Happy Wednesday everyone! It’s hump day (come on weekend, we miss you!) and also it’s time for the third instalment in my Holiday Double Slay Look Book.
For today’s post I teamed up with my beautiful friend Sarah Taylor, the voice behind the blog Sarah Taylor’s Journey. But not only does Sarah run a successful blog, she is also an amazing plus size model, she was crowned Miss Plus Canada 2014/2015 and she is a motivational speaker encouraging young girls and women of all ages to learn to love themselves. She also become the Assistant Editor for Fabuplus Magazine this year. And if that’s not enough, she also has a full time career!
I met Sarah once I started blogging through the local plus size community here in Toronto. I started following her blog and her Instagram page and I was immediately inspired by her story and the painful life challenges she had overcome. I also had the pleasure of seeing Sarah’s personal growth through the course of her journey and how she transformed into the strong, confident, powerful, successful women that she is now.
But it hasn’t been till the last few months that I have had the opportunity to spend more quality one on one time with Sarah and her zest for life and positive energy is contagious. She is someone that you count on, someone you can trust and someone who has been there for me.
I see so much potential in Sarah and I am honoured to call her my friend. Boo, I thank you and wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to take on next, I know you will rock it.
Both Sarah and I are lovers of Torrid so I decided it would be fun if we chose to collaborate on a post featuring head to toe Torrid looks. I thought it would also be great to showcase the versatility and options that Torrid has to offer as Sarah is a size 1x or 14/16 and tall while I am a size 4x/5x or 26/28 and average height. And let me tell you I can’t rock those killer heels like she can! For details on Sarah’s look, head on over to her blog post here.
For the most part, I like to put my own spin on my looks and pair pieces that not everyone would put together, after all, showcasing my personal style is what blogging is all about. But every once in a while a brand will deliver a look through their website or a look book that I absolutely fall in love with from head to toe. And if that’s the case then there is no point in reinventing the wheel!
This is most certainly the case for the Torrid look I am showcasing here. As soon as I saw Philomena in a recent look book in this dress I was awe struck. It just oozed with class, elegance and sophistication mixed with a little bit of fun. I also love to showcase looks that you see the models wearing so you can see what it will look like on someone at the high end of the size range.
I am wearing the Velvet Surplice Dress in sumptuous black velvet. With its classic fit and flare silhouette, surplice neckline and thick shoulder straps this dress has Lisa written all over it. And yes, I know, it’s black! Every once in a while I do feel the need to rock some classic black and when it is in the must have fabric of the year then of course I couldn’t say no.
The velvet is a heavier weight so it is perfect for holiday season and colder temperatures and falls nicely over my curves. And to add to the fun it also has multiple layers of tulle underneath the skirt creating a definite wow factor and lots of pouf which makes it oh so twirl worthy. I am wearing the size 28 and I was very pleased with the fit. This dress is a little bit shorter than what I would normally wear but with the extra full skirt I found that it didn’t really bother me like it normally would.
Now I am sure you can figure out that I just couldn’t resist adding the glam factor that is also so on trend for the holidays through all these amazing rich gold metallic accessories. And this beaded scalloped capelet is certainly a showstopper! I have definitely seen a lot of capes out this fall and turning out ones with beautiful details and beading like this are a unique way to add sparkle to your outfit.
It is also a great alternative to a shrug, wrap, jacket or any other traditional method of covering up your arms if you don’t like to go bare. This is a one size fits all piece and it fit perfectly. I loved how it gave the look an old Hollywood vibe. And the gold definitely pops against the black velvet. And did you know that this piece was hand beaded by Torrid’s designers? Awesome!
Next up I added this great set of stacked gold bangles that also included one with a black velvet bow. I love how Torrid thinks about all the little details and carries really unique accessories. They also offer their bangles in 2 sizes which is great for accommodating larger wrists. I am wearing the size 3/4. I am also wearing these super cute stud earrings that unfortunately you can’t see in the photos but I can’t resist telling you that they are tiny diamond solitaire rings! How cute is that?
To complete my glitzy look I needed a stand out clutch and that is certainly what this gold sequined number is. I love the size, it’s lightweight but holds its shape and it has a really cute tassel on the zipper.
I would totally rock this look for a work Christmas party or New Year’s Eve and it can be worn throughout the year, not just for the holidays. I do love a multi purpose outfit!
Both of our looks were provided care of Torrid but all opinions are our own. Special thanks to Torrid for helping to make this project possible. And thank you so much Sarah for agreeing to be a part of it all.
Special thanks to Robert of Robert Skuja Photography for these amazing pictures.
Dress by TORRID | Capelet by TORRID | Clutch by TORRID | Bangles by TORRID | Earrings by TORRID |
