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"To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart and a free mind." ~ Pearl S. Buck
2016 has really been a whirlwind for me. In the last month and a half, so many wonderful things have happened that I am convinced this is going to be the best year ever.
I was a part of SmartGlamour's #ImFlattered campaign that went viral |
I can be seen on the SmartGlamour site (The Katie Dress) |
Me at the PLY fashion show during New York Fashion Week FW2016 (left: my friend Alex LaRosa, PLUS Model Magazine Feb 2016 cover model) |
When you claim things, speak it out to the Universe and believe, the possibilities will come. I've worked a lot on myself in the last few years after losing my dad and brother. Death can really force you to re-evaluate your life. I realized that what is meant for me will come. And if something doesn't work out, it wasn't for me. Once I started thinking in that way, it was as if a huge weight was taken off my spirit. No pressure.
I started writing articles on the community website On The Plus Side |
All I do now is work towards my goals and dreams, put myself out there more, stay humble and always be true to myself. I don't compare myself to others anymore. I also don't resent the successes of others. The spotlight is big enough for all of us to get shine. I truly believe that.
One of the best things to happen this year is a new project I was chosen to be a part of. Plus size clothing subscription service Gwynnie Bee recently launched their First Fit reviews on their site. The reviews are courtesy of everyday women (not models) offering honest reviews on fit and style of new arrivals. These women come in all shapes and sizes. It's truly size/body diversity. Not every body is the same and to me, this is an amazing feature.
Currently, I am the only woman my size (26/28) to be a part of the project and that inspires me even more, to do the best I can with this opportunity because it's not about me. It's about helping women find their best fit while shopping.
Basically, I try on different pieces and then write honest reviews on them. I have to stress that I am not styled. I usually wear black pants and flats with whatever tops I have to try on; black flats with dresses and a black tank with jackets. The goal of this project is not to style outfits. It's to show fit on different bodies and offer honest reviews to help subscribers have a better shopping experience.
It has also been an amazing experience for me since this is my first time in front of the camera in a professional setting. It has helped me loosen up and work on my poses. It has also helped me to have some fun and interact with other people. So this has not just been an opportunity to inspire others but inspire myself to get out there more.
I love being able to try new brands and it reminds me to not focus so much on the number on the size tag. It reminds me that I have to try on clothes and know my measurements. Sizing is so inconsistent across the board so this is a great opportunity to let women know if an item is true to size or if you have to size up or down.
The Gwynnie Bee folks are so great and really care about their customer. Working with them has been an amazing experience.
Believe has become my "word"; the word that sums up my life at the moment. It is something I say to myself all the time. If you believe in life, in yourself, in the unknown, in everything... that is the basis of achieving what you set out to do.
I can't wait to see what happens with Gwynnie Bee and I am so excited for what's to come for the remainder of 2016. I hope I will inspire a nation of women who are my size and look like me, to shop better, treat themselves with love and dress their bodies fearlessly. When you feel pretty and love yourself, you will want to dress accordingly. Sounds like a big, crazy dream but I am claiming it and putting it out into the Universe. I just believe.
Click here to read more about the First Fit Review project at Gwynnie Bee.
Images: Gwynnie Bee/Ferny Chung
"The best friend you will ever find is you. Love yourself with joy and fill your heart with bliss and happiness." ~ Debasish Mridha
Valentine's Day is in a few days and it's a day that many of us single people are not really fond of. It reminds us that we don't have someone special in our lives to share in a day such as Valentine's Day. And that honestly sucks.
But in recent years, I decided to not be so bummed about Valentine's Day. It's a day of love and why not show love for myself and my loved ones? You can make the day yours - that is the beauty of having free will.
The foundation of life is loving yourself. When you love yourself, you are happy and that shows. You will be able to love freely and endlessly. If you love and adore yourself, life is just a better place.
I'm a big believer of appreciating the little things. I'm a simple girl. And one of the things I absolutely love is fashion. I love prints, I love being able to dress up when I want, I love feeling fancy and free, and I just love that you can dress your body any way you want. To me, that's a great way to show yourself some love.
So my girls Darlene of Suits, Heels & Curves and Dana of Who's The Girl Dana? and I decided to focus on our fashion loves for this next installment of our #CurvasenNYC collaboration.
When I saw this print skirt at Lane Bryant a few weeks ago, it was fate. The skirt was on a wall rack at the bottom and I only saw a sliver of the print. I was just about to give up and walk out the store, feeling defeated because I couldn't find something to wear for Valentine's Day. And then magically, this skirt appeared. ::cue dramatic music::
Oh yes, you read right. I may be single but I am still getting fancy, dressing up and showing out as I usually do. :-) Funny thing is, I have no idea where I am going yet. Even if it's just watching some Netflix and taking selfies, hey, I'm going to have a blast by myself.
I saw the red button down shirt and loved how it looked together. My cousin (who was with me) was skeptical because at first glance, some people would not think to match a bold color with a print. But this is fashion, people. And fashion is who you are and all about taking chances. Why not? So I tried on the skirt and top, to which my cousin was sold, once she saw it.
What I love about a simple button down shirt is that it can be worn in many different ways. Tuck it in, tie a knot at the waist, leave it out and some of the buttons undone or wear it as a jacket over a tank. This is definitely a three-style look.
Here I wore the shirt tucked in with my beloved Obi belt. And of course, I love a little sparkle so I opted for metallic flats. My entire look is from Lane Bryant and was so easy to put together.
I love this skirt so much that I feel like a superheroine in it. I'm going to be on a print skirt kick this Spring. I just know it. It's all love, baby!
Here's where you can shop my look over at Lane Bryant:
Shirt // Skirt // Shoes (in black) // Belt
Be sure to check out Dana and Darlene's Fashion Loves over at their blogs:
Who's That Girl Dana? - www.whosthatgirl524.wordpress.com
Suits, Heels & Curves - www.suitsheelsandcurves.com
You can also see what we're up to for Valentine's Day by finding us on social media via the hashtag: #CurvasenNYC
How will you show love for yourself this Valentine's Day? What are some of your fashion loves?
"The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you." ~ Coco Chanel
And I look damn good in some blue, let me tell you. That is why when my blogger sister Jaye contacted me about being involved in a Pantone Spring 2016 blogger collaboration, I, not only, jumped at the chance to do it but chose Snorkel Blue as my color.
There was a time I didn't think blue was my color. But once I got out of my fashion box and started trying new styles and colors in fashion, I realized I look amazing in blue. And it has now become one of my favorite colors.
I'm a prints girl, as you can see on this blog. And of course, I wanted to incorporate my love for prints with my Pantone color choice. When I saw this Avenue floral skater dress, I had to have it. It's perfect. Snorkel Blue is mixed in the floral print with a deeper navy shade and a hint of a lighter blue.
According to Pantone, "A maritime -inspired blue, PANTONE 19-4049 Snorkel Blue plays in the navy family, but with a happier, more energetic context. The name alone implies a relaxing vacation and encourages escape. It is striking yet still, with lots of activity bursting from its undertones."
Happier, energetic? Relaxing vacation and encourages escape? Yes, this color is me all the way. LOL!
This dress is the star and main attraction of this look so I went very minimal with accessories. I wore my go-to classic black flats from Gap Outlet and added my Cherie Glam black clutch from fullbeauty to the mix. As I have mentioned a few times on this blog, I am now in love with Obi belts so I added my beloved Smooth Obi Belt from Lane Bryant to show off my waist.
This print is pretty and makes a statement on its own. So I opted to not wear a necklace. Just my usual stack of sterling silver bracelets.
And yes, that's snow you see. The remains of Winter Storm Jonas... Thankfully on the day I took these pics, it was around 50 degrees and sunny, which is warm for January on the Northeast.
Snorkel Blue represents me because it reminds me of the ocean. I grew up seeing the Atlantic Ocean on a daily basis and it is something I will always be grateful for.
You can pick up this amazing floral dress for yourself over at Avenue here. It's currently on sale for $42. Plus, if you spend $125 buying New Arrivals, you'll also get an additional $25 taken off your total. I shop on a budget all the time so if I can score a deal, I jump on it and I am not afraid to share it with the world.
Want to check out the other 9 amazingly stylish and beautiful bloggers in this collaboration?
Here's the links to their blogs and the colors they are featuring:
Darlene (Rose Quartz) - www.suitsheelsandcurves.com
Jeniese (Serenity) - www.thejenesaisquoi.blogspot.com
Georgette (Buttercup) - www.grownandcurvywoman.com
Sandra (Green Flash) - www.lapecosapreciosa.com
Pepper (Lilac Grey) - www.prettypluspep.com
Jay (Fiesta) - www.styleoversize.com
Ashley (Iced Coffee) - www.fabellis.com
Mo (Limpet Shell) - www.lion-hunter.com
Assa (Peach Echo) - www.mycurvesandcurls.com
We also got fancy and did a lookbook - check it out below!
Would love to know what you think of my look and the overall collaboration... #beinspired
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