14+ Blog

When fall footwear hits the shopping mall I get a little excited. Forget the fact that it’s scorching hot outside and the thought of putting on tights has me running for air conditioning. The styles this season are incredible and I can’t wait for the weather to cool off! But it’s not shoes that get me the most excited – it’s boots. And this season is producing some gems.

I have a particular love for colourful boots. This love actually grew from my fashion laziness. I have this problem sleeping past the snooze button and waking up in a rushed panic wondering what to wear. This has led me to a large wardrobe of black clothing – the pieces mix and match without much thought or effort. But right before leaving the house, I’ll throw on my first-ever-colourful-boots – my “red Wonder Womans”                                                                    and  a plain outfit is transformed, the black accentuating my amazing footwear.

I often get a ton of compliments on my colourful boots – usually  on my lazy days when  wearing all black. I like to think of it as giving really great art a solid coloured wall on which to shine. So go ahead be fashion lazy – just wear really great boots and nobody will ever know.

Yours on the curve,

Liis

Photos: John Fluevog

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Photo: Addition Elle

Curvy fashionistas quickly snapped up  pieces from the Jessica Biffi Collection for Addition Elle in the spring, so you will be happy to know her fall line up is just around the corner. Invitations have been sent out to Addition Elle Elite Members to attend private unveilings of the collection between September 14-16  in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton, Langley and St. John’s. (Not yet on the Elite Members inside track? No worries! You can still  RSVP but hurry – space is limited on the guest list!) Lucky fans will get a chance to chat with Jessica and get an autograph in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton.

Go have some fun – get make-up touch-ups from The Body Shop, shop, mingle and nibble on hors d’oeuvres with friends and enjoy prizes and goodie bags. Be an extra fashion keener and be one of the first 20 to arrive at a party to win a gift card. And to make shopping even more fun, regular priced merchandise is 20% off at the parties. This is the way I like to shop people!

Not an Elite Member yet? Make sure to get on the mailing list so you will always get the inside curvy fashion scoop!

Looking forward to seeing the new collection!

Yours on the curve,

Liis

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I’ve recently heard some talk about the foolishness of “plus-size” jewellery.  I beg to differ! As an almost 6”, size 14-16 woman with size 9 hands, I need jewellery suitable for my size and frame. My neck is wider than a size 4 woman’s so when a choker is cute on her, it is literally choking me! Necklaces that are longer on tinier, shorter women look foolish on me. Anything I buy with a clasp generally has to have several crude extensions added – sometimes I go the safety pin route. Not so glam! And I will fight you for a large size bangle…

When I find jewellery designers that get “it” realizing pieces should be customized for individuals, I rejoice. One such smart cookie is Cheryl, of Ample Goddess Jewelry. Hailing from Canada, and now residing in the USA, she’s been designing beautiful jewellery for 6 years. An accessory loving curvy woman, she found herself sticking to earrings or long necklaces as other pieces wouldn’t fit.  Her creations were born from her need to wear an anklet,” Anklets make me feel sexy even with my large legs. I think it is the daintiness of them.” She gradually added necklaces, bracelets and earrings to her collection.

Photos: Ample Goddess Jewelry

Cheryl is happy to adapt her beautiful pieces to any size – be it bigger or smaller,”I cater to all sizes. Most of my pieces can be shortened if necessary too. We are all not the same size and shape and no woman should have to pass jewelry because of the fit.”

Cheryl, you are a jewellery goddess!

Yours on the curve,

Liis

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Have a confession to make… a lot of my friends get really mad at me. Apparently…so I’ve been told…the rumour on the street is…I’m not really getting wrinkles. (I’m sorry!) I must admit I’m swimming in a pretty good gene pool – both grandmothers aged really well – but I’ve also discovered some great products working in the fashion and beauty biz.

I’ll let you in on some of my beauty must-haves for great, healthy skin!

Jamieson ProVitamina E Moisture Rich NourishingCream – (Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall + major retailers SRP $12.99) I use this every night on my face. It contains 30,000IU – a high concentration of love for your skin. The entire ProVitamina Skincare line is nourishing and brilliant. A vitamin face lift!

Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion – (Sephora – $42) Scorching shoots on Miami beaches led me to seek out a high SPF lotion that wouldn’t be greasy under make-up. Ever try to put on blush over greasy lotion? Exactly. Oil free. SPF 30. Perfect.

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Eight Hour Cream – (Sears – $25) This was first recommended by a  doctor! It is my go-to for blemishes, chapped lips, minor skin irritations and burns. Love!

Genuine Health Multi+ Daily Glow – (Multiple locations) A new personal fave because I believe strongly that great skin has a lot to do with what you put in your body too. This helps improve skin firmness & appearance – it really does help provide a daily glow!

My best recommendation for great skin? Laugh often!

Yours on the curve,

Liis

Photos:

1) Jamieson

2) Peter Thomas Roth

3) Elizabeth Arden

4) Genuine Health

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Curvy models are heating up the fashion scene in Australia this week! Lingerie company Berlei decided it was time to create mannequins to better reflect the majority of its customers. For inspiration, it looked to BGM Models’ Laura Wells, the face and body of its Curves label. Her curvy measurements, including her ample D cup were used in the creation of the mannequins – smart move as now almost 40% of Australian women wear this size or larger. The mannequins will grace the lingerie sections of department stores Myer and David Jones. And the best part of all this? The mannequins will not be relegated to the plus section! It’s an initiative meant to be displayed to all shoppers.

The lead up to the Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival (August 23-28) opened yesterday with a colourful bang. The Fashion Festival for Every Body was launched by designer Camilla Franks, accompanied by models ages 18-60 and sizes 6-16 in her colourful kaftan collection.  Curvy models Alana and Katie (top step) of Bella Models proudly participated with smiling women including pregnant models and even the designer’s mom!

More fun – over 400 everyday men and women auditioned to hit the catwalk for the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. A select few will strut their stuff for some of Australia’s top brands next week!

Yours on the curve,

Liis

Photos: Top – BGM Models, Bottom – Bella Models

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Back in the spring, Krista Henderson of Plus Performance Fitness threw a little challenge my way – join her in her fave spin class at the Toronto Athletic Club. Although I was quite sure I would die, I agreed. Game on.

Now Krista as you may have read in my previous blog, is in really great shape. I have been a Booty Camp Fitness devotee for several months so thought I wasn’t doing too badly either. Just one problem..my instructor had us do about 5000 lunges the night before my first spin class…therefore my legs & butt were in agony getting on that bike. Not good. Not good at all.

15 minutes in, I realized the need for proper equipment and in an effort to save my assets from misery, wedged my towel between my behind and the seat. Relief. Glancing over at Krista’s gear, I knew I needed to know where it was all from!

Having raced in many endurance events, Krista has searched high and low for gear for the curvy athlete. Her fave bike shorts are from Aero Tech Designs, also offering triathalon outfits with sizing up to a 28. For sports bras she recommends Enell and her fave triathlon gear is from De Soto Sport with the XXL being her perfect fit.

I survived the class and I’m in for more spinning – just have to buy some of those shorts first…

Yours on the curve,

Liis

Photo: Aero Tech Designs

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Bathing suit shopping has always been one of my least favourite pastimes. Contrary to what most of you might be thinking, I don’t dread looking at my semi-clad bod in the mirror – I’m ok with it – we get along just fine. The lack of suits in my size for my body type and “helpful” sales women trying to cram me into way-too-small styles is what drives me crazy. It’s all kinds of wrong.

Enter Melmira and bathing suit salvation. Two friends and I recently made appointments to visit the boutique. We each got our own fit consultant who spent time learning our fave colours and styles, determining what suits would flatter us best. They then visited the secret bathing suit batcave – a room in back with every possibility imaginable. I was presented with over 20 fantastic options – most with interchangeable sizes for tops and bottoms – including some amazing suggestions I welcomed. I was happily shocked to leave with a blue and white striped nautical tankini when I went in looking for solid blue or hot pink. I was thankful I welcomed the suggestion of Amie Heenan, one of the owners, as I never would have picked the suit off a rack and it was perfect!

Melmira carries many incredible brands like Seafolly and Karla Colletto up to a straight size 16, and some to an 18, and several great plus-size brands including Carol Wior, Gottex and Miraclesuit among others.

And PS…The Miraclesuits are a miracle – my friend bought 2!

Yours on the curve,

Liis

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The American Girl Scouts launched the thought provoking campaign “The Changing Face of Fashion” this week with 4 models from Wilhelmina Curve aimed at building self esteem and personal empowerment amongst girls. Curvy models Anansa Sims, Leona Palmer, Julie Henderson and Lizzie Miller of Glamour magazine fame have created a series of videos as part of a Girl Scouts USA initiative to address the image of girls in the media.

Kimberlee Salmond, Senior Researcher at the Girl Scout Research Institute explains why using curvy role models is such a great idea,”The fashion industry remains a powerful influence on girls and the way they view themselves and their bodies. Teenage girls take cues about how they should look from models they see in fashion magazines and on TV and it is something that they struggle to reconcile with when they look at themselves in the mirror.”

This isn’t the only project for Wilhelmina Curve. Its models are determined to make a difference in more ways than one. It recently founded Curves For Change hoping to bring positive change through many causes. Visit them on facebook or twitter to find out more.

Curvy girl power – love it!

Yours on the curve,

Liis

Photo & video: Girl Scouts USA

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The internet is buzzing over Racked’s scoop that Saks Fifth Avenue is set to increase its sizing in many of its designer lines. Most high-end stores rarely carry designer labels past a size 10 so this is a long overdue initiative. Saks is launching this pilot project at its Manhattan location to test the waters, promising to start carrying up to at least a 14 in all proposed lines and 16-20 in several. I’m seeing many reports the store will be carrying “plus sizes” when in fact this is extended straight sizing that will fit many curvy fashionistas but unfortunately not all – a huge fashion leap none the less!

Are you prepared for the brands involved? Keep yourself steady now…here goes:  Akris, Armani, Carolina Herrera, Escada, Donna Karan, St. John, Oscar de la Renta, Max Mara, Valentino and Michael Kors. Saving some big ones for last to let you catch your breath…ready? Chanel. Dolce and Gabbana. Yves Saint Laurent. Alexander McQueen. Fendi. Roberto Cavalli.

Shocked and amazed.

Only one size per piece will be available which is the norm in most high end stores. The pieces will remain in the designer’s section which means all size ranges will be together – no running to another floor for your size! And if this launch is successful, the change will roll out to other stores. Don’t shop in the USA? Tell Saks you love this long overdue change anyhow. Change comes in ripples. Help make the wave influencing what reaches Canadian shores!

Yours on the curve,

Liis

Photo: Saks Fifth Avenue

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I’ve always had a special place in my heart for the design of a store, checking out mannequins, racks and displays as much as the fashion in many retail spaces. The windows of the major New York department stores  make me swoon and I get wistful every year gazing at The Bay’s Christmas windows. One display aspect always garners special attention – when stores have a variety of mannequin sizes representing its customers. It makes me happy.

I have always admired artist Ruben Toledo’s mannequin collection for Ralph Pucci International. His size 16 “Birdie” created quite the stir when introduced over a decade ago. He based the design on women close to him – his wife’s sister and mother, women with voluptuous Cuban shapes. These quirky mannequins come in a variety of shapes and sizes and there is one true-to-life aspect I respect the most…some of them have bellies…just like me…just like you perhaps. I like that.

Photos: Pucci International

It’s nice to see a variety of mannequin body types and heights. It’s unusual in displays but it shouldn’t be. Ruben Toldeo, thank you for making mannequins with body shapes that represent me and my friends. I appreciate it.

Yours on the curve,

Liis

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