Layered hair is hair that has been cut in several layers to create a hairstyle that is different and more dynamic than that of more evenly and flat cut hair. Depending on someone's goal, layered hair can appear to have more volume than it really does
Last week, I mentioned on Facebook that I'd bought a maternity dress at Target...not because I'm pregnant but because it was super cute and on super clearance. Turns out, a lot of you have done the same thing (or at least considering doing it!). I thought I'd show you the dress:
Cute, right? I'm feeling a kind of beachy-casual vibe this season, and the tie-dye skirt works well with my nude lip and tousled hair (two things I've been experimenting with lately). At the same time, the structured tank at the top of the dress fulfills my natural instinct to wear structured clothes. Structured beachy...it's the next big thing!
The dress came with a self-tie belt, which I kind of hated, so I cut it out and can now swap in the belt of my choice.
The Outfit: Dress- Liz Lange Maternity at Target Belt- Gap Outlet Medallion necklace- Lane Bryant Flower Ring - Lane Bryant Blue nail polish - "Blue Collar" by Orly Nude sandals- "Carrie" from Jessica London
You're going to start noticing a trend in my everyday outfits; jeans and heels. Longtime readers know that, for a long time, I've not been a fan of jeans. Or pants of any sort -I'm a skirt/dress kind of girl. But I've found myself reaching for jeans more and more often, lately. And nothing goes better with jeans than sky-high heels.
Also? I kind of wonder, What's the point?" if I'm not at least 6'4" tall.
I wore this outfit to a happy hour with the group of people with whom I went to Guatemala a few weeks ago. It was a fun, festive evening!
The Outfit: Black open cardigan- Avenue Tropical printed tank top - Lane Bryant Jeweled belt- Gap Outlet Jeggings- Avenue Wedge sandals - Nordstrom Rack Pinecone necklace- Grandma Ruth
A couple weekends ago, Dan and I headed down to Des Moines to visit my parents. Well, it was a little more than that.
We were summoned by my parents. As in, "Get down here and take out of the garage all the tubs of stuff saved from your childhood that we've been hauling around for the past 20 years. Because we're moving one more time and your stuff is not invited!"
So we came home with 7 tubs of Barbie dolls and Babysitters Club books; milestone clothing (Brownie uniform, baptism gown, First Communion dress), pictures and soccer trophies and art projects from elementary school and high school year books. Going through all of that stuff was a lot of fun. It made me realize how lucky I was to have the childhood that I did. And the parents/brother that I do.
I helped my mom clean out her closet - seriously, for a woman who claims to not really "be into" clothes...she has a ton. There were several pieces in her "No" pile that I'd given her. Like this gray tunic from Old Navy. Does it look familiar?
I wore the heck out of this little dress two years ago. And then one day, I was tired of seeing it in my closet and on myself. So I gave it to Mom. And then she tired of it. And now it feels fresh and new, but comforting and familiar all at once. I wonder how many more years we can pass this piece back and forth?
I had to laugh when uploading outfit photos today...there's a reason that blogging daily is a good idea. It keeps me from repeating pieces too often! Within the past week, I've worn my lavender knit vest twice. Whoops. At least the outfits were completely different, save this one distinctive piece.
I've been in a bra rut for the past six months. After being re-sized by a Lane Bryant bra fit expert last February, I discovered that I was wearing the wrong bra size. My band was too big and my cups were too small - a common fit issue among lots of women.
I could tell that my bras weren't doing me any favors by the way I looked in my clothes. My shape wasn't as defined as it could be. And I just felt a little...off. So I've made two trips to Lane Bryant over the past few months in order to buy new bras. And every time, I came out of the store empty handed.
My experience went a little like this:
Breeze into the Cacique department, smile and nicely refuse help from a Sales Associate.
Are my breasts in the right spot? Is that how they're supposed to look? Why are the straps so short? Why are they so long? What length should they be?
Break out into full-on sweat
Hastily put on my own (poorly fitting) bra and exit the store. Empty handed.
After repeating this scenario more times that I want to admit, I decided to do it right. So I headed to the Lane Bryant store at Mall of America, with a new attitude. This time, I would enlist help.
Diana Healms is one of the store managers, and she spent time guiding me through a bra fitting and all the different bra types within the Cacique line.
Diana and I got to know each other pretty well over the course of my shopping experience, since I stood around in my underwear and boots while she checked the fit for each bra that I tried on. I usually have to know someone for longer than 20 minutes before I'll take my pants off, but Diana made me feel so comfortable. (She's a pro at maintaining eye contact!)
After what felt like a transformative bra fit experience, Diana kindly pointed out that this is something she and her team do every single day. What feels like a big deal to me and lots of other women is, in fact, simply their jobs. Which made me realize...why the heck had I made such a big deal out of bra shopping? If I'd just asked for help from the get-go, I could have been strutting around in bras that fit and feel great several months ago. Lesson learned.
Diana's Top Bra Fit Tips:
Bras last about 12 months- unless you have a collection of 10 or more and aren't wearing the same 5 bras every single day.
Not every style will fit you in the size that you're measured. Just like I have to size up in skinny jeans, I might have size up in a skimpier bra.
If you size up in band size, you will probably need to size up in cup size, too.
Oftentimes if a bra is not fitting, the cup size is the problem - not the band size.
If your straps are falling down, try a bra style with convertible straps- you can criss- cross them in the back.
If your straps dig into your shoulders, have your band re-sized to ensure it's as supportive as it should be. Or, place a bra pad under the straps for more support.
Try a bra without underwire for lounging around at home. It's like a pajama bra! (I tried it and can vouch for this one...so comfortable!)
Ask for help. Be honest with your sales associate - tell her what you like and don't like. Bras are not supposed to be uncomfortable.
* After I contacted Lane Bryant, asking if I could get some bra fitting help and record the experience to share with you, they offered me two free bras. I will be purchasing the other bras that I fell in love with during theCacique Buy 2, Get 1 free sale that starts on October 3rd. Available in store and online 10/3 through 10/16.
Lane Bryant has launched a new line within their Cacique lingerie brand. It's called CaciqueBody and includes a range of products that include an anti-aging cream, revitalizing leg cream, and an entire line of bath products that are available in four scents. I was sent two products to sample and review for you: Firm Believer smoothing body lotion and Spray It Again hydrating body mist. Will these two products earn permanent spots in my beauty stash?
CaciqueBody is available in select Lane Bryant & Cacique stores, and is also available online.
Today marks one week since I flew out to Las Vegas to join Lane Bryant in celebrating their first live runway fashion show in almost 10 years. The weekend was full of fun, fashion and fabulous women celebrating exactly what it means to be Bombshells.
I joined fellow Lane Bryant-sponsored bloggers Madeline Jones (editor in chief of Plus Model Magazine), Aimee Cheshire (co-owner of Madison Plus)and Esther Brandon (Ms. Plus America 2010)to cover a weekend packed full of activities that led up to the fashion show. We were joined by several other fabulous women like Reah Norman (plus fashion stylist for Plus Model Magazine, City Chic & Sealed with a Kiss Designs), Fluvia Lacerda (face of Igigi and Eliza Parker, among others) and Curves & Chaos blogger, Monique.
Among the weekend's events, standouts included a bra fitting with the development team behind Lane Bryant's lingerie brand, Cacique. You can check out my experience here:
On Sunday, I was part of a media panel pulled together to ask questions of Lane Bryant's Sr. VP of Marketing, Jay Dunn. I met Jay last June at the Lane Bryant Blogger's Conference, so knew him to be an engaging speaker. He talked about the excitement and energy that the Cacique line has infused into the core Lane Bryant brand, as evidenced by all the swirl around last year's TV ad featuring plus supermodel Ashley Graham in a red panty set.
I asked him how Lane Bryant plans to transfer the excitement and sexiness of the Cacique brand over to their sportswear collection. He said dresses will play a big role in that translation (yay!)and so too do trends like leggings and jeggings. We can also expect to see a quicker turnover of merchandise in the stores as their design teams send new styles into stores every few weeks instead of on a monthly rhythm. Jay ended by saying Lane Bryant's future is going to be built on three promises that they're making to their customer: better fit, better quality and being on time with trends.
Sunday night was the big fashion show. I have to say that from a fashion point of view, I've never been part of anything more exciting, more dynamic, or more emotional than Lane Bryant's fashion show. The clothes were gorgeous - they were styled in a way that was trendy but attainable, glamourous but completely wearable. And the best part? Ninety-nine percent of what we saw on the runway is part of the spring/summer collections available in stores.
There were several "scenes" that were staged, ranging from a saucy cowgirl theme (complete with very hot, scantily clad cowboys dancing around the models) to an oooh la la chic Paris scene (in which the models walked pink poodles down the runway). Every detail, from the music to the way the models strutted down the runway was electric. And let's talk about those models for a second.
One, it was incredibly surreal to see live, in-person the very same girls peering up at me from the pages of my Lane Bryant magalogs. And two, they all owned their bodies - jiggly butts, thick thighs and cellulite, tummy rolls and bouncing breasts. I could actually identify with the women I saw strutting around in adorable panty sets & casually chic day outfits.
By the end of the show, when Ashley Graham struck one final pose in a very sexy lingerie set just as the entire crowd was showered in colorful paper confetti, the air was electric with the energy of hundreds of women who felt truly represented in the fashion world. Here, listen to what Maddy had to say about the experience:
In line for cocktails at the fashion show's after party, I caught up with Cacique's lead designer Gill Heer. I congratulated her on creating such beautiful clothes and presenting them to us in such an inspiring, sexy way. Gill responded, "As a lingerie designer, a plus size woman is who I want to create for. That's what beautiful lingerie is supposed to look like -on curves!" And that pretty much summed up the entire weekend.
Here's a slide show of the outfits I wore over the course of the weekend.
You can view more videos, including portions of the show and backstage footage beforehand, on the LaneBryantCurves youtube channel.
You guys know I am definitely not a photographer, but I have scoped out a fellow blogger with fantastic images from the fashion show. Check out Netta P's post to see her pictures.
*Lane Bryant paid for my airfare and VIP access to the weekend's events. **I'd like to thank LucieLu for sending me to Vegas with the gorgeous Estelle dress and a very cute butterfly-printed tunic (no longer available)which made me feel stylish and comfortable while flying to and from Vegas.
I love a good print, for so many reasons. A print with a solid accent around the bust and waist can do wonders for defining curves. It's something interesting to look at. And a print can draw the eye away from my red, chapped, "I've-been-blowing-my-nose-for-three-days" face. Well done, print.
The Outfit: Printed wrap-style dress- Alfani (via my friend, Stepanie - thanks, Steph!) Black cotton cardigan - Lane Bryant Black leggings- Gap Pointed toe kitten heels- Payless Gold "Believe" necklace- Red Envelope Gold dangly earrings - Fred Flare
My sleeveless denim dress was in heavy rotation this summer. I wore it to work, to a friend's prenuptial dinner - lots of places, in lots of different ways. So I spent an hour a few weekends ago trying on every single one of my long-sleeved shirts underneath it, in an effort to see just versatile it could be through Fall & Winter. The results? Very!
Both pieces of jewelry are very sentimental to me. The earrings are part of set that my husband gave me the first birthday we were dating. It's actually the first jewelry he ever gave me. And the bracelet has my maiden initials on it: SJR. It's a Tiffany ID bracelet, given to me by my brother & sister-in-law to commemorate my college graduation. It was first piece of Tiffany jewelry, and I remember the thrill of opening up the Tiffany blue gift box every time I wear this bracelet.
The clothes: Purple ruffle neck tee - Gap Denim dress - Lane Bryant Reversible belt - Gap Outlet Sparkly earrings - Patina ID bracelet - Tiffany & Co Brown boots - Avenue
I've found the change of seasons to be so invigorating, lately. Whether I really knew it or not, my summer style had begun to feel stale. But now that layering is more appropriate, I feel inspired to come up with lots of fun new looks. I'm even challenging myself to work a few new things into my style - pieces that I've admired on other women but didn't think I could pull off. For instance - flare:
I found this pin (which also doubles as a hair clip- fun!) in a cute little mall boutique. It combines several different textures: silk, tulle, and feathers. I like the way it punches up my blazer, and can see it pinned to a belt to accent my waist too.
I love the look of jeans tucked into boots, so was excited to pair my skinny jeans (a must-have for this combo) with a pair of ruched suede boots.
The clothes: Red rose pin- Lulu Rose Green & white tee- Old Navy Black blazer- Lane Bryant Jeans - Torrid Boots- Payless
I broke out my knee-high boots for the first time since last winter, and it felt great! I'm reveling in the cooler temperatures and the changing scenery outside. I felt kicky all day in this outfit:
Whenever an outfit needs a necklace but I don't want anything too overpowering, I always reach for this Waterford Crystal piece that I hijacked from my mom's collection.
Tomorrow, I'm meeting up with Kimberly of Fab Finds Under $50. She's in town visiting a friend and I'm so excited that she has time to reconnect after we met at the Lane Bryant Blogger's Conference this past June. Hopefully, we'll do a joint photo shoot and you can see what we each wore while jaunting around the Twin Cities.
The clothes: Necklace- from Mom Striped dress- Gap Outlet Green cardigan- Lane Bryant Brown reversible belt- Gap Outlet Boots- Avenue
I've been looking forward to wearing my new LucieLu skirt for over a week now. One good thing about getting back to work - a reason to get dressed up every day, again! So here it is; the first of many outfits that will feature my Delaney Skirt in Raspberry.
For its first trot out and about, I played the skirt pretty conservatively by pairing it with a black cotton wrap top and kitten heels. I have a feel now for the way the skirt lays and moves; the skirt is a very crisp cotton that I thought might be a wrinkled mess by the end of the day. Surprisingly - it was not! Two pockets ride low along the (one on each side) so they don't add any bulk to my hips but are a fun/functional detail.
The clothes: White ribbed tank- Gap Black cotton wrap top - Kenneth Cole Delaney Skirt in Raspberry- LucieLu Mixed metal necklace- Lane Bryant Diamond stud earrings - Lia Sophia Black metal link bracelet- Lia Sophia Kitten heels (yep, same as yesterday!) - Payless
Back at work after a nice, long vacation and I've a bunch of new clothes to debut. I picked up this ponte knit skirt from Lane Bryant at the start of my vacation and already have a million different outfit ideas for it. Here's the skirt, since my photo doesn't show the pattern very well:
Though the skirt has a pattern of it's own, this piece handles the layering of other patterns really well. Plus, it looks great with a shirt tucked in (something I'm slowly getting more comfortable with!) or left out.
The clothes: Red and white striped tee- Gap Black 3/4-length cotton jacket- Lane Bryant Ponte knit skirt- Lane Bryant Faux snake skin belt - Lane Bryant Outlet Cutout kitten heels- Payless
My apartment is located in the historic Lowertown section of downtown St. Paul. As such, it's in a building that's on the National Historic Register and features lots of interesting details....like large concrete poles in the middle of rooms. I'm no photographer, so the best I usually try for in snapping photos is to make sure my outfit is in focus and to avoid the freaking poles. But yesterday I thought, "Might as well work it." And so:
It's fitting because this outfit made me feel like strutting around. Which was totally unexpected since it's one of those fabulous combinations that looks great and feels like pajamas.
The outfit: Black & white striped tunic- Old Navy Purple belt- Target Leggings - Lane Bryant Mary Jane heels- Payless Silver ruched bag- Hobo International Waterford crystal necklace- borrowed from Mom Silver hoop earrings- Lia Sophia
I'm on vacation from my job this week, so I thought I'd start it off right by heading over to Lane Bryant to pick up a few things for 40% off. This is the last day for this sweet deal (way to wait til the last minute, Sara). But I've been pre-shopping online so I know exactly what to beeline for. And if they don't have my sizes in store, I have a virtual shopping bag waiting for me at lanebryant.com, just waiting for me to hit "send."
Here's what I wore to go shopping at Lane Bryant and Ulta today-
I picked this black embroidered dress because it's easy to whip on and off- a must in the dressing room. The silver ruched purse is Hobo International, and it's my go-to bag for shopping trips. There are two roomy side pockets, perfect for stashing water and snacks (also a must-have in the dressing room). Silver hoops and my alligator bracelet complete my shopping look.
The clothes: Black embroidered dress- Lane Bryant Flip flops- Converse All Star Silver hoops- Lia Sophia Silver alligator bracelet- gift from Kimberly Purse- Hobo International
I bought this dress from Gap last spring, but this is the first time I've worn it. I'll be honest - despite the fact that the dress was too short and fit weird over my hips, I bought it because of the $4.99 price tag and the cute floral pattern. I decided to try it on again this morning and it suddenly fits just fine. It's still a little short, so I pulled on a pair of super soft leggings. Problem solved.
I kept my makeup simple today, opting to forgo eye makeup in favor of bright red lips. My shade of lipstick is Julie Hewett's Rouge Noir. A couple coats of mascara, a little silver liner at the corner of my eyes and I'm done.
The clothes: Black open cardigan - Lane Bryant Floral tunic - Gap Leggings - Gap Body Platform sandals - B.P. Double silver hoops - Lia Sophia Chain bracelet - LIa Sophia Floral ring - gift from Lane Bryant
The makeup: Bronzer - Stila (1) Blush - Pale Pink from Bobbi Brown Mascara - Maybelline Full and Soft in Black Silver liner - L'Oreal HIP Color Chrome Liner in Silver Red lipstick - Julie Hewett Rouge Noir
I mentioned yesterday that I colored my hair; I'm pretty happy with the results. Nothing earth shattering or anything - just a nice, even color:
I'm happy, too, with the way my makeup turned out today. I've been receiving a lot of questions from you guys around what kind of makeup I'm wearing each day. So I'll start adding product details into my posts. Aaaand, I'll attempt to take better close ups of the makeup, too.
I've been trying to find a new way to wear my black and white striped tee shirt - it's long, which can be tricky. You've seen me tuck it into my high-waisted skirt, but I'm a little tired of that combination. So I pulled out my green cardigan and realized they're almost the same length. Add a belt and voila! I love it. I also love the fact that it's no longer broiling hot outside, so close-toed shoes are comfortable again.
The makeup: Revlon Photo Ready foundation in 002 Vanilla Bobbi Brown Sheer Color Cheek Tint in 1 Sheer Raspberry + powder blush in 9 Pale Pink Bobbi Brown eye shadows: 2 Bone (all over lid), 4 Taupe (lower lid up to brow bone), 10 Mahogany (crease) NYX Eye Pencil in 903 Dark Brown + Bobbi Brown Mahogany eyeshadow (wet, used as liner) Fleur's lipstick in F120 Corydale
The clothes: Black & white striped tee- Apt 9 from Kohl's Green cardigan - Lane Bryant Jeweled belt - Gap outlet Black button-down skirt - Gap Mary Jane shoes - Payless Earring - Fred Flare Necklace- Grandma Kappy's
I spent 1.5 days working from home, which meant I wore sweatpants and no makeup. I realized that by the end of yesterday, I'd grown cranky and irritable...and I attribute this to the fact that I like to get up and get dressed every morning. So it was a relief to do so today:
The clothes: Black cardigan - Gap Turquoise ruffle tank - compliments of Sealed with a Kiss Designs Reversible animal-print skirt - Lane Bryant Metallic print heels- Jennifer B Chocolate pearl necklace - Arthur's Jeweler's Gold hoop earrings - York Jewelry
I've been invited to attend a fantastic event* here in the Twin Cities on August 25th: the NONToxique Green Carpet Event in celebration of the company's upcoming appearance at New York Fashion Week.
I've told you guys about NONToxique's products before, and am excited to share more with you about the company and this particular appearance at Fashion Week. But first...what am I going to wear?? I've Polyvored a couple inspirational ideas. Let me know which look you favor.
Outfit #1: I definitely want to wear color. And this turquoise Eliza Parker dress is a great silhouette for swishing up and down a green carpet. I like the idea of replacing its matching sash with a serious belt - like this studded metal version. Metallic dangling earrings compliment the belt, and nude heels keep the focus on this dress.
Outfit #2: Print! This look is a little more Fall-esque thanks to the dark python print. But with bare arms and dashes of red, I think it would be a really chic choice. How great is that red Obi-style belt?
Outfit #3: I know I would feel incredibly saucy in this strapless cocktail dress. Concerned that it might be a little too formal for the event, I think contrasting flats (as opposed to killer heels) would tone down the formality. And a big metal bib necklace adds a little more coverage to my chest. So hard to choose!
There's cause for celebration in the Bartlett household today - Dan finished a summer class that's been especially time consuming. Hurray! So I decided to wear one of my most colorful tops. And then promptly covered up all the color with a black cardigan. I started to add a black belt, then realized my purple one compliments the the plaid pattern.
Along the lines of cause for celebration, Kimberly of Fab Finds Under $50 will be in the Twin Cities to visit this September. We're planning a very informal Twin Cities Blogger Meet-Up on Saturday the 11th, 10AM at Mall of America. If you'd like us to keep you in the loop on that event, scroll through this flyer:
The clothes: Black open cardigan - Lane Bryant Plaid tunic - Lane Bryant Jeans- Lee Shoes- Payless Diamond Earrings - not sure Necklace - York Jewelry
