Happy Monday my wonderful blogger family, did you all have a good weekend? Did anyone attend any holiday parties or do some other fun festive themed activities? If you did, drop me a comment, I truly love hearing what everyone is up to and hearing about different traditions and events in other parts of the globe. I had a pretty jam packed weekend. We were back in the studio to shoot the next set of looks for 30 Days of Holiday Cheer and then yesterday I went to try on wedding dresses. Don’t worry I am NOT engaged and you didn’t miss anything but if you want to know why then you need to check out my Instagram stories.
I can’t believe we are already almost through the first week of my latest project 30 Days of Holiday Cheer. It’s been a jammed pack week and I am so excited that all of you are as excited as I am. I so appreciate the love and support. We are going to have a poll on which outfit is your favourite each week on my IG stories so make sure you check it out. So here is to continuing to bring you more holiday cheer and of course amazing outfits! And yes I do have some other surprises!
As I have said before, a project like this wouldn’t be possible without the support of the awesome brands I work with and so I have to give another huge shout out to my friends at Catherines for sponsoring this post. That’s right, not just one post, but two and maybe a third one to come that is extra special? I guess you will just have to wait and see lol. So while this post is sponsored, please remember that all opinions are my own, as always, xoxo.
So for my first Catherines post I did an extra special festive look that is perfect for all those soirees we attend each year. But I do realize that there are some of us that may not have a fancy party to attend and you might just be looking for an outfit that is perfect for a house party, hosting family and friends or doing something fun outdoors. Well don’t worry, I have you covered with the outfit I am featuring in this post. It is super versatile and well have you feeling festive in no time. But it is also equal parts comfy because like I always say I like to be cute AND comfy.
I use to host a lot more parties than I do nowadays as my life changed a lot when I started my blog but I have to say I do miss it. I love decorating the table and choosing the perfect decor for the occasion and of course a fabulous menu of food and drinks. Its nice to have the house full of people, noise, laughter and fun, even if it is just for a little while. Do you like to host dinner parties? Tell me why or why not. I think for 2020 one of my goals is going to be to get back into hosting some parties. There I spoke it into existence!
One thing that I really really liked that Catherines did on their website this year, is create a page called Outfits for Invites where they styled a bunch of different looks that are shoppable and include shoes/boots and accessories too. If you have a hard time pulling a complete look together or you don’t want to have to think about it then I think this is a super great resource. Scrolling through the options inspired me when I was deciding on what looks I wanted to pull together and it gave me some unexpected combinations I hadn’t necessarily thought of. I highly recommend you check it out.
As a fan of colour I do like to stay true to my personal style but I also realize that there are many women who either just love black and other neutrals or who are still afraid to wear a lot of colour and bold prints and patterns. And its not like I don’t ever wear black so I decided to do an outfit that was mostly made up of black pieces and then add a punch of colour to keep things festive and fun. A look like this is also gives you greater bang for you buck because you can mix and match the pieces with other items in your wardrobe.
For me this look was entirely inspired by this kimono. I love the sparkle and shimmer that is woven through the soft sweater knit fabric. It has a really cute fringe detail and the over sized fit gives you great movement. Now sadly this is currently sold out online but don’t forget to check your local Catherines store and see if they still have it in stock. And you never know what may be returned so I always say to keep a look out on the website. If you are looking for an alternative, here is a link to the other piece I had my eye on, the velvet cascade .
You can layer any black top you may have in your closet under this kimono, I chose a sleeveless tank because when there are lots of people in a room, things can get hot pretty quickly! This tunic length tank with the cutout at the neckline is something I am going to need in a few other colours. I love the slight A-line fit and the length. It is a great top for leggings, jeans and pants. It is also available in petite. And it has darts at the bust so I don’t end up with the dreaded under arm being way too big problem. I mean, you know what I am talking about right? I am wearing the size 4x but I could have definitely gotten a 3x.
Now you might be thinking Lisa you actually are wearing pants and casual pants at that lol. I know you probably weren’t expecting this but I definitely have my casual moments too and sometimes pants are just more practical. But instead of going for basic black which honestly is my go to colour for pants, I decided to choose this rich deep shade of green. These are the sateen stretch pant with a comfort waist and this was my first time trying them out. I absolutely love the colour and they definitely offer a good amount of stretch and there is no gap at the waist. I am wearing the size 32 regular and the fit was great. They were a little snug when I first put them on but they easily stretched out after a few hours but still kept their shape. I now see why these pants are a customer favourite, clearly I have been missing out.
How do you take an otherwise casual looking outfit and add some holiday flare to it? With the right accessories of course! I absolutely fell in love with this long tear drop necklace and the coordinating earrings that played off the colour of the pants so well. I then added a sparkly beaded bracelet that picked up on the sequins in the kimono. I have a really hard time wearing long necklaces because of my large chest but this one falls really nicely. It’s important to find jewelry just like clothes that is designed with the plus size body in mind, it can make all the difference. These are all great pieces that I can see wearing with other items in my closet. For footwear, I decided to keep things casual with these black faux leather and suede booties. When you are wearing a lot of black, a great way to create more visual interest in your outfit is by wearing different textures. With the kimono and the boots we are doing exactly that.
Alright then, who’s ready for me to pour them a drink? Let me know what you are having because I am ready for you! I have been known to be the hostess with mostest! Just sayin…
Special thanks to Rebecca of Rebecca Northcott Photography for capturing these images.
Kimono by CATHERINES | Tank by CATHERINES | Pants by CATHERINES | Earrings by CATHERINES | Necklace by CATHERINES | Bracelet by CATHERINES | Booties by CATHERINES |
