More Swimsuits!

Different styles and prices to fit peoples budget!

Love,

Lindsay <3

Swim Suits and Tan Lines

The most dreaded part of summer for most women is annual swim suit review. Does last years still fit? Is it still in style? Am I still comfortable in it? Do I even want to swim this year?

Fear not! There are plenty of cute and comfortable swim suits for every body type and budget.

Have you tried out Forever 21 yet? They have amazing fashionable clothing for an incredibly fair price. And they even have a complete Plus Size line! Try this one:

Or this:

There are many things to look for in a swim suit. Depending on your comfort level you can go with one of the newly popular dress swim suits. They are a cute throw back in fashion while offering full coverage. If you go the traditional route of a one piece, stick to one with ruching over the stomach, but be sure it has a supportive layer under neither. And don't go too big! An overly large suit can look frumpy.

Though these are the very basics my hope is that they'll give you a good basis to find your own amazing summer suit! Add your tips, tricks and favorite swim suit in the comments!

Bras and Panties to get NOW

Hello all my lovely curvy ladies!

If you haven't heard already, Lane Bryant is having their Cacique Semi Annual Sale. Cacique is the brand of unmentionables that I always end up back at, no matter how many different brands I try. Their underwear fits great while having a large collection of fun colors and patters, and their bras have the perfect shape and lift from a size 36C to their 46H.

My 5 for $25 Cotton Underwear. So cute!

As the sale name suggests, this sale happens twice a year, and it's big. Bra's are Buy 2 Get 2 Free (originally $32 - $42) and panties are 5 for $25 cotton (originally $12.50 each) or 3 for $30 smooth no show.

If you don't have a Lane Bryant in the area, check out www.lanebryant.com for the same sale. Shipping is reasonable, and I always get my packages fast.

Nervous about trying out a new bra? Read my previous post for guild lines and a helping hand.

And no, I'm not paid to say all this, I just really love Lane Bryant and am shocked at how many people don't know about them yet!

Happy Shopping!
<3 Lindsay

Happy Holidays!

Hi all!

LYC wants to wish everyone a Happy Holiday this season!

We celebrate Christmas in my family and both my parents and in-laws are devorced, so we have four Christmas parties to visit every year. So far we're wrapping up our frist visit and are getting ready to hit the road for party number two.

This year I went with a great silver top I found at Lane Bryant. Since the top is kind of plain, I paired it with some great black and silver accessories to complete the outfit. And don't forget the makeup! I used my same routine with a punch of festive lipstick (as seen here).

What are your traditions for the holidays? Do you get dressed up, or do you prefer to lounge all day?

Have fun and stay safe!
<3 Lindsay

Boots Update

Happy Tuesday!

Remember my post Boots, Go Short? Or Go Tall?

I still haven't found an affordable answer to my personal boots problem, but I was so excited when I came along a post today from an acquaintance, Jamie, about these wide calf boots she found:

Cute right?

So I had to know where they came from. She ordered them from www.onestopplus.com which is a website focused on plus size clothing in all aspects. They first came on my radar a couple years ago while I was looking for a new swimsuit, but I'll admit I haven't looked on the website for a while. So I was very surprised to learn that they had these cute boots on sale!

Check out www.onestopplus.com to see what they offer you. One of the great things I've just been informed of is that they carry boots in a Double Wide Calf. So ladies, if you considered your boot career down and out, think again!

Have you found any great wide calf boots this season? Let me know in the comments so I can keep on with my search!

<3 Lindsay

December MyGlam/Ipsy

Have you heard about the beauty sample businesses that are so popular right now? The most popular one is called Birchbox, and that's the one I started on, but recently these services have popped up across the web. The service I like the most is called MyGlam, though they've recently changed their name to Ipsy, and they without fail offer great makeup products every month.

How does it work? Every month you pay a small fee ($10 for Ipsy) and you receive a package with 4-6 deluxe samples from various brands based on a style profile you fill out. Many times these "samples" end up being full size products! It's really that simple, and considering the retail value of these products separately can end up in the hundreds, it's definitely worth it.

Ipsy for December focused on a look for the Holidays.

I received 5 samples and a bag, all which work beautiful together. You'll notice some big name brands in this collection, which is one of the things that keep me so faithful to Ipsy.

First up is Mirabella Prime face and eye primer. The product is a very silky feeling clear gel that glides on the skin very well. It takes very little to cover a full face and so the tube size is enough to last a month or two. I've been needed a primer for a while and this is great for your basic primers.

NYX is a brand that I've gained a recent appreciation for. They offer good products are a fraction of the price of most high end brands. This is a little jar of NYX Pearl-Mania Loose Pigment Eyeshadow in Baby Pink. I've never used loose eye shadows before from my fear of it being messy, but I was so impressed by this I think I'm going to go out and buy more colors. The color was rich, and with the Mirabella Prime under it I never had flaking or feathering. I just pour out a tiny amount on a paper towel and use a brush to apply. If there is any left, I can scoop it back into the bottle. This is definitely a new favorite!

If you haven't heard of Urban Decay, then you're in for a treat. UD is a brand recommended by so many makeup professionals and I've been impatiently waiting to try them for almost a year. It was so worth the wait! This Urban Decay 27/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion is so smooth and pigmented it's definitely worth the investment, and I'll be looking into getting more colors.

Before this months Ipsy I've never heard of highlighter papers, but this Mai Couture Highlighter Papier (yes, it's spelled weird) is literally a booklet with thin papers in it which has highlighter infused into each sheet. This was so easy to use and had such a great application that I would definitely buy it again...if it didn't cost $28. I may not be able to afford this brand, but it's opened my eyes to the wonder of highlighting powder which I will be adding to my makeup arsenal in the future.

The last product is Be A Bombshell Lip gloss in Hot Mess. I had two initial opinions when I found out I would be getting this product. First was excitement at getting a new Be A Bombshell product since I received their Eyeliner in my October Ipsy and I loved it. My second reaction was disappointment since this is the second red lip gloss I've received in three months. I know I should be thankful that I can pull off a true red lip color since many can't, but I only need so many and I'm really not a lip gloss person to begin with. I'd much prefer a lipstick.

Luckily this gloss has great pigment and is super easy to apply cleanly. It didn't smear or shift which made me feel confident enough not to check a mirror every 10 minutes. The only downside is that the color doesn't stay on for super long, but a lot of lip glosses are like that.

With everything provided I just needed to add foundation, mascara and an eyebrow pencil and I had a complete makeup look!

Over all, this months Ipsy was gold! The total costs of all these full sized products equals $93 before tax, and there isn't a product I wouldn't use. Did I forget to mention that every month comes with a cute little bag?

Ipsy is usually a closed subscription service with limited openings every month, but I believe for the Holiday Season Ipsy is allowing people to sign up at any time! So head over to www.ipsy.com and create a profile.

Happy Holidays!
<3 Lindsay

Everyday Makeup

Hi All!

After some debating with myself I thought it might be good to post how I do my makeup routine for the days I wear my glasses.

I start with a BB cream so I'm not so weighed down at work.

Garnier BB Cream is thicker, but I like how it makes me feel like I actually applied something

Because I get oily in my t-zones I always set cream formulas with a pressed powder. Use a nice fluffy powder brush to apply. I've found using sponges or poufs tend to make my powder look thick.

Rimmel Stay Matte is effective, inexpensive and comes in a large size

Notice I skipped concealer? I was feeling refreshed (and brave) and left it out today.

After my face basics, I go to the eyes. Remember how I mentioned that I was wearing glasses today? I'm going to down play my eyes and do a good eyebrow pencil to frame my frames, but not compete with them. I used my trusty Stila pallet for this. It's one of my big makeup splurges and I have no regrets. 

Stila In The Moment Eyeshadow Palette

Colors: 1. Instinct 2. Desire 3. Impulse 4. Wonder 5. Glance 6. Spontaneous 7. Improvise 8. Whim 

9. Catalyst 10. Captivate

I usually apply three colors to my eye lids. I did an iffy layout of which colors I use where. I always go with a cream shimmer under my brow, a light color over the ball of my eye (in this case a light gold), followed but a dark contour in the same color family (dark brown shimmer). This idea can be applied to any color palette.

Each number corresponds to the colors numbered in the palette.

Complete the eyes with eyeliner (I went with a dark purple, pictured bellow, bottom), then fill in your brows. I also have in the picture a clear brow gel I'm testing out. When I'm done filling in my brows I swipe this over them to set them in place.

Brow pencil in auburn. Clear brown gel. Eyeliner in dark purple.

Next comes my favorite part. LIPSTICK! The best thing about wearing glasses is the ability to downplay the eyes and bust out a good lip color. I went with a rosy pink since I'm fair skinned.

 

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Pencil in Honey. Estee Lauder Lip Liner in Rose Coral

Put on your glasses and see your masterpiece!

So what do you think? Worth looking through? Makeup isn't something I do absolutely everyday, but it can make or break an outfit. Have fun, play around. Find what works for you and invest in some good staples.

<3 Lindsay

Holiday Preliminary Outfit Hunt

Sorry for the lack of posts lately!

The Holidays is always the start of a busy 6ish weeks for me. Between me and my better half we have four Christmas celebrations because both of our parents are divorced. Talk about crazy!

To keep on track I'm trying to focus and get a solid idea of what outfits I want to wear over the course of a two days stretch. Because it's two days that means two outfits! I know metallics are on my plate since it's not just a holiday staple but because it's one of winters biggest trends. But what about day outfit two?

I need some help! What would you wear to a family holiday party? Leave me some ideas in the comments and as we get closer to the my families big day I'll show you what I picked!

<3 Lindsay

A Women and Her Jeans.

Obviously almost all women have a pair of jeans somewhere in their closet, but there is some question on if they are the right pair. Finding a good pair of jeans takes time and effort, something that I’m usually short on. But maybe this guide will help someone who tend to get as equally frustrated as me.

I’m a size 22 jean with a lot of hip. For me, wearing out a pair of jeans is a nightmare because they can be expensive and hard to duplicate. It’s equally difficult because every pair of jeans are different. Even if you find a brand you like, within that brand cuts and dyes change the way every pair fits. Which means, if you find a great pair of dark Levi’s, their light dyes jeans might fit completely different. Don’t believe me? Go to a store where they have a brand in all types of styles and try one pair of each.

Lets break down what to watch for:

For all my curvy women out there, if you have some hips, thighs, or butt try to find a pair of jeans that nip in a bit at the waist. When I say waist, I mean where your natural waist defines itself. For some people (like me) that definition comes across the belly button, which most brands consider a ‘natural waist’. But for some people the waist line can sit higher or lower. It’s one of those wonders and frustrations of being a women. So try on every waist hight you can to find what’s most comfortable and flattering to you.

Women with those curves also should play close attention to the bottoms of their jeans. Boot cut jeans are classic, and any women can wear these, but straight cuts jeans are really a no-no for those curvy women. Either go safe with a boot cut or a flair, or go daring with a tapered skinny jean. These both flatter your body by either balancing out a wider bottom, or creating a sexy silhouette.

Now those who are straighter though their hips and thighs, you got kind of lucky in the jean department. You don’t have to worry about balancing out your curves, which can often open a lot of variety for cuts to you. The issues here is to make sure that your jeans don’t have too deep of a curve allotment cut into them. Especially with plus sized jeans, manufactures like to make jeans with areas for your curves to shine. For those without hips, this can lead to too much extra fabric on the sides of your jeans, which can add weight and make a women look frumpy. Look for a good slim cut, And may I suggest investing in a belt? Slim hips means more opportunity for pants of all kinds to try and sag down.

Cut is very important, but the color of your jeans can make a difference too. I’m not talking about yellow and cranberry colors. I mean the difference between light and dark washes. Dark washes can give a very polished, sophisticated look to a women. The right dark blue jeans can even be used in a business casual outfit. On the other side, light blue jeans are much more casual and can often make an outfit look half finished. Can you tell which jean color I prefer? I always have dark jeans in my closet, and I make sure to stay away from a lot of distressed details. Jeans that are too distressed tend to look immature to me, but that is just my opinion.

I know it’s not much, but I hope this helps. The big thing to do is to just go out and try jeans from many different stores and brands. That’s the fastest way to learn what works for your body. Take a friend, play around, get shop workers opinions. Then, when you find your dream jean, buy as many pairs as you can afford. Then you wont have to worry about the manufacture changing the design (it’s happened to me!).

Good Luck!

Lindsay <3

The Blazer and How It's Your Friend

Let’s face it, being bigger in build can pose a lot of challenges for a wardrobe, especially when it comes to picking out pieces to rock the layered fall fashion. But if there is one piece to add to your collection this fall, it should be a structured blazer.

Though I’m sure there is some concern that layers can add bulk to a frame that you don’t want to add weight too, I can assure you that if done correctly it can actually enhance a figure.

The trick? Find one that is lighter weight and trims in at the waist. It also helps to be sure the layers underneith are very light weight as well. A good basic shirt or a camisole works great since they aren’t thick.
My favorite blazer is Maurices’ boyfriend blazer (seen above). Its structured well, and the material has a nice stretch to ensure a good fit. You can seriously pair it with almost any outfit. You can find it online for around $55.

May I suggest pairing it with a good pair of skinny jeans? Then add a cute pair of flats for day, and sexy heals for a night out.

Good Luck!
Lindsay <3