Bear of the Ball

This outfit says “19th century Russian countess who just stocked up at Vivienne Westwood’s original 1977 ‘Sex’ shop,” no?  An unseasonably stylish extra in The Revenant maybe? Whatever vibe you choose to pull from this look, it sure makes me feel fierce, like the belle bear of the ball, and seasonally appropriate to boot! (Which is an accomplishment for me. I’ve always favored wearing a fashion-forward look I’ve been thinking about for weeks on end rather than something, how you say, “comfortable”, much to my mom’s dismay even to this day.)

 

Once a man yelled out to me “Those are some nice pants, lady!” when I was walking around NYC in these leggings. Obviously, he was talking about how and they are super versatile, working both as a neutral and as a texture to give any look some subtle edge. Or, possibly the way they are super form-fitting. Hm. Probably the first one! Honestly, these are an XL and if I could get them again I’d probably size up, but they do just what I want to do, give that last smoldering wink to any outfit.

They’re actually from Hot Topic, which I know, I know, why don’t they have some random pop punk/ Harley Quinn logo on them then? But actually, Hot Topic is not a bad place to shop. Normally they are super pricey but they do give out mad coupons and their bottoms (Lovesick jeggings and shorts especially) come in a wide range of sizes and can blend in with the rest of your wardrobe. I’m a fan. I’ve paired the leggings with a ribbed turtleneck from H&M that I got for $10.

Now let me get to this coat. Wow. I received this as a Christmas gift last year and was told that it came from a thrift shop in the Pittsburgh area, so we’ll have to assume that it’s true. However, whenever I slip it on it feels more like it was crafted by winter wood-nymphs looking to make me feel at home in the cold weather. There’s so much faux fur: inside of the pockets, around and inside of the hood, you name it, save for the silk interior. That aside, this coat definitely does keep you warm (I’d know, I was shooting this in 20°). The oversized hood and the cinched waist are two of my favorite features and they complement each other so well.

I also love how the black leather bootie (the holy grail of multipurpose shoes, but I’ll get into that some other time) blends seamlessly in with the leggings creating this illusion of some sort of daytime dominatrix uni-suit. This is warmed up a bit by the sweater and the swath of fur topping it all of, creating what I think is a really well balanced outfit: heavy-top, light bottom but an imagined air of luxury (and fun!) throughout.

 

I received the brown fur coat (XL) as a gift, so I can’t tell you where it’s from or how much it cost, but here are straight and plus-sized options if you’re looking for something similar. The almost identical twin of my black ribbed sweater (L) can be found here. Tip: H&M is usually very generous with their sizing so I encourage you to try everything there, even if you’re on the fence. Here are the black leather-look leggings (XL). They go up to a 3X and I suggest sizing up. The booties (US 10) are from Forever 21 (like this similar pair), but you can find the perfect black bootie just about anywhere.

I>U (And disco too)

You may not know this, but I’m an absolute self-esteem machine. When you’re ruled by Venus and every shitty horoscope writer tells you that as a Taurus your greatest negative trait is being vain, you have two choices. One is to scoff, exclaim “As if!” and make extra, subtle efforts to prove how not self absorbed you are to your other astro-friends. The second is to take that thousandth selfie, bump some tunes, make yourself a drink and spend well over an hour doing your makeup and getting your outfit together.

As you can probably guess, I’ve opted for the latter.

 

 

So, of course I was psyched when I found this obnoxious $3 t-shirt emblazoned with I>U. It has kind of become my fashion mantra – dressing for yourself and not caring what others think because fashion is nothing but self-expression (emphasis on self). This is especially important in the world of plus-sized fashion because basically no-one is going to try and tell you to take risks and be yourself. They are going to want to drape you in floppy neutrals and shame you for wearing anything different. That’s why being a bit narcissistic is so important. You are the only one who can, and ever will, give yourself permission to wear whatever the hell you want, so you’ve gotta love yourself enough to do that!

These last few sentences may seem a bit contradictory, as you can see that I’ve basically put myself in a gray (very aesthetic) sack with this oversized coat,  but I can explain! I picked up this coat for €10 (like $11) at the one and only Free’P’Star thrift shop in Paris. So what if two of my arms could fit in a single armhole? It is winter and I’m jonesin’ to be cozy! And who can beat that price? The nonchalant largeness of the coat makes me feel like a rockstar who’s just stumbled out of bed with no less than four of their lovers, is still slightly inebriated and is heading to the recording studio anyway. Also, it’s 1995.

Adding to this image are my $4 Kohl’s sunglasses in clear and purple plastic that I am in looove with as well as what I like to refer to as my “disco day pants”. Well, leggings that I picked up on Modcloth for $25 a couple of years ago. The material is kind of like a shiny spandex but just subtle enough that they can fit in with any outfit as a neutral and still be ~groovy~. Also, they’re a reasonable substitute for the $95 American Apparel disco pants I’ve been lusting over forever but could never bring myself to buy. They are super light and fit so well that you can almost forget that you’re wearing them (but the passersbys won’t). To top it off I’m sporting some slightly heeled booties with laces and studs on the toe, so you can kick back anyone who tries to tell you you’re not the shit.

 

My coat is from a thrift store but you can get a familiarly fuzzy one here, and the exact leggings (XL) are at Modcloth and go up to a 4X. These booties have a similar heel and look while these ones have the studs. You’ll have to find cheap, empowering novelty t-shirts on your own, although Target and Kohl’s are always good, affordable places to start.

Winter Formal

I’d describe this look as winter formal. No, not the winter formal that saw you and your newly minted sixteen year old friends ending up in a snowbank in cocktail dresses and boots while rerouting the GPS on the way to the dance. But a very sleek, put together “I’m an adult, with adult things to do, but am still enjoying life” look, even though the dress is from the mainstay of every teen’s heart, Delia’s (RIP).

Speaking of the dress, I picked it up about two years ago from my local Delia’s closeout sale for $12. Some might say not to revel in others’ misfortune, but in the shopping world always, and i mean always, take advantage of a store’s brick and mortar failure. On a less morbid note, this purchase probably marked the beginning of my velvet addiction which has since led me to purchasing every clothing item you can imagine in its velvet variation. And kudos to velvet – it keeps you warm and safe from the winter weather while also being plush, a little bit luxe and adding texture to your look.

Now let’s get down to the details: The coat is a Calvin Klein from Macy’s last season, and this beauty’s got brawn. Not only does it have that striking scarlet fabric, this coat is so heavy, actually making it useful for sub-zero windchills unlike many others that don’t have any “fluff” element to them. Plus the pockets are deep! A miracle considering a lot of women’s clothes and accessories don’t have pockets at all (-__-). Paired with a pair of leather gloves I feel like a dreamy news anchor who’s live in five and has it all together.

 

What’s not so weather responsible about this outfit, however, are the tights and booties. Sigh. Suede boots are one paradox that I just can’t resist. You shouldn’t get the suede in the snow but boots are the winter shoe. So, one just has to make the sacrifice for style by wearing them in the snow as I did here. This particular pair, also from Macy’s, has a lot of the same elements as these Yves Saint Laurent boots I’ve been pining over since they debuted a couple of seasons ago but are in my price range and go with almost anything. The heel and pointed toe make them dainty but the gold straps give them some rock n’ roll weight. A match made in heaven. The floral tights from Primark add some drama, which of course, I live for, and make the ensemb ~slightly~ more weather appropriate. At least for those of us ready to duke it out with mother nature for the sake of style!

 

Red coat (16) is from Macy’s. You can find two similar, pricy, options if you’d like that Calvin Klein feel (here and here), but if you want one that’s (slightly more) affordable I’d check this out. Cheap wool coats are hard to come by, but these are two retailers who always have coupons/sales and reduce things after Christmas. Black velvet dress (XL) comes from Delia’s but a similar one can be found here (Although with that trendy front criss-cross strap thing. I’m sorry, but these are the trying times we live in). Tights (L/XL) of the same brand and fit (which I highly recommend!) are at Primark, or there are lookalikes here (pricy) and at Walmart in-store (promise!).