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Archive for the ‘Runway to Real Women’ Category

Emerald is Pantone’s Colour of the Year: 10 Must-Have Pieces

Monday, January 21st, 2013

Every year Pantone releases a colour that will set the stage for trendy products all year round. Emerald is the hot colour of 2013, and it is quickly popping up in stores. Emerald is an easy colour to incorporate into your wardrobe, and it coordinates with so many different colours. You can’t go wrong with emerald accessories, jewellery, bags or even clothing. Here are 10 must-have pieces that represent this beautiful colour.

Emerald Top

This emerald-polka-dot top is cropped and super cute. Plus-size girls can work the crop tops too. All you need to do is wear high-waisted trousers or skirt to cover up any areas you may feel insecure about. If you still feel a little uncomfortable, throw a sheer white long sleeved shirt over for extra cover. Your crop top will still shimmer through. It’s affordable, easy to mix-and-match and fun.

Emerald Crop Top By Top Shop

Emerald Top by TopShop

Emerald Cardigan

A good cardigan can do so many things for your wardrobe and offer versatility. This affordable and flattering cardigan is no exception. It can be worn in so many ways, and you won’t get bored of it.

Emerald Coloured Cardigan From H&M

Emerald Cardigan by H&M

A Cute Rope Bracelet

Rope bracelets are trendy on their own, but the emerald colour enhances the look, especially when paired with gold. To rock this trend, try the ONE by Jami Eselle wrap bracelet.

Emerald Wrap Bracelet By Jami Estelle

One wrap bracelet by Jami Estelle

Free People Modern Love Dress

This dress combines two great trends: emerald and beaded design. This feminine dress is breathtaking, and you won’t want to stop wearing it once you buy it. It’s worthy of being the focal piece for all of your spring and summer concerts.

Modern Love Free People Dress

Modern Love Dress by Free People

Emerald Heels

You can never go wrong with heels. Adding colourful heels to your wardrobe can instantly brighten an outfit. You can wear them with structured trousers, dresses, skirts and probably even sweatpants. These GWENDA pointed shoes are simply fabulous, and they are a total must.

Emerald Pointed Heels By Top Shop

Pointed Heels By TopShop

Peplum Emerald Top

This top is flattering and chic. The emerald colour is simple, but the peplum hem gives this top a special flair. Pair with a belt for an even more flattering look. This top is a great choice for women who want to accentuate their hips and tone down their bust or waist.

Asos Curve Peplum Blouse

Peplum Top By ASOS Curve

An Emerald Satchel

An emerald satchel can be easier to coordinate than you think. This Milly satchel is the perfect choice. It’s large, structured and has trendy accents to give it personality. You will find space in this bag for all of your belongings and then some.

Milly Jayden Satchel In Emerald

Milly Satchel Available At ShopBop

Skinny Trousers

Emerald skinny trousers would be a bold statement, but it looks so good it’s hard to pass up. Everyone can rock this trend. Plus-sized women can pair it with a solid, dark coloured blouse.

Spray On Emerald Skinny Trousers

Emerald Skinny Trousers By ShopBop

An Emerald Designer Scarf

This We Are Owls scarf is super-soft, interesting and the perfect colour for spring. It will instantly add flair to your outfit, and it will also keep you a little warmer on those cool spring days.

Silk We Are Owls Scarf

We Are Owls Scarf By ShopBop

Peek-A-Boo Dress

This dress is a flattering choice for all shapes and sizes, and it will work throughout multiple seasons. The lace peek-a-boo detail reveals just enough skin.

Lace Detail Skater Dress By ASOS

Asos Peekaboo Dress By ASOS

 

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Designers That Offer Luxury Plus-Size Clothes For Your Shape

Monday, September 24th, 2012

Plus-sizes in the luxury world was only a dream a decade ago. Today women of all sizes can experience the luxury of high-end brands and fashions without worrying about whether garments will fit properly. There are dozens of designers that produce clothing above a size 10, and many more are catching on to accommodate to curvy gals. Designer houses are finally learning that plus-sized women are willing to spend as much on designer pieces as their slimmer peers, and it’s paying off for everyone involved in fashion. Here are a few designers that offer fabulous pieces in plus sizes.

Eileen Fisher

Eileen Fisher is known for producing some of the best t-shirts in the world, but the designer brand also creates gorgeous frocks, structured trousers and much more. This brand is more affordable than you may think. Most pieces vary from 60 to 500, and they come in sizes 18 through 30UK. Eileen Fisher even creates organic cotton pieces. If you want an ultra-soft t-shirt, then go for an Eileen Fisher one.

Eileen Fisher by Misscalliecat

Eileen Fisher by misscalliecat featuring eileen fisher

James Jeans

A short time ago, plus-sized girls could only dream of owning a pair of designer trousers. James Jeans creates the perfectly structured trouser for the plus-size shape. They are around the 200 price point, and they go up to a size 28 UK. These trousers come in a variety of washes and styles, and you are sure to get a flattering fit. They can be a bit long on the inseam though, but it’s nothing a tailor couldn’t fix relatively easily.

James Jeans by Misscalliecat

James Jeans by misscalliecat featuring dark wash jeans

 

Michael Kors

Michael Kors has dominated the designer market with his fantastic runway designs, handbags and even perfumes. The best part is that the plus-size Michael Kors pieces are accessible and stunning for the curvy figure. There are trousers, jeggings, sequined tops and dresses. There’s never a lack of styles to choose from with the Michael Kors Plus line. Women can rest assured that they will be getting a high-quality garment that not only looks fantastic on their body, but it’s also reasonably affordable.

Michael Kors by Misscalliecat

Michael Kors by misscalliecat featuring michael kors

 

White By Vera Wang

This is a wedding brand, but White by Vera Wang creates some of the most stunning and affordable wedding dresses for plus-size women. It’s a big issue for women that are looking to get married, and now a high-end designer has created something that is the best of both worlds. White is a lusted after brand, and it does provide a lot of gorgeous options for your money.

White by Vera Wang by Misscalliecat

White by Vera Wang by misscalliecat featuring a sheer dress

DKNY

DKNY is classic-designer wear, and this brand has been launching plus-size garments continuously over the last few years. They create stylish blouses, trousers and even workout clothes that are geared toward curvy frames. This line is often very affordable from retailers, and it is sure to flatter your body with whatever outfit you choose. DKNY+ produces clothing that is casual and sometimes more dressy. You should be able to nab at least one piece that will make you feel like a million bucks.

DKNY by Misscalliecat

DKNY by misscalliecat featuring plus size denim jeans

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Autumn Fashion Trends – Photo Florals & Ombre Prints

Thursday, August 9th, 2012

I can’t believe it’s already August. The summer has flown by (as usual) and it’s only a matter of days now before you start to feel the shift in the air. That time of year when daylight seems to be fading a little earlier, a few of the leaves on the trees have already started to turn, and the shopping malls have removed bathing suits and beach coverups in lieu of light sweaters and dark clothing.

So what can you expect to see in the stores this autumn? I’m happy to say that the floral print trend is still going strong. But you won’t see the vast amount of colours that you’ve been wearing all spring and summer. Instead, there seems to be a trend toward dark colours and blacks and whites.  J. Crew has outdone themselves again in the trouser department with this gorgeous pair of wool and silk cafe capri botanical photography trousers.  They even carried this trend up top with a matching jumper.

And while I don’t suggest wearing the two together, both pieces would look simply stunning with another trouser trend, which is the deep rich burgundy colour seen in on the runway this past February.

 Alexander Wang, Diane von Furstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger

Alexander Wang, Diane von Furstenberg, Tommy Hilfiger

ASOS also came out with a similar trouser to J. Crew for the autumn season. However, instead of floral photography, they went with an ombre fade design. Although the quality isn’t up to par with J. Crew’s floral trousers, you can get a similar look at a fraction of the cost. When I first saw the J. Crew trousers during New York fashion week, I knew I had to have them. They just became available on the J. Crew website and I haven’t seen them in stores yet. However, I just can’t justify the exorbitant price. We all know that in two months, they’ll probably be marked down to half the price they are now. So in the meantime, I purchased the ASOS ombre trousers in my usual UK Size 18. The fit is slim through the thighs and legs but has ample room in the waist, probably a little too much as I will need to belt them. The fabric is thin and made from ASOS’s go-to fabric – Polyester – which allows them to keep the costs down and make fashionable items affordable to the mainstream customer.

ASOS Blue Ombre

I also purchased these green spotted print trousers that caught my eye while shopping for the ombre trousers. Unfortunately the fit was very tailored and didn’t have the same roominess of their blue counterpart, so I had to return them.

If you like the blue ombre trousers but desire better quality, Titel makes a Ohne fantastic skirt with abstract print that from a distance resembles a flock of birds flying home for the winter. This skirt looks so polished when paired with the matching leather Ohne Titel tee, yet another autumn trend. The whole outfit is simply beautiful and sophisticated, much like the clothes you’ll be seeing a lot more of this autumn.

Ohne Bird Skirt

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Gingham

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

If you think gingham is just for tablecloths at summer picnics while swatting flies and coating yourself in bug repellant to keep the mosquitoes away from you and your fried chicken, think again. It’s exploding all over the fashion blog world. No longer is gingham spotted in the usual blue and red checks, it’s now showing up in yellows, mints, and other fantastic spring and summer colours. You can find dresses, purses, swimsuits, and even shoes made out of this simple and versatile fabric.

Gingham is one of those timeless fabrics that conjure up visions of men dressed in starched checked button downs, Bermuda shorts, and topsiders. It is synonymous with New England lobster and clam bakes along the US eastern shore.  It’s also a fabric very popular in Southern traditional homes with a country flare. Its origins are from 17th century Europe where it was imported not as a checked fabric but as stripes. It wasn’t until the mid-18th century when it became a checked fabric milled in Manchester, England.*

Gingham is just one of those fabrics that withstands the test of time, has many functions, and looks great on just about everyone.  Back in 2008, Alexander McQueen featured this fabulous gingham shirt dress with plunging, deep V neckline and gathered waist cinched with a simple bow in a traditional blue check via his McQ line. It was even seen on celebrity star Lauren Conrad.

McQ by Alexander McQueen

McQ by Alexander McQueen

Of course you don’t have to wear head-to-toe gingham. Take this bag from Topshop in a non-traditional brown gingham fabric.  It’s a great summer tote for running weekend errands or having lunch with friends.

Gingham Print Shopper Bag

Gingham Print Shopper Bag

These cute ballet flats in contrasting orange and blue would look great paired with white ankle jeans or a short, flared skirt. Add a bright orange tee to either outfit to bring out the orange piping in the shoes.

 

Asos.com offers the following yellow gingham dress in petite sizes and the red checked dress in plus sizes. Throw a cardigan over the yellow checked dress and pair with white, flat sandals for a bright and cheerful look. You could also turn the yellow dress into a tunic. Grab those white jeans and ballet flats for an interesting colour blocking twist. The red dress is long enough to wear with heels or espadrilles as shown on the model. Throw on this Tommy Hilfiger white denim jacket over either dress for chilly nights.

 

Have summer plans for splashing around in the pool or basking on a Carribbean island? Several online retailers have some adorable options in the swimsuit category.  This bandeau tank swimsuit in a traditional blue check has removable shoulder straps. Two suits in one! You can also play up the retro aesthetic by going with a one-piece, plus size vintage swimsuit with a halter neck and full gathered sides. If you’re more of a tummy baring swimsuit wearer but still desire a retro look, then this two-piece with its full coverage bottom should fit your expectations.

 

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Summertime Eyelet

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

Some incarnation of eyelet seems to come around each year in the spring and summer. This lightweight, cool, and refreshing fabric has really stood the test of time. Sometimes eyelet, lace, and crochet are used interchangeably. Eyelet refers to a type of fabric with small grommets or holes throughout, typically in the shape of circles or small flowers. And this fabric isn’t just for little girls in pretty pastel dresses holding Easter baskets.

With all the hot colour trends this spring, eyelet isn’t just showing up in white anymore. You’ve got Anthropologie and J. Crew creating bold dresses, skirts, and tank tops. These retailers are also adding more structure, weight, and lining to the fabric, which allows you to wear this once summer staple well into the fall.

Even the power fashion houses, such as Louis Vuitton, are creating some stunning and intricate eyelet clothing and accessories. If eyelet conjures up memories of your grandmother’s doilies, bedding, or vintage Victorian detail, take a look at what graced the runway this past February and is being copied en masse.

 

Louis Vuitton Ready to Wear Spring / Summer 2012

Louis Vuitton Ready to Wear Spring / Summer 2012

 

Detachable collars or collared necklaces are similar to a choker but hit at your collarbone, adding a versatile statement to outfits. Add a delicate eyelet collar to your favourite t-shirt to completely soften a rugged look of denim shorts and biker boots. Create a soft, romantic look by adding an eyelet peter pan collar to your favourite dress. But you don’t have to spend high designer prices to get the designer look. Modcloth makes this “sweeten up collar” for a fraction of the cost.

 

Sweeten Up Collar from Mod Cloth

Sweeten Up Collar from Mod Cloth

 

If you don’t fancy a demure eyelet collar or would like to incorporate more than an eyelet accessory into your wardrobe, try these J. Crew creations. Try these shorts with a plain tee, or go for the purple below dress if you feel like turning heads with your eyelets. The colour of this red tank top is called “Chili” and is even more beautiful in person. If you are feeling brave, throw on a vivid purple belt to cinch your waist and pair the outfit with neutral beige pumps!

 

 

If you’d prefer to stick with summer whites, there are a number of options currently available online and in retail stores.  If you live in an area where the days are hot but the nights are crisp and cool, I’d suggest an eyelet dress with ¾ length sleeves, such as this one from JC Penney. This shirt dress is also work appropriate. Just make sure to wear some shapewear underneath as eyelet fabric can be quite sheer.

 

For simple summertime work outfits, try pairing this plus size eyelet shift dress with a lightweight cardigan and simple heels.

Eyelet Shift Dress by La Redoute

Eyelet Shift Dress by La Redoute

 

As you can see, eyelet isn’t just for summer outdoor events, nor is it relegated to women with long, flowing hair embodying a bohemian vibe. Women of any size and shape can pull of this summertime trend; be it an accessory around her neck, in the form of weekend shorts, or worn as a dress to the office. Eyelet is a feminine and flattering look for plus size women too. You don’t have to be a runway model or spend a lot of money to pull this look off.

 

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