#30 - Welcome to Harlem

I officially moved to Harlem on July 2 (then had to go back to Cleveland for a family reunion) and in the approximately 10 days I've lived here, I just am so amazed by this city and by my neighborhood. Harlem is a beautiful, vibrant place, and deserves SO much more credit than it is given. The people here have been so welcoming and kind to me in every possible way. I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of this community. I can't wait to start work and get to meet my students in about two short months!

Moving to NYC from Ohio has been quite a lifestyle change. I'm slowly feeling myself turning into an authentic New Yorker (annoyed by tourists, figuring out how not to fall on the Subway, running in heels/wedges to catch a train) and there are some things that have been hard to get used to-- no driving, no public restrooms, and no large sodas! Damn you, Bloomberg. However, there are so many things that I have always loved and am growing to love more and more. Walking everywhere is certainly not convenient, but I'm so amazed by what I see. The subway, too. I get to listen to music now and chill (road-rage free!), I get to be physically active nearly every moment of every day (my body is rejecting it but, soon I'll be used to it!). And the fashion! I'm trying not to be that creepy weirdo staring all slack-jawed at people on the subway, but I'm so inspired by what all different people of all different shapes, sizes, colors, and ages are rocking every single day. I can't help but make mental notes when I see a unique piece, or an accessory worn a certain way, or a color combination that I've never thought of before. It's been a little bit lonely sometimes (not a ton of close friends here... yet) but I have to say that I'm utterly inspired and awed by being here.

I hope to get a tripod and a remote soon so I can take some real outfit pictures, especially while I'm exploring, but I hope these cell phone pics will do for now!

DRESS Black Silk Ruffle Wrap Dress, Banana Republic| SHOES All Caps Wedges, Jeffrey Campbell | BAG Nickoley, ALDO (on sale for $32!)

I have to pat myself on the back-- er, head-- for what I would like to say was a phenomenal hair day! This dress is my go-to dress when I want to look classy and fierce. You can't see the ruffles too well in the cell phone pics (my bad!), but they add a very feminine touch to this classic silhouette. It's also very "flattering" for every body type, if you're into that kind of thing. BR is definitely a place I like to shop for work-to-evening kind of looks (and they go up to a size 18/20). The bag is my dream-- a pretty classy color-blocked bag that is HUGE. It fits my 13" laptop and pretty much everything and anything else, and still zips!

I was wandering around Soho yesterday, checking out some swanky places on and off of Prince Street, doing a little furniture browsing in the beautiful Room & Board on Wooster. I popped in to the Miu Miu store inspired by the wonderful Nicolette Mason and was blown away by the shoes and sunglasses. Maybe after I receive my first paycheck I'll blow a good chunk of it on these absolutely mind-blowing sunglasses:

If you're gonna live in NYC, you gotta look the part! More adventures forthcoming...

#24 Forget Me Not

Remember me? I'm still here... working my butt off. And I have really exciting news that I can't wait to share with you all in a few short weeks!

Back to fashion: I love florals. There's something about them that make me happy. Maybe it's because they scream spring, or because they remind me of a comfy old grandma couch. Two memories that bring a lot of joy. Either way, I'm really pleased that they're really trending in fashion lately. In fact, a lot of my favorite things have become trendy-- comfortable wedges and flatforms, neon colors, florals, lace, and maxi dresses. Clearly I'm so awesome, I'm ahead of the curve. Right... Now, on to the outfit!

TOP Floral Peplum Shirt, H&M | JEANS Classic Skinnies, Eloquii | SHOES All Caps Wedges, Jeffrey Campbell | WALLET/CLUTCH Mint Zip Wallet, UO

Sorry the photo quality isn't perfect. My amazing friend Ellie took them on her iPhone. I'm still amazed at the quality regardless. Oh, and lip color is Schiap by NARS. The lovely Nicolette Mason wears it a lot on her blog, too!

I love the peplum thing. This top is from H&M and they had so many tops like this... I also got it in solid kelly green and a navy top with red polka dots. That's how I roll: find one thing you like and get it in every color. I think it makes me look a little too busty but hell, I'm wearing what I wanna wear! I'm becoming quite a fan of Eloquii, too. I'm pretty pleased with the jeans I got. They're a little bit big and a little bit short on me (I'm about 5'7") but they're still great and really comfortable. I definitely plan to get them in more sizes and colors (and size down and get a bigger inseam). I only wish they had them in bright tropical colors and pastels! I'm drooling just thinking about it!

Another interesting development: I stumbled upon myself on Pinterest. There have been a lot of picture sharing of my outfits, especially this one in particular! It's pretty cool actually. It really built up my confidence to see that people liked my style. If you pinned me, thank you so much and thank you for giving me credit! Happy Spring, all!

#23 Spring in January

Yesterday was an insanely beautiful day... finally, some sunshine in the midwest! It didn't feel like January, more like a blustery fall day. I picked an outfit with a splash of bright neon blue to match the gorgeous sky. My best friend and I hit the mall and walked around outside for the entire day. Sorry about all the squinting! It was so bright outside!

JACKET Brown Leather Jacket, F21 | TOP Color Blocked Silk Blouse, Ann Taylor Loft | JEANS Skinny Jeans, Old Navy | SHOES Tan Buckle Boots, F21 | NECKLACE Rhinestone Compass Necklace, Target | EARRINGS 1/2" Turquoise Spirals, Body Art Forms | SUNGLASSES Gold Prescription Aviators, Ray Ban

I'm not a big "brown" person. Most of the more neutral colors in my wardrobe are black and white. Recently, I've really been getting into shades of brown, taupe, and cognac. They are so beautiful. I really think pairing brown with bright neon blue or cobalt is a really unusual but gorgeous color combination and it's something I'm definitely going to continue on in the future.

I'm a huge fan of bright pastels for spring. The top I'm wearing is from Ann Taylor, which I normally associate with more mature work-wear. However, they have a ton of cute stuff for spring, including pastel colored skinny jeans and gorgeous, bright silk tops. It may be winter time, but that doesn't mean we can't be colorful.

Some of my favorite pastels and brights for spring include:

There are so many to choose from! I just purchased the leopard wedges at H&M on our mall trip. They are so comfortable and inexpensive! I also bought the black and white wrist cuff from F21 and the wedges in black from ALDO (not pictured). My favorite items here include the pastel bunting necklace from ASOS, all of the floral print, the gorgeous lilac wedges from ALDO (sold out in my size... *SOB*), the Dior Garden Party collection nail lacquers, and the pastel Jeffrey Campbell studded loafers, which come in a variety of pastel colors. The ALDO Calcagni wedges are fabulous and come in a ton of Spring colors. Just beware-- they are about 1.5-2 sizes smaller than you would normally buy (I bought an 11 and I'm a 9).

I love pastels and brights! I'm looking forward to absorbing as much color as possible into my wardrobe this year. What are your favorite pastel and bright colors that you're looking forward to wearing this Spring?

#1 Welcome to NYC

First post! I'm excited to finally begin my fashion adventure via blog. I've been reading tons of fashion blogs, most especially for "plus-sized" women, as well as tons of blogs about body image and fat acceptance. These incredible female writers have brought out so much confidence in me and have inspired me to to post my own fashion photos, as well as photos of my travel and experiences. I will definitely be giving these stylish ladies shout outs in future posts.

To explain the title: I'm currently in New York City for the month of July, enjoying the summer with my boyfriend and contemplating my potential move to NYC someday in the near future. I have some great professional development opportunities (I'm a teacher) here for the summer, and I'm looking forward to learning more and seeing some fantastic schools in NYC. Right now I'm chilling out in Sunnyside in Queens and we're eventually going to be subletting a place in Brooklyn. Can't wait! And now, on to the outfit!

DRESS Purple & Yellow Striped Dress, Lux from UO | SHOES All Caps Strappy Wedges, Jeffrey Campbell | BAG Vintage Vietnam-Era Gas Mask Bag | BRACELETS Gold Bangles, Forever 21 SUNGLASSES (Not pictured) Gold Prescription Aviators, Ray Ban

I think these photos are very appropriate for a first post because I think they do my fashion persona justice-- they show how my style is bright, eccentric (with a penchant for the weird/strange), playful, and inspired by travel! What's your fashion persona?