Happy Tuesday everyone, I hope you are having a fabulous week!
In this post, I’m going to feature a new brand that I tried recently, Yona New York.
I came across this brand through Plus Model Mag’s Instagram feed back in the summer when they were getting ready to launch this new brand.
I am always excited at the prospect of finding a new plus size brand to try but I was particularly thrilled that they were going to offer pieces for the career oriented professional woman. I knew that I could definitely use some more options for my career wardrobe.
Now of course as is common with many plus size brands, particularly start ups, the sizing only went up to a 24. I remember posting a comment on their page and Yona herself graciously responded recognizing that she would take my suggestion into consideration for future collections. I am all about using my voice to promote greater size diversity for us size 26 and 28 gals so I really appreciate when an owner takes the time to listen.
I also took the time to read some of the content on the website and the woman behind the brand, Yona Love. I particularly love this quote from Yona, “When a woman wears my clothes, I feel like she can tackle the world. They will empower her and she will feel great and look great,” adds Yona. “My clothes let women feel professional, fun, sexy, fierce, confident and comfortable… all at the same time!”
As with any brand, I didn’t let the sizing options stop me and decided to give Yona a try. I was immediately drawn to this Draped Duster Jacket. It comes in 3 colours: black, charcoal and royal blue and they all have black faux leather trim.
I felt it would be a great versatile piece – perfect for the office or to throw on over a casual weekend look. I decided to try the charcoal.
When my package arrived and I opened the jacket, I was immediately impressed with the quality of the craftsmanship and the fabric. It was a nice weight with a great drape and a rich shade of charcoal. I ordered the 3x and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the fit was very generous.
I particularly love that the hemline is shorter in the back, making it a more flattering fit for my pear shape. For a suit type jacket, the price point of $109 is very comparable to other mainstream brands and I would say the quality is better. And even better is that all of Yona’s pieces are made right here in North America in Brooklyn.
I had been holding onto this Additionelle pencil skirt in this amazing monochromatic print since way back in August. I was always looking for the perfect piece to go with it. Once I had the jacket, I knew that this pair was meant to be.
This skirt is a simple comfortable yet stylish look for everyday. It has an elastic waist for comfort and a good amount of stretch. I am wearing the 4x. Ladies, if you need a 26/28 bottom, always be on the look out for items that Additionelle carries in a 4x, I generally find that they fit me no problem.
To tie the two pieces together, I chose this oldie but goodie blouse from my closet that I got a few years back from Lane Bryant. I love the details on it – the fact that it has short sleeves that are cuffed and the metal stud detail along the shoulder and side seams.
It brings a little edge to a classic piece. The studs tie in perfectly with the jacket and bring an extra element of interest to the entire outfit. If you wish to be more conservative, just throw a cami on underneath and you would be good to go.
To accessorize this look I wanted to bring in some warmth but still stick to metallics so I pulled this gold and grey necklace by Aldo from my collection and my gold sparkly Furla bag.
I have also been on the look out for a comfortable wedge that I could try and wear a little bit more often instead of always wearing flats. I found this pair through Simply Be USA. I have to say that I have been very impressed with their shoe collection including the widths they offer and their price point.
Unfortunately they don’t ship to Canada but if you have a US address you can use and PayPal, I highly recommend giving them a try. I got the extra wide width because I wanted to be safe but a straight wide would have totally worked.
So if you are looking for pieces that fit into a professional career oriented life style but still want to look stylish, I recommend that you give Yona New York a try. The line is currently available online at yonanewyork.com. This piece is currently on sale for $76!
Thanks to my gal Stef of the blog SassyPlus for capturing this look with total fierceness!
Draped Duster by YONA NEW YORK | Skirty by ADDITIONELLE (sold out, alternative here) | Skirt alternative by ELOQUII | Necklace by ALDO (alternative) | Shoes by SIMPLY BE USA |