But On The Other Hand...

Have you seen Australian plus-size model Robyn Lawley? The size 16 beauty graces the latest cover of French Revue de Modes. Very glam, don't you think?

So Long, Crystal Renn

Well, we knew this day would come.
You ladies know we love to champion plus-size models here to be sure they get the love they might not get other places. So, it was obvious a few months ago that we might eventually have to say goodbye to Crystal Renn as a subject on our blog. Not as a person - she has the right to do whatever she wants with her body. But as a woman who used to show the world that curvy can be beautiful, she no longer fits the bill. Yes, she's virtually unrecognizable since her most recent weight loss. But it's not her it's us. We're just not here to shed light on everyday stick thin models. That's what those other style blogs are for.



As EntertainmentWise.com wrote last week, such a dramatic change after years of Renn's talk (and a book!) about plus size beauty seems to promote the idea that "everyone wants to be thin, regardless of how many times they say 'I love my body the way it is.'" And we can't be part of that.

A Vintage Inspired Look

I just received some pictures of Mad Men's Christina Hendricks at the premiere of "I Don't Know How She Does It" in New York City. I think she's a curvy girl who knows how to wear vintage-inspired looks in a modern way. What do you think? Who are your fashion idols when it comes to this style?






Jewelry by Katerina Maxine

Crazy Month!

What a weird and wacky month. East coast earthquakes, hurricanes, and power outages. If we haven't been blogging as much as usual, it's because we've sort of been through the wringer. On top of that, my little one started Kindergarten on Monday and turned five on Tuesday. (Happy Birthday, Pumpkin!) But you know what? We're making the best of it. Plugging away, barreling through, grinding it out, making headway. I don't know where we're going, but we're getting there! So expect lots of new and exciting posts for next week. As for you, August 2011. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

My New Favorite Body Cream

August is no time to get caught with dry skin, amirite? The higher temperatures mean we have to bare more, so we have to stay moisturized. Plus, it's just good grooming. I don't think I'm the only woman who has a choice of creams, lotions, salves, oils, and butters to slather on when she gets out of the shower. But recently my collection had been seriously lacking and I know from experience that having products you're excited about makes you more likely to actually use them. So I decided to buy one of the items I'd bookmarked on Etsy. It was the Whipped Satin Luxury Cream by PinkDandy. I had contacted the seller ahead of time to make sure the fragrance I wanted - OK Sugar - was available. She was friendly and very open to customizing my order in just about any way possible, which means a lot to a very picky person like me.

My order arrived a few days later, well-packaged and with a generous sample of a second body cream labelled "birthday cake". I dove right in to the full-size body cream and - what a treat! It was very thick, but also light and creamy. The scent was divine. It reminded me of Jones Cream Soda, but with the tiniest twist of lemon. Very crisp and summer-y. I will definitely be using this cream for the rest of the season and beyond. And as for the sample, it is entirely too yummy. Since the Birthday Cake scent layers well (see what I did there?) with the OK Sugar fragrance, I keep the sample on my desk at work for little touch ups throughout the day. Here's a picture of my little haul today at the office.

Links A La Mode

Love Yourself Always and Forever.

Edited by Nubia of NubiasNonsense

Loving yourself might very well be the key of living a happy life. Love your strengths, your weaknesses, everything! Everyone who made a submission to Links à la mode should be very proud and content with themselves. You are all fashion bloggers with a voice and have something to share with others. Did you know that your post could make someone's day? Your DIY shorts might have been the highlight of a young girls day. Your inspirational post might have motivated someone who had the blues. These are all reasons to keep writing great content and when in doubt remember... YOU INFLUENCE PEOPLE.

• Aqui : Heres now: tie a turban


• Arash Mazinani : Build Your Brand: How To Create Your Signature Look


• Bachman's Sparrow : How to Keep the Passion Going in Blogging and Other Endeavors


• Brunette Blogging : The Blogging Sins


• Couturelust : DIY Isabel Marant pink lace up shorts


• Dignity Zine : Photoshop Expose, Penelope Cruz in Vogue


• Divergent Musings : The Cost of Blogging


• Dramatis Personae : What Carrie Bradshaw Taught Me About Aging & Getting Older


• FIERCE : Don’t Keep Up With the Blogging Joneses, Just Keep Up With Yourself


• IFB : The Reality of Blogging While Working a Full Time Job


• Inbetween Seams : Let’s Talk About Internships: What to Wear


• LAW OF FASHION : taking trends to the office [neon]


• LucyPlease : Making a User Friendly Blog


• Made to Travel : My Faves in Ethical Swimwear


• Oh, the Plaves You'll Go! : Naturally Beautiful


• Seamstress stories : Adaptation


• Style Nugget : Commenting: Still the Best Thing About Blogging?


• Sugar and Spice : Be a Better Fashion Blogger


• The Fashion Police : Skin Color is Not a Not a Fashion Statement


• Titine & Totoche : Warao Tribute

Angel Secret Review

So, I was looking for a season-less blazer. If this year's Spring cleaning taught me anything it's that there is almost no point to having so many clothes that can only be worn for a few months out of the year. I was looking for something out of the ordinary and slightly punk-y when I spotted this plaid power-shoulder blazer at a store called Angel Secret on eBay:


Don't worry - I had no intention of wearing it the same way as the model. That would be a bit much, even for me. No, I saw myself toning it down with a plain white shirt underneath, a well-worn denim skirt, and my strappy Aldo wedge thingees. I saw that the seller Angel Secret was locatedin Hong Kong, which meant the jacket could take a long time to arrive, but I took a chance and bought it anyway. A couple of weeks later it arrived in good condition. Here's my experience: The jacket is made in several sizes, but I was surprised that it fit as well as it did. I thought the sleeves might have been a tad too long. I'm not sure that's actually the case or if it has to do with my personal preference, but I rolled them up. This turned out to be just fine since the entire jacket is lined with a satiny dotted material. It has cute brass-y buttons down the front but they don't actually button; instead a super-strong hook-and-eye mechanism holds the blazer closed in the front. I thought this was a well thought-out detail because it's the same way that my favorite military blazer works. Anyway, here's the final result. (Forgive the blogger-at-work pics and the flat hair and the leggings- it's very cool in my office.)



I could definitely see myself buying again from Angel Secret. For $49 and free shipping I received a lightweight blazer that could be dressed up or down. In fact, I recently ordered this jacket from there...



...and I'll have a review of it very soon. As you can probably tell I'm a hard core fan of blazers because they help me to get out of the door in a hurry. There are lots of mornings when I'll just throw on a pair of jeans, a random top and a blazer. Regardless of the season, the blazer pulls it all together. Do you have your own secrets for looking "pulled together" in a hurry? If so, please share! Also, where do you get your blazers? I'm always on the lookout.