Behind the scenes shoot with Mash Mag

Before the news of my Uncle Willie broke, I originally was back in Michigan for a photoshoot for Mash Mag! I left Chicago at about 6:30a Central time. That was a stretch for me because of two things; one, I never go to bed at a decent hour, I promise I'm working on that and two, it was completely last minute therefore I didn't plan accordingly. I almost declined the shoot, but I decided to take the opprotunity, because you just never know what will come out of it.

I've been friends with Mashawnta (makeup artist and creator of Mash Mag) on facebook for a while, but never had the please of working with her. I always admired her work, so I figured that whatever the shoot was for, it was going to be hotness! I was most certainly impressed with the crew that was pulled together to do the shoot.

Courtney, a fab 20-something wardrobe stylist was beyond amazing! This girl has incredible vision and a knack for putting trends together without looking like forced. The best part of getting dressed was Courtney stuffing me into a leather motorcyle jacket that was probably about 3 sizes too small. After finally getting it on, I had a "I can't put my arms down" Christmas Story moment. Accompany Courtney was her friend slash stylist Christian (hope I'm spelling it correctly) who was sort of like comedic relief. I learned that he has a thing for Chanel broaches and that he also has an amazing eye for styling and fashion.

Acacia, the perky photographer also a native of the Bay Area, California was a great energy to work with. It's always good when you have some sort of chemistry with the photographer, I think that definitely shows up in the work.

A little bit more about Mash Mag. Mashawnta (also know by friends as "Mash") had a vision for the magazine back in 2003, it wasn't until recently that she had the time and money to put it together.

MASH MAG celebrates modernity and the parallels between beauty, fashion, design, architecture and urbanism. We set trends. We push boundaries. We campaign for urban beautification and personal awareness. MASH aims to introduce design disciplines to and of under represented communities, while celebrating a multicultural editorial aesthetic.

Mash Mag is slated to release this fall offering 4 issues a year. Right now you can subscribe to Mash Mag for 30% off the total cover price and get one year for $19.99. YES, that means this is a PRINT magazine!

Accessory Table. The Steve Madden shoes were super cute, but the really skinny heel
made it hard to stand in :(

Some of the clothing available. Some things were provided by Torrid, others were from Courtney's closet

Acacia shooting a few beauty shots. That is SUGAR on her lips and shoulder

Forever 21 lace bustier

Awesome makeup job done by Mashawnta!

Acacia shooting the tutu and the shoes, got to get creative with the angles

Courtney knows she is cayooote! Loved this blazer she had on!
Her advice, take your dad's old blazers (or a mens blazer from a thrift store)
and take it to get it tailored to fit you. Definitely doing that soon.

Mashawnta, the makeup artist and creator of Mash Mag

From left to right: Courtney, Acacia and Christian

 

Rest In Solitude Uncle Willie

Rest In Solitude Uncle Willie.

“Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.” -Pope Paul VI

Thank you to everyone who sent well wishes, prayers and kind words when I announced that my uncle was in the hospital.  Unfortunately, today, God called him home. How selfish of me to want him here and suffering, right?

Uncle Willie, you will be greatly missed! I will miss our talks over daddy's bbq'd ribs about how you figured I would be a professional working woman (a "secretary or something" lol) and wondering when I would get married. I promised that you would have met my bf in July but it didn't happen. No worries, I know you will be happy to know that he is continuing to make me happy. Marriage and babies will happen, I'm just sad that they won't get the chance to know you like I did.

I love you and I will do my best to continue to make you proud.

What to wear when you're above a size 32w?

If you are interested, I have added a few new things to my Closet Cleanout! Size 11 shoes and pieces will be added weekly! If you thrift through my closet, you can be happy in knowing that you helping me do two things, lighten up the load of things I am going to have to pack up in a couple of weeks and two, help me earn a lil extra cash for my move! :o) Happy shopping! P.S. if there is something that I have wore in previous posts, and you think you may want it, email me, maybe we can work something out! NOW, on to the original post!

Imagine going to the mall with your girlfriends. At a size 18, you are the largest of the group. As they prance around the fitting rooms finding tons of clothing to try on, you mope around the store looking for anything over a size 6. No such luck.

Sounds a bit familiar doesn't it? We complain as size 10s, 16s and 20s that we can't find anything fashionable to wear in our size. We "make it work" with straight size clothing and personalize it and put our own unique signature on it. Thank goodness for oversized garments and stretch, right?

Well, what about those plus size women who are above the standard 24/26? You know that's the most popular cut off size for a plus size range. Plus size ranges up to a 32, ehh yeah, that can be a stretch for some clothing stores. If you're above a size 32 where do you turn to shop if you aren't into fatshion blogs or internet savvy? Walking into H&M or Forever 21 and "making it work" isn't an option. You probably feel a bit left out when it comes to fashion trends. But you shouldn't! There are places for you to shop too!

Meet J'Lesa; a loud music listening to, coffee drinking, loud laughing, sassy mouthed 20-something who is in search of something that is made for her. J'Lesa is above the size 32 range that popular stores like The Avenue go up to.  On top of her size, she's also an amazon standing at 6'2". Hell, I'm 5'10" and I have a hard time finding pants that are long enough, so I totally sympathize with her (and you as well Fran!) when it comes to finding lengths that are right for you.

J'Lesa mentioned on twitter that she'd never wear skinny jeans until she lost more weight. Saddened by her statement, I asked her why. She told me that she was too big to wear them...You all know I gave her the *side eye* right? I hate that she felt like she had to loose weight in order to be fashionable! Totally not true! While I will admit that the selection can sometimes be drab or matronly, there is nothing that a little creativity and the right accessories can't fix!

Instantly, I was opening up new tabs on my browser googling sites. I partnered with my buddy Cid and she offered One Stop Plus as a beginning point. They go up to a size 44w. Perfect! Unfortunately, browsing by size is unavailable on OSP. It would have been extremely helpful if I could click a size range and everything that they offered in that size popped up. OSP gave me an idea of some sites to browse. I checked out Jessica London, Woman Within and Roaman's for ideas.

After much clicking, I ended up on Zaftique, in which I remember features Chenese Lewis as one of their models. To my surprise, Zaftique has a larger range of trendy clothes than what is offered on OSP. I felt inspired to polyvore up some outfits for my what I am going to call a "virtual makeover" for J'Lesa.

Here are two looks that I'd like to present for her, or any other woman who is having a hard time putting some of the latest trends together in her size.

Jean is available in TALL! An awesome blazer or tweed jacket is always a fall necessity!
Casual Chic by NikStar 

Grey Braid Handle Tote, $36
American Dreamwear's Zaftique plus size clothing, $61
American Dreamwear's Zaftique plus size clothing, $83
American Dreamwear's Zaftique plus size clothing, $28
BarefootTess.com Shop for Poetic Licence Poetic Ideals Flat at..., $99

When it's time to make a scene, add a touch of lace. Lace is definitely a huge fall trend this year.
Friday night by NikStar 

Plus Size Pointelle Cardigan at OneStopPlus.com, $30
BarefootTess.com Shop for Madeline Gabean Platform Heel at..., $69
Product: MICHAEL Michael Kors "Moxley" Patent Clutch, $125
Khaki Lace Bracelet, 16 GBP
American Dreamwear's Zaftique plus size clothing, $28
American Dreamwear's Zaftique plus size clothing, $76

Both of these looks feature great pieces from Zaftique, as well as shoes from BarefootTess.com. BarefootTess I found has a huge selection of larger sized women's shoes.

As I mentioned before, you may feel like your options for stylish, trendy clothing is limited as a fuller woman, but I think you can definitely make lemonade out of lemons by adding great finishing touches to your outfits. OSP definitely offers some great basics to start with. Every woman's closet needs the basics. They are the base of your wardrobe. Zaftique definitely steps it up with the array of colors available in their line of leggings. This is where you can add little trends into your wardrobe. Scarves, bags, shoes and jewelry will complete your look.

To you miss J'Lesa, I hope this helps you! I hope that you will definitely read a couple of fatshion blogs and let the girls that I've introduced you to on twitter help you find comfort in being the size that you are. If you want to lose weight, we don't judge, I just hope that you know that you can look stylish at ANY size. It is very possible! :)

Anyone else have other places that they'd like to add for shoppers over a size 32w?

#HighSchoolConfessions and #FashionFlashbacks;Beth of Pretty in Plus

Name: Bethan Price
C/O: 2003
High School: Ysgol Penglais (that's a welsh name)

What did your typical outfit consist of during your high school years?
We had a school uniform so I spent a lot of the time seeing how far I could bend the rules of the uniform without getting in trouble. I remember wearing black combat pants instead of the dress pants we were supposed to wear and having huge black platforms on my feet. Out of school I was pretty well a tom-boy, lots of men's t-shirts and jeans.

What is one trend that you regret following in high school?
In a lot of old pics I seem to be wearing bucket hats, so I guess I those were a trend at the time, they kind of make me cringe now. My biggest fashion regret though is how much I used to cover up my figure, I wish I had the confidence back then to just where what I wanted. 

How would your classmates describe you?
I think I was the smiley, giggly one. 

What was your favorite subject? Worst?
I loved art class because they let us have the radio and it was really relaxed. Physics was my worst subject for sure, and I knew that if I distracted our teacher by asking him about motorcycles then he'd forget to teach us, so I never learned much.

Ever skip school?
No! I kinda wish I had at least once. I wasn't rebellious enough in my teens!

What song best describes your high school days?
You only get what you give by the new radicals really reminds me of hanging out with my friends back then. 

What did you and your friends do on Friday nights?
I have a lot of memories about the school discos. My house was closest to the school so everyone would come to mine to get ready. We would always paint our nails with glitter and just cake each other in makeup until it was time to go out - I think I enjoyed that part more than the actual discos. 

Who was your high school crush? 
I remember having this bizarre crush on Seth Green after he was in Austin Powers 2 and had blue hair.

(as always click for larger pic)

Catch up with Beth through her blog, Pretty in Plus!

ANTM; The preview that has everyone disgusted!

I originally saw this video on Glamour. I want to know your thoughts on this preview for ANTM.



Tyra offers her bit on the preview that was aired...

"As a leader in celebrating and promoting healthy body image, I must admit that I regrettably didn't see this clip before it was released to the public, (with multiple Top Model departments, it's just impossible to review everything) but on behalf of the Top Model team, these were not the intentions, and we truly apologize for any confusion, anger or disappointment it may have caused."

Spending the day w/my BFFE Rose (OOTD)

Saturday night, I got a call from my mom that my uncle's health was going downhill pretty fast. The next morning I packed an overnight bag and rushed to Michigan. Well, by the time I made it into Ann Arbor, my uncle's vital signs were consistently getting better. Unfortunately I did not get to see him due circumstances that I won't discuss. Let's just say, my family truly stresses me out. :-/ HmpH! Anywho...

Since I was in the same area as Jasmine aka my Bffe Rose, I decided to hook up with her because I was seeing red and she ALWAYS makes me feel better after a good venting. Jasmine is 5.5 months pregnant and I'm actually kinda sad that I can't be there with her more to do the things a best friend should do. Whenever I get a chance to hang out with her and pat her baby belly, I try to do so. I have been referring to the baby as "Esther" since she first told me she was pregnant. Although on the 4th of this month, she found out that "Esther" was indeed a boy. Ah well, Esther should get used to his name and not let it affect his personal identity. teehehe :)

Playing with Bailey (w/the brown hair) and Muffee

Our day consisted of laughing, catching up, playing with her puppies (Muffee & Bailey), ice cream and painting our nails. But first, there's an outfit! Oh and p.s. I know my posing kinda sucks in these pics, I was sooooo tired and they were taken at the very end of the night!

Outfit Deets:

• Oversized black top, H&M. This was the one I found on my lunch break on Saturday. I love it! It's satin in the front and t-shirt material in the back. It's super comfy and only a size Large! This shirt is definitely going to be a favorite for me this fall. I must tell you, that it's my first oversized top. I bought it with my black and white striped skirt from F21, but then I thought, "Hey, this could work with so much more!" So plan on seeing this remixed in future OOTD's.
• Leopard print gray skinnies, Rocawear, given to me by Jasmine. Normally, I don't do urban labels but I actually love these pants. They fit great and are super comfy. Jasmine gave them to me because she's a shorty and they were too long on her. I believe she got them at Macy's for $13! Yes, she's the true bargainista.  Ah and as you can see, they don't have huge "R's" on the back of the pockets like most urban wear which is a huge plus for me
• Gladiator sandals (not pictured), Target
• Earrings, Necklace, H&M. Next time I think I'll do more exaggerated earrings. Something long and gives me more POW!
• Bangles, Forever 21
• Pink Bracelet, Loving From a Distance (Bracelet reads, "Love knows no distance." and yes, Ryan wears one in brown)

Now, random pics of my BFFE! :o) 

Muffee takes her kisses!

I wonder how the puppies will feel once the baby gets there.

Shockingly, she's got a slow start on baby shopping! I can't wait to pick up stuff for her

Jasmine's 5.5 month baby bump!

Muffee and Bailey playing nicely!

 

I see you Ryan! :)

I just have to share this...I can't resist promoting and supporting Ryan like he does me! :D Check out this political spoof/rap that he did supporting Elizabeth Warren! haha Now you can all see why I heart this funny man! :) Yes, I was BEAAAAAAAAAMING when I originally saw this and I'll admit, I've watched it a few times now...If you want more info on the Main Street Brigade, click here.:)

Congrats babe on your video making The Huffington Post, Funny or Die and The Wallstreet Journal!

Elizabeth Warren: The New Sherriff from Sherriff Warren

Fall in luxe with eShakti

Lately, I am totally enamored with the items I've been seeing from eShakti.  As I was putting this together, I was going through my daily reads and noticed that Chastity of The Curvy Girls Guide to Style also loves their new fall pieces as well. It looks like they are really stepping up their game. The colors in their fall palette are simply delicious. Beautiful jewel tones in purples, blues and green...definitely a great way to step out of browns, blacks and grays this upcoming fall season. I only have one piece from eShakti (see review here), but after seeing how well it washed, I'm definitely going to grab a few more of their dresses. They also offer pants and tops as well, but I think they do amazing things with their selection of dresses. You definitely won't see anyone else wearing what you have with eShakti...well unless of course you are a blogger, we sometimes tend to like the same things. Good thing we're spaced out geographically lol

With a size range from 0-26, custom sizing for a mere $7.50 and a 10% off discount code (type in nikstarr123 during checkout) you have no reason to NOT try a piece from there!

Here's a look at 3 of my favorite pieces. It was hard to not add the Black Ruffle Dress in the mix, but I opted not to since I want to encourage you all to add a bit of color to your wardrobe, yes Sarah, I'm looking at you! :o) As for me, I am definitely in love with the green strapless! Lately, I'm thinking about my birthday (I know, it's 4 months away, never too early to shop!)

Fall in love with eShakti by NikStar featuring Dorothy Perkins

Charcoal mid heel court shoes, 20 GBP
Forever21.com - Accessories - Handbags & Wallets, $16
Black glitter clutch bag, 22 GBP
Ruffled skirt strapless dress - eShakti.com, $60
Illusion cocktail dress - eShakti.com, $55
Ruffle front surplice dress - eShakti.com, $55
MICHAEL Michael Kors Jennings Zip Back at Zappos.com, $165
Product: Christian Audigier Zee Zee Top "Zelda" Clutch, $140
Calvin Klein Amber at Zappos.com, $109

 

#HighSchoolConfessions and #FashionFlashbacks;Tiffany of FatShopaholic

Name: Tiffany 
C/O: I claim 2008 since that was my original class, but I graduated in 2009. 

High School: Kenwood Academy High School 

What did your typical outfit consist of during your high school years?
I went through so many different phases in high school. When I started high school my typical outfit was one of only 3 pairs of too small jeans I had, some shirt, and a Fila jacket I wore over everything, every day (even in the hotter months).  My mother refused to buy me new clothes at this time because she said I would just keep gaining weight and grow out of them. When I moved with my grandmother she bought me more clothes, so in the beginning of my junior year my typical outfit was a Baby Phat top with matching jeans but, slowly things started to change. My typical outfit turned into to baggy cargo pants with a signed Dresden dolls patch,  leg warmers, tall Doc Marten's, a t-shirt, a hoodie, ridiculous make up and a military blazer toward the end of Junior year. During this time people would yell at me in the hallway, "Look at those boots!" and laugh. The beginning of my first senior year I starting wearing Jeans, graphic tees and colorful sneakers.  At the end of my first senior year I wore mostly more typical, plain girly stuff.  My final senior year I caught "I'm so different" fever and started wearing all these random colors and patterns together like I do now, but now I just well...I just..umm..look better I guess. LOL 

What is one trend that you regret following in high school?

I think I definitely regret the urban labels. It was what I saw a lot of girls at school wear, so i gave it a try. I never will again. I don't like to be branded with symbols and logos. I also no longer wear pants (other then harem) , so its not like I could wear any of the jeans. With clothes like that you don't really style them; you just put them on. I don't like that. 

How would your classmates describe you?

I was known as the girl with the books  to everyone in school. I always had my nose in a book. I didn't get close high school friends until the end of my sophmore year so until then I only spoke when spoken to and read my books. Some days I would cut class and go sit on the Metra platform and just read. People who didn't know me very well knew that once they started talking to me I was pretty funny. My close friends would describe me as funny, kind, lost, and shy.

What was your favorite subject?

My favorite subject was English. I excelled in my english classes. I just always dreaded presentations and having to read out loud. I stutter pretty bad. Some times its so bad I can't say my name (which happened to me once on the first day of health class freshman year), so i would dread the teacher calling on me to say anything, but I got through it.

Worst?

I hated U.S. history. I hated learning about america and the class wasn't taught in very engaging way. I took it in college though and loved it. 

Ever skip school?
Junior year I was depressed and skipped a lot to go to friends house and sleep. My senior years I would go off campus for lunch and just not come back. Some times I  skipped and went to the mall  or down town wit my friend. 

What song best describes your high school days?

"Maybe This Time" by Liza Minnelli because at the time I didn't feel very well liked or love because wasn't popular and I was always hoping that some day it would be different and I would finally win.  Looking back though I think I had more then I thought I did. At the end of southmore year  I found great friends and a great support system in my grandmother, so in some ways I was already winning and didn't see it. 

What did you and your friends do on Friday nights?

We would go to belmont ( the gay neighborhood) and walk around, laugh, and make fun of people. Or we would chill in my moms basement eating and  watching movies. 


Who was your high school crush?

My high school crush was a girl named Khat. She was short, about my skin tone and was sexy. We dated like 2 weeks.  I still talk wit her from time to time. 

#HighSchoolConfessions, dish the dirt! 

• A friend and I were an item. Like we held hands, cuddled, and made out a lot one summer, but we soon realized we were both gay, so that didn't work out. LOL 
• I used to make out with one of my girl best friends sometimes. 
• I dated a boy my final senior year to see what it was like and cause I was lonely. Again didn't work out. LOL 
• I got my tongue pierced in a basement when I was 15.
• I let my friend tattoo stars on my arm with a sewing needle, thread, and ink from the art store.
• I went mexico when I was 17 and cam back with a tattoo and my lip peried on the right. 
• I was a Dresden Dolls and Placebo Stan! 

To learn more about Tiffany and her adventures make sure you check out FatShopaholic!

Don't miss next weeks blogger feature with Beth of Pretty in Plus! Wanna participate? Just drop me an email at plusmodelnikkis@yahoo.com

Do It Curvy; Alice + Olivia

I found this original Alice + Olivia look on fashion.com under Fall 2010 RTW. I absolutely love this look. Oversized sweaters are all the rage this fall and it's quite unique paired with this party dress. I could totally see this look being rocked at let's say, winter birthday party *wink*

Want to achieve this look? Try a piece from City Chic and Evans!

Get the look; Alice + Olivia by NikStar on Polyvore.com

City Chic - LACE CORSET IVY DRESS, $111
DESTIME - women's pointed-toe heels for sale at ALDO Shoes., $90
Neutral Hanky Hem Cardigan- view all - knitwear - clothing - evans, 35 GBP
GRAMMES - accessories's bracelets women's for sale at ALDO Shoes., $12
Forever21.com - Accessories - Jewelry - Necklaces - 1080963764, $5.80
ALICE + OLIVIA 2010 Fall - ALICE + OLIVIA Collections on ELLE.com

If I had a daughter...

This post is brought to you by sheer boredom. 

According to morphthing.com, if I look like this:

and Ryan looks like this:

Our daughter will be this cute kid you see below:

Her name is RaiLynn or Ry'Lyn (hmm still out on the spelling)

RaiLynn would be stylish like her mama...so this is what she'd wear on her first day back to school. Thank you Forever 21 for having cute kids clothes! I'm now currently stalking the kids section since I don't have kids of my own, but I do have young nieces and nephews. *le sigh*

If I had a daughter... by NikStar on Polyvore.com

Traditional Denim Jacket, $23
HTG81 - Dresses - 2055986132, $17
Girls - Smartfit - Western Boot - Payless Shoes, $20
tubes fleurs
Sterling Silver Diamond Initial R Pendant Girls Necklace (14"-16")
Sterling Silver Diamond Multi Lucky Charms Children Bracelet (5 1/2"-6...

Sunday Brunch ft Dorothy Perkins

If I had a group of gal pals, I'd grab them and head to Ann Sathers in Lakeview for brunch. We'd all share plates of the scrumptious cinnamon rolls and coffee. I'd then order the salmon dill omelette because it's deelish! Oh, and of course, this is what I'd want to wear.

Sunday Brunch by NikStar featuring Dorothy Perkins

Animal drape belted dress, 30 GBP
Taupe chain strap sandals, 42 GBP
Cream wide bar clutch, 12 GBP
Mixed blush bangle set, 16 GBP
Pearl and filigree rope, 15 GBP
Set Of Two Hearts, Wall Words and Decals by Trading Phrases, $26