It's a Must Have

I have to admit, I'm pretty snobby when it comes to my health and beauty products. I like to have the best. However, I won't resist the urge to try something if I think it's going to be a good asset to my regime. I have to say, I am now completely addicted to Tree Hut's Brazilian Nut Shaving Cream. This stuff is incredible. It's less than $5 and a tube of it lasts me for quite a while actually. It doesn't take much to get the job done. When I finish shaving my legs, they actually feel as though I've gone and gotten them waxed. That's how close of a shave you get with this shaving cream. In addition, the moisturizers in it are great for my skin. So far, I've only been able to find it at Wal-Mart. I haven't checked out Target for it yet. They have a complete line to go along with the shaving cream and I have the entire line. I absolutely adore everything that they make in this line. The smell, the feel, the end result....everything. If you're looking for something great for your skin at a bargain price, then check out the Tree Hut line from Naterra. I guarantee you that you won't be disappointed!

Free Jewelry??

I have found a website that is truly addicting. I will apologize now for giving you the url because once you look at it, you'll be hooked just like me.

Silver Jewelry Club is one of those sites that seems too good to be true. They have 4 featured pieces of jewelry on their front page. Each item is up for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, that's it. Something new pops up. You can get the item for free. You're only required to pay $5.99 shipping and handling if in the U.S. and Canada or $8.99 if otherwise international. I ordered my first ring with a little hesitation. I mean c'mon...$5.99 for a sterling silver ring with a beautiful mother of pearl setting? Well its beautiful. I've since ordered 2 more rings and 3 pendants as well as a sterling silver chain. We won't discuss how much my mother has ordered, or my sister or my friends. I encourage you to go have a look. It's an inexpensive way to build up your jewelry collection if you wear silver jewelry.

A new trend or just a re-invention of an old one

After having just spent two weeks over in Europe, it became quite clear to me what the obvious fashion statement of choice is right now. Boots! Boots were EVERYWHERE. Toddlers were wearing boots. Teenagers were wearing boots. Every woman had herself a pair of very stylish boots. They were worn with skirts, capri jeans, dress pants and crop pants. They were worn by thin and voluptuous women alike.

Every shoe store I entered was focused on the sale of boots. It was difficult not to find one's self standing in sheer lust over the beautiful leather creations. I tried them on. I tried many of them on. I was in love. I contemplated buying myself a few pair to bring back home but to be honest, I just wasn't sure that my fashion statement would be taken seriously here in Florida. I particularly loved the look of a beautiful pair of brown leather boots paired with cropped jeans. It just proves that if you buy one good versatile pair of shoes, you can truly wear them with just about anything, hence making the amount of money you spend on them well worth every cent.

I'm thinking I will just start my own fashion trend here in Florida and get myself a beautiful pair of boots. Fashion is as fashion does!

Comfort without the sacrifice of style

I, like many women, rely on versatility when it comes to fashion. I need to be able to get the most wear for my buck. I often buy things that I can mix and match. It's much more practical to be able to many different looks from a few key pieces of clothing. Let's face it...in the real world, we aren't all able to have three and four separate wardrobes to accommodate every scenario in our lives.

When it comes to versatility in my wardrobe, I find it necessary to find clothing that I can be comfortable in while at home, yet feel confident enough in to wear out in public while running errands around town. I'm not one to be changing clothes three and four times a day and there probably aren't many women who are. I'm beginning to see an increase in womens loungewear that is being designed with this idea in mind. How great is it to be able to lounge around the house in comfort and yet know that at any given minute, you can hop into your car and head out for an unexpected errand. Erin Braxton has done just that. Here is a line of women's loungewear which focuses on the fashion and comfort needs of the stylish woman. Erin Braxton's line of women's loungewear is manufactured here in the United States. There is no middle man to encounter here with your purchase therefore enabling Erin Braxton to bring you the highest quality without the obscene increase in prices. Hopefully more companies will recognize this need and start branching out into clothing lines which will appeal to today's busy woman and yet embrace her need for comfort as well as style and fashion!

Fall Essentials

For those of you up north, Fall is upon you. For those of us down here in the south, its still sweltering. However, its never too early to start thinking about your fall wardrobe and making sure you have the basic essentials to get you through. One of the key items of clothing that I suggest anyone have for their fall wardrobe is a classic denim jacket. A denim jacket is very versatile and can take your outfit in many different directions. Whether you pair it up with a long skirt or a pair of black slacks or jeans, it's certain to make a bold statement about your fashion choices. This particular jacket is from the Old Navy Plus line. It's tapered in at the waist so its going to accentuate your curves and minimize the size of your waist. When you're a plus sized woman, I don't suggest that you get the longer denim jackets that cover up your posterior. Unless they're a tapered fit, they're more prone to giving you the appearance of looking bigger than you actually are. A short waisted jacket is going to be more flattering to your figure...and you're leaving the booty available for viewing. As I always say, if you've got the assets, flaunt 'em!

Fashion at a high price

I love purses just about as much as I love my family. The perfect purse is as important as finding the perfect man...almost. However, I have limits. For example, as much as I love this purseI simply cannot see myself ever spending $14,000 on a handbag. No, you read that correctly. $14,000! I don't know about you, but I can buy quite a few designer handbags for that amount of money. I can also throw in a pair or two of designer shoes as well.

I'm not cheap, by any means, but I do believe in a certain amount of frugality where fashion is concerned. If you've got $14,000 to just toss away on a purse, perhaps you could just spend $4,000 on a handbag and maybe donate the remaining $10,000 to a very worthwhile charity?? Just a thought.

Changes

First of all, apologies for the gap in posting. Moving one's household and worldly possessions to a new home takes up a lot of time, blood, sweat and tears. Need I say that I detest moving? Way too much manual labor involved for this diva!

Since my last post, my love life has taken a turn for the toilet. Yep, that's right. I got dumped. But you know...its okay. I'm actually fine with this. I actually should have ended this relationship long ago but I made the grave mistake of dragging it out. Why did I do this you ask? Because I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to find anyone else. I was settling. It was only after the break-up that I realized how much stress and tension was released from me. I had been staying in a relationship that had died long ago and in doing so, I was slowly killing off very valuable parts of myself and who I am.

Don't make this mistake. Learn the value of yourself and all that you are worth. Do not let any man (or woman for that matter) validate you as a person. You need to be your own validation in life. I spent four years seeking validation from a man who I knew I wasn't meant to be with. Trust me when I say that looks aren't everything when it comes to a relationship. You can be with a complete god or goddess but if the love is missing...if the passion is gone...if the chemistry has dissipated, then heed my advice and move on. You will truly be surprised at the weight that is lifted from your shoulders.

Now comes the fun part in being a single woman. I actually have the freedom to start looking all over again. At first I saw this as a task. I saw it as drudgery and something I wanted to avoid at all cost. But then I re-evaluated the situation. I pulled myself up by the boot straps and had a good conversation with my inner-diva. I'm still very much a young woman. I am just now in my prime at almost 37 years of age. I get the pleasure of experiencing meeting new people. New men. New challenges. I'm excited to be single again. Mind you, I hope that it doesn't last for a long period of time as I do hope to meet an incredible man some day but for now, I'm certainly going to bask in the thrill of being a woman on the prowl.

I do promise to be more regular with posting now that my life is getting back in order. I will get back on task and posts will be coming at regular intervals. In the meantime, continue to love the woman that you are, embrace your inner diva and go buy yourself a new pair of shoes!! Shoes always make me smile!

Don't Forget

Did you tell yourself you were beautiful today? Did you look in the mirror and see a sexy and gorgeous diva staring back at you? Well if you haven't, you better. It's a necessary task for every single day for the rest of your life! Go do it! Now! Why are you still here reading? Go! Thank you!

Know Your Jeans

How often to you go and try on one pair of jeans after another all to go home empty handed, frustrated and craving some Ben and Jerry's? Ok, maybe the Ben and Jerry's is just me. Did you know that if you go to Zafu.com and answer a few questions about your body type, they'll make the suggestion of exactly what kind of jeans you should be purchasing and wearing. It's really rather nifty and I highly suggest you go give it a whirl!

Just Say No

Alright my sisters of grand proportions...here is your fashion no-no for today. Please, for the love all that is sacred and holy, stop wearing your shirts tucked in. Unless you enjoy that bulging of the rolls look, its just not attractive. Ok, even if you enjoy that look, its still not attractive. They now make so many tops and blouses that are made to cover up that which we need to conceal just a wee bit. My biggest problem area is my stomach. No way am I going to wear a shirt and shove it down my jeans and further enhance my imperfections. If you happen to have a smaller waist then play that up by wearing a blouse that gathers in slightly at the waist. Just be careful. If you're a woman with a larger chest, you're going to run into the problem of gapping if its a button down blouse. When I'm wearing a shirt that tapers in at the waist, I try to stick with something buttonless. My ta ta's have a mind of their own and don't need further encouragement to pop out at the least opportune moment.

So, remember what we've learned here today. Conceal what is meant to be concealed and play up what is meant to be revealed. Stop tucking your shirt in. Just don't do it. Not to mention, it gives you that not so lovely roll right across your posterior. This can never be a good thing. Never. In closing, if you simply must tuck a shirt in due to clothing restrictions or rules for work, then just make sure that you're wearing pants that are properly fitting and if need be, get yourself a control top panty. They can be your best friend. Trust me!

Really??

I have a hard time believing that a cream is going to help me obtain that which is known as "slim". Let's be real here. This is the description they give their product.

“A new, advanced technology adipose antagonist (in layman’s terms that’s fat fighter) that features QuSome encapsulated caffeine molecules for quick and targeted delivery of the skin-slimming stuff of choice of supermodels, spokespeople, and other celebs.”

It’s $29 for 6 oz. Personally, I can think of a lot better things to do with $29 then rubbing cream on my thighs with the anticipation of them shrinking. Can you say purses? Shoes? $29 would also buy me a few tidbits at Bath and Body Works...my all-time favorite store. Yeah, I'll pass on the fat cream and just take my chances on the good old fashioned exercise regimen!

No, No, No

Here is a fashion faux paux tip for you. As I've stated before, there are certain things that you should refrain from wearing. I don't care that its in your size and I don't care that you love it. Halter tops, for instance. Stop it. Big girls should NOT wear halter tops unless you've just got some incredibly toned arms, great shoulders and something to support the girls. If you can't answer yes to all of the above, then

DO NOT DO IT!

Believe me, I'm all about the equality of women when it comes to fashions. I think that woman of size get short changed a lot of times in apparel. But, no matter how equal you want to be, there are just some things that you can't wear that the skinny girl does wear. Get over it. Find what works and work your find.

Take the plunge

If you're one who likes to bare a lot of cleavage then I've got the "must have" bra for you! I have this bra in 5 different colors. It's called the Passion Lace Lined Plunge Bra and its from Lane Bryant. What makes this bra different from other bras that enhance cleavage is that with this bra, you can control how much cleave you show. There are removable air pillows in the side panels of the cup. Take them out for average cleavage or leave them in for daring dramatic cleavage. Just remember to take them out when washing the bra and I never place these bras (nor any bra for that matter) into the dryer.

And just so you know, they usually have matching panties in stock to match every color of the bra that they have. Trust me, I have all of the panties too! It's an addiction...what can I say?

Just a reminder

Have you been working on your self-esteem? Have you been looking into the mirror every day and telling yourself how beautiful and how special you are? If you haven't, you should be. If you have, then make sure you continue. The first step in having people accept you for the woman that you are, is you accepting yourself for the woman that you are!

Sometimes...

It's not about the clothes that you're wearing, it's about the accessory that you're carrying. You can have a great outfit but don't forget to finish it off with a fantastic purse. For me, that's easy. I'm a purse fanatic. I truly believe that you can never own too many handbags. They don't have to be expensive. I've found bags on sale at Target for as low as $5 and they look like a $100 bag. This is my dream bag here. It's by Michael Kors and it retails for $398.00. Yes, I know that's very expensive. Yes, I know that $400 can buy a lot more than one purse. But we're worth expensive things once in a while.
If you absolutely cannot afford an expensive bag then shop around a little. Hit up the sales at discount stores and department stores. You'd be surprised at the bargains you can find. Don't be afraid to step outside of the box and go with a bold color. Black and brown may go with everything, but they're boring if that's all you ever buy. So go..now...take thyself purse shopping and think luxurious. Think sexy. Think about yourself and how much you're worth it!!

How It Measures...

Ladies, do yourself a favor and please go get properly measured for your bra size. You would not believe the number of women who are wearing the wrong size bra day in and day out. They do this either because they just assume they are one size or they do this because they fall in love with a particular bra and will do whatever necessary to squeeze their girls in. Please, please, please. Stop this madness.

I'll admit, I went for a very long time and had never been properly measured before. I would just try on bras and take what held my abilities the best and was most comfortable. Little did I know that for the longest time, I'd been wearing the wrong size bra. I was wearing a bra that was too big around yet too small in cup size. I'd been doing this for years. Since being measured, I stick strictly within the size that I am. I do not waiver. If a store doesn't have it in my proper size, I simply try back at a later time or I go on to a different store.

Go into any plus size ladies store such as Lane Bryant or even Macy's and other department stores that have actual lingerie departments. Just tell the sales clerk that you're uncertain of your definitive bra size and you'd like to be measured. It takes 15 seconds. Trust me, those 15 seconds will make a world of difference in how you feel and how you look!

Shoes do make the woman

Did you know that Payless Shoe Stores carries American Eagle brand shoes now? I found out just by wandering in one day and I fell in love with the selection. They have everything from casual slip on shoes, to flip flops to adorable dressy shoes such as these that I have shown here. Here again, notice the heel on the shoe. Notice that you'll not be trying to balance your big, beautiful frame on a heel tip which is the size of a pin head. I know that sometimes its about fashion and not practicality but as I've stated before...reality is accepting the fact that some shoes were just not meant for big girls to wear! That being said, I really think you should make it your task to get out and find yourself a great pair of shoes. Trust me. Shoes make for a happy woman and a happy woman makes for a happy environment all around! By the way, those shoes that you see up there. The sexy red ones...they're only $19.99!! How great is that?

Spanx Me!

How many times have you found a dress that you thought would be just perfect for you. How many times have you seen a pair of pants and had to have them because they'd look terrific with that sweater you got for your birthday. How many times have you tried these things on and had to walk down-trodden back to the rack and return them because they allowed every bulge and roll and anything else negative to be cast into the limelight?

No more! There is a solution and that solution is SPANX. There is a Spanx product made to control everything from your upper body down to your calves. It's revolutionary. They're wonderful. I first noticed them sold at Lane Bryant not too long ago which made me a happy girl. I originally heard about them on the Oprah Winfrey show and I knew right then that I would be a fan forever. They run in size from small to extra large at Spanx.com however at Lane Bryant, they're offered in the plus sizes.

Seriously ladies...we all need to get our Spanx'ing!

Life Changing Ways

If you're like me, you have probably found yourself on diet after diet after diet. Constantly trying to find the new fad that will work for you. I have discovered one thing. Diets do not work. Dieting will not get you where you want to be. Changing your lifestyle...that will bring results. It's a lifetime change. Not a 30 day process. Exercise and very sensible eating habits...that's what it's all about. I'm not the best when it comes to being devoted to an exercise regimen, BUT, to my credit, I do run after 5 kids all day long, up and down the stairs, running a household with 10 people in it...so I get my fair share of fitness in.

What it all boils down to is sensibility. Use your head. You know that the pizza is going to stick with you a lot longer than a grilled chicken caesar salad. It's making wise decisions and being devoted to changing the way you eat on a daily basis. Some of us may never be thin, but that's okay. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a positive outlook on life is all that we'll ever need!

Embracing Yourself

Always remember to look into the mirror every single day and see the beautiful woman that you are. Never let anybody tell you that you're less of a person because you're bigger in size. You are beautiful, incredible and special and you are someone important and you're destined for great things! Embrace your inner diva every single day and recognize your self for all that you are worth...and that is something priceless!

Sheer Elegance

I've found a new haven in which to shop! I'm simply in love with Igigi! I love their clothing. It's elegant and tailored and sophisticated. They also have a bridal selection which is simply beautiful. Their stores are somewhat limited in location but I have a feeling that they're branching out rather quickly. In the meantime, I'm delighted to be able to shop online. I would urge you to go and have a look.