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"Clothes aren’t going to change the world, the women who wear them will." ~ Anne Klein
Fashion. Style. Attitude.
Those three things are so interchangeable despite each having its own impactful definition. Fashion can determine your style but your style influences what fashion you choose to wear. And your attitude can change according to what you wear and if you are staying true to your style.
Last time, I talked about changing it up for the new year and evolving my style. It's not easy staying true to yourself while evolving your style because those old "rules" and things you told yourself you would never do, creep back into your head. Those little pesky negative thoughts can limit you, if you let them.
I'm at a point in my life where I want to explore life and change the world the way I am meant to and part of that is exploring my style and dealing with the limits I have put on myself because of what was told to me was flattering and such. I believe we all have a purpose in this world but when you limit yourself in any way, you are not fulfilling that purpose fully.
For me, I'll admit I am not a heels girl. I have flat feet so heels are not comfortable for me. But I also admit that I like how heels elongate my legs and gives me a sexy, more mature vibe. I will always love my wacky print flats and sneakers but with evolution, there is always room to add new things to the mix while still staying true to my style.
When I first saw this Illusive Fringe Dress from Catherines, I fell in love. It's blue, it's a print AND it has fringe at the sleeve hems. It's fun while still being chic and fabulous, which is my style all the way. BUT... it is a bit short by my standards and I am still working on feeling comfortable showing off my legs. So to help with that, I decided to wear my Circle Stud Heels also from Catherines and what a difference that made!
I decided to wear my beloved Obi Belt from Lane Bryant to show off my waist, which I think is one of my best assets. And since the dress was a print, I took a chance and went without accessories. And that paid off because I think I look amazing and my attitude in these images are everything - I look happy, confidence and poised.
Want to know a secret? I AM NOT WEARING SHAPEWEAR AT ALL. Yes! It was totally by accident -- I was in a rush to get out the house and take pics and could not find my girdle. So I threw caution to the wind and went without.
And these images are not photoshopped to hide my lumps and bumps because honestly, I wouldn't even know how to do something fancy like that. And why would I? This is me and I am not ashamed. But that also goes to show you how fabulous this dress is because it magically is not showing much of my belly rolls. The fabric is soft and stretchy. This dress is comfortable (for the record, I am 5'7" in terms of length).
I did try to change it up after taking these pics by adding a silver necklace and silver metallic flats to see how it would look. I think the dress still looks great so it passes my three-way style test.
I also love how on the Catherines website, the model paired this dress with black leggings and booties. Yet another way to wear this dress all year round. I love it when I can take an item and wear it in so many ways. When you wear what you love, it definitely ups your positive attitude.
Fashion Note: this dress goes up to a size 4X and is also available in petites. I'm wearing a size 3X and I am usually a size 26/28.
What do you think of my look? And are you evolving your style in 2016 as well? I'd love to hear about it! Let me know below!
Please note: While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
"Never abandon your style. Just take it to the next level and get out of your comfort zone a little." ~ Joe Zee
Happy New Year! For me, a new year means new choices, new goals. I don't make resolutions. Because I find that resolutions set me up for failure because I put unnecessary pressure on myself and set unrealistic goals. The one thing I learned in 2015 is to be kind to myself and take it one day at a time.
For me, my birthday (August 19) was the start of a new year for me. I made the commitment to myself on that day that I would step my fashion game up and evolve my style to the next level. It's like what Joe Zee said above, evolving and changing it up does not mean you are abandoning your style. You're just getting yourself out of your fashion zone. As we evolve with age, our style/fashion is part of that.
One thing I tend to shy away from is light/neutral colors. I wear dark rinse jeans and always gravitate towards black outerwear. I like color and will go for a vibrant color like red or blue. But white, light grey and beige? Oh no.
Again, it's what was programmed in my head from when I was younger... light colors make you look bigger. But now I know that, that might not be the case. And if it is, well, I'm a big girl. Why hide it? If you truly love yourself, you are not trying to hide.
I saw this cream colored open shimmer cardigan at Catherines and fell in love. It's like a wrap AND it has a hood! I love the versatility of it. You can wear it open as I am in the above image or cinched with a belt or even with one side tossed over your shoulder as a wrap. The hood comes in handy for those brisk days, too. Here's me wearing it closed with a belt.
The hood on this cardi is EVERYTHING. I loved the sporty chic vibe I get from it.
I love pearls and metallic. And I learned completely by accident that you can actually mix gold and silver and not look a hot sparkly mess. That is why it is so important to play around with accessories to see what works. You just never know. I am loving how the cream color goes well with the gold, grey and metallic shades. And the fact that this cardi has a light shimmer to it, helps it pair well with the metallic shoes and gold belt.
I paired the cardi with the Suprema Long-Sleeve Mesh-Trim Tee in Grey Heather, the Comfort Slide Jean (in grey), the Soft Metallic Belt (from Lane Bryant), this beautiful Pearlized Crystal Statement Necklace from Ann Taylor and metallic flats from Old Navy and a black tote I borrowed from a friend.
First, let me say I AM WEARING GREY JEANS. Mannnn, listen... I would never choose these jeans on my own because they are lighter than what I usually wear. But since I was trying to get out of my fashion zone. I went for it.
They were a little of a challenge to get on (LOL) since they are a skinny jean fit BUT once I got them on, I didn't want to take them off. They're so comfy and soft. I love them so much. For reference, I am wearing a size 26W in the jeans and my hips measure about 68". They really stretch well. (Pls note: the jeans look dark in my images but trust me, they are much lighter.)
How the jeans look on the Catherines site |
I'm also learning to embrace belts more. Since I have a waist, a belt just enhances that. But if you don't have a defined waist, a belt can really help you give the illusion of a waist.
I love floppy hats and as I have mentioned many times before, I love Audrey Hepburn. So I decided to add this amazing grey floppy hat from Lane Bryant and channel my inner Audrey.
This outfit is not just chic and fancy but it is comfortable! And I am all about the comfort chic life. Next time, I want to pair this cardi with some print leggings and booties with a tee that offers a nice pop of color (maybe a plum shade). This cardi is well on its way to becoming another three-way style item of mine.
Shop my look with the links below:
Cardi: Shimmer Flow Cascade from Catherines (available up to a size 5X!)
Jeans: Comfort Slide Jean from Catherines (available in petites, up to a size 32!)
Floppy Hat: Sold out but similar in black here
Necklace: Pearlized Crystal Statement Necklace from Ann Taylor
Metallic Flats: Old Navy - sold out - similar here
Bag: borrowed from a friend
Metallic Flats: Old Navy - sold out - similar here
Bag: borrowed from a friend
Check back next week where I really go out of my fashion box with a statement dress that's knee length and I wear heels again!
Please note: While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
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