Hey Glossies,

I love the idea of wearing brown and black together, especially if one of the items has a print.  I also like wearing black with a light to mid-tone brown, which help to provide a contrast with the black.  The contrast will help to create an elegant classic look.

Talbots Pleated Satin Top - Black

Charter Club Leopard Print Pencil Skirt

Outfit Details

• Talbots Pleated Satin Top – Black
• Charter Club Leopard Print Pencil Skirt
• Ralph Lauren Belt
• Pumps from Steinmart
• Banana Republic Snake-embossed clutch

 Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Summer 2011, Talbots found itself in a precarious position.  The brand was trying to reach out to the younger demographic and it seemed that the (newer) young and long-term customers were not liking the offerings.  Well, it seems this year (Spring/Summer 2012) that Talbots is working diligently on catering to both demographics while keeping its classic bent.

The Talbots Trellis Lace Dress has been on my wishlist since I saw the Spring lookbook in Fall 2011.    My eye has been on the Ivory version.  The lace is gorgeous and the dress is so romantic and flirty. I got a chance to see and feel this dress in-store and the material is substantive, definitely good quality.  Definitely made me want the Trellis Lace dress more.

Talbots Trellis Lace Dress - Ivory

Well, this dress seems to be selling out (at full-price) in the Women’s sizes, so I do not know if the Ivory dress *will come home with me, anytime soon. *sniff sniff*  Maybe…A miracle?!?!

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

After posting about Eloquii a few weeks back, I decided to purchase a few more items from the brand.  One of the items that I purchased was the Chiffon Ruffle Front Shirt in Okra Green.  The blouse fabric is stretch cotton and the ruffles are polyester.  The blouse actually fit well in the bust area….no gaping.

I ordered my “normal” size in the Chiffon Ruffle Front Shirt, but the sizing seems to be similar plus size brands (e.g. Lane Bryant), which means for most tops, specifically, knitwear, I will need to size up (unlike Talbots, Ralph Lauren, Dorothy Perkins and Boden).  Also, I found that the garment measurements were very difficult to obtain, so no final sale purchases for me!

OOTD Details

• Eloquii Chiffon Ruffle Front Shirt
• Ellen Tracy Skirt
• Eloquii Patent Trapunto Belt – Grey
• Hanes Pantyhose
• Steve Madden Pumps

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Back in the day, a scarf was the only way I could spruce up an outfit because jewelry (excluding brooches) was not an option.  I love scarves and have collected many of the years and continue to add to my collection.

FRAAS Contemporary Leopard Print Scarf - Black

The FRAAS Animal Print Scarf for the Spring/Summer 2012 Collection offers fun options to scarf (fashion) lovers.  The FRAAS scarf is made of lightweight acrylic.  The scarf is great way to add some visual interest to an outfit.  The FRAAS scarf measures 28 x 30 inches and can be worn as a wrap.

I like the FRAAS scarf because it is versatile.  It also comes in pink and a neutral (light to medium brown shade).

The FRAAS scarf retails for $40.

Mix Maven

The FRAAS Animal Print Scarf – Spring/Summer 2012 Collection was provided for review from the manufacturer. Please see Pumps and Gloss disclosure policy for more information.

Hey Glossies,

My locale has experienced traditional spring weather in the last couple of weeks, so a cardigan continues to be in play.  The weather has been a bit dreary, so I wanted to add a splash of sunshine to the outfit i.e. the Ann Taylor Circular Contour Print Shell in Chartreuse and the Zara XL Coloured Clutch in Lime Green.

The Zara clutch is my first official foray into the world of Zara.  Even though, I have featured many shoes and bags from the US site, I had not really taken the plunge.  Well, I am glad that I did, even though I cannot fit any of the clothes, the bags and shoes that I have are good quality, despite the price.  I think similar brands would sell the products for a higher cost.

A quick note about the J. Crew skirt – The double-serge cotton skirt does not have a lining, my #1 pet peeve, so it tends to bunch up and wrinkle easily.  I love the colors, so I will put with the lack of lining, this time!

Outfit Details

• Lands’ End Cotton Cashmere Tie V-neck Cardigan Sweater – Marine Blue
• Ann Taylor Circular Contour Print Shell – Chartreuse
• J. Crew No. 2 pencil skirt in double-serge cotton – Rich Violet
• Zara XL Coloured Clutch – Lime Green
• Marc Fisher Suede Heels – Teal

 Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

In the fall of 2011, I was very excited to hear that The Limited brand was entering the plus-size market by launching Eloquii, which would provide classic, yet stylish clothes tailored and design with the needs of plus-size women in mind.  For example, Eloquii and The Limited may use the same fabric to make a dress, but the Eloquii dress may have a different silhouette than The Limited dress to adhere to those needs.

Since the launch, I have purchased a couple of items and I have liked them. The clothes fit well and I was pleased with the quality.  Yet, I was wondering when was Eloquii coming to a local The Limited store. Because while I am a huge fan of shopping online, I know many of my plus-size divas are not!  So, I was more than pleased to see that The Limited has begun a pilot program offering a section to Eloquii.  Definitely a great way to get familiarized with the brand.

The local The Limited staff is very excited that Eloquii clothes are in the store.  One staff member is very pleased with the length of the Eloquii skirts, which may give certain customers more options who can wear both Eloquii and The Limited clothing.  If Eloquii does well in-store, The Limited may open Eloquii stores, according to a source.

My hope for Eloquii is that the designers of Eloquii and The Limited can figure out how to make the same or very similar silhouettes for both groups of customers. Nothing is nice about separate, but equal!  Saying all that, I think Eloquii and The Limited are moving in the right direction.

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

The classic combination of navy and ivory are great for all the seasons, but I do love to wear the combo during the spring and summer seasons.  Recently, someone asked a question about which colors worked best with navy blue and white (ivory). The answer is every color!  Do not ever be afraid to play around with color and prints.

Talbots Silk Utility Shirt - Navy

Talbots Brushed-back wool pencil skirt - Ivory

Talbots Necklace

Nine West calf hair pumps

Details

In my WWIW outfit, I paired navy and ivory with brown (tan and chocolate zebra-print) Nine West calf hair pumps.  The pumps are so much fun and versatile.

Apple-shaped ladies, like myself, should stay clear of big, boxy blouses, which is why I debated on whether to wear a belt or not.  I decided against the belt (only) because I had to be quite mobile at the function I was attending. Otherwise, I would have opted for the belt.

I have been working on my blogger stance, as well as, hair poses. Click here to see! LOL

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

In my neck of the woods, over the past couple of weeks, the weather had very warm weather. During this time, I was very much under the weather.  I was hopped up on meds  in the house while everyone else was enjoying fun in the sun.  Truth be told, I was not ready to let go of winter (clothes), so I think my situation worked out for the best.

Well, this past week, the temps went down to a reasonable cool, so I could wear some of my fall/winter clothing, specifically the Mulholland Tweed Skirt (Talbots) and the ShaToBu Get Fit Tights.

Talbots Rolled ruffle cardigan - Chinchilla

Talbots Silk Charmeuse Swag Sweep Tank - Baccara Rose

Talbots Mulholland Tweed Skirt

Review

I love to wear tights, so I was interested in trying out the ShāToBu™ Get Fit shapewear tights. When worn, the tights are supposed to ‘burn additional calories’, tone muscles, smooth bulges, eliminate VPL and help a woman feel great.  The ShāToBu™ Shaping Rib Tight comes in Jet Black, Steel and Brown. Sizes range from S-2XL; prices range from $28-$88 and can be found at Fine department stores.

I tried the ShāToBu™ Shaping Rib Tights in Black. Even though the tights are shapewear, they are fashion forward and fun and I love that!  The tights were comfortable to wear, especially in the thigh area. I did not find them difficult to put on or take off.  The ShāToBu™ Shaping Rib Tights lifted my butt from the normal pancake size. (A definite plus!)

Details of ShāToBu Shaping Rib Tight (Shoes - Ralph Lauren)

Overall, I liked the ShāToBu™ Shaping Rib Tights.  I am not sure if I burned calories while wearing them, but I did not run to take off my hosiery as I usually do when I wear hosiery.  Also the fabric was sturdy, but not suffocating. I felt great in the tights and I do plan on trying the ShāToBu™ High Waist Shaping Tights.

Mix Maven

ShaToBu Shaping Rib Get Fit Tight was provided for review from the manufacturer. Please see Pumps and Gloss disclosure policy for more information.

Hey Glossies, Like many of you, I am a frustrated shopper. I like what I like and want I want, which is classic Americana fashion. From 2007 to Fall 2010, I had a tough time finding fashions that I like that could fit. What I find most egregious is that many brands that sell Plus-size fashions only sell the frumpy or a super casual options, none of which I like. So while shopping online at Ralph Lauren, I decided to fill out the post-shopping survey. I feel that is my duty as a concerned and frequent shopper to let the brand know the areas that I love and the other areas that I feel need improving. I included in the survey that I love the clothes and styles and I wish that the Lauren Women’s line included more Plus size options similar to the Misses line, especially blouses and dresses (including after-five attire). I reminded the company that there are Plus-size women who love classic Americana styles, but are constantly being left out of the mix. Well, someone at Ralph Lauren is listening! In ages past, Ralph Lauren would not have made Plus-size version of the Valencie Silk Ruffle Top. I love the ruffles and vertical navy blue and white stripes.

Top Tuesday - Ralph Lauren Valencie Silk Ruffle Top

I hope this trend continues. Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

I must admit that I have not been a huge fan of the Maxi Dress. I do not like anything that covers my legs because I am not that tall (5 ft 3 inches and change) and I like to show off the legs. And I believe it is crime to cover them up. But for this spring and summer seasons, I pledged to myself that I would at least try one and see what all the fuss is about.

I decided to purchase a maxi dress from a recent J. Crew sale. My reasons for purchasing this maxi dress – I am thoroughly and unashamedly obsessed with stripes (the good kind) and the dress has straps.

J Crew Sasha maxi dress

When the dress arrived, I promptly tried it on. I had a “A-ha” moment. To be honest, I am not sure why these realizations had to not occur to me before, but I realized that a maxi dress can hide a multitude of sins.

So now, I have my eye on 2 more maxi dresses: Garnet Hill Long Knit Surplice Dress and Talbots Matte Jersey Maxi Dress.

Garnet Hill Long Knit Surplice Dress

Talbots Matte Jersey Maxi Dress

Are you a fan of the maxi dress?

Mix Maven