Happy Thanksgiving!

Source:  Twigg.com

First, just let me wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving, full of peace, love, family, and good food!

As much as I've been struggling lately with way too much on my plate (and a bout of bronchitis to boot), I am also very aware of the many ways I have been blessed this year.

I love Thanksgiving because it is a reminder to pause and really think about all the ways in which we're fortunate.  It's very easy to get side-tracked with daily stressors and everything that seems to be going wrong in life, but a happy, healthy life is one that doesn't allow those things to overwhelm us.  Stopping to appreciate life's blessings, to feel gratitude to the universe, is important.

As I've been allowing myself to get overwhelmed lately, a day of giving thanks is just what the doctor ordered!

This year has been a tough one.  As a family, we are still dealing with the medical, financial, and legal effects of my fiance's motorcycle accident.  My fiance is working and is continuing to heal, but he is still feeling the physical effects.  I'm so grateful that he is still around for the kids and me and for others.  As a hospice nurse, he touches people's lives everyday in a profound way, and I'm continually inspired by his work ethic, dedication to service, and selflessness.

I'm so thankful for all of my family.  I never imagined myself as a parent to five children.  Being a parent is tough.  Being a step-parent is even tougher, especially to two children with special needs.  Everyday, my kids teach me to be a little more patient (CONTINUOUS WORK IN PROGRESS), more empathetic, and to take myself less seriously.  I have learned unconditional love in a way I never thought possible, and for that I am so thankful.

I am grateful that I still have my parents with me and all of my siblings.  What's more, I am fortunate to still have one of my grandmothers in my life.  This beautiful funny woman is so full of love.  I can't even form the words to explain how unbelievably blessed I am to know her.

While they have greatly improved recently, finances were very tight over the last several months due to the accident.  While the financial setback was a very stressful period, I realize that we were still much more fortunate than many others and it was our relatively good financial status prior to the accident (and some awesome family support) that allowed us to escape any serious effects of this income decline. Having lived in or around the poverty line most of my life, I am well aware that our situation could have been much worse.

I am so thankful to all of you for reading my blog.  This year has truly exceeded my expectations.  Over the course of this year, I have been featured in Redbook and won the People's Choice Award for Best Delivery of Personal Style at the inaugural St. Louis Fashion Blog Awards, neither of which I would have imagined a year ago!  

More important than any accolades, I feel like I have developed relationships with some of you, and it feels amazing to make such connections with people I've never met!  I haven't fulfilled all my goals this year for my blog, as I strive to create a larger balance towards socially conscious writing, personal style suggestions for curvy petite gals, and outfit of the day posts.  

That said, I feel fortunate that my posts have inspired some of you in a small way to try a new look or to accept and love yourselves a little more.  I am thankful that this blog has also helped me feel more confident and beautiful.  We're in this journey together!!!

I'm so open to suggestions regarding what you'd like to see on the blog.  While I have a direction and a voice that I plan to maintain,  I'm open to posts on various topics, particular styles you'd like to see me feature, questions about fitting different body types, etc.  Please feel free to shoot me an e-mail or comment on a post.  Your continued feedback and support is very much appreciated!!!

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday!  Thanksgiving outfit post coming soon!!

Cozy Day to Night

Happy Monday, everyone!

Hope you all had a great weekend.  I spent the past weekend getting some much needed R&R; 'twas a blissfully lazy time.  :-)

Sweater:  Target (Available here)

Camisole:  LOFT (Available here)
Belt:  Torrid (Sold out on-line; May be available in stores)

As pictured, today's look works well for evening, but this outfit is actually a tweak on a recent work look.  I wore this same outfit to work last week, but changed the accessories a bit to make the look more modest and conservative for work.  

For work, I paired the outfit with ankle booties and a classic work tote.  More importantly, I moved the belt down to the waist to create a blouson-y and less cleavage-y look.

Tuxedo stripe pants:  The Limited (Similar here)

Shoes:  Target (Available here)
Clutch:  Target

Whether for work or play, this outfit is super comfortable, which is becoming more and more of a requisite in my book!

Cuff:  Express
Earrings:  Target

How important is comfort to you in choosing a look?

For this sweater in another look, see here.
For these pants in other looks, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes: Brown Shoe Blogger Brunch

As so often happens to me, I have a song stuck in my head on repeat.  After I wrote the title to this post, a song popped into my head (remember "Bills, Bills, Bills"?) and shoe-related lyrics to the same beat started flowing! 

I often come up with my own lyrics to songs because I rarely know all the correct words and it's fun to come up with my own.  I'm sure we all do that sometimes, right... right?  ;-P

Don't you like my shoes?
Don't you like my beautiful shoes?
Don't you like my chic, stylish shoes?
If you do, then I could be your muse
I am sure you do...
Oh...you and me are cool

Don't worry...I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon!!!

Why all this obsession with shoes?  Shoes have been on the brain (along with silly songs) since attending a recent blogger brunch hosted by Brown Shoe Company.

While you may have never heard of Brown Shoe Company, you have more than likely heard of the brands it owns and/or markets:  Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's, Carlos by Carlos Santana, Fergie, Sam Edelman, Franco Sarto, and Via Spiga, among others.

Brown Shoe was born in St. Louis in 1875 and remains headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton, Missouri to this day.  While at the brunch, I was introduced to many of Brown Shoe's brands and learned a ton about the company that revolutionized shoes for women.

Naturalizer

Before Naturalizer, one of Brown Shoe's first major brands, women's shoes were made using men's upper forms.  The Naturalizer brand changed this, creating shoes for women that were actually shaped for women's feet.  

Naturalizer continues to be one of Brown Shoe's major comfort brands.  I'm loving the purple boots -- style and comfort, who can beat that?

Speaking of style and comfort, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the Dr. Scholl's styles.  How chic are these leopard boots?

Dr. Scholl's

If you're an on-line shopper like me, then you will love Shoes.com.  These burgundy booties with gold heels are just fabulous!

Shoes.com

For very modern, but still very work appropriate shoe shopping, I highly suggest Franco Sarto.  The low to mid-range heels and simple shapes make these a fabulous choice for the workplace (and for running errands after work).

Franco Sarto

For style that's a little edgy and rock-and-roll, I'm looooving the Fergie and Carlos by Carlos Santana shoe collections.

These black and gold heels from Fergie need to be in my shoe wardrobe, like, yesterday!!! 

Fergie

Fergie

Carlos by Carlos Santana

Ultra-fashionable and versatile, the Via Spiga brand includes some amazing offerings like these leopard peep-toe shooties and over-the-knee boots.

Via Spiga

Via Spiga

Sam Edelman is probably Brown Shoe's most fashion-forward brand.  The booties are just killer!

Sam Edelman

Brown Shoe was generous enough to provide all the bloggers with gift cards to Famous Footwear, a popular chain shoe store owned by Brown Shoe that offers a variety of brands and styles for women, men, and children.
 
I haven't had a chance to pick out a new pair of shoes just yet, but I'll be sure to post them here when I do!!!

For you other small footed people out there, I learned that the smallest women's size carried in the Brown Shoe family is a size 4 in some of the Naturalizer styles (does not come in a wide width).  Bummer for me who's a true size 3, but since I usually wear a women's size 5 to get adult styles, I'm sure I'll find something fab with my gift card!

If I can't, there's always a back-up plan....these adorable girls' Converse "Party Hi" high-tops:

Converse Girls' Party-Hi

What shoes do you like the most?

St. Louis Fashion Week Kick-Off Party & Blog Awards - My Not So Glamorous Life

Last night was the kick-off to St. Louis Fashion Week and the Blogger Awards!

Pants:  The Limited (Sold out on-line; may be available in stores)
Blazer:  The Limited (Available here)

I'm so excited to announce that I won the People's Choice Award for "Best Delivery of Personal Style"!  Thank you all so much for voting for "Style Cassentials."  Your support means so much!!!

For the awards and party, I wanted a polished, clean look that had just a little bit of edge.  I decided on an all-black outfit with gold touches.

Heels:  Simply Vera by Vera Wang (Sold out on-line; may be available in some Kohl's stores)
Clutch:  The Limited (Available here)

Top:  Ann Taylor Petites (Available here)
Bracelet:  Local shop

I took these pics at the end of the night.  My feet were sore, and I was super sweaty - the humidity had taken its toll on me and my flat-ironed hair.  :-(

In looking at the pics, I noticed the kids had also gotten hold of some chalk and drew on the house.  Ha! 

Before the Awards

As glam as I may start my evening, reality always sets in!!!  I'm not complaining...it just reminds me all the more that while the images we see in magazines can be beautiful, they aren't real. 

They're taken with perfect lighting, hair and make-up artists on stand-by, and then air-brushed and re-imaged to impossible standards (see more here).  I'll take real-life - sweat, chalk, and all!

Belt:  The Limited (Similar here)
Earrings:  New York & Company (Available in silver here)

With Julia of "Oh, Julia Ann"
Photo c/o Psyche Southwell of "Economy of Style"

P.S.  Thanks again for voting!

For this top in another look, see here.