plus size Archives - Chief of Style

Celebrating Women’s History Month with Cacique

Featured Sponsored March 9, 2020 0 Comments

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“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

Hey babes! Happy Monday and Happy Women’s History Month! Can you believe it’s March already? 2020 is really flying by!

The above quote by Eleanor Roosevelt has always been one of my favorites. It honestly couldn’t be more true. After an incredibly tough 2019, I declared this my Comeback Season. (A reference to rapper/singer/actor, Drake’s 2007 mixtape.) Despite having what felt like a ton of bricks fall on my head last year and dealing with it almost totally alone, I’ve come to realize that I’m stronger than I ever could have imagined. I’ve been told over and over again by those who know my story that I’m an absolute badass for taking so many challenges head on with next to zero support. Pushing forward without any family, let alone my two pillars (my dad and my grandma who passed away in 2019 and 2017, respectively), has been incredibly difficult. But, I’m a fighter and I’m stubborn (#Taurus), so I refuse to give up.

One thing that has really helped me keep on keeping on has been prioritizing my self-care. Besides meditation, prayer, going to therapy and grief group and working with crystals and oracle cards, I’ve been intentionally shrinking my social circle, weeding out people (genuinely good people, don’t get me wrong) who just aren’t on my wavelength right now. My Sundays are now exclusively for self-care/self-love, so I give myself 24 hours to do absolutely nothing except what my spirit calls for. Usually that entails a long, hot bath or shower, lathering my skin with my favorite body cream, wearing my comfiest PJs, a face mask, some yoga or light stretching, chill music, hot tea, homemade brunch and a good book. I am incredibly intentional about who I spend my time with these days. And, on Sundays, it’s usually just Valentino (my adorable chihuahua pomeranian rescue/side kick) and me.

Another part of my self-care practice is treating myself to things that genuinely make me feel good. This includes comfortable, quality undergarments like the Cacique ‘So Light Boost Plunge Bra,’ their Extra Soft Cheeky Panty (both in ‘Cafe Mocha’) and this French Terry Sleep Robe (in Heather Gray) that I’m wearing here.

As you probably know by now, I’m a huge Lane Bryant fan and I absolutely adore their intimates line, Cacique. The fit and quality of their clothing and undergarments is one of the best—hands down!

What I love most about this bra is that it’s a boost bra (read: cleavage-making) with a plunge neckline and a light-as-a-feather feel that still provides lift, support and a shape that I love. Unlike a lot of boosting or push-up bras that feel heavy, the So Light Boost Plunge Bra is nearly weightless and has a super-smooth finish. There is no side boning and it features stay-put straps which give a more flexible and comfortable fit.

This bra is perfect for low-cut tops and dresses or for lounging around while looking as sexy as can be! (If you’re wanting more coverage, they also sell a lightly lined t-shirt bra.) Band sizes range from 34-46 and cup sizes range from B-H. Virtually anyone can enjoy the supportive, sexy comfort this bra provides!

So, if you’re in need of some spoiling, head on over to Lane Bryant/Cacique and treat yo’ self right this minute! You absolutely deserve it.

xoxo,

Amy (a.k.a. The Chief of Style)

Thank you to Lane Bryant for sponsoring this post. As always, all views expressed are my own.

Photography by Rebekah Maynard.

Warm Up With Lane Bryant’s Resort Collection

Collaborations Featured January 29, 2020 1 Comments

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“A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.” – Earl Wilson

January is proving to be the longest month ever, am I right? While I’m really loving this new 2020 energy (so long, 2019, a.k.a. the worst year ever!), I am a bit tired of the cold. I’m longing for hot summer days and long summer nights!

Thankfully, Lane Bryant recently released their new (online only!) Resort Collection featuring a selection of the cutest pieces, perfect for showing a little (or a lot of) skin on your pre-Spring/Summer vacation!

I took a little trip this past weekend to Malibu and I was really feeling the summertime vibes. I had dinner at this cute little Mexican restaurant near the beach called The Cliffdiver and had to snap some photos in their adorable front patio!

Here I’m wearing a full LB look: medium wash denim jacket, longline bikini top, crisp white skinny jeans, woven slide sandals and a woven floppy hat. I actually loved the denim jacket so much, I had to get it in white, too!

As soon as it warms up a bit, I plan to head to Joshua Tree. I’m looking forward to to sipping fruity cocktails under the night stars in an outdoor jacuzzi, wearing my favorite Lane Bryant bikini, of course.

Are you planning a getaway? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

Thank you to Lane Bryant for sponsoring this post. As always, all views expressed are my own.

It’s Comeback Season

Fashion Featured November 3, 2019 0 Comments

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“Life has many ways of testing a person’s will. Either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen at once.” — Paulo Coelho

For those who follow my blog, you may have noticed I’ve been pretty M.I.A. for the better part of this year. If you follow me on Instagram, you likely know why. If you don’t (or you’re curious as to how I’m doing), this post is for you.

Let’s just jump right in, shall we?

I’ve had a rough couple of years…I had a significant breakup, lost my Grandmother, lost my job, moved a few times, got my heart broken a couple more times and just when it seemed like things were about to turn around (I got a new job and moved to a better apartment), my Dad died without any warning at all. (I’ll spare you all of the drama that has come since then, but let just say I’ve been dealing with a lot on my own and it all feels incredibly unfair.) And then my two best friends in the entire world turned their backs on me with no explanation. I wouldn’t wish that kind of heartbreak and betrayal on anyone.

If that weren’t enough, about a month ago, I was drugged with fentanyl at a nightclub, blacked out (for six hours), fell flat on my face, sliced my nose in half which required me to be rushed by ambulance to a nearby hospital. It took 15 stitches to put my nose back together, and while the doctor did an amazing job and everyone has called me the Bionic Woman because of how quickly my nose is healing, I may have a permanent scar on my face and life long breathing issues. Let me tell you, it is not easy dealing with anything medical without my doctor Dad. To say these additional doctors visits for follow-ups regarding my nose are triggering AF would be an understatement!

So, yeah…I don’t quite know how to describe what’s come of my life, but if there were one word to sum it all up, it would be “unbelievable.”

That said, my social media influencing has taken a back seat while I’ve tried to piece my life together again. The thought of merely getting out of bed for the last several months was nearly impossible, let alone the thought of putting together a cute outfit and smiling for a camera! (Where would I even get the money to pay for a photographer anyway? My new job let me go two weeks after my Dad died for missing work to take care of things — by myself. No one in my life, including my family, could be bothered to help me in any way, with the exception of a few close friends.)

That’s all to say, I’m finally coming out of my funk and my groove is slowly returning. I’m starting to feel ready to move forward with a lot less baggage. I’m letting go of more people than I could imagine. Part of my self-care involves letting go of things and people that hold me back. I’m also going to do simple things like move more (I really miss the gym, if i’m being honest), eat better and more regularly, get more sleep but also spend more time out of bed, go to therapy, meditate and continue with my spiritual practices, intentionally be more kind to myself…and, of course, bring back my blog! I want to write a book about my life next year, so maybe this will help me flush out my thoughts and ideas.

I may have lost my two favorite people in the world: my Grandma and Dad (not my two ex-best friends…good riddance!), but their influence is not lost on me. I am constantly reminded to keep my head up and keep on pushing. I’m not a quitter. I have come way too damn far to give up now!

So, with that said, The Chief of Style is back (…making no promises on how regularly I’ll post LOL But, what I will promise is when I do, it’ll be worth it.) So, please stay tuned. <3

Photographer: Gabe Hernandez, @snaxophonist

Thank you to Eloquii for gifting me select pieces for this post. As always, all views expressed are my own.

What Queer Femmes of All Sizes Should Wear to Show Their LGBTQ+ Pride

Featured Sponsored June 15, 2019 0 Comments

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“If you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else?” –Ru Paul

I really love this time of year! It’s June, meaning it’s officially summer and LGBTQ+ Pride month; time for rainbows, parades and dancing in the street (covered in glitter, of course).

I have a love-hate feeling about the corporatization of all things LGBT (and sometimes Q) by companies looking to profit from a community with a long history of struggle with no awareness or appreciation for the activists who are responsible for the progress we’ve made toward equality. Namely, Black and Brown transwomen. The first Pride was a riot, after all. However, I sincerely appreciate brands that give back to queer communities through contributions to LGBTQ non-profits such as the It Gets Better Project, True Colors United and the Ali Forney Center, for example.

Most of my love for rainbow everything comes from wanting access to clothing and accessories that will allow me to show my Pride and also read hella gay. It may sound silly, but when you’re femme and no one can tell by looking at you, it can feel empowering AF to wear a universal queer symbol. It’s sad, but true.

What’s even more tragic is a lot of LGBTQ+ Pride wear isn’t made in plus sizes. While 68% of American women wear a size 14+, according to Racked, plus size clothing only makes up 2.3% of the selection at major retailers. And, from my own (admittedly un-scientific, yet probably still very accurate) assessment, there weren’t many size inclusive options for plus size folx to show their pride this year.

One exception is well-known plus size retailer Lane Bryant‘s lingerie brand, Cacique (which is known for its high quality and recently expanded size range to include even more sizes: 0-28!). This year, they designed a collection of several absolutely adorable bra/panty sets and pajamas.

*See below for links to some of my favorite pieces from Cacique’s Pride collection!

I’m really excited to share that I was asked to model Cacique’s Pride collection this year! (Be a doll and leave some love on my IG: @chiefofstyle, Cacique’s IG: @caciqueintimaes and Lane Bryant’s IG: @lanebryant as well as on their Facebook and Twitter accounts!)

Cacique contributed 10% of the purchase price of their Pride collection (a total of $30K!) to GLSEN, which aims to end discrimination, harassment and bullying of LGBT students in school. Love!

Here are some of my favorite pieces from the Pride collection:

Pride to me means loving who you are (all parts of you), exactly how you are. Thanks to Cacique, no matter your size, you can show your Pride. And, just as sweet, know your dollars are going to a good cause!

Oh, and I almost forgot! Cacique and Lane Bryant are having a semi-annual clearance sale right now!

(Run, don’t walk!)

Thank you to Cacique for sponsoring this post. As always, all views expressed are my own.

2019: My Year of Self-love

Featured Sponsored March 22, 2019 0 Comments

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“Self-love is not selfish; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.” – Unknown

Happy 2019! I know we’re well into March and this is my first blog post of the year. I’d normally feel bad about this, but if you follow me on Instagram you know I’ve been busy…busy working on loving myself more. But not just saying it; really meaning it. I’ve been reading, meditating, reflecting, journaling, dedicating more time and energy into my self-care routine…oh, and doing a “love detox.” (I’ve deleted all of the dating apps from my phone because I’m taking a break from dating altogether.)

The beginning of the year is when most of us are focused on creating goals for our lives, careers, relationships, etc. Whether it’s making a vision board or just a quiet promise to ourselves, many of us make a list of a bunch of things we want to accomplish over the course of the next 12 months. I do it too and my list is usually very, very long. But, 2019 is different. This year, I decided to just make one goal/commitment: to simply loving myself more.

I’ve grown a lot over the past few years, specifically in the acceptance of my body. That’s how I got here and why you’re here, too (whether you know it or not). I started The Chief of Style with the intention of loving every dimple, wrinkle, fat roll, stretch mark and pimple…all of the physical stuff I spent years hating about myself. I’ve come SO far in that journey, but I still have a ways to go when it comes to loving myself. Like, I know I’m great and all, but I keep letting users and abusers into my life and I’m finally over it! I’m done putting everyone else (like the people I’m romantically involved with, in particular) before myself (and even sometimes my closest friends and family). Love is blind in more ways than one and I’ve really let one too many jerks keep me from not only seeing my own worth, but how much other people I care about care about me.

So, I made the decision on Valentine’s Day to stop dating for a while. And, I mean it. I’m going to stop putting all of my love, time, energy and resources into other people (who haven’t even proven they deserve it) and put it into myself. I’m also taking the time to process and face my traumas instead of pretending they never happened. It’s honestly pretty intense and a little scary, but I feel quite certain I will come out this much happier and emotionally healthier and stronger.

Part of my plan for loving myself more is taking myself on dates, treating myself to trips to the spa and destinations near and far and spending more time alone – and enjoying it! I used to do everything for my partner, including wearing sexy lingerie. But, now I’m even doing that for myself.

One of my favorite sources for budget-friendly, flirty lingerie is Yandy. They have beautiful pieces in a wide range of sizes, including plus sizes. I’m absolutely in LOVE with this “Bad Intentions” lingerie gown. It has detachable straps and a high waist panty. Wearing lingerie just for me is officially part of my self-care practice.

If you’re curious about Yandy, you can use my promo code for 20% off: chiefofstyle20

I’m curious…how do you practice self-love? Let me know in the comments! I can’t wait to learn some new tips. 🙂