Lately, a lot of my friends have been talking about pants. For me and for many others, pants are a touchy subject. My crazy waist-to-hip ratio makes it hard for me to find pants that fit comfortably and attractively. As I’m roughly 42-32/3-48″, a pair that fits in the hip is almost always too big in the waist. Sometimes, pants are fine in the thighs and WAY too baggy in the knees/calves. Continue reading “The wonderful world of PANTS: Part Un”
UPDATED! Pinup and Plus: Black Friday (Week) Sales!
But wait! There’s more! Edited on Wednesday, November 21 to add more sales!
For those who love clothing, shopping on the internet, and epic sales, Thanksgiving week is your dream come true! Here’s a smattering of online retailers offering excellent sales on plus and retro styles this week:
- JBR Clothing – This retro and rockabilly retailer is offering special deals every day (except Thanksgiving) through Sunday. The traditional “Black Friday” discount will be 20-25% off, depending on the time of day you buy. JBR carries sizes XS-XL.
- Pinup Girl Clothing – This retro and pinup manufacturer and retailer will be offering a Black Friday special, most likely to newsletter subscribers (sign up at the bottom left of the main page). Past PUG Black Friday sales have included significant percentage discounts on entire orders and Cyber Monday specials on specific items. PUG’s made-in-USA house brand pieces – which include Pinup Couture, Deadly Dames, Laura Byrnes Black Label (Laura Byrnes California), and Dixiefried – come in sizes XS-2X (some in up to 4X).
- Heartbreaker Fashion – This retro and rockabilly manufacturer is offering a secret Black Friday deal to newsletter subscribers. There will also be Facebook sale rack discounts on Saturday and Sunday and a gift certificate offer on Monday. Heartbreaker offers beautiful, American-made pieces in sizes XS-2X.
- City Chic – 60% off sitewide and up to 80% off sale items through November 26. City Chic offers contemporary plus fashions in sizes 14-24.
- Torrid – 40% all regular price items now through Friday for Divastyle members with email code ONLY4DIVAS (web) and email ad itself (in store). The 40% extends to everyone online starting on Thanksgiving, and in stores on Black Friday proper. For free shipping on orders over $25 on Thursday and Friday, use code BLKFRISHIP. Also, BOGO 50% off through today (Wednesday). Torrid carries fashionable plus size clothing for “young” women, including some top pieces from retro manufacturers like Stop Staring! As of this writing, they have the famous Billion Dollar Baby dress in stock on the website in black and red. Sizes 24 and 26 available in each!
- Eliza Parker – 35% off everything through November 26 with code LOTSOFLOVE35. Eliza Parker presents elegant and versatile American-made fashions in plus sizes.
- Kiyonna – From now through November 26, save 30% of almost everything on the site with code THANKFUL (minimum $150 purchase). Kiyonna offers gorgeous American-made dresses and separates in sizes 10-32, including the retro classic Scalloped Lace Boudoir dress and Retro Glam Lace dress.
- Eshakti – Up to 50% off many current styles through Black Friday – no coupon required! Eshakti carries both misses and plus sizes, with custom sizing available for a small fee. Their styles range from contemporary to vintage-inspired.
Seasonal Fashion: Fuzzy vintage sweaters, perfect for fall!
I know I beat you guys over the head with my cardigans all the time, but having just acquired a new one, I thought it might be handy to remind everybody what a super accessory a vintage cardigan can be!
Not only are they practical – they tend to be well-made, warm, and competitively priced (beaded vintage is almost always a better deal than the contemporary alternative, for example) – they’re adorable! My latest is a pink wool, Angora, and nylon blend from Hong Kong. It’s lined and profusely beaded, which makes it perfect for work or a fancyish event of some sort. Continue reading “Seasonal Fashion: Fuzzy vintage sweaters, perfect for fall!”
Outfits of the Season: Surviving summer work
Since I live and work in a region where temperatures shoot well above 100 degrees Farenheit, it’s always difficult for me to balance summer comfort with professional elegance. Some days it just isn’t possible to trudge across scorching hot parking lots and up four flights of stairs in uncomfortable heels and sweltering Spanx, so I try to mix things up with lightweight fabric swing sundresses, white summer cardigans for coverage and for their reflective and sunscreening properties, flats, and “flatform” shoes. Continue reading “Outfits of the Season: Surviving summer work”
Link: Dolldivine.com’s Pinup Maker Deluxe
If you love dressing up digital paper dolls and adore pinup style, Kei’s Pinup Maker Deluxe is the game for you!
Based on the larger selection of build-’em-yourself dolls at Dolldivine.com, this specifically pinup version is hosted at Deviantart. Customize outfits, hair, makeup, shoes, accessories, and backgrounds!
Link: Pinup Girl Style
There’s a new online community for fans of Pinup Couture, Deadly Dames, and Pinup Girl Clothing‘s other wonderful house brands! At Pinup Girl Style, members can share photos of themselves in PUG clothing, participate in discussions, read blogs by members of Team PUG and their guests, and swap or sell their PUG goods. Check it out!
More pretty outfits, more pretty pictures: My Viva Las Vegas photo shoot with Angela Morales
In addition to my fabulous photo shoot with Tara O., my Viva Las Vegas itinerary included an amazing shoot at Paris Hotel & Casino with the talented and personable Angela Morales. Angela’s photography is breathtaking, but she’s also a lot of fun to work with and an excellent teacher to boot!
Her direction was top-notch, putting me at ease immediately. “Pretend like you’re mouthing vowels; start with A and move through U – that way you’ll get variety in your expressions!” and “If it feels silly, it’s probably perfect!” were my favorite instructions.
For the shoot, I wore my Deadly Dames Pirate Dress and Laura Byrnes Black Label Grace Dress, two of my all-time favorite outfits. I accessorized them with my vintage rhinestone necklace and clip earrings, my El Dorado Club Filigree Bat Necklace, and my Piou Piou patent leather pumps by Christian Louboutin. The multitalented Ruby Collins did an amazing job with my hair and makeup. Continue reading “More pretty outfits, more pretty pictures: My Viva Las Vegas photo shoot with Angela Morales”
Hell Bunny of the Day + New Deadly Dames
Here are a couple of odds and ends I thought might be of interest!
For the last few months I’ve wanted to try a non-halter Hell Bunny style, like the red gingham Chantal Dress linked here. When the Chantal sold out in my size at JBR Clothing, I steeled myself to look into other fabric options in the same cut. Luckily, my friend Jessica discovered that the minty green Tigerlili Dress from Hell Bunny was a completely different shade than the “conversation heart” hue of the Olivie Dress, which I already own. So, I decided to give it a try! Continue reading “Hell Bunny of the Day + New Deadly Dames”