Happy Wednesday everyone!
Today is a very exciting moment for me personally as I launch this special 3 part series that is inspired by the movie Grease.
Being a child of the 70’s I have fond childhood memories of watching this movie over and over and singing along to all of the songs. I thought Olivia Newton John was absolutely beautiful and I particularly remember how much I loved all of her outfits in the movie from her big puffy poodle skirts to her sexy black number in the movie’s finale.
When I look back on my youth I realize that growing up as an overweight child and having several times where I was forced to take drastic measures to lose weight to going through my parent’s messy divorce, that I never had a moment where I truly felt cute or pretty or girly. Even when I had lost weight and was only a 120 lbs., I still felt a sense of inadequacy.
So tutus have been a hot fashion trend for well over a year now and this past fall I finally broke down and bought the one I had been eyeing from Society + in the most gorgeous shade of lavender. I always looked at buying one as an impractical purchase – where was I actually going to where this beautiful skirt carefully made with so many layers of tulle?
What I realized was that A. – I could where it anywhere I damn well please and B. – I wanted to be able to enjoy a moment that I felt I missed out on in my childhood. We like to think that one’s childhood should be filled with a sense of wonder and innocence but for many of us there is also pain and reality checks along the way.
So when my tutu arrived I immediately fell in love. I hung it up and just stared at it, in awe of how pretty it was. I got the 5x and I probably could have sized down as the fit was generous. I love the fact that it has a solid lining under the 5 layers of premium tulle for coverage. And it comes with a great matching sash as an added bonus. What I particularly liked was that the sash was plenty long enough for us plus size gals. I also had my tutu made a little bit longer so I was sure that it covered my knees. I love that they will do this free of charge, talk about great customer service!
When I started to brainstorm my vision for this look I immediately related it back to my love of Grease and the outfits Sandy wears in the movie, particularly in the beginning when she is the total epitome of a “good girl”. I could relate to that because I grew up being the “good girl” .
So with that vision in my head, I took a stroll through my closet and came across this ivory beaded tank that I had bought at Lane Bryant a few years ago and believe it or not, had never worn. It was perfect to pair with this tutu because it was a nice soft contrast against the lavender and the sequins were iridescent and picked up on the colour of the skirt beautifully. I also liked that the shear chiffon part added coverage but was lightweight.
I also chose to add this adorable cream colour shrug with the floral lace sleeves from Torrid. I felt it added a nice extra feminine detail.
Since I was going for the full on “good girl” vibe, you know that meant I had to add some sparkle and shine to the look.
This came in the form of this amazing bow shaped necklace with matching earrings, also from Society + and a simple rhinestone bangle from Lane Bryant.
I then added my favourite silver sparkle flat from Lane Bryant and my cupcake clutch from Torrid.
With my hair in a pony tail and soft make up, I walked out to shoot this look and immediately got caught up in my vision and channeled my inner Sandra Dee.
Now Sandra Dee evolved throughout the course of the movie and my sense of style has also evolved throughout my adult years. So stay tuned for Part 2 of this series to see how I transition this look into something with a little more edge.
A very special shout out and thank you to Kelly’s Bake Shoppe located right here in Burlington, Ontario for allowing me to shoot some of these beautiful pictures in their shop on a busy Saturday morning. Your willingness to open your doors to me was so appreciated and a great example of why Burlington loves you. If you live in the GTA and want to experience Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Peanut Free and Vegan delicious tasting baked goods, be sure to stop by Kelly’s. You won’t be disappointed!
A special thank you to Robert of Robert Skuja Photography for helping me make my vision come to life. If you are looking for a photographer you need to contact him!
Tutu by SOCIETY + | Top alternative 1 by LANE BRYANT | Top alternative 2 by LANE BRYANT | Top alternative 3 by LANE BRYANT | Flats by LANE BRYANT | Shrug by TORRID (alternative 1) | Shrug by TORRID (alternative 2) | Necklace & Earrings by SOCIETY + (alternative) | Necklace alternative |
