Everyday Style

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Everyday Style is the theme for the August Ahead of the Curve blogging collective. Instead of putting one look together and taking photos I figured I would just snag a bunch of images from my Instagram account that have been posted over the last month or so and this would give you a decent perspective of my Everyday Style. I find it very hard to describe my style; I think it is safe to say it's alternative, but it seems to be all over the map. It could be said that my Everyday Style has multiple personality disorder. I love hair colour, makeup and accessories which all lend themselves to a constant flow of new styles and looks on a regular basis. I rarely do casual and have been known to dress up just to clean the house or walk my kids to school. I have a hard time leaving the house without styling my hair and applying makeup which I find adds a lot to my overall style. If I do venture out without a full head-to-toe look I will always be hiding behind a pair of killer shades at the least.

Look One

A day at the spa with my girls and dinner at my in-laws.

 Look Two

Flea market shopping with my family and dinner out.

Look Three

 

A day crafting with my children at my in-laws.

 Look Four

  

 Thrift store shopping and a picnic with my kids.

 Look Five

 An afternoon at a local festival with the family.

 

Look Six

 Play day at the park with friends.

So as you can probably tell from my day to day activities, I'm pretty much your typical stay-at-home mama with a not so typical sense of style. I always try to look my best no matter if I'm taking the kids to the park or if I'm out to lunch with a friend. Life is too short and there are way too many beautiful things to wear for me to waste my days in yoga pants and a tee shirt. No hate if that's your thing, but it's just not for this Mama.

If you would like more information on any of the clothing, makeup, or accessories that I'm wearing in my photos please leave me a comment below. There were too many items for me to link them all in this post. 

 Don't stop here!!!! Click the link below to see how other members of Ahead of the Curve have interpreted this month's theme.

Ahead of the Curve Bloggers 

Day to Night in Addition Elle

There are many ways to take an outfit from day to night in an instant. Sometimes our lives become hectic and we need a full outfit change on the hop. Changing a look from day to night can be as easy as adding a jacket and a different pair of shoes, or updating your hair or makeup to a more night welcoming style. Starting your day with a good, solid, versatile foundation will make your transition from day to night smooth and easy. For this month's Ahead of the Curve collective post I'm going to take my Michel Studio Mesh Maxi dress I recently picked up from Addition Elle and show you how you can style it from day to night. 

 *Day Look*

When putting together your daytime look, keep it stylish, but simple. I chose to add an older belt from Torrid (no longer in stock) and hoop pentacle earrings from Spencer's to add the perfect amount of "Yes" to the dress, helping make my look interesting and edgy while keeping it wearable and comfy. I opted to pull my hair up and out of my face to keep me cool while running around in the summer heat. With my hair off my face I went for a bright, summery makeup application. Playing around with bright shadows and a teal colored liquid liner made my face and hair pop around my basic black threads. My daytime look is completed with a classic black patent leather flip flop and some high pointed cat's eye sunglasses from Sunglass Spot.

*Night Look *

When taking an outfit from day to night, layering generally plays a part in the transition. Whether you are layering jewelry, a jacket, or a fierce pair of heels, think about your destination and adjust the layers and level of sassy accordingly. For my nighttime look I stripped away the earrings and daytime belt and added a black brocade jacket and a mini velour belt with a bow from City Chic. I think it is always a smart idea to add a jacket to a nighttime look. Not only is it practical, especially here in Canada, but I find it adds a certain level of style. I always try and go higher with my heels and bolder with my jewelry for my evening looks. Another thing to keep in mind when planning your evening transition is your lighting. A dimmer light in your surroundings creates the perfect environment to go bold with cosmetics. I did not remove my daytime make up, but rather updated it by layering a black shadow, liner, and a classic red lip. Lastly, I let my hair down! Nighttime is the right time for the hair to be down and fun to commence!

Stina
xx

 Don't stop here!!!! Click the link below to see how other members of Ahead of the Curve have interpreted this month's theme.

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Spin Doctor Azreal Dress

Dress: Sweet Echo Plus

Size 4X

Embrace your inner vamp and become a goth goddess in Spin Doctor's new Azreal dress!!!

I totally fell for Spin Doctor's new Azreal dress when I saw it on the rack at Sweet Echo headquarters, it totally reminded me of an 80's goth party dress and I dig everything 80's goth. I think the ruffles, lace, and lacing add the right amount of style and sass. I grabbed this dress in a size 4X because it has very little stretch. I find the Spin Doctor stuff usually runs a little bit smaller than the Hell Bunny brand. Lately I have been going between a 3X and 4X in Hell Bunny. I would suggest going with the large size if you are between two sizes on this dress. I was really happy with the length of this dress, it came right above my knees, which at 5'6" makes it long enough for me to wear without tights or leggings and feel comfortable. The top of the Azreal dress has a sweetheart neckline, which I have found  in the past to be very flattering on my body. Occasionally I have to add a dart along the top of some dresses because it ends up being too big throughout my chest. I have a much smaller underarm measurement compared to my bust measurement so this is a problem I have faced before. Looking at the photos I can see I am experiencing this issue to an extent and might dart the dress to make it fit that much better in the bust; it's easier to be able to to take it in than to have it too tight. I find Spin Doctor and Hell Bunny both do a good job with allowing room for the girls in their plus size garments. I'm really glad I picked this dress up because I can see myself wearing it a lot since it can be dressed up or down. I can even see it being worn with a jean jacket and cowboy boots. While that is not my style I still think it would look hella cute!!! 

 Boots: Torrid

Size 11

These boots are a size too big for me, but I made them work. I did not purchase these boots, but got them from a friend so I am not sure how old they are. If I had to guess I would say they are at least eight years old. They have a really old Torrid logo in them and they are lined in purple. They feel like old school Torrid. Either way, I totally love them and I feel like a bad ass 80's punk rock chick when I wear them. 

Glasses: Sunglass Spot

 I have ordered a bunch of sunglasses from Sunglass Spot. ALL of the their glasses are $5!!!! They ship out super fast and the international shipping rate is great. I think I paid $15 shipping for 4 or 5 pair of glasses last time. They have tons of unique and interesting glasses so totally creep them out.

Lipstick: Makeup Monsters

Shade: Hail Storm

This shade is soon to be discontinued so if you like it I would keep an eye for it to come back in stock. Hail Storm is a liquid lipstick similar to the Lime Crime Velvetines, but it is not 100% transfer proof. It is still long wearing and lovely. Makeup Monster has tons of killer shades, but I do find their products sell out fast, so if you see a shade you love, grab it before it's gone. I will say they are really great at consistently restocking their items as well so you never have to wait too long for a color to come back.  

Stina

xx

   

 

Domino Dollhouse Crop Top Goddess

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We rule the world, all eyes on us, get it girls, calling all Goddesses!! ~ Adore Delano

This month's Ahead of the Curve theme is "Summer is Coming." A few years ago, summer would have meant madly scrambling in search of a dozen black shrugs so I could cover my fat arms all summer long. Boy how times have changed! A few summers ago I broke free from the shrugs, embraced my fat arms, and never looked back. Last summer I leveled up yet again when I embraced my first crop top. The first time I put a crop top on it was totally terrifying, but I said "screw it, I'm going to give this a try!" To my surprise, I actually looked really killer in a crop, and wearing it was super comfy and cool. When I started to brainstorm what I would wear for the "Summer is Coming" theme I was drawn back to my crop tops. They are totally going to be a staple for me this summer. In fact, I am going to chop up some of my favorite tees and have them hemmed by a tailor so I can wear them as crop tops as well. When I put a crop top on I feel like I'm breaking free, like I could rule the world, like I'm a goddess.

The perfect attire for a fearless, fat goddess can totally be found at Domino Dollhouse. A few months ago they released a fall/winter collection called Science/Visions and it is full of pieces fit for a goddess. Don't let the fall/winter part fool you, there are definitely  pieces in this collection that can be worn thoughout the spring and summer as well. The pieces I was drawn to the most were the Alchemy Crop Top and the Alchemy Maxi Skirt. Both items are made from 100% jersey material and feature a large geometric graphic down the front. The graphic is added with a screen-printing style called discharge printing. This is a really wicked technique because once the item has been washed the graphic is still soft and lush and won't get hard and crackly like some of the graphics I've seen printed on jersey material before. There is nothing more annoying then a cracked applique after one wash.

I picked up both of these pieces in a size 3X. I found the sizing on both of the items to be very generous. I like my crop tops to be loose, and a bit baggy, but I could have easily sized down to a 2X and had this shirt still work for my personal tastes. The maxi skirt will also work for someone with measurements a bit larger than the size chart. The max hip measurement on a 3X was 62 inches but my hips are 64 inches and I have a couple of inches to spare in the skirt still. Let's talk about the length of the maxi, this skirt is meant to be worn high-waisted. At 5'6" it really fits me like a dream and hits just at the top of my feet. If you are shorter than I am you will probably have to have the bottom hemmed, but that would totally be an easy alteration. I love that both of these pieces will work on different body shapes and heights and still be flattering. If you want a good quality, easy to wash and wear, but make a bit of a statement outfit, I think this is a the perfect choice. I know I'm going to get tons of use out of these pieces this summer.

Crop and Maxi: Domino Dollhouse
Size 3X
  
 Glasses: Forever 21

 The glasses linked are similar but not 100% the same. I bought mine last summer and they no longer have them in stock.

Sandals: Torrid
Size 10 (Run 1/2 a size large)
The sandals I am wearing sold out very fast during the last Haute Cash sale. I have linked a similar pair that Torrid currently has in stock. Keep checking back though because I know Torrid often re-stocks popular items.


Gloves: Etsy
Size 7 1/2
100% Real Leather

Headband: eBay 

My headband is make from bendable silver necklaces. My Mother-in-Law got me a couple of them for my birthday one year. They are really neat because you can bend them into

many things. 

STINA
xx 

Don't stop here!!!! Click the link below to see how other members of Ahead of the Curve have interpreted this month's theme.

 AHEAD OF THE CURVE BLOGGERS