Hello Southernistas! Well we made it through February and March has arrived! For many of your March has indeed come in like a lion and a very angry lion at that but here in North Carolina the month like a lama…ahhhh!
When February rolls in I start to eagerly anticipate March which to me means Spring! Spring! Spring! Which I’ve mentioned many, many times is my favorite season. I look forward to seeing the trees bud, the flowers bloom and really just seeing the Earth wake up from her long winter’s nap. The longer days lift my spirits and then there’s the Spring fashion that puts a little pep in my step. It means sitting outside with a great book and soaking up sunshine and getting out the rain boots. It is dealing with those blustery days and loving it because in the right dress or skirt you get to have a “Marilyn” moment without standing over a subway grate…LOL.
This is the month Daylight Saving Time begins which is my only quibble because after getting an extra hour of sleep you now loose it! March is also Women’s History month with March 6th being International Women’s Day and who can forget Saint Patrick’s Day in which we all wear a little green, dance an Irish jig, drink a Guinness or whatever for those who drink and celebrate being Irish! This month in a nod to St. Patrick’s Day I’ve created a reading list of mysteries that are set in Ireland.
So weather you celebrate March like I do or bemoan the start of pollen season aka hay fever season here is hoping to a totally awesome, amazing, blessed and fashionable March!
Hello Southernistas and Happy Thursday! Also Happy February to y’all! I know I haven’t posted in a while but I spent the rest of January very sick and overloaded with work. Working while sick is not fun but I was under a two week deadline and had to get it done so with plenty of cold medicine, soup, ginger lemon & honey tea and as much rest as I could get I pressed on an met the deadline. Thankfully by the end of January I started feeling better and I am feeling great now!
So while I was home sick I kept seeing this one weight loss commercial from one of the big weight loss companies and of course they were showing the before and after with the person saying one day I’m going and you can fill in the sentence from there. As I watched this commercial all I kept screaming NO NOT ONE DAY TODAY! First let me say you do what is best for you! This is not an anti diet rant but it is a don’t put your life on hold rant! I spent so much of my life saying that same thing one day I’m going to wear that swimsuit, that dress, be happy, etc. You know what? After years of hating my body and myself I finally realized I don’t have to put my life on hold until I reach a certain size and since then I’ve indulged my love of fashion, traveled, and just enjoy life.
It is so important that you don’t put your life on hold but live your life as you work towards your weight loss goals (or not). I have learned that I am not a before I am Regina and I don’t have to wait for one day to wear or do anything because I am fat. In the words of Aunti Mame “life is a buffett and most poor suckers are starving!”
Enjoy the buffett! You are allowed to be happy and to live your life at any size!
Happy September 1st Southernistas! Well September is here and fall is almost here. I’m sure many of you are happily sipping you PSLs now and I have one Instagram friend that has been posting all the fall décor she has been putting up around her home. I sometimes feel like I am the only one sad to see summer go…SIGH!
While I am not a fan of anything pumpkin spice unless the shoes come in that color I do love the fall fashion. Today I am sharing some cute looks from my second favorite brand Lane Bryant. What I love about Lane Bryant is they offer petite sizes which makes my 5″3″ frame very happy because it means I don’t have to get anything altered. I haven’t been especially bowled over with a lot of the fall fashion but I found some gems!
Happy Thursday Southernistas! Wow I can’t believe this month is almost over! Next week is the last week of July and August is just around the corner alas I can hear the groans of millions of children and the cries of joy from said children parents. My very own offspring will be starting Pharmacy School next month at my alma mater so yes I am a very proud mama! Can’t wait to attend her coat ceremony next month.
As I was thinking about what I wanted to talk to y’all about I gained inspiration from what I wore yesterday. For those of you who’ve been following me from day one then you know I love color and I love bold and bright colors. If I’m wearing black or another dark color then I must add a pop of color to my look. It is rare that I will do a head to toe monochrome look unless it is red or another color.
Now I can already hear you lovers of black saying “black is a color and it goes with everything!” Look I am all for black in fact I recently did a whole post about a LBD (little black dress) I recently got and loved but hear me out: color is your friend!
I’m going to repeat myself: you can still wear black but just…add…color! A cut yellow (or whatever color) top with those pants or skirt will take your look to another level. Or a cute pair of shoes in another color or colorful print works also or if you carry a bag of any type let be a color.
For so many years we as plus size women have been told to wear all black because it makes you look smaller but you know what that’s not true if you wear all black you’ll be a plus size woman wearing all black so throw out those stupid rules and wear your favorite color or that color you’ve always wanted to wear but was afraid to because of “advice” friends, family and total strangers feel the need to offer you.
Wear that bold color, for me its red, or that cute pastel color you’ve been eyeing longingly but afraid to wear. There is no such thing as a color you can’t wear because every color comes in varying shades of that color red is not just red there are various shades of red. You feel like yellow washes you out and makes you shallow or pale try wearing gold which is a shade of yellow.
I have for years avoided wearing the color pink even though I do love the color (no as much as red) but I always felt like it just didn’t look good on me but I finally decided I’m going to wear pink. Now I haven’t invested in a full head to toe look but I have a pink hounds tooth skirt and another skirt in a shade of pink. I am slowly working my up to a full head to toe look but my point is start with something and own the look!
This Orange dress from Eloquii is still available
Color is a huge mood lifter too! During the winter months I suffer with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and nothing gives me a big boost during those cold gray days then to wear a lot of color. If you want to get that guy to notice you go for a little red dress instead of a little black dress and va va voom!
January 2022
So I want to encourage you to take a good long look at your closet and Just…Add…Color!
Hello Southernistas! I hope y’all have had an amazing week and are ready for rest & relaxation in whatever form it takes for you this weekend. There is a a lot of discussion today about the affect fashion fashion is having on the environment. First let me say this is not me putting fast fashion down at all! Fast fashion is perfect when you’re starting out as a young person in the work force and you don’t have the funds to shop at brands with higher price points or if you are on a tight budget then fast fashion brands are perfect.
Having said that I want to encourage you to not totally dismiss Torrid, Eloquii, Lane Bryant, Ashley Stewart, independent designers such as Jibri and Zellie for She, and local boutiques (you’ll be helping your local economy too) which I know are expensive but the quality you will get is well worth your money. The material is quality and these are pieces that will last you for years. I know for many, myself included, we live on a budget and I would suggest to think making these purchases every quarter or seasonally when you’re looking to update/refresh your wardrobe and cleaning out your closet. Also check out mid-season sales that usually happen in July when retailers are trying to clear their summer inventory to make way for their fall collections. Check out your local consignment shops, thrift stores, and online thrifting sites like Thred Up and Poshmark.
This dress I am wearing I bought from Eloquii 5 years ago and it looks like I just bought it yesterday. It was worth and still is worth every penny I paid for it along with several other dresses in my closet that I’ve had for several years now.
Hello Southernistas! I thought about writing about 4th of July inspired fashion but I decided to give it a pass this year and just encourage you if you feel so inclined to rock the red, white, and blue!
Instead I want to spotlight this cute faux leather with mesh inserts LBD (little black dress) I scored from Ashley Stewart and it was in the clearance section. Last time I checked this dress was still available in limited sizes but it is still available so go check it out. If you’ve been wanting to jump into the cut out trend but are not fully on board with it this dress is the perfect alternative to a dress with cut outs with its mesh inserts.
I am a big fan of the LBD and am a firm believer it should be in every girl’s closet. It is literally the most versatile and sexiest piece in your closet I promise you. It can go from day to night all with the simple change of accessories. Gone are the days of a so called plain simple black dress now they are body con, cut out, and faux leather and mesh. I am wearing a shaper slip underneath (it’s not lined) but you can wear it without anything underneath if you want to show skin and it runs large so if you want a fitted look size down if your size it is available.
Hello Southernistas! We are three days into summer and at the risk of being repetitive I…AM….HERE…FOR…IT…YES! All of it! The sun, fun, long days, and of course the fashion. Now I’ve already talked about how I consider this maxi dress season but there is so much more than maxi dresses. I love the swimwear that is always next level, the cute skirts, sandals (high & low heels), cute tops, and the colors and prints. This is the time of year that I put away my pants and leggings because I just fine them too hot to wear and break out the skorts and shorts.
I decided this year to not do as much shopping as I usually do for this season but I have picked up a few things like this cute top from Eloquii (got it in every color) their semi annual sale is going on now, a few skirts (wearing one of them) and dresses from Ashley Stewarts, and of course a few more maxi dresses from Lane Bryant. I love to purchase my maxi dresses from Lane Bryant because they offer, not all, but most of them in petite (5″3 & under) so I don’t have to get them altered or wear heels all them time with them.
I encourage y’all don’t cover those arms and legs just because someone has a problem with how you look! You deserve to be just as cool and comfortable as our smaller sisters and brothers. Get that summer vibe going and enjoy SUMMER!
Happy Thursday and 2nd Day of June Southernistas! I am a June baby! In fact my birthday is exactly 8 days away. For me June is summer and I know the official start of summer is June 21st but as far as I am concerned summer has arrived. But I still count down to summer and celebrate my birthday all month. I also consider this time of year maxi dress season! Now there are many that declare it swimsuit season but for me it is all about the maxi dress!
Maxi dresses give me that rich Palm Springs socialite vibe. I see myself fliting around my mansion (if I had one), relaxing on a chaise lounge with a big glass of sweet tea, water or some fancy non-alcoholic beverage with a good book, personal bible study time, or lunching with my besties. Maxi dresses just make me feel fancy and it is at this time of year when I find myself purchasing a lot of maxi dresses. They are cool and are perfect for a more formal events during these hot summer months.
Hello Southernistas and Happy Spring! At the risk of being a broken record I do so love Spring! I know this time of year can be miserable for allergy suffers and I am so sorry the pollen is making your life miserable but SPRING IS HERE…WHOO HOOO! It is just something about seeing the Earth waking up from its long winter nap that lifts my spirits. To see the trees budding, feel the sunshine, the flowers blooming, and the most important thing the Spring fashions and swimsuits my favorite brands rollout well a girl can’t help but be happy.
In this blog I’m going to post some of my favorite pieces I’m loving right now from two of my favorite brands Eloqui and Lane Bryant!
Hello Southernistas! Hope you’ve had a great week and that you have an even better weekend! I confess the one article of clothing that puts me way outside my comfort zone is the bodycon dress. What is a bodycon dress you ask. Bodycon is a dress that hugs your body and trust me I realize this dress makes many plus size women uncomfortable and many avoid this dress . I understand because I was one of those women for years because of my tummy. My comfort zone is an A-line or fit and flare dress that doesn’t draw attention to my middle.
As you can see from the numerous pictures of me on this blog I carry my weight in my middle so in my mind bodycon dresses are more suited for an hourglass shape or a pear share. If you’ve wanted to try a bodycon dress but have been hesitant I recommend a sweater dress they have stretch and they tend to skim the body so they’re not too bodycon which I personally believe is the perfect dress to start with or size up the dress will not hug your curves as much. If you’re self conscious about your tummy or another part of your body you don’t want to draw attention to add a duster, cardigan, moto jacket, or blazer to give you a little more coverage. I cannot stress the importance of the right foundation garments! The right shapewear and bra with the dress will not make you slimmer but smooths everything out so the dress fits you like it should!
I promise you bodycon dresses are nothing to be afraid of and there is a dress out there for you that will make you feel sexy and a total bombshell. Don’t let the negative voices or doubts stop you from dipping your toe in this part of the fashion waters. If you’re still not ready to try full on bodycon look go with a pencil skirt to begin with and work your way up to the dress.
You have a wide selection of brands to choose from but I highly recommend Fashion to Figure they are my go to for bodycon dresses and this little red bodycon sweater dress (buttons are not functional) is FIRE! I wore a cami under it for the office and wore this red moto jacket to complete the look. This dress is sold out but click here and here for an alternate
There is a bodycon dress out there for you I promise!
Regina the Southernista 