My December 2015 Mini Capsule Wardrobe + Bombsheller!

Welcome friends,

Today I'm happy to reveal my mini capsule wardrobe I'll be wearing this month for Dressember 2015.  If you're not sure about my spelling in that sentence I promise it was on purpose.  I'm doing a great fashion based challenge called Dressember for the month of December.  It involves wearing just dresses to help raise awareness, start conversations about, and put a stop to human trafficking.  You can read more about in my last post where I explain in depth and help me support the Dressember Foundation here.

Dressember Capsule Wardrobe

With wearing dresses I wanted to have enough in my capsule collection that I don't need to be constantly doing laundry.  So I settled on 7 dresses, 7 pairs of leggings (because I have a ton of leggings, I culled some, but I still might have an addiction), 7 tops, sweaters, and jackets, and 3 pairs of shoes, totaling to 24 pieces.

Items still for sale:
2 - Her Universe◊, they're almost out of 9th Doctor dresses, but 10's is in stock here.
3 - Cherry Velvet several other patterns available in the same cut here.
4 - City Chic, available in kite print, big polka dots, and small polka dots.
5 - LuLaRoe "Nicole" dresses in limited sizes and colors available in my friend Nicole's shop. (tell her I sent you!)
7 - ModCloth◊, available in 6 other colors, plus several other cuts.

Still for sale:
12 - Switchfoot Tee, it runs big so I'm able to wear the XL, found in their shop here.
14 - LuLaRoe "Sarah" cardigans in limited sizes and colors available in my friend Nicole's shop. (tell her I sent you!)

Items available currently:
15 - Bombsheller "WyvernScales" leggings available here as a limited edition item up to size 6x (I wear 2X), please use code "GeekMeUp" for a special affiliate discount!
16 - ASOS shimmer disco leggings available in red and black.
18 - LuLaRoe leggings in limited sizes and colors available in my friend Nicole's shop. (tell her I sent you!)
20 - ModCloth◊ Fresh Take leggings in Blue, Green, and Red/Pink.

23 - Converse Chuck Taylor Lo in Cosmic.

Wohoo! I'm so glad to finally show you all this collection.  For some reason the editing seemed to take forever, which makes me extra glad to be done putting this together.  Feel free to ask me questions in the comments!

More About Bombsheller

So I heard about Bombsheller a while back in an article detailing how comic book author Kelly Sue DeConnick's books were getting leggings made all the way up to size 6x.  I immediately had to check out their site and was pleasantly surprised to find that yes, they're selling larger sizes up to a 2X in nearly every designs now, with up to 4X in most designs, which just started yesterday!  Eventually they want to have up to 6X too.  So they excited me for that....

Then I found out that they're an ethical place to shop too!  They make every pair of leggings to order in Seattle, WA, USA, with fabric sourced from Italy that's also ethically made.  Awesome right?

It gets better, their designs are fun, comfortable, and artist designed!  So you can download a template and create your very own pattern.  Not that you'd need to since there are several hundred fantastic patterns to choose from, there's comic book themes, antique maps, layer cake, geometric designs off all kinds, circuit boards, flowers and way more.

They were kind enough to send me a pair of their leggings to try so I could tell you all about them.  They do not disappoint!  They're very comfy, and true to their size chart.  Here are some shots of me wearing them, with more to come in my outfits as the month continues.

Ok, here's a bit of midriff for you all!  Not too tight, but it might show lines under clothes.  If I try sizing up to a 3X next time I'll let you all know if there's a big difference, but this is fairly normal fit for this weight of leggings in my experiences so far.

As you can see there's extra length at the ankle, so tall folks need not worry.  I'm 5'6" and seemed to have about 3 inches in extra length, not too much, though it might be for someone under 5' tall.

My leggings above are the #WyvernScales design that's made in association with Espionage Cosmetics.  (a company that makes geeky themed makeup!)  It's a limited edition design so if you're in love with it go here to snap it up now, it'll only be available until January 1 2016!  And be sure to use code "GeekMeUp" for a discount and so they know I sent you.

That's about all for today's post other than this bit of fun from my studio:

I decided to try using an exercise ball as my desk chair.  Of course I'll have the added fun of getting used to it while wearing skirts all month.  haha  Thank goodness for leggings, right?  I was given an exercise ball from Forever Flex to try out and I'd definitely recommend it!  The 65mm size is just right for me as a chair.

That's all for today, but I'll be back again soon with a crop of new book reviews.  See you in a day or two!

Love,
Lydia

Reflections on November & What I'm Looking Forward to in December

Hi folks,

November

So, I had another topic I wanted to post about today, however sometimes life happens.  Instead I spent my morning waiting for Bryan, my husband to get out of surgery.  He had a growth on his tongue that showed up almost two months ago.  Our family medical practice thought it was a boil or other bothersome skin condition and tried (wrongfully because it's not supposed to be used orally!) putting silver nitrate on it near the end of October.  It did nothing but give my husband chemical burns in about a quarter of his mouth.  They decided it must not be a boil and said they'd refer him to a specialist.  After a month of waiting (in which Bryan lost his job and was told his health insurance would run out at the end of November) he kept bugging the office, and was finally contacted Tuesday of last week.  The oral surgeon saw him the day before Thanksgiving and scheduled him for surgery Monday, the last day of November.

We'd been looking into insurance options, but until the holiday thought it wasn't quite as urgent since we didn't really expect to need the insurance so much in December.  So yeah...I spent pretty much all afternoon on the phone with the government health exchange and my insurance company to come up with some sad sounding answers that might work.  Bryan's dad helped me out too thank goodness.  Bryan was asleep with a swollen tongue until around dinner time.  It was right around that point that I decided to call his insurance company that I assumed was dropping him from insurance and research COBRA options.  After all the long hold times on the other calls I spoke with a fantastic lady who in 15 minutes including wait found that Bryan's insurance was actually paid for until the end of the year!  I just about cried when I heard that, I can't say enough how much of a blessing it is that it worked out that way.

Hopefully this along with some of my other posts explains why I've been absent more than I'd like this past month.  November was hard!  However there was good stuff too with family at Thanksgiving and Word Balloons comics reading group.  Overall though I'm glad that November's chapter in my book is ending and December is fresh and new.

December

So I know we still have some financial issues to work through connected to the change in jobs, but I already feel like December is going to be a spectacular month.  I have a really exciting fashion post to share with you all at the end of this week as I show off my December mini capsule wardrobe and along with some fantastic sponsored content that will be a big first for me!  (hint: if you want a sneak peek of my new friends check out http://shop.bombsheller.com/)

Other great things I'm looking forward to this month include:

1. Making new traditions as we decorate our new house for the holidays.
2. The Boylan Heights Artwalk in Raleigh, one of my favorite places to find gifts ever as well as meeting fantastic artists.
3. Making my blog more beautiful as I create new, better graphics.
4. Baking things in my kitchen and drinking hot cocoa.
5. Finally hosting our housewarming party!
6. Spending time with friends and family at the end of the month.
7. Tackling a great new Monthly Instagram Challenge with the Geeks & Beauties Community.
8. Finishing some long overdue art projects that I'd normally be more passionate about, but life and a bit of procrastination have made a bigger burden of than they should be.
9. Going to the Raleigh Ringers concert (an incredible handbell choir that is not to be missed, and a Dickson family tradition).
10. Finding the perfect gifts for everyone on my list, I might put way too much thought into it, but I really enjoy finding a present that will make the receiver smile.
11. Feeling that things are finally calming down after the past months' turbulence.
12. Participating in Dressember!

Dressember

I'm thrilled to be able to share about Dressember with you all.  To explain further Dressember is an event that lasts the whole month of December and it's purpose is to raise awareness for human trafficking and help put an end to it.  Participants ONLY wear dresses for the whole month, no pants or skirts, some folks even limit themselves to one the whole time.  And similarly to a walk for charity or event like Extra Life where gaming is what's done to raise awareness you can help support this endeavor with the Dressember Foundation at any time over the course of this month.

But let me guess, you're also wondering, Lydia, why dresses?  Here's what the Dressember Foundation has to say about why they selected this as their challenge:

          "Dressember uses fashion to advocate for women who've been exploited for their

          femininity.  As women take on the creative challenge of wearing a dress for the 31 days of

          December, they are advocating for the inherent dignity of all women."

I love this idea, and the challenge too.  I'm building a small capsule wardrobe for just this month, which I'll share with you all later this week.  Plus if you want to see what I'm wearing each day just come follow me over here on Instagram.  And, if you want to join in it's not too late, it's quick and easy to sign up at the Dressember site, we'd be happy to have you!

Day 1

Please check out my donation page here for more information on the project.  Additionally, I'm not alone, there are several other ladies from the Rising Tide Society dressing it up with me for the next month.  I've joined some of them on team Grace Belle to do good for some of those least able to help themselves in the world.  You can read a bit on their takes on the project here at GraceBelle.com and here at Phylicia Nicole.  They've really said things much more eloquently than I have here.

85% of proceeds go to International Justice Mission and A21, of the rest 5% is used to process credit card fees and the other 10% for the foundation's admin, tech, and marketing.  All of these organizations are 501 c3 tax deductible, and you can read more about them here.  Even a tiny bit can help, and my goal is to raise $200 for them, since it's my first time.  I'm a little nervous about it because I honestly feel bad asking for anyone's money, but this is it, I'm asking that you join me in helping to end human trafficking.

Thanks so much for reading.  I'll see you all again very soon.

Love,

Lydia

Cooler Coverings - Fall Fashions

Hello Friends!

This week has continued to be yet another crazy one.  I've been to doctor's visits and getting things done with Bryan while he's around.  And hopefully I'll be able to schedule a follow up for some of the tests next week too.  In any case I've been having trouble with my keyboard that's led me to several house of troubleshooting and very complicated systems of trying to work around it as I've written posts and anything else typed online.  I finally found that a separate keyboard fixes the problem, even though it's super awkward since I don't own a Mac keyboard.  My computer is apparently warped enough that the keyboard is having severe problems, and the trackpad is starting to as well.  At this point my laptop is over 6 years old, so it's done well to get this far, but another fix is probably too costly since it's almost to the point of being outdated technology.  (I had to stop updating my OS a couple years ago since if I moved to the next version I wouldn't be able to use Photoshop.  Of course now it's harder to do all the beautiful things I'd like to do with the tools I can find for Photoshop because they're all meant to use with newer editions, and I'm still running Creative Suite 3.)  But on to more fun subjects.

Poshmark

On another note I am loving selling on Poshmark!  I started selling most of my clothes that didn't make the cut for my capsules there.  I haven't even finished listing everything yet and have already had 7 sales totaling around $90.  If you haven't tried it yet go for it, and have a $10 off coupon on me by using my code to sign up - PYIHF at www.Poshmark.com and then just download the app.  You can buy on the site using any device, but selling and the $10 for signing up is only available by downloading the app.

Fall Fashions

Transitioning to Cooler Coverings

Fall is here in full force and North Carolina is finally nice and cool most days.  I woke up this past Sunday morning to frost covered grass and chickadees pecking at our backyard feeder.  I'm finally having to break out my jacket a couple times a week and we tested out our new home's heater too.  In terms of fashions I'm experimenting more to make the summery portions of my fall capsule wardrobe keep me warmer.  Here are some examples:

With this outfit I decided it was time to start pairing some of my fun tees with skirts.  this outfit is comprised of my Switchfoot shirt, bag from Target, skirt from Torrid, leggings from Target, and boots from Hushpuppies/Trendsetter.

 

For Halloween I wore this Doctor Who, 9th doctor inspired outfit.  Dress from Her Universe, bag from Amazon◊, leggings from ModCloth◊, boots from Hushpuppies/Trendsetter.

I'm really excited to get to reading our picks from Fight or Flight's Halloween sale.  And Miles Morales Spiderman is a new one for me, which so far I'm enjoying a lot!

I know I don't show my makeup looks often, because I don't wear as much.  But I have fun playing around with it and a couple weeks ago I donned a bit to go on a double date night with Bryan's parents.  I used Boe eyeshadow in Fun House, Face Stolkholm's Jeanann eyeliner, Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara, and Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Venizia.

This date night outfit is the Paige dress from Cherry Velvet, leggings from Target, and boots from Hushpuppies/Trendsetter.

Another thing I've been experimenting with is styling my dresses.  In this shot I paired my LuLaRoe "Nicole" dress (I'm hosting a LuLaRoe online party for the next 24 hours if any of you readers want to catch a sale with me! You can find it on Facebook here.) with my sweater from Target, plus leggings from Target, and flats from Payless/American Eagle.

I also threw in some Julep nail polish by using the color "Darby" with this outfit, well technically I'd been wearing it for 6 days before this picture was taken.  It just lasts so well!  As always you can try a free box from my affiliates at Julep by checking them out here:

I've been breaking out my jacket from Maurice's, and wore it with a top from Old Navy, skinny jeans from Torrid, and flats from Torrid.

And finally my last outfit I'll be sharing from my fall capsule includes the jacket from Maurice's, top from Target, zip ankle jeans from Torrid, and flats from Torrid.

This fall capsule has gone well, better than I thought it would when I was panicking that first week about how to style things.  Now I'm thinking ahead to winter and the next capsule.  However I'm going to be doing a mini capsule for December as I adjust when my seasons change.  I've found that grouping the months of October-December would have been a better choice with less need for both summer and winter items.  So next year my capsules will run from January-March, April-June, July-September, and October-December.  I'll tall you more about what I'm planning for December in my next fashion post around December 4th.  I'll be taking a break from writing next Friday for the holiday and so I can focus on filling orders from my Etsy art shop at http://LydiasDesigns.etsy.com where you can find art like that in this picture below:

I'll see you all Monday!

Love,
Lydia

Store Directories and Giveaway Winner

Hello folks,

Giveaway Winner

Thanks so much for participating in my Julep giveaway!  Rachel M. is our winner, and her prize will be sent out in the next 48 hours.  I'm sure there will be another giveaway in future, sign up for updates via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Bloglovin (links to all on the right toolbar) to hear about them first!

And if you're still interested in trying out Julep's nail and makeup products you can get a free introductory box.

Store Directory

I know I've had a list of places you can find ethical plus sized clothing, and I've loved putting it together.  And for a while I've been working on compiling a new list of places I currently shop, for both clothes and other items, so if you're looking for new places to try you'll have a list at your fingertips.  Hopefully it'll also be a place you can come if you'd like to work on holiday shopping or finding your style.  If you want geeky shirts in plus sizes it's also got a good variety, as does my next list.

I'll also have a list of places I'd like to try with an area where you can suggest places you think I'd like.  There are several great shops with geeky designs that have plus sized options available that I'm itching to try.

Between these lists you'll be able to find all my different affiliates, so if you want to support my blog as you shop you'll find it as easy as possible.  I'll be updating all the lists regularly, so if you've visited before you may find new treasures the next time you look.  You'll find the lists in the top bar as well as in this post:

Ethical Plus Size Fashion 

Places I Shop

Stores I Want To Try

I'm sorry I don't have more of a real post today, but I've had an awful cold and can't concentrate nearly as well as usual.  This was much was a struggle honestly, but I can't wait to see you all Wednesday!

Love,
Lydia

October Outfits & Julep Unboxing

Hi friends,

I'm excited to share my latest Julep subscription box with you all, plus some recent outfits.

Julep

Julep is my favorite subscription box and nail polish brand.  They also make some great makeup, though in this box I just ordered nail items.  The beauty of this box is you can either choose between 6 curated boxes and upgrades or pay $5 more to create your own boxes.  To me it's worth it to create my own boxes.  You typically get 3 items, and then can get additional add on items, with a free item if you've added on 3.  It comes out to about $5 per item if you go for the box with add ons.  You can also skip you box as often as you need to, which is great if you want the fun of a box on a budget.  Julep typically comes out with 8-12 new nail colors each month, so there's always something fresh.  And I find most polishes last 5 days without chipping, and 7-8 if you use their base and top coat.  So here's my October box:

It had several other colors I'd ordered for the giveaway, plus a little bag of candy corn.  It came with this instructional card.  It makes me wish I'd ordered one of the eyeshadows!  Maybe next time I get a box I will, though I'm skipping November's.

These colors are wonderful, and I've done some tests to give you all an idea of just what they look like.  I realized after the fact that I'd ended up with some fantastic Halloween themed shades!  From the top down there's Darby - huntsman green with microglitter shimmer, Jocelyn (new)- a cranberry shimmer with holographic microglitter, Nicola (new)- a transparent peach glitter that glows in the dark (works great!), Sherri (new)- a bright purple stardust finish (stardust finish is slightly more matte with lots of texture, and no need for a top coat), and Arielle, a smoked fig (dark muted purple) cream.

I tested the colors on a paper towel and also the mini plastic bag so you could see what concentrations look like and what the finish looks like as well.  On my nail you see Arielle, which I used as the darkest shade in an ombre look pictured further down.

I also tried adding a stripe of Nicola over all the colors,  it doesn't change their colors much at all, though it makes the stardust finish more shiny.

Here's a peek at that ombre look too:

I used Arielle as the darkest shade, then Nedra, Alexa, Elisa, and Joanna.

You can get a FREE welcome box with the brand new Metallic colors and eyeliner seen below by clicking the on the image and using the code MADLOVE.


And if that's not enough you can also get in an entry to my giveaway for these lovely colors and holographic decals seen below by midnight tonight!

Lydia, Lee, Florence, and Sandi!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now for the Outfits!

Top - Forever 21, Necklace - Phoebe Marie via Etsy, Bag - available here at Amazon◊, Jeans - Torrid, Flats - Torrid

Dress - LuLaRoe, Necklace - Marsha Elliott Designs via The Blue Ridge Parkway Craft Center, Leggings - Target, Boots - Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

This outfit is a deviation from my capsule wardrobe, but I was so excited about the new dress from LuLaRoe that I had to post it!  I've recently been introduced to LuLaRoe through my friend Nicole, they're pretty much all American made clothing that's super comfy.  Their collection ranges from casual to business casual in mostly soft cotton materials.  Their designs stay consistent from season to season, but the fabric patterns change regularly and are made in small quantities.  I got this dress plus a top, which will be in my winter capsule wardrobe.

Thanks all this time, but I'll see you all next week!

Love,
Lydia

Announcement, 10 Wantables, and Outfits

Hi friends,

I'm so glad the weather here is finally better for wearing jeans, boots and sweaters.  Today I've got a bunch of outfits for you, plus a bit of a fun as I look at items I've seen and loved.  Perhaps some will become part of future capsule wardrobes, but one thing is for sure, they're on my mind today.

ModCloth Announcement!

Also I have a huge announcement that I'm incredibly excited about!  I am now a ModCloth affiliate!!  I love their clothes to death and am thrilled that they trust me to share their wonderful styles with you all.  What this means is when you click a link from here to ModCloth and make a purchase (any item, not just what I may link) you help support me.

Fall Wantables

1. The Intrigue All About It coat in Crimson from ModCloth *Affiliate*

2. This Batgirl shirt from Sons of Gotham!

3. A gorgeous Aaron tulle skirt from Whimsy Luxxe (I'm thinking lavender maybe?)

4. This Lace Front Button Tunic from Torrid

5. These amazing Pink Clove Metallic leggings from ASOS

6. The Coach Tour dress in Teal from ModCloth *Affiliate*

7. An adorable Shooting Star Shoulder Bag from My Lolita Dress

8. A pair of Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Lo Tops in Eggplant Peel

9. This Tee of the amazing new Thor from Her Universe◊

10.  These lovely Plum wash Jeggings from Torrid

Whew....Now for the outfits!

Top - Target , Shorts - Levis/Amazon, Flip Flops - Old Navy

Top - Forever 21, Necklace - Forever 21 (I couldn't find it to photograph, sorry!), Skirt - Target, Leggings Target, Boots Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

Not quite and outfit, but one of the examples of scarf wearing that is finally happening.  Yay fall!  Scarf - Dress Barn, Top -  Ocean Pacific/Walmart

Hoodie - Target, Top - Target, Jeans - Lane Bryant, Boots - Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

I was so nervous about wearing these palazzo pants out the first time.  I really love them, and they're incredibly comfy.  Top - Target, Necklace - Anthropologie, Pants - Dress Barn Woman, Boots - Trendsetter/Hushpuppies

Flannel Shirt - Walmart, Wonder Woman Tee - Torrid, Jeans - Torrid, Ballet Flats - Payless

Tell me folks, if you wear palazzo pants how do you style them to keep people from thinking they're pajamas?  That thought kept sneaking in while I was wearing them, so I made sure I dressed it up a bit (despite only wearing it out to get groceries.)  Also, what are your top wanted items?  Share it all with me in the comments!

Love,
Lydia