Tag Archive | Trends

OOTD: “Posh Shoppe Peplum” (@Love_PoshShoppe)

May25

I was recently introduced to the plus-size company, Posh Shoppe, via an email. It was late at night when I read the email and although I was a little tired when reading it, I immediately popped out of my seat when I visited the website. I discovered risque, on trend, head turning fashions. These are the type of fashions that I like to see for curvy ladies. Posh Shoppe was founded with the goal of bringing on-trend, creative, youthful apparel that seems to be so hard to access to plus size women and girls. Now I will admit most items are not something that you would wear to work but if you’re going out for a night on the town there’s perfect selection to choose from. I ordered a few items and what I decided to wear today was the Sleeveless Peplum Mini Dress in Cobalt. I blogged on the peplum trend a while back and this is my first time testing it out. I love the fit of the dress as far as hugging the curves and I took a chance because I usually don’t wear short skirts. I’m a hippy gal and normally wear a size 2X but I ordered a size 3X in my dress and I’m glad that I did.  When an item is shorter go a size up to allow for extra stretch in the hip area. If you’re a size 18 or below and well proportioned I think that this label will work great for you.  The prices are already very reasonable but just so you get your chance to try this company out, on behalf of Posh Shoppe and myself, I’m offering a 10% discount code off your entire order if you use code “BELLA10″. (Discount Offer good until July 1st). Stay tuned, I have more outfits to review soon from this label!

Trend Alert: “Rompers aka Playsuits”

May8

A friend of mine and I were talking this week and she kept saying how she’s looking for a romper. Then I received the new Simply Be catalog today and voila, there was an adorable romper there for the taking. Rompers are many times also referred to as playsuits. I’m not a shorts kinda gal, but last year I wore a romper from Kmart and  now it’s one of my faves. So I’m convinced rompers are gonna be a must have for this spring season. Therefore, I’m doing today’s trend focus on just that……

Playsuit from Simply Be, $49, Sizes 10-28

ASOS CURVE Exclusive Jersey Playsuit In Leopard Print, $48.71, Sizes 16-22

Stop Staring Leopard Romper from Torrid, $120.50, Size 12-26

“Colorblast Photoshoot With Model, Lindsey Brown”

May3
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of styling plus-size model, Lindsey Brown, for a photoshoot. You may remember Lindsey from modeling for me for my CBS Interview back in December and she was also one of last months features for “Curvy Girl of the Day” on my blog. So she and I teamed up with Beau Monde Agency’s photographer, Kermit Gresham. Kermit is like family to me and we have worked together on many, many projects so we just click on set and our shoots always come out fabulously. Lindsey is a professional model, signed with MSA New York, so she knew exactly what to do on set without any instruction. Her work speaks for itself, just take a look:

For the first look, we went for a  ’Fun in the Sun” kinda attire with the short-shorts and neon colorblocking trend. Lindsey’s entire outfit is from Dots and was only $81 total for EVERYTHING. (Who says you can’t be trendy and frugal). When Lindsey first came to me with the shoot concept she specified “lots of color’. So that’s exactly what I gave her. We went shopping the day before the shoot and I picked out this outfit for her and once she put it on, my vision was complete. I wanted to take loads of color and bring it all together with one main accessory. In this case it was the shoes and bangles. I wanted at least one accessory to match something in her outfit. So I had the shoes match her teal tee shirt and her belt, shorts and sheer overlay shirt to match the bangles. It came together rather nicely I think!
Outfit Breakdown: (All items from Dots) 
Short: $12.80
Belt: $8
Teal t-shirt: $6
Sheer shirt: $9.80
Wedge Sandals: $24
Bangles: $6.80 each set
Earrings: $6.80
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Next up was a “High-Glamour Color Look”. Lindsey and I just so happened to walk in to Ashley Stewart as we were shopping and this hot-pink pleated jumpsuit just jumped out at me upon first glance. I instantly thought about the color turquoise going with this. I remembered that I had purchased a multi-strand turquoise necklace and bracelet set last year, coincidentally also from Ashley Stewart, and I felt that would give it that pop of added color that we were looking for. Not even knowing that Lindsey had these gorgeous Purple Mossimo Pumps from Target in her car already, it was a done deal. (Sidenote: I fell in love with her pumps so bad that I ran to Target to grab them and I luckily found the last pair in my size, yeaaaa me!). But as I stated above, it’s always an accessory to bring the outfit together.  Check out the oversized turquoise butterfly ring. I knew it would come in handy some day, lol.

 

Outfit Breakdown:
Pink Jumpsuit: $49.50 from Ashley Stewart
Pumps: $29.99 from Target by Mossimo
Necklace and Bracelet: $35 & $25 Both from Ashley Stewart (2010)
Butterfly Ring: $14.50 from Ashley Stewart (2010)
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For our third look we pulled from Lindsey’s own closet. This is her orange maxi dress and indian print belt. Once again, she also had this pair of beautiful shoes already in her possession and I went and brought me a pair too afterwards, don’t judge me, lol. The shoes are also Mossimo for Target and according to Shanda Freeman of  ’Shanda Says‘, these Mossimo sandals are a dead-ringer for her $1,000 Prada sandals.
Outfit Breakdown:
Orange Maxi Dress and Belt: Lindsey’s Own
Sandals: $29.99 from Target 
Ring: $5 from H & M 
Bracelet: $3 from Earrings Plaza (NYC)
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Now for our final look we went for a “Purple Rain” theme. Fringe is a new trend for this spring  so we took this electric purple tunic and wore it as a dress. I paired it with her same turquoise Target sandals from above and threw in a large bracelet with some purple and turquoise accents in it. The dress is a showstopper on its own so minimal jewelry was needed. Just look at her twirl in action in the pics!

 

Outfit Breakdown:
Dress/Tunic: $29.50 from Ashley Stewart
Sandals: $29.99 from Target
Ring: $6 from H & M
Bracelet: $16.50 from Ashley Stewart
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Follow me on Twitter at @bellastyles
Follow Model Lindsey Brown on Twitter at @thelindseybrown
Follow Photographer Kermit Gresham on Twitter at @beaumondeagency
Follow MUA Charlene on Twitter: @epiphanybeauty


OOTD: Antthony Bling Bling Mama Caftan Dress & Jeffrey Campbell Munroe Pumps

Apr26

I first wore this HSN Antthony Bling Bling Mama Caftan Dress for last years RVA Fashion Week and decided to rock it again for my recent photoshoot. Not only because this is a great lil’ dress but more-so because I was going for a pop of color in this particular scene. I removed the original tie belt and swapped it out for a pink belt that I had taken from another dress. I don’t normally go for short skirts but stepped outta my comfort zone once again with this one. I know that I always say that purple is my favorite color but turquoise seems to be moving up on my color scale too. So when I saw these colorful Jeffrey Campbell ‘Munroe’ Pumps from Nordstrom on their site last year, I quickly put in my pre-order and waited all summer for them to arrive. (These pumps are very similar to a pair of Christian Dior‘s that I posted on before). Therefore I took the colors from out of the shoe and made them connect with my jewelry and caftan dress. Ladies don’t sleep on the HSN website. They have many stylish items and go from petite sizes to plus-sizes.

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Outfit Breakdown:

Dress: Antthony Bling Bling Mama Caftan Dress $34.90   Sizes L-2X   http://fashion.hsn.com

Turquoise Necklace & Matching Bracelet: $34.50 & $16.50  www.ashleystewart.com

Pumps: Jeffrey Campbell ‘Munroe’ Pumps from Nordstrom $149.50

Orange Ring: $5 from H & M

Bracelet from Earrings Plaza (NYC)

Earrings: It’s Fashion

Multi Row Natural Turquoise Necklace

Multi Row Turquiose Stretch Bracelet

OOTD: The IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel ‘Cassandra Infinity Gown’

Apr26

On a recent photoshoot that I did for my 2-Year Blogiversary, I wore this beautiful gown from award winning plus-size designer, IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel. I gave a teaser in a previous post that I had received a gown from the latest “Spring With A Breath of Fresh Air Collection” to review. I wanted a classic Hollywood look with this piece. It is trendy all the while being classy. It is designed in the colorblock theme of black and ivory and can be worn several different ways including strapless, one-shoulder or with both sleeves. From the moment it arrived I felt like a red-carpet starlet. IGIGI goes the extra mile to ship your packages already on the hanger in an oversized box so that when you open your package, it’s wrinkle free and ready for wear. Once I stepped on set all eyes were on me. But then again whenever I wear IGIGI clothing, it stands out in the crowd. (Even though I wore this specifically for a photoshoot, this gown is perfect for a semi-formal affair, an evening wedding or a Broadway play or theatre show). The gown comes with an aurora beaded belt that snaps in the back for a nice secure fit. Since the belt had beading on it I wanted to wear jewelry to compliment that. My jewelry has sort of a black and gold tone to it to compliment the belt. To coincide with the colorblock theme I went for the newly released  Jessica Simpson Platform Sandals. 

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Clothing Details:

IGIGI by Yuliya Raquel ‘Cassanda Infinity Gown’, $190, Sizes 12-32

Jessica Simpson ‘Pattina’ Platform Sandals, $89, Macy’s

Kenneth Cole Multi-Chain Necklace from Macys, $60

Earrings, Ring and Bracelet from Ashley Stewart

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Hair by Tahnesha Ervin

Photography by George Butler

Makeup by Earl Fleming

Spring Trend Alert: “Neon Colorblocking”

Apr17

The new “it” trend this summer will be neon. Be it a purse, a dress or shoes. Just like many other styles, the neon trend has resurfaced from the 80′s. Ultra bright hues of yellow, green and orange are all over the store showroom floors at the moment. This style can totally be worn by us curvy gals too. I like these items below:

Stretch Knit Dress from Ashley Stewart, $39.50

"Whitley" Cut Out Shoulder Dress- Neon Green

“Whitley” Neon Green Cut-Out Shoulder Dress by Monif C., $198, Sizes 1-3 (Plus)

Patent Neon Flat

Patent Neon Flats from Dots, $13

Colorblock swim tank with no wire bra by Cacique

Neon Colorblock Swimtank from Lane Bryant, $54.95, Sizes 14-28

‘N-Command Dress’ from Dean of Fashion, $59.99, Sizes 1X-3X

The Trend That’s Here To Stay: “Animal Prints”

Apr4

I’ve said this a million times before but I repeat, “Animal prints are here to stay”. Better yet more and more designers are making pieces in this print that flatter the curvy body. The great thing about animal prints is that you can add a pop of color, such as orange, red or blue, to it and it’ll pull the look together with a little twist. Over the past few days I have seen quite a few animalistic items that have caught my attention. Here are a few of my fave animal prints for the upcoming season:

‘Leopardicious’ Catsuit from Majesty’s Closet, $59.99

Leopard Playsuit from Torrid, $120.50

ASOS CURVE Body-Conscious Dress in Leopard Print, $45.00

Dots Animal Print Maxi Dress, $15-$17, Sizes S-3X

Sateen Cheetah Crop Blazer from Charlotte Russe, $35, Sizes S-L

SWAK Designs Brazil Maxi Dress, $79, Sizes 1X-6X

Full figure Leopard halter maxi dress by Seven7

Leopard Halter Maxi Dress by Seven7 from Lane Bryant, $89.95, Sizes 14/16-22/24

Trend Alert: “Scarf Print Dresses”

Mar28

I’m starting to notice that scarf print dresses are becoming a popular trend . While at the mall this past weekend H&M had a huge billboard with a model in a scarf but also wearing a scarf print dress. So when I got home I started researching and found a few selections with this style option. It kinda puts me back in the 1997 Versace days or reminiscent of a mod-look.

“Misha” Multi-Printed Dress from Curvaceous Boutique, $59.99, Sizes L-3X

Scarf Dress from Dots, $19.80, Sizes 0-24

Scarf Print Dress - Length from 36in

Scarf Print Dress from Simply Be, $65, Sizes 8-28

‘Medallion’ Maxi Dress from Fashion To Figure, $48, Sizes 2X-3X

 

OOTD: “Three Trends In One”

Mar25

Today’s OOTD is combining the three trends of color blocking, blazers and colored denim. Yes, you can wear more than one at a time. Earlier this week I did a post on Dots new spring collection and today I wore a few items from that line. First up are the blue fitted blazer and hot pink jeggings. Both are made with stretch jersey so that allows for comfort and a figure flattering effect. (But if you want a really smooth look under your jeggings, wear a ‘Body Magic’ shaper such as I did). In addition to the ‘little black dress’ every woman should have a classic fitted white shirt in her wardrobe as well. I chose this one from Simply Be because of the shirring in the back which gives extra shaping to the waistline. Plus the shirt is long-lined so it covers wide hips and plumbers-crack, if you have that problem, lol. But the entire look was brought together by the color-blocking of the shoes. (I originally had on the Jessica Simpson pumps, but after a while of walking the mall, I switched to my Dots flats which still matched the outfit). This is the season of color so ladies don’t shy away from it. You can mix and match various colors but then bring it all together by one key accessory which in my case were the shoes. 

Blue Blazer: $16.80 from Dots

Pink Jeggings: $18.80 from Dots

White Shirt: $64 Glamorosa Shirt from Simply Be

Pumps: $98 ‘Vadio’ by Jessica Simpson

Necklace: $34.50 from Ashley Stewart

Blue Ballerina Striped Flats: $13 from Dots

Purse from Nordstrom BP

Trend Alert: “The High and Low of It”

Mar25

The high-low skirt/dress trend is making it’s way back on the scene for the upcoming season. It’s described as a skirt that is higher in the front and hangs lower in the back. If you have great legs then this is an option that you definitely wanna try.  With prom season right around the corner, this is sure to be a popular choice for many young ladies.

Hi-Lo Layered Ruffle Dress from Newport News, $89, Sizes S-L

Strapless High-Low Gown by White House Black Market, $398, Sizes 00-14

Zebra Print Hi-Low Dress by Baby Phat, $84, Sizes 1X-4X

BCBGeneration Hi-Lo Maxi Skirt from Zappos, $87.99, Sizes XS-L

Hi-Lo Maxi Skirt from City Chic, $54, Sizes XS-XXL (Plus)

The ‘Malana’ High-Low Gown from Sydney’s Closet, $299

High-Low Peasant Dress by Eloquii, $118, Sizes 14W-24W

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