Shop my closet: bottoms and dresses

In case you missed it, I've been clearing out my closet to get rid of some things I can't wear anymore. You can see the tops and sweaters here. There are still some really adorable things available (how have #4, #12, and #22 not been snatched up yet?!).

Today, I'm sharing bottoms and dresses. But first, I wanted to share where I've traditionally shopped for cute plus-size clothing. If you're a curvy girl, you know how impossible it is to find plus-size stuff that doesn't look like it belongs in your grandmother's closet. I generally only shop online, and these are my go-to sites:

Lane Bryant. Yes, their stuff is pricey. But their jeans are second to none in terms of color, fit, and comfort. (These, in particular, are my favorite jeans ever.  EVER.) And you can find awesome deals there. A couple of months ago, I scored two pair of gray slacks, a woven belt, a sleeveless dress shirt, a pair of wedges, a cocktail dress, and a sweater tank for less than $100 shipped because they were giving an extra 75% off clearance prices. Boom.

Forever 21 Plus. You probably know by now that I'm a HUGE fan of Forever 21's plus size selection. You seriously cannot beat their prices and, although their stuff isn't super high quality, I generally only buy super trendy stuff from there such that it only really needs to last a season. I own and adore this dress and this dress. And I'll likely be ordering this top, this dress, and several of these necklaces soon. (Particularly given that they are doing a 20% Friends and Family event right now - use F21FRIEND for 20% off your order through November 2nd!)

Kiki La Rue. I've bought lots from Kiki La Rue over the last couple of years because I think they have REALLY cute stuff. They sell standard and plus sizes, and their prices are slightly higher than they probably should be. But, again, I always wait for a sale or for something to go on clearance. Right now I'm eyeing this cardigan.

ThredUp. You're probably sick of hearing about this website, but I'm not sick yet of telling you about it. It can be overwhelming at first because there's so much stuff on the site. But just block off 10 minutes of time to peruse your size, and I bet you'll find something you can't live without. And if you're a designer girl, check out the "X Collection" tab.

Alright, so that's where I shop. Now why don't YOU do a little shopping? :)

Just like last time, shout out a number and your paypal email, and I'll send you an invoice. (Or email me at lovedandlovelyblog@gmail.com if you'd rather.) Jeans are $10 plus $2 shipping. Dresses are $12 plus $2 shipping. 

JEANS 

 
Left: (30) Lane Bryant 18 black stretchy skinny pants. These pants are sort of impossible to describe, but they're amazing. They're stretchy cotton-ish, but they're thicker and have more structure than leggings. I wore them to work with heels, and I wore them on the weekends with flats. They're super versatile and ridiculously comfy. Like REALLy comfy. SOLD.
Right: (31) Forever 21 size 20 acid wash joggers. These are really, really fun and so in right now. They'd be great on someone with thinner calves because they're fairly narrow on the bottom.

Left: (32) Lane Bryant 18 skinny jeans. These jeans are super slimming because the waistband is thick and stretchy. No muffin top! SOLD.

Right: (33) Lane Bryant 22 gray stretchy skinny pants. These are very similar to the black pants listed above except the waistband is thicker, and there's no zipper.


Left: (34) D. Jeans 22 skinny jeans. I can't remember where I got these, but I liked them. They're true denim, so not much stretch, but still comfy.
Right: (35) Lane Bryant 20 tan straight leg slacks. These are great for triangle-shaped body types (i.e., smaller waist, larger hips, butt, and thighs).


Left: (36) Lane Bryant 16 black straight leg slacks. Y'all, these pants are my favorite dress slacks I've ever owned. The material is a combination of rayon, nylon, and spandex, and they dress up really well. The fit of the leg is perfect and flattering, and the bottom is ever so slightly tapered. So somewhere in between straight leg and skinny. I wore these until up until really recently, despite the fact that they were too baggy, because I loved them so much. I'd say they're pretty true to size, but that if you're closer to an 18, they would very likely work because they're very stretchy.
Right: (37) Lane Bryant 18 gray straight leg slacks. I'm not sure how to describe the print on this fabric. It's like teeny, tiny herringbone, and it's great. The zippers on the front pockets are really fun, too. These aren't stretchy.

DRESSES


Left: (38) Lane Bryant 18 raspberry/purple dress. This was my go-to dress for weddings, and every time I wore it, I got compliments. When I was super self-conscious of my arms, I'd wear a black short cardigan over it, and it looked great. The sash helps define your waist, and the length is great - goes barely past your knees. It's very flowy and flattering. PENDING.
Right: (39) Calvin Klein 16-18 charcoal dress. I tore the tag out of this dress for some reason, but I know it's Calvin Klein and that it was a size 16 or 18. It fits more like a 16 in my opinion. I also always got compliments on this dress because it's SUPER flattering. It's sturdy and form fitting but not tight, and the buttons are really close together and secure, so no worrying about gaps. I actually tried it on to wear it to a convention last week and was super bummed that it doesn't fit anymore. PENDING.


Left: (40) Lane Bryant 18/20 navy shirtdress. I'm obsessed with this dress, and the picture doesn't do it justice. The collar is great, and so are the gold buttons. I wore this with gold gladiator sandals to work once a week when it fit. PENDING.
Right: (41) Lane Bryant 18 black and champagne lace cocktail dress. If you have anywhere fancy-ish to go in the next couple of months and you're anywhere in the vicinity of a size 18, please buy this. I paid over $100 for it, and it was perfect for my office Christmas party (so it's only been worn once - $12 is a STEAL!). The champagne satin peeking through the black lace is just gorgeous, and again, the ribbon sash is flattering. (Can y'all tell I like dresses with sashes?)


Left: (42) Lane Bryant 18/20 black and white cowl necked dress. This dress is dressy but ridiculously comfy, and I wore it even when I was pregnant. It looks best with a black belt or sash but could be worn without. It was a staple in my wardrobe for a couple of years and has held up wonderfully.
Right: (43) Xhilaration 2 plus navy and gray striped dress. This dress looks so great in person. The top is stretchy cotton-ish, and the bottom is a opaque slip that goes to your knees with an ever-so-slightly sheer overlay. You can really tell that the overlay is sheer in the sun, and then it looks really neat. This is more casual, but I dressed it up with jewelry and shoes for work.

Have fun shopping, friends!

Stuff and things...

I took a day trip to Austin on Tuesday for work. It's a pretty easy trip (the flight from Dallas to Austin takes less than an hour), but I always convince myself that it's not so that I can justify treating myself with something at the airport. Sometimes it's a chair massage. Sometimes is a package of no sugar added dried mango. But since I didn't have time for a massage, and I couldn't find any mango (despite having scoured the whole freaking airport), I settled for a new book and a pumpkin spice latte.

(I'm obsessed with this book already, and I'm not even a third of the way in.)

As I got settled into my window seat and bucked myself in, I noticed something.

No longer do I have to extend the seat belt to capacity and then hold my breath to get it to fasten. Instead, I actually had to TIGHTEN the thing! These tiny victories keep me going on the days when I want to eat everything in sight. And hopefully, there will be a few more inches hanging from that seat belt in the months to come.

Also?

This happened this week.

I've never ever worn red lipstick in my life, but every time I see a fellow pale face rocking red lipstick, I think, "that looks so amazing on her!" So I ordered this Kat Von D lipstick (in Hellbent - it's a matte crimson) from Sephora and wore it to work on Monday. I'll maybe never wear it again (I really am such a pale pink gloss girl), but it was fun for a day.

When I ordered the lipstick, I also got some Kat Von D tattoo liner, and I'm in love. I've always been a pencil girl and have typically avoided liquid liner, but this stuff STAYS PUT, and it glides on so effortlessly. It gives my tried and true Urban Decay 24/7 glide-on pencil a run for its money. Though with liquid liner, you obviously can't smudge at all, so you end up with a different, more classic look.

Alright, gals. What stuff and things do you have going on this week? Link up with two of my very favorite bloggers, Kristin and Joey for an easy-breezy, fun link-up.

Shop my closet: tops!

If we're Instagram friends (and we totally should be), you may have noticed that I cleaned out my closet this weekend. I had been holding on to things that no longer fit for a lot of reasons, laziness being numero uno. But also, I think I was subconsciously resisting the urge to purge because my weight has yo-yo'd so much over the years; I didn't want to get rid of something only to need it again down the road.

But then I realized that I wasn't thinking like a rational, frugal person. 

I was thinking like a defeated person.

So the clothes have to go.

I donated a lot of them because there were so many. But I saved my favorites in the hopes that I could pass them on to someone who might need some things to make them feel as fabulous as I did wearing them. I had a couple comments on Instagram asking if I might be willing to sell them, and I figured this would be the easiest way.

So here's how we're going to do this. We'll start with tops and sweaters because I didn't get my ish together on pants and dresses yet.

All of the tops listed below are $5 plus $2 shipping. The sweaters are $7 plus $2 shipping. (I'll discount shipping if you want to order multiple things.) If you want something, just shout out the number in a comment with your PayPal email (or, if you'd rather, send me an email at lovedandlovelyblog@gmail.com), and I'll send you an invoice.

Ready?

Set?

Go!

TOPS

 

Left: (1) Forever Fashion Woman 1X sheer tan, black, and navy top. This is gathered at the waist, and I loved it with a nude or navy camisole, skinny jeans, and boots.

Right: (2) Soulmates 2X black and white polka dot top. This fits more like a 1X, and so I put it away for later and then forgot about it until after it was too big, so it still has the tags. It's stretchy, and the tie in the back accentuates the waist in a cute way.

Left: (3) Forever 21 Plus 1X black and white aztec print top. This one looks boxy on the hanger, but it's much cuter on. I put it under a black open cardigan with skinnies (or black slacks for work) and black flats. SOLD.

Right: (4) Lane Bryant 18/20 white top. This top goes with everything (long enough for leggings!), and the silver buttons add some fun interest. It's slightly sheer and looks fab with a white tank or cami underneath.

Left: (5) Intro Woman 2X top. I wore this for our family pictures last April/May with skinnies, and I love the way it fits. SOLD.
Right: (6) Lane Bryant 14/16 hot pink top. I bought this for my trip to London a couple of years ago. I love the gathered detail at the shoulders, and the top flares out ever so slightly. It's long enough for leggings, too. SOLD.


Left: (7) Old Navy XXL rusty red top. This shirt is really roomy, super silky, and great to dress up a pair of jeans. The color is fabulous, too. SOLD
Right: (8) same in mint green. What can I say? When I like things, I really like them. :) SOLD


Left: (9) Mossimo XL black and white stripped top. I love this shirt because it fits sort of like a pancho, but the sleeves are totally closed up underneath, so you can wear it without having to wear anything else under it. It's super lightweight and probably technically long enough for leggings, but I wore it with skinny jeans and skinny black slacks for work. SOLD.
Right: (10) Old Navy 1X cowl-necked, teal top. Perfect for fall with jeans and boots. It's hard to tell, but this shirt has short sleeves and ties (either in front or in back). SOLD.


Left: (11) Umgee 1XL peach top. This top is hard to describe, but it's very cute and comfortable. The sleeves are real sleeves, but the connect to the side of the shirt, giving a pancho look. This is fairly roomy and not super long.
Right: (12) Merona XXL black and white polka dot top. This shirt was a lifesaver during the first half of my pregnancy because it's so versatile, stretchy, and comfy. I wore it at least once a week under a black cardigan with black dress pants. It's hard to see, but it has the most adorable ruffle accent at the neck. LOVE.


Left: (13) Lane Bryant 20 black and cream aztec print sheer top. Loved this top with a black cami underneath (it's slightly sheer) and black skinny slacks. SOLD
Right: (14) Forever 21 Plus 1X cream and turquoise sheer top. This was my FAVORITE. I always got compliments when I wore it, and it fit like a dream. Definitely long enough for leggings, and I always wore it under the tan open cardigan listed below with brown boots. Love, love, love. SOLD


Left: (15) Forever 21 Plus 2X teal top. This was my go-to with leggings and the high-low black cardigan listed below.
Right: (16) Forever 21 Plus 2X black and cream top. It's hard to see, but this top spells "hope."

This is stretch cotton and super casual. I wore it with the sleeveless open aztec print cardigan listed below.

Left (17): Forever 21 Plus 1X black and white polka dot top. I held on to this one as long as I could, y'all. This fits just like the teal sleeveless top above (15), but it's a size smaller. I wore this a lot for work under an open cardigan and black slacks. I clearly wear a LOT of black.
Right (18): Forever 21 Plus 2X army green, high-low top. LOVED this shirt with leggings and heels. The front is stretchy cotton-ish, and the back is polyester, maybe, and dresses it up some. Super fun top. SOLD


Left (19): One size fits all black and white aztec print open sleeveless cardigan. This "vest" probably still technically fits because it's really forgiving in size. It'll look super full if you're on the smaller side, and it'll feel more fitted if not. It hangs in a really pretty way in front, and I always wore it over a long-sleeved black tee like the one to the right.
Right (20): Lane Bryant 18/20 v-neck, long-sleeved black tee. I love long-sleeved tees. So, so much.


Left (20a): Lane Bryant 18/20 peach top. This top is gorgeous, y'all. The sleeves are sheer lace, and the lace overlay is fabulous. I wore it for Grace's birthday party and loved it. It isn't super long, so it looks good with jeans either by itself or under a cardigan. It's fitted, but not tight. SOLD.
Right (20b): Xhilaration 2 sheer top. I wore this over a hot pink tank with skinnies and flats. It could be dressed up with heels, but it's also perfect for a more casual look. The pattern and colors are so pretty to me.


(20c): Forever 21 Plus 2X maroon, red, and black aztec print top. I bought this for Vegas and wore it with jeans and brown riding boots. It's a good length, and it's sort of sweatshirt-y material, so it's really comfy.

SWEATERS


Left (21): Old Navy XL tan open cardigan. Y'all. This is probably my FAVORITE article of clothing I've ever owned. I wore it all over Paris, in my maternity pictures, and in so many of my favorite memories with Grace. It goes with EVERYTHING, and I wore it at my heaviest, so don't shy away if you're normally a 2X. If you end up with this piece, you'll seriously be buying a piece of my heart. :) SOLD
Right (22): same in charcoal.   SOLD.


Left (23): YoungThreads XXL cream open cardigan. I got this on Modcloth for ~$60 and loved it so much that I sized down when it got too big! So if you buy this, we can be twins! SOLD.
Right (24): Zenobia 1XL black open, high-low cardigan. It's hard to see in this picture, but this lightweight sweater is striking. It's nearly a duster, but it's shorter in the front. I wore it with so much at work, and it's lightweight enough to pull off in early fall.


Left (25): Lane Bryant 14-20 grey pancho. I wore this when I was pregnant and long after. It's open, so you'll need a cami underneath, but it's perfect in the winter with leggings and boots and a scarf. You'll seriously love this. SOLD.
Right (26): Talbots 1X pink cardigan. This sweater has the most fabulous gold buttons and the prettiest ruffle detail. You could do a lot with it, and it's semi-fitted without feeling restricting. SOLD


Left (27): New York & Co. XL charcoal 3/4 length sweater. This thing is PERFECT with leggings, boots, and a scarf. It's loose enough to be comfy, but it's got some shape, too. I have the exact same sweater in a pretty red if you're interested in that color! SOLD.
Right (28): Old Navy XXL pale pink open, short-sleeved cardigan. I loved this with a cream tank over jeans or khakis for work. It's super soft and looks fabulous in spring or summer.


(29): Ambiance Apparel 2X beige cardigan. This is really, really lightweight and semi-sheer, so it's good over anything at any time of the year. It's got fun pockets in front, which I loved.

I'm clearly emotionally attached to these things. Another reason why they need a new home with YOU!