Well kids, I did it! I bought me a gorgeous “free people” jumpsuit at my favourite boutique in Toronto… Cloakroom, on Yonge street south of St-Clair.
I love how the deep V compliments my neckline. The shoulders are flattering and the waistline hits me perfectly! I love the pockets and the purple details are great for my skin tone.
I did get warm in it, though. We walked for 3 hours and it’s almost 28 degrees Celsius in Toronto after all! Still the cotton is light and breezy!
I’m in Toronto for my friend’s wedding and this week’s challenge was to find an outfit!
Because the weather is so nice, I opted out of wearing my little black dress that I can now squeeze into. The material is heavy and more appropriate for cooler climates.
I pulled out the H&M dress that I received from the #hmconsciouscloset event. I really like it, but wasn’t in the mood for a bohemian look. I paired it with a thick black and leather belt (purchased in Paris) and strappy leather sandals (Hilary Radley- vintage).
I then tried a green H&M dress from last summer’s collection. I love this thing! It’s feminine and forgiving 🙂 Although it doesn’t accentuate my new curves, I’m feeling confident in the dress regardless. I paired it with my favourite blue Nine West Pumps and silver Ela clutch I bought in Vancouver.
I have the share a blooper… This just shows you what a blogger’s life really looks like behind the lense!
I really struggled to find a cute pun for the title of this post, but these late nights and this cold I am fighting are eating away at my creativity. Sorry.
So, here I am now 17.5 lbs lighter than I was about 17 weeks ago. People are really noticing it in my face, my stomach, my butt and my legs. I still can’t get those arms to shrink though (PS- my nickname in high school was “Pipes”… how feminine). With my busted shoulder it’s hard to get in a decent upper body workout. I just really want to fix it already so I can play volleyball again.
That being said, at 17 lbs lost and down two sizes, my clothes obviously don’t fit properly anymore. I know “that’s a great problem to have!”… except when you have amazing clothes that you have been curating over the years through consignment shopping, online sales and souvenirs brought back from multiple vacations. There was a point in my life, about 1.5 years ago, where I decided to accept the size I was (XL to 1X) and embrace the fashion behind this new shape I had to work with. I discovered great online stores like ASOS (Curve & Plus Size), who offered gorgeous plus size clothing made in the UK. Small fortune to have shipped, but worth looking fab.
Last week, I made the executive decision to get some key clothing items tailored and hemmed according to my new body’s measurements. I brought in 2 black slacks, a black pencil skirt and my favourite white skirt. I picked them up today, and “wow” is all I can say! It cost me over $100, but was worth the investment to be able to keep my expensive and high quality office staples. Not only have the clothes been taken in, they are now adjusted to my body shape and never fit better. They look and feel amazing! I recommend doing this, whether you have lost weight or just looking to have your garments fit better.
This is me sneaking a quick pic inside the tiny change room in my tailor’s workshop. I go to Hillary’s on Bank Street (Old Ottawa South). The ladies there are very talented and work out of a small room next to the dry cleaners. The clothes also get dry cleaned which is a nice touch.
This journey has been a real eye opener for me. It’s amazing how much time, effort, energy and money i spent distracting myself from the real issue. “Just lose some weight, and you can wear pretty much all the clothes that you want!” this is what I wish I could have told myself, rather than finding creative and expensive ways to look fashionable.
I am looking forward to my new Proutfits that I will be putting together with these clothes. I hope I can snap up some pics and share them soon.
Last night, I attended my first ever blogging event. Officially, I’ve been blogging for the last seven years, but my recent efforts really seem to be paying off. It all seems surreal.
Starting a plus size fashion blog is exciting but at the same time, it puts me in a vulnerable position. I’ve always been open about my personal life, and share everything on social media, but this is different. Especially when I most recently shared my weight loss journey on this blog. My role has now transformed from plus size fashionista to a motivational and self-acceptance coach. Not a bad gig at all!
Now back to last night. Absolutely everything was gorgeous, the beautiful flowers, the delicious food and the company of course! I had the opportunity to meet new blogger friends, that I naturally connected with right away. We just have so much in common. Get your glam on, take pictures, post on social media… Check!
H&M Canada and Bayshore Shopping Centre teamed up to host a series of events that would promote H&M’s latest eco-fashion collections “Conscious” and “Conscious Exclusive”. Check out the Bayshore website, to participate in all their initiatives and contests. Make sure you use #HMConsciousCloset!
I’m a visual person, so I decided to share all my iPhone pics to show you a glimpse of what the event was all about.
The most incredible feeling to see your name and blog out there in the real world. Inside the box is a special gift that was picked out just for me from H&M Canada, by Emily Scarlett.Alyssa Beltempo and Caroline Lacasse, Ottawa’s trendsettersThe elegant Emily Scarrlett from H&M Canada. My favorite part of the night is when Emily talked about all the different ways H&M recycles and reuses the clothes they collect from these initiatives.What blogger events should look likeWhat blogger events actually look likeThe table was gorgeous even with the mess we left behind after dinner.5 course meal catered by Thyme and Again
I met some really great people last night and I look forward to connecting with them online!
(You know who you are) xox Chantsy
Spoiler Alert- this is the gorgeous dress that I got in my secret gift. They were on point, since I already bought it! Looks like I get to swap it for another beautiful piece!
