Happy Friday blogger fam, how are you all doing? I can’t believe another week has flown by already and Christmas is getting closer and I am so not ready, eek! This weekend I seriously need to get some Christmas shopping done. Today we are having my work Christmas party so this post is perfect timing because these looks are definitely putting me in the holiday spirit. 
It’s also a pretty exciting day because I am featuring another new brand on the blog. 2018 has been an amazing year for showcasing new brands on the blog and I am excited for all the new options and what is still yet to come. Does anyone currently shop Talbots? I have to admit it is a brand that is new to me but I do remember my grandmother, aunts and my Mom shopping with them when I was growing up. The reason I haven’t checked them out till now is that they currently only offer up to a size 24 or 3x and that is a brand I would typically not try for fear that things won’t fit me. 
Now if you have been following along on my journey then you know that this is something that I am trying to be more open to and I have certainly tried a few different brands in 2018 and I have to say I have had pretty good success. I have always loved the classic styles that Talbots has to offer and when I saw other influencers featuring the brand and all the cute looks they had styled, I decided it was time to give it a try. And I am honestly so glad that I did! I also hope that it will give me the opportunity to encourage them to expand their size range because I know a few of my fellow extended size babes that would love to have these options available to them. 
This post is sponsored by Talbots and Stylinity but all opinions expressed are my own (as always!). Thank you for the opportunity to share your wonderful options for plus size women with my audience. 
When I started scrolling through the Talbots website I was impressed that they offer straight, plus, petite and plus petite sizes which allows many women the opportunity to shop their brand. I love the imagery and the way they showcase their products, you can see pieces from various angles and some of the looks are styled. And for shopping online they provide great details to help you decide if the garment will work for you including, fabrics, cut, details, length and unique features that might be available (say for example plus size might have an elastic inset on a skirt). I know that a lot of you can find online shopping difficult and this is so helpful, I wish more brands would take the time to provide information like this. 
The other awesome thing that I didn’t realize is that they are truly a one stop shopping experience. They carry everything from outerwear to swim and even PJ’s. And for me I was so excited to see their amazing shoe selection including wide widths in half sizes and a full range of accessories. I will definitely be trying these out the next time I order from them. When I work with a new brand one of the things I like to do is check out their About Us page on their website to get a feel for what the company’s background is and what their values are because it is important that they align with mine. When I checked out Talbots I was genuinely impressed with what I saw. Their mantra is:
INSPIRE her.
ENCOURAGE her.
HONOR her.
EMPOWER her.
And their mission is “Through our relationships and carefully curated product lines we strive to give women the CONFIDENCE to express their BEST SELVES in all aspects of their lives – every day. Fundamentally, we believe that the better we do as a TEAM, the more we can do to POSITIVELY IMPACT the lives of women.” To say that I love this is an understatement. And they have stores in Canada and ship to Canada so that is a win win in my books! 
Right now Talbots has their huge Friends and Family Event on where you can save 40% off your entire purchase! To get your coupon code make sure you click here. The promotion is good through December 17th. To celebrate the sale they asked me to put together a couple of looks that would be perfect for the holidays. I decided to style looks that are traditionally festive, warm and cozy and perfect for transitioning from day to night. 
Shop this look here.
With all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season I always find it challenging when I have to go the office all day and then have a party or event to attend in the evening and I don’t have time to go home and change. I need to keep it professional during the day but I still want to celebrate the holidays in style. What I have found is the easiest thing to do is change add my shoes and accessories at the end of the day. I also focus on choosing classic pieces that look polished and pair them with something that has a little bit of the unexpected and a festive feel to it. 
For this first look I decided to choose this luxurious cashmere sweater in the perfect shade of emerald green as my nod to traditional Christmas colours. This sweater is perfect for me because it is lightweight, so soft and the perfect pop of colour that I like to inject into my outfits. I was really impressed with the quality of the fabric, its not itchy at all and the colour is so rich and vibrant. It’s rare to find high quality items like this that are made of high quality fabrics in plus sizes. And it comes in a literal rainbow of colours – I definitely need to stock up on a few more colours. I am wearing the size 3x and I was happy with the fit. If I had one wish it would be that it was a little longer in the length. 
I then paired it with a basic black pant from my personal wardrobe and to complete it I added this classic long length cardigan also from Talbots. Their sweater collection is just so good, there were so many to choose from. And this one is made of 100% merino wool. I am not going to lie, I have worn this a few times already this week because it is so comfy and cozy. I love the white edge detail as it gives it a little bit of a tuxedo vibe and an elevated feel. This cardigan is a staple for any women’s closet. I am also wearing the 3x in this and felt the fit was generous for it only being a 3x. Cardigans like this are perfect for the office instead of a blazer but they also pull double duty and can easily be worn with jeans or leggings on the weekend. 
To add my festive feel to this look I choose some sparkly black flats, a statement making clutch with some jewels that sparkle and stripes that play off the cardigan, a bracelet with some bling and a statement making earring that has an unexpected pop of pink and floral. All of these little touches are things that are easy to carry with you and then put on before you leave the office. And to be honest, I would probably wear the shoes at the office! These are all from my personal collection and are no longer available but I have provided some links below for some great options that are available from Talbots to complete your look. 
This second look is totally festive, cozy, warm and fun all rolled into one. Being the dressed obsessed girl that I am I knew I had to try one of Talbots‘ great dress styles and I love a good sweater dress so this one was the natural choice. Red is one of my favourite colours and it is also your quintessential holiday classic. This style really works for me because it is a simple a-line style with 3/4 sleeves and a cowl neckline. It’s a pretty decent weight without being too heavy and the shade of red is spot on. I am wearing the 3x and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it fit. I also love that I could easily wear it with a pair of leggings or tights for a more casual look. 
Shop this look here.
One of my favourite things to pair with classic red is gold. Not only is it great to add a metallic to help make a look festive but it is something that I always have readily available. In this case I went all out with these gold flat slingbacks, this adorable gold present clutch, gold statement earrings and a big and bold gold cuff. The bow detail on the shoes and the clutch are a nod to the holidays and add some whimsy. If you wanted to add a little more sparkle you could also swap out the matching belt for something more festive. Again these are all pieces that I had in my closet but I made sure to provide you with links to current options. 
Dressing for the holidays doesn’t have to be complicated ladies, a few great pieces and the right accessories will be sure to put you in the festive spirit. So are you team green or team red? Or both? Leave me a comment below! 
Special thanks to Kate of Kate McG Photography for capturing this look. And please give her some love as she joins the Mustangallytwo family!
Cardigan by TALBOTS | Sweater by TALBOTS | Dress by TALBOTS | Shoes for Pant Look by TALBOTS | Shoes for Red Dress Look by TALBOTS | Bracelet by TALBOTS | Gold Earrings by TALBOT | Statement earrings by TALBOTS | Gold cuff by TALBOTS | Gold clutch by TALBOTS | Black & white bag by TALBOTS |
