Fall Must-Haves

I came across these items while doing some of my fall 2009 shopping, and I immediately put them on my must-have list! They're some great staples for putting together any look this season:

Black patent stud belt, $20, Torrid. Pair with dress or high-waisted skirt to make the look a little edgier.

Assorted leggings beginning at $20, Torrid, through size 26/28. Here's a great blog entry from Bahrain Poise on how to wear leggings this fall: Leggings.

Diane Von Furstenberg Hayworth Clutch, $395, Diane Von Furstenberg

Leather zip jacket, $199, oldnavy.com, sizes 16/18-20/22. This is such a versatile piece--you can pair it with nearly anything (wear it with something super frilly and feminine to make the look a little edgier, wear it with a pair of boots to achieve the oh-so-in biker look, or style it simple with a basic denim pant and tee)!

Thigh-high suede boot, $110, piperlime.com. Are you daring enough to try this trend? It's not just for the Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman-type, either. Any woman can wear them. If you're not sure how to wear them with an outfit, a simple belted dress is always a great choice (just don't pair them with anything made of fishnet or lycra!).

Cream/black shift dress, £35 ($57), Dorothy Perkins, through US size 20. Nuff said.

Melie Bianco diagonal stitch tote, $79, piperlime.com.

L.A.M.B. open toe ankle boot, $345, piperlime.com. These are a really versatile pair of shoes that can be worn with denim or dresses, day or night--be creative!

Dark denim pencil skirt, $29.50, Old Navy, through size 20. Classic. A staple piece to pair with all those trendy items you purchase.

Vogue's Most Wanted Wardrobe: Plus Size Edition

So, as I'm sure most of you have already noticed, Vogue does not exactly offer plus-size friendly shopping tips. It's fun to peruse the pages and get an idea of what's in, but it's not very practical in the way of commercialism if you're over a size 8. That's why I decided to translate Vogue's "Most Wanted" into big girl language: I've pictured Vogue's Most Wanted items for summer partying and offered you an affordable plus size alternative for each. Hope this makes shopping (and styling) a little easier this summer!

1. Skinny Jeans in Color

Their Take:

The Rogan Slim Pant, available in sizes 25-30 (US 2-8), $240

My Take: 

Torrid's Tripp Skinny Leg Twill Pant, available in sizes 12-26, $48

 

2. Pleated Wrap Dress

Their Take:

VPL Flex Foil Wrap, available in sizes XS-Med., $645

My Take:

ASOS tie-front wrap dress, available through UK size 20 (US 16/18), £28 ($46)

  

                                                                                                 

3. Relaxed-Silhouette Dress

Their Take:

3.1 Phillip Lim silk chiffon, available in sizes 0-10, $475

My Take(s):

Old Navy belted kimono-sleeve dress, sizes 1X-4X, $36.50

OR  Delia's chiffon dress, sizes 0-16/18, $30.50

4. Fitted-waist Print Dress

Their Take

Alexandra Vidal dress, $486, sizes available upon request

My Take:

Evans' floral jersey dress, size 10-28, $66

5. Summer Sweater

Their Take:

Topshop striped jumper, $80, size not available

 

My Take:

Gap striped crewneck, sizes XS-XXL, $39.50

6. Vibrant Tunic

Their Take:

Janavi print tunic, XS-L, $385

 

My Take:

Ralph Lauren silk belted tunic, 1X-3X, $111

 

7. Plaid Shirt

Their Take:

Steven Alan boyfriend shirt, $160, size not listed

 

My Take: 

Torrid's rolled-sleeve buffalo check top, sizes 14/16 and 18/20, $44

 

8. Sexy Draped Dress

Their Take:

Tomas Maier cross strap jersey dress, through size 12, £396.38 ($656)

 

                                                                            

My Take:

Delia's strappy knit dress, through size 16/18, $34.50

Head Nod: JIBRI

While googling my head off and researching the world of the plus-sized and fashionable, I came across JIBRI, Jasmine Elder's online-based fashion label for the curvy and style-conscious. The tagline for the label is "dream big," and that's exactly what Elder has done, creating what she describes as "a perfect combination of high fashion chic and urban street sleek in sizes 14-24."

Perhaps the best part about shopping JIBRI is that the line is available on Etsy, an online handmade market, and you are able to send Elder your size request and personal measurements to customize the fit of each piece.

Check out some of my favorite items:

High-waist flair skirt, $85

Hand painted Spring Jacket, $320

Satin Swing Dress, $170