, exciting and cool story to tell you all.  I have been just working, working and working some more.  I am very grateful to have a good job that I enjoy and pays me well.  What I don't enjoy is the super early wake ups and long drives all over Los Angeles County.  I have been so busy and tired I almost for got I had a blog....LOL
Seriously I feel like I have neglected my baby (blog), so this post is just to say hello to my readers and let you know I am still alive and do plan to continue to blog.  I will be going away on a much needed vacation for Thanksgiving, so I hope to come back with my batteries charged and lots of great shopping deals to report.
In the meantime leave me a comment to say hello, I love to read your comments and know how you are all doing.  I also plan to do a little experiment on my blog and have a shop to sell some clothing & shoes.  I normally sell on ebay, but have been very annoyed and disappointed with them and all the crazy things they do.  So be on the look out for some good deals. I will post more details about my shop soon, just in time for the holidays.
Well thank you all for reading my blog and your support, it really does mean a lot that you take time to read it.

Fashion Bargain Find

Travel in style with DVF

I'm back!  Well I never really went away, just been busy with work which is wearing me out.  All those 5:00am wake ups and driving in traffic all over Los Angeles, I need a break!  Well thank goodness I am taking a well deserved trip to San Francisco next month.  I can't wait for all the sight seeing, great eateries and of course Shopping!!  My San Francisco trip will be the perfect time to use my new Diane Von Furstenberg boarding bag.  Yup DVF luggage is the way to go, a girls got to look stylish even when she travels.   My boyfriend actually found this great deal at Ross. Its a DVF boarding bag from her Hearts Luggage Collection which retails for $200, but of course being the bargain fashionista I never pay full price.  Check out my video of the DVF boarding bag to find out what I really paid for it.  I used my Ipod nano 5g to record the video.  Tell me what you think!  Thanks for your comments, I love reading what you have to say, so keep it coming.  Be on the look out for more videos of great bargains.

Style Inspirations

Today I wanted to do a post about a style inspiration I had. I normally don't like to post pictures of what I am wearing, just because this blog is not a "what am I wearing" kinda blog. Although I do like to see what other people are wearing, I like to get ideas & inspirations from other bloggers as well as designers. Last month I had a blog post about BoHo prints a la Anna Sui. I featured some dresses from Target, which today I bought during a mini shopping spree. I was planning on buying the BoHo print dress from Target Mossimo plus size line, and to my surprise they were now in the clearance rack (50% off). So you know I just had to get 2 dresses since I couldn't make up my mine what print I liked best. Take a look at my slide show of pictures on how I styled these 2 dresses. It's my BoHo Chic look inspired by Anna Sui and Rachel Zoe. I love to hear what you think, what would you add or change?  What accessories should I add?  I know you have some good ideas, I read your blogs too you know!

Dresses: Mossimo - Target $14.98 

Boots: Vigotti - Overstock.com $71.00

Shoes: Faryl Robin - Loehmann's $10.00

Tights: Textured Tights Black - Target $7.00

Jacket: Big Chill Vintage - Nordstrom Rack $39.99

Photo Credit: Ray of rx2medialab

Big Girl in a Skinny World!

This week in the mail I got one of my many magazines I subscribe to, Marie Claire.  I usually give it a quick glance and then eventually sit down and read it cover to cover.  The front cover caugth my attention with the headline "The Curvy Girls Guide to Style", I quickly flipped the pages to see what this curvy business was all about.  Guess who I saw right smack in the middle of those glossy pages, Ashley Falcon, and she looked like me!! Well what I mean is she is a plus size Latina girl who loves fashion! Yay!  I love it, finally some one is getting it. Big girls love fashion, we like to shop and we want to see more girls like us in all magazines.  So if you don't read Maire Claire go read the November issue and find out all about Ashley Falcon.  Lets show Marie Claire and other mags that its OK to show bigger girls in their magazine, people will still buy their magazine, heck more people might read their magazines now!  We need to support girls like Ashley, by reading her articles, so she can pave the way for other big girls in main stream fashion.  Who knows you might see me in a fancy magazine one day.

That's Tight!

Fall is finally here, its my favorite season for fashion. It's time for sweaters, boots and tights. My perfect fall outfit includes a knit dress or long sweater, tights and boots, with a scarf and a great large hand bag. Tights are the best way to not only keep you warn during the chilly fall days, but also the easiest way to make any dress or long tunic stylish. Lately seen lots of texture & patterned tights in the magazines and in stores. If you read my blog regularly you know I always try to adapt any fashion for the plus size woman. I was very happy to see many plus size retailers are carrying a good variety or textured/patterned tights. There were actually so many to choose from I think I went a little crazy and couldn't choose which ones were my favorite. I loved them all, so take a look at the sample of tights I think would be great to add to your fall wardrobe.  I think I want a pair of each, hope I can pull it off this fall.  Tell me what you think?

Spanx Opaque Tights

(various colors)

Lane Bryant

$26.00

Spanx Corset Tights

Lane Bryant 

$26.00

Leopard Print Fishnet

Torrid

2 for $20.00

Black Net Tights

Evans

6.00 GBP

($9.50)

Vertical Herribone Tights

Avenue

$8.95

Diamond Tights

OneStopPlus

$12.99

Big & Chunky

 I recently saw the Movie Madagascar 2 and loved it!  I wanted to share this video from the movie...thought it was oh so appropriate for my blog.  Just a little fun for a Sunday afternoon.  Enjoy!

Should I Splurge?

Fall is here and the weather is getting cooler, a bit.  Living in Long Beach, CA it does not get as cold as I would like sometimes. Not freezing cold, but cold enough that I need to wear my boots, sweaters and coats everyday all day.  During my weekly window shopping trips (gotta check out the deals) I came across some boots I fell in love with.  Marshall's shoe mega shop always has great deals, I found a pair of Michael Kors boots that I I was immediately in love with.  The boots are a soft supple leather in a caramel brown color with a bikerish rugged look.  I so totally want them, but being the bargainista that I am, I hesitated once I saw the price...$99.99!

Yikes! that is way more than I would normally pay for anything.  I quickly walked away before I gave in....I been thinking about those boots everyday since.  I know you have to pay for quality and these boots retail for over $200, but when your on a budget $99 is whole lot of money.  Well payday is next Friday so I think I may just treat my self.  What do you think worth it or not?  I said if those boots are still at Marshall's next Friday I will buy them, if not them it was not ment to be.  Please be there on Friday! 

New Toy!

Last week I got a new toy to play with, the iPod nano with video.  I bought the new iPod because of it video capabilities.  I plan to use the iPod nano to make video for my blog, and add some new features to share with my readers.  I have a sample video to share with you, its just little old me.  My boyfriend took the video using one of the different video modes on the iPod.  It has several modes like Thermal, Mirror, X Ray, Motion Blur, Sepia & Cyborg.  The ipod nano is like a fashion accessory so of course I had to get a cute color.  I decided on the purple iPod, jus thought it was the best color for my wardrobe. Well enjoy the sample video and look out for more to come. If you would like to see me blog or make a video about any one thing in particular please leave me a comment or email.  Enjoy!

Who Knew: Kohl's

I am always on the look out for affordable, fashionable and stylish plus size clothing. I came across an unexpected retailer with some cute items, Kohl's. Not sure if they have store all over the country, but you can order online. In my daily web surfing sessions I came across a few Kohl's plus size brands that I would buy. I have known able ELLE (yes like the magazine) clothing line, but didn't know they are now doing plus sizes for Kohl's. Along with Elle, found some other very cute and very affordable tops. I think I need to go to my local Kohl's and give them another chance. I have been to Kohl's when they first come to California but was disappointed with the plus size selections. I fell in love with Vera Wang's line for Kohl's but as usual it did not come in plus sizes or any size remotely close to fitting me. I think we need to get Vera on the plus size band wagon. In the mean time check out their other plus size brands and decide for your self.

                                    Elle Pleated Ruffle Blouse                                Elle Babydoll Cardigan

                                                       Kohl's    $27.99                                                 Kohl's    $36.00

 

                                   Derek Heart Ruffle Tunic                 Heart & Soul Mock Layer Houndstooth Dress

                                                        Kohl's   $15.99                                                 Kohl's   $37.40

                                                      (online exclusive)

 

Trixxi Double Breasted Trench Coat

Kohl's   $46.80

Boho Prints for Fall

If you have been following my blog you know I am all about finding fashionable plus size clothes at bargain prices.  You also may have noticed by reading my blog I am a fan of Rachel Zoe.  I have been trying to combine both worlds (bargain fashionable clothing while channeling Rachel Zoe styling tips)  I hope you are all reading The Zoe Report, then coming over to Chunky Curlz to find my Plus Size Universe version of Rachel Zoe's picks. On Saturday September 17, went for my weekly Target trip, I go about once a week, Love me some Target! I quickly dash over to check out the Anna Sui Line for Target.  All I have to say is "I Die", ok I didn't really say that but RZ would have.  The Anna Sui line for Target is just so great, I loved the styles and quality.  What I didn't love is the sizing, some items do go up to XL, but they are still fairly small.  Definitely not plus size friendly.  I did try on 2 sweaters that actually fit me, but still wasn't convinced I should pay $49.99 for a sweater at Target.  I would have to say the Anna Sui for Target clothing line is definitely a boho chic look.  This week on The Zoe Report, Rachel features prints, and her favorite Anna Sui Dress from Fall 09 collection.  In the parallel universe she spotlight a Anna Sui dress from the Target collection.  Well being a plus size bargainista, I had to find my Plus Size Universe version that not only fits in size, but also fits the budget.

Target has been expanding their plus size women clothing selection, and in my opinion been doing a good job.  I don't think they are where they need to be yet in plus size fashion, but headed in the right direction.
I found 2 dresses at Target from Mossimo that channel that Anna Sui Bohemian style that Rachel Zoe does so well.  Add your own touches to personalize them.  I would wear them with tights or leggings and some boots and maybe a motorcycle jacket.  Hope you enjoy my Plus Size Universe picks.  I love to hear your comments and thoughts so don't be shy!


 Plus Size Universe

Mossimo® Black Plus Print Boho Dress - Brown

Target (in stores and online)

$24.99

Mossimo® Black Plus Paisley Print Boho Dress - Blue

Target (in stores and online)

$24.99

Faux Real!

Today I received a long awaited email from The Zoe Report about the release of Rachel Zoe fashion line which will be sold through QVC.  Rachel Zoe for QVC will debut October 10, 2009, but Rachel has a special surprise for all her subscribers to her website.  We all get a chance to buy some of her pieces before they debut at introductory prices.  I'm sure its just a publicity thing they do get some indication about sales and such.  You may be saying to your self "ok and what does that mean to me"  Well the reason I am excited about Rachel Zoe for QVC is 1) I am a fan of Rachel Zoe & 2) she is made stuff that fits ME!  Yup you heard it here first, Rachel Zoe is hooking up the big girls! I was actually shocked when I clicked over to QVC to see the pieces currently available.  There are only a few currently you can view and purchase, but so far I like what I see.  I think my fall must have will be a faux fur vest, which comes in size 1X-3X.  I am happy to see she was not only conscious of using faux fur (I would never wear a real fur!), but she knows there a plenty of plus size women who love fashion.  Especially for someone like Zoe who is consistently being criticized for her weight (too thin).  I really admire she has included larger sizes and has not excluded the plus size market.  Most of her pieces I have seen so far are also reasonably prices all about $150 or less.  She could have made all or most of her items a lot more expensive, but she has been quoted to say she wants to make her fashions accessible to all.

Take a look for your self and see what you like about Rachel Zoe for QVC.  I just hope it will get cold enough here in Long Beach to rock my faux fur vest this fall/winter. 

Plus Size Universe

 

Rachel Zoe Faux Fur

QVC

Introductory Price $79.80

  

Rachel Zoe Ultra Suede Long Sleeve Wrap

QVC

Introductory Price $116.60

Fashion 101

When I started this blog I intended it to be mainly about issues and concerns regarding the plus size woman.  It evolved into a blog about fashion for the plus size woman.  Like many other fashion blogger, my dream job would be working in the fashion industry in some capacity, mainly as a stylist.  Although I currently don't work in a fashion related job. I still hope one day to have my own business either as a stylist/personal shopper or a fashion photographer (my hobby at this time is photography.)  Well like any other career you must learn the tricks of the trade.  I have in the past couple years been reading and watching many fashion related books and movies/shows.  Today the documentary Valentino The Last Emperor was released.  I was not able to watch it at the theater since it was not showing any where close to my home.  I am really looking forward to watching at home and seeing all the behind scenes from Valentino.  The behind the scenes with all the craziness and drama is where the magic of fashion happens.  Along with Valentino, I am also looking forward to watching The September Issue with Anna Wintour, which is said to be the "real" Devil Wears Prada, which I also loved. Watching fashion movies & documentaries helps me get a better sense of what it takes and what you need to really work in the fashion industry.  Along with the documentaries, I also have read several fashion books, mainly about styling.  The two most recent books I have read are Tim Gunn's A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style as well as The Look: A Guide to Dressing Inside Out  by Randolph Duke.  I like to read different perspectives of fashion, from the designer to the stylist to the fashion editors.  Each one has a take on fashion and knows how to apply it to various types of people and body shapes.  My goal is to keep learning about fashion, so I can one day have it pay the bills.  I don't think anyone person in the fashion industry can say they know all about fashion.  The fashion industry evolves and changes so much that you can never stop learning and improving on your craft. So to all you fashionistas & stylish woman, don't stop learning and growing towards being fashionable and fabulous no matter what your size or style is.  I not only read books about fashion, but also love reading other plus size fashion blogs.  I honestly think reading other blogs has taught me more than any book.  I have gotten so much inspiration and confidence from other plus size bloggers.  I hope my blog does the same for you, so don't hesitate to leave me your comments and suggestions so we can all learn to be more fabulous stylish beautiful plus size women!

Will You Jump for Fall?

Today's post from The Zoe Report focuses on jumpsuits.  I remember wearing them as a kid, in stripes, flowers and bright colors. Rachel Zoe is showing a few different styles for fall, as her favorite picks.  I searched high & low to find a few picks of my own for my Plus Size Universe.  These 3 jumpsuit I found are for many different body shapes & styles, from the young fashionista to the mature stylish woman. 

Plus Size Universe

Plus Size Jumpsuit 

   OneStopPlus

  $22.99

Tailored Chiffon Jumpsuit

Lane Bryant

$89.50

 

Tube Harem Jumper Pant

Torrid

$58.00

I like the look of jumpsuits but still not sure I will buy one myself.  I think I need to go try it on and really decided if I will jump on the Jumpsuit wagon. Hope you enjoy my post, I look forward to your comments and suggestions.

La Polar: Chilean Plus Size Fashion

I came across a new plus size fashion retailer in Chile.  I was very surprised at the quality and style of the clothing.  Being of Hispanic/Latin descent, I have never known Latin American countries to be very fashion forward or friendly to plus size women. Although many Latina women tend to be curvy ala Salema Hayek, there is a difference between curves and fat.  The store is called La Polar, it seems to be a department type store where you can buy many different items, from clothing to computer and appliances to beauty products. I would have to say its the equivalent to either a Target or Wal-mart. Check out the look book for La Polar plus size fashion called Extra Lindas (Extra Beautiful)  I liked most of the looks, I think they probably want to attract a bit older customer, maybe someone  like me in early 30's.  Maybe the younger plus size girls wont think the looks are funky or edgy enough. Currently I don't think you can purchase any of their clothing on line. So for now it just fun to see what other plus size women around world are wearing. Enjoy! Let me know what you think, your comments and suggestions are always welcomed and I look forward to reading.

Commercial for Extra Lindas from La Polar
Its cute and flirty check it out!

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Plus Size Fix

PlusSizeFix.com is one of the websites I have on my blog as a preferred retailer for fashionable plus size clothing.  I have not yet purchased anything from their site, but they do have some cute & affordable things I'm putting on my wish list for fall. This cute brown bomber jacket is my fave so far, I think it will be a great addition for my fall/winter wardrobe.  I recently received a tweet from @plussizefix on Twitter about their new commercial and asked to display on my blog.  Check out the commercial and website. Let me know what you think.

Plus Size Universe

Leggings seem to be hotter than ever, and a perfect edition for your fall wardrobe. Today on the Rachel Zoe Report she shows a pair of sequin leggings a fall must have. According to Zoe "you get two trends with one stone. Sequins + Leggings = Magic!" The sequin legging gives an elegant edgy look, while still feeling comfy in your leggings.  I found a pair of sequin leggings at Dorothy Perkins, even the "big girls" want to look hot and sexy. Currently I was not able to find any US retailers with sequin leggings in plus sizes, but good news ladies Dorothy Perkins ships to USA!

 Plus Size Universe

 

Black sequin leggings 

Price: £40.00 ($65)

Color: Black

Fashion Reality

Last night I watched the season premier of the Rachel Zoe Project, which I was highly anticipating.  My fall fashion reality show line up is pretty much complete now. RZP on Monday, Project Runway on Thursdays & What Not To Wear on Friday nights.  A few other reality shows I add in between to make it interesting, but since this is a blog about fashion I will keep them out of it. Rachel Zoe Project is the new kid on the block when it comes reality shows, this being only season 2 of the show. Basically you get to see Rachel Zoe work her styling magic on her very high profile celebrity clients.  Like with any good reality show is there is plenty of drama to go around between Rachel, her husband and assistants. If you are into fashion and styling you should definitely watch Monday night on Bravo. I enjoy watching the process of how the clothes, jewelry and shoes are acquired by RZ & her team.  Its so comical to see the reactions over the haute couture fashions.  Every other word is "I Die", "Bananas", or "Love" all in reference to the wonderfully, beautiful clothing.  Since I will probably never either fit into such clothing or afford any of it, I just sit back and admire it all.  Recently Rachel Zoe launched her website The Zoe Report where she sends subscribers daily emails on her favorite fashion, beauty, accessories & lifestyle must haves. Rachel Zoe is obviously one of the more well known and respected fashion stylist, many people value her opinions and ideas.  I love the fact that in her daily post she shows her high priced item which truthfully not many of us can afford, but she also has a parallel universe item.  The parallel universe item is basically a similar piece she picks that is within reach and budget of the mass public.  Love the idea, it makes fashion more accessible and understandable to the public. Who can really fathom buying a t shirt for $298, not me. Especially being a plus size girl, no way am I going to find any thing to fit me!. Having said that I do value and admire RZ's fashion savvy, now I just have to find ways to translate it into the plus size fashion world.  So along with my fashion bargain finds, I will post my own "parallel universe" for the plus size girl, based on RZ's picks. I looked forward to sharing my ideas and thought with you.  

So please leave me your comments and let me know what you think, as always it helps me to learn and grow as a blogger.

Make Me Beautiful

Like most women I love beauty products, but haven't blog much about it. So this will be my post on beauty products I recently tried out and will give you a short review. I had previous blogged about my love for Sephora. I bought a new lip stick called Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick by Bare Escentuals, is an all in one lip liner, lip stick and plumper. The product claims are you don't have to use multiple lip products to get that perfect pout, it is currently exclusively available at Sephora, "it defines the shape of lips like a liner, fills them in with creamy velvet color, and then plumps them to their full buxom potential. It's a three-in-one lipstick that's quick and convenient for defined, colorful, buxom lips anytime, anywhere." I was excited to try this new product as I always have issues finding the right lipstick that works for me and last through out the day. I bought the color Brooklyn, which is fig, pinkish brown color. My verdict is I liked the fact that I didn't need to use a lip liner and lip stick separately, it come in a nice slick tube that self sharpens. The price is $18, which I think is reasonable since you are getting like 3 products in 1. The plumping part of this lip stick is not as noticeable except for the tingling feeling you get when you apply it. Overall I liked this lipstick as it is easy to apply and does last for a long time. My only dislike is that it does feel a bit dry after awhile, but I solved that problem by adding a bit of gloss to accentuate the color and consistency. So in my opinion try it, go sample it at Sephora, if you buy it and really hate it they will take it back no questions asked.


My second beauty product is nail polish. I usually buy and use O.P.I because in my opinion and experience they last the longest and have great colors every season. Recently I was at Rite Aid and noticed a special promotion on Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear, buy 1 get 1 free. I couldn't pass that deal up, and got two color from the new fall collection. I bought 2 dark colors that I think will work great for fall, Purple Potion and Gunmetal. I tend to use dark colors year round and lately have been wanting to try dark purples and grays. My verdict is they work great!. I went to the nail salon about 7 days ago and took my 2 new polishes with me. I used the purple on my toes and the gray on my hands. The polish has lasted all week long with no chips or cracks. It looks good after several days of washing dishes and cleaning. I think for the money ($2.99 a bottle) they do a great job. You can try several colors at that price point with out spending a fortune and not feel guilty. Try it and see for your self, but I am convinced and think I found a new favorite.

My third and last product is perfume, because we all love to smell pretty! I received Vera Wang's Princess for Christmas from my best friend 2 years ago and loved it. When I saw Vera had a new Princess fragrance released April 2009,I had to try it. I first tried Rock Princess at Macy's and liked the scent, but didn't like the $70 price. Sadly I had to pass on the new scent and cool bottle. On one of my many shopping excursion to Marshall's I hit the jack pot! I could not believe they had the beautiful Vera Wang Rock Princess for only $39.99. I couldn't resist and bought it. Only after a few months of being released it was available at the discount retailers, which goes to show you that you can always find it cheaper some where. I love the subtle scent, which is not over powering and lingers all day. My verdict is I love the scent and love the bottle. Go test it out at a department store and Sephora,then go buy it at Marshall's.

Hope you enjoyed my review of these new beauty products, go out and try them for your self and let me what you think. Please leave me comments,I love to read what you have to say. Your comments help me learn and improve my blog.

Fashion Bargain Find

Cute Shoes for Cute Girls!

I've been away from my blog for a while, but I'm back with some great bargain finds. Shoes, Shoes and more shoes! Most women loves shoes and I am no exception. The only difference is I mainly love flats, never really been good at wearing high heel shoes. I love the way heels look, but hate the way the feel. Since I am a plus size gal, its not always very comfortable to wear those mile high shoes. I know most women say they will endure pain for fashion, well I love fashion, but I won't endure pain. You can still look cute and fashionable with out enduring any pain. Well a little pain is OK, but my tolerance is very low. I mainly stick to flats and boots, with the occasional high heel shoes no bigger than 2-2.5 inches. My recent find is a pair of peep toe sling back flats from Harajuku Lovers from Gwen Stefani, new shoe line. I acquired these shoes at one of my favorite fashion bargain spots Loehmann's in Long Beach, CA. Loehmann's has a great selection of name brand designers at great prices. Best of all is when they have their clearance sales with up to 60% off already reduced prices. My second shoe find was a pair of Report gray flats with ankle straps. I have always been partial to shoes with straps and buckles. Each pair of shoes retail for over $50, but with my amazing bargain shopping skills I bought these shoes for $35 for both. I added a little slide show of picture to share with you. Enjoy! As always, please leave me your comments and share with me any great fashion bargain finds you encounter.

Fashion Bargain Find of The Week

Designer Jeans

This weeks fashion bargain find is going to be a mixed bag of goodies. As you know from reading my blog when I shop I'm all over the place. I don't stick to just one store or mall, I scour the city for bargains. One of my most recent finds was a pair of Levi's Capri Jeans. I had previously seen the Levi's Capris at Macy's and was going to buy them. They were on sale of course for $24.99 from retail price of $42.00. I hesitated to buy them because I didn't feel they were such a great deal at $24.99. Good thing I waited, about 2 weeks later doing my rounds at Ross guess what I found. Yup! the exact same Levi's Capri Jeans for $12.99, you know I had to get them. As a matter of fact for that price I got 2 pairs, different styles. Another Fashion Bargain Find was a pair of Clavin Klein Jeans, I scored a pair of boot cut dark wash jeans at a warehouse sale. Calvin Klein Jeans retail for $79.50 & I bought them for 80% off. Yup you read right, 80% off retail price, got them for a tiny price of $16.00. Now thats a bargain for premium designer plus size jeans. Speaking of shopping at the warehouse sale, it another bargain find. On Friday June 26, 2009 I had the pleasure of going to a local warehouse sale, where everything was 80% off the retail prices. I will be doing a post about this warehouse sale shortly. It started off as just shoe warehouse sale, but now has bloomed to clothing as well. They have many desinger names and many styles of shoes. They currently have an eBay store, but every several months they open their warehouse to the public. After speaking with the owners I was allowed to get some video of the warehouse and all the goodies they sell. Look out for my future post and video about the amazing warehouse and sales.

Fashion Bargain Find of The Week

Silver Coach Earrings

OK as I promised I would post my weekly bargain finds. This weeks Fashion Bargain Find was purchased during my Vegas trip. Hmm seems like a lot of my bargain finds are from Vegas trips. That is one reason I go to Vegas a few times a year. I love the outlets in Vegas, they have 3 great locations where I spend hours finding great things. My favorite store that I must go to all 3 outlet locations is Coach. This trip I didn't purchase a purse or wallet, I snatched up some jewelry. I believe its been about 1 year or a little more since Coach introduced jewelry to their collection. In March I was at the regular retail Coach store and saw a lot of really cute and nice silver jewelry. I commented to my boyfriend that some silver Coach earrings would be a very nice birthday gift. Well my birthday came in May and no earrings. Later in May I took a trip to Vegas again....guess what I saw in the Coach store. Silver peace sign earrings. The same earrings I had seen 2 months previous at the retail store. The silver peace sign earrings retail for $98. Coach outlet store had them for $69 - 40% off. Being that I was at the outlet store on Memorial day, they were having an extra %10 off. So to make this long story short, I ended up paying $25 for a pair of silver peace sign Coach earrings. This Fashion Bargain Find just shows you that outlet stores don't just carry old stock and past season items. I researched the Coach website and found that the earrings are still selling on the website. So next time you take a trip to Vegas don't forget to stop at the outlets and see what great Fashion Bargains you can find!

Making Over America

Today I was at a local mall South Coast Plaza in Orange County to see Clinton Kelley from the TLC show What Not to Wear. I love What Not to Wear, it is my favorite make over show. I get so many tips and ideas on how to dress for your age and body. I've always wanted to be a stylist, my friends always come to me for advice on how to dress and what looks best on them. So when I heard Clinton was going to be in the neighborhood I had to be there. Well I'm not a stylist or working in the fashion industry yet, but I am still trying! Lately I have changed my focus more towards photography. Hopefully one day I will be able to work as a fashion photographer, but never letting go of my dream of styling. When I got to Macy's who was sponsoring the make over, it was so crowded. I guess I didn't get the memo to RSVP, because I did not get a seat and had to stand on the second floor. I was able to get some decent pictures from where I was standing. I was happy to see that the women chosen for the make over were "normal" women. By normal I mean no one was a skinny, tall model looking woman. I was even more happy to see a few plus size gals getting make overs. It was fun to see how good and happy all the women looked. You could tell from the smiles and confident walks, they all loved their new look. Maybe I should do a few make over my self, so I can practice my stylist skills and do a photo shoot to practice my photography skills. Well a girl can dream can't she.
Enjoy the slide show below of Macy's Make Over America Show. Oh yes Clinton was also signing copies of his book at the end of show. I was not able to get a book, didn't get that memo either!

Fashion Bargain Find of Week

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am planning to post a weekly Fashion Bargain Find (FBF). Last week I scored a very cute vintage inspired pair of shoes. Shoes are from Farlyrobin, I had seen the brand a few times before but was not familiar with it. I did some research and found out Farlyrobin retails from about $100-$300 a pair. My pair was a score at $10 at Loehmann's in Long Beach. I'll break it down to show you how I was able to get a pair of $180 retail pair of shoes for only $10!!! Shoes retail for $180, at Loehmann's they were selling for $39.99, were marked down to $29.99 - 20% off. I had a email from the Loehmann's Insider Club that I joined for a secret sale, at the register I mentioned secret sale and was given a coupon for an additional $10 off my purchase. Also because I am a member of the Insider Club at Loehmann's I got an email for my birthday which is in May for 15% off any one purchase during my birthday month. So there you go after all the discounts and coupons I paid $10 for a pair of designer shoes. So I hope you have been able to find my tips and rules helpful. Go out and get your own Fashion Bargain Find. If you want to share your FBF please email me and I will post it on my blog.

Rules to Fashion Bargain Finds

Lately I've been seeing many things people are doing to save money in this recession. Some people cut back on eating out, brown bagging lunch to work, no more Starbucks & no more shopping! Wait a minute your telling me some people are giving up shopping? Oh No! Sorry can't do that, I think right now is the best time for shopping. Every store is having sales, giving coupons and having mega deals, you can get the best bargains now! I've always loved fashion, but never really had all the money to spend on my favorite designers and labels. Luckily I have found many ways to get all those shoes,clothes and accessories I crave and want with out blowing my budget and maxing out my credit cards. If you know where to look you can find great deals on all your favorite brand names at very cheap, cheap prices. It takes a little practice and patience, but it can be done. I decided to do a weekly post of deals I find to show and prove you can get those great fashions at incredibly low prices.

Here are some rules to help you get started.
First rule is to go directly to the back of store and look at the clearance section. You will be surprised how often stores do mark downs to clear the stock to make room for new stock. Second rule you should sign up for all your favorite stores and designers mailing list. Many retailers have mailing and email list that will alert you to sales, as well as send you coupons. Third rule is to go to discount retailers like TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Ross, Loehmann's Sak's 5th Off, Nordstroms Rack and Neiman Marcus Last Call. I know you probably saying you hate those stores because you gotta go through racks and racks of things to find that one great deal. Yup that is where your patience comes in, if you have the money and don't have the time, then go to your favorite department store or website and order your must have item at full price. Me, I don't have that money so I take the time to hunt for those great deals. Fourth rule is look often, go to stores as often as you can, everything eventually gets marked down and put on the clearance rack. Same with websites, sometimes you will find deals online that they might not have at the stores. Fifth rule is buy what you love and don't just purchase things because they are cheap. As tempting as it is to buy everything you see because its only $5, you will have buyers remorse when you get home. Bargain shopping to me is not just buying things cheaply, its buying good quality fashion that I love at the low prices I can afford. So go out and conquer, get those mega bargain deals and make me proud. If you find a great deal and want to share it, email me and I can post your fashion bargain find on my blog.

To Maxi or Not to Maxi

OK we have all seen it at stores and in magazines, the new rage in summer dresses. The Maxi Dress. The long flowy dress that's, not too long that it drags, but just long enough to cover up. I saw this dress a few seasons ago, on runways and high fashion mags. Looks like it has now trickled down to the main stream fashion retailers. It has now even trickled down to the plus size retailers. I actually like this style of dress but wasn't sure if a "big girl" could pull it off. I'm normally not a follower of too many trends, sticking with classic styles and what looks good on me. Too trendy equals everyone is gonna be wearing it...always been one to go against the crowds. Maxi dresses seem to be the perfect summer must have. They come in so many prints and colors, and from what I have seen look good on many body types. I also have seen many dressy styles for evening and formal events, as well as everyday casual. I recently gave in and purchased 2 Maxi dress, #1: casual for everyday summer wearing around town and #2: dressy for cousins wedding this summer . So I am looking forward to wearing these 2 Maxi dresses this summer. Best part I must share is both were purchase on clearance. Yup! I couldn't believe these dresses were so cheap. Maxi #1was bought at Target for $7.48, retail $29.99, Maxi #2 was bought at LaneBryant.com for $19.99, retail $89. I learned you should never pay full price for fashion, everything goes on clearance towards end of a season. Right now all the spring stuff is on clearance so you can find great deals. Unless you are an uber Fashionista who must have an item the second it comes out, go ahead pay full price. I will have the same stuff as you in a few months and only paid half the price.