Happy Tuesday everyone, I hope you are all having a fantastic day! I also hope you enjoyed the 1st instalment of my 2017 #HolidayDoubleSlay yesterday featuring Gail of Fab Four Fashion and are ready to see what I have in store for you today.
One of my best boo’s (yes she loves it that I call her boo, lol) Stef of the blog SassyPlus is back again for this year’s Slay and we have the pleasure of introducing a new brand to the blog, Catherines. I am so pleased to share this brand with you that is a sister company to one of my faves, Lane Bryant and they carry up to a size 36! And for all my Canadian and International followers, yes they ship to you!
In case you are new to the blog or don’t remember, Stef is one of my very good friends and you might recognize her as the brains behind the local boutique SexyPlus Clothing that you often see me collaborate with and model for. And since she clearly has a love for fashion she also does some blogging in her spare time. And if you are a fan of my videos on Instagram she is usually the creator of those masterpieces so please show her some love!
I got to know Stef before I started blogging but we have really become close friends over the last 2 1/2 years and she is someone I count on in so many ways. She is my ear when I need to vent, she is one of my staunchest champions and supporters and she gives me a dose of honesty and a reality check when I need it. She also is fantastic to brainstorm ideas with and is always there for me no matter what. She also reminds me to focus on the positive, particularly when the trolls are on attack and to be grateful that we get to do what we do and the impact that we have. But we also are constantly laughing and having fun. I had some tough moments in 2017 and I can’t thank her enough for everything.
Stef used to work in the corporate world before she started her own business and since I still do we decided it would be fun to give you some festive looks that are appropriate for the office or an office Holiday Party. We found that Catherines had some great pieces to choose from. I mean doesn’t Stef look like a total boss babe here? I love this power suit look. But for more details you are going to have to head over to her blog!
I am sure that most of you are familiar with Catherines as the brand has been around for a long time. The question I have for you though is how many of you consider it to be for the older generation and thus dismiss it as an option for yourself? I will admit that I have been guilty of that myself in the past but I have to say that they have really come a long way and are offering some seriously stylish options. What I also found when sourcing this look is that they have also really worked on improving their sizing. In the past when I shopped with them I would often find that I had to size up in many of their pieces but this time I found that I had to size down, particularly in tops. And I have to admit that it is nice to shop in a store where I can size up if I need to for a change, it certainly makes for a less stressful shopping experience.
The other thing I loved is that they have started offering some specific collections that cater to specific needs you may have for your wardrobe or to provide a sexier silhouette. The Black Label Collection for example focuses on pieces with refined shapes, added details and an air of luxury and sophistication. And my personal favourite is the Curvy Collection which is made up of pieces that are meant to hug and accentuate your curves in all the right places. They also have a bit of edge to them in their details and fabric choices. Both collections are available in 0x to 5x which I have so much respect for because they are not telling you how to dress based on your size. They give you the options and let you decide.
The holiday season is typically busy for most of us and sometimes we works all day and have to dash off to a party right after or we have a party right in the office. So I think it’s pretty convenient to have an option that you can transition from day to night with a few accessory changes. And that’s what I decided to do with this look. I also decided to play up a non traditional colour palette for the holidays.
This skirt is from the Curvy Collection. I loved the sparkly metallic fabric of this midi length pencil skirt. Its festive but not too over the top for a corporate environment. And it has pockets! The thick waist band is nice and supportive and the skirt is fully lined so it provides great coverage. I am wearing the 4x in this piece which is technically a 30/32 but given my shape and the fact that it is form fitting, it is pretty typical for me to have to size up. But it didn’t gape at the waist so the fit was perfect. The slit is also still office appropriate but gives it a little bit of sex appeal.
For those of you who are an apple shape and like to camouflage your tummy area I found that Catherine’s has a great selection of tops to choose from. I often hear from many of you that you want the length for coverage but you don’t want it to be tent shaped and I think they have really found that balance. I found many pieces that didn’t hide my silhouette and shape but at the same time were long enough and not too clingy. The cold shoulder trend doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon and I fell in love with this dusty rose colour and the paisley print that has a subtle hint of glitter and shine. It is actually a tunic length and could easily be worn with pants or leggings but I decided to tuck it in because I wanted to define my waist. I am wearing the 22/24 or 2x in this top.
If I was wearing this during the day at the office I would just wear a simple pair of flats or pumps and maybe a cardigan or jacket depending on your dress code. But to dress this up and give it a more festive feel I really had fun with my accessories. I added this velvet belt from ELOQUII in a rich merlot colour. It helped to define my waist and added colour blocking to the look. The bracelet is from Catherines and allowed me to continue to mix my metallics, I love how multi dimensional it is. And these earrings from H&M are just so fun and totally festive. I have already had a few inquiries about these shoes which are from ASOS but I got them a long time ago so I gave you a link to an alternative. I love the 3D flowers. Finally this clutch I had in my collection from ALDO brought it all together.
Dressing for the holidays doesn’t have to be stressful and it doesn’t mean you have to be super fancy or wear a dress if that’s not your thing. There are so many great options out there nowadays and separates are perfect for mixing and matching. And if you stick to pieces like this you can wear them for other events throughout the year getting more bang for your buck. Stay tuned to the blog for more features with Catherines and I can’t wait to share what I am going to Slay next!
This post was proudly sponsored by Catherines but all opinions are my own.
Thanks to Katie of Katiuska Idrovo Photography for these amazing photos of this project!
Skirt by CATHERINES | Top by CATHERINES | Bracelet by CATHERINES | Belt by ELOQUII | Earrings by H&M | Shoes by ASOS (alternative here) | Clutch by ALDO (alternative here) |
