Sunday, April 25, 2010

Home Ec

Home Ec
I picked up this skirt at Saver's the other day, and I am really loving it. I love the fabric, which is this olive green batik with hints of mint green and coral. It is definitely homemade and made for someone a little smaller, so I think there may be some alterations in order, but I like the fabric and cut a lot and the best part is this whole outfit, excluding shoes, cost about $10. Woohoo!

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And a little something from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (who I get to see with Dawes in June--YAY!):

Thursday, April 22, 2010

My favorite jeans

I can't believe it's been a whole week since my last post.
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Birthday Outifts

I just want to pimp my favorite jeans for a minute. I have these in two washes. They are the Cate trouser jean from Svoboda, a plus-size premium denim company. I can't find these on their site now, which makes me think that maybe they are discontinuing them. But they are available on Myshape and a few other places. I know Svoboda maintains an ebay store where they consistently sell their overstock at 50% retail. I scored the lighter wash pair in a clearance sale for a store for which I also had a $25 gift code, so I paid $10 for this $140 pair. Score! I think I got the darker wash pair from their ebay shop, and they have held up amazingly well.

The top outfit is from today. I am wearing my very unfancy New Balance sneakers since I went for a 5 mile walk while pushing a stroller.

What I am listening to today (obsessively):

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Styling and Momming at Target

Here's a funny: I tried on the shoes pictured above at Target today (sooo cute, soooo impractical), and had the delightful experience of picking many, tiny raisins off the floor while wearing them. That sums up the would-be stylish mom's dilemma nicely, don't you think?
I ended up buying the Eugenia Kim for Target hat below for $7.48:
For some reason, all the Eugenia Kim hats were on clearance, despite the fact that the collection doesn't launch until Sunday? Strange, but I am not complaining. The hats are cute and well made; the woven ones were too small on me, but I have a large head. The Cynthia Vincent shoes, which also supposedly haven't launched yet were well made and seemed to run a little big. The one above has multiple velcro straps, which also makes them very customizable. They were around $25, which is a pretty good price point for the quality, in my opinion.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Big Mamas to Be



I keep putting off this post, but I figure I should do it soon before some of these links die.

Plus-size maternity clothes are hard to come by. When I was pregnant, I didn't have too much trouble because I could wear XLs and XXLs from Gap, Old Navy, and Motherhood, but if I had been even a tiny bit bigger, that wouldn't have been an option. So, if you are in the 14-18 range, you will likely fit into the higher sizes at those stores. Old Navy sizing is so generous that I would even conjecture that you can wear misses' XXL if you are a 22/24. I really like this khaki shirt dress from Gap, on sale for under $30 right now.

I think maternity dressing has both very personal and very universal aspects. On the one hand, everyone's body changes differently and at different rates, but on the other, I don't know any mothers who don't complain about fit issues that have just baffled them. There aren't too many style guides devoted exclusively to maternity style. In fact, the only one I can think of off the top off my head, Expecting Style by Lauren Sara feels both very dated and sort of a plug for her own clothing line. I'm not even convinced that you need a maternity style guide. And yet here we are!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I think you kind of want a uniform when you are pregnant, so once you figure out what works for you, you can focus on what matters: hunting down a chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting, sleeping, and going pee a lot. Seriously, though, what you are wearing is often the last thing you want to stress about when pregnant. I suggest packing away things as they grow too tight, and making a fortnightly/monthly reassessment of what you need. Hold on to anything long and stretchy, and stretchy cardigans, since they will last the whole way through.

This would probably be my wardrobe if I was pregnant now:

Blog Set: Plus-Size Maternity Essentials
Items in this set:

I feel like most of these pieces are pretty much interchangeable, which would give you lot more mileage. You need one of those belly bands so you can wear lots of pants that you can no longer zip, plus they gather in extra material, too, if you have maternity stuff that doesn't quite fit yet. These are all really simple--crisp white top, nautical top, another print, a couple of plain tops, then various lengths of shorts/pants, a wrap dress (many of us can get away with wearing a non-maternity one), and a sweater. I would also have some yoga pants, even if you don't do yoga (although I heartily recommend it--so relaxing!). The Dorothy Perkins' stuff comes in sizes up to UK 22, about a US 20. If I had money to burn, I would also grab a few more basics:

More Maternity Items


I don't have that American Apparel skirt, but I have one like it from Land's End. They are so stretchy and versatile. I think it would be a great pregnancy skirt.

Any other suggestions? I don't really have any plans on getting knocked up soon, but I am glad I know a few more places to shop now than I did before!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Dark and Stormy

Dark and Stormy

We had some big storms here last night, and it's all gloomy today. It's my favorite time of year for clothes since you can still pull out the winter palate some days, but others it's summery enough for brighter stuff, or open-toe shoes and such. I don't know WTF (Why the Face?), but I am much happier than I appear.

Almost this whole outfit is from the Salvation Army As-Is store. I know I have talked about it before, but it's more or less like a Target bargain basement. Lately I have seen things from the Gaultier and Rodarte for Target lines, as well as samples for stuff they ended up not selling. I know many cities have a store like this, but I think because the Minneapolis store is so close to Target HQ, they get a wider range of stuff, including samples from their plus-size lines (score!).

This dress had cap sleeves, but I used my seam ripper to remove them because they were a bit tight and also I am not a huge fan of cap sleeves. I feel like this dress will be a very versatile wardrobe item. I like the billowiness of it, and I look forward to experimenting with manipulating the shape in different ways. Likewise with the cardigan. My friend Samira alerted me to the Stylelikeu profile on Hunter Thompson, who is a draping master, and I am truly inspired by his style. Another queen of draping and playing with volume is Christina at Musings of a Fatshionista, who, if you aren't already reading, you really should be, she's a pioneer. Recently she took her AA circle scarf and turned it into a floor-length skirt. Love it!

Dress, Jersey cardigan, Leggings, Purse: Thrifted at Sally Army
Boots: Aiden style from Diba (which, p.s., try to find some of these if you are of wide calf--they fit my 17.5-inchers!)

Friday, April 9, 2010

Worker's Playtime

Worker's Playtime

I have had this top for a while, but I started to kind of hate it. It had elastic underneath the bust, which I have recently decided is not my best look, unless I am pregnant (which I am not at the moment, even though their have been some maternity themed posts of late (and will be again! Stay tuned!)). On a recent weekend trip, I decided to bring along some mending instead of my usual never-to-be-finished knitting project, and tossed this top in the bag, too. I whipped out the seam ripper and took that pesky bit of elastic out. It changed the whole shape of the shirt, gave me more bust room, and even added some length! Plus now I can still cinch it in, but at the spot that I deem best instead of where the elastic sits. Yay! The "jacket" over it is a tunic that I have nearly gotten rid of numerous times, only to find a new use for it. I was inspired to wear it belted as a jacket by a recent post at Corazones Rojos.

The shoes we can thank little Miss V for, as she walked in from the bedroom wearing them (and walking better than I usually do in heels!), and said, "You want mommy to wear those" (pronouns: we're working on them). I don't normally take sartorial advice form the under three set, but this time I kinda thought she was on to something.

Slub-knit striped top, Dorothy Perkins
Military-ish tunic: Shop Translated (Now on sale for $22.50!)
Twill skinny pants: Tripp, via Buffalo Exchange
Belt: Clothes swap
Wooden wedges: Thrifted (Target)

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Old Navy Maternity!


So far it's only eight, really basic pieces, but it's a step, and one more stop in the limited rounds for plus-size maternity online: Old Navy is now selling plus-size maternity clothes!

I would be all over these blue twill shorts if I was preggo in the summertime. And this dress in the regrettably named colorway "Watermelon" looks cozy.

Monday, April 5, 2010

If Wishes Were Horses

I am a little short on funds at the moment, so I am not really buying a lot of new stuff. I am, however, pining myself silly over a few things...



I am thinking I can apply some military-ish buttons to something like on the blue dress?

Wishes were horses

Mad Imports Opal Raffia Clutch by Terra Trendz
Nimli - Mad Imports Carmen, $85
Nimli - Mad Imports Marielle, $75

I have been a fan of these cute handmade raffia clutches since I first saw them a year or two back. And they are fair trade! The sales ensure continued employment for craftswomen in Madagascar.

More wishes



Any one of these bags would be something I would save up for. I especially love the Kenneth Cole navy leather bag.

How's that for a random post? Still working on posting my diy tulle skirt. Should be up soon...

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Resurrection

Resurrection

We have no Easter tradition in my household, what with one of us being a Jew and the other a godless heathen (oh, wait, we're both godless heathens!), so we headed to the Falls for a little walk instead.

I did manage to drop my camera, temporarily break it, and then fix it (resurrection!), then drop it again, lose it, and finally become reunited with it, thanks to the husband. Hooray!

Tee: Am App
Plaid: Secondhand
Denim: Thrifted
Skirt: secondhand
Boots: J. Crew
Scarf: Forever 21

Thursday, April 1, 2010

My Review of 2-piece colorblock plus size swimsuit by Resorts Plus®

Originally submitted at WomanWithin

Try this skort style to flatter hip and thighs. You’ll also love the slimming white trim. We have the best price and fit in plus size swimwear.

  • H-back top
  • front keyhole
  • elastic under bust for shaping
  • 27” long
  • <...


Cute concept, failed execution

By Lowbudgetdiva from Minneapolis, MN on 4/1/2010

 

3out of 5

Waist: Feels too big

Pros: High Quality

Cons: Poor Fit, Irregular Cut

Describe Yourself: Practical

I really wish they would use plus-size models for their swimwear because the shorts on this suit are way baggier and longer than they are in the picture. It comes off as false advertising, because it seems like a totally different suit. The colors and design are cute, though.

(legalese)

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