Dresses on a Dime

Hello and Happy New Year, Readers!  I hope you accomplish all that you desire to this new year. 

 I have battled and battled with new year's resolutions, and each year it is always the same "resolution to lose weight and look better."  And each year, my resolution is squandered by self-doubt and low self-esteem.

I can't do the exercises.

I can't learn to eat healthier.

I love oreos too much.

I hate running.

So on and so forth.

So this year, I decided on a new resolution that has absolutely nothing to do with shaming myself and everything to do with loving myself for exactly the way I am at this point in time.  Don't get me wrong, I would love to lose weight and look great in a smaller size.  But right now, this is me - a size 18 beautiful woman with goals and dreams. My resolution this year is to acknowledge that truth and learn to accept and love my body for just the way it is.  Once I accept and love?  Then I can truly begin my transformation both emotionally and physically. (I am also writing my first full-length novel this year!)

~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~

So today, I bring you a topic and a fashion trend that has PLAGUED me for years and years.  I have been afraid of this style all of my life because I always felt like I was too big of a frame to wear it and flaunt it.  Well, newsflash!  Turns out I love them.

DRESSES!

I want to share with you some of the thrifted dresses I've found over the last year, and show you that you can look great for that special occasion without spending a fortune.  You can find great quality items for a fraction of department store prices, and no one will ever know the difference.  Check it out!

1. Chico's Size 3 Zebra Print Tank Dress - Goodwill ($4.99)

This dress is super comfortable and wearable for both special and casual occasions.  It's lightweight and flirty fun with the flouncy skirt.  I wear this to work with a black or solid colored cardigan and with the cropped, dark jean jacket below for weekend wear.  Add a high-waisted belt and some jewelry and you're ready to go.

2. Striped Print Wrap Dress, Brand & Size Unknown (no tag) - Goodwill ($2.50 1/2 off colored tag)

I would normally pass up a wrap dress because they usually just feel awkward on my body.  I feel like they sit uncomfortably on my figure, but I saw this color pattern and really liked it so I tried it on.  I'm still getting used to the feel of the way it wraps, but I do think it looks nice and is suitable for drinks after work or a nice dinner with my husband on the weekend.  And for two dollars, you just can't beat the price!

3. Igigi Size 18 Black & Gold Lace Sheath Dress - Goodwill ($4.99)

Can I just say - LOVE this dress!  It was originally priced for the Goodwill Boutique at $12.99, but was moved to the regular Goodwill store after it didn't sell, and I scored it for five bucks.  I think this dress has a simple, sexy vibe to it, and I feel confident just putting it on.  It is a back lace sheath over gold metallic material, and I just love how it glimmers when you move.  The classic draped neckline and over-sized sleeves make fore an elegant,  yet modern look.  Add a belt to cinch the waist, bangles on the wrists and a colorful pair of heels for a fun night on the town.  I think this is also a classy enough look to work great for weddings and other similar special occasions as well.  

4. Chico's Size 3 Flower Print Sheath Dress - Goodwill Boutique ($12.99)

I was really on the fence about this dress for two reasons: 1) it's shorter than I'm used to, coming up above the knee, and 2) it's a clingy dress with no give.  I don't usually wear dresses much shorter than knee length because I am not a fan of my chubby knees.  I also don't normally choose any type of clothing that is not a stretchy material.  Even my structured blazers are some blend of polyester with some give.  But I made an exception in the case because I personally think it looks amazing on.  I feel like a woman wearing this.  I know that probably sounds funny, seeing as the size of my chest clearly states I'm a woman, but I just feel like it shows off curves in the right places.  The diagonal print of the front is placed perfectly and the length really makes me look a few inches taller.  It's not as comfortable as my stretchy dresses, but it is definitely wearable.  I wear this with a suit jacket for work and a colorful scarf for a night out to dinner.  High-waisted belts are a must for me in a sheath style dress; it helps add a little definition for some shape.

(Say 'hello' to my three ferrets! Angus's white head in the first photo and Cooper & Malcolm in the second LOL.)

5. R&K Size 1X Reptilian Print Sheath Dress - JC Penney Liquidation Sale 

($6.90: 90% Off Original Price)

This dress wasn't a thrift store find, but it was a dirt cheap bargain that I had to include.  This is by far, my favorite dress to wear.  It's funky, fun and full of bright color.  I wore this to work with a cardigan or blazer, and then turned around and wore it on its own with accessories and a belt for my bachelorette party.  This dress is my kind of funky with an edgy print and my two favorite colors, green and purple.  I like to pair this number with my faux snakeskin platform booties and a couple of flashy wrist cuffs and bam!  Instant vixen!  ;)

So that's my secret for dresses on a dime.  If you like this post, please like and share my Facebook page!

Much love,

-Heather

Black Friday Deals for the Curvy Girl

It's that time of year again, the exciting (or dreadful, however you see it) shopping day known as Black Friday...or Brown Thursday even, for those of you that are hardcore shoppers that will be going out at 6pm tonight for all of the deals being offered.  I have looked through the ads this morning and have found the following deals that are worth note, in my opinion, for the curvier folks out there.

1. Lane Bryant - 50% Off Entire Store (11/27 - 11/30)
            This sale is definitely one I will be capitalizing on.  There are no limits and not one item in their entire stock that's regular price!  The best thing about this sale though, is that it is both in stores and online AND it is for the entire holiday weekend.  That means I can avoid the Thursday/Friday rush of people and go on Saturday or Sunday instead.  I will be using this sale to stock up on my intimates.  The majority of my bras come from LB because they are the best support I have found for my shape.  I am eyeing this leopard print plunge at the moment:

Smooth Boost Plunge w/Lace $22.00 (reg. $44.00)

2. Dress Barn - All Dresses $50 or less; All "Cashmerely" Sweaters $22.99; Jewelry/Accessories B3G1 (11/26 - 11/30)
            I personally think this is one of the not-so-awesome sales overall, but I do think I will check the store out just for the dresses.  If I can get a well-made, pretty dress for less than 50 bucks, I'd consider it.  Their sale is also all holiday weekend and it's both in-store and online. It's worth note that the shapewear line is in the B3G1 free deal, so if you're in need of shaper briefs, shorts or cami's, definitely check out their wares.

Zebra Print Dress $23.99 (reg. $54.00)

3. Old Navy - 50% Off Entire Store (Thanksgiving & Black Friday Only)

            This sale is in-store and online and is only for 11/27 & 11/28.  If you shop online, they also have a 15% off entire purchase coupon code on top of the sale.  I don't normally shop Old Navy, but I know they do carry a plus size range with some comfortable, cute pieces.  I love these wine colored boots myself.

Faux Suede Ankle Boots $19.97 (reg. $39.94)

4. Macy's - Variety of Sales Throughout Store (11/27 - 11/29)

            60% Off Coats, 40-50% Off Plus Size Clothing, Rampage Boots $19.99

5. Payless Shoe Source - Variety of Sales Throughout Store (11/26 - 11/30)

            Up to 50% Off Women's Boots, 2 for $25 Moccasins (11/27 & 11/28 Only), $16.99 York & Raven Boots, $9.99 Women's Slippers

6. Target - 40% Off Plus Size Clothing (11/27 - 11/29)

7. Ulta Beauty - Variety of Sales Throughout Store (11/27 - 11/29)

            $14.99 for 72 pc. Ulta Irresistible Beauty Collection Makeup (reg. $24.99), $10 Bare Minerals 2-3 pc. Kits (reg. $44), $10 Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara (reg. $20), $10 Smashbox On the Rocks Travel Makeup Brushes (limited edition)

8. Salvation Army - 20% Off Single Purchase Coupon (11/28 & 11/29)

            Salvation Army of course doesn't have normal sales outside of the 69 Cent Color sale, but hey, a coupon is a coupon when you're going anyway!  I'll be spending most of my shopping time at my two SA locations.

_____________________________________

Best of luck in your Black Friday adventures this year!  Be Safe and Warm!

And a Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends out there.  May you be surrounded by loving arms and warm memories.

Much Love,

-Heather

Glam It Up for the Weekend!

With Monday being the Labor Day holiday tomorrow, today is my "second Saturday."  In order to celebrate, I thought I would glam it up a little bit and share my Outfit of the Day (OOTD) and Makeup of the Day (MOTD) with you!  Hope you like it!

~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~

My outfit today was 90% thrift store & clearance items, and the rest was gifted:

Purple Striped T-Shirt/Size & Brand Unknown-No Tag (Goodwill $3.49)
Uproar Cropped Denim Jacket/Size XXL (Goodwill $3.99)
Lane Bryant Lightly Flared Jeans/Size 18 (Goodwill/Mother bought for me-FREE)
Lane Bryant Black Booties w/Gold Studded Heels/Size 10 ($19.99 clearance last winter)

Chunky Black/Silver Chain Necklace (Goodwill $3.99)
Silver Knotted Ring (Gift from Fiance/Price & Brand Unknown-FREE)
Lia Sophia Chain Bracelet Cuff (FREE Gift for hosting a Lia Sophia party)

TOTAL PRICE OF OUTFIT OF THE DAY: $31.46 (before tax)

~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~

This cropped denim jacket is one of my favorite pieces currently in my closet.  It's fun and a little edgy with the zippers and black stitching details.  I wear this jacket all the time for casual Fridays at the office.  The jeans are to die for!  I love super long jeans for my short stature.  If I wear heels with them and let the hem brush the ground, it helps me feel taller!  I will need to wear a little higher heel next time to get these off the ground more, though.  I also like pairing chunky jewelry with edgy pieces.  I think they mesh well and show off a little of my personality at the same time.  A pop of bright color, like purple, is a fun way to jazz up a mostly denim outfit.  I also like to make sure I never pair two denim pieces that are the same wash color.  It ends up looking to matchy-matchy, so I try to mix it up whenever possible.

~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~

I had to have a little fun with the hubby's guitar since he had it out for his own photo shoot today.  I can't play it, but it sure is fun to accessorize with!

~~~~~     ~~~~~     ~~~~~

My makeup of the day consisted of a full face of products by Maybelline, Hard Candy, CoverGirl, NYX, E.L.F. and Wet 'N Wild.  I chose to go with browns and a little glitter shadow, black eyeshadow for eyeliner and two lipstick shades with a gloss over top.  NYX eyeshadows blend super easy for me, so I usually only stick with them for my eyes.  They are a brand you can get at your local drugstore or Target (and budget friendly, too!).  I used E.L.F.'s brow duo to fill in and shape my brows.  I don't like super strong, defined arch brows for me, so I keep it soft and with my natural brow shape.  I also chose to define my nose and cheekbones with an NYC bronzer compact to give my pale complexion color and a more sculpted face.  The hardest part for me is always the lips.  I can never get a shape I like without looking too caked on.  I still need more practice and better products in order to get the right shape and fullness without the products bleeding into my liplines.  I'll keep you posted as I find new products I like.  I used a Fergie Wet 'N Wild lipstick, NYX Black Rose lipstick and NYX pink gloss to get the color. 

I hope you enjoyed my first OOTD/MOTD post!  I enjoyed doing it, so I will most likely be posting many more that will include more thrift store finds.

Much Love,

~Heather

Thrift Store Haul!

I have some goodies to share with you from my thrift store adventures yesterday!  I was invited by a friend of mine to go out to the Salvation Army to look for work clothes.  Of course I said yes.  We spent quite some time picking through their stock and came across some great items and at bargain prices.  Purple tags were automatically $0.69 cents, so I kept an eye out for those when shopping as well.

~~~~~     ~~~~~

I didn't come across too many things that worked out for me, but I still did well on bargains.  I found a bunch of beautiful tops, but they either didn't fit or I didn't like the style on me.  Here's what I found at the Salvation Army:

Item: Kenneth Cole-Reaction men's button up
Price: $0.69 cents

I try to find button up shirts for my fiance when I go out on 69 cent day at S.A.  This Kenneth Cole one is in great shape and a pattern that I really liked.  He wears button ups for work, so I always keep these in the back of my mind when I go thrift store shopping.  He is building up quite the collection from my thrift store trips.

Item: Merona (Target brand) women's long-sleeve t-shirt
Price: $0.69 cents


The second item I found was this basic grey, long-sleeve t-shirt.  These are super soft and a comfortable option for casual weekend days.  I would pair it with a colorful camisole underneath, a tied scarf, jeans and boots.  For fall, you could add a jean jacket or a green, military style blazer for an edgy feel.

I know these items don't seem like much, but I feel if I can find these basics in good shape for 69 cents, they are definitely worth it.  It's a way to keep rotating your basic pieces cheaper.  69 cents is still better than a cheap Walmart item that's $3.00!

Item: The Travel Selection brand red basic shell tank
Price: $2.99

I've been trying to keep an eye out for these shells to put underneath my suit jackets for work.  It's your typical sleeveless tank top, but I liked it because of the beautiful deep red color and had a flower pattern on it.  It's nothing exciting, but it will look nice and professional underneath a suit jacket.  Since this one wasn't a purple tag item, it had to pay full-price for it, but still at $2.99 it's a great deal.

Grand Total at Salvation Army: $5.18

After all was said and done, I wound up spending $5.18 total for 3 shirts and 2 decorative pillows for our living room.  While the trip was not a huge haul, I wound up finding some good items at great prices.


I still had time before stores closed Saturday night, so I decided to make a trip over to my favorite Goodwill store in town, and man am I glad I did!  I found several items that I absolutely love.  The Goodwill sale was 1/2 price blue tag items.  Sadly, only one item was a blue tag, but I still got great deals on things I know I'll wear all the time, and one not-so-great item I should have noticed before I purchased it.

~~~~~     ~~~~~

Item: Star Vixen leopard print top
Price: $3.49

I am super excited about this leopard print top.  It's a short-sleeved polyester top with large flutter sleeves.  I would wear this to go out on the weekend in.  I'd put a black tank underneath, toss on some colorful jewelry, trouser jeans and heels and head out on the town.

 



Item: East 5th tank top
Price: $1.75 (1/2 price blue tag item)

I was really happy to find this polyester embellished tank, and it was even better when I noticed the blue tag.  However, what I didn't do was pay attention to the details of the shirt.  I even tried this one on and still didn't notice there were a whole string of brown beads missing from the neckline.  I was so focused on the fact that it was 1/2 price that I didn't make sure to check the top over for blemishes.  I may be able to string new beads, but chances are I'll end up donating this one back to Goodwill before getting around to doing it.

I was really disappointed when I pulled this one out of the bag today to take pictures of.  If I would have noticed the missing beads, I never would have bought it.  And I think it's plenty noticeable, so I'll wind up never wearing it.  I should always use my own advice and check for rips, tears, missing pieces, etc before buying anything.  At least I'm only out $1.75!

Item: Tommy Hilfiger navy blue, asymmetrical cardigan
Price: $3.49

I am a magnet for cardigans.  They are easy to wear, comfortable options for work if dressed up appropriately.  This one is a soft knit material, and it has a rolled and buttoned 3/4 sleeve.  There's nothing quite like finding name-brand, quality items for killer deals!

Cardigans are so easy to pair with other separates for work and weekend looks.  I will wear this piece with black or neutral tops, long necklaces and a belt for work, and for weekends, I would pair it with a brighter tank top underneath, chunky necklace (or scarf) and no belt for a breezy, comfy outfit.  A belt can give a shapeless piece the right structured, polished look you need for a day at the office.

Item: Simply Vera by Vera Wang straight-leg denim capris
Price: $5.99

These jean capris happened to be in the denim racks with my size, but they are way too small for me.  I picked these up because my mom LOVES Vera Wang pants.  I'm pretty sure 99% of the denim she wears is by Vera Wang.  I have to admit, if her jeans came in my size, I'd probably be hooked, too.  Wang uses classic shapes and adds a touch of style to her pieces with buttons, studs and splashes of color.

This pair are in like-new shape and have the whisker detail at the hips and a cute, slit hem at the bottom.  The back pockets also have a small flower detail on them.  These were the most expensive item I bought, but at $5.99 and in such great shape, I couldn't pass them up.  Simply Vera is sold at Kohl's and usually run $44.00 and up.

Item: Purple striped 3/4-sleeve t-shirt
Price: $3.49

This shirt was my favorite piece of the day.  I am thrilled with this pattern and color!  There is no tag, so I don't know the brand, but it is the comfy knit material and super lightweight.  It's perfect for fall layering.  I wore this today with a blank tank underneath and a black button up long-sleeved shirt with buckle details over top of it.  I buttoned one button just under my bust at the waist to give a little shape.  The button up is a tailored, short hemline, so the striped detail of this top peaked out from underneath the bottom as well.

I would wear this fun print with and for almost anything.  I love this top!  :)

Item: Villager by Liz Clairborne grey blazer

Price: $3.99

I always take my time and dig through the racks of blazers at Goodwill because while they organize most styles by size (jeans, slacks, etc.), they don't do that with blazers.  You have to go piece-by-piece and check every size tag.  But I always do because I always wind up finding great items like this grey blazer for work.  It is a polyester/rayon blend material, but it has a tweed-like feel and look to it, without having the weight of tweed.  I also like that it has the black stitching detail around the lapels and bottom hemline.  I think this blazer looks chic and polished; I can pair it with a pencil skirt, a colorful top underneath and heels for a perfect office look.

Item: Valerie Stevens-Woman (plus-size line) pinstriped suit jacket
Price: $3.99

Did I mention I LOVE the blazer section at Goodwill?!  Holy cow this jacket is beautiful!  I'm a sucker for pinstriped detail.  It has red and light blue pinstriping and fits like a dream.  The two-button suit jackets work better for my body type because they button slightly lower, allowing me to button them both without any tugging on the sides due to a larger bust.  I am able to get the shape I want without feeling like a stuffed sausage.  The other great thing about this jacket is that it has pockets.  Pockets are a nice surprise because most of my suits have faux pocket detailing.  It looks great, but utterly useless.  I work for the government, and we often have to carry our badges to get through security in the building, so I always like having pockets to slip my badge in since I don't like clipping it on the outside of my clothing.  I am thrilled to have found this gem among those racks!

Grand Total at Goodwill: $28.00

~~~~~     ~~~~~

When all was said and done for the day, I spent a whopping $33.18 total for this haul.  That my friends, is why I love thrift store shopping.

Much love,

~Heather