Casual Friday/My Life on Instagram Pt. 1

TGIF all!

I wanted to share some of my favorite Instagram pics of late. If you are on Instagram follow me at grownandcurvywoman.

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Gonna get my tots on!

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Enjoying this GOREGEOUS evening!

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Yum…Indian food!

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#brooklyn

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Cool art at 30th St Station

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YES!!!

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As you can see, Im REAL excited to be working on a Sunday!

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So naughty!

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In for the night! LOL

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Good times with my BFF!!!

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Wearing this ASAP!

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Five Things I’m Loving Right Now

Happy Hump Day all!

1. Scandal:

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It’s really ”scandalous”  how this show has taken over my life! I’m completely obsessed with this series and its complex characters. Besides Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn’s incredible chemistry (which makes their relationship totally believable), the plot twists and turns will keep you glued to your seat.  If you’re looking a Summer series, check out Season One & Two out on Netflix. Trust me you’ll become addicted too!

2. Bolthouse Farms:

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I’ve never considered myself a “health” food person but lately these juices have been dominating my fridge!  Some of the 100% juices I’ve tried in the past were  a little grainy but these are smooth and delicious.  Drinking these are  an easy way for me  to add more fruits & veggies to my diet.   I highly recommend the Amazing Mango and Carrot + Ginger…YUM!

3. Star Trek: Into Darkness:

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I am a HUGE fan of sci-fi movies especially well made, visually stunning ones.   I’m so geeked to see the sequel to 2009′s “Star Trek” which completely rebooted the franchise.  I’ve been a big  fan of JJ Abrams ever since “Alias” and his movies do not disappoint.   The nerdy girl in me is literally squealing with delight!

4. Seychelles “Turning Point”:

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After searching the Internet for a  pair of yellow heels, I was so happy to find these Seychelles pumps.  At 2.5 inches these are perfect for my feet. I’ve been having so much fun pairing these with different outfits.

5. Depeche Mode “Enjoy The Silence”

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I know I’m completely dating myself here but I LOVE this song.  I’ve had it on repeat on my iPhone for the past couple of days.  Back in the day I thought the song was stupid (I was a teenager at the time!) but now I can’t get enough of it!

Have a wonderful day!

Weekend Edition: Lane Bryant Style Off

Happy Monday all!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and fabulous Mother’s Day! I spent my Mother’s Day celebrating my late  mother Betty Niles.  My mom passed away when I was 27  after years of struggling with chronic illness.  In the past Mother’s Day was very difficult for me   but I’ve  come to realize that just  because  my mother  is no longer physically present doesn’t mean she stopped  being my mom.    Now I use the day to reminisce and give thanks for having such a wonderful mom who passed  her  love of travel and colorful sense of style to me.   When my mom was alive she was a huge fan of Lane Bryant and their clothes.    I remember spending many Saturday afternoons shopping with her and my sisters  at their old Fifth Avenue location.   Those hours spent together are some of the funniest and best memories I have of my mother. So when I found out I was selected to participate in Lane Bryant’s Blogger Conference during Full Figured Fashion Week I was so excited because my mom loved them.   Lane Bryant graciously gave each attendee a gift card to participate in their Style Off competition.  On May 20th you’ll be able to vote for your favorite outfit  styled by  bloggers like Rebecca from The Plus Side of Me, Bella from BellaStyles and Dani from DIY Fatshion on Lane Bryant’s Facebook page.  Here is my styled outfit from Lane Bryant’s collection.  I hope you like it and will vote for me on  May 20th !

Have a great day!

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Dress: c/o Lane Bryant

Blazer: c/0 Lane Bryant

Belt: c/o Lane Bryant

Necklace: c/o Lane Bryant

Sandals: c/o Lane Bryant

Casual Friday/Easy DIY

TGIF everyone!

I absolutely love this maxi dress as a skirt.   Since I first wore  this dress as a skirt a year ago (here)  it has become one of my favorite Summer pieces. I will probably never wear the dress because the top doesn’t  cover the girls  but that’s okay because I’m definitely getting my moneys worth!    I’ve rescued a  few of my ill-fitting  dresses from the donate pile  and made them into skirts ( here and here).  All you have to do is fold the top part of your dress and tuck it into the bottom half  to create your skirt. Add a belt to secure your skirt so it wont slide down and to cover where you tucked the top portion in.  This easy DIY is a  great way  to recycle old dresses and to get more wear out of your clothes!

Have a great weekend and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

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Skirt: Avenue
Blazer: Ashley Stewart
Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft
Necklace: Forever 21
Bracelet: Lord & Taylor
Sandals: Steve Madden
Belt: Old Navy

Weekend Edition: Striped Out

Happy Monday all!

On Saturday, Tamera and I went to the Philadelphia Natural Hair show and a baby shower/BBQ later in the afternoon. Since both functions were casual affairs  I was able to wear my new striped Target maxi dress.  I initially went into Target to get a gift for the shower but ended up with the dress! (Target knows how to get ya!)  Nevertheless,  we had a great time at the hair show and the baby shower was lovely.  Kiana looked radiant in her all her pregnant glory and she loved the cute baby clothes I bought.  I closed  out my fun day by hanging out with my BFF  and drinking fruity homemade sangria. Who could ask for anything more?!

How was your weekend?

Have a great day! 

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Jacket: Old Navy

Dress: Target (up to a XXL here)

Sandals: Nine West

Bracelet: NY & Co.

Casual Friday/Quick Change

TGIF all!

Im going to  a Cinco de Mayo soiree (partay!) after work with a bunch of girlfriends  so I  needed an outfit that could go from day to night.  I find that dresses are easy to transform  so I wore my favorite  hi-lo dress from Target,  added a white blazer and kitten heels for my daytime look.  For after work, I switched shoes, ditched the blazer and changed my accessories.    Easy as one, two, three!

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Blazer: Tahari Woman

Dress: Target (from last summer)

Belt: Target

Necklace: Lord & Taylor

Shoes: Tahari

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Necklace: Macys

Earrings: Target

Shoes: Seychelles

Bracelets: NY & Co.

Belt: Target

White Out Part. 2

Happy Hump Day all!

White it is a very polarizing color, either you like it or you hate it.  We’ve been told that we can’t wear white because it’s unforgiving but I reject that notion.  Prior to last year, I had never wore white pants. I was conditioned to believe if I wore a pair they would make me look bigger and highlight my ample thighs.  When I finally decided to buy white pants I was nervous as hell. I was deathly afraid of what people would say about me.    But surprisingly I got nothing but compliments on my ALL white outfit I wore last July (here). After clearing that hurdle,   I embraced wearing white on my bottom and started my search for a white pencil skirt.  It didn’t take me long to find this skirt from Talbots Woman.  Now my next search is for the perfect white dress!

Do you dare to wear white?

Have a wonderful day!

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 Shirt: Old Navy

Skirt: Talbots Woman

Shoes: Seychelles

Necklace: Jeweliq

Weekend Edition: One More Time

Happy Monday everybody!

Lately I’ve been feeling  that the blog was becoming one note with all of my work outfits  so I decided  include  more of my casual  outfits  because I do have a life outside of work (I swear I do! lol). On Saturday I had plans to run errands and go to a street festival. Instead of wearing  my usual t-shirt and jeans combo I paired my trusty Old Navy maxi skirt,  striped H&M top and denim jacket together.  I was going to wear red flats but chose my polka dot Keds because I knew they would be more kind to my flat feet (yup, I have flat feet).  I finished off my outfit with my new Coach crossbody for a pop of color.   I was very pleased with myself and  I  loved my outfit so much that I wore it again Sunday!  See I do recycle!

Have a wonderful day!

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My love for polka dots knows no bounds!

Jacket: Old Navy (got it for 20% off in store)

Skirt: Old Navy

Shirt: H&M

Sneakers: Keds

Purse: Coach

Casual Friday/Mixing It Up With Madison Plus

TGIF everyone!

As many of you ladies know, the majority of plus size clothing is online.  It’s a shame that we can’t walk into our local  shopping center/ mall and buy clothes.  I can personally attest to how frustrating and  time consuming it can be to search online for clothing when you don’t even know where to begin.   Fortunately sites such as  Madison Plus and Sonsi have come to the rescue to ease our frustration.   They are essentially online “malls” that  house  a variety of plus size labels such as  KiyonnaMonifC and Mynt1792 in one place.  Along with access to their large  selections, their user friendly sites allow easy navigation that reduces  time spent searching of an item.      I found Madison Plus and Sonsi’s  prices  to be comparable to other online  retailers and standard shipping costs are kept to a minimum. The skirt I’m wearing in this   post is from Madison Plus and it was delivered less than 5 days after ordering it.   Madison Plus and Sonsi have  mailing lists where  you can sign up to be notified  of any sales or special  promotions via email.

So the next time you’re shopping online,  head over to Madison Plus and Sonsi   and give them a  try!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored  by  Madison Plus or Sonsi.  The opinions expressed  above are completely my own.  

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Skirt: Kristen Miles (via Madison Plus here)

Shirt: Ann Taylor Loft Outlet (last Summer)

Shoes: Aldo (last Summer)

Summer Dresses for Under $40

Happy Hump Day all!

I can’t believe Summer is right around the corner! With warmer temps it can be challenging to keep cool while looking fab, so I scoured the internet for affordable and stylish dresses for work and play.  These dresses will allow you to remain comfortable and chic in the heat. My personal favorite is the graphic print dress from Macy’s which is currently on sale for $35.  With prices like these, you ‘ll have enough left over for a cold treat!

Have a wonderful day!

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