What I wore to get back in the dating scene, twice

I have a confession. Previous to last week, I hadn't been on a date in over a year. I just suck at dating;there's so much pressure, not only to look good but to appear as a more interesting version of yourself. Do I work out? Yes, I do when I'm motivated and have the time. Do I love to workout? Do I spring out of bed every morning ready to squat thrust my way through the day? No, no I do not. Do I cook? Enough to maintain my nutritional requirements if not my palate. Do I bake artisan breads and lovely simmer amazing homemade sauces? Eh, not so much. How about politics? Do I scour CNN and Wonkette and Huffington Post and am ready for a thoroughly incisive debate on the issues of the day? Weeeel, I watch the Daily Show and Colbert Report every so often. And I was quite amused to read this tumblr. 


My point being, it's hard out there for a non-pimp(ess), so I've taken the path of least resistance and removed myself from the dating pool for awhile. So when I was getting ready for a weekend with not just one dinner, but two, I was completely freaked out. COMPLETELY. FREAKED.OUT. I pretty much had this reaction in the mirror to every outfit:

Luckily I was able to get over myself for the most part and had a lovely time with both gents. I think I may have even been charming at one point. I can't remember all the details, I was trying really hard not to say anything stupid. Starting with Saturday's outfit, I got the top at Target in an XL, it was a little snug so I probably should have gone with a XXL. Paired with and old open cardigan and my favorite jeans, I felt pretty good that night, if a little cold. I realized later looking at the pics the shoes were not a good fit, but oh well, they were still cute, even if they didn't work perfectly.

closeup of blouse print

Blouse: Target / cardigan: Deb's '08/jeans:Old Navy sweetheart cut, '07/ shoes: Naturalizer via  Amazon

For outfit of the 2nd date, I went a little fancier, which was good because the restaurant was pretty swanky, but not the best choice for the weather. Holy shitballs it was cold....and rainy...and windy. However, the hostess at the restaurant said I looked adorable and even asked to know where I got the dress, so I was feeling pretty good. The dress is from Domino Dollhouse, a really cute online store that has a lot of options for younger fashionistas or those who enjoy retro styles (some of their dresses are simply amazing). The sweater is an old one from Ross, and the shoes were an outlet find for 7 dollars.

Dress:Domino Dollhouse /  sweater: Ross / shoes:NineWest via outlet /  jewelry: Target/ belt: Cato

All in all, I'm glad I decided to jump back into the dating pool, even if sometimes I feel like I need water wings to keep swimming safely. :)
-J.D

Back to work on Cyber Monday

Oh, the long weekend was lovely, but back to work I went on Monday. Since I'm not one to wrestle with a crowd, I bowed out of Black Friday this year, as I did last year and will probably do next year. I don't wanna get my ass pepper sprayed, though the reality of my clumsiness tells me if I ever have an incident with pepper spray it will probably happen something like this:

So I spent most of yesterday web surfing the crazy deals instead of working and of course found a bunch of items that had to find their way to my closet post haste. Including cigarrette pants! Which I have never tried but I love the retro, Audrey Hepburn-esqe look of. So look for those in an upcoming daily outfit.  


*Fyi, it looks like both Lane Bryant and Fashion Bug have extended their 50% and 40% sales until tonight. And One Stop Plus is going with 'cyber week', with a 25% discount and free shipping.*


Yesterdays outfit was partially previously mentioned in this review post for the Forever 21 rust colored dress. I paired it with an dark greenish blue cardigan from Target with 3/4 sleeves and what may become some of my favorite shoes ever! I've been searching for green shoes that were stylish, work appropriate and comfortable and having the hardest time(Google 'green heels' sometime and you'll see some real monstrosities, trust) until I found these 'South Role' pair from Aerosoles, purchased via Amazon. The jewelry is from Forever 21.
-J.D

Dress: and jewelry: Forever 21 / cardigan: Target '10 / shoes: Aerosole via Amazon

 Makeup close ups: I chose a subtle wash of green shadow; at my age you can't really pull off sparkly leprechaun shades anymore. Nude lipstick and coral blush completed the look.

Flight of Fancy

I am loving the new bird print styles that are trending right now. British retailers,  such as Asos and Dorothy Perkins, appear to offer the most variety of this trend, but here's hoping American stores jump on the band wagon soon. I have seen a couple of options at a local Target that aren't pulling up on the website, a navy chiffon ruffled neck tank with a print similar to the dress at top left, and another top in the plus section that's a dead ringer for the peasant blouse at top right. I've scoured the internet for plus size options, and these are my favorites. The pretty blue dress couldn't be noted in Polyvore, but it's from Domino Dollhouse, it's on sale, and it's on it's way to my house right now! Woo hoo!
-J.D

What I wore to eat turkey and demolish a pumpkin pie

I love Thanksgiving; it really does have the best noshing(screw Christmas and Easter with their baked ham! I want turkey and stuffing!). Even though we didn't have homemade this year, there were still plenty of good eating(I did miss the sweet potato casserole  and green beans with bacon, but there's always next year). 
I was also thankful that even though I didn't get to see my whole family, I'm very lucky to still have a warm place to be where I have loved ones to enjoy the day with. Didn't hurt that I found out my what my Christmas present was early this year and I am supremely excited. There may even have been a celebratory jig on the car ride home...which I wouldn't recommend at 65 MPH, just sayin'. 
-J.D

Plaid shirt and shoes-Target '10 / sweater: Torrid '10 / jeans: Ross '11/ jewelry:Walmart '0?

I made food! That was easy! And didn't suck! - Orange Chicken

 I love food blogs. Food Gawker is one of my favorite sites to peruse when I want to pretend I will make the time to attempt a culinary masterpiece. Alas, I'm a terrible cook for the most part; soggy side dishes and congealed sauces are my trademark. So when I find something that is easy enough even I can't screw it up, I want to be able to remember it!  Unfortunately I still haven't got the hang of proper food journaling and photography, so I just have a picture of the end product. The original recipe for the chicken was from Spark Recipes, a terrific site to search and find some great healthy meals. I changed it a little bit to suit my own taste, but here's the original.           -J.D

                                        
                                                     Orange Chicken

My food styling abilities leave something to be desired, recipe after the cut...

                                                                            

What I wore to wait until the last minute to buy food for Thanksgiving

So this year my mother decided since my sister and her children couldn't be with us and it was going to be just the three of us, she just was not in the mood to cook. I was tasked with finding a dinner package of a pre-made meal we could just open and dig in. Sounds simple enough, except of course I am the world's worst procrastinator so I had to go to four restaurants on Thanksgiving eve, in an increasing state of distress and beg people to sell me food. Very dignified, lemme tell ya. 


At the very least I think I looked cute, if a little frazzled. I've had this red top forever, and it's been washed so much the cotton is very soft. The balloon sleeves are the best, they balance out my upper arms and don't bind around my biceps. The tie back is also a nice feature to give the top shape without having to incorporate a belt.
The jeans are a comfy, super cheap pair I found at Ross (they were only  4.99 dollars because of irregularities...basically the button is on the wrong side, but I can deal with it for under 5 bucks!). The necklace and earrings are from Forever 21, and sadly I think my little owl is starting to tarnish and will need to be replaced soon. 
-J.D

Top: Cato's '08 / cropped jeans: Ross '11 / shoes:Target '08 / jewelry: Forever 21 

These boots were made for squeakin'

I love boots. I love them so much I continually rationalize I actually need 5 pairs of them in Texas, when 9 months out of the year wearing boots will more likely than not result in walking in sweat from the knees down. Which is an ever so lovely feeling, don't cha know. Thankfully(but not really) most boots don't fit my 17'' calves, so I can't actually rationalize buying something I can only zip to the ankles. On the flip side, when I do find a pair in a store that fit, I feel compelled to buy them RIGHT THIS MINUTE. Lest they disappear in poof of air and return to the plumptious fat fairy land from whence they came.

Such is the case with these comfy but rumpled, noisy pair from Target '09. They have a thick elastic panel in the back that stretches and are pull on, so no zippers to pinch my skin(this is a legit fear, I have scars, people). But of course being Target, they certainly aren't leather and the material makes a muffled squeaky noise when I walk.  Actually, this entire outfit is Target now that I think of it, including a tunic that is (gasp!) maternity. Yes maternity wear; I figure if anyone is uncouth enough to check the label I probably shouldn't be worried about what they think of childless me wearing clothes for mommies.

-J.D

tunic/black skirt/boots/earrings: Target '09 / necklace& flower pin:local store

Wanna see my impression of Liz Lemon?

I am a Tina Fey fan; hell, I'm a super fan. I want to be her when I grow up, seriously. Smart, funny, beautiful in a really accessible way, she's just...the best(my love has apparently rendered me low on superlatives.) I'm a also a huge fan of 30 Rock. Oh, Liz Lemon, you would be my goofy soul mate if you weren't, you know, fictional. I wish we could shot gun pizza and  nibble Mexican cheetos while watching 'Milf Island' together. Alas, it is never to be; I can only play pretend and dress like you(and eat Mexican cheetos; I do live in Texas, and those things are for real). I can only hope Liz would approve. 

-J.D out

 

Shirt: Cato's '07 / Sweater and jeans: Old Navy'10 /shoes ?, circa ice age

What I wore to go back to work after vacation...ugh

If you saw the post below, I just reviewed the blouse and jeans so I decided to go ahead and  put them together in an outfit. I wanted something I could wear both to work and drinks afterwards*, and this fit the bill pretty well. It was a little too cool out to wear just the top alone, but problem solved with a tissue-weight tee layered underneath. The necklace is a cheap find from a local store, and I love it except it does tend to turn into what I call a 'boob wrangler', and it kept getting caught under my right breast. That wasn't at all awkward to fix twenty times during the day.

*p.s, if you're ever in Austin, you should check out Zed's. I had a delicious blue cheese burger and some mighty tasty cocktails.

-J.D

White tee: Target / Dove blouse and skinny jeans: forever21 / Wedges: Aerosole

Store review: Forever 21 Plus

I've been checking out Forever 21's plus size line for the last year, but I've always been hesitant to try them out as I assumed the line wouldn't be 'real plus size' but junior plus size, regardless of the size chart. I've had that experience before, especially in online stores where you aren't able to gauge the stretchiness of the fabric and how it will sit on the body.

However, when I found a dress to adorable to pass up, I had to bite the bullet and give them a try. And I'm very glad I did! I ending up with three new additions to my closet that are sure to get a lot of wear, and for around 60 dollars with free shipping. I received the package in about four or five days, I believe, with ground freight; the clothes were neatly folded and in wrapping paper, all the tags and paperwork included.

Dove Print Peplum Top-$19.80

I've been looking for a bird print top for under 50$, and this one was at a great price and a flattering cut. The one thing I would have liked was longer sleeves, but that is a personal quirk. Bought in 2x(18-20) and it fit perfectly, with an elastic waist and nice slippery, but not shiny, material. 

Fab Skinny Jeans (Regular)-$13.50

Skinny jeans have been popular for quite awhile, but I don't usually go for them because I have short legs, and they have a tendency to fold at the ankles(but the short style is too short, le sigh). These do fold a bit, but wearing them with heels definitely helps the stump factor. The material was ok, but surprisingly good considering the price point. Thin but not overly stretchy and they kept their shape pretty well. One warning if you are pear shaped like me, this cut works better on thicker waists;I did end up with about an 1.5'' or so of extra material around my middle, but a belt solved that pretty easy. Bought a size 20 and I probably could have gone with an 18.

Tiered Daytime Dress-$22.80

So this dress is the main reason I decided to go ahead and buy from forever21. Love, love, love the color. It looks redder in this photo, but it's definitely rust. Unfortunately that color is sold out but it's still available in black. The button detail on the shoulder is very cute, but it does make it harder to wear with a cardigan or shrug, which is how I will probably be wearing it. The skirt is lined so no worries about needing a slip, and the mandarin collar (which admittedly has a tendency to fall open) is a unique touch.

All in all very happy with my buys and pretty impressed with the overall quality for now(I've only worn the jeans and shirt so far, so we'll see they hold up through laundry).

-J.D

What I wore when it got (temporarily)chilly

So I was looking over my inspiration post again yesterday and struggling with the temptation to buy and the reality of my budget. Always frustrating, especially when it comes to justifying purchases. Sure, I have a cream dress, but I don't have a cream dress with a fancy collar. And so on and so forth until I've worked myself into a frenzy and I'm clutching my credit card so tightly it leaves a groove in my palm. One of the reasons I started this blog is to remind myself I don't have to shop as often. I've got a more than suitable closet full of great items already, and I should try to remember that and work with what I already have more often.


This outfit isn't a replica of that post, but I think it has the same vintage feel and shares a lot of the color pallet. I originally selected a pair of cream slingbacks, but that ended up appearing to matchy-matchy, and I think these laced heels compliment the 30's style I was going for. I even managed to find an old bee broach I had forgotten I had. All in all, a comfortable (even the shoes!), very wearable outfit that I really enjoyed.
-J.D

cream dress and top: Target '09 / heels:endless.com '10 / earrings and pin:thrifted

What I wore to buy new sneakers

Wow, ok. Blogging is really harder than I thought ya'll. I just accidentally deleted two posts I had already published! Arrrrrrgggghhhh. Seriously annoying and don't I feel a dummy. So if you happened to view these (re)entries earlier and are confused, yeah, that's why.

 So this outfit is what I wore to buy new sneakers.Not to be a stereotypical,but damn I enjoy shoe shopping; I mean I don't go this far, but I do love it so. And I was seriously glad to be putting on new shoes because the ones I wore that day are great looking, but definitely not like walking on clouds, unless said clouds were made of bricks. I'm afraid I fall into the trap of cute but impractical shoes because I have a desk job and don't have to walk about a lot during the day. Thankfully I was smart enough to keep the rest of the outfit very simple and comfortable, and as I kept my butt parked most of the day, I was grooving along pretty breezily. There was an awkward moment when my boss caught me wriggling/rolling myself to the copier in my office chair, but other than that smooth sailing.

-J.D

navy dress:Target / cream cami:Walmart/ heels:Nine West outlet / necklace:Forever 21

What I want Wednesdays:

I love U.K plus size retailers in general, and Asos Curve in particular.
They straddle the line of being very trendy without being disposable. It
doesn't hurt that they embrace trends I will probably always love, like
peter pan collars, military inspired buttons, and pussy bows(though I do
squick out a little saying pussy bow and prefer the term neck bow). I
haven't yet purchased anything from their site, because I've been a little
nervous about international shipping, but man do I love to drool over their
selections. So for my first 'What I want' inspiration post, I knew they were
the store I wanted to go with. Such gorgeous clothes and accessories.

I chose a collar dress in a neutral color and retro accessories. I like how the
buttons on the shoes echo the buttons on the bodice. The leather jacket adds
a bit of an edge to the rest of the ensemble to avoid looking too sugary sweet.
I went back and forth on the necklace, I worried for a bit it might compete
with the scalloped collar, but I think the styling is simple enough(no charms or
beads)that it works without detracting. I would probably wear this dress with
my hair away from my face, in a chignon or top knot, to show off those cute
bee earrings, and accentuate the detailed neckline. 
-J.D

ASOS long sleeve mini dress
$72 - asos.com

Bomber jacket
$70 - kohls.com

ASOS mary jane shoes
$135 - asos.com

ASOS stud earrings
$22 - asos.com

ASOS chunky necklace
$54 - asos.com

Intro Post,or 'Why so tardy to the party, J.D?'

So let me preface my introduction by telling you I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Which kinda informs the reason why I'm just now starting a blog, in 2011. Blogging seemed like something the younger generation got into and if I threw my proverbial hat in the ring, well, lets just say I felt like it was the internet equivalent of trying to make 'fetch' happen.(sidebar,I really hope that movie isn't to old to get that reference, again, I'm practically a senior citizen in pop culture years).

I've come to realize that I'm not actually a old crone, and just maybe I might have something relevant to share, especially since I'm plus sized, which does come with a whole host of special needs with regards to fashion(or fatshion if you prefer). I have no idea if I'll be any good at blogging , but I do know that I love clothes, I love finding good deals and sharing shopping tips with my friends, and I love the idea of finding other fatshion bloggers around the internet, because honestly Google seriously fails me sometimes.

So who am I? Well, I'm a 30-something single woman living in Austin, Texas who doesn't take enough advantage of the fact that she lives in an amazing city for live music. I'm a corporate desk monkey who loves to sing in my car and eat Greek food. I have an adorable pup named Bogart who may or may not be featured in my photo posts, because the little bugger just loves to pop in the frame when I'm taking pictures. Which is really unfair because he has the worst taste in fashion. I mean, the last time I got fancied up for a dinner party and asked his opinion, he just spit his slobbery chew toy on my foot and put a run in my hose. No respect, I tell ya. 


I'm not sure just yet what this blog will entail exactly, for the beginning most likely just outfit of the day posts until I get into the groove. I do suspect I will meander from time to time on other topics such as dating, friends, music, and food.  I'll probably also have to adjust the blog style once I actually understand what half of these buttons do...yeeeeah, little overwhelming right now. Also, if I ever actually get any readers to this thing, just know that I'm totally open to new ideas and constructive criticism. 


So that's all for now, if you ever happen upon my little corner of the internet and like what you see or have something you'd like to share, go ahead and comment or drop me a line at Sizablestyle@gmail.com, I'd love to hear from you! Also, Bogart says hi :)


-J.D