{project} plus size love...

A few weeks ago the Satorialist tweeted a link to his feature that he collaborated with Tiffany & Co on, called True Love in Pictures.

While I think the pics that he posted are beautiful, when I first viewed it I was immediately struck by the fact that along with couples, there were shoes and cups used to show true love but there wasn't a single plus size person to be found.

Even now, weeks later, after their call for submissions, they have since posted additional pics but still no plump love.

So I decided to create this feature, so that the plus side of love could be celebrated too.

Wanna help me do it?

There are a couple of ways to join in

1. - If you are a plus size couple in Chicago and you are interested in having your picture taken, a limited number of sessions are available, so please contact me here.

2. - If you are a plus size couple who already has a photo to submit, upload your photo and answer the questions here.

I am looking forward to showing that plus size love is just as sweet and beautiful as any other kind of love!

Fine Print: Keep it fun. No nudity. No stupidity. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.

{events} Bleeding Heart Project Launch

Last year a hellacious storm held the Bleeding Heart Project launch hostage but this year, it will be on and poppin.

The Bleeding Heart Project was started by my girl Raijean of Swai-Rai.

The goal of the Project is 'Educating the World about Heart Disease, One Heart at a Time..'

This is a cause near and dear to my heart, so I definitely want to support it and hope that you will also.

{rock} feather cape series: keeping it casual

the third and final look in the series is about rockin the cape casually.

{events} Feast on Fashion @ElysianChicago

Today I treated myself to another ladies of leisure lunch at Balsan restaurant at the Elysian Hotel.

The last Feast on Fashion featured Ferragamo and it was fantastic (check out my post here).

Today's lunch featured champagne, delicious food and fashion from local boutique Sarca.

It showcased everything from shorts to kick ass Viktor and Rolf heels like these...

More pics on my facebook page here.

{rock} skin tights....

i don't like hosiery in general... but i love tights.

especially ones that come in fun patterns like these fab styles,
which are all on sale for under $6 including these that i wore here.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

{rock} OOTD: snake skin textures...

trying to be a good little blogger and add more OOTD's to the blog.

today was a pretty usual day of client work, so i kept it really comfortable.

{rock} feather cape series: rock the streets

look two of the feather cape series was to rock the cape over outerwear.

i wore it over my jessica simpson collarless coat,(worn here)

which has been getting major play since i got it a few months ago.

{shopping} my spring it things...rings

i love these rings. they are handcrafted from italian glass and so they are so unique.

they will go so fabulously with all the spring tangerines, oranges and creams...

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

{rock} feather cape series: glam it up

awhile back, amber and i were gabbin and we realized that we both had just ordered the same feather cape from forever21+.  

because it is such a fabulously fun piece, we decided that we had to do 

a web series showing how both of us would rock it.

fast forward to a coldddd sunny day earlier this month, and we set up my tripod and camera and click click...

the series consists of 3 different ways to rock the cape.

first up...a glam look.

we were battling with the sun and we were freezing,
running back and forth to the camera but we laughed the whole time and got it done.

{shopping} my spring it things...shoes

we have had the mildest winter ever, so i wont complain about it at all but spring is still heavily on my mind.

especially the thought of fabulous light, spring in your step colors.

cheesy? 

yes i know. 

but the gorgeousness of this shoe surely makes up for it, no?

{elevate} happy friday...

make the most of it.

{events} Your Year of Impeccable Style & Beauty

{note} because of the lovely snow storm we had friday night, this event has been postponed. check out A-Line Style Services for updates!

Two fabulous ladies, Tamika, the founder of A-Line Style Services & Dangerous Curves Ahead and Niehla O, makeup artist and founder of Chocolate Sushi Couture are bringing you a series of workshops & a day of shopping to help the ladies of Chicagoland jump off 2012 in style.

gone black...

i blacked out my blog header today in solidarity with the anti-SOPA movement, simply because there are just some things that are bigger than fashion...

learn more here.

{fun} girls with pearls...happy bday FLOTUS!

in honor of first lady Michelle Obama's birthday, there is a fun event being held called girls with pearls.

while i don't regularly rock pearls, i do own some fab faux ones, so i decided to join in on the celebration.

and of course i had to mix in a few of my more edgier pieces

{fun} curvy girls swap too...

I have joined forces with amber and the fab ladies at vive le femme and violette to host a really fun event for us curvy girls, called Chic Swaps!

The What: An invite only, size specific clothing swap/pampering/girl party!

The When: The first swap is Feb 19th but ya gotta get on the invite list to have a chance to snag a spot!!!

The How: Go here and sign up! (Invitations are going out soon!)

Lots of special treats are in store, including of course a fab goodie bag, sips and eats and all that good stuff.

{elevate} motivation...

Source: weheartit.com via Curvatude on Pinterest

{luxuries} blooms...

sometimes the best luxuries are the smallest ones...

last month i decided to give h.bloom a try.

there is just something really sweet about the thought of getting fresh flowers delivered to me, when i want them, especially during these colder, darker winter months.

this is what i received. an exotic array of nature at her finest...

{rock} all a feather...

amber and i worked up a little photo project.


stay tuned...

{fun} chicago blogger network style wars...

i am a member of the chicago blogger network and they just posted pics that they took of members last month for a little style wars and i just found out that my pic is one of them.

 it would be nice if a curvy girl won this thing for once!

{rock} polka dots @ ashley stewart

just saw this super cute black & white polka dot coat at ashley stewart!

spring is in the air!!!


- real time updates from my iphone while out and about

{rock} bloggers do it better...sequins!

i love sequins.

there is just something so fun and playful about them.

and i wear them during the day with jeans or leggings or jazz it up a bit for a night out.

this is a dress that i picked up weeks ago and believe it or not, forgot it was in my closet! 

seriously taking inventory and purging it out and finding so much!

anyway, it's fun and comfortable and perfect for the 

pretty, shiny sparkly bloggers do it better link up.

{beauty} sally hansen salon effects...brattlesnake

by now i am sure it is obvious that i really love the sally hansen salon effects (seen here and here)

when i saw this style, the animal print lover in me completely freaked!

it's so fun. i love that although it is a bold print, it looks really soft on

in addition to brattlesnake, i also got tweed-le dee and lust-rous

{beauty} O.MG

I just finished giving myself this manicure & i am so in love!



It's late & I am tired but full details coming tomorrow...

- real time updates from my iphone while out and about

{rock} tweed...

i am lovin this coat.
(last seen here) 

it's a really fun baby doll style coat
that easily goes everything from dressy skirts to leggings to jeans.

i normally belt it when i wear it because it flares out at the waist
a little too much for me
(i prefer a more tapered defined waistline)

similar coat

i got it from ideeli weeks ago for almost nothing and was pleasantly surprised 

it is my first piece from the jessica simpson clothing line and
i will be rockin it hard

{beauty} winter skin love...

i take incredibly long baths all year round but especially in the winter.

there is just something about immersing myself in water for hours that comforts and relaxes me.

so of course considering that our skin was not made to be waterlogged for hours at a time, i have to really pay extra attention to keeping moisturized and exfoliated.

one of my 2012 blog goals is to do more video blogging and i am geeked to say that i have bit that ball and i am off and running with it.
check out my first vlog of the year!

i share three of my favorite winter skin care products,  one of which i am giving away below

{life} spending my $200 budget...

as i wrote about in my resolutions post, i have put myself on a monthly $200 fashion/beauty budget.

and already something very interesting is happening. i am finding that since i know i only have so much to work with, that my whole shopping thought process is changing.

normally when i shop, it's usually all about if i love something. a very emotional thing.

now with the budget strings attached, in addition to loving something, i am also asking myself some new questions.

how will it fit into my life right now?

will i get a lot of good use out of it?

do i already own similar items?

how many ways will i rock it with what i already own?

and the answer has to be right otherwise i am passing it up, even if it's something i think is crazy cute AND pretty affordable, like this necklace

if it doesn't fit the new criteria, no can buy...i am shocking myself...LOL

anyway, to start off, i purchased these little booties

they have a msrp of $120 but i got them for $20.12 + free shipping.

SCORE!!!

can't wait to rock them.

{life} resolvin...

i just finished eating this yummy breakfast i made for my honey and i this morning.

it was so good.

i was just reading my last post on resolutions and it made me smile.

i am still in the place that i wrote of back then.

probably even more so.

and after the past few days i wanted to rant out about the new years resolution backlash that i am seeing and hearing because i find it so annoying.

some people go on and on about resolutions being empty and how people won't stick to them...blah...blah...blah...

to those folks i say, what..evs...