{from jessica kane of curvyconfident30something.com}
Living in Vancouver, WA is rough for a sun worshiper like me, but I make due and when the sun does make an appearance I celebrate by wearing some color. Most of my wardrobe is admittedly basic - I like classic and chic, hate prints and refuse to wear anything with a bow there for no reason at all, I steer clear of weird colors and cuts, but I do celebrate when I find teal, purple and fuchsia...I snap it up in a second! Today I paired my fabulous white distressed capris with a bright teal top with awesome pink collar (genius!) and bright fuchsia flats. I was in heaven!
And, of course I had to pop my collar, because "i ain't skerred." *laughing*
Outfit Deets:
Top - Old Navy - 3x Plus Size
Pants - Gifted from Old Navy - Size 28
Shoes - Target - Size 11
Hair Color - L'Oreal color 4AR *LOL* People ASK! :)
xoox jessica
Get more at www.facebook.com/curvyconfident30something
I am now back from my lovely Oregon Coast family vacation and am killing myself playing catch up so please bear with me while I get back in the swing of things. I have so many things to cover this week and also am trying to pull it together with school and back at the office, it should be a crazy week for me. Lucky enough though we got back from vacation just to send the kids off to camp so hopefully with a kid free week I should be able to handle all the craziness I have ahead of me!
Before I left Candace and I shot 10 different looks some of which you already saw last week before I decided to put the dang laptop away and ENJOY MY VACATION! But now that I am back you will get to see the rest them! First we have a dress you have seen me in before but styled for winter. Well this dress truly is a great Spring and Summer piece and I love wearing it the way it was intended.
Photos By Candace Sweet <<<<<<<<<<
I picked up this Pure Energy dress at Target on clearance a few months back for a whopping $6.24 it was a great find and I have really worn the hell out of it. It is probably one of the most comfortable dresses I own, it is a good length for everyday either office or while running around town and I love the Raspberry Sherbert Coloring of the pink. It reminds me of an ice cream cone and I love that reminder for summer! I paired it with my comfortable black canvas wedges from Payless, and a great wire necklace from designer Amy Radue.
xoxo
Stiletto
Today the sun returned to Oslo, and I celebrated by wearing my new colourful dress
from H&M :)
As some of you readers may know, I like to buy two dresses and make them into
one instead of giving up on dresses that are too small.
I didn`t bother to try this dress on so I just though, oh well, I`ll get two and fix it later. But as it
turned out the dress fit fine, and so I just used some of the fabric from the second dress to add to the length of this one, and the rest of the other dress will make a lovely summery top!
I worked the dress with my new nude sandals by DNA, bangles and ring from H&M
and a black neckless (that I put on some black string) from Accessorize.
My dear readers, I hope there is sun in your lives as well today.
So some of you may have seen my tweets last weekend about looking like either a hooker or like I was doing the walk of shame while wearing a certain dress at 7am. Well this happens to be that dress. Now I realize it really is a great dress and I love how these pics came out but you can see where those thoughts came from right? LOL
I picked up this dress which I am now referring to THE HOTTEST DRESS EVER! during the 50% Off Clearance Sale at Torrid last week and was so pleased when I got it and tried it on. It is a great bandage dress made from a great heavy material that keeps it structures in all the right places but is actually still really comfortable. It’s a bit more busty then my liking but is totally club appropriate which is probably where I would be most like to wear it. I am guessing I could probably layer it up a bit too with some sort of cami, and nice bomber jacket and some sexy booties and tights for cooler months too. Either way I know I will be looking good in this amazing dress! For the shoot I paired it with my lace ankle black leggings from Torrid and my killer black heels that were a gift from my friend K. I wanted to keep it really simple since its such a BAM kind of dress and just wore my diamond stud earrings for accessories. I’m sure I could definitely style this dress in a ton of different ways though and make it killer!
I live a lifestyle under the principles of health at every size (HAES) it is part of my journey through fat and overall body acceptance. A big majority of it for me is the practice of intuitive eating which we will talk more about later but the other part of it is physical activity for enjoyment. Now I am certainly no slave to the gym, I don’t care how many calories I burn or how many hours a week I spend “working on my fitness” so to speak. I do however like to have physical activity as part of my life and I do that in ways that I enjoy. They have nothing to do with weight for me, but have more to do with endurance, health and overall they are about fun! Some of the activities I enjoy are swimming, yoga, dance, and for the most part just getting out and playing with my kids. Whether that be running around at the park, shooting hoops, going for walks or bike rides or even getting out and throwing a football. These type of activities are fun for me, they are something I enjoy doing and never feel like a chore, if I am tired or sluggish I don’t force myself to do them and I never punish myself or feel guilt if this physical activity isn’t part of that day. This I believe is what keeps me doing it. No guilt, no commitment and the desire to get out and play!
Photos By Candace Sweet<<<<< Follow Her On Facebook!
A big part of enjoying physical activity for me is dressing the part. Workout gear is comfortable and if you do it right it can be functional, appropriate and a least a bit fashionable. Most important for physical activity is having a well-fitting, and supportive sports bra. I get mine at Shopko for super cheap and they always support the girls perfectly without creating the uniboob look which no one wants. Also important is a good tennis shoe. I picked up my Adidas tennies at Famous Footwear and they are worth every penny to give me good support and keeping my feet feeling good while running around. Most importantly though I feel a need to feel like myself and to still feel cute while getting active and I do that through flattering and comfortable yoga pants, also picked up at Shopko and an always fun and bright comfy tee, this one from Old Navy.
What activity do you enjoy?
We hit a bit of stormy weather this weekend while shooting my outfits but that didn’t stop us! Plus an umbrella always makes for a great accessory! While driving around the small city of Eagle, Idaho I came across this cute little bridge and decided it would be perfect for my rainy day shoot and this outfit.
Photos By Candace Sweet <<<< Follow her on Facebook
In this outfit I am wearing a shirt that I have had for ages from Torrid, and also my Torrid Jeggings. Payless flats completed it for my and the awesome necklace I am wearing is from jewelry designer Amy Radue. She is a good friend of mine and has been making new necklaces like this they are so unique and really cool and I have been wearing it every chance I can get!
So funny story after taking these photos. When we are running around taking different outfits in different locations I spend a lot of time looking for little hideaway to change. It would take far too long if I was always looking for a bathroom. Sometimes changing can be a bit more tricky than other times though and this weekend was one of those times. I had to do 3 bra changes and after this outfit was one of them. The area we were in was empty so I just decided to go for it in the backseat of my car. Candace stood guard and all of a sudden i hear her yell “COP!” a police office drove right by us. All that I could think about was here it comes I’m finally going to get arrested and its going to be for indecent exposure of all things lol. I luckily was super fast and he didn’t see me! Thank goodness I can’t imagine explaining that one to my mother!
You may not believe this but, most of my weekends consist of vegging out in front of the TV and ordering in from from my favorite mexican spot. Not that I'm complaining because...well, I hate to admit it but...vegging out in front of the TV and mexican food are two of my favorite past times so I'm more than content with this routine. But every once in awhile a weekend comes along where I act like a normal 26 (er...two days shy of 27...eek!) year-old gal instead of an "old fart", and actually get off my duff, get dressed up and DO something! :)
So Saturday night, I decided to go and see my favorite singer (and friend :)), the grammy-noiminated, Ms. Emily King tear down the stage at the famed Rockwood Music Hall. Automatically, the next thought was, "WHAT THE HECK AM I GOING TO WEAR?" Ok, If you don't know about Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, it's located in the heart of the LES (Lower East Side) and let's just say it's where all of the cool kids go to play. The fashion inspiration in that section of town is BOUNDLESS and with each passerby, the statements made get bolder and bolder in clothing choices. From draped plunging backs to "how-high-can-you-go" hems, it seems as though everyone on that side of towns' main objective is... TO BE NOTICED.
As I scoured my closet searching for something that I could make my own "statement" in, a bright shot of color rang out from my closet and immediately caught my eye. I had completely forgotten about the fabulous Pure Energy A-line Tribal Print Skirt that I was sent, with its' vibrant colors and flirty exposed zipper! Against my newly bronzed skin (thanks to some much needed R&R on a friends' boat) and the citys' gorgeous night skies as a backdrop, How could I NOT wear it??? So, I decided to pair it with a simple black tank, a few cute accessories, sky high Alice + Olivia for Payless platform sandals....and WA-LAH a "statement" was born! :)
Geoffrey Beene Tank, courtesy of an Ex-Boyfriend
Pure Energy A-line tribal print skirt, $19.99 available at Target.com
Black Rose Two-Finger Ring, $12.00 available at Torrid.com
Although simple, I thought it was quite chic. And the best part was that the skirt was SUPER comfortable, soft to the touch and completely forgiving! Not to mention the fact that I received quite a few compliments on it during the night and was even kissed on the hand by a random drunk guy who proclaimed me "GORGEOUS"...Ummm...yeah... :)
But anyway, if you haven't had the pleasure of hearing Emily King live, you are absolutely MISSING OUT! The girl is musically RIDICULOUS (in a good way)...and I'm not just saying that because I adore her. Not only does she play guitar, but she also writes and arranges all of her own lyrics/music. Her performances are truly an experience...a journey... and you will NOT be disappointed!
Until Next time F5's and Skorch dolls...
Stay D'lish
<3
P.S. Get acquainted with Emily King below and be sure to cop her debut album East Side Story!!!!!
I mention my partner Nightrider on here from time to time. She and I have been together for 2 and a half years and I couldn’t imagine sharing my life with anyone else. About 8 months into our relationship, which was about 2 months after she and her 3 children moved in with me she began to get very ill. She was having a very difficult time sleeping, was experience extreme bouts of vertigo, was having short-term memory loss and seemed confused in social situations or when things got too chaotic even around the house. She began seeing doctor after doctor and was eventually referred to a neurologist who did a number of MRIs and a spinal tap. The results of the test indicated that she had a number of lesions on her brain and it was what we had worried, Multiple Sclerosis.
If you are unfamiliar with Multiple Sclerosis the information on the disease can be found here. The basics are
Multiple sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving new hope to people affected by the disease.
They say the first year of MS is definitely the hardest, and for our family it was no exception. It was probably the hardest year of my life and it wasn’t even happening to my body. Multiple Sclerosis flares (when it gets really bad) are caused a lot of the time by stress and you can imagine that during the first year of coming to terms with a possibly debilitating disease, not to mention all the tests she had to go under, and money that had to be shelled out to doctors her stress was off the charts. somedays she could hardly walk around are house, other days she would be fine, sometimes she couldn’t handle being around more than one person at a time, she never seemed to sleep, and so and so on.She had to quit her job and was spending all of her time trying different medications and visiting doctors and just trying to keep it together. Needless to say it was hard, but we got through it, got her on the right medications and now things are going much better for her. One good thing that came out of her having MS and that first rough year though is now I truly know we can get through anything as long as we do it together. Nothing can strengthen love more than something this life altering and I have never doubted for one second even on the hardest days that she is the person I want to spend my life with.
I do what I can to support the MS Foundation and others like it. I have participated in MS Walks with my friends and family and our first year we raised $800 in one week. I was unable to participate this year due to that horrible cold I had but next year we will be at it again raising money for TEAM NIGHTRIDER and working towards finding a cure for MS.
Ok so the point of all of this and how this relates to fatshion which is what this blog is about you ask?
Recently I have started using the company Shoe Dazzle. You have probably heard of them from other bloggers and I have mentioned them before as well, but I hadn’t made a purchase yet until last month when the Nancy Shoe showed up in my showroom. This shoe was special because 10% of proceeds from sales on this shoe is going to the Nancy Davis Foundation for treatment and research for Multiple Sclerosis. I received the Nancy shoe (which is amazing and cute and I LOVE IT) a few weeks back and I finally had a chance to shoot them in an outfit this weekend with Candace Sweet. Since this isn’t the most fluffy happy post ever I decided it better be an outfit that makes me feel fabulous and happy so I picked my happiest brightest piece that you have seen before but styled for winter. Its Spring, actually Summer but still rainy and feels like Spring so its time to see the Spring/Summer Styling of my Polkdot Multicolor Dress from ASOS Curve.
Photos in Eagle, Idaho by Candace Sweet <<<< FOLLOW HER ON FACEBOOK!
For the warmer months I just really want to be comfortable and this dress is great for that, I probably could have gone down a size in this dress but I love the way it fits me and the loose light material will easily get me through the hot Boise summers. I sometimes wear a corset belt with this dress but not today and I wanted it loose-fitting and comfortable. I also am very aware of my insanely white legs but I am a natural red head and if I’m not pale I’m bright red, but I love my skin and I take good care of it so its perfect in my eyes. I didn’t do much accessorizing with this outfit because i really think it is loud enough of its own and with the great detail in the heels, (especially the zippers on the backs OMG LOVE!) I think it makes a great standout outfit with very little effort!
Before I end this post I wanted to share where I got the title. When I do outfit posts I like to use lyrics from songs that I think either fit the look or the nature of the post. This is one of those that speaks more to my feelings about Nightrider and MS. Rob Thomas released a song about a year ago called Her Diamonds which was written for his wife in regards to her illness Lyme Disease, while it is not the same as MS I could really relate to this beautiful song and it really got my through some tough times when Nightrider’s MS has been at its worse. It’s a beautiful song with a deep meaning for anyone who has ever loved someone who was sick and I wanted to share it as well.
I know this was a hefty post but it really comes from my heart and was something I wanted to share with my readers. We spend so much time picking apart petty little things and spending time on such useless and counterproductive drama (especially as of late around the fatosphere) but there are so many more important things in our lives, like family and friends and the real trials and tribulations, moments of celebration and love in our lives. For me these are the most important things, the things I give my energy to and I encourage you all to let the people you care about know you care about them, spread some love to those in need and maybe take a break from the things that take away joy from your day like all the controversy. I stay out of drama,even when i’m being thrown under the bus for not participating in the drama, because I have enough of reality in my life that is far more important to me, and this blog is simple a release, pleasure and a love and I honestly won’t let it be tainted by anything else.
