Fa(t)shion Friday: Va-Va-Voom

The Clothes: Red Halter Dress, Sz 16
The Store: Ricki's (Canada)
The Price: $30 CAD (Originally $130 CAD)

This dress is one of the reasons I am a complete advocate of getting store discount cards - especially if they're free. If you don't use them, no big deal, and if you do use them, you can get some pretty amazing returns. This particular instance was that Ricki's was having a 50% off sale, and it opened a day early for members (Nothing picked over yet!), I also had a coupon for $25 off, when you spend $75 or more (cheap accessory to cover that price), and another $20 off coupon for my birthday. Right place, right time? Yes, I think so.

Pros: Hugs your curves, Gorgeous color.
Let me start off by saying, as soon as I walked in the store, this dress was like a neon-flashing light to me. Something in my brain clicked on and said "look at the pretty color!". Its hard to see from the picture, but the dress is ruby-red, with a gold undertone. In addition to being really pleasing to the eyes, the gold reflects on your skin, making you look like you have a nice healthy golden glow (which is amazing because I am pasty right now!!). The fabric has a subtle stretch to it, which is great because it hugs your curves, and kind of makes you look like a 40's starlet. Va-va-voom!

Cons: Poly-blend fabric.
I dont know what it is about poly-blend fabrics, but I HATE the feeling. This stuff feels like windbreaker material to be, which is a huge downfall, but at the same time I love the dress itself so much that I am willing to ignore it for an evening out.

The Verdict:
I needed a party dress, and I happened to find a gorgeous dress for less than most cheap articles of clothing. This was a definite buy for me (I am sure I'll find another reson to wear this gorgeous dress too!!).

Fa(t)shion Friday!

The Clothes: The Diva Skinny Jean (embellished), Size 18R (available in petite, regular, long)
The Store: Old Navy
The Price: $7 CAD



Pro's: True to size, solid construction, infinite options.
As a quick brief: most brands have what we call "vanity sizing" (a ploy from stores to make customers feel better, and therefore shop at their stores more than their competitors) - So even though you may truly be a size 16, in some stores you may be a 14, or even a 12.

Old Navy is fairly true to size when it comes to their clothing, which is something you really learn to appreciate when shopping. I bought a pair of size 18 Diva jeans (Diva = low rise), regular length, and I'd give these jeans a 9/10 for their effort.
-Standing around 5'4.5'' I am just a smidge too tall to be in the "petite" clothing category (reserved for 5'4'' and under, usually), so these jeans are just slightly bunched near the ankle, but that isn't enough to bother me, especially with the cute gold button embellishments at the side.
-I chose the Diva style, which translate to a lower rise in the crotch, and straight fit through the hips and thighs. Similar styles of these jeans come in "The Rockstar": low rise, slim fit in the legs; "The Sweetheart": medium rise, straight in the leg; and "The Flirt": medium rise, slim fit in the leg.
-These particular jeans are in a medium wash, but are also available in dark washes, and I believe, grey.

Cons: No give to the fabric.
When I say there's no give to the fabric, I do mean there's no give. Its made from a heavy weight denim that has absolutely no stretch to it, so you darn well better try these jeans on IN STORE. There-in lies the problem for some women - Old Navy carries up to an 18 in Canada, and up to a 20 in the US in store, but thats not exactly helpful for most plus-gals. To be fair, atleast O.N. gives the option of being able to shop sizes 16-30 online in the US. So for those ladies, I'm sorry I cant help you there, but the bright side is that Old Navy does have size charts that do include measurements for up to size 30.

The Verdict:
For the sale price I got - Buy 'em. Even for the current sale price, well constructed plus-sized jeans are a steal.

Shop Old Navy's US Store
Shop Old Navy's Canadian Store