{life} the two to the o to the eleven...

2011 was quite the fantastic year.

i was reading my new years post for 2011 and i really didn't see how i could improve on it, cuz it says it all for me but i didn't want this year to end without acknowledging how completely wicked it was.

i did more things, meet more fabulous people and had so much bloody fun.

this video that i took of deborah cox performing at a street festival here this summer pretty much sums up my year.

it was so fantastic. the energy. the crowd. her voice.

i danced (hence the wiggly, blurred nature of the video). i sang (so loud and off key). i laughed. i screamed (so loud and often)...i loved every moment of it!





thank YOU my fab readers for spending some of your online time in my world.

i hope that when you look back on 2011, you feel happier, stronger and wiser and amped to rock the coming year even harder!

{party} DAZZLE TIL DAWN was a blast!

curvy booty bumps and high fives to my co host amber and the ladies at vive la femme and violette.

i will party with you ladies anytime!

recap with loads more pics coming soon. in the meantime check out the pics that i tweeted!

{Fab five} it's on: DAZZLE TIL DAWN is tonight!

i can't believe it's already december 28th!

but i am glad that it is.

i am looking forward to laughing with some of my girls (which we do a lot! these are seriously fun chicks!) and meeting a bunch of new ones.

this fab five is in honor of DAZZLE TIL DAWN.

five reasons why you should be there.

- this party is all about shopping (is there any better reason to throw a party? helz naw!)

- attending the party you will get a sweet 20% off discount so that your benjamins will go even farther

- there will be dresses, coats, jewelry, handbags, and more to fill your fashion hankerin'

- there will be makeup applications from 7 to 9! shayna shapiro (the NARS national lead trainer FTW) will be smokin out your eyes and hooking you up with the perfect new years pout ideas

- there will be wine. flowing. in abundance.

See ya there!

{life} let it snow...let it snow...

let it snow...

seriously...i can't believe it but i am craving some snow...

just a little...light, fluffy, winter wonderlandy snow...

the weather man says that there is only a slight chance of snow in sight for us later in the week...

le sigh...

so, until then, i guess i will have to get my winter fix on pinterest...

Source: everydaycityscenes.blogspot.com via Curvatude on Pinterest

{elevate} motivation...

as we look to a new year, what a perfect time to create a new life for ourselves...

Source: scubapaola.tumblr.com via Curvatude on Pinterest

{life} twas the night before christmas...

and all thru the house, the wee ones crying screeched way... way louder than a mouse...

lol...le sigh...

today was one of those days where we ventured out only for a few forgotten items from the grocery store and a warm drink from the bucks...

my honey made some delicious homemade chilli with vegetarian italian sausage and other spicy things and it was so perfect on this chilly winter day.

and now, its time for a quiet soak, while watching an old favorite (say anything) then around 11pm i will play santa and wrap the rest of the presents and place them under the tree before heading to bed with the sounds of christmas (which i am going to miss) playing throughout the flat.

but i wanted to take a moment to wish you, a happy, bright and love filled christmas.

{shop} last minute...chicago blogger network style

so you waited to the last minute to wrap up your christmas shopping, huh?

well of course you are not alone and if you live in my great city: ChiTown, 

there are plenty of last minute, run in, drop that plastic and go options!

to make it a little easier for you, i thought i would share the Chicago Blogger Network Holiday Gift Guide.

lots of local bloggers (including moi) contributed and
the guide has something for everyone on your list,
lots of them local chicago businesses
(viva la localcentricism...yes i made that up but you get my drift)

my contribution (#4) are these fun cta token cuff links...

The nostalgia lover in me smiles and remembers those days of old when tokens were de rigueur to ride the CTA while the fashion lover in me wishes I had some shirts with french cuffs to rock these on!

{my life} in instagram...

i love instagram...i love getting a peek into other peoples world and the things, places and people they see and there really isn't a better place for that than istagram.

i get to feed all my fixations: fashion, beauty, decor, architecture, photography, travel

i realized this morning that i have been in a very sparkly mood and my instagram has been bearing witness to this mood..

my new glittery flats...i love them...they make me want to twirl!

similar here and here

{Featured} Marisota Jeans

When I was contacted about sharing the ladies jeans from Marisota here on le blog, being the jeans fanatic that I am, I was immediately intrigued.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that they offer so many different styles of jeans in a variety of washes, colors, sizes and lengths.

They have jeans that hit a variety of fit buttons. Here are a few:

- Sizes from 8 to 36
- Tummy control panels (uh yeah!)
- Lots of styles in multiple lengths (really great)
- Curved seams and design shading to elongate the legs
- Concealed elasticated curved waistbands

In addition to appreciating having a lot of choices to feed my jeans jones, I also love the affordable price points and I have already added a couple of pairs to my must have list!

Stretch Skinny Leg Jeans

I love this wash and contrasting stitching

Tall Smart Flared Jeans

Just the right amount of flare for me

I seriously can't wait to check Marisota's jeans out!

Disclosure: This is a featured post. The opinions expressed here are my own. Learn more about featured posts and my disclosure policy here.

{party} DAZZLE TIL DAWN: A swanky and chic NYE shopping soiree

New Year's Eve is one of those nights that if you are going to go out, you want to bring it!

Right?

And it doesn't matter if you are just going out for dinner or planning on dancing the night away, you want to rock that yeah I feel haute outfit.

So in the spirit is helping you deck yaself out, Amber of Style Plus Curves and I are hosting a shopping party with vive la femme fashion boutique and violette shoe salon.

vive la femme, is Chicago’s only independent boutique focusing on sizes 12-24.

violette offers afforbale, street-chic footwear exclusively in sizes 7-11.

And they currently have boots (uh all at $59!!!!) in a variety of calf sizes. Viva la thick calves!

Oh and if you are like me and your plans are to stay home and chill NYE in, no worries, this is still the shopping party for you!

A new year is coming and a new dress or a pair of sweet boots are always a DO!

Expect a full out girl party with fashion (and a sweet 20% off all your full-priced purchases), fun, shopping, sipping and styling!

RSVP here!

{giving} a few of my favorite things...

i aint the big O but i wanted to share a little holiday cheer and
give away a few of my current favorite things this holiday season.

i am an animal print freak and this mac and jac wallet is so fab (similar style)

the cynthia rowley bandages (similar) are a fun way to cover a owie

yeah, prep's cool! love these salon effects polish strips (see them on me here!)
these smart touch gloves are my favorite find of the season.
no more halting my tweetin because my hands are too cold!

cool stuff right? enter to win by following the instructions below!
you must leave a comment, follow on twitter and tweet! 

{scene} tis the season in chicago

this past week was a blur...really. the holiday season is always so fast moving and the events are a plenty.

so of course a little shiny, blingy, sequiny style is required.

skirt (last worn here) | top old navy from forever ago | boots indigo by clarks

i haven't been taking my camera out much lately because, well i just haven't wanted to lug it around.

{elevate} motivation...

Source: get-thinspiration.tumblr.com via Curvatude on Pinterest

{luxaholic} fun at the market

a few weeks ago i was highly honored to be asked to contribute to Randolph Street Holiday Market features an Editor’s Entertaining Extravaganza alongside some other really cool folks (check the list!)

click pic to enlarge and get a feel for all the settings

the goal was to find items from the vendors at the market to create a holiday tablescape.

while i wanted to go with traditional christmas colors like red, white and green, i wanted to create a setting that was fun and not too traditional...

{rock} aren't you plaid...

have you been rockin any plaid this season?
it is everywhere!
 on dresses, on shoes,
on bags and even on my fingers!

here are some other ways that i am lovin it.

pump | coat | dress | tote | platform

i love that you can go really traditional or really funky with it. 

like with the plaid dress

it's pretty traditional in color with the red and black
but the strapless sexiness of it takes it to another level.

{connection} challenged...

my laptop was on the blink and i had almost 4 days of no access to it and it was both terrible and great.

terrible because everything that i do requires me to use it, so a lot fell thru the virtual cracks, like updating le blog.

but great because i was way more domestic than ever and got a lot of little things accomplished on the home front.

but now it's let's play catchup time...

so to start, here is what would have been the monday morning motivation...

Source: google.com via Curvatude on Pinterest

oh and if you haven't done so already (side eye), check me out on CurrentlyObsessed.me.

i have been posting a lot of good ish...

use access code: CurvatudeObsessed

Currently Obsessed

if you follow me on twitter (or on foursquare) you know that i am always out in the stores, shopping, researching, fawning over things i love.

and as much as i would love to tweet pics of all of my finds, it's just not gonna happen.

so now i have a place to share all the things that i am digging on at CurrentlyObsessed.me

it's essentially a fashion, beauty, lifestyle lovers wet dream curated by a cornucopia of bloggers.

here are some of the things that i am currently obsessed with. 

some i already own and LOVE and some that i am hoping santa baby will put under my tree.

the site is currently invite only but i have a limited number of invites. 

use access code: CurvatudeObsessed and come and stalk me!