Tag: Shopping

Let’s Go au naturale! #AllNaturalStyleSecrets


If you know me in the real world, you know that I rarely wear makeup everyday. Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE MAKEUP but showing a fresh face to the world is a thing of beauty. It shows confidence and your natural features. So when Lucky Mag and the Lucky Mag Community reached out to do a post featuring a new natural product, I jumped at the chance!

 

 

Disclosure: I received a free sample of this product from Lucky and Seventh Generation for use in connection with this blog.

 

 +

 

 

And here’s what I received! Seventh Generation Boosts: Firming

 

 

 

I’ve been using this product for 3 days and my skin feels ahh-mazing!

 

 

As my style is already fairly natural, I figured what way to show that off than in my “natural” habitat?! At home, relaxing on the couch while enjoying some tv! Natural is comfortable for me. A chambray shirt from Old Navy and curls are all I need for a relaxing evening. Keeping it simple is my secret to effortless style.

 

#AllNaturalStyleSecrets

 

 

Trust me, you’re going to love it!

Prints are Hot for Summer


We’re definitely deep into summer now guys! It’ll be fall before we know it! So before we have to dig out the heavy artillery aka boots and other winter attire, let’s see what’s trending. During the spring, I created several fashion boards for the trends then. Now that we’re in the warmer months, take a look below at the Polyvore board and the details after.

 

 

 

 

Plus Size Fashion Trends

 

Yes, PRINTED PANTS!

 Ladies, don’t be afraid of prints…let your curves shine in skinny jeans. I’m in love with every single pair of pants in this post! Favorite thing about these styles, they’re versatile for the summer season and beyond. Cropped pants lend themselves to the warmer months but can also be worn in the fall and winter by pairing them with tall boots. Plus, they’re cropped so your legs get air when it’s blazing hot outside.

*Key thing to remember about summer wardrobe items: the material is thinner.

The Details

(costs and where to buy)

1. Grey Rose Skinny Jeans ~ $55 ~ Torrid

2. Ikat Sophia Skinny Jeans ~ $30 ~ Torrid

3. Fuzzi ~ Tribal Print Wide Leg Pants ~ $147 ~ Saks Fifth Avenue

4. T-bags Los Angeles ~ Cropped Pants ~ $190 ~ Saks Fifth Avenue

5. Lafayette 148 New York ~ Cropped Bleeker Pants ~ $398 ~  Saks Fifth Avenue

6. Cabbage Rose Ankle Zip Stiletto Jeans ~ $30 ~ Torrid

7. Tribal Soft Knit Pant ~ $60 ~ Lane Bryant

8. Lafayette 148 New York ~ Stretch Cropped Pants ~ $398 ~ Saks Fifth Avenue

9. Tripp NYC Tiger Skinny Jeans ~ $52 ~ Torrid

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Carrying Heat: Summer 2013 Bag Trends


No, not THAT kind of heat! Heat as in…nice, good, fire, or so freaking hot (in a good way!) Speaking of “heat” just because it’s summer, that doesn’t mean it’s time to let go of the big bags, purses, and carryalls. It’s just time to upgrade and update your summer bag collection. Bags are just one of my many vices. Right up there next to shoes and jewelry, it’s pretty bad. So which bags are the most coveted in my eyes? This should come as no surprise when you find out that the following pieces of arm and shoulder candy are perfect for the sizzling summer heat!

 

 

 

….because, summer means more color!

 

Kate Spade ~ Grove Court Stripe Maise ~ $318

 

Coach ~ Legacy Archival 2-Tone Rambler ~ $378

 

Michael Kors ~ Travel Tote ~ $298

 

 

 

 

 

……in case you like to be hands free.

 

 

Kate Spade  ~ Garden Groves Felisha ~ $498

 

Rebecca Minkoff ~ MAC Clutch ~ $295

 

Merona ~ Floral Crossbody ~ $19

 

 

 

 

 

…….because you don’t have to go on a cruise to feel tropical!

 

Tory Burch ~ Sloucy Tote ~ $295

 

Tory Burch ~ Multi-Color Straw Tote ~ $265

 

Kate Spade ~ Mexico City Stripe Tote ~ $198

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…….if you’re feeling adventurous and exotic.

 

Guess ~ Carlow Box Satchel ~ $110

 

Coach ~ (Grey) Legacy Haley Satchel ~ $548

 

Dooney & Burke ~ (Yellow) Pocket Sac ~ $238

 

Guess ~ Genera Satchel ~ $110

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gucci ~ Bright Bit Python Clutch ~ $2300

 

Dooney & Burke ~ Snakeskin Triple Zip ~ $128

 

 

 

These bags are very versatile and can be worn year round if you like…hint hint…that’s why I chose them! Trends can be a very touchy topic when it comes to fashion but these bags will be HOT for years to come. Don’t worry about cost while shopping either, there’s a price point for all of us bargain shoppers too!

 

Happy Shopping!

 

 

 

I Can See Clearly Now


How many of you stylish sweets wear glasses?

 I’m betting it’s a lot.

Even if you don’t wear glasses, one of the major trends of 2013 is the “nerdy look.” Add a pair of non-prescription black rimmed glasses to any look and you’re “in-style,” amazing! Well, I’m here to tell you…I’m a wearer of glasses. I’ve worn them since high school. Tried contacts but with astigmatism…that can become a task.

 

Glasses it is!

 

It’s time for me to get a new pair and I usually purchase two pair at a time (for fashion purposes of course.) For that reason, I’ve been looking at more “affordable” places besides paying several hundred dollars per pair. My current pairs are DKNY…with that designer price plus the cost of lenses, I’m definitely looking save some coins while updating my look.

 

So, I was watching tv one day when this commercial aired from Glasses dot com

 

 

 

 

Totally had me confused!

At first, I was thinking…this can’t be a real commercial. You’re telling me that I can get 5 pairs of glasses delivered to me, keep them for a week, try them out, and then send them back…FOR FREE?! Seriously, for free? This is genius! It definitely has to be too good to be true. So I clicked on over to Glasses to see what the site was all about, low and behold, it’s pretty legit! It also helped that their verified Twitter account tweeted me to confirm their realness. After that, I was down with the cause and picked out five frames that I liked and had them sent to me.

 

Here’s how the frames arrive (non prescription)

 

SEE THE PAIRS I PICKED AFTER THE JUMP (click “READ MORE” down below)


And here’s the five pair I picked.

(I have a round face so I tend to stick with squared frames and stay faaaar away from round ones)

How cool is that?!

Amazing presentation too! Kudos to Glasses.com! Sleek black box with white satin interior is simple but perfect for seeing any and everything in the box.

Now, I bet you’re wondering…how do the glasses look on my chubby little face? Well, let me give you the rundown on HOW this came about: I seriously forgot all about taking pics until my mother (shocker!) asked me Friday night “when do you need to send those glasses back?” Of course, I knew they needed to be back within seven days but for some odd reason, it skipped my mind!

*insert mini panic attack*

I wasted NO time and grabbed the box of frames pulled my hair up and started snapping away! I grabbed some lip gloss and my makeup brush for a quick touch-up so excuse any flaws in my technique.

 

Even though Curves And Coffee is a “judge-free zone”  I still feel the need to give you guys a warning: these aren’t my best selfies LOL! 

Thank goodness for a photo filter that reduces shine, HA!

Time to vote!

Which frames are your favorite from this group?

 

There might be another five frames soon since the availability of certain frames were limited. Figuring, I’ll take the three or four choices with the most votes and put them against each other and by 2015 we should have a winner! Just kidding! Should only take a couple of weeks.

 

Father’s Day

Whatever you do…

 

DON’T

 

GET

 

HIM

 

A

 

TIE!

 

He’ll look at it, tell you he loves it but chances are, he’s not going to wear it. There is an exception to this whole “tie thing”, it involves a bigger wallet and a man who has a penchant for the finer things in life. We’ll get to that a little later, be sure to stick around.

 

For those of you who don’t have the slightest idea of what to get the dad in your life…here we go! Oh and by dad of course I mean: Dad, Hubster, Dad to be, and/or any man who holds the title. Think of the things he likes which includes sports, television, movies, activities, cars, and things of the sort.

 

Below you’ll find tons of gift ideas for every type of guy imaginable! Check out the slide show with “Sports Dad, Business Dad. Tech Dad, and the Fashion Dad.” Several..well there’s quite A LOT of cool things. Seriously, even if the guy doesn’t fit into one of these categories, there’s still something there that he’ll love.

 

Click the arrow to view more…

 

 

 

 

Now, for the “tie thing”: if you’re going to get a man a tie, the first thing you want to do is, make sure he actually wears ties. Second, double check his closet to see if he doesn’t already have one similar to the one you’re purchasing. Third, don’t get a crazy tie…you know, one of those ties with beach balls and sandcastles on it.

 

Yea, don’t go that route.

 

Unless your dad is Craig Sager…

 

 

…then of course buy the beach ball tie!

 

Have you seen his closet? My goodness it’s like a living rainbow! Check out this Esquire piece on Mr. Sager’s many many suits… NBA Sideline Suits

 

Ok, lastly, in this whole “tie thing” spend some money on it! I know this sounds a little materialistic but trust me, if you want the man to wear the tie you bought, it’s gotta be bad! Bad meaning extremely dope and good of course. Plus, he’ll wear the tie into the office and brag about getting it. Men love office water cooler talk just like us.

If all else fails, simply ask the stubborn man what he’d like and voila, you’ll have the perfect gift in no time! There’s about four days to pick up any of these items but don’t worry, everything I picked is available at a store near you.

 

Friday Fashion Faves: Designer Edition

It’s the weekend, time to to get your sleep in! That is literally ALL I want to do…sleep! We all know that’s not going to happen. Stopping by the post office to ship the fabulous Julep Maven prize, Iron Man 3 and shopping is on my agenda for the weekend. Not to shabby if I do say so myself. Speaking of shopping, I’ve been eyeing a certain pair of Kors sneakers lately.

 

THIS pair of Michael Kors sneakers to be exact. Priced at $195 on MichaelKors

 

 

 

 

 

It’s rare that I’ll get shoes from anywhere other than DSW because they have ev-e-ry-thing and it’s priced way way below suggested retail pricing. But this pair of sneaks need to be in my closet as soon as possible…they’ll go with practically anything and last through the seasons. While I was surfing the MK site, I noticed tons of other things and you know he does curvy sizes too!

 

Here are all of my current favorites from Michael Kors…ENJOY!

 

 

(remember to find more info on the items below…simply click the pic)

 

 

 

 

Well, that was fun. That won’t help my shopping addiction AT ALL.

 

May is For Mom: Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

April showers bring May flowers! At least that’s what they say. Who are they and why do they always say that? Anywho, we made it through another month stylish sweets! Can you believe it’s May…seriously…May? In just under two weeks we’ll all be celebrating Mother’s Day here in the states. On Sunday, May 12th we’ll be able to say thank you to our wonderful mothers…even though we should thank her everyday. This gives literally 12 days to find the perfect gift for the women we love. It’s ok, you can panic a little bit…we women can be hard to shop for, I know. Luckily, you have me! I put together (as Curves and Coffee always does) a gift giving shopping guide. With these shopping tips and ideas, you’ll be able to see the perfect gift for every price point.

Edible Arrangements

Who doesn’t love fruit or chocolate delivery?!

Price: $29-$113

Sephora Deluxe Sampler

Not sure what her favorite fragrance is…grab a gift with them all!

Price: $50

Open Hearts by Jane Seymour

Can never go wrong with jewelry or hearts! Combine them!

Price: $30-$8,000

1-800-Flowers

Flowers as gifts are great (well at least to me) you won’t get dirty planting nor do they bring bugs!

Price: $20-$350

1-800-Baskets

You can go to this site and the 1800Flowers site and find a group of gift giving ideas! A basket is the perfect gift for the hard-to-shop-for mom. Quick and easy!

Price: $19-$220

Cookies By Design

I absolutely LOVE these yummy cookies! I’ve given them as gifts tons of times and swing by my local store for a sweet treat! Ask for a lemonade cookie…heaven!

Price: Depends on size

Bonus! Variety of sizes for EVERY budget.

 

Luxury Link

Know what EVERY mother and woman would love? A vacation! Send her to a spa retreat to let her unwind and relax. Most packages are priced for a trip of 2 or more travellers and include many extras.

Price: $280-$18,000 (not including travel or airfare costs)

Look……At…..This…..View of St. Lucia!

 

Saks

Still lost? Nothing a gift card from Saks can’t help her find!

Price: $25-$500 (can buy multiple cards)

So, did any of those help? Hope I’ve at least given you an idea of what to get the woman who birthed you or even the mother of your children lol she deserves something incredible! I can’t tell you what my mother will get because she reads this site soooo MOM you’ll be surprised!

 

Spring Fling

It’s finally starting to feel like spring around here, can I get a big WOOHOO?! I don’t know about you guys but I’m tired of the layers! Just waiting on that moment when we can walk outside with a cute cardigan and sunglasses. I’ll still grab a scarf mother nature but the hat, gloves, tank, and under clothes won’t be coming with me. This brief fling with spring has me in the mood to shop and of course I have to share with my stylish sweets what’s on trend.

 

 

 

 

Spring Fling

 

Spring Fling by curvesandcoffee featuring a plus size denim jacket

How cute are these denim jackets?! Perfect for spring and summer in case there’s a chill in the air. What’s even more chic….colored denim is IN so that means vibrant jackets are given the green light for the season. No matter your size or color preference, it’s sure to be in the stores and making its’ way into your closet. All of the denim jackets above are pretty decently priced. I already have a jacket like the second jacket on the first row…just the average distressed denim but I am definitely loving on the “old school” bleached jacket and the orange one! Ok, I need more money lol!

Stepping Into Spring with Stylish Shoes

It’s been a while since I’ve went shoe shopping…by a while I mean a couple months. So yes, this is what I’d call a “drought” and I am upset about it! The best thing to do in this scenario: look at the new arrivals from the spring and summer lines that are going up on store shelves. Plus this will give me (and you) a pretty good idea of what we need covering our toesies in the coming weeks.

 

I’m a true girly girl with a sports edge so my shoe collection ranges from extreme heels to low skateboard type sneakers. Try to stay versatile with your shoe game because you never know when a certain pair will come in handy. If you want to try something new and different from your normal shoe-style, stick with the least expensive stores and brands. It’s not really a good idea to spend $250 on 2-inch hidden platform, 5-inch heels if you’ve never worn a pair before.

 

So, here’s where the fun part comes in! As I do with all shopping posts, there will be a dreamy high price shoe and “the look for less” shoe! Let’s get shoe shopping…

Stepping Into Spring

Stepping Into Spring by curvesandcoffee featuring strappy sandals

 

(arranged by rows)

 

1. India Wedge ~ Coach    ——   Queen T-Strap ~ Brash/Payless

 

2.  Miles Floral Print ~ Tory Burch    ——    Keds ~ Kate Spade

 

3. McQ Abstract Floral ~ Alexander McQueen      ——   Delphine Flat ~ Coach

Stepping Into Spring ~ 1

Stepping Into Spring ~ 1 by curvesandcoffee featuring high heels wedges

 

(arranged by rows)

 

1. Dabney Wedges ~ Kate Spade     ——     Color Garden ~ Naughty Monkey

 

2. Serrano ~ Carlos Santana    ——  Konstellation Strappy Wedge ~ Brash/Payless

 

Stepping Into Spring ~ 2

Stepping Into Spring ~ 2 by curvesandcoffee featuring peep toe pumps

 

(Arranged by rows)

 

1. Licorice Heel ~ Kate Spade    ——    Kit Bow Pump ~ Payless

 

2. Larimore Cherry Blossom ~ Alice + Olivia    ——   Floral Pump ~ Diba Ryder

 

3. BB Floral Silk Print ~ Manolo Blahnik     ——    Arbour Pump ~ Carvel Kurt Geiger

 

 

 

 

Well, that was fun! It was like window shopping without all the extra walking! Hope you saw something that will fit your spring closet and wardrobe. Remember to mix it up a little!

Happy Shopping!

 

xo Rena

Plus Size Trend Alert: Florals & Stripes

What’s trending in the world of fashion these days? Fashion is a fickle fickle world and what’s popular today may not be popular next month. No worries my curvy sweets, if it’s in style…you can wear it! Fashion trends are all about confidence. Don’t be scurred to wear a bright color or a horizontal stripe, be ready to be bold! We have these curves to be different…say it loud…I’m curvy and I’m proud!

 

(Reminder: clicking the collages take you to Polyvore, then see where to buy each item!)

 

Spring Florals

 

Spring Florals by curvesandcoffee featuring red valentino

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Stripes

 

Spring Stripes by curvesandcoffee featuring a bodycon dress

While it may not feel like spring OR summer just yet, I stuck with styles that can be worn today with added warm coverage if you need it. Stay tuned for more style trends that are ready to be worn!