Shorts, Shorts, Shorts!

I think one of my goals this spring/summer is to thrift more shorts. Although I hate wearing pants (have gone without them for about 2.5 years now), shorts strike me as comfortable and fun. Not to mention I'm not at risk of flashing anyone when wearing a pair!

Thrifted denim shirt, romper (as shorts), oxfords | C/O Romwe tights | Urban Outfitters headband

David Jack.

Monday night was quite the evening for Kate and I: after getting dolled up (it had been a while since I'd worn heels, no casualties!) we headed out to the David Jack show at Subeez.

I attempted to document my eye makeup, inspired by this genius D.I.Y. by Ivania. Hopefully next time I try it out I'll be able to get clearer photos, it was surprisingly easy to replicate. Trust me, I'm not makeup master, so I was quite pleased with the results.

I'll admit, I hadn't a clue what to expect during the show. After sipping a glass of white wine and anxiously awaiting the show, the lights dimmed and the models descended upon us. Crystalized visions, the muses wore a palette of nearly celestial cremes and taupes, accented by Swarovski crystals. The looks were elevated by phenomenal nail art, makeup and spell binding tresses. I tried my best to get some shots of the garments on the runway, but unfortunately, I am complete rubbish at photography which requires flash. Regardless, I included the "best" of my snaps.

A quick shout out to Little Fashionisto, who I finally met in person that night. We even shared a short stroll, complete with shared umbrellas. M'c Kenneth was warm and wonderful to be around, I hope to run into him again around the city. It's always nice to discover that stylish faces from the Internet are welcoming and friendly in real life. All in all, 'twas a solid evening, thanks again for the invite David Jack!

The Best Times.

I always am guaranteed to have a great day when I hang out with Zoë. We had delicious brunch at Slickity Jim's, where the conversation ranged from pants vs. no pants to activism and social change. That's one thing I love about Zoë, we have the ability to go from completely frivolous to more intellectual and meaningful topics with ease. That and she is super fun to be around.

We finally got joint outfit photos (!!!!), much to the disdain of a girl riding her tricycle in the park. She didn't look too impressed. Also, we kind of coordinate! Blog dates=awesome mates. Ha, ha, I'm a cornball. As proven by my cheesy faces in these photos.

PS: More from our day on Zoë blog!

Zoë: USED House of vintage coat | Thrifted silk blouse, cardigan, purse cardigan
Temple of the Modern Girl Boutique skirt | Front & Co. tights, oxfords

Lydia: Thrifted blazer | Lark by Steve Alan dress | H&M lace blouse
Cooperative shoes | Joe Fresh tights | Cambridge Satchel Company c/o Modcloth bag

You Are My Valentine.

Hey. Guess what? I love you! YES YOU. Thanks for reading Style is Style, I hope you are having a wonderful Valentine's with people that you love! xoxo

picture from vintagegal

One, Two Step.

Oh, the good ol' days. I miss seeing Marisa three times a week, even though school could be a bit of a drag sometimes. I'm pretty lucky to have met someone as wonderful as her, sweet, genuine, funny, generous and always lovely to be around.

Thrifted silk blouse | Mintage skirt | Cooperative flats

Tabbisocks.

A wonderful package of hosiery finally made its way to me after about a month and a half of trying to track it down. Tabbisocks sent over legwarmers (perfect timing, we had snow shortly thereafter), the cutest knee socks in existence (strawberries!!!!) and a pair of super comfy tights. I don't usually wear maroons and burgundies, but I was up to the challenge of trying something out of my color comfort zone. They went perfectly with my new-ish pair of velvet, yes velvet platforms. Somehow, I snagged them for only 20 bucks at Urban Outfitters. They are nearly twins of a pair I found on Etsy way back in the fall. I can't wait until it's warmer to wear them more often. Another great find in this outfit were my $5 sunglasses, from H&M. I've actually nabbed quite a few pairs of cheap, off season sunglasses. Perhaps I should always look for sunnies in the wintertime...

A shout out to my girl, Emily. Our coffeedate that day was much need girl chats!

Thrifted cape, belt, skirt | Yeah Yeah Yeahs concert tee | H&M sunglasses

C/O Tabbisocks opaque tights in Wine Red | TopShop socks | Urban Outfitters wedges

Give Me Something Sweet.

Audrey Grace is one of those shops which bringing swells of joy to my heart. Brands which are perfectly curated, a delightful aesthetic, and wonderful contributors. This set popped up on my Facebook feed this AM, and I have to share with you guys. Hannah Metz models, Agnes Thor behind the lens, and some very gorgeous threads. I had to hold back and not post the entire thing, but it's worth clicking the link to see the set. Lovely dovey, just in time for Valentines Day.

Peplum.

A fun filled day off after a super long stretch of work (9 days to be exact)! After a scrumptious breakfast at The Templeton, Adam and I went South Granville this weekend and sniffed delicious candles at Anthropologie. That store's scent is intoxicating, and so are the interiors! So many shades of grassy greens and juicy tangerine. Speaking of tangerine...I am excited to see it popping up everywhere. I think we have Pantone to thank (or shake a fist at) for this one! Although this skirt is a slightly more chilli red/orange, I love the intensity paired with the super comfortable cotton jersey. I've scored quite a few jersey pencil skirts from Forever 21 recently, and now they are a bonafide staple in my wardrobe. Also, say hello to the perfect pretty/dressy/feminine blouse! Only $8 at my local Value Village, I looked around to make sure no one would steal this amazing find. I've always been a fan of peplums, I couldn't be more pleased with the sudden influx of them for spring. You might say that a peplum puts a little spring in my step...  Oh yes, a certain shoe/tights pairing yet again; I can't resist these tights with these wedges! They are certainly a match made in heaven.

PS: In light of what I have been posting recently, this is a truly awesome article about self esteem/acceptance from ROOKIE magazine. AKA the magazine that I wish existed in when I was in high school, and which is super kick ass. A recommended read.

Thrifted jacket, blouse, belt | Forever 21 skirt

Joe Fresh dotted tights | Cooperative wedges | Aldo cat-eye sunglasses

Fat, Part II.

First of all, I would like to thank all of you for the wonderful, thoughtful, intelligent and insightful responses to my last post. It's something that has been bothering me for quite some time, and I wasn't sure how to address it.

Although I don't think I would take back what I said, some excellent points have been made about perhaps being a little more sensitive towards/less defensive about the word fat. I think that you guys are right. Thinking about it, I find myself feeling like I am not quite to the point where I can accept/not be offended by that word specifically. I didn't mean for the post to come across as me bragging or disregarding those who are larger/fatter/curvier/whatever-er than me, because I am in awe of the multitude of stylish women who have far less options than I do. For that, I apologize. It was not my intent, and I do appreciate when people ask for my advice on where to shop. It's enormously flattering that anyone would care about my opinion on something as personal as style. Also, as Kirsty Lou pointed out, it is a privilege that I can shop in straight sized stores, one that I shouldn't take lightly.

I still have a lot of growing to do as far as my body image and sense of self, and I think that's all a part of the age that I am at. At 22, I feel far more confident and self assured than say, my 16 year old self. But I do have my moments of discouragement and self doubt. I would like to believe that will lessen over time, as it has been since adolescence.

I would love to hear more about your opinions on this topic, let me know in the comments here or on the original post. I'm blessed to have intellectual and opinionated readers, I ♥ you!

Fat.

I have an admission to make: I don't think that I am "fat".

Yes, I know that I am a larger, curvier woman, but when I see references to me as "plus sized" or "fat", I cring. Perhaps I am giving too much power to the word itself, as it is, after all, just a word. I have an extremely negative association with the word "fat" specifically,  it reminds me of when I had a deeply negative self image. Back then, my inner dialogue consisted of "You are so fat, it is disgusting. How can you even eat?" etc. Granted, I very seldom have those thoughts nowadays, but the sting of what constantly ran in my mind still remains.

But I do think there is something to be said for publications and media outlets which choose to tout the fact that you can be "plus sized AND stylish" as though the two are mutually exclusive. Personal style has nothing to do with size or ethnicity or wealth. Just as it is kind of offensive when someone proclaims how amazing it is it that a black girl has style, it's equally insulting to be referred to as a curvy girl with personal style. Yes, you can live on a small budget, be a visible minority, not be a size 0 AND, heaven forbid, actually look pretty cute most days.

I think another reason I tend to recoil from the title "fat fashion" or "plus sized" is the fact that I don't shop at plus sized stores or even wear plus sized clothes. (DISCLAIMER: I love my plus sized ladies, since all sizes are frickin' beautiful) As Kaelah pointed out, it's a little hard to be referred to as plus sized/get asked about plus sized clothing when I don't really don't have much knowledge about it. I feel taken aback, mostly because it is a strange feeling to labeled as something that you are not. I usually wear a size 12-16, or a large or x-large, and still shop in "straight" sized stores. It's can be difficult to find great places to shop when you aren't straight sized (I've heard really awesome things about ASOS Curve), but sometimes I'm at a loss when asked for advice.

Essentially, what I'm getting at is: it's really lovely to see the fashion community finally accepting more diversity, but I would appreciate less focus on size and labeling. and more focus on quality, creativity, and personality. I feel that labelling only creates divisions and separation, when the whole joy of being in a community is togetherness and solidarity of common interest. What got me started on this topic was a BUST article, and since then I've come across several which address similar topics. Check out Kirsty Lou's post, as well as Erin's post for a little more insight.

What do you guys think? Is there too much focus on labeling what a person is, or isn't? Or is it not a big deal?

Just as a sidenote: some readers have been asking for curvier bloggers out there, here are a few of my current favorites!

Fatty Unbound, Nicolette Mason, Fashion Haley, Curious Fancy, GabiFresh, Elsa Bilgren, Here's Looking At Me, Kid and Big Hips, Red Lips

illustration: tumblr (sorry don't remember quite where!)

EDIT: In regards to anon comment about "losing weight": I realize that yes, technically, I am overweight for my height. But there is something to be said for allowing others to be however thin or large they want to be, as long as they are happy.

A Spoonful Of Sugar.

A fun trip to the Pacific National Exhibition, yet another slice of summer (clearly, school effected my blogging!) Llamas, lemonade, silly prints and family fun. A summer day well spent!

Thrifted jacket, skirt, belt | USED top

Gift from Adam's Mom sunglasses | Urban Outfitters flats