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Links à la Mode: Before you splurge for Fall, read a blog or two
Last week, Links à la Mode fashioned a roundup of the latest fashion perspectives and trends for the anticipation of another highly anticipated Fall. With the “September” editions landing on our doorsteps and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week right around the corner, we brace our pocketbooks for the damage it is about to endure. Whether the latest developments in plus size fashion, a Brazilian blowout, or style inspirations, this week’s links act as a guide of both inspiration and aspirations to Fall fashion. Before we delve into snatching up the latest “it” items from our secret wish (lust) list, below are a few must reads from the intuitive fashion bloggers who share their insights of what to expect from fashion, head to toe.
Links à la Mode: August 19th
- All Tumble Down- Focusing on style “best practices”; what we do well instead of what we don’t
- Amanda Lee- 6 Great Ways to Repurpose Your Clothing
- Beyond Fabric- Tips on size and fit for menswear
- Chic Steals- Street Style the New Determinate of Cool? The Evolution of the Girl Next Door as Style Icon
- Dramatis Personae- Style on the Run Guest Post: Fall Lust List
- Fashion Cents- wants to make sure you don’t break any vows. Get 3 tips on what to wear to a wedding this season
- Fashion Pulse Daily- Dana Lorenz, designer of Fenton Fallon Jewelry, oversees a blogger DIY jewelry session in her Lower East Side Boutique
- Fete a Fete- Review of Givenchy’s new Blooming Fall 2010 makeup collection
- Independent Fashion Bloggers: How Does the Coach Poppy Project Benefit Bloggers?
- Just B- B Deceived: Handbags in disguise
- Lovely and Lavish- Fall 2010 RTW: the Worst Accessories!
- Manda Bear- Sally Hansen Limited Edition Xtreme Wear Nail Polishes – Reviews, Swatches and a Giveaway
- Mrs. Bossa Does the Do- Autumn’s a-comin’, and brings with it our perennial love of heritage chic – dig out your sequins and tweed, ladies…
- RetroChick- 5 ways to update your wardrobe for next to nothing
- Return to Sender- A fabulous interview with fat acceptance advocate, and author of FAT!So?, Marilyn Wann and her view on “fashion.”
- Shoe Day Dreams- Skin Secrets – maintenance is key over the long-haul.
- Style Eyes Fashion- Fashion bloggers and consumerism – how fashion bloggers are discouraging consumerism and encouraging sustainable style
- Style Wax Poetic- 10 to die for shoes All Under $100.
- The Curvy Fashionista- Plus size indie label, Jibri gives the Curvy.Confident.Chic Fashionistas a tease with her Fall 2010 collection
- The Coveted- Blown away by the Brazilian Blowout
- Watch this Place- Dark, but don’t let it be dreary… how to wear Autumn’s dark colors without looking drab.
Last updated 7 hours ago by Jennine
sorry about that..it’s all fixed!
Jennine 322 days ago
Thank you so much for including The Demosielles!! <3
These ilnks are fabulous – very well chosen!
Miss Elle 321 days ago
Super excited this is my first time in 
Kasey Ellison 315 days ago
thanks for finding that Apples and Oranges and Jennine for fixing it so quickly!
Kristen 308 days ago
For some reason the link after Queen Gilda aren’t showing… just me, or code prob?
ferOHHHsh 294 days ago
Ok———— I fixed it for my blog, but if you have a dark background like me, you’re going to have to tweak tha last few links. After Queen Gilda-on… remove the
ferOHHHsh 294 days ago
Thanks so much for including Denim Debutante… glad I could provide a little laughter!
Love,
Jaime
DenimDebutante 294 days ago
Thank you so much for including me! I am beyond honored and so grateful. Links a la Mode is my motivation and the benchmark for me. It encourages me to do my best and make my best better. Thanks again!
xoxo
http://mama-fashionista.blogspot.com
Mamafashionista 294 days ago
Thank you again so much for allowing me to share with you all!
Marie Denee 273 days ago
Thanks for including my birthday tea.
dreamsequins 266 days ago
TNX for including me xx
M 265 days ago
Thanks for putting What2WearWhere in!!!!! You’re the best!
What2WearWhere 259 days ago
Thanks for including Sway Sway Away!
cate 259 days ago
Thank you so much for including the Bargain Hunter Extraordinaire! You are so sweet!
thebargainhunterextraordinaire 252 days ago
Where can I find the code for this week’s Links a la mode? I can’t post it otherwise!!
Emily 237 days ago
soory… it’s up!
Jennine 236 days ago
Thanks for including me! Happy 2010!!!
gritandglamour 231 days ago
Thank you so much for included Unfunded! Have a safe and happy New Years!!
Unfunded 231 days ago
Thanks for including Fashion Cents. We are ecstatic.
Fashion Cents 231 days ago
Thanks for including me! Great start to the year!
twentyteneightyfour 230 days ago
There is a typo in my link – it should read convinced not convinved… I’d be really grateful if you could change it when you post the code… Thanks!!!!! x
twentyteneightyfour 230 days ago
Disappointed in alight.com
One of my first giveaways on Return to Sender was from alight.com, who contacted me and wanted to have a three months worth of giveaways, a free top each time. So, I was excited, because what a great way to begin the Summer of Giveaways?
However, I was wrong.
My giveaway with alight.com ended May 13th. It is now August 19 – that means it has been three months since the giveaway, and the winner has still not received her free top. I have contacted Alight.com at least 5 times to either no response, or a false promise to send it out.
It can’t be a stocking issue, because the top was to be chosen by alight.com and they just needed the size. I’m just very disappointed that they would take advantage of my blog to gain traffic and visibility in the plus size community, and not come through on their end of the deal.
Mostly, I feel taken advantage of as a blogger, which seems to be a trend that’s being discussed more and more at this point. And I also feel like I let down my readers. I have offered to buy the winner a top of her choice, but she said she’d rather I try to get alight.com to keep their promise, so this is my last effort.
After working with so many other fabulous companies, I should have expected to come across a bad seed – and alight.com is it.
Check out their terrible reviews:
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews131050.html
Read MoreBIG FAT SUMMER CHALLENGE IS OVER!
Hey, hey contestants – the Big Fat Summer Challenge ended on the 1st! Which means it is going to be VOTING TIME! But I only have a couple of links from people when I KNOW more of you participated! So, leave a comment with your link to your post featuring all of your looks. I’ll make another post when I get everyone’s with a poll for voting! In the mean time, check out my looks:
- Wear shorts (NO LEGGINGS, NO TIGHTS!)
- Wear something without sleeves
- Wear something STRAPLESS
- Rock a bathing suit
- Wear a bodycon dress/outfit
- Go SPANX/shaper free (might be harder for some of us..ahem…ME)
- Rock a maxi dress or something similar
- Wear something structure-less
- Wear a short skirt/dress
- YOUR CHOICE: Something you normally wouldn’t wear/do – BE BRAVE!
Alright, alright, I know. I failed. I didn’t wear any shorts. I really tried – I bought two different pairs at Goodwill, and neither fit right. And I FINALLY got a romper I love – from Lane Bryant – but never got any pics in it. BUT KNOW I wear the shorts romper! And structure-less…I have that black dress from eShakti that is structureless…but then I belted it. I did wear a structureless tunic way back, but that was before the challenged. I’ll work on this one! But here are the looks I did complete:
Fatshionistas, Stop Doing These Things:
These are things that need to END in the plus-size community:
- Using the phrase “real women” needs to be completely phased out of everyone’s vocabulary. Got a vagina or identify yourself as female? You are a real woman. End of story. No amount of fat, boobs, hips, lips or whatever will make you any more real. Sorry to disappoint.
- Judging what others SHOULD wear. If you don’t want to wear a a slip as a dress and go to prom, then don’t. But I will. There are not absolutes in fashion and style. It is all about CREATIVITY. There is NOTHING you can’t wear – there are just things you choose not to wear. So if you hate Beth Ditto’s style, that’s fine, scream it from the hilltops, but don’t say what she can/should wear. Stop the body shame!
- Being afraid of the word FAT. How can you be a fatshionista if you are afraid of the word fat? Ladies, gents, I know it’s hard to get used to it. We’ve all been tortured with the word fat. The fear of it. The shame of it. Hell, I didn’t start accepting it until this year and it’s 2010! Let’s all get on the fat wagon, shall we? The big fat wagon with big fat fatties on it.
- Being so damn negative. We are see what is on the EVANS facebook page, women bashing other women, complaining about the clothes, etc, And we even see people on Twitter doing the same thing. You make your own happiness. You make your own opportunities. People getting down at Gabi for the YFF conference, people complaining about Full Figure Fashion Week – come on! A lot of people put a LOT of work into both of those events – and they deserve support and praise! I can understand daily, everyday type of bitching, aka “WHAT THE F*&(* I AM OUT OF COFFEE!” or “I RUINED MY FAVORITE HEELS!” but all the other stuff, has got to go.
- Being competitive. We need to SUPPORT each other – not get angry. Who cares if two, three, or four of us get to review things from the same company? They are businesses – of COURSE they are going to want more exposure – it has nothing to do with us! Just be proud that we’re all doing well and succeeding at things we want to succeed at!
- And finally, probably my personal pet peeve, referring to having an opinion and voicing it as “drama.” It’s not drama to have an opinion on someone’s stance about plus size models, fat acceptance, etc It’s call using your brain and expressing your opinion. I talk politics with my family/friends all the time – is that “drama”? Of course not. So why is this any different?
Let’s just all be good to one another.
Peace.
Do you have any pet peeves? Or suggestions for how to strengthen our community?
Read MoreBloggy: New Logo!
I’ve been thinking about a new logo for a while. I photoshopped mine really easily and I liked it, but it wasn’t anything to get excited about it. I love Fat Grechen, but I knew sooner or later, we’d have to part ways. Sorry, Grech!) So when I saw Devon’s fabulous new header on her blog, I LOVED the designer’s style and immediately wanted to get in contact with her. She e-mailed me yesterday and I gave her my (incredibly vague) idea and voila! She created someting so perfect, I couldn’t believe, all by TODAY!
So, who is this fabulous artist? Her name is Amy Digby and you can see more of her work on her portfolio. Her prices are reasonable, her work is fantastic, and she is incredibly creative and responsive! If you are in need of a new logo or header or anything check her out!
Read MoreSUMMER OF GIVEAWAYS: Black Cat Plus!
On with the SUMMER OF GIVEAWAYS! I really have to thank all of my readers – without all of you reading I wouldn’t be able to do this – so it’s a big thank you (and hey, the giveaways are for you, too!)! I never thought my blog would go anywhere, especially so QUICKLY! I’ve only been seriously fashion blogging since March – and I can’t believe the response I’ve gotten from everyone. I just love to write, be random, and be myself, and apparently that jives with ya’ll (I love when I channel southerners) so I’ll keep going. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! <3
I’ve been chatting with Jodell, owner of Black Cat Plus, for a few months now, and she is a wonderful lady! Jodell is herself a fatshionista – and a corporate trainer and consultant. After meeting women across the US and Canada, who often asked for fashion advice, she went as far as taking the clothes off her back to give to her plus size clients! She decided to start Black Cat Plus and has a boutique in Rochester, NY and the full-service website. She offers brands from around the world including Kiyonna, IGIGI, Diane Kennedy, and more! Here are some of my current favorites:
-
- Silk Thread Floral Stripe Kaftan
-
- Comfy USA Flutter Sleave Pleated Dress
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- Kiyonna Tory Cinch Dress – Pink
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- IGIGI Black Patent Buckle Belt
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- Kiyonna Denim Pencil Skirt
Now, on to the exciting news! Jodell is offering readers of Return to Sender the chance to win a $100 Gift Certificate! We are going to do entering a little differently this time, here are the rules:
- Go to Black Cat Plus and pick out a few items to make an outfit with
- Post your outfit choices in the Google Doc section
- Jodell and I will pick a winner based on their creativity and style – so ladies, GO ALL OUT!
Pretty simple, right? No tweeting, following, facebooking, social media whoring, just create an outfit and you are entered! The Giveaway ends June 1st at 11:59pm – get your creativity on! (AND MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS!)
This giveaway is listed at All Things Bloggy.
Read More
About Me
Sarah is a 20-something with 3 dogs and a hamster as companions. Armed with two degrees in creative writing, she is a sales manager at a hotel, which makes no sense at all. A hipster in (somewhat) denial, this blog details anything from what she wore that day to how awesome naps are. Enjoy! Any further questions?
Oranges And Apples
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thanks for including me!
Just wanted to say that there’s a mistake in the idiosyncratic style link – it says ahref rather than a href. Was easy to sort out myself, but maybe should change it in the code just in case? Also theres a stray ” after the a in the Jewelrywhore link, although this didn’t seem to bother blogger.
Oranges And Apples 322 days ago