Clinton Kelly Tells Us What to Wear!!!

I'm so behind in writing this post, but I'm excited to share my experience earlier this fall attending a fun fall fashion show at my local Macy's hosted by style guru Clinton Kelly.

I was grinning like the Chesire cat about meeting Clinton!
Photo c/o of Macy's

Clinton has had a partnership with Macy's since 2005.  As a component of that partnership, he tours the country dishing style advice and schooling adoring fans on how to wear the season's hottest trends, whatever your body shape or age.

At this "Girls Night Out," Clinton discussed six of the fall's hottest trends, while also answering the audience's style questions and charming us with his snarky funny, but still very sweet, personality.

Clinton advises an audience member on attaining a more flattering fit

Clinton dispensed advice on how to remain age-appropriate and flatter your body, while still having fun and remaining modern with trends.  To do so, he used models of various sizes and shapes and ages, which I love!  How annoying is it to see style advice for women of various shapes using models who essentially look the same???

Embellishment

Distressed Denim

Mixed Media (Mix of fabrics, textures)

Skater Skirts

Plaid

Layered Knits

While he provided familiar advice (if you are a What Not to Wear fan), he was quick to point out that people should wear what makes them happy.  If you love flaunting your cleavage, flaunt away.  Love showing off those legs, go for it!  The most important part is being happy with your look and who you are as a person!

One of the things that impressed me the most about Clinton was his awesome body positive stance.  He discussed how the images of "perfection" we see in the media are constructed.  Having met many celebrities first-hand, he re-iterated that NOBODY looks the way they are portrayed in the media.  He discouraged the audience from comparing themselves to these false images.

He also encouraged people in the audience to forgive people who have harmed their self-esteem through criticism or bullying but to  release any negative words they had been fed.  He admonished parents not to criticize their children's bodies, reminding them that even "helpful" comments can lead to lifelong injury.

Through "What Not to Wear" and other venues, Clinton has worked to help people feel fabulous through fashion.  I was sad to see this show come to an end.

Clinton dishes style advice

Clinton encourages body acceptance

After the show, Clinton posed for pictures with fans.  I was able to meet Clinton and discuss my blog and the struggles of finding trendy, edgy fashion as a curvy petite gal.  Clinton agreed that fit is a very difficult challenge for curvy petites, but he also re-iterated that there is not a single trend that can't work for ladies like us.  Silhouette is the key to making any trend work for any body, including curvy petites!

Which look or trend is your favorite?  Were you a fan of "What Not to Wear?" 

*ALL MODELED CLOTHES FROM MACY'S

Thanksgiving Casual

Hope you all have had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Being the most casual of the fall/winter holiday season, I kept my Thanksgiving look simple with jeans and a cardigan.

Sweater:  LOFT Petites (Available here)
Blouse:  LOFT Petites (Available here)

Jeans:  The Limited (No longer available on-line)
Boots:  Fergalicious by Fergie (Available here)

The tuxedo bib-front tank and gold threads on the cardigan add just the slightest festive feel to my outfit.

The gold snaps on the jeans and gold jewelry accentuate the gold in the sweater and help bring the look together.

Necklaces:  The Limited and Target (Available in silver here and available here)Bracelets:  The Limited and New York & Company (Available here and here)

Purse:  Target (Available in navy here)

And, I love a pop of color like this deep green satchel.

Do you dress up for Thanksgiving or go casual?

Happy Thanksgiving again, and happy Hanukkah to all my Jewish readers!!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Source:  Twigg.com

First, just let me wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving, full of peace, love, family, and good food!

As much as I've been struggling lately with way too much on my plate (and a bout of bronchitis to boot), I am also very aware of the many ways I have been blessed this year.

I love Thanksgiving because it is a reminder to pause and really think about all the ways in which we're fortunate.  It's very easy to get side-tracked with daily stressors and everything that seems to be going wrong in life, but a happy, healthy life is one that doesn't allow those things to overwhelm us.  Stopping to appreciate life's blessings, to feel gratitude to the universe, is important.

As I've been allowing myself to get overwhelmed lately, a day of giving thanks is just what the doctor ordered!

This year has been a tough one.  As a family, we are still dealing with the medical, financial, and legal effects of my fiance's motorcycle accident.  My fiance is working and is continuing to heal, but he is still feeling the physical effects.  I'm so grateful that he is still around for the kids and me and for others.  As a hospice nurse, he touches people's lives everyday in a profound way, and I'm continually inspired by his work ethic, dedication to service, and selflessness.

I'm so thankful for all of my family.  I never imagined myself as a parent to five children.  Being a parent is tough.  Being a step-parent is even tougher, especially to two children with special needs.  Everyday, my kids teach me to be a little more patient (CONTINUOUS WORK IN PROGRESS), more empathetic, and to take myself less seriously.  I have learned unconditional love in a way I never thought possible, and for that I am so thankful.

I am grateful that I still have my parents with me and all of my siblings.  What's more, I am fortunate to still have one of my grandmothers in my life.  This beautiful funny woman is so full of love.  I can't even form the words to explain how unbelievably blessed I am to know her.

While they have greatly improved recently, finances were very tight over the last several months due to the accident.  While the financial setback was a very stressful period, I realize that we were still much more fortunate than many others and it was our relatively good financial status prior to the accident (and some awesome family support) that allowed us to escape any serious effects of this income decline. Having lived in or around the poverty line most of my life, I am well aware that our situation could have been much worse.

I am so thankful to all of you for reading my blog.  This year has truly exceeded my expectations.  Over the course of this year, I have been featured in Redbook and won the People's Choice Award for Best Delivery of Personal Style at the inaugural St. Louis Fashion Blog Awards, neither of which I would have imagined a year ago!  

More important than any accolades, I feel like I have developed relationships with some of you, and it feels amazing to make such connections with people I've never met!  I haven't fulfilled all my goals this year for my blog, as I strive to create a larger balance towards socially conscious writing, personal style suggestions for curvy petite gals, and outfit of the day posts.  

That said, I feel fortunate that my posts have inspired some of you in a small way to try a new look or to accept and love yourselves a little more.  I am thankful that this blog has also helped me feel more confident and beautiful.  We're in this journey together!!!

I'm so open to suggestions regarding what you'd like to see on the blog.  While I have a direction and a voice that I plan to maintain,  I'm open to posts on various topics, particular styles you'd like to see me feature, questions about fitting different body types, etc.  Please feel free to shoot me an e-mail or comment on a post.  Your continued feedback and support is very much appreciated!!!

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday!  Thanksgiving outfit post coming soon!!

Rocking Tweed

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful start to your week.  My work week is short this week with the Thanksgiving holiday, for which I'm very thankful!

Yesterday, I gave my tweed jacket a slight rock-n-roll feel that I think still felt professional enough for my business casual workplace.

Blouse: LOFT Petites (Available here)
Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)
Jacket:  Gap (old)

Black or blush pumps might have worked better for the office, but I have been having a love affair with boots (and subtle rock-n-roll inspiration) this fall. 

Besides, I really wanted to wear my new booties.

Boots:  Fergie by Fergalicious (Available here)
Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

I finally used my Famous Footwear gift card I received from Brown Shoe (details here) on these Fergalicious by Fergie faux suede and leather booties. The height is super comfortable thanks to a hidden platform.  Thanks to wide and thick feet, they are slightly tight (especially on my larger left foot), but otherwise, they're a great boot for work or weekends.  Unfortunately, finding any shoes that fit my feet properly is harder than finding a needle in that proverbial haystack...so I make do.

These boots did not come in wide-width, so if you have very wide feet, these may not work.

Necklace:  The Limited (Available here)
Bracelets: LOFT (Available here and here)

The faux leather tuxedo stripe, bold necklace, and glittery accents add to the rock-n-roll feel, while the tweed and soft pink color help strike a more conservative balance.

Are you a fan of booties or do you prefer another type of shoe/ boot?  Would you wear an outfit like this to work?

For this jacket in other looks, see here, here, and here.

Singin' the Blues: Black and Navy

Singin' the Blues Week wraps up with one of my favorite color combinations - black and navy!

Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)
Jacket:  The Limited (Available here)

I'll wear just about any shade of navy with black, but the lighter shade of this top works best with black.

Blouse:  Outback Red by The Limited
Boots:  Payless (old)
Satchel:  The Limited

Gold jewelry adds a touch of lightness to this dark outfit (silver would work well too).

Bracelet:  LOFT (Available here)
Necklace:  The Limited (old)

Do you like mixing black and navy?

For this blouse in another look, see here.

Singin' the Blues: Casual Rock-n-Roll

Singin' the Blues Week continues with a denim and cobalt blue faux leather look.

Jeans:  Torrid (Available here)

Tee:  Torrid (Available here)

I added my Blondie tee to my Stiletto skinny jeans from Torrid for a comfy casual look with a cool rock-n-roll vibe.

I recently picked up these jeans with the 26" inseam.  When I originally bought this style of jeans, they didn't carry the short length.  I couldn't hem the jeans because of the zippers, so I was trying to make do.  I finally broke down and nabbed this pair - the length works much better!

Jacket:  Forenza by The Limited (Similar here)

Ring:  The Limited
Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

The cobalt moto jacket adds a fun pop of color to this laid back look.

Boots:  Payless (old)

Are you a fan of moto jackets?  Have you tried the Stiletto skinny jeans from Torrid?

For this jacket in other colors, see here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Singin' the Blues: Cobalt and Cognac

Blue was a huge trend on fall runways, and cobalt was everywhere!

I've always considered green my favorite color since early high school, but in the last few years, I think cobalt has replaced it.  It is such a vibrant color, and it looks amazing with so many other colors.

Dress:  Eva Mendes for New York & Company (Available here)
Blazer:  New York & Company (old) (Similar here)

Shoes:  Target (old)

For some reason, I usually pair this particular blazer with black and white.  I don't wear a lot of browns, and I never really considered mixing cognac with cobalt, but I decided to give it a try.

I'll admit that I prefer cobalt with black, white, or grey (and a ton of other colors), but I don't mind this color mix and it's nice to try something new once in a while.

Tote:  Target (5+ years old)

Bracelets:  The Limited (Available here)

I love trapeze dresses, but they are super tricky to wear if you're curvy and petite.  The longer length blazer helps tone down some of the volume of the dress, making it a little more work-appropriate as well as a little more flattering.

Necklaces:  The Limited and Target (Available in silver here and available here)

Do you like trapeze dresses?  What shade of blue is your favorite to wear?

For this dress in another look, see here.
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, here, and here.

Singin' the Blues: Attention!

Hi everyone.  I apologize for cutting Fall Color Week short and being absent over the last few weeks.

I have a ton of reasons for not posting, but I think it comes down to an issue I've dealt with off and on during my adult life.  I go through periods of over-stress (usually coupled with sleep deprivation).  When these happen, I develop a generalized apathy and melancholy that leaves me unfulfilled by things I love, like blogging.  I'm working through it, and thankfully, some of the recent stressors have reduced or disappeared. 

I have several posts lined up for the next week, so hopefully things will be back on track soon!  Thanks so much for sticking with me!!!

Blazer:  The Limited (Available here)
Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)

Today, I'm starting with Singin' the Blues Week - a week of one of this fall's hottest colors!

The color navy is the subtlest and easiest to wear of the blues.   It's perfect for conservative work places, but it functions well as a neutral for many occasions.

For years, I wasn't a fan of navy as I saw it as too conservative and classic for me.  I love classic, but it has to have an interesting modern or tough edge.  Somewhere along the line, I became a navy convert, especially when worn with other neutrals as I did here. 

Purse:  Target (May be available in stores; similar here)

Shirt:  The Limited (old) (Similar here)

When done in streamlined shapes, navy brings with it much of what I love about black - it's dark, it's sleek and sophisticated, and it is forever versatile.

Today's navy look also plays into fall's military trend (see more here).  I love how military pieces like this blazer look very polished and even just a teensy bit edgy.

Heels:  Target (Similar here)
Bracelets:  The Limited (Available here)

Are you a fan of navy?

To see this blazer in other looks, see here and here.

Style Cassentials, 11/11/13

 This art project looks at the ridiculousness of Disney-fying female role models.  Does it go too far?

Sexism in advertising is nothing new.  How far do you think we have come from these sexist ads? 

Quality, price, range of sizing?  Are consumer demands reasonable? 

Halloween may be over, but these amazing costumes are making me plan for next year!

Gorgeous gold detail and over-the-knee boots.  Chic and fabulous!

Cool and classic with a bit of edge....Konstantina gets black and white is oh so right!

The images we see in magazines and on billboards are disturbingly altered, as this short video clearly illustrates.

So, you say you're not a feminist?  Are your reasons misguided or reasonable?  This article explores why many famous women deny being feminists.

Wendy's outfits are always inspirational!  Beautiful mix of textures and color.

Fall Color Week: Orange Crush

Fall Color Week continues today with orange!

Dress:  LOFT Petites (Similar here and here)

Orange is probably the first color I think about when I think of fall.  Whether pumpkins or the changing leaves, autumn is ablaze with the color orange.

Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)

Belt:  Torrid (Available here)

Here, I took a dress I purchased over the summer and gave it a fall make-over with a camel blazer and leopard print heels.  

This is one instance where I would have preferred a cardigan.  A camel cardigan would have created a softer combination, making it ideal for dressier Thanksgiving festivities.

Shoes:  Target (Similar here)

It wasn't that cold here today, but tights could easily be added to this outfit to stay warm.

Clutch:  Target (old)

I don't wear much orange, but whenever I do, I usually think I should wear it more often.  It's such a warm and inviting color.

Do you like wearing orange?

For this dress in another look, see here.
For this blazer in other looks, see here, here, and here.

Fall Color Week: Magenta Love

Hope you're all having a great week so far!

Fall colors continue this week with a pop of magenta in a recent work outfit.  

Blouse:  The Limited (old) (Similar here and here)
Cardigan:  Target (Available here)

I love my neutrals, but fall and winter can get really blah without the occasional pops of bright colors infused into my wardrobe.

I think magenta is one of the few colors that always seems perfect year-round.  It looks amazing with white in the summer and gives black, navy, camel and gray a brightness during the fall and winter.

Pants:  The Limited (Similar here)
Shoes:  Target (old)

Tote:  New York & Company (Similar here)
Earrings:  Target

Even though this is an older shirt, I've just recently gotten this shirt hemmed.  I find the length much more flattering than it is here.  This length is awkward and cuts off the legs if you're petite as I am.  I'll post another outfit with the blouse soon to show the figure-flattering difference.

Ring:  The Limited (Available here)

Do you like magenta? What other year-round colors can you think of?

For this cardigan in another look, see here.
For this blouse in other looks, see here and here.

Fall Color Week: Burgundy Basic

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Pants:  The Limited (Sold out in burgundy; other colors available here)
Blazer:  The Limited (Similar here)

Today, I'm featuring a recent work look.  These pants are a great basic that can easily transition into casual, work, or evening looks.  I like the mix of burgundy with beige and black.

Blouse:  Target (old)
Tank:  Old Navy Petites (Similar here)

Heels:  Target (Similar here)
Purse:  Express

In fact, I'm really loving burgundy this fall. It is such a warm color that can function almost as a neutral.  In my opinion, it looks great with other neutrals or paired with shades of blue, pink, and mustard.

It's red's sophisticated sister, adding a touch of boldness without being as show-y.

Bracelet:  The Limited

Are you a fan of burgundy?

For these pants in another look, see here.