fashion

Favorite Must-Have Shoes for Spring and Summer!

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I am not a fashion blogger or a fashionista…I’m really just a mom trying to get it done and maybe looking a little cute while I’m doing it. One of my weaknesses is shoes, and while I love a good fancy heel I am all about comfort for a great price. Most of the time I don’t follow fashion rules or trends. I opt for comfort over style and what feels good for me. But there’s something about a Spring shoe that makes me happy! It eases you right into the summer life of comfortable flip flops. The humidity here makes me just want to live in them! Today I’m sharing with you my favorite Spring shoes, and how I get them all for a steal! Bargain hunting is my middle name.

Spring/summer Boots and Shoes

A good pair of tan booties can be the perfect Spring Shoe! They can get you through those cooler spring days where you are wearing jeans on date nights. High on my list are getting some with a peep toe! These Lauren Conrads are so cute, or these Universal Threads from Target. I feel like those are an even more perfect transition into spring. These I snagged on sale at Kohl’s. While some of the stuff at Kohl’s can be pricey, like the boots I got at regular price, what I love about them is that you can wait for a good deal and find coupons. These particular booties are some of the most comfortable booties I’ve ever had, and when I got them on sale they were only $34!! They have laser cutouts throughout and I love they are super easy to slip on. I raved about these on my Instagram when I was in Houston and walked about 10 miles during a whole day, from one side of the city to the other. As a girl with foot problems from my dancing days, I can absolutely tell you that these shoes should be on your list!

Other favorites are pastel colored tennis shoes! I love a light colored shoe for spring because they can easily be dressed up or down. I wear them with my jeans {white or regular jean} or a cute dress! Some of my favorites are my pink Addidas {which I also got on killer sale at DSW!!}. If you are a CostCo customer you can score these adorable lavender Puma tennis shoes right now. Another great staple for almost any outfit is my grey Toms! These you can also score on Zulily from time to time…sign up for Zulily regardless my friends! If you’re military, head over to the Exchange to snag your pair of Toms.

spring/summer sandals

Now, normally in the spring {and summer} you will find me in sandals of some kind. I was born and raised in California and any living on the East Coast has really cramped my flip flop wearing style. I’m not sure one can ever have too many sandals! I’m sharing some of my favorite ones below.

 

Rainbow Sandals – If you were born, raised or even lived for a short time in California {or even the West Coast in general} you might have encountered these flip flops. They are California to me and remind me so much of home. I love these flip flops because they are made so well, last for forever (these ones are on their second season) and have fantastic arch support for my ridiculous feet.

Rose Gold Pool Slides – You guys these are the cutest and perfect for the pool! Even if you aren’t into these (check out the different colors), check out Little Bird Boutique because they are fantastic! I love their shop and their customer service is amazing!!!

Black Slides – A good pair of black slides is a staple and can be worn into fall even. Dress them up, or wear them in shorts! These I scored at Goodwill if you can believe. Three whole dollars y’all!! I have a couple good options for you. These from Urban Posh are a great dupe for some of the more expensive ones on the market – plus use code Jena15 for 15% off!! I also love these cute Target Shore & Shade scalloped slides too.

Silver Birkenstock Style – These were a purchase last year and I’ve worn the heck out of them! They are a little scrappy but I’ll keep wearing them until they fall apart. They are so cute, and yet another sandal you can dress up or down!! Having a few multi-purpose shoes of any kind is really the key to getting the most out of your wardrobe. These I got on Zulily and I’m telling you, sign up for Zulily if you haven’t. You can score some of the best deals. You can also pay the big bucks you can splurge on the real deal, but get them for a little cheaper on Amazon!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedge sandal – A wedge sandal is a great spring/summer shoe and a staple of my wardrobe because AGAIN its multipurpose! I was serious when I said I love a good multipurpose shoe. These Lucky Brand wedges are seriously the most comfortable wedge, with so much support and a cute little zipper detail up the back. I got mine at Nordstrom Rack and I found these a close example (also at Nordstrom’s Rack).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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fashion

4 Ways to Wear Vintage-Style Tees

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I love a good vintage style tee! They speak to my already vintage-loving soul. Whether it be a favorite movie, vintage brand or music, vintage-style tees make me happy. I love that you can really wear them any way that you want and for any event. I’m so excited to share four ways that I style mine! If you’re looking to find some, here are some of my favorite places to snag them.

Naturally, the easiest way to style a good tee is with jeans and some sneakers. I prefer my chucks because they have their own little vintage vibe, but any type will do. Occasionally I’ll throw on my Airwalks for a full 90s effect! Throw on a zip-up hoodie, military jacket or a cardigan and your casual look is complete.

 

jeans and jacket ~ Old Navy

Sweatshirt – WalMart

Vintage Inspired Tee – Torrid (Back to the Future) Target (Sandlot)

Slip-On Chucks – Journeys

Burgandy Cardigan – Old Navy

For a little dressier look you can style your tee in two different ways. If I’m going to be on my feet a lot and it’s not a super dressy I’ll throw on a pencil skirt. I love black because it goes with anything, but pattern mixing can be fun here or using a bright color depending on what is going on with your shirt. You can wear your cardigan, or a jean jacket here if you want to lean into that vintage look. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I kinda want to own a jean jacket again. Another option for this look is to ditch the sneakers and wear some heels with this look. Dresses it up again, but still keeps it casual.

Jeans and Cardigan – Old Navy

Vintage Inspired Tee – Amazon

Shoes-Target

 

 

Drressing up that Vintage-Inspired band tee is probably one of my favorite ways to style it. And leopard print skirts are a trend that I am all about right now! They can be dressed up or worn casually, giving a little rocker chic look for you. love this one because of its faux- wrap around style with that nice slit. I threw on a cardigan because I love a good cardigan with just about anything, but this look doesn’t need one and you could easily leave that off and cuff up the sleeves on the shirt. As a side note, these shoes from Target are some of my new favorites. They have a bigger block heel which makes them a tad more comfortable and easier to walk around in then if it were a slimmer heel.

Shoes – Target

Skirt – Forever 21+

(this particular skirt is already sold out! But Forever21 has some other great ones!)

Chicago Tee – Amazon

Open front cardi – Old Navy

 

Lastly, for this look, I did sort of an in-between type style – a little casual, a little dressy and a lot rocker chic! I threw this look together for a concert I recently went to. I wanted to dress up my look but it wasn’t really the place for heels. I paired my band tee (because we went to see Beginnings which is an amazing Chicago cover band) and paired it with a simple black skirt, my burgundy chucks, and my military jacket. Perfect outfit and totally comfortable. You can’t go wrong with a stretchy black pencil skirt. Its a staple item to have in your closet.

 

I’d love to see how you style your tees! share with me on Instagram by tagging me! @RheChristine

 

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fashion, Plus Size

90s Feels and Vintage Tees

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I’m a child of the 80s, but the 90s were my jam! Give me a good t-shirt and jeans and I’m a happy girl. I’ve sort of gotten my tshirt addiction under control, but who am I kidding I have a lot! Some of my favorites are my vintage tees, my band shirts and the vintage-inspired t-shirts. Honestly, they just make me wanna crank up some Bush and sing at the top of my lungs! So where do I find my tshirts?

Find yourself a friend like Jena from Sweet Tea and Style, who also loves Vintage Tshirts

Best Places to Find Vintage T-Shirts?

Well, whenever I’m in the mood for a vintage tshirt there are a couple of places that I know I can walk right into and find something. Most importantly I can find something in my size!

  1. Old Navy – They usually have something on their shelves that can satisfy my old soul – but if they don’t they’ve probably got a good sassy saying somewhere that will make me just as happy. Not my go-to, but keep your eyes open! What you can find there is this awesome retro, military-inspired jacket! It’s my favorite and I probably wear it too much!
  2. Torrid – For all my curvy ladies you KNOW Torrid has you covered! Whether you need a Disney shirt for you next trip, a sarcastic saying or a retro t-shirt they’ve got it. I snagged my Back to the Future shirt there. Their tshirts are always so soft and I can count on their sizing. I’m a size 16/18 and I order a size 2 for that perfect tshirt-type fit. I can’t find it in stock, but I’m also here for this Bowie shirt!!!
  3. WalMart – WalMart is another hit and miss, but I can usually find something in the men’s section. I snagged the zip up hoodie I’m wearing below at WalMart though. It complements my 90s vibe. I’m all about the jacket with the hooded sweatshirt under it. You can snag this in stores!
  4. Target – 100% of the time I know I can count on Target for a fun vintage-inspired tee. I can snag these in the men’s section and grab an XL and have it fit perfectly! Their shirts are also always so comfortable and not too tight around the neck, which is a huge nightmare for a girl wearing a dude’s shirt. I recently grabbed a Fender shirt and this awesome Sandlot shirt (which is one of my favorite Baseball movies ever!).
  5. Etsy – Etsy will always come through for you because creatives be creating! And you can also find some real vintage stuff!
  6. Ebay – Always a good bet for vintage shirts, band and concert tees and vintage-inspired shirts that are hard to find. Bidding stresses me out, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!
  7. 6DollarTees – Random find when I was searching for stuff on the internet. Glad I ran across this place because they have some of the coolest tshirts!
  8. UPDATE AND NEW ADDITION TO LIST BoxLunch – I discovered this store while in Cleveland visiting some friends. I had never heard of it before and I was totally smitten by the time I left. I was so excited when I discovered a Gilmore Girls (which I know isn’t technically vintage) in plus size! Score! They have so many awesome tees for popculure and music that you should definitely check them out.
  9. Last but not least, if you’re looking for REAL band and concert tees, that can be a real struggle. There are a few sites that will deliver for you though. Check out Tyranny and Mutation and Collectors Weekly.

 

Where do you score your vintage and/or vintage-inspired tees?

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fashion, Plus Size, Uncategorized

Inclusive Sizing in Every Day Brands: Time and Tru from WalMart

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Well, if you are following me on my Instagram yesterday you might have seen me trying on a few pieces from Walmart’s new Time and Tru line of clothing. I saw the commercials and read about the brand and was excited to give it a try. Time and Tru does have a plus size (or woman’s) section, but their standard sizing claims to go up to size 20. As the mother of three kids as well as a stay at home mom, having a budget is really important. I can’t always shell out $30+ for a shirt and 50+ for pants or a dress. Its just simply not in the budget. Buying classic pieces that will survive the times and also wear is important, but sometimes you need some clothes and can’t afford the really nice stuff. For curvy girls this can be an even bigger issue. Sometimes our clothes cost more in general. We have to hunt for clothes more and even worse, our sections of stores are teeny tiny. Why we can’t just all be in one section with the same clothes that just go up to a bigger size is still the greatest mystery. As if I didn’t feel bad enough you stick me in a postage stamp sized section next to maternity with NO clothing that looks like the huge womens or juniors section. That rant is for another time.

I picked up five items to try on – a grey, spaghetti strap ruffle jumpsuit, flower wrap dress, cold shoulder top, white jeggings and a pink top with side ruching. First, I’m not even going to post a picture of the jumpsuit. Its super cute but just not flattering on me at all. The waist sits high and the length of the pants wasn’t right for me. I was also annoyed that I would have had to go up a full size. Not happy. Same with the jeggings….they fit but that’s about it. There wasn’t a whole lot flattering about it and it made me wonder what curvy woman would wear these.

 

I’m really in love with both of the tops – the cold shoulder will definitely work in my standard size, but the other shirt no way. That is simply because of the design of the cold shoulder is more boho and flowy. I’m still not convinced that I like the fit of the other one in that size up either.

 

The wrap dress is the whole reason I went to try these on. I love this dress so much. The feel of the fabric, the design of the dress should, in theory, be super flattering. The pattern would be perfect for Easter. Unfortunately it doesn’t fit at all like its supposed to. If you want to see the ad for it click here.

 

In short I was disappointed. The price point is great and the overall quality of the clothing is much nicer than what we have come to expect from WalMart. But the sizing leaves something to be desired. You would have to be curvy but super fit if that makes any sense at all because some of the items will show everything (the dress and the pants). Also, curvy but no boobs.

**the items shown here are a size 20+ which is two sizes larger than I would normally purchase just about anywhere else. The items in my “Fashion’ Stories are a size 16/18**

 

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fashion, Plus is Equal, Plus Size

Inclusive Sizes in Everyday Brands ~ Aerie by American Eagle

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Fashion is for everyone, not just those in standard sizes

I’m so excited to share with you guys my first post in a series I’m working on. It’s really been a labor of love for me personally. As a plus size woman who loves clothes and fashion, I’ve had to fight against two strains on that love. When you’re over the size of 14 your options for clothing tend to fall into two catergories. They are either expensive, in exclusively plus size stores, or not fashionable and limited. In some places I never could quite understand why there needed to be a separate section for plus size clothing, and why the styles looked different. And while I appreciate Target and their Ava & Viv line, why do I have to have my own line next to the maternity section? I shouldn’t have to sacrifice fashion or price just because I’ve had three kids and don’t wear a size ten anymore.Why should my style and fashion be limited by the size on the tags of that fashion? Click To Tweet

I found myself at Aerie, having not shopped there in probably eight years. I was looking for a Christmas present but thought, “Hey, I remember the “Real Aerie” campaign. I wonder if they have included more inclusive sizing?” So I set out to find my size, first looking up the size chart (they operate on a letter sizing, not numbers). Their website says that size XXL is 18 and then you go down from there. My size is typically an 18, but like most women I probably in the middle. Because lets face it, what women is exactly the size made for everyone else. That day I walked out with three pieces of clothing and I was so happy!

Henley top (similar to this one) XL

Aerie Street Hoodie size L (these are sized up for the fit they want)

Plush Jogger Pant size XL

 

 

I love this sweatshirt so much and wear it all the time! Its so comfortable, warm and I’m dying over the zip detail and the ribbon on the hoodie. Seriously guys, so cute!!

Overall I’m pleased with my experience at Aerie. The sizing was surprising in a good way. I did have to really hunt for the sizes, which tells me that there are probably lots of shoppers in these sizes looking or that they simply don’t carry enough of that size. So Aerie, get some more XL and XXL sizes in your stores!! And to all my curvy ladies, don’t be afraid to hit up your local Aerie. I remember when Aerie first became a brand ( tells you how old I am) and I loved it! I’m glad to be back.

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