Avenue
Save Up to $15 On Plus Size at Avenue.com
The Deal: Save up to $15 on your order at Avenue.com with code.
The Lowdown: Get $10 off $60, or $15 off $85 or more at Avenue.com, just in time to update the wardrobe for spring. First things first—the images on Avenue.com make you feel like you’re shopping Kmart, and that’s not a compliment (sorry Kmart). If you can get past that, however, you’ll find some versatile pieces at reasonable prices which, for plus size girls, is often waaaay harder than it should be.
As we’ve noted before, look for black and white to be all over this spring, and since Avenue’s more colorful offerings tend to be of the wallpaper-and-sofa-cover variety, we’re thrilled to find something sophisticated and on trend like this ruffle hem glam dot blouse, for $34.90. And since we want—nay, need—a little spring color too, combining that with the b&w trend in a fab and flattering sheath dress, like this kiwi ribbon tie sheath, for a mere $37.90? It’s all good.
Shop: Avenue.com
Save at the Winter $10 Event at Avenue.com
The Deal: Winter $10 Event! Save on plus-size fashion from Avenue.com!
The Lowdown: Plus size clothing pieces for $10? $15? Even $20? Okay, we’re listening. And looking. Just as we suspected, we’re not talking high fashion here, but good foundation-worthy basics. Layer-worthy picot-trimmed camis for $10 apiece; solid tunic sweaters, also $10 apiece; some basic denim for just $20. This is a sale to shop based on need, not a desire for that know-it-when-you-see-it signature piece . . .
Our own focus for this sale, however? The bras (you’ll find them with the “tops” online)—several styles for just $15 apiece (25-50% off regular price), like this Icy Sweet Lace Trimmed Underwire Bra, in sizes up to 44DDD, with matching pantie for just $7.
Shop: Avenue.com
Save up to $15 on Your Order at Avenue.com with Code
The Deal: Save up to $15 on your order at Avenue.com
The Lowdown: You might think that Lane Bryant is your only option for work-ready plus size fashion—and with the way plus size is marganilized by retailers in general, it’s easy to see why. But there are a few other options, including Avenue.com: not everything is earth-shatteringly stylish, but it’s definitely one of the few places we’ve found where you can actually find modern looking, office appropriate separates without the plus size sticker shock (the leopard print trench shown, for example, is $69.95)
And, if you happen to be doing some last minute holiday shopping here, not only can you take $10 off orders of $60 or more, or $15 off orders of $85 or more, but you can also check into a free express shipping upgrade, to get it by Dec. 24 . . .
Shop: Avenue.com
Wide Calf Boots Up to 50% Off at Avenue.com
“THIS SALE HAS ENDED”
The Deal: Up to 50% off boots (including wide calf) at Avenue.com
The Lowdown: Kathryn gets a ton questions each week in regards to the quest for stylish wide-calf boots , which tend to be harder to find, and frequently costlier, than “regular” calf sized boots. So when we saw this boot sale at Avenue.com, we knew we had to spread the word—the selection is somewhat limited, however there is a respectable collection of tall and ankle boots in wide-calf and wide-width sizes. Our picks? We love patent, so we’re partial to this Jamie Patent Wide Calf Boot, on sale now for $39.99, but we also love something in gray (and with a cute little heel), like this Bettie Wide Calf Boot, $49.99. Oh, and while you’re shopping, go ahead and check out Avenue’s “Top 10” holiday trends section to find items up to $50 off
Shop: Avenue.com.
Cyber Monday Deals: New York & Company, Avenue, Charlotte Russe
For your shopping convenience, The Budget Fashionsta’s latest batch of Cyber Monday deals:
New York & Company: handbags up to 50% off at New York and Company. We love New York and Company for their apparel, but the accessories are worth a look too—and with handbags up to 50% off you’ll get way more bang for your buck.
Avenue.com: Save $20 on your $100 order Avenue is one of our fave stops for plus size apparel—pick up something nice for yourself or those curvy girls on your list . . .
Charlotte Russe: free shipping with purchase of $60 or more. Need a fun little dress for a holiday party? Check out Charlotte Russe—and pick up a pair of cute shoes to match. Free shipping makes it almost painless.
Save 15% On Your Order at Avenue.com
The Deal: Get 15% off your order at Avenue.com
The Lowdown: Shop online at Avenue.com right now and get 15% off your order, which means that curvy girls can stock up for fall now, for less. A suggestion? We love the Multiples separates (like this Swing Jacket for $39.95) that make mixing and matching—and staying stylish for fall—so easy.
Shop: Avenue.com
Strappy Tanks 2 for $40 at Freepeople.com: Daily Deal
What: Get Freepeople.com Solid Strappy Tanks 2 for $40 (regular price $38 each)
The Lowdown: Right now at Freepeople.com stock up on versatile strappy tanks, 2 for $40, which is almost buy one get one free (close enough). And, if you are of a boho chic style bent, go ahead and cruise around the site while you’re there to check out other funky items on sale (like this very cute Dotted Coral Reef Blousan, on sale for $39.95).
Shop: Freepeople.com
Up to 60% Off at Avenue.com’s Summer Clearance: Daily Deal
The Deal: Save up to 60% off at Avenue.com during their Summer Clearance Sale
The Lowdown: Avenue carries sizes 14-32, and is a great place to stock up right now on summer basics (which, next summer, will make you very very happy). Great deals to look for? How about camis and tanks, in multiple colors, for $4.99-$9.99? Or classic chino bermuda shorts for $12.99?
If it’s shoes and accessories you crave, those are on sale too: check out these cute link thong sandals for $9.99, or a black fold-over snake clutch (which you could totally carry this fall) for $16.99.
Shop the Sale: Avenue.com
Avenue: Daily Deal
The Deal: Get 20% off your entire purchase at Avenue.com. Swimwear is already discounted up to 40%.
What We Say: Avenue is a great place for plus-size women who do not want to cover up their body with drab clothing just because they’re voluptuous. Their merchandise is just as stylish and updated as that of a store for smaller-sized women. Avenue knows how to make a plus-sized woman feel great-looking and confident with clothes that complement a woman’s attributes. Now is the time to scour their extensive collection of dresses, shirts, tops and bottoms. Their already reasonably priced items are even more appealing when you get 20% off at check-out.
Pictured: This glamorous, purple sleeveless top matches black slacks. We like the peek-a-boo keyhole in the back. Check out www.avenue.com for more great styles.
The Budget Fashionista’s Guide to Swimwear Part 4: What’s Hot and What’s Shot
We picked through the good, the bad and the just plain ugly. The lowdown on what’s hot and shot for summer 2006 swimwear.
What’s Hot
| Cutaways that look like a bikini from the back but cover the front |
|
| Skirtinis and skorts | Splurge! Halter Dress Slender Suit |
| Tunics, kaftans, pareos and dresses as cover-ups |
|
| Ruffles | <
Tara Jarmon Ruffle Swimwear |
| Batik and paisley (global-inspired) |
|
50s pin-up girl looks (twisted bandeaus and one-pieces, ruching |
|
| Gelato shades (from chocolate and pistachio to lemon and cherry) | |
Arts ‘n crafts: crochet, embroidery, appliqué, beading, | |
| Metallic fabrics |
|
| Sailor stripes and nautical theme |
|
What’s Shot
1. Animal print overkill. If you’ve got a zebra suit,
tone it down with a sheer black caftan; pair a leopard-print top with a chocolate
brown or black bottom. Never mix animal prints (e.g., combining cheetah, snake
and tiger).
2. T-shirts as cover-ups. It tells everyone you’ve got something
to hide.
3. Flimsy, sheer suit fabrics. Great… for wet-T-shirt contests.
4. Wearing your Burberry plaid from head to toe. Instead try a signature piece (e.g., a designer logo tank with solid, unmarked bottoms).
5. Thongs and g-strings. Out of the question if you have any cellulite -– as Star magazine has shown us, even skinny Paris Hilton’s got no business flaunting her rear assets on the beach.
6. Tiny triangle bikini tops. Support that bust.
7. The skimpy stuff. This season’s look offers more to the imagination.
8. Tube tops and bandeaus. If you’re well -endowed these tops will make it look like you have a uni-boob.
9. Stuffing yourself into a black suit. Try color-blocking
and tricot (slenderizing) fabrics.
10. Over bling. Choose shells, coral and wooden beads instead.
The Budget Fashionista’s Guide to Swimwear
The Budget Fashionista’s Guide to Swimwear Part 1: The Do’s and Don’t
The Budget Fashionista’s Guide to Swimwear Part 2: What’s Hot and What’s Shot
The Budget Fashionista’s Guide to Swimwear Part 3: The Best Swimsuit for Your Skin Color
The Budget Fashionista’s Guide to Swimwear Part 4: What’s Hot and What’s Shot
The Budget Fashionista’s Guide to Swimwear Part 5: Answers to Common Swimwear Questions
Life on Tour: The Essence Photo Shoot
Last week, I did a photo shoot for Essence Magazine for their “Her Style” feature which showcases women they consider to have great personal style. To have Essence, the magazine ran by sistas that know style, select me as a stylish person to feature in none other than their September Fall fashion issue is one of the best things that has ever happen to me. Better than the time I found a pair of Kate Spades Sandals at DSW for $13.98. Possibly even better than the time I saw Michael Jackson in a shopping mall (where else would I be?) in South Africa.
I wish I could post the fabulous pictures, but I won’t be able to until the magazine comes out. So here’s the run down:
Location: Sun West Studios, New York, NY. Beautiful large studio, facing the Hudson River (towards New Jersey for those outside of NYC) with tons of natural sunlight.
Editors/Stylists: Pamela Edwards and Gwen Covington, my two new best friends. Pam taught me the way to appear taller when taking a picture is to imagine a string pulling your navel towards your back. It works.
Hair: Tina Pearson—who knows how to work a weave. Tina has revolutionized my hair life my giving me the ultimate tip to taming curling hair during the humid summer. Mix your favorite conditioner with tap water in a spray bottle (an old hair spray bottle works well) and spritz through your hair while finger combing (not brushing) the hair.
Make-up: The fabulous Louie (who has worked on Beyonce), who gave me a nice natural groomed look, which is the perfect make-up look for this summer (think shimmery eye, soft pink gloss, groomed eyebrows).
Outfit One—A brown collared tunic and wide leg jeans from Avenue, layered necklaces from H&M.
Outfit Two—Teal blue dress from Kiyonna, brown and gold H&M necklace. This was my favorite outfit and I even purchased the dress with a discount. See, when celebs do photo shoots, they often like the items they wear and request to purchase them. The discount depends on a person’s celebrity status—Nicole Kidman gets it for free, I get it for 20%.
I rocked each outfit with a pair of 3.5 inch Prada shoes which I borrowed from Essence’s fashion director, Agnes Commack. Agnes has styled everyone from Angela Basset to John Cusack and has promised to take yours truly shopping to purchase my very own pair of designer 3+ inch heels (from Last Call Neiman Marcus, of course). Now if she would only teach me how to wear them because after the shoot my feet was killing me.
Plus Size Fashion Tips
The era of flower-printed muumuus is long gone. The fashion caste system that separates people into “those who can” (skinny and rich) and “those who can’t” (everyone else), a system created by snobby designers and power-hungry fashion editors (who, by the way, are often plus-size themselves), is crumbling. A fashion utopia is emerging, one that offers several fashion options for curvy fashionistas, none of which involve polyester tent dresses.
This guide gives you the rules to follow and a list of the stores at which to shop to enhance your voluptuous, fashionable self. Take that, Kate Moss!
The Rules
In this diet-obsessed, waif-model culture, designers still gear their creations toward a size 4 and their version of “plus size” is just a bigger size 4. Fear not, though—commit these size rules to heart and watch your style quotient rise.
Dress monochromatically. Dressing in one color de-emphasizes your problem areas by creating one long silhouette. This works with any color, not just black.
Embrace vertical stripes. Vertical stripes make you look thinner by forcing the eye to look up and down. Avoid wearing horizontal stripes alone (see the tip below on how to wear horizontal stripes).
Put on a blazer with a belt. Throwing a blazer or cute jacket over a pair of belted pants and shirt makes your waist look smaller because the eye can’t see how far the waist extends around. This trick also works with horizontal stripes under a blazer.
Get measured for a bra. Wearing the right size bra can make you look thinner. Over eighty percent of women, say the experts, wear the wrong size bra and a large percentage of plus size women do it because they’re embarrassed by the larger sizes. Head to your nearest department store and get properly fitted for a bra.
Buy clothes that fit. If a garment bulges or shows your “rolls”, it doesn’t fit or you might be wearing the wrong bra size.
Break out the heels. Heels elongate your legs, making you look slimmer in the process. Stores like Zappos.com offer a huge selection of pumps and heels.
Low-rise is not an option. Very few people, regardless of size, can wear low-rise pants. Just because something is in style doesn’t mean it will work for you.
Avoid cropped jackets. Cropped jackets draw attention to your waist and butt. Purchase well-structured jackets that hit you right below the lower curve of your bottom. Check out Elizabeth.com for great jackets and tops from designers like Ellen Tracy and Sigrid Olsen Woman.
Purchase boot-cut pants. The skinny pants or pencil-leg pants emphasize big butts. Stick with pants that feature a slight flare at the bottom to create a more balanced look.
Find a great tailor. Don’t throw out those great-fitting pants because they’re too long. A sharp tailor will be able to hem them to your desired length for less than $20.
The Stores
Below are the best stores at which to purchase plus-size fashions that enhance your style while going easy on your pocketbook.
Alight.com is a great place to find more contemporary fashions for younger curvy gals. If you are a plus-size fashionista in need of a prom dress, this is the place to go.
Avenue.com is the plus size version of the store New York & Company. The quality of the clothing varies, but it is a good place to find wardrobe stretchers like basic white tunics and leggings. It has a great selection of swimsuits.
Newport News offers cheap, trendy fashions in sizes up to 28. Almost all of the clothes you see on their size 2 models are available in larger sizes.
Lane Bryant is the best plus-size fashion store on the web. It offers a wide array of grandma-look-free plus-size fashions including a new jeans line called “Seven7”.
Gap.comFinally someone got the memo that plus-size stylistas want designer jeans as well. Believe it or not, the online version of Gap carries pants up to size 20. In addition, outerwear, sweaters and tops are available up to size XXL.
Kiyonna. This little website features sophisticated styles for fashionistas who wear a size 12 or higher. We are big fans of Kiyonna dresses.
OldNavy.com has cheaper, lower-quality versions of the fashions seen at The Gap, up to size 20/XXL. It is a great place to stock up on tees, tanks, and other items you buy in bulk.
Overstock.com . This is the best online outlet, and a great place to pick up cheap designer items. The plus-size section tends to be a little boring, but it’s possible to find deals like a Dana Buchman top for up to 80% off retail.
Target Stop by for toilet paper and leave with an outfit. Even the Isaac Mizrahi line goes up to size 18.
Nordstrom Rack. Come for the shoes. Stay for the clothes. The small but well-stocked plus-size section includes items from the main store.
Walmart.com‘s new George line is hot! So it the upscale Metro7 Line. More items are being added each day!
Torrid.com is the best place to shop if you are a young, hip, plus-size fashionista. From its 50s-inspired prom dresses to its low-rise jeans, this store definitely sheds the plus-size gotta-look-like-grandma myth. Plus the items are reasonably priced with most below $50.
Also try stopping by your local outlet mall: Off Fifth, the Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet, has an amazing selection of designer plus-size fashions from Donna Karan, Oscar De La Renta and Anne Klein. Eileen Fisher carries comfortable, free flowing clothing up to size 3X. And check out stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s, they all have very hip plus-size departments. Those at Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s usually have the best sales, while Saks Fifth Avenue has more cutting-edge fashions and higher-end designers.
Remember that you can be a fashionista regardless of your size. Don’t let pop culture’s ridiculous fashion caste system dictate what you can and can’t wear. Armed with a heaping dose of self-confidence, a head full of common sense and the rules above, you can enter your favorite store and shop!
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