|Events| FGFS & Friends Plus Size Pop Up Shop

I am so excited to announce that I have been invited to be one of the Friends featured at the Fat Girl Food Squad and Friends Plus Size Pop Up Shop, Sunday June 1st!  The rad females that run and write FGFS, along side myself and some other amazing plus size ladies (Amarina of Ursa Major + and Erin from Zero Style and Re/Dress...to name a few!) will be selling items from our personal closets as well as some hand picked vintage wears!  

All items will be size 14 and up, at prices ranging from $5 to $20+.  Come out and shop with us from 1pm to 5pm tomorrow, upstairs at Sneaky Dee’s (431 College Street West - the corner of College and Bathurst).  We are asking for a $5 donation at the door to contribute to the awesomeness that further fuels the endeavours of FGFS (like making Pop Ups a more frequent thing!).

All my pieces range from $5 to $20, with a few specially priced gems.  Most of my stuff is from my personal closet with a few sample/concept pieces from past Jessica Biffi collections and collaborations (Jessica Biffi for Addition Elle).  There are a range of brands from Torrid, Addition Elle, Evans UK , ASOS and more.  

Stop in, shop and have a few tasty treats or a cocktail (available for purchase at the bar).  It’s going to be a lot of fun.  And the more we support events like this (and sustainable fashion), the more we can grow our plus size community!  

I hope to see you guys there tomorrow!

|Preview| Addition Elle Autumn/Winter 2014

Last week I was invited to Brill Communications to check out Addition Elle’s Autumn/Winter 2014 collection.  I know it might seem hard to think about fall, or God forbid winter, now that the nice weather has finally arrived, but once I saw the clothing all I wanted was for it to be fall!  

Some of my favourites ranging from activewear to career.  Stunning jackets coming out this season.

Fall has always been my favourite season.  I love the richness of colours and all the layers.  It’s great fabrics like leathers and wools.  Fall is key pieces like boots, sweaters and coats.  And on all fronts AE has delivered.  I don’t think I’ve more excited to see a  collection in store, as I am for this one.  AE has really brought their A-game and piece after piece left me feeling obsessed!  

More great leather footwear continuing for A/W 2014.  Wide widths and calfs.  

There are three main feels within the A/W2014 season, but the one that caught my eye the most was the Elegantly Grunge Chic range. I could not get over the amazing plaid coat on one of the display manikins.  It’s edgy, but functional and super on trend.  I also loved all the layering options from cropped sweaters to great tailored leather jackets.  And even though there are three different vibes, they all work together to really create a fall/winter wardrobe that is chic, daring and fashionably on point!  

Obsessed over this jacket!  A must own. 

I can’t wait to shop this collection, available in stores and online starting in August.

Check out my interview with Roslyn Griner, VP of Marketing and Visual Display for Addition Elle for more about this collection.  

|Style| Bright Days

peplum top - Lundström (PRiMAALA) | jeans- Carmakoma (PRiMAALA) | bag - Opelle (PRiMAALA) | scarf - Micky London (PRiMAALA) | shoes - Penningtons

Spring's in full effect and I’m taking full advantage.  I really love the colour combo of a bright with more of a neutral.  It gives the look an anchor and doesn’t overwhelm you with too much colour.  Here I paired an almost neon orange peplum with a great printed skinny jean.  The look is casual, but with a great leather bag and a gauzy layered scarf it makes it more than just a t-shirt and jeans.  

necklace and bracelet - Frug (PRiMAALA)

|Friday Favourites| Feather Tunic

sweater - Lundström (via PRiMAALA) | tunic and belt - Jessica Biffi For Addition Elle | pants and shoes - Forever 21 | bag - Opelle (via PRiMAALA)

We all have those favourtie pieces in our closets that we keep coming back to.  Those few special items that make us feel happy and confident.  That’s why I wanted to introduce (as a part of my new feature) Friday Favourites - where I will take a favourite piece in my closet and share it with you.  You may see the same piece more than once here, but it’s all about making it work with new pieces and refreshing a classic.  

For my first Friday Favourite, I decided to share one of my all time favourites.  This colourful feather-like abstract printed tunic is from my first collaboration with Addition Elle from Spring 2010. I love the versatility of the length, with the hi-lo detailing - which I did before it was trending (ah-thank you very much).  The pleats, which are one of my design signatures, give fullness to the body, but keep it clean at the neckline.  

Here I paired my Jessica Biffi for Addition Elle tunic with an elastic belt also from the same collection.  It gives my frame a little more shape and gives a more polished feel to the look.  To top off my outfit I added my cozy Lundström cocoon sweater (I loved the black one so much that I had to get the cream as well!) and harem pants.

|Style| Chains and Lace

Spring is finally here!  And with spring comes the start of wedding season.  Coming from an Italian/Portuguese background, it’s hard to remember a spring/summer season growing up when I wasn’t attending a shower or wedding.  As I’ve gotten older, that hasn’t changed.  

One of my best friends from high school, Penny, is getting married in June.  This past saturday my best friend Sean and I (I met Sean and Penny in grade 9, they have been friends since kindergarden) headed to Guelph for Penny’s bridal shower.  

I originally bought this Evans green lace dress for my birthday party last year, but sadly it didn’t make it from the UK in time.  Since then it’s been living in my closet...waiting.  It originally had sheer lace 3/4 length sleeves.  Putting my shower look together before the weekend, I realized what it really needed was a revamp.  By taking the sleeves off, it made the dress look fresher.  To be honest the original sleeves aged the dress a bit for my taste.  

sunglasses - Penningtons | vest (former blazer) - Your Big Sister's Closet | dress (modified) - Evans | shoes - Forever 21

Keeping with my alteration theme, I also altered my now vest.  Originally the vest was a blazer from Your Big Sister’s Closet.  I loved the shape of the blazer the moment I got it, but like most jackets I try on the sleeves needed to be tailored a little.  I made that adjustment a while ago and still wan’t satisfied.  Then I made them into short sleeves, which was cute, but ultimately decided what I needed was a blazer inspired vest (very on trend at the moment), which was the perfect topper for my dress. 

necklace - Bitter Sweet | watch, rings and earrings - Aldo Accessories | cuff - Forever 21 | lipstick - MAC Morange

This look says polished yet edgy.  I finished off the ensemble with a few key gold accessories.  I kept the rings minimal to really showcase my larger cocktail ring.  I also played down my earrings to allow the main focus of the look to be centered around this fantastic necklace.  I like the harder contrast it brings the softness of the lace.

|Style| [Floral] Factory Girl

The 1960s have always been on the top of my list of favourite decades for fashion.  It all started when I was a young girl and I stumbled upon Barbarella on TV.  I was too young to understand it (I mean way too young...way to drop the ball Mom and Dad), but I fell in love with ‘look’ of it all.  

As I got older, that love never faded.  I could spend hours looking up photos and films from the era.  The late ‘60s influenced a lot of my early designs. The use of unexpected materials.  The nod to the future.  Short lengths.  And who could deny that makeup!  Everything was so spot on.    

dress - Forever21 | earrings - Design + Conquer | shoes and watch - Spring | sunglasses - gifted

When I spotted this floral scuba dress online, I could not resist.  It just screamed Mod Twiggy to me, and I had to have it.  I love everything about this dress.  The fit, the zipper detail, the black blocks/banding and the Pop Art colour and graphics.  

I couldn’t help but channel my inner Edie Sedgwick and pair this look with these over the top, custom made Design + Conquer earrings.  Morgan Mallett (the powerhouse behind D+C), and I collaborated for my first runway show post Project Runway.  She hand made these beautiful, special polymer earrings in my collection colours for me and smaller versions for my models. 

With the sun finally starting to come out, my extensive collection of sunnies finally get to to shine (maybe that pun was intended...sorry, not sorry).  I was gifted this very oversized pair by one of my girlfriends.  I have always loved larger glasses.  And these tortoise shell look glasses are the perfect ‘60s finish to this colourful look.

|Style| Spring Is B[l]ack

top - Addition Elle | belt - Penningtons | skirt - Forever21 | clutch - H&M | boots - Aldo

It’s the beginning of May and I think we can finally say we’ve seen the last of the sudden snow falls.  This long, awful winter finally seems to have gotten the message.  And though I may have shed some layers, I haven’t gone full spring colour yet.  

There’s something seductive about an all black outfit that you can’t deny.  It’s a little sexy and a little mysterious.  Black is classic and season-less.

This giraffe print clutch keeps my look monochromatic but gives it a pop.  Nails by Justin at Pinky's.

I’ve been wanting a midi skirt for spring.  I like the length of this style because it allows me to show some leg, without feeling uncomfortable.  I’ve never been into showing my legs, but I’m making a conscious effort to break out of that, and this skirt is the perfect stepping stone.  Wanting to keep it light and fresh, but still all black, I topped off the skirt with a sheer, chiffon lattice top cinched with a rose gold chain belt.

I'm also very excited about my new spring hair...the bowl cut!  I let Sylvie of The Loft Toronto transform my growing-out pixie into a fresh and modern take on a classic, while I grow my hair out.  I'm so in love with this new colour as well.  Very clean with hints of golden red throughout.  

|Profile| A Perfect 14

Last week I had the amazing opportunity to sit down and speak on camera with Giovanna Morales Vargas and James Earl O’Brien of the documentary A Perfect 14.  A Perfect 14, follows the story of plus size model trying to make a names for themselves and change society’s view of beauty.  It opens the doors to diversity in fashion, behinds the scenes of a glamours industry and shares the journey of three brave models that have many life changing moments along the way.  It also showcases industry professionals and what the term ‘plus size’ means in fashion and to society.  

I have touched on being plus size and the fashion industry many times in interviews before, but something felt very different about this experience.  The filmmakers had such sincerity and warmth in their questions and a real depth for understanding the subject matter.  I was so honoured to be a part of this wonderful documentary and I can’t wait to see the final film. 

If you want to help support A Perfect 14, head over to the film’s Facebook page for more information and their IndieGoGo site to contribute.  There are many incentives, but none greater than helping to bring this story to light.

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