Putting it Together (7)

Putting it Together is a weekly feature. Every Monday, I’ll find an straight-sized outfit, analyze why it works for me, then put it together in plus sizes with some ideas about making it affordable. The “My Shopping List” page has a list of items that I’m hunting for and links to every PiT post.

Have a outfit in mind you’d like me to put together? Email it to me at circoluma@gmail.com.

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I found this week’s inspiration picture at Shamepuff.com.

I like the simplicity of this outfit. The original post calls it “so European” and I agree, and love it! I think the aqua scarf makes it. I also love that this is a good winter-into-spring outfit. You could easily add tights to make it warmer, or a striped short-sleeve shirt and switch the scarf for a necklace to make it cooler.

Here’s how I put it together for fat girls:

I added some texture, just because I roll that way. I also used a long-sleeve jersey top instead of a sweater.

The top is from ASOS. I love the chevrons at the sides, especially. And the peplum. Who doesn’t love a peplum? This top is $37.30.

The skirt is from Target. It has a lace overlay, which I adore. It costs $22.99.

The scarf is from Kohls. So pretty. It costs $14.99.

Love these black crocheted ballet flats from Torrid. They cost $28.50, and come in sizes up to 13.

Total, this outfit would cost you $103.78. Not too bad, considering each piece is pretty basic and could be worn in a thousand ways. In fact, I already have a black skirt and black flats, and I bet you do, too. So, remixing what you already have could save you more than half right up front.

As I’ve said before, scarves are a thrift shop standard. You might even find something vintage, or otherwise super cool, and it would probably cost you no more than about $5.

Watch ASOS for sales. That top is seriously cute.

Putting it Together (6)

Putting it Together is a weekly feature. Every Monday, I’ll find an straight-sized outfit, analyze why it works for me, then put it together in plus sizes with some ideas about making it affordable. The “My Shopping List” page has a list of items that I’m hunting for and links to every PiT post.

Have a outfit in mind you’d like me to put together? Email it to me at circoluma@gmail.com.

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I found this week’s inspiration photo on Mod Cloth’s style page. I love the sort of nautical style, and I always love stripes with bright colors. It’s so cheerful and pretty.

Here’s how I put it together for fat girls:

As soon as I saw the inspiration photo, I knew I wanted to put it together. If you’ve seen my other PiT posts, you know I’m all about the mis-matchiness. I loved the navy/white/purple combo. I don’t do hats much, so I skipped that part.

This is one of my favorite dresses on the eShakti site right now. I love the stripes so much, especially the way they chevron on the bodice. It comes with a green belt. If you wanted to, you could switch it out for something pastel and match it to a knit hat, but I like kelly green, so I probably wouldn’t change it. It’s $64.95, full price. If you’re a new customer, you can get a $25 gift certificate by signing up for emails. Also, eShakti consistently has good sales if you keep your eye out for them.

This white boyfriend cardi is on sale for $16.97 at Old Navy right now. I’d probably order it in a size down, because I like my cardigans to be fitted through the arms.

Pretty silver tights on sale at Avenue for less than $6!

I love these sparkly purple flats from Lane Bryant. They’re on clearance for $20.96, and they come in wide width.

Avenue has this cute purple bag for $19.99. I like the silver accents.

If you went out and bought all of these things new and at the prices listed, you’d spend $130, plus shipping.

As always, the easiest place to save is with the purse. Thrift stores routinely have a wide variety, and if you keep looking eventually you’ll be able to find the perfect purple purse for $10 or less. You might be able to pick up a pair of purple flats that way, too. Especially if you don’t have size 12 feet, like me.

I’ll be adding “striped dress” to my thrift shopping list.

Putting it Together (5)

Putting it Together is a weekly feature. Every Monday, I’ll find an straight-sized outfit, analyze why it works for me, then put it together in a plus size with some ideas about making it affordable. The “My Shopping List” page has a list of items that I’m hunting for and links to every PiT post.

Have a outfit in mind you’d like me to put together? Email it to me at circoluma@gmail.com.

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I found this week’s inspiration photo on the Anthropologie website. I like to look at the site–mostly–but it also makes me sad sometimes because A) nothing there will fit me and B) I can’t afford any of it anyway.

So, let’s see what we can do about that, shall we?

What do I really love about this outfit? I like the way the minty green of the skirt and the acid-y yellow of the cardigan almost match, but not quite. I like the vintage feel of the cardigan. And I love the prim little blouse under it all. I really love how it doesn’t quite match, in texture and pattern and color, but it still all works together.

I know what you’re thinking. The pieces I picked don’t have anything to do with the inspiration photograph. But hear me out. Here are a few things that came up when I was sourcing this outfit.

1. There are far fewer clothing items available in plus sizes than there are for straight sizes. I could have had my pick of half a dozen mint skirts or yellow lace sweaters if I’d been okay with the sizes stopping at 14 or maybe 16. But that doesn’t work for me. The lack of choice in plus-size fashion isn’t a revelation, I know, but this outfit gave me the chance to talk about it here.

2. I like brighter colors.

So, anyway, I had to take the spirit of the outfit this time, rather than matching it precisely. I looked for a skirt and a lacy sweater that almost matched, but not quite (I thought the red-orange and mustard yellow were similar in the same way the acid yellow and mint green were in the inspiration photo.)

I really wanted a lacey sweater for this outfit. I think it’s important to the over all look.

This one comes from Nue Options and is on sale right now for $27.99. I’m really drawn to the color (although I would have been happy to find a yellow one, too.)

I could not, no matter how hard I looked, find a pencil skirt in mint green that came in plus sizes. Or one in any pastel shade, for that matter. I did find a few, but this outfit needs a skirt with structure, since it has a blouse with structure. I could have found a pastel flowy skirt, but it wouldn’t have looked right at all. I love this skirt from eShakti. It’s got a great 50s vibe, which jives well with the lacy sweater, don’t you think? And I think the big stripes with the small pattern on the top are great together. It costs $72.95, but eShakti has regular sales of up to 30 percent off.

The top I picked is from eShakti as well. It’s covered in little swans. I really love the way it goes with the skirt, that mis-matchy way that I loved about the original outfit. It costs $59.95, and again eShakti has regular very good sales. Also, watch their overstock link, you never know what might come up in your size.

The original photo didn’t show shoes, but I think I’d just do some black or maybe gold ballet flats with this outfit.

I’m adding a lacy, retro or vintage cardigan to my shopping list. I think it would look adorable over any tiny-print blouse, even just with jeans or a skirt I already have. So, a tiny-print blouse is going on my list as well.

Putting it Together (4)

Putting it Together is a weekly feature. Every Monday, I’ll find an straight-sized outfit, analyze why it works for me, then put it together in a plus size with some ideas about making it affordable. The “My Shopping List” page has a list of items that I’m hunting for and links to every PiT post.

Have a outfit in mind you’d like me to put together? Email it to me at circoluma@gmail.com.

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I found this picture in Mod Cloth’s Style Gallery:

I really love the navy/white/red colorway, and the neutral shoes that show off the cool socks. This outfit has a sort of nautical feeling to me, and it’s perfect for almost-spring. Here’s how I put it together for the fatshionista:

Cute, right? And best part, it’s all on clearance. And all the pieces could be worn in a thousand ways.

The dress is from eShakti. I love the patterns at the bottom and the vintage cut. So cute. Plus, it’s on sale, 30 percent off, so $55.95 instead of 79.95.

The cardigan is from Avenue. On clearance for $15.96 down from $54!

Cute little navy knee socks from sock dreams. $8.

And these shoes from Avenue. Marked down to $39.99 from $48. I like these flats over the heels in the inspiration photo. I just don’t do shoes like hers.

The total cost for this outfit, if you bought it today would be $119.90.

What you really need is a navy and white dress, a bright cardi, navy socks or tights, and a pair of neutral, open shoes. The best place to save some money is with the cardi. You might already have one (even if it isn’t red. Yellow or green would look cute, too.) If you keep your eyes out, you’ll be able to find one at a thrift for no more than $10. (Not much of a savings. That cardi from Avenue is a great price right now.)

If you’ve never bought from eShakti, you can give them your email and get a $25 gift code. That would make this dress about $30.

I like the socks/open shoes look, but I think my gold flats would look just as cute. And I already own them. You might already own a pair of neutral-colored shoes that would work, which would save you $40.

If you have a bright cardi and neutral shoes, you could put this together for the $30 for the dress with the gift code. Not bad!

I’m adding a navy and white dress to my shopping list. It might take a while, but I’m pretty sure I’ll find one.

Putting it Together (3)

Putting it Together is a weekly feature. Every Monday, I’ll find an straight-sized outfit, analyze why it works for me, then put it together in a plus size with some ideas about making it affordable. The “My Shopping List” page has a list of items that I’m hunting for and links to every PiT post.

Have a outfit in mind you’d like me to put together? Email it to me at circoluma@gmail.com.

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I was immediately drawn to the colors of this outfit when I saw it on Mod Cloth’s style page:

What I especially love: the gold flats with yellow tights, and the romantic dress styled bright instead of soft.

The one thing I’d change about the first photo is the pink. I think green/yellow/orange is amazing. Adding pink is too much for me. So, I replaced the pink belt with orange. I love the way this would go from orange on top to yellow on the bottom, over the green. So pretty!

The dress is from ASOS. It actually came in a mint color, but it’s not available any more. The jade is just as pretty, and it’s on sale for $27.26. The belt is also ASOS and costs $10.55.

The shoes are from Payless for $16.99. They come in sizes up to 13 and in wide width. I actually own these, and love them to pieces. We Love Colors sells bright yellow tights for $15. They have some for $9, too, but the fit was weird for me.

I found the necklace at Etsy. I love it because it only costs $15 and it’s 25-inches long, so it would fit my neck. The purse is the same one the model is holding, from Francesca, only in yellow instead of pink. It’s on clearance for $24.98 and Francesca is having a BOGO sale where a second sale item would be free. Their clothes are straight sized, but they have some pretty cute purses in their clearance section.

So, this whole outfit could be had for $109.76.

The one thing that you could probably save money on is the purse. I see bright yellow purses at thrift stores every week for about $5. I also find big, bold statement-style beaded necklaces for just a couple of dollars pretty often as well. The dress is already marked down to a good price, and ASOS doesn’t even charge for shipping!

If you’re trying to put this together with items you already own, start with a bright, solid-colored dress, then pick two other, contrasting colors. I like how the dress in the first picture is pastel and the accent colors are almost neon. I think you could even go more classic with the dress and do, say, navy with bright green and yellow, or cream with pink and orange.

 

Putting it Together (2)

Putting it Together is a weekly feature. Every Monday, I’ll find an straight-sized outfit, analyze why it works for me, then put it together in a plus size with some ideas about making it affordable. The “My Shopping List” page has a list of items that I’m hunting for and links to every PiT post.

Have a outfit in mind you’d like me to put together? Email it to me at circoluma@gmail.com.

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Last week, I picked up this t-shirt from ASOS Curve.

The little ghosts look like pieces of toast with arms to me, and I love the little screaming guy. Sweet. Adorable. And on clearance with free shipping. I went onto ASOS, looking for a ideas for styling my new piece from them. Here’s what I found in their outfits and looks section that caught my eye:

What I love: The casual feel. The mixed neutrals (black and brown.) The unexpected t-shirt, and the mixed print between the t-shirt and the scarf.

Here’s what I came up with, in sizes that would work for a girl my size.

I went with a gray skirt, because I thought the black was too matchy with the black outlines on the t-shirt. And I went with yellow, because I thought it was nicer with the gray.

The skirt is from Target. It’s just a simple jersey maxi. It’s available in sizes 1-4, and is half off at just $17.48 right now.

The sweater was the hardest part for me to find, believe it or not. This one is from the regular side of Old Navy. It comes in sizes up to XXL. I own several cardigans from Old Navy in an XXL, so I’m confident that someone who wears up to my size (24/26) could wear this one. I wanted a cardigan that wasn’t too long and wasn’t oversized. I like the fitted sleeves. I think they serve this outfit. This sweater is $24.94 right now. This color is Lemonbar.

We already talked about my shirt. It’s on clearance at ASOS right now for $16.71, with free shipping. It comes in sizes up to their 22, which fits like a size 24 or so.

I saw this scarf on the Forever 21 website, and thought it was perfect. I love the contrast with the t-shirt, and how it ties in the colors of the sweater, skirt, as well as the boots and purse. Lovely. $10.80.

I’m going to have to branch out from Payless one of the days. The problem is, I wear a size 12 shoe and most stores stop at 11. I hate to add a shoe to one of these posts that I can’t even wear. Research must be had! These boots are perfect with this outfit. Plus, they’re on clearance for $39.99, marked down from $59.99.

I love this little leather backpack. It’s vintage. I saw it at Etsy. I also see something similar almost every time I go into a thrift store. I think this outfit has a vintage-y vibe, and I like the idea of adding a vintage bag to it. This one costs $20, but I promise with very little effort you’ll be able to find a brown leather tote or backpack that will fit the bill for half that.

If I bought all these pieces,  I could have this outfit, including bag and shoes, for $82.49.

The pieces that I believe anyone could find at a thrift store with a little effort are the bag and the scarf. Thrift stores are literally chock full of these things. I wouldn’t spend more than $10 for the bag and $10 for the scarf, second hand. You probably already have some boots and some kind of a neutral-colored sweater in your closet. I think a moccasin or loafer would work just as well. Even a pair of low-top Converse would be cute. The t-shirt and skirt together are less than $35.  I bet adding them to your closet would open up all kinds of outfits for you.

Putting it Together (1)

I was looking at Mod Cloth tonight–an activity that usually leaves me frustrated, because while everything there (seriously) is adorable, almost nothing will fit me. Then I came across their style guide, and was all–oh, wow! So much style. On so many types of bodies. And then Mod Cloth puts together a similar outfit from their own shop. And I thought, hey I could do that. Find an outfit I like, then cobble together one in a size that will work for me.

Giving that a whirl. Here’s the inspiration photo:

I love the neutrals mixed with bright colors. The whimsical print. The denim. I don’t wear heels like that, so I’ll see what I can do with flats.

I love the way it all looks together! Here are the parts and pieces.

I couldn’t find a bird dress in a plus size that I really liked. Wrong season, maybe? I did find this really pretty feather dress from Eshakti, though, and I think it does the same thing. It has a vintage cut, a neutral gray feather print against the brighter robin’s egg blue. Very, very sweet. It’s available in a multitude of sizes, from extra small through 5X (30/32). Click through to see the print up close. It’s beautiful. It costs $59.95, and if you sign up for Eshakti emails, you get a $25 gift certificate, so this could come for as little as $34.95.

This is a simple jean jacket from Old Navy. It doesn’t have any embellishment, which I like better. I also like the fitted cut. Also, the longer cut, which I think I would wear more often. It comes in sizes 1X to 4X, and costs $38 (marked down a whopping $1.94 form $39.94!)

These are nylon/lycra tights in Fuchsia from We Love Color. Good quality, so for $15.00 they should give good wear.

I love, love, love these double penny loafers from Payless. They look great with this outfit, and would great with just about anything, really. And they’re on sale for $16.99, down from $24.99.

ASOS Curve has this pretty yellow belt for just $10.55, in sizes 16/18 and 20/22.

There you have it. My version of that pretty outfit, if I were to go out and buy everything new. It would come to right around $115.00. I’d have a belt, tights, shoes, and a jacket that I could work into unlimited outfits, and the dress could go at least one or two other ways as well. Since I don’t have $115 to blow, here’s how I’d do it on the cheap-cheap.I’d skip the jean jacket, and keep my eye out for one at a thrift store. I’m fairly certain I could thrift a jean jacket in my size for about $10 rather quickly. A cardigan would work in the mean time. I’d skip the belt and wear one I already have. If I didn’t have one, I’d just skip it all together and let the tights be the color. The tights make the outfit. As much as I love the shoes (and I swear, I will eventually own them!) I’d wait for a BOGO sale at Payless and wear my black or maybe my gold flats in the meantime. So, I could put together a close proximity for the cost of the dress ($35) and the tights ($15), or about $50.

On My Shopping List:

Penny loafers, bright tights, and a denim jacket. Those Payless loafers will be mine! I’m just waiting for a good sale. I’ll start hitting the thrift stores for a jacket.

I also really want that eShakti dress. I’m not putting it on the shopping list, because I already have a neutral/bright dress that will work for an outfit like this. But maybe my birthday list?