When I think of my pre-teen days in middle school, my memories are of denim. Like Stefano Gabbana, I remember being 12 in my Levi's.

However, the difference here is that I was a plus size kid and had to "borrow" my dad's Levi's. As a child growing up in the 80's, I was thankful for the men's department because for me, the only designer brand that offered my size 36/38 bottom some jeans in the women's department was Gloria Vanderbilt. God bless that woman.

While I loved my colored Gloria Vanderbilt jeans (She was before her time with colored denim), it wasn't quite the same as wearing regular wash denim. When I put on those Levi's, I felt normal. I felt like everyone else. I felt like I didn't have to try hard to fit in fashion-wise because I was wearing what the thinner kids were wearing.

1985 - when acid wash denim was hot (and now it's back!) - I'm on the right

My, how times have changed but still don't feel THAT different.

A few decades later, plus size denim has evolved and there are more options. But now at a size 26, my options are still limited. And let's not even talk about the fact that I have a small waist in comparison to my bust and hips AND I have large upper calves and smaller ankles. So skinny jeans for me are no-go, even in plus sizes. Retailers seem to think all calves are one straight size. But I digress.

However, denim has played such a big part of my life because it is my go-to everyday piece. I love how I can take a pair of jeans and wear it effortlessly from day to night with a switch of shoes and an addition of a jacket or different top. Add some accessories and a hot clutch and BAM, there you go! So I refuse to give up on finding the perfect fitting pair of jeans for me. But it feels like there is still more changes to be made when it comes to offering fashion to women above a size 24.

I have made no secret for my love for Catherines. I've been a brand ambassador for them twice this year and I never endorse a brand unless I truly love the fit and quality of their clothing. They are one of two places I have been able to get denim off the rack, that fits well. And they offer up to a size 34 and 6X. Yes! So when they reached out to me to be a part of their #denimdebut campaign and gifted me some jeans, I jumped at the chance.

I opted to choose a pair of medium wash jeans from their new True Stretch line to try something new and get out of my fashion box. I usually wear dark denim because I am not comfortable showing off my lumpy thighs. But I realized I was making my lumps more visible than they actually are. We see things differently than how the world sees them, when we focus too much on the negative. This is something I am working on one day at a time.

When I get dressed, I think of what my mom would say. I don't ask for her opinion anymore, to be honest. Because as she got older, she grew more self-conscious of her own body and that somehow lends itself to her opinions. So there are times she won't agree with what I wear because of her own body issues. However, we still go by our mantra wherever we go. While we may not agree on our fashion choices, we do strive to show up and show out no matter what.

So I guess my everyday style is about doing just that. You only live once, right? Might as well make a statement and show the world who you are with style.

What is your everyday style? What do you love to wear?

"Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman." ~~ Coco Chanel

This summer has been brutal and I've been having my up and down days. Grief is no joke and add a busy schedule to that and being sick... and well, I've been having a bit of writer's/blogger's block lately. So when I got word that Catherines chose me to be one of their four style ambassadors for August, it was just the thing to get me back into the swing of things.


I love a pop of color and love to make a statement wherever I go with what I am wearing. I also like to keep it classy and stylish. Red is such a great color for that, especially in a print (y'all know how much of a print girl I am). It's a color that is definitely classy. Not to mention, it's alluring, vibrant, bold and fun. Yep, that's me in a nutshell. LOL!

So when this Catherines opportunity presented itself, I seized the opportunity to rock a red print and paint the town red my way!

Side by Side - Model vs Me

What do you think of my look? Would you wear it? What would you pair this top with? Please leave me a comment below and let me know!

I saw this dress on the Lane Bryant website a few months ago and fell in love with it. But once I got it, I will admit it took me a little while to wear it. I don't typically like clingy bodycon type dresses and this one shows my belly outline (VBO). But I loved it and decided to not let my little fears and criticisms of myself stop me from wearing something I love. Sometimes we see flaws that we magnify in our minds when really no one doesn't even notice! So when you see my smile in these pics, it's 100% genuine and full of joy.



Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I am wearing the heck out of this pink jacket (also from Lane Bryant). I can't help it. It's my magical jacket where wonderful things happen when I wear it. Plus, as I have said before, it is always nice to have a statement piece in a pop of color. I think the pink goes perfectly with the black and white stripes.




I continue to feel free and empowered with every outfit I dare to wear, no matter what rule I am breaking. As I always say, change your mindset, change your life. After having the worst year of my life, things are turning around. Did I do anything special? Nope. I just changed my mindset, stopped worrying about the small stuff and appreciating everything I have. I may not be rich in money but I am rich in love and happiness. I'm in a better place and that's what counts.

You can buy my dress here - it's on sale!
Shoes here and jacket is unfortunately sold out. :-(

I'm a summer baby. My birthday is August 19 and August is usually hot and humid where I am. The irony of that is I HATE THE SUMMER. Ugh.

I dread the summer because I don't like to be hot, red-faced and sweaty. It is not a good look AT ALL.

But in the last year since my brother died, I have been undergoing a major transformation of self. I'm grieving but also reevaluating my life and how I live it. Time is precious and I want to enjoy every second of it. Life is not perfect but it can be an adventure, if you want it to be.


I live in a beach town so summer is an exciting time when tourists descend on our little place in the world, fighting for the perfect beach spot. Sure, it can be annoying with all the crowded buses/trains and not being able to eat a slice of pizza in peace with so many people there. I can't even visit my favorite coffee spot in peace. But I will admit, the energy is incredible. People look so happy and free. And I decided that this year, I will grin and bear it because the positives outweigh the negatives. Why not feed on that energy and use it to my advantage?

So I am challenging myself this summer to accomplish some things and enjoy the summer, even though I'm sure I will be suffering in silence, lol.

One thing I want to do this summer is wear more white. I have not worn white pants since high school and that was about 25 years ago. White has always been my fashion enemy. I have it burned in my brain that white will make me look fatter and I don't want to look like a marshmellow on the street.

The weather has been wonky this year. Last week, it was in the 50s and today, it's 85 degrees. I decided to conquer this fear of white in baby steps. Enter the "white jacket"....





Summertime is definitely in the air and I don't mind it at all, for a change.

You can buy this moto jacket at Lane Bryant here. 

Letting go is not easy. For me, I tend to hold onto things, people and feelings.

When my dad died four years ago, it was the first time I lost someone dear to me. And I didn't know how to handle it. I am just now feeling like I am grieving. I spent the first year in a fog and then held a lot of things in. Looking back now, I know that I didn't allow myself to grieve because that would mean I was accepting that my dad was gone. I held onto the idea of him and wouldn't let go. 

Then my younger brother Danny died last year. He died a month after the third anniversary of my dad's death and this really rocked me to the core. My brother was younger (he was 40 when he died) and he was my only sibling. He was my mother's only son. He was a father to three beautiful daughters. He was a husband. He was so many wonderful things. When I lost him, I left like I lost a limb. I have lost a part of me that I will never get back.

I have to tell you... I'm tired. So tired. Sometimes I feel so tired that the exhaustion weighs me down. Some mornings I don't want to get out of bed. I just want to stay under my covers, close my eyes and tune out the world. So then I don't have to face that they're gone. But then I think of them and the realization settles in. They're gone.

Looking back five years ago, I would have never thought I would be in this place. My dad was supposed to live until his 90's. He was supposed to walk me down the aisle and play with his grandchildren. My brother was supposed to live to see his daughters graduate and get married. He was supposed to be a grandfather. But that is not the case. And I was not prepared for this.

We all know we are going to die one day but you never REALLY think about it. Well, I never did. I was spending my time taking life for granted. But now I see that one minute you're here and the next minute, you can be gone. And you don't know when. You can't do anything about it, either. That is some terrifying shit, let me tell you.

Sometimes my anxiety overcomes me and I'll be honest, I start to freak out. I have to remind myself to breathe and relax. I tell this to my mom when she has her anxious moments. REEELLLLAAAAXXX. She gives me a dirty look (lol) but she admits later that it helps.

I think the positive in this situation is that my mom and I have each other. Our relationship is so strong and solid right now. I love her so much that I can't even think about when she will die. I often wonder who will go first between the two of us. I don't want to think about it but with my dad and brother gone, it's something we have to not only think about but talk about. We have to make preparations so we are not taken by surprise. The key is not letting it consume us to the point where we don't enjoy the moments we do have, right now. 

My wish is for her to live another 20-30 years and hopefully, I will live another 40. But for now, I am trying to figure out how to let go of this anger I feel and try to live in a better space without having this pain dictate my steps. 

This last year has been so hard and I think that's because not only am I finally grieving for my dad but now I am also grieving for my brother. I suffered a bad bout of depression after New Year's and thought I would never make it out. All I wanted to do was sleep. But my strength, my faith and my inner fighter brought me out of it. I go to therapy every week and I am just now feeling comfortable enough to go to a bereavement group. 

One baby step at a time. 

But I will say that what's different now is that I am hopeful. I know things are going to be okay. I just remind myself to be kind to myself. And strive to be strong, secure and happy for all the days of my life.

I have survived losing half of my immediate family in a span of three years. Yeah, I'm definitely a survivor. And that makes me smile. Because I know my dad and Danny are smiling along with me.

Oh, but how I miss them. I miss them more than words can say.

Of course, I wanted to add a pop of color, which is my signature, lol. I paired the pants with my favorite jacket in the world right now...my hot pink moto jacket, also from Lane Bryant. I say this jacket is so magical because good things always happen when I am wearing this jacket. I also wore a nice and simple button-down shirt from Catherines and hot pink patent flats from Lane Bryant.

• Pink Moto Jacket from Lane Bryant - SOLD OUT - Similar one here
• Lena Printed Smart Stretch Crop Pant from Lane Bryant - Available in sizes 14-28, click here
• Solid Sateen Shirt in Black from Catherines - Available in sizes 0X-5X - click here
• Patent Flat in Vivid Pink from Lane Bryant - Sizes 7W-12W - click here

When I heard that Lela Rose was designing a capsule collection for Lane Bryant, I was overjoyed. I love Isabel Toledo very much but most of her collection, while beautiful, was simply not my style. I love color and prints -- and that's what Lela Rose is all about.

• It's a Cinch Dress from Catherines - Available in sizes 1X - 4X - click here
• Ponte Moto Jacket with Zippers from Lane Bryant - Available in sizes 14 - 28 - click here
• Cut-out Ballet Flat from Lane Bryant - Available in sizes 7W - 12W - click here

That quote from Yves Saint Laurent stays with me all the time. So many times, we let the clothing wear us when really we should be wearing the clothes. Confidence is everything. And the woman wearing this blue dress is really in a great, happy place. Showing her legs, arms and all.

**Photography taken at the Rockaway Tribute Park and the Welcome to The Rockaways Street Art on Beach 94th Street in Rockaway Park, Queens, NYC.