She’s got the look – Pt. 2 May 23, 2009
Posted by angelyc in Lush Ladies.add a comment
Hola chicas!! Hope all has been well on your end.
I’m sorry this one was a little delayed; I’ve been busy with my column launch. If you haven’t already checked it out, you should click here immediately!
All right, back to the topic at hand: Mixing and matching.
We’re still using this fabulous pair of jeans: 
Last time, we covered the Rocker and Party-Glam looks. This time, we’ll tackle Business Casual and Saturday Shopping.
Let’s start with Business Casual:
My definition of a business casual look is one that is comfy for the office, but still stylish. It’s not too dressy, but is not wholly casual either.
First you need a blazer/jacket/cardigan – If you’re going to splurge on items, try to blow the extra cash on a jacket, shoes, or a bag. These will give you the biggest bang for your buck.
I love this cardigan: 
The neutral tone will allow you to mix it with more items.
Next you need a tee or a tank to go under it: 
Now you need a belt: 
You should wear the belt on the outside of the cardigan at your waist, not through any belt loops! That way the belt will pull you all together and define your waist. Jackets and sweaters that aren’t cut against the figure will leave you looking shapeless; a belt will showcase your curves.
Now you need a bracelet and earrings. We’re going to tone it down some since this is for work.
and
I’m going to give you two shoe option just in case your office doesn’t support open-toed shoes.
Open: 
Closed: 
Notice that the shoes pick up on the braiding detail from the belt. Continuity works in fashion just like it does in any other form of art. Make sure that you try to demonstrate it when picking out and working with accessories and shoes.
All right, it’s time for Saturday Shopping:
I know I want 3 things out of an outfit I wear shopping.
- Style
- Comfort
- Easy to remove (so that I can try on new things before purchasing)
Hopefully, you’ll find all three in this next outfit.
First you need a comfy cute shirt: 
This one’s stylish but roomy so that it won’t get wrinkled as you change in and out of it. By the way… Old Navy’s Women’s Plus line is only available online, but it’s nice. Good clothes for a nice price. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Next you need sandals: 
I try to always add a pop of color somewhere to a neutral outfit.
Now a bag: 
Keep in mind, that without looking at actual merchandise, colors can be slightly off. Try to keep the tones as close as you possibly can.
So hopefully, you enjoyed the mixing and matching. I’ve given you 4 different looks for one staple article of clothing. Due to the feedback I had from the first installment, we’ll do this again with another item.
Until the next time, be lush ladies…
She’s got the look May 19, 2009
Posted by angelyc in Lush Ladies.Tags: big girls, clothing, fashion, plus size, plus size clothing, plus size woman, plus size women, shoes, style
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Hey ladies… welcome back!
Someone asked me yesterday about how I put an outfit together; I have to admit I was stumped at how to answer because I make instant decision on what I like and what I don’t like.
So I’m just going to tell you the best way I know how…
I really don’t have “outfits”, I have looks. Within those looks, pieces can be converted to fit within the realm of another look. Did I lose you?
Okay, let’s simplify. You have to mix and match y’all!
It’s a waste of money to buy an article of clothing that you can only wear in one way. Now I’m not saying don’t do it, because if something is fabulous, then by all means buy it! But the majority of your wardrobe should be interchangeable into different looks.
Personally, I base my looks off my mood. Either it’s going to reflect how I feel that day; or how I want to feel that day.
To illustrate my point, I’m going to take one article of clothing and show you different items you can put it with to create different outfits/looks. I’m going to show two different looks a day.
By the way: Thanks to the reader who emailed me about always providing links to what I show you. It’s my goal for us all to be fabulous together. I’m never going to find something and not show you where to get it. We’re friends; I would never play you like that!
So today we’re going to work it out with a simple pair of jeans. It’s something you should all have in your closet and if not, you don’t have to break the bank to get a nice pair.
I prefer a dark-rinse. It slims you out. 
These jeans in particular are by Lane Bryant and wonderful. I’ve got butt for days, and yet my waist isn’t as pronounced so I always end up with that gap between my back and my waistline… these jeans eliminate that.
So to my girls with more junk in the trunk… get on these jeans immediately. I’m tired of seeing your belt struggle to curve your jeans over all that ass. And I’m sure your significant other doesn’t want the entire world to know what color your panties are.
So now that we’ve got our basic piece, let’s work it out.
First let’s go Rocker:
Rim those eyes in kohl so it emphasizes your bad-girl side.
Next you need a rocker tee. 
We all know that these can be found everywhere, but do remember to get one in your size. I don’t want to catch you someplace in a too-small ass shirt stretching out the letters of Run DMC. Got your shirt stretched so far it looks like RC and the rest of the letters are unidentifiable. Unacceptable and you know better!
For the day rock look, we’re going for gym shoes: 
For the night, heels: 
Accessories for this look (night-look only): 
and 
Accessory PSA: I hate those little plastic bead necklaces/bracelets/anklets. You know the ones that come in every color under the sun and are usually worn in multiples. Stop that! That’s not cute, it’s just tacky. For the amount of money you are blowing on that garbage, you could invest in some quality pieces.
Next let’s go Party-Glam:
Think smoky eyes, dusky metallics, and nude lips for the make-up ladies.
First you need a shirt: 
It’s sexy without being too revealing. You don’t have to be damn-near naked to be sexy ladies. As a matter of fact, that usually crosses the border into skanky.
Shoes, work a nice wedge. You’ll be more comfortable if you need to stand for a long time: 
Accessories, you need a statement bracelet and soft earrings: 
and 
I’m advising against a necklace with this shirt; the pendant will end up buried in your cleavage.
So there we have it… two completely different looks centered around one item.
Next post will have the Business Casual and Saturday Shopping looks.
By the way, I am now the Plus-Size Fashion columnist for the Detroit Examiner.
Check me out here: http://tinyurl.com/pfu3jc
Until the next time… be lush ladies.
Preserve the Sexy May 17, 2009
Posted by angelyc in Lush Ladies.Tags: big girls, clothing, fashion, plus size, plus size clothing, plus size woman, plus size women, style
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Hey ladies… So far I’ve been talking about what’s wrong with the current plus-size trends and how to correct them, but tonight we’re going to talk about something a little different.
I haven’t seen how you are wearing tonight’s item… I just hope that you are.
Let’s talk lingerie ladies!
A fellow big girl told me that she doesn’t wear sexy underclothes because she thinks she would look bad. This is a fallacy. Well… it’s more like a half-truth. You will look bad in anything not made for your diva-sized figure. But the stuff made for us? Honey please. You will get no complaints at home!
So what type of lingerie is best for your fabulous figure? You’ve got plenty of options, but to keep from overwhelming you, I’m going to limit it to three. Three is a lucky magic number… so work some magic and get lucky! And even if you have no one to wear it for… wear it for your damn self! It will make you feel powerful.
Please note that all merchandise I suggest is modeled by plus-size models. To get a realistic idea on how something will look on you, you need a model that is a similar shape. I don’t know who told plus-sized fashion magazines and websites that it was okay to use regular models… but that’s a FAIL. I’m not trying to see some size 2 girl rocking what I’m going to put my bodacious body in. Let’s keep it real on both sides people.
Let’s talk about Corsets first: 
Corsets are fabulous because they hold everything in. But please make sure you get it in the correct size ladies… no one wants to see you bending the bones on a too small corset that has rolled up under your breasts like a rowdy set of window blinds.
Another option is the Babydoll: 
Babydolls offer a bit more coverage for the women who aren’t as comfortable undressed. It’s a nice medium. Please make sure that with your babydolls, you invest in a good pair of thigh-high stockings. Remember… you have to work it all the way out girls. Don’t go halfway.
Our final selection for tonight is the Gown: 
Some of you have never tried lingerie before. I know that new things can be scary, so use the gowns to ease you gently into the sexy. We all know the sexy must be preserved but not ignored. So start long, and shorten the length on each consecutive gown you buy. Eventually, you’ll be at the babydoll.
By the way gals, if you follow the link for the pictured item above, it will take you directly to the website http://www.plussizeplum.com Plus Size Plum is offering 10% off when you put “Twitter” in the comment section. Get on that immediately. You know I love a good deal!
Lingerie PSA – Be proper ladies. We all know the time and place to break this stuff out. Don’t let me catch you in the grocery store in a babydoll and thigh-highs. I will not be nice. I already told you, as your friend, times are going to come when you don’t like me. This will be one of those times.
Until the next time… be lush ladies…
Freak’um Dresses: Lush Lady Version May 15, 2009
Posted by angelyc in Lush Ladies.Tags: clothing, fasion, plus size, plus size woman, style
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Welcome back ladies. I missed y’all!
Lately, I’ve been looking at different club photos and I am appalled. You know those club photos? The ones with the photographer’s name in a banner on the bottom, and a bright light that illuminates how tipsy you are? Yeah, those. I try to give my fellow big girls the benefit of the doubt, like maybe the photographer caught you at a bad moment. But in my heart, I know the truth. You actually walked out the door and into public in that dress. I’m starting to get light-headed. I hope I don’t faint.
What the hell is going on with the spandex damn dresses in the club ladies? Do you somehow not know that this isn’t a good look? Are you really looking in the mirror and thinking this is okay? Like when you glanced at your profile in the mirror to check out your booty (don’t act like you don’t check your booty out in the mirror. Everybody does that.), you think “I’m going to be the best dressed.”
Well, I hate to be the one to tell you the truth, but they are really thinking “Does she not realize she is one deep breath away from suffocating?” You know when you look at someone and their spandex is stretched so far their whole outfit looks shiny? Like it’s got glitter in the thread? That’s wrong. That’s not how it should look. Please stop.
Now just because I don’t think spandex is our thing, doesn’t mean there isn’t hot stuff to wear out. You’ve got to look for something fitting, but not tight. Spanx are wonderful, but they are not miracle workers. You still aren’t going to be looking as tight as you could, so there is no need to highlight rolls that might take attention away from your gorgeous physique. If you don’t care about this, then more power to you. Godspeed my sister-in-size. For the rest of you who are still with me, if the dress skims your body, then it shows off your great figure, however it is proportioned. I found a couple of dresses that were too fabulous not to share with you.
When going for the sexy, you have a couple of options:
You could go for the Glamour. 
The outfit that just causes attention to be on you and you love it. The Glamour is socialite-approved. It is glitzy, opulent, and brazen. It screams that you are a curvy femme fatale… and you like it.
You could decide on the Sophisticate. 
It’s not as brassy as Glamour, but it’s still got snap. It’s usually fully covered, but yet so seductive. Get it girls in your sassy looks! I’m not even mad at you. Throw some cute shoes on and work it all the way out.
The final look I focused on was the Secret. 
The Secret is similar to Charlotte on Sex and the City. It’s prim, proper, and provocative. It’s undercover naughty. Secret dresses are usually very conservative at a first glance, but if you look closer, it’s sexy in an understated way. This could go from the office to the club with a simple change of accessories.
So next time you decide to buy a new dress to go out, remember to consider your plausible options. If you don’t care what’s best, then you probably wouldn’t have read my whole blog; so obviously you care what I think. I think that you are my sister-in-size, my best of the best, and because I adore you so, I want you to wear what will be the most fantastic on you.
Put your Freak’um dresses on, and show them how it’s done.
Until the next time, be lush ladies…
Shoe PSA May 12, 2009
Posted by angelyc in Lush Ladies.Tags: fashion, plus size clothing, plus size women, shoes, style
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Let’s talk shoes ladies…
I am a shoe diva. Nothing makes my day more than a wonderful wedge, a strappy stiletto, or a playful pump. I know I’m not the only person who buys the shoes first, then finds an outfit to go with it. I own more shoes than I do clothes to go with them, but it doesn’t matter. I rarely turn down a sale, and I never turn down a shoe sale. As I see plenty of my sisters in size with fabulous shoes, I know that I’m not alone.
But there’s something that needs to be addressed. As your friend, I’m going to tell you the truth. Before I give you that honesty, I’m going to run a little test.
(Stay with me y’all, I’m about to improve some of your lives.)
Look down at your feet right now.
I don’t care if you’re at home, your desk, or your supermarket… look at your feet.
Look at the top and sides of your foot, if they look like they are oozing flesh over the shoe like a slime monster:
TAKE THOSE TOO SMALL ASS SHOES OFF RIGHT NOW!
What the hell is going on ladies? I need some explanations because I don’t understand. There are too many vendors that specialize in wide width shoes for you to have your foot crunched into some cute lil shoe that is cutting off all your damn circulation. If you take your shoes off and you have permanent lines from the shoes, I need you to get that together immediately. That is absolutely unacceptable!
We all know that the mass public perception of plus-size women is that we are unkempt, sloppy, and poorly dressed. Well those of you that just failed the test are part of the reason. I need you heffas to stop making the rest of us look bad.
I need you to get your lives together right now. Go to http://www.designershoes.com or http://www.zappo.com and pick out some shoes. There’s an extra sale on clearance shoes at http://www.torrid.com right now, so go all out. Make it do what it does. Don’t talk to me about prices because you probably paid good money for those bear traps you’re walking around in right now. I don’t want to hear it.
I’m not even going to say I’ve never been guilty; it took me a couple of years to reach my current level of fantastic. But I got there and you need to join me.
I don’t care if you get offended because this is coming from a place of love. I’m trying to be a real friend, and sometimes it’s going to hurt. But hell, don’t let me walk out the door looking wrong either! Let me know if I look a hot mess. Don’t let me walk out into the world oblivious to the fact that people are snapping pics of me on their Blackberrys to post on Facebook.
To all the women who just passed my test… congratulations. But how many times have you let a fellow big girl walk out the house with her feet scooting and sliding over the edges of her stiletto? SHAME ON YOU!! Y’all know better. Pass on the info. Don’t be stingy; we can all be fabulous together.
Until the next time, be lush ladies…
Big girls don’t cry… but they are well-dressed May 12, 2009
Posted by angelyc in Lush Ladies.Tags: big girls, fashion, plus size clothing, plus size women, shoes, style
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Yeah, it’s time to change the game. A lot has changed since my last update. Sorry about that. From now on, I will be trying to update at least every other day, if not daily. The topic of this blog is also going through transition. There will still be stories, because I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t get my fiction out, but this will also be a place for plus-sized women to cheer, vent, and discuss fashion.
Little girls are welcome, just don’t be rude. I’m going to bring up a topic daily and my opinion and you all can chime in with however you feel.
Til the next time… be lush ladies.
