Red and Black

I don't mean to look all Christmassy on you with my red and black outfit when everyone is thinking about New Years outfits. I just haven't had time to blog this outfit from last week. I wore this to church last sunday for our carol service. I wanted something simple and comfortable because I knew we were going to be on our feet for hours singing.
I always layer my sheath dresses with a cardigan or blazer to balance my shape. The cardigan here, minimizes my heavy top and minimizes the big mid section.
See you next year!

Cardigan - The Limited / Similar
Dress - Style and Co via Macy's / Similar / Similar
Red Pumps - Nine West / Similar / Love this / Option
Bag - Nine West / Similar
Necklace - The Limited / Similar

Link ups: Monday Mingle, Style Elixir

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Blue and Black

Hope you all had a good Christmas. I got an iPhone from dear hubby and now I can Instagram and do other things. I've been a long time Blackberry user (..i know right). I'm always the last one to get on the latest gadget band wagon. It's been pretty busy around here for me. Worked everyday except for Christmas day because I used up all my vacation already. Another reason why I need to make a change; so I've also been working on launching my full time business. I'm skipping choir practice today so I can catch my breath and do some cleaning. 

I've been keeping things real casual and comfortable all week with my outfits. This is one of my outfits from the past week. It doesn't get more comfortable than this: Tunic, leggings and boots. 

Have a great rest of the weekend and don't forget to start writing down your plans for 2014. I believe 2014 is going to be a great year if you make it that by planning right.

Sweater Tunic -Target / Similar
Ponte Pants - Style and Co via Macy's / Similar
Boots - Nine West / Similar
Scarf - The Limited / Similar
Bag - Marc Fisher via Macy's

Link ups: Style Elixir, What I'm Loving Friday, All things Chic

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Marc Fisher Totes · Coach Totes · Coach Satchels

Layered Plaid and Skinny Cords

Happy Monday all! It was such a busy weekend for me. I was filled with so much anxiety because I had so much to do but I made it. On Sunday, we actually learnt about not worrying. My worrying and being anxious doesn't add any value. Giving it up to God and letting Him take control is what we always need to do. Every time I've been anxious about something it always never turns out as bad as I thought it would be. Can I get a witness?

This outfit just came together without any planning. After wearing it is when I realized the grey in the shirt matches the pants. These are the famous rockstar jeans from Old Navy (the cords style). I could never fit into the rockstar jeans and it never occurred to me to size up. I ended up going up two sizes with these ones. 

Shirt - Old Navy / Similar / Similar

Pants - Old Navy

Boots - Nine West / Similar

Cardigan - Target

Link ups: Monday Mingle, Monday Bloom, Style Elixir, Totally Posted

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jcpenney Tops · Amazon.com Button Front Tops · Tommy Hilfiger Button Front Tops

Christmas Outfit + Target and Avon Giveaway

If I were invited to a Christmas party, this is what I would wear. The skirt is in my closet and I own a similar top and similar pair of shoes (peep toe style).  Gold, green and leopard go great together. Now if only I had somewhere to where this to..hint hint dear hubby let's go somewhere.  Do you ever go out somewhere just because you want to wear a special outfit?
The skirt is from Target and I bought it just in case I needed to wear it someday. I also got it in red because red pencil skirts are hard to find.
Merry Christmas! The count down begins...

Top / Skirt / Shoes / Clutch

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Link ups: The Pleated Poppy, Look what I got, Three-fer thursday, Whitney, I Feel Pretty
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My Style Makeover: How to Dress Slimmer without Shapewear

Welcome to an edition of "What not to Wear". I'm putting my self out there by doing this post. Y'all know my style posts focus on how I dress my apple shaped body. This was me 6 years ago with hubby and son at Disney. Yep, looks like I didn't care what I looked like then. Big tummy and all. I was shocked when I saw this picture of me a few months ago. Did I really look like that? Well not anymore. I decided a few years back I wanted to dress better and started paying attention to what I wore and how to dress better. Not necessarily more clothes (although now I love shopping) but how to make the right decisions selecting the outfit that fits my body type. That is what you will see through out my blog. So this was then.... 

And this is now (last summer)....wearing a similar outfit for comparison purposes.

I don't think I've lost that much weight since then but these are the changes I've made to look a little better.

1. Better bra. I was wearing a bigger bra than my normal size. Also, I'm now anal about adjusting bra straps and camisole straps. I don't believe I never knew I could adjust my bra straps. Adjust your bra straps for a better lift. Especially if you are busty like I am. I also wear minimizer bras like this one. 

2. More fitted T-shirt and one made from a better fabric. Thicker materials that don't stretch out work better. I'm also liking the marled type fabric on t-shirts.

3. Camisole- I hardly wear anything without a cami that is a size or two sizes smaller.

4. Underwear - I avoid low rise underwaer. I wear underwear that covers my belly. Doesn't have to be shape wear underwear but any underwear that comes to your navel works. Victoria Secrets is one my favorite for underwear....not the skimpy ones.

How do you dress your shape?

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Peter Pan and Grey

Happy Monday! First of all I would like to say thanks to everyone for your comments on my blog. I usually reply all comments directly via email since there's no way of you knowing when I reply directly in the comment form. I can't respond to commenters who have no reply profiles. I realize I have a no reply profile too and need to change that. Just need to figure out how. 

It is freeeeezing in Massachusetts and else where I suppose. We're not even seeing 30 degrees this week....plus there's going to be more snow. This picture was taken on Sunday in 20 degree weather. I'm wearing my Peter Pan tee from J Crew Factory that I mentioned here. This is the  second time in about a week that I'm wearing it. I guess it's going to be versatile for work, play and church. It is the only item of clothing from my J Crew Factory haul that fit me remotely ( I won a gift card). Their clothes are not really made for my body type.

P.S Excuse the clingy skirt

Peter Pan Top - J Crew Factory / Grey Option

Skirt - Banana Republic / Similar / Similar

Pumps - Sole Society

Clutch - Avon (old) / Similar

Watch - Fossil                                               

             Link ups: Monday Mingle, Visible Monday, Style Elixir, Totally Posted, Tres Chic Link up

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Win $100 to JollyChic

JollyChic is giving away $100 to their online store. I love their style and the prices. Check out the unique items and enter for your chance to win.
The giveaway is open internationally.

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Dots and Stripes

Just a quick post for you today. The fact that I do not have my photographer available to take my pictures anymore except on the weekends has made it possible for me to take even more outfit pictures. I take them myself now during the week so I always have too many pictures sometimes. I usually talk myself into not taking pictures on some days. 

This is what I wore on Friday. Final day of all the walking around and being on my feet at work. Another simple, comfortable outfit. The scarf (previously worn here) is actually a regular scarf. I turned it into an infinity scarf. I should be back to some fancy posting next week. Have a great weekend.

Sweater - Target / Similar

Jeans - Really Old / Similar / Similar

Boots - Nine West / Similar / 

Scarf -Avon / Similar 

Sole Society Scarves & Wraps · Barneys New York Scarves & Wraps · BCBGeneration Scarves & Wraps

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Green and Brown

I'm still dressing for all the walking around I'm doing at work and for the freezing cold weather. 

I'm glad I found these cords because they are high rise and have the perfect amount of stretch. They also don't flatten my non existent back side. I altered the leg opening though. The pants were really flared and threw my proportions off balance so I turned them into a boot cut style.  Many times, the perfect item of clothing is not out there and you have to do some things to make them flatter your shape. 

One of my tips to dressing an apple body type in this post includes wearing a camisole in a smaller size if you do not want bother with a body shaper. I'm wearing a camisole two sizes smaller here to smooth things out without any discomfort. How do you make your outfits work?

Sweater - Tommy Hilfiger via Macy's / Similar / Similar

Cords - Old Navy / Similar

Boots - Nine West / Similar

Link ups: Favorite Fashion Friday, Fashion Friday, Style Elixir, What I'm Loving Fridays

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Engineer Style: Grey, Navy, Reds....and Snow

We finally got our first major snow fall. Unlike other bloggers, I waited till a day after the snow fall to take pictures. No skirts or fancy wear this week because I'm working with the guys all week at work and doing a lot of walking around. This is the thickest sweater I own and I wear it on the coldest days. Wearing it layered provides extra protection. I got the tote this past weekend during a trip to Macy's to do a return. I found the bag hanging on a rack in the children's section and asked for the price. I ended up buying it...It was such a good deal. My daughter asked me why I was getting another bag. My response: "I don't own a red bag".

Sweater - Loft (old) / Similar / Similar / Similar Previously worn here
Navy Khakis - Gap
Scarf - Not Sure / Similar / Plaid Option
Bag - Marc Fisher via Macy's
Coat - Nine West / Similar

Link ups:  Look What I Got, The Pleated Poppy, Because Shanna Said So, I Feel Pretty, Whitney

Three-fer Thursday

Stripes, Cobalt and a Hint of Leopard

This is what I wore on Saturday. It was a nice fall day here in New England. And when I say nice, I mean 40 degrees nice. Everyone has finally accepted that 50 degree and higher weather will not come around again till April or May. Now we're just waiting for the snow. 

I'm mixing prints here with the leopard and stripes. Wearing tall or over the knee boots with some of my skinny jeans that have a tapered leg opening plus a non tunic sweater helps balance my shape. Without them, I would have looked like an inverted triangle with this outfit.

I'm leaving you with this for the week ahead. Do not give up what is yours, do not settle for the alternative because what you are doing now is not working right, or you've hit a road block. Just because you've hit a road block doesn't mean this wasn't meant for you. Be it your business, your marriage, your dreams, your blog...whatever...you are probably at the edge of your breakthrough and you don't know it. This is what I learnt in Church on Sunday. Have a great week!

Sweater - Target / Similar (V-Neck)
Cobalt Jeans - Style and Co via Macy's / Similar / Similar
Boots - Chinese Laundry via DSW / Cognac Option
Leopard Scarf - Won from Giveaway / Similar / Similar

Link ups: DC in Style, Monday Mingle, Style me Friday , Style Elixir, Totally Posted