Merry Christmas my loyal blogger family! I hope you have all had an amazing day enjoying whatever it is that makes the holiday special for you and your family and friends.
My family lives about 8 hours away from me so this year was my Mom’s turn to come down to visit with me here at home so I didn’t have to travel. When it’s just the two of us we really get to have some quality time together because we don’t get to see each other often during the year.
The look and spirit of this shoot were inspired by a tradition that my Mom and I share and have a passion for – gift wrapping.
Christmas is my favourite holiday but it doesn’t mean that we haven’t had our ups and downs throughout the years whether it be my parent’s divorce, financial struggles or the loss of loved ones. However, we both love giving presents. To me I get a feeling of pure joy when I see someone open something and the expression on their face tells you how happy they are. And it’s not about the cost but I feel it’s about how well you know someone and show you care.
So even if we couldn’t afford to buy something fancy, my Mom and I always made sure the extra love went into the wrapping of each package.
Many years later we have things down to a science but people often think we are nuts for the effort we put in but it is something that we do together.
And since you know I don’t like paying full price (my Mom taught me well, lol) we also have a tradition of going out after Christmas to stock up on new supplies when they sell them for 50% off. Let me tell you, if we have our eyes on something, you better watch out!
Sequins are a huge trend for holiday looks this year and I had wanted to get a skirt but couldn’t decide what style or colour. Then Lane Bryant featured this skirt in their holiday advertising campaign and I immediately fell in love with the colour.
I loved that is was something different like a gunmetal grey and of course it was may fave style – the circle cut midi. I am wearing the size 26/28 and it is true to size.
I bought the skirt not knowing what I would wear with it but I knew that I wasn’t personally in love with mixing the casual plaid shirt with it as they had advertised it with. I wanted something a little more special.
I love a good cardigan or shrug, and especially ones that are cropped. So when my friend Karen, of the blog Curvy Canadian posted this sweater on her store, Your Big Sister’s Closet‘s Instagram page I knew it would look perfect with this skirt.
This sweater is super soft and I loved the whimsical feel of the polka dots. This sweater comes in 2 sizes – one fits 12 to 16 and the other fits 18 to 22. I am wearing the larger size and I had no issue with it. The room in the sleeves was generous. And luckily this cutie is still in stock! But if you like it I wouldn’t wait long, if you know YBSC, you know how quickly things can sell out!
Once I had the sweater and skirt I was a bit stumped with what shirt to pair with it. I didn’t really see anything in the stores that stood out to me and while the safe/easy thing to do would have been to go with black, you know that it would not be a “Lisa” outfit.
So ladies…if you ever have a moment like this, here is my recommendation – look at what you have in your closet. I knew I wanted a pop of colour so I started taking mental note of what I had and this gorgeous silk cami that I got at Lane Bryant years ago popped out at me. I absolutely fell in love with the contrast of the rich raspberry colour against the gunmetal skirt. I also really liked that it wasn’t a traditional Christmas colour combination.
From that point I knew I would wear my black glitter flats, also from Lane Bryant that have been my new go to shoe this holiday season. I love the fact that they are comfortable but festive and can be worn with your dressy pieces.
However, I was stumped in the jewelry department. I wanted something simple because the skirt is clearly a statement on it’s own but I also wanted to play on the colour. Well I happened to be visiting SexyPlus Clothing just before this shoot and I was looking around the store and came across this stunning piece.
It was like the stars had aligned! I love the uniqueness of this piece and the fact that is locally made. SexyPlus has a great selection of one of a kind accessories in store to complete any outfit. If you are ever in the neighbourhood, I suggest you check it out.
I then added this gorgeous statement bracelet that I have had for years that matched the top perfectly and a grey beaded one to complete the look. And to top it all off I had a little fun and clipped this pink flower to my waist.
When I was thinking about what I wanted to do for the shoot for this look I realized that a coordinating present was a perfect fit. So I went into my stock pile of wrapping treasures and found the perfect paper, and ribbon to compliment my outfit. I realized that my love of wrapping makes sense because it is very similar to putting an outfit together.
I always start with the paper. I look for paper that is in non traditional colours or patterns to be different. Then I look at my myriad of ribbon options and try to come up with something out of the box and unique. It has to be bold. And finally, the gift tag has to match. It is like the accessories for your outfit. It completes the vision. Clearly my Mom is the master because this one is her handy work.
This look makes me happy inside and out and so does seeing an array of beautifully wrapped presents. I hope you like the look and have enjoyed a glimpse into one of my favourite traditions. I have also shared a few pictures of this year’s presents so you can see our handy work. Happy Holidays!
Thanks to Stef of SassyPlus for the wonderful pictures.
Skirt by LANE BRYANT | Cami by LANE BRYANT (alternative) | Cardigan by YOUR BIG SISTER’S CLOSET | Flats by LANE BRYANT | Necklace by SEXYPLUS CLOTHING (in store only) |
