More Swimsuits!

Different styles and prices to fit peoples budget!

Love,

Lindsay <3

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

My Current Favorite Sweater

Layering is my favorite fashion staple that never seems to go out of style. It's a great way to express individuality in the fashion world and it can be cost efficient with the ability to create multiple outfits with only a few different pieces.

This fall, fashion is all about sweaters and color blocking. Try to get a few good cami's in different colors to be able to swap out color combinations for different outfits (my favorite it Maurice's Crinkle Cami).

 

Then, when you have your color, find a good neutral over shirt that is fashionable and versatile. My current love is a loose knit dolman top I found at Maurice's. I also have a great blazer that I mentioned before that also works with all my tanks.

Pair it with your favorite pair of skinny jeans and TADA! A relaxed, fashion forward outfit perfect for afternoon brunches.

Next, I'm going forward and getting a cardigan. Honestly, I don't yet know if one will work with my shape or not, but I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

Good Luck!
 Lindsay <3

The War of the Cat Hair

I'm a huge animal lover and will probably always have at least one animal in my life. Right now I have 3, and though I love them, they can cause a huge fashion problem.

I have hair on my clothes constantly.

Cats, dogs, rodents. No matter the animal, if they have hair, they shed, and tufts of hair on your butt is something I think a lot of people struggle with. I have yet to figure out the magical way to not manage to get cat hair on me when I sit down at home, and I have an orange cat which is highly noticable on EVERYTHING. Often times I put my clothes on as the last thing I do before I walk out the door to lessen the contact with my fuzzy friends.

So I can't prevent it. But I can at least get smart about how I try and get all that annoying hair off me.

The first thing I suggest is to stop paying for those sticky rollers. They fill up way to fast, and after the first stroke the tacky ability has greatly decreased. And, if you've ever had a chance to look at a sticky strip, you'll notice that a lot of the surface space is covered with clothing fibers instead of that hair and lint you were originally after. Lame, right?

Do you also know that sticky lint rollers can leave behind a tacky residue that can cause future lint and hair to stick? Yeah, you are actually making the situation worse in the long run. When I found this out I promptly threw out what sticky rollers I had.

The best product I have to fight against lint I actually took from my mom ages ago. Honestly, the thing is older then I am, but it works so well that it's never had to be replaced, and it still works like a charm. It's a lint bar made out of plastic and a durable velvet material. This thing is cool. Run it one way over your pants and the fibers will pick up any loose object on your clothes. Then, when you're done or it's full, rub your hand over the fabric going the opposite way and all the collected debris comes off in a sheet. IT'S AMAZING! And much more eco friendly then anything disposable.

In addition, there is a new product on the market that I've heard about and have seen demonstrations for. It's called a Mr. Sticky and it apparently picks up lint like a sticky roller, but it's made out of rubber and can be rinsed off, so there isn't anything disposable. Now, I'm posting a link to it, but I haven't tried it myself, so if anyone can tell me their experience with one I would love to hear from you!

 

Have you found any other great products that prevent/remove animal hair?

Good luck!
Lindsay <3

The Printed Pants Debate

I'm a very adventurous plus sized women, but there are some trends that come along that I'm just not sure about.

Now, I'll admit that I was strictly no skinny jeans when they first came out, but after I saw them over and over for months, I finally gave in and tried a pair. The moment I looked in the mirror I was in love! Skinny jeans are here to stay and it's a risk I strongly encourage women to make carefully, like mentioned in this article.

But these printed skinny jeans? Ladies, I just don't know if I'm ready to go there.

That's not to say that they look bad, there are actually many women who pull them off wonderfully! But if I try them and like them, I may have to re-structure my wardrobe to just find something that matches. I don't know if I'm ready for that yet, especially is they go the way of shoulder pads and they end up a bad investment.

What about you?

Have you tried the printed jeans craze? Tell me in the comments!

Boots. Go Short? Or Go Tall?

I had a rather disappointing wardrobe moment this weekend.

I finally found a great pair of boots for fall that would fit my calves, so I ordered them. After waiting a week, I ran home with great anticipation to get my package and try on what I expected to be these amazing boots that I so carefully selected. They zipped up with ease, which was a huge confidence booster, but when I looked in the mirror I was disappointed. No, I was more then disappointed. My amazing new boots made my legs look larger then they are.

We’ve all had those moments where you have such great expectations of a particular piece of clothing. Either you saw it in a magazine or on the rack, and knew you had to have it. But when you tried it on, it looked nothing like what you pictured in your mind. My knowledge of plus sized fashion comes from me personally having a ton of these moments in my life.

So I returned the boots in store and am now going to let you now what I learned.

When it comes to boots for women with large calves, you need to be particularly picky about your boots. Boots are made with balky fabrics, that’s the nature of these types of shoes. Because of that your need to be careful of how high the boots come up on your leg. My mistake was picking a mid height boot that stopped just under the largest part of my calf. Because boots cling to legs in order to stay up, this is a horrible place for boots to stop. They can look tight on a women, and they draw attention to the width of your leg.

My suggestion is to find either an ankle boot or a knee high boot. That way the eye is drawn to smaller areas on the leg. It’s the same idea as putting a belt around the smallest part of your waist. You want people to look at the small parts on your.

With an ankle boot look for something that sits just below your ankle bone. It’s usually the smallest part on your ankle. If you can find a boot that is actually a little large in this area that would be even better. That makes a person subconsciously think “hey, her ankles are to small for that shoe”. If you can’t find a shoe with a little room, that’s ok. I have large ankles myself, so I never have shoes that are roomy on me. I still manage to rock it though.

For knee high boots there isn’t much to specifically look for. If anything try to find a boot with a zipper versus a pull on. I can never get pull on’s to work for me. The only thing to watch for is to make sure you don’t have a band and buckle over the small part of your ankle. You want a good definition there and a buckle will add bulk.

As with all other parts on you, you want your boots to emphasize your curves, not add bulk. So try on different styles and see what ones look best for your height and shape. I personally like buckled boots with a heel, but I love when women can pull off a flat riding boot. It’s just unfortunately not for me.

For those who have to order wide calf boots online, don’t be afraid to measure the circumference of your leg to be sure a pair of boots will fit. It’s also a good idea to order from someplace that has physical store locations. That way, if something doesn’t work out, you can return them to the store. I personally like DSW, Maurices, Lane Bryant and Carson’s for this reason. If you’ve found any other stores that have Wide Calf boots online, let me know in the comments!

Happy hunting!
<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

An investment every women should make.

Ladies, lets talk about bras.

Lets get real. A bad bra will create a bad look. Period. If the girls aren’t sitting right they can ruin an outfit by adding weight where there doesn’t need to be any more, or even making a women look sloppy and unfinished. Breasts shouldn’t rest on the top of a women’s torso, that’s how many women loose their waistline can end up looking bigger then they are. And there should be a clear definition of two breasts, not the one that comes to appear when a shapeless bra is worn. Uniboob is never a good look.

Bras are easily the most overlooked piece of clothing you have in your dresser. A lot of plus sized women don’t put much thought into them because they think they are too expensive, not pretty enough, hard to find your size, ect. I’ve heard all the excuses, and have even thought them myself once upon a time, but in reality a good bra is within reach (and budget)

So lets go over those excuses women come up with, and let me give you some insight as to why those really are just that, excuses.

Excuse number one: It’s hard to find the right fitting bra.
It IS hard to find a good fitting bra. But let me give you some knowledge to make it easier. First, under-wire is your friend. A lot of people are afraid of these little strips of metal because they probably have a friend somewhere who has sword against them. But chances are that friend was wearing the wrong bra size, and that bra caused some issues. That’s not the bras fault. A proper fitting bra with an under-wire can help lift and hold your girls where they were intended to be, and that’s resting onto of your pectorals, not on top of your torso. Let’s get those girls up! Look for a bra that has a well padded under-wire that doesn’t come up too far on the sides. High sided bras tend to rub and poke into the armpit area, and that’s never fun.

Now, bigger bras come with bigger hardware. That’s a fact. Don’t be put off with wider straps and an increased number of hooks. These are also little things that will help lift and support what can be a heavy area. Not to mention, a lot of weight being held up with a little tiny strap HURTS. So take a deep breath and give wide straps another chance. Including those bands that have four hooks instead of two. Those two extra hooks will do wonders for holding your bra in place. No one likes to keep hauling their chest up just because the back of their bra keeps creeping up to their shoulder blades, caused by too few hooks in the back.

Another overlooked part of a good bra is the shape. Please, put those boxed bras away! No structure in a bra cup is a seriously wrong decision. A thin rounded pad in your bra cups will add a good perk and enhance your cleavage. No, it will not add bulk! There is a huge difference between padding and shaping. Find something that’s round, thin and has flexibility to it.  It will instantly take you out of the 60′s cone look and put you in the 21′s century. Trust me, it’s sexy.

Excuse number two: They aren’t pretty.
Wrong! I know Victoria’s Secret is the standard. But the trust is, even their DD bras aren’t made for bigger women. And anything bigger then that is nonexistent in their world. That also means you are going to have a hard time finding bras in department stores. Many retailers seam to think any women over a size D is a boring mom type. The truth? Large breasted women are sexy too! So I suggest going to companies who cater to the plus sized women. Finding pretty bras just means being realistic on what you need in a bra and not taking beige as an answer. I’ll give you a great reference for pretty bras at the end of the article.
Excuse number three: They are expensive.

And they can be. If you’ve gone the route of finding custom bras, or are ordering high end large bras online, you can find yourself paying an arm and a leg for a bra. There are a few retailers who sell well prices bras who are well made, pretty and durable.

Which is where I come to my suggestion for where to find one. Lake Bryant has an underwear line called Cacique. I have sworn by these bras since I was 17 years old, no joke. I have never had an ill fitting bra from them, and they start at a D and go all the way up to an H without compromising style.
I’m in love with my new french full coverage bra that they just released, and am an ever lasting fan of their balconette.

Lane Bryant’s French Full Coverage Bra

And there it is. The perhaps unwanted truth about bras. These tips can drastically improve the way you look and feel by placing your lady curves where they need to be. At the very least I hope this encourages you to give bra shopping another shot. I suggest seeing if you have a Plus Sized store near by and seeing if they can give your a bra fitting. Most times these women are very knowledgeable and can give you a hand in finding a great bra for you.

<3 Lindsay

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