Grungy, Edgy and Chic

This look is something I decided to wear on a whim! I thoroughly enjoyed wearing this outfit.  Loved the grungy, edgy chic vibe I felt when I put it on and glammed up my face.  I received so many compliments when I showcased this.  I've been stuck on cinching my waist lately and wearing belts is the perfect way to do so.  This long line cardigan was just waiting there patiently for me in Ross Dress for Less.  Costing me only $10, I snatched this baby up real quick!  Yeees, I am always on the look out for a great deal.

Not only am I a plus size fashionista, I am also short.  5' 5" to be exact....the struggle!!  I loved this cardigan so much and I didn't care that the length was long.  Like really long...I thought, oh well, let's add a belt and see what we come up with.  Belting this cardigan created an illusion of a taller silhouette for me.  

Are you guys SICK of this bag yet?  Lol...I LOVE it obviously, because I've carried it with every possible outfit imaginable. I carried it here, here, here and here.  Yep, it's pretty safe to say I love me some fringe.

Let's talk about these fabulous camo pants!! Ahh, are they not the cutest??  I used these as the base to build my outfit.  I knew this cardigan would complete my ensemble.  The oxblood compliments the black, olive and tan tones in the pants.  

Lastly, these boots... Ladies, I have the absolute largest calves imaginable on a short frame.  I can not stress enough my excitement for finally finding affordable boots to fit my 19+ inch calves.  I purchased these boots online at Avenue, during their Black Friday sale.  I was able to get this pair and these for under $80!  If you have large calves and you're looking for a nice pair of boots, that won't break the bank, I highly recommend trying Avenue.  You won't be disappointed.

Linked Up Here

Floral Kimono

Hi, lovelies! I wore this look to church on Sunday, December 21, 2014.  We had such a beautiful program celebrating the birth of Jesus! While most people opt to wear red during the holiday season, I chose to stay true to myself and wear pink.  I found this beautiful kimono from It's Fashion on sale for $7.99.  Absolutely, positively, HAD to have it...lol.  The slacks were purchased from my local Goodwill for $4.25.  

I wanted the kimono to be the star of the show, so I decided to keep my accesories to a minimum and chose to accent with neutral colors.  This nude hand bag is old and if I recall it was around $10 from Ross.  What do guys think of this outfit? I am in loooove with it.  I will definitely be restyling this kimono again. Don't be surprised if you see it featured here on the blog in the near future.  Have a great week everyone!  Merry Christmas from my family to yours!  Until next time...

Peace and love,

Kishina

Linked Up Here

Isaiah 9:6King James Version (KJV)

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Scarf Remix

Hey y'all! Yes I am from the southern part of the United States...lol. This post features one of my favorites from my scarf collection. I have worn it several times since I've purchased it. You may remember it from this post here. Although I wore the same color scheme, I opted to display my scarf in a slightly different way. I can't seem to get enough of jewel tones this season. I have several pieces in heavy rotation. I hope to showcase those looks soon. 

Anywho, scarves are a great way to add depth and character to an otherwise basic outfit in my opinion. It's a versatile accessory you can use to build or remix any outfit that is otherwise boring...sort of a game changer/conversation piece so to speak. I received so many compliments on my look this past weekend.

This particular day I thought I'd try adding a belt to cinch my waist and shape my figure. I love the richness and detail of the scarf. The colors blend well with the cognac color of my boots. About these boots....I am extremely excited to finally find an affordable pair to fit my 19 inch calves!! Oh my gosh, the struggle for plus size fashionistas with extra fluff to their lower half is unreal. 

I got these from one of my favorite stores called Avenue. Ordered them online during black Friday. They are still having an amazing sale! Ladies, if you have large calves and you're looking for a decent boot that won't break the bank, be sure to check out Avenue. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

I found this cute cognac colored bag at the Goodwill this past weekend. I thought about carrying this bag below instead of my old faithful fringe bag. And... The fringe bag won... lol. So, quick question for my readers, which hand bag do you like with this outfit? Drop a comment below and let me know what ya think. As always, thanks for reading my blog. If this post, or any previous posts have inspired you in any way, please engage with me... +1, share and like on Facebook,  Instagram, and/or twitter. Until next time...

Peace and love,

Kishina

Linked Up Here

How to Style a Beret

Today's post is all about the beret!  I was having a bad hair day this particular day and so I opted to "fix" it by adding this beret to my outfit.  Of course, it is in my favorite color PINK!!  I wanted the focus to be on the wool hat so I kept the base of my outfit all neutral.  Black and white will always reign as classic and chic in my book.  

I scored this classic button up in black from Gabe's.  It's a Lane Bryant blouse that retailed for around $55.  *Gasps* Of course, my price was only $5.  Gabe's is known for selling items at unbelievably huge discounts.  I am in heaven everytime I walk in this store!!  Some items are slightly irregular, but in my opinion, they're hardly noticeable.  Maybe a seam not sewn as tight or the cut of the size may be slightly off.  

My skirt is suuuuper old.  Old Navy had a sale and I purchased it for around $12, I think.  I also purchased these booties from Gabe's that retail for around $90.  My price...$20. Yeees!!  Total cost of my outfit $37! If that ain't winning, I don't know what is...lol.  I'm all for looking chic and well put together for pennies on the dollar.  I prefer to spend my coins on things that are more meaningful to me such as a vacation...that I'm currently in need of...on an island somewhere with cocktail in hand and a good book...*le sigh*.  Wishful thinking.,,,anywho, hope you enjoyed this post.  If it has inspired you in any way, please feel free to leave a comment, +1, share on Facebook or Twitter.  As always until next time...

Peace and love,

xoxo Kishina xoxo

Linked Up Here

Cobalt and White

Today I'm showcasing my personal style.  My love for all things girly is the reason I was so drawn to this crisp white button up.  The ruffle detail and flirty peplum hem I could not resist.  I decided to pair it with a pair of cobalt blue ankle pants from Lane Bryant.  This day was so dreary and cloudy; I wanted to infuse it with color.  Cobalt is such an electrifying color and I am HERE for it this season...lol.  

These ankle pants were purchased for a steal at just $5!  I've worn them several times since purchasing this past summer.  This ruffle detailed blouse is from Ashley Stewart and I can't wait to restyle it again.  Possibly with a blazer, velvet maybe. Denim skinnies and riding boots...yeeesss! I see so many possibilities with these.

If you were inspired by this post or you enjoyed this look, please do me a favor and drop a comment below, +1 on Google, share on Facebook or Twitter.  Thanks for reading :)

Peace and Love,

Kishina

Linked up here

November Style Recap | Fringe Trend

Soooo, I know you guys may have been wondering, why the heck is she posing with that same bag in all of her posts??!  Lol, well obviously I happen to loooove this bag.  Fringe is one of my favorite things to wear.  Whether I'm actually wearing or accessorizing it I am HERE for all things fringe.  I also wanted to show case three diffferent looks with my fringe bag.  Check them out below and let me know what you think of these three looks.  

Blog Post HERE

This weekend casual look came together just as I had imagined it would.  I love how the tribal print on my scarf blends with the studded detailing on the faux leather fringe.  

Blog Post HERE

This dressier look was given a little more oomph when I added the fringe look to it.  I felt it was very business oriented but I stayed true to my personal style and love of fringe.

Blog Post HERE

Lastly, the fringe bag added character and made a statement to a somewhat basic outfit.  With this look it screams look at me...lol!!  

Which one of these styles would you rock?  Is fringe for you, or nah?  Engage with me :)

Linked Up Below

Pink Panther

One of my favorite cartoons as a kid was Pink Panther.  I remember watching it on Saturday morning with all my siblings.  Every Saturday we let mom and dad sleep while pouring huge bowls of cereal and milk, then camped out in front of the TV set.  So, I was researching some history of the famous Pink Panther and came across these facts:  

1)  The original Pink Panther series is older than I am...lol.  Yes, this is history for me.  No, I'm not going to disclose my age.  What's the old adage? Oh yeah, a lady never tells her age :)

2) The "Pink Panther" was a fictitious large and valuable diamond in the original film series.  It earned its name due to the noticeable flaw at its center. When viewed closely and in the perfect lighting, it resembled a leaping pink panther. 

3) Inspector Jacques Clouseau, the main character, was a clumsy and incompetent but zealous police inspector.  Although he was labeled all of these terms, he still managed to solve mysteries by "accident".  

4) His incompetence drove his direct superior, Dreyfus, to the asylum.

It was great learning a little history of one of my fave cartoons as a kid!  Indeed the pink diamond truly was fictitious, however I couldn't help but learn something from that.  Although, the diamond was "flawed", it was deemed valuable.  Read the last part of that statement again... "it was deemed valuable".  When I was younger, I felt ugly and ashamed of my size.  I always considered my weight a "flaw" and had several fluctuations over the years. As I've blossomed into a woman, I now consider myself a precious and valuable "diamond"...flaws and all.  To anyone who may be feeling the same way I used to, I encourage you to look in the mirror and find something beautiful about you! We are all God's creations, and His word says everything he created he saw it as good.  You are beautiful and your life is relevant.  We only get one life and I will strive to see the good in each beautifully flawed person I encounter every day that I'm given on this earth.

Inspector Clouseau was so clumsy and incompetent that it drove his direct superior, Dreyfus, to the mad house.  Hmmm,  I can relate to Clouseau in that I'm not incompetent, but I am a bit of a klutz...lol.  I sometimes trip over my own feet and I have to be careful when cooking as I seem to drop things often...*le sigh*.  Dreyfus tried many tactics to "dead" Clouseau but was unsuccessful.  Sometimes in life we have those people who tend to "try" thwarting our every move.  I've learned that no one can truly thwart our direction in life.  I feel we all have a guiding force that sort of keeps us out of harms way.  I can recall countless times I've nearly escaped death in some situations. Some call it ESP, gut feelings, or instinct.  I call it divine intervention :)

                              

On to these outfit deets, yeeeesss!!  Okay, so I found these pink (hence the inspiration of my blogpost title) Kim Rogers slacks at my fave thrift store Goodwill for $4.25.  The black and white striped blazer is an "old" purchase from Cato's. I wore it here in this post titled Black and White Stripes.  And this fringe bag...well, can you tell that I love it? Got this from Cato's as well and "fringe is a girl's best friend".  Corny I know, but I like it...lol

I hope you've enjoyed reading! If you did, please comment, share, like, and +1 this article.  I love engaging with my readers and responding to comments.  Follow me on  Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.  Until next time....

Peace and Love, 

Kishina

Linkups

 

 

 

       

Finding a Good Bargain | Thrift Shopping

A few years ago I found myself unemployed and facing foreclosure on my home of seven years.  I have to admit, these past few years have been some of the hardest challenges I’ve ever had to face in my life.  However, when I was making a great salary, I was careless with money.  I got paid on payday and spent, spent, spent.  It was nothing for me to spend hundreds of dollars a month on my habit of excessive retail therapy.  I love fashion and if I saw something I loved, I just bought it.  I didn’t care what it cost nor did I experience one instance of “sticker shock”.  I simply whipped out my Visa and swiped with glee. 

It’s very sobering to reflect on that time in my life.  I mean, I literally bought things that hung in my closet with tags still attached as a new season began.  Shame on me!  My favorite place to visit EVERY single payday was Lane Bryant.  Their pieces gave me life each time I slid a new item over my body.  After losing my job, that came to a quick halt.  I wallowed in self-pity and misery over the fact that I couldn’t swipe my card with $0 on it.  Reality set in and I had to do some major budget cuts.  Guess which was first to go? Yep, my love for retail therapy.

During this turbulent time in my life, I met my best girl friend.  She loved and accepted me with no regard to my miserable, broken spirit.  Never once has she judged me and I thank God for her.  I owe my love of thrifting to her.  I’ll never forget our first trip together to Goodwill and the look I had on my face.  I felt like I was too good to shop there.  Lol, in hindsight, I can’t believe I actually WANTED to pay retail prices instead of looking for gems among mounds of worn, some stained and tattered clothing.  Silly me!!  We walked in, and I was so used to everything being neat and hanging nicely on mannequins that I didn’t know where to begin looking first.  I’m like, "Where’s my section??  You know these hips can't fit everything, sis!"  Lol, my friend pointed me in which direction to go.  I tell you the truth, my very first experience at Goodwill was a major score.  I found tons of new things with tags AND in a size to fit these hips…haaaa!  I’ve been sold ever since.

I apologize for the blurred photos.  I'm working with my 12 year old for photo ops :)

Still trying to get this posing thing down...lol

I said all that to say this…. To my new readers and my loyal followers, never underestimate what you can find in a thrift store.  I actually prefer shopping at thrift stores now rather than walking into the department store and getting 2 items for $100.  I can get like 100 items for that much at Goodwill…just kidding.  But a little money in a thrift store goes a long way.  Thank you Naquita (my bff) for encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone!! I have finally realized the endless treasures I can find while thrifting.

Ralph Lauren Slacks ~ $7.99 (Retail 109.00 *gasp*)  <---- Sticker shock

Blazer (Dressbarn label) ~ $7.00

Animal print tank (Chico's) ~ $4.25

Clutch (It's Fashion) ~ $10.00

Patent flats (Goodwill) ~ $6.50

My face after shooting photos in the wind, cold and rain...ugh!!

Here's a few snap shots of my best friend, Naquita.  She's pretty fashion savvy herself, don't you think?  I love this lady to life!! She has been more than I could ever hope for in a friend.

Linked up HERE