Twitter Togs

Since I am helping with various communications for the Burning Man Project, they suggested I go to a presentation at the David All Group (DAG).  This was the first of a series of events that will take place synchronously between the DAG Washington, DC and San Francisco teams.  I was live in the San Francisco office, which I loved. The event focused on “The Essentials of Twitter”.  I have not tweeted much either for myself nor for any of the entities that I run social media for, so I had a lot to learn and as usual I most enjoyed learning about metrics or the suggested frequency and timing for the optimization of your tweets.

Sometime yesterday (perhaps posted by the David All Group) I ran across this Twitter Outfit (below) from Social Media Inspired Outfits.  So of course I had to put together my darker version of the Twitter Inspired Outfit, including the Twitter Bird logo (see the photo above with David All). My outfit is not exactly a match but I thought the Twitter Outfit was a little corporate for my taste.

Here are the deets:
Bird Pendant: Designed by my good friend Laura Kimpton as gifts for Burning Man 2009
Cami: Very Old 2X Emme
Skirt: Tripp Size 5x from Torrid
You can’t see them but I also have capri leggings and boots of course as well as the bracelets I have been wearing everyday for a month.  I like to think of this outfit as the funky Twitter look. LOL

I am going to download DAG’s “Essentials of Pinterest” because I feel like I would love Pinterest but just have not taken the time to check it out, so you may see my version of that outfit too.  So thanks to the David All Group for having me come to their offices.  Hope to see you at Burning Man.

Ciao Bellas…affinity

Torrid! Torrid! Torrid! and a little ASOS Curve

I am not really a floral kind of girl, but I just had to try this sweater because it came out in spring and I thought it might be really light, and guess what, it is.  Is is half the weight of similar sweaters I own like this and this.  It was 68° here in San Francisco so I wanted a little something to cover up with and to brighten up my dress. I love the silver sparkle, floral leggings except that the size is weird.  They are a 2X and a 1X would actually fit better and the are from Torrid, where I wear a 5X dress.  And you may have noticed that these big bracelets are my staple this month.  Just liking the weight and fun on my wrist. Here are the deets…affinity

Sweater: Torrid Size 4X
Footless leggings: Torrid Size 2X
Bangle Bracelets: Torrid
Balloon Skater Dress: ASOS Curve Size 22
Elyse Boots: Avenue Size 9.5W

Chic Star – A Review

On Facebook lately I have read about several women ordering from Chic Star, a Chinese on-line plus size clothing vendor. I did a review of their fun product line in May, and you can find it here. I am getting consistent information from buyers that the clothes run almost a full size smaller than the size chart might indicate. I still love their clothing, and I am not hearing any complaints about the quality, but since I am a size 26-28 myself, I probably will not try to order anything from them since their styles generally do not contain much knit or stretchy material and I am concerned about it fitting.   Just keeping my ear to the ground for us.  I would love it if you could share any information you might have about them.  Ciao Bellas…affinity

A day of Art on the Kazbus

This is not really a fashion post but it was such a cool day I just had to share it.  Last fall we bought tickets at an auction for the Black Rock Arts Foundation Art Tour.  Most of the art is destined for Burning Man 2012 and is BIG ART. But the piece that I fell most in love with is Michael Christian’s foot that he is making for another piece.  The question with art for me is always why do I love this piece more than others?…affinity

Top: ASOS size 22
Jeans: Tripp from Torrid Size 28
Bracelets: Torrid – 2 sets of various bangles

Our Guest – Jenny Strauss

I love featuring people on Affatshionista who love clothes so here is Jenny Strauss.  Love this look and the mixed prints, and I hope you do too. Enjoy!

Top – In Full Swing, maybe 4 years ago
Skirt – Lane Bryant – 2 or 3 years old
Socks – Domino Dollhouse (online)
Shoes – Fluevogs
Scarf – 2001 – got it to wear for my son’s pirate themed birthday. Probably Target.
Thanks for visiting us Jenny.  Ciao Bellas…affinity

Cult of California – A Review

This is not really a review of Cult of California since I have not tried this clothing on, have not seen them on the runway nor touched them to feel the various fabrics, so much as a confession.  I have purchased six pieces of clothing, which I will not receive until late August and I am considering buying more. What have I found so interesting about their clothes? Style, innovation and a willingness to provide some “edge” to a plus size 28.  I have to try them or  I could not call myself a fatshionista.

I was an aerobics/gym person from 1984 until I fell away in 2010 and I love exercise clothes.  I hoped that this new line might encourage me to reenter the exercise world.  I wear a size 26-28 and am pleased their line runs to size 28, I will let you know how things fit when the clothes come.  This is what I bought, not very movement oriented but good for my wardrobe.

I bought these two exercise bras because sometimes when it is really hot, I find them more comfortable than a standard bra. In addition, one has interesting straps and the other has a little mesh panel that I like and those will both be fun under my t-shirts or sundresses. So exercise maybe, but additions to my wardrobe, YES!

Then I bought 2 jackets/hoodies.  I have been on the lookout for them because I often buy or receive hoodies with designs on them as schwag to support an art project or art organization.   But they are rarely large enough so I want to be able to transfer the designs to some jackets but I have not found anything lately that wasn’t too masculine, too heavy and above all is large enough.

Last but not least I feel in love with a sheer look tank and finally a pair of Rapture Leggings that cost $88.  That is a lot for a pair of leggings, but I just had to have them.

There were a couple of dresses I would have liked to purchase, especially the Empress Dress, but I have a lot of dressy dresses right now and not as many places as usual to wear them, so I resisted.  My understanding is that today is the last day to PRE-ORDER clothing from this line to guarantee delivery in August so if there is anything you feel you must have this is the day.  Ciao Bellas…affinity

The Perfect Wide Boot v.2

For those of you, like me, that continue to be on the hunt for the perfect knee high wide calf boot here is my current favorite.  It is a David Tate.  I need a Size 9.5 WW US with a wide width and a wide calf.  I do really well with a lace boot, because although my feet and calves are wide, my ankles are not. Sometimes I like less expensive boots because they are lighter.  Today I found a new “on-line only” vendor.  At Wide Widths, not only do they sell wide boots but they tell you how to choose among them.

Everywhere I go I see knee high boots, but I live in my mid-calf comfortable, cheap Avenue Boots (above), which I wore yesterday.  I yearn for the elegance of knee high boots.  But as I have told you before, because of this yearning, and many years of failure, I have a deal with my husband that I will not order boots by mail, I can only buy boots if I try them on in person.  So I may wait for fall and check out the local Avenue and Torrid stores for knee boots (or I might just have to sneak in an order from Wide Widths, because I do love this David Tate, and so do my readers). I thought you might like to know about this on-line specialty boot shop.  Ciao Bellas…affinity

November 13, 2012 Update:  Great blog post by The Fat Girl’s Guide about Wide Calf Boots, HERE

A Curvy Girl goes to see the Art

Before we went on vacation we went to a benefit for the Black Rock Arts Foundation called ArtPadSF.  It is an amazing event.  It is at the Phoenix Hotel in San Francisco, and an artist or gallery rents out each of the rooms.  So you can view 100 different artists in the small intimate setting that the Phoenix provides.

 In addition to all of the available art, the Black Rock Arts Foundation provides amazing entertainment throughout the evening, including bands and the KUNST-STOFF Dance Troupe in the swimming pool.

I wore a do-it-yourself outfit that is VERY comfortable and not very warm so I can also wear it to Burning Man.   A little net skirt over a slip, with a halter top that I bedazzled myself to match the skirt.  The leggings are Torrid size 2 which is kind of odd because in many of Torrid’s clothes I wear a size 5.  The elbow length fence net gloves are from Ebay, and are not a special size, I just find that fencenet often fits.  But I was not too concerned about my outfit because we were going to spend the evening outside and San Francisco is quite chilly in the evening, even in the summer.

Did you know that in 1994 both Isaac Mizrahi and Jean Paul Gaultier showed brightly colored fake fur in their runway shows?  I love my fake fur.  But of course I could not find fake fur in my size that was in my price range when I bought this a couple of years ago (you probably can now).  These coats are both just coats from costume sites that have been altered a little to fit.  Both of them have various size strips up the back of the lining or the coat itself because they were too small.  The extra fur for mine came off the bottom of my coat because I feel a little claustrophobic in long coats.

 My favorite part of the evening was when my friend Marco Cochrane, sculpted my other friend Laura Kimpton, who is also an artist, in just a couple of hours. Very amazing.  Much of the evening was spent just hanging out with my friends in this awesome venue. It was an amazing event and I am thrilled to share it with you.  Ciao Bellas…affinity