Glee star Amber Riley is feature in the new Essence Black Women in Hollywood Issue. Words can not describe how great she looks paying homage to the beautiful Chaka Khan. I'm so happy for her and I can't wait to see more. Hopefully this issue will open up peoples eyes to a great new talent in Hollywood. She not only gracefully represents black women but young curvy women all over the world who dare to be confident.

Behind the Scenes

Last night I attempted to watch the Oscars but after 5 minutes I couldnt take any of the dry humor so I proceeded to catch up on one of my favorite shows, Shameless. Anywho you know the internet was buzzing with all of the red carpet fashions. I saw some best/worst lists and honestly some I disagreed with so I created my own. Below are my "Wow!" and "WTF?" moments from last night.

WTF?

1. Amy Adams wore a L' Wren Scott gown in deep blue. The sparkles looked beautiful but I really was not a fan of the high neck.
2. Cody Horn looked ridiculous with the lace gloves. It really did not go well with the dress at all. It was rather boring.
3. Florence Welch wore a breezy Valentino gown. The dress itself is beautiful but I did not like it on her. It looked a little mormon-ish.
4. Helene Bonham was surprisingly tame in a black Colleen Atwood corset gown. I personally feel that she definitely walks to the beat of her own drum. However she could still make a statement without always looking like she just stepped off a broadway set.
5. Marisa Tomei dress really looked as if it was puking tulle.
6. Melissa Leo wore a Marc Bouer dress. To me it reminded me of a doily. It looked stiff and the collar seemed out of place.
7. Nicole Kidman wore an origami inspired Dior Coutoure gown. It was a bold choice but I personally did not find it flattering.
8. Scarlett Johansson wore a purple lace Dolce & Gabana dress. I was really split on this one. I personally did not feel it was appropriate for the Oscars and I feel it could've also been styled better.
9. Sharon Stone was a cross between Cruella Deville and Elvira. It was kind of scary.

WOW!

1. Anne Hathaway  2. Camila Alves 3. Cate Blanchett 4. Gwyneth Paltrow 5. Halle Berry 6. Hilary Swank 7. Mandy Moore 8. Mila Kunis 9. Natalie Portman 10. Sandra Bullock

1. Anne Hathaway, she could do no wrong in my book. Every single looks was amazing from head to toe. Oddly one of my favorite looks is the Lanvin Tux. I thought it was totally fun and cute. However if I had to choose a gown It'd be the closing gown by Tom Ford. It was breath-taking. I bow down to Rachel Zoe for the incredible job she did with her styling.
2. Camila Alves was perfection. I loved the classic silhouette of her gown. She was effortlessly stunning.
3. Cate Blanchett looked so marvelous! I don't understand how anyone could not love her Givenchy coutoure. This dress is not easy to pull off but she does it with ease.
4. Gwyneth Paltrow's Calvin Klein dress made her look so sleek and refine. Definitely a head turner.
5. Halle Berry was breath taking in a nude encrusted Marchesa gown. The ruffled silk tulle added the perfect touch.
6. Hilary Swank was definitely a beautiful swan in her feathered Gucci gown. That beautiful grey ombre was everything!
7. Mandy Moore looked angelic in a sparkling nude Monique Lhuillier gown. Her hair and makeup were perfect for this ultra-glam and sophisticated ensemble.
8. Mila Kunic looked so classy and elegant in a beautiful lavender Elie Saab gown.
9. Natalie Portman looked gorgeous in her plum off-the-shoulder Rodarte gown. Her pregnancy glow just adds to such a special moment in her career.
10. Sandra Bullock really did look stunning in a classic Vera Wang gown. I loved the red and I really thought she looked regal.

So what are your "WOW!" and "WTF?" moments from last night?

Nicki . . . looks . . . so amazing! I've seen a lot of editorials from her but this is by far my favorite. The styling is spot on and the hair is divine. The make up is perfection.  She slayed.

Last night I was watching a documentary on CNBC about the future of technology and how it will affect our world. Although somewhat drab there were some interesting points made that really got me thinking about where my responsibilities lie. The population is steadily growing while we find our natural resources dwindling. I'm no expert on these matters at all but anyone with eyes whose willing to see should know that the world as we know it will be totally different well within the next 10 years! It's the responsibility of this generation to make sure there is a future for the next so I think it's important that we start really taking sustainability a lot more seriously. Instead of being "glamoured" by the media and corportations to spend more and more (especially what we dont have to spend) we should concentrate our efforts on how to use what is right in front of us.

So where does that leave us plus size fashionistas? Well, I know for sure that as far as thrifting or finding vintage steals in my size, it can definitely be quite a task. Some of us are fortunate enough to live in areas where there is more to offer but there are those of us who don't. Even so there are plenty of places on the internets ( :P ) where you can find used clothing and even swap. 

As I was reading one of my favorite DIY blogs, Chic Steals, I came upon a couple of posts that peaked my interest. The first addressed the issue of sustainable fashion and is a great post! In this article she talks about her F.A.P. (Fashion Acquisition Philosophy).

My F.A.P. (or Fashion Acquisition Philosophy - just something I made up;-) for myself is probably split as percentages as 10/25/65 (Buy New/Buy Used/DIY); with 10% being items that I buy and wear as is, 25% being items that I buy or swap used and wear as is; and 65% of new acquisitions that I D.I.Y. or make from scratch. And that's how I allocate my clothing budget - since yes, I do love to shop, but I also like to exercise my creativity with how little can I spend and how well can I customize something so that it looks like it cost a fortune and yet is totally wearable and enjoyable.

I love this and aspire for those percentages myself. Not only will I spend less, but I will find more creative freedom in the way I dress. Especially being plus size, because lets face it, although the industry is definitely coming up I still find a lot of garments look the same. 

The second article she wrote featured a site called Smashion. I really liked the site but found there wasn't a lot offered in the Plus Size category, yet. The plus size blogging community has grown tremendously and so I think we should support each other more by swapping and selling what we have to each other as well. I can definitely name a few closets I'd shop in! 

Smashion® is a social fashion site that features a free marketplace connecting buyers and sellers with a passion for fashion. Smashion enables its members to express their unique style, connect with others to discuss fashion trends, and save money buying - or make money selling - lightly worn or NWT (new with tags) clothing, accessories, footwear, and more with no transaction or listing fees.

So next time you're out shopping think about where your money is going. Support your indie designers and each other and put us one step closer to a sustainable yet fashionable world! Below are thrift stores, blog sales, and a list of designers who create custom clothing at reasonable prices. Many even use eco-friendly fabrics.  (Links are below the preview images)

Cuddle Bunny

Zoe Phobic

Norwegian Wood

Nakimuli

Greta Pollman

Jibri

Chabri

BLOG SALES

Pockets & Bows

ONLINE THRIFT

Goodwill Online

Savvy Thrift

If you would like to add to this list just leave a comment! 

I can not believe we're already in 2011. It really does seem as if the years feel shorter and shorter. I'm so excited to be back! I have thought a lot about where I want to take this blog because it is important to me. However I believe I was so focused on being noticed that I was beginning to lose myself in it. Money was being spent irresponsibily and I found that I was limiting myself by trying to fit a niche. From now on I don't have a particular direction I'm going in because thats not who I am anyway. I still love fashion and this blog will have a lot of it. I just decided to line up my blog with goals I set for this year along with some of my randomness and see what happens lol. Anywho, speaking of goals here are the areas of my life I'm really looking to improve by 2012:

• Finances - Last year I made a lot more money than I have ever made and yet don't have anything to show for it. Especially after getting into blogging, I definitely found myself shopping even more than usual. This year I have some goals set to save more, spend less, and spend more wisely. I'll definitely be tackling this issue more in a future post because I know plenty of women like me with this same issue. 
• Education - During my freshman year of college I was dealing with some heavy stuff and left the university to return home with a 1.5 gpa. Then I attended the Art Institute Online but was unhappy with my experience. After leaving I owed a bunch of money, and without the ability to transfer credits from AI I was still stuck with my shiny 1.5 gpa. It took me 2 years to pay off my debts and return to school. Last fall was my first semester back. I went to school part time and I did well. However I'm taking a full load this time and from here on out I'm hitting the ground running. Which means I probably wont have much of a social life for now.
• Health - Every year I set goals to lose weight and I really don't get too far. However I'm not losing hope. No, I'm not trying to be what society says I should be, but I do have an obigation to myself to be the healthiest ME I can be. I do believe in health at every size but those of us who are quick to throw it out there as a defense are still the ones living unhealthy lifestyles and I do not want to be that person. This year it's not about the numbers, its about the way I live. By the end of the year I want to be fit enough to run in one of our local marathons whether I'm 250 or 175.
• Blog - This site is definitely important to me and I want to continue to develop it. In an effort to control my spending you can definitely expect more DIYs and although I haven't given up shopping all together, I will definitely be looking at my purchases as more of an "investment" than an impulse spend. I also have a huge folder of inspirational material I want to share more.

There are some other smaller areas I would like to work on which are pretty much encompassed within the goals above. I feel taking small steps to tackle these goals will add up to something greater and make 2011 the best year yet! 

For the past few weeks I've been feeling all over the place. I work, go to school, and have all these personal projects. I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed and feel I have no sense of direction.  It's not that I don't know what I want to do, if anything there is TOO much I want to do. I can't seem to really focus and get a handle on what I want to do now. I absolutely love blogging and I really wish I could dedicate more time but right now things are so hectic. I'm uninspired and unmotivated and it sucks. I'm frustrated and tired because I feel as if I can never dedicate to anything. Like the the scientist on Jimmy Neutron who always only finishes half of anything so his plans always fall apart. I don't want to be that person anymore. Being successful is really important to me and I'm trying to dig deep to find out how I can get there doing what I really want to do. Having this blog has help point me in some sort of direction but I still need more answers. For the next few weeks I'm dedicating time to just focus on me. There are only 2 months left in this year and I need to hit the ground running in 2011. I need to declutter my life and re-evaluate so I can come back with a fresh perspective.

 Although I don't have many readers yet, I am amazed at all the new people I've connected with and the things that I'm learning. I'm so thankful to be a part of such a wonderful community and I want to continue to grow. That is why it's so important that I do this. I'll be back in December with a new direction and fresh eyes. In the meantime I'll be writing guest posts for thatbombmakeup.info. You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook. Oh yea, you know I had to throw in a random photo, lol.

 xoxoxo,

  Courtney

Okay, as some of you may know I've been running for top spot in the Lane Bryant Right Fit Contest for the past couple of weeks. We are down to the last 6 days and although I try my hardest not to spam people I really need votes. There is a $2500 wardrobe on the line here! Right now I am at #16 but there is still enough time to make the top spot. I really would love ya'll support on this so please forgive me if you see a lot of twitter/facebook posts this week. At this point I'd say I need at least 600 more votes to really get myself up there and voting is on a daily basis so I have my work cut out for me. To vote for me you can use the two links posted below (both if you can because each counts as one vote). If you can share with your friends, blog, twitter, facebook, etc. I would be so grateful.

Link 1 (must be logged into facebook) 

Link 2 (will allow you to vote as well but outside of facebook)

Both links count as a vote *wink*

The outfit I wore was inspired by the military trend this season so I wore my Right Fit straight jeans, Old Navy henley,  military blazer from Re/Dress, and my new Jeffrey Campbell Foxy nude platforms. Accessories include the wing and owl ring from DOTS, and a thrifted fur milk man whistle on gold chain. I also tried another outfit but didn't submit it so I guess I'll post it here. Same jeans, another henley, with my DIY fascinator as a brooch and my chocolate Dolce Vita Noah wedge sandals.

While we are on the subject of contests, the beautiful Monique from Curves and Chaos is hosting THE ULTIMATE "SWAG" giveaway. The prizes are crazy so you definitely need to hurry to sign up for all of the great products up for grabs. There is only ONE weiner and that person will receive a swag bag (more like a suitcase) full of goodies from Torrid, Carolina Pad, T.J.Maxx,  Lingerie.com, Cosabella, Phoenicia Goddess, Sofia Valle Co., and Size Appeal. Don't miss out! Head on over to C&C for a full list of rules and extra entries!

Rules:

Contest is only open to U.S. and Canadian residents (sorry shipping issues).

Must be 18 years or older to enter.

Only one entry per person, unless using the "extra entries."  

Contest ends 10/26/10.  

Winner will be chosen using Random.Org. 

As of late I've been having some great conversations with some friends of mine about dating. As one friend so eloquently put it "if the d*ck is good, we go together!' I know she isn't alone in this logic. Lets be real, if it's just right, you will find yourself falling for someone you never thought you would. Now I'm not saying that you have to close up shop but we all get a little to excited and next thing you know you're in a relationship with someone who you've only just met two weeks ago. It works for some but I'd venture to say that it really doesn't work for most. In the "gotta have it now" society we live in today, who has time to date when I can go ahead and secure my good sex and leave the rest for later? 

I, for one, am guilty of this logic and over the years I have really learned to take a step back. In the past couple years I have really taken a turn in my love life, from entertaining a lot of bull, to actually having quality men in my life. Unfortunately for different reasons I am not with any of them, but great friendships have blossomed and each one serves a purpose. I have learned the value of dating and there really is no need to rush it with anyone. If a person is interested in you that relationship will form naturally. The most important thing is to continue to just enjoy that persons time with you and really use it as an opportunity to make the connection. I feel like we kind of get caught up with all the technical stuff that we forget to just enjoy ourselves.  

Oh yea, I couldnt just leave this post without a photo so below is my first attempt at denim on denim. The bag was purchased at Re/Dress NYC and has not left my side since then. 

AND THE WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS *DRUMROLL* Priscilla! 

A couple months ago I did a haul on some make-up and skin care essentials. I've been long overdue since I've had the same palettes for a couple of years. My Wales palette has been of great service over the years but now it's time to move on to something better. Before the Wales palette I had ordered a set of 25 "MAC" pigments and loved the richness of color and versatility they offered. One day I happened to have a conversation with Tamara of Makeup by Mara and she put me on to an affordable all natural make-up company, Simply Naturals. They are family owned and offer hand-made all natural skin care and make-up products. I ordered a 20 pack of their Multi-Purpose Mineral Make-Up which I use as eyeshadow (and sometimes lip tint) for only $32. They can also be purchased in smaller sets or individually for $2 a jar. I have to say that I am really impressed. The minerals come in 5 gram jars filled to the brim. The colors are rich and come in a variety of matte and glimmer shades depending on what you want. There are over 250 colors to choose from so there is definitely something for everybody. My package arrived quickly as well and even came with three complimentary sample colors. Below are photos of the colors I purchased. The photos really don't do the pigments justice so I'll blame it on my lighting.

Another company I had the pleasure of ordering from is Beija Flor Naturals. I found out about this company through the Naturally Beautiful Hair blog and out of curiosity decided to read up more on it. Beija Flor Naturals offers affordable hand-made skin care and hair care products. I am a huge fan of natural skin care products especially for my dry skin so I placed my order for three products: the Amazon Antioxidant Treatment, Agave Aloe Polisher, and the Hemp Buttercream. My favorite product was the Hemp Buttercream, which I have currently ran out of. This product is the absolute best! I have dry skin and usually make sure I keep lotion with me. However with this cream I never had to reapply lotion, even after multiple hand washes during the day. The consistency is so yummy and feels so good going on. The Agave Aloe Polisher is another great product. It has nice big sugar crystals to ex foliate and this nice smooth thick oil that feels so great in the shower. After I get out the shower my skin feels super soft and moisturized. If you are looking for a great face moisturizer try the Amazon Antioxidant Treatment. I love to use it before applying makeup. It hydrates my skin without leaving it oily or shiny so I can even use my liquid makeup without feeling as if I have on too much. I must warn though, if you do purchase this treatment, it may melt in transit (although she did put freezer packs in it). All you have to do is leave it in the fridge for about an hour and it will be solid and ready to use. Her items are humbly packaged but I believe this allows my money to go more into the quality of the product rather than fancy packaging. Overall I had a great experience and will be placing another order for the Licorice Root Scalp Elixir, Organic Soap & Shampoo Bar, Juicy Summer Fruit Oils, and Cali Peach Pomade. Her products are great for all skin and hair types no matter what race you are. Beija Flor offers a great quality product at a even better price. They definitely get an A+ from me.

Beija-Flor Naturals is a vegan/vegetarian bodycare line with luxurious treats that promote healthy skin and hair. For years, the Beija-Flor Naturals mixtress has experimented with natural health and beauty remedies as an alternative to mainstream products. The raw materials used are influenced by her life experience and travels, especially the nutrient rich extracts of South America and Africa. Beija-Flor Naturals vows to provide quality natural products handmade,customized and made to order with love in California. The main ingredients in even the priciest store bought products include harmful petro-chemicals and other yuckie stuff that is used as low-quality fillers-read your product labels! Healing herbs, oils, butters and vegetable extracts have proven to be the best solution for virtually all skin and hair ailments as they work with body’s natural chemistry. Our vegan/vegetarian products are free of harmful petro-chemicals, made from raw vegetable based ingredients, preserved naturally, following FDA standards, and kind to your body and pocketbook.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

The winner of this giveaway will win the choice of one product from Beija Flor Natural. To win all you have to do is:

1. Follow Tupieta on Facebook or Twitter.

2. Tweet or Facebook: Enter the @CaliBeijaFlor Giveaway over @Tupieta for a chance to win a free product!  http://j.mp/d9PLWE RT!

3. Leave a comment telling us what product you'd choose and your email.

*Prize excludes the Soap & Shampoo by the Loaf and the Creme Brulee Family Size*

This contest will end 11:59 EST Thursday September 30th. A winner will be announced Friday October 1st. Oh and that's not all! Those of you who put in an order will receive a free 4 oz. Honey Butter Scrub, a $10 value! Just leave Tupieta in the paypal comment area when you order!

Beth Ditto A/W 2010 for Evans is now available! I'm on the fence but will be reviewing a little more closely later today when I get home from work. Your thoughts?