Tangerine Tango

Orange is a handy colour if you know the right shades of it that go with your skin. I’ve always been a fan of tangerine orange, it adds a glow to my naturally sun kissed skin tone.

Tangerine Tango was the official Pantone colour for the year 2012. I hadn’t found a pretty outfit in that shade then and the same goes for last year’s Radiant Orchid. So I was overjoyed when I found this dress! I didn’t even mull over it like I normally do. My heart was set on it, so I got it. I had a feeling it was going to look even better in person.

The Look

strapless bodycon dress – Asos Curve – uk 18

choker necklace – Lovisa 

strappy sandals – Charles & Keith 

Naturally, I first cringed when I thought – oh god Aarti, your arms and upper back. Right after I did that however, I marvelled at how very pretty this dress was and how it hugged my silhouette. So, out went that niggling voice!

The dress is SO soft and plush. Despite it being strapless, I didn’t worry about having the dress slide down because its got a really good hold at the bust without being stifling. Having said that, I am not As busty so I would advise caution if my busty girlfriends would like to wear this!

I’ve realised that I don’t care for VBO (visible belly outline) anymore. Sure, people will remind you of its existence but the important thing is, I am no longer worried about sucking my tummy in. My once monthly PCOS tummy bloat is bound to happen, I do have a very fussy stomach when it comes to spicy food so it does tend to look like an overdue food baby. SO WHAT. Honestly, I love this dress so much..it is THE nicest one I have gotten myself this year.

Little Details 

I’ve been having some trouble with my left eye, do you recall that swelling on my right eye that required surgery? Yes well there is a little growth on the left eye so I hardly apply makeup, it took some effort to do it up here because the eye was stinging but not to worry, its getting plenty of TLC.

Chokers are in and I cannot be happier because it means I get to indulge in 90’s styled accessories! In fact, this look is pretty 90s inspired. Dark purple lippie, choker, strapless dress and all..

How GORGEOUS are the colours and prints on this dress??

The perfect pair of footwear to go with the dress.

By far, I would deem this my favourite fashion post to shoot. The Gabi Fresh Swim Sexy one piece being a close second.

I have so much to say, so much more to share with you, but that can wait in the upcoming post. I hope you’re having a fantabulous week! My lesson to you for this post: Do not shy away from bright colours, find the right shade for you and it is Your perception of your appearance that matters.

In the words of Bey and Nikki, I’m feeling myself ❤

Curves Around the World : Sweet vs Sexy

Hello muppets!
You would think this theme wouldn’t be difficult..oh but it gave me such a headache.

Why?
Because I am nowhere within the vicinity of sweet. Now hear me out before you protest. I’ve been cute, funny, a klutz, a total nutter, temperamental, angry, emotional, a worrywart. But sweet? I think not.

Let’s not pussyfoot around this.
I am and always will be a Bitch in the world’s eye because I am far too opinionated, very loud and crass. Yes, I can be the consummate lady if the occasion requires me to be. Even then though, I am Not sweet.

I could be wearing a t shirt dress and wear the sweetest makeup or accessories but my personality is still going to roar through. No sweetness there.

As for sexy, gawd don’t make me laugh. Having sassitude over my Fattitude doesn’t make me sexy. But I have heard people call me that so go figure.

But I did try my best to bring some sweetness to the table this evening for the first portion of the shoot. And then I just posed like I always do for the second portion.

Sweet

black and white jumpsuit – boohoo.com uk sz 18
earrings – self made
cross printed flats – bought in Bangkok

The best way to transition with one outfit with 2 styles is to rely on makeup, hair and accessories. So for the sweet look, I ponytailed my mad blonde mane, added delicate looking hoops and wore flats. Makeup was flushed with pink on the cheeks and lips. Bright lights, bright eyes and a bright smile help too 🙂

However, being sweet is Not my thing so it got mental pretty quickly…

Don’t Ask.
Hubster took his cue and told me to get ready for portion 2 of the post.

Sexy

layered gold chain – Lovisa
heels – local store
belt – thrifted
clutch – Cotton On

Lips were given a purple pucker,
pink blush was gone. Hair was tousled and let down (managing my bleached hair is driving me insane btw), and the expressions were less tralala and more “I might have constipation or is it just a fart coming on?” Heh.

I’ve missed doing shoots at night.
I used to do them after sundown all the time last year. There’s a charm to it that I love. Anyway, I digress.

I had a tough time picking an outfit that could be switched up between sweet and sexy. This comfortable, pretty number from boohoo is decidedly more sexy than sweet in my opinion..but I tried my best with bringing the ‘sweetness’ out. It was fun that’s for sure! It’s piqued my interest with transitioning outfits between contrasting moods. I have done it before but this was quite the contrast.

Little Details

I feel a body positive post coming on.
I get that strong churning of thoughts and emotions, that’s when I know it’s time to write one out. We’ll see. In the meantime, there’s the ongoing backlog!

How would you have styled such a theme? I’m curious to hear your ideas.

Have a good midweek,
let’s be kinder to ourselves and our bodies. Your curves become you and that’s a beautiful thing ❤

All my love xxxo
Aarti Olivia

Untamed Style : Fall 2014 Trend – Velvet

Yay! Our 2nd Untamed Style post is here 😀

In case you need a refresher,
#untamedstyle was created by fellow plus size blogger Veronica of CID Style File.

“Our hearts will not be tamed and our style shall not be shamed”

That’s our motto 🙂

Since summer has given way to fall,
we felt it fitting to each pick a fall 2014 trend that we liked, off the runway.

My choice?
Plush Velvet

The 90s are back in full force this season so this plush and decadent material has been given a revival.

Here are some velvet looks from the fall runway that I spied :

Tadashi Shoji Fall 2014

Ellie Saab Fall/Winter 2014-2015

Tom Ford

Emilio Pucci Fall 2014

Oscar de La Renta Fall/Winter 2014-2015

Of course, this trend transcends beyond clothing.

Check out these beautiful Dolce & Gabbana shoes

Chokers, hair turbans, gloves, sunglasses (yes you read that right), ear studs, loafers..I remember having these accessories in velvet in the 90s. Yeah I REALLY loved this trend.

I remember hosting my secondary school’s annual concert. I wore a long burgundy gown with a long sleeved velvet maroon jacket to accompany it. Of course I had a crewcut then so I looked like a contradiction haha but oh I loved that jacket for a long, long time.

I did get a pair of pants in the same shade and remember getting a lot of compliments for this look. This is a similar pair like that one that I found online :

Why do I love velvet so much?
Because the fabric makes one feel like royalty. It’s so soft to touch, mesmerising to look at and Very sexy.

My Velvet fall trend inspired look

Velvet blue & grey bodycon dress – River Island sz uk 18
black necklace with feathers – Lovisa
mid-calf boots – H&M

I saw this lush plush beauty of a dress online 6 months ago and I HAD to have it. I didn’t care if it was on trend.
I follow trends that I like and that I think I can carry off. Personal style trumps over trends.

Velvet came in warm tones back in the 90s. So this colour combo was refreshing, and designers have really taken velvet to another level this Fall.
Very impressed with the styling and colours. Kind of like how leather has been reinvented beyond it’s standards black, brown and MJ red 🙂

I felt like this dress had an edge to it hence the boots. I thought the rope necklace with feathers would be a nice touch.

So this was my interpretation of the snug and sophisticated Fall trend that is velvet. I can’t wait to check out my fellow untamed style bloggers’ choices!

Check out my untamed style sisters fall looks Here :

Veronica Cid

Michelle Guerrero Denison

Zadry Ferrer Geddes

Margot Meanie

Pia Schiavo Campo

That a certain trend cannot be pulled off because of a size, is a gross misconception. Surprise yourself by trying a fall trend that you think suits you. And by that I don’t mean your size, I mean your personal taste and style.

I have another post coming up soon,
will be talking about an initiative I am starting. So stay tuned! 😉

all my love,
Aarti Olivia xxxo

Untamed Style! Style Icon : Diane Von Furstenberg

A few blogger friends and I are collaborating as a group of sassy, zaftig chicas under the name Untamed Style – fitting for the kind of lasses we are 😉 This is our first collab and I am so excited!! Got to give props to Veronica of CID Style File for this catchy name and Michelle of Zaftig Times for this gorgeous badge!

The theme for this post is Style Icon.
Now that’s a tough one because I had a lot of style icons old in mind.
But, my heart kept going back to one person. So here I am, introducing Diane Von Furstenberg.

Why did I pick DVF?
The picture above says it all.
She is a vivacious, ambitious, forward thinking fashion designer who keeps me glued to her runway shows, season after season.

Her fashion journey began after her marriage to Prince Eduard Egon Von Furstenberg, heir to Fiat Automobile.
She worked as an an apprentice for Italian textile manufacturer Angelo Ferretti. She moved to the States to try her luck with the fashion industry.

What I love about her background is that she didn’t allow her royal duties and high profile marriage come in the way of her passion. She took risks, worked very hard with trying to gain the interest of garment manufacturers with her designs.

Of course, everyone knows her greatest creation – the wrap dress.
She introduced it in the ’70s and it has been an icon ever since. Before creating this dress, she had a popular sweater dress named “Angela” after black activist Angela Davis.

Diane sought inspiration in many places and people. She was inspired by the likes of infamous fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who possessed a distinct sense of style. I can see why she inspired her!

Diane’s personal style has always been one of my favorites. When the wrap dress was gaining popularity, she wore it to events and on magazine covers in order to get it noticed.

For me, the outfit that stands out is her leopard printed wrap dress. Diane loves animal prints and has worn this style pretty often over the years.

Diane is extremely photogenic and I love to watch her striding across the runway after a show. The charisma she exudes and the joy she has when presenting her collection is palpable. It makes me wonder how she keeps herself so young at heart and constantly innovative!

I love the colors, prints, textures, jewellery, accessories she picks for her own outfits.

Here’s a cute pic of her surrounded by girls in her wrap dresses 🙂

What I love about DVF’s wrap dress (even though it isn’t available in plus size..sob!) is that the style looks good on ANY body. I mean it! I have seen wrap dresses by plus size brands like Kiyonna looking amazing on fellow bloggers. You don’t have to worry about your belly, arms or thighs looking ‘awkward’. We all know how it feels when we’re wrapped in an outfit that does no justice to our silhouette.

It looks as amazing on smaller frames too.

My style icon created a style icon with the wrap dress. How fabulous is that!

Here are some images of Diane that I love. Ever the style chameleon 🙂

In ode to my Style Icon, I wore a dress that unfortunately is not DVF (too pricey and no plus sizes, sigh) but it resembles her current personal style – feminine, bold, classy.

The Look

Leopard printed chiffon dress – ASOS Curve, uk sz 18
gold hoops & bangles – Lovisa
purple clutch – Aldo
olive flats – Charles & Keith

I’d seen a 2013 ad campaign of hers with a similar colour combo and was inspired!

My blog shoots are normally taken in the evenings after the hubster gets home from work and I just love how the gorgeous sunset hues get captured 🙂

I really don’t know if I am doing my icon any justice but I went with what I had in the wardrobe! :p

Red lips and leopard prints are a match made in heaven so I had to add that to the mix.

Details of the look:

I live by DVF’s words “Personal style is accepting who you are”. Our quirks, traits and habits, body image definitely come into play with our dress sense.

In my eyes, Diane Von Furstenberg is definitely not the kind of person who will allow her personality, sense of style and opinions to be muted. She is my kind of Wonder Woman 🙂

Hokay so that’s a wrap!
Here are the links to my lovely blogger friends’ Style Icon posts. I have read some of them and let me say that I am in Awe of being in the company of such talented women!

Veronica Cid
http://www.cidstylefile.com

Michelle Guerrero Denison
http://www.zaftigtimes.com

Zadry Ferrer Geddes
curvesalamode.com

Margot Meanie
http://www.margotmeanie.com

Pia Schiavo Campo
chroniclesofamixedfatchick.com

Chat soon loveys!
xxxo Aarti Olivia

Playsuit newbie! 3 styles one outfit

Hello Hello 🙂
How have my loveys been?
I love hearing from you guys by the way, so keep the comments coming!’

I purchased my first playsuit/romper 2 months back and was waiting for a chance to show it off. It’s gorgeous! And I decided to show the versatile looks you can pull off, should the shorter length of these outfits not be your thing.

Look 1 – the playsuit

Ooh this is the shortest I have gone yet! I was afraid it would be a bit much and I still have some getting used to with the length, but never say never because I wear shorts now and who knew that day would come?

Playsuit – Alice & You (ASOS Curve)
uk 18

green heels – local store, will update this spot when I remember where I got it from!

pendant necklace – Diva

This playsuit has it’s pros and cons.

Pros – It’s light fabric is great for the local climate, the print and colour is beautiful. It’s so vibrant!

Cons – not enough stretch, would have been nicer if the top was not a bandeau, a little more thigh room and perhaps a slight flair would have been helpful. I should have sized up with this one, or not gotten it at all .. but I’d been pining for it so I decided to get it anyway Lesson Learnt!

Look 2 – playsuit with denim bottom

I figured since I’m not crazy about the amount of thigh showing, I’d pretty it up with a skirt and shrug, Aarti’s Casual Chic style 😉

shrug – Cotton On sz L
stretch denim skirt – River Island sz uk 18
chunky cloth and beads necklace – Lovisa
sunflower printed flats – Rubi

I added to the pop of colour of the playsuit with the bright shrug and added some floral to the shoes, plus the necklace for the complete vibrant summer effect. The look goes quite well without the shrug as well.

Look 3 – playsuit with harem pants

If skirts are not your thing and you’re loving the whole slouched pants trend like I am right now, this is your look.

black harem pants – Forever 21 +
chunky earrings – Lovisa
blue suede flats – Rubi

You could add a kimono jacket for a full retro effect. I’ve still not found The Kimono Jacket for myself as yet. Lots of them around but nothing that has really made me scream “Gotta have It!”. You can play around with a medium belt if you’d like to cinch the waist. A long necklace would go pretty nicely with the look as well.

Took me about an hour to complete the shoot, with the different looks and all but it ended with the hubster and I enjoying a beautiful sunset 🙂

Little details of the looks

This is me basking in the sunset 🙂

Here’s wishing us a great week ahead
All my love xxxo Aarti Olivia