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Showing posts with label City Chic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City Chic. Show all posts
A Size 26/28 Girl's Journey on Shopping Brands That Stop at Size 24: City Chic
Monday, August 6, 2018
"Clothes aren't going to change the world. The women who wear them will." ~ Anne Klein
I had an amazing call today with an up-and-coming designer named Elle Dove who creates clothing for ALL sizes. Now when I say ALL, I truly mean all. She wants to dress everyone and her passion gives me hope that the fashion industry, including major brands, will see the importance of fashion for everyone. Here's an interview I did with her a few months ago for PLUS Model Magazine here. |
| Lorenza James by Elle Dove |
And that resonated with me so deeply because it is so true and the core of what an influencer should be.
I think the industry has lost its way a bit in that instance with major brands:
- Looking solely at numbers over engagement.
- Choosing only to offer up to a certain size or calling it "size inclusive" but stopping at a size 3X/24.
- Using influencers whose bodies fit a certain beauty ideal that is acceptable to society (hourglass and pear shapes under a size 24).
So as someone who is often outsized within my own fashion industry, I have learned over the years that shopping is not always fun and is honestly a sport. And I am a repeat gold medal winner. I constantly have "make it work" moments with Tim Gunn's voice in my ear.
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| Jacket: Premme // Dress: plus BKLYN // Booties: Avenue |
Sizing is so inconsistent across the board, even in straight sizes! I hate to try on clothes and would love to just buy off the rack but that is not just possible, especially when you're plus size. Once I accepted this and adapted, I have become savvy as knowing what fits me.
I admit, I used to bypass brands that only went up to a size 24. I naturally thought I could not fit into anything they sold. I was also programmed to always reach for the larger size and have learned to not do that anymore. Baggy clothes do not hide the plus body. For me, it made me look bigger. Sure, I was hiding my rolls and such. But I looked as if I was wearing a tent. Not cute.
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| During my days of hiding my body in larger clothing. |
Life is short so why should I wait to wear what I want? Why should I have to lose weight to look fabulous and show off my style? The time is NOW.
One of my favorite brands to shop that stops at a size 24 is City Chic. Nine times out of ten, I have been able to fit into their size XXL, which is a 24. For the record, I usually wear a size 26 on top and a 28 on bottom. My measurements are 55-53-68.
Their strapless dresses are everything! They have piping and an adhesive band around the top part (similar to what you see in strapless bras) so it stays in place. When I finally got the courage to let my wings be free and wear strapless dresses, City Chic was the first brand I wore.
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| Full Figured Fashion Week, June 2018 |
Here's some other City Chic styles I have worn and loved:
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| Hello Body and Curves! |
I think that we have been fed so much negative rules and criticisms for most of our lives that it takes time to reprogram our thoughts. But I still live by that mantra "Change your mindset, change your life." It didn't happen overnight but I started out with one body part: my arms. And then once I took that step, it got easier to continue to push myself out of my comfort zone and not be afraid to show my body in public and stop covering up.
City Chic has been one of those brands that has been a part of my self love journey. While I do think they should consider expanding their sizing to 32, I still celebrate them for what they do get right... the fit! They truly ensure that their clothing fits a curvy, plus body that has extra in some places. I also check the fabric and if I see spandex or elastane in it, that means it has some stretch. Yes!
The biggest shopping lesson I have learned over the years is to shop by fit and my measurements. Even if the size tag does not align with what size I am.
Here's what I have my eye on at the moment from City Chic:
Just an FYI, this is not a sponsored post and City Chic has no idea of my love for them. Sometimes we have to show our support for free because that's how we not only build relationships that can lead to a profitable future but also to spread the word. Our voices must be heard in order to make change and sometimes complaining is not enough.
If you love what I have to say regarding fashion, fit and style for the size 20+ woman and you're in or near the Atlanta area, come hear me speak this weekend at the TCF Style Expo! I'm on an amazing panel of incredible women talking to this very topic. The panel will be moderated by Alicia Young of AP Young Blog, who is over a size 24.
You can still get tickets to the TCF Style Expo here. Would love to see you!
"Dresses don't look beautiful on hangers." ~ Amit Kalantri
As many of you know, I have been working as a First Fit Reviewer for Gwynnie Bee for over a year. I basically act as a fit model for new styles and provide honest reviews on the styles I try, in order to help other women find styles at GB that will work for them.
I have to admit, June has been an awesome month where I gave out a ton of 5-heart reviews. It has me excited for summer and fall. Effie's Heart, Rachel Antonoff, City Chic and Jete continue to be my favorite brands with Effie's Heart really winning my heart with its pretty and bold prints.
I also have fallen in love with some new brands that will be launching this month on GB... Tart Collections, Flying Tomato and Love Fire. I also tried a new brand called Single Dresses that runs kind of small and I still have yet to try a 4XL dress from Unique Vintage that fits. Ugh.
So here's what I was obsessing over in June at Gwynnie Bee:
This City Chic dress is the perfect combo of blue and red with a fun tie detail at the bust and a swingy skirt silhouette that made me want to salsa dance the night away. Love!
My two closet picks of the month are:
Johnny Was Archi Tier Tunic
I'm wearing a size 4X and despite no stretch, the fit was spot on. This is the perfect top for summer; so lightweight, pretty and on-trend.
Effie's Heart Dolce Vita in Etched Dot
I am so love with this dress. It is my absolute favorite dress at the moment. I actually plan to buy this dress because it's a keeper. It's comfy, lightweight, so pretty and it has pockets. I am wearing a size 4X and absolutely love how it fits me.
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| Blogger Nazira Sacasa and I wearing the Isabel & Alice Faux Wrap Dress in Jungle Taro. Nazira is wearing an XL and is 5'8". I'm 5'7" and wearing a size 3X. (Launching 7/7) |
I also have fallen in love with some new brands that will be launching this month on GB... Tart Collections, Flying Tomato and Love Fire. I also tried a new brand called Single Dresses that runs kind of small and I still have yet to try a 4XL dress from Unique Vintage that fits. Ugh.
So here's what I was obsessing over in June at Gwynnie Bee:
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| City Chic Party Fun Dress - launching July 9 |
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| Cherry Velvet Angelina Dress in Aqua Dot - Launching July 5th |
Cherry Velvet has also become a favorite brand of mine while working at Gwynnie Bee. This dress is simply gorgeous. I am obsessed at the moment with aqua and forest green so this dress had me swooning, with its retro polka dot print and pockets! I'm wearing a size 4X.
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| Isabel & Alice Faux Wrap Dress in Jungle Taro - Launching July 7th |
As I stated above, I am obsessed with green so when I saw this dress on my rack, I was in love. The ruffle detail is super cute and I actually had to size down to a 3X on this dress because the bust was slightly baggy in the 4X.
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| Michel Studio by Addition Elle Aqua Stripe Keyhole Dress - launched 7/2 |
This dress just launched on the site yesterday (7/2) and I love it! This is a dress I will wear all summer and then transition it into fall with the addition of a denim jacket. It's super comfortable, fits well and so stylish. I'm wearing a size 4X.
My two closet picks of the month are:
Johnny Was Archi Tier Tunic
Effie's Heart Dolce Vita in Etched Dot
I am so love with this dress. It is my absolute favorite dress at the moment. I actually plan to buy this dress because it's a keeper. It's comfy, lightweight, so pretty and it has pockets. I am wearing a size 4X and absolutely love how it fits me.
As always, please check out my reviews on the GB site for a more detailed description of my fit experience and if you have any questions, you can always reach out to me on Facebook and Instagram.
If you aren't a member of Gwynnie Bee and want to try the service out, you can try it for 30 days FREE of charge. Just click here to sign up. You won't be disappointed and you'll never know until you try.
Stay tuned! I will be sharing my faves for July 2017 at the end of this month.
"I have always believed that fashion was not only to make women more beautiful, but also to reassure them, give them confidence." ~ Yves Saint Laurent
Jumpsuits have been pivotal in my journey to feeling confident and loving myself.
It may sound weird that a piece of clothing could have such an impact on my life but this one piece of clothing represents all the fear I have felt in my life.
The center of my anxiety is control. Having control means staying comfortable and never venturing out into the unknown. And that is what jumpsuits were for me.
Yes, were. They are no longer holding me prisoner. And it feels so good.
I'm still working on my anxiety but I am in such a different place today and have made many major accomplishments in my life where I am in a better space.
I don't like to talk about my anxiety too much publicly because there is such a negative stigma attached to mental health in general. But to know me, is to know all of me, even the bad stuff.
And this is what my blog is all about. I may sound like the Dalai Lama sometimes but know that it's a daily struggle for me. I work on me every day. Some days are great and some are not. But on those bad days, I do things I love and know will uplift my spirit. Like wearing a jumpsuit and a red lip.
I think this is why I like shiny, sparkly things and bold colors and prints. It's a way for me to forget the bad stuff and have fun with things I love. And it's not just fashion that heals my spirit.
Sometimes it's watching my favorite TV show, dancing around the living room with my nieces, going to Starbucks to get a grande Mocha Frappachino with extra whipped cream or just having a dinner date with my mom.
I think this is why I love to travel and see wide open spaces and different parts of the world. Most people dream of being on a beach somewhere hot whereas I dream of going on an Alaskan cruise or seeing the Moais on Easter Island (bucket list trip!) or castle hopping in Ireland.
Jumpsuits are one of my happy places, just like traveling, iced coffee, my nieces and etc.
That wasn't always so. I used to loath my body on some serious levels, especially my lumpy thighs so I used to tend to shy away from pants in general. Jumpsuits don't provide any kind of coverage and everything is just out there to see, so it used to scare the hell out of me.
Meanwhile, I did have confidence but I was conflicted because I wasn't fully there with loving myself completely and knowing that flaws are flaws. Everyone has them but they are what makes us unique. No one is perfect.
Jumpsuits now remind me that it's okay to step out of my comfort zone and take a chance. I don't always need to control everything. Being comfortable can be boring. And I have learned that while the unknown can be frightening, it can also be exciting. You just have to take a chance.
So whenever I am presented with an opportunity to take a chance, I think of how it felt when I made the choice to try on a jumpsuit and discovered that it did look good on me. That feeling of fear that turned into hope that led to happiness.
Not all choices have a happy ending but you'll never know until you take a chance. And that's how we live fully and grow.
Shop My Look below:
"If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair." ~ Shirley Chisholm
I hear plus size women all the time griping how they wish they could shop at straight size stores or how hard it is for them to shop in plus stores and sometimes, even though I love my fellow plus sisters, I look at them like this:
Listen, I feel your pain but if you're under a size 24, in my eyes, you have an abundance of fashion accessible to you. Try being outsized in not only the straight size world but the plus size one too! Then you will understand why I am giving y'all the Anna Wintour resting bitch face with an undercover side eye under my sunglasses.
If you're a size 18 and under, you can even shop at straight size stores! And I am not mad at you. You go, Girl and shop! But please recognize that my fashion struggle is very different than yours.
For example... recently, GabiFresh launched her latest swimwear collection with SwimsuitsForall. And I loved the whole collection. However, I can't wear any of it because it stops at a size 24. And I love me some GabiFresh - so I hope she will expand on her sizes very soon.
I try to shop more by fit than size because sizing is so inconsistent across the board. I have fit into clothing from brands like ASOS and City Chic but it hasn't been often. It truly depends on fabric and cut.
For a long time, I felt like I wasn't worthy of fashion or that I needed to lose weight in order to fit into a smaller size. It's terrible and now looking back, I wonder how young girls, like my nieces who are considered plus size, feel when shopping.
Having fashion available in a wide range of sizes is not promoting obesity. Fashion builds confidence and will help someone with their self-esteem when dressing in what they love, which in turn will inspire them to be the healthiest they can be, at any size. This in turn will change how we view health and body size.
I believe that fashion is for everyone. And style isn't limited by size.
There are so many great plus size brands that I personally would love to shop but they do not offer my size. The only way to change the minds of others is to educate them and let our voices be heard.
We all have the power of the wallet. Support those companies that support us while telling the others what we want. There's strength in numbers and with social media at our fingertips, we can easily talk to companies and let them know how we feel.
With that said, here's my top 5 brands that I would definitely shop, if they expanded their size range:
When the Essie X Kelly collection came out over the holidays, I would have bought every single item in that collection. But of course, it only went up to a size 3X and 24. FTF is so affordable and they have physical stores in my area. So I'd be shopping in there and online often.
I will admit I've scored some pieces from them that fit but believe me, after trying on everything in store (yes everything!), I walked away with like 8 pieces. And that in itself was exhausting.
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| I still wear this FTF skater dress to this day (it's from 2015) |
I love their new active line and even tried a pair of their jeans which was available in a size 26 but they didn't fit. ::fashion tears::
The company itself is filled with amazing people including the CEO Michael Kaplan. I would support them in an instant if they expanded their size range. Hell, I'd be the President of their fan club.
I feel like many women sleep on debshops because a lot of their stuff is revealing but let me tell you, they have some nice, affordable styles. They relaunched bigger and better last year. However, their sizing is 1XL to 3XL so um no, not fitting me.
And they have reached out to me to work with them and are so nice. I wish! I would work with them in a heartbeat and get my big sexy chic on.
#3: Boohoo
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| This jumpsuit from Boohoo has my name written all over it. ::sigh:: |
#4: Elvi
I recently discovered this brand and was so disappointed that they stop at a size 24. I just noticed they added a size 26 on some styles, which is great, but if I don't fit into it, I can't size up. They have such great styles too! And they're affordable!
#5: Rachel Roy
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| Rachel Roy, help a size 26/28 sister out, please! I want this dress! |
Other brands I'd like to mention....
Lane Bryant - I won't front. If it wasn't for Lane Bryant, I wouldn't even own any designer pieces (That Christian Siriano line still has me swooning). But I silently pray daily that they expand to a size 30/32 because in all honesty, 7 times out of 10, their size 28 bottoms don't fit me. So I usually only buy tops and dresses from them. And sometimes, fit is an issue for me there.
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| Thank you Christian Siriano for this amazing jacket |
Melissa McCarthy Seven7 - Same here. She offers 4X and up to a 28 on some styles but not all. And of course, they are styles I want badly.
SLINK Jeans - I want to try them so bad but they only go up to a size 24 and I'm usually a 28 in jeans because of my hips. Ugh, they look so good on everyone I see wearing them.
Special shout out to brands like Avenue, Old Navy and Torrid who have been offering above a size 24 for years. And a special thank you to Eloquii, Charlotte Russe and Ashley Stewart for expanding their size ranges. I'm still working on finding my fit at CR and Ashley Stewart but Eloquii has really made me fall in love with them.
I also want to thank eShakti for offering not only sizes 0 to 36W but also in custom measurements for an extra $7.50. They have been a lifesaver for me for a few years.
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| My absolute fave custom eShakti dress |
And in a future blog post, I will talk about how we can let our voices be heard! Let's make 2017 the year where we demand inclusion and acceptance because we are all worthy of having accessible fashion.
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