Bombshell Beauty Blog

Chapter 2 of Bombshell Blogroll

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:03:00 +0000

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Chapter 2

At 5:00, the happy hour crowd was in full force at the Wine Bistro. Good food, great prices and a cozy ambience made the Bistro a popular after-work stop for locals.

Elizabeth, Anna and Samantha were ushered to a booth near the back of the restaurant, where they settled in and made quick work of ordering a bottle of Kendall Jackson Chardonnay.

The waitress was back within minutes, carrying an open bottle of wine and three stemmed glasses. She poured each glass half full, and then set the rest of the bottle in a bucket of ice.

“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit,” she said with a friendly smile, hurrying off to check in with one of her other tables.

“A toast,” Elizabeth declared. “To three of the best bloggers known to all mankind.”

“Just ask us!” Samantha chortled, clinking her glass against Anna’s. Each took a sip form her glass and sighed, content.

“Ok Elizabeth – “Anna pointed across the table. “I am so ready to hear the embarrassing story that led us through a tornado, straight to this delightful little bistro.”

“And be sure to go slowly through the embarrassing part so we can really savor it,” Samantha chimed in.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Fine. But keep in mind that you’re savoring that wine right now thanks to me and my social ineptitude, ok?” Elizabeth took another sip from her glass before launching into the story that still brought a flush to her cheeks.

“I had just checked into the hotel and was unpacking. You’d each texted me literally 14 times apiece asking where the hell I was – and when the phone rang, I assumed it was one of you.”

“Except it wasn’t,” Anna prompted.

“No, it was not.”

“So, who was it?” Anna leaned forward, eagerly.

“It was Josh Norman. From Plus Style.”

“So far, I’m missing the embarrassing part of this story. He called all of us to see if we’d received itinerary packets at the front desk when we checked in,” Samantha said. “Get to the good part.”

“The embarrassing part is that I greeted him like I would greet one of you-“

“Don’t gloss over the detail, there” a deep male voice interjected. “You really gotta tell them exactly how you greeted me.”

Josh Norman leaned against the booth, one arm slung casually across the back of one side. He’d come directly from work and was still wearing most of his gray three-piece suit. The suit jacket was in the backseat of his car, the purple tie loose at his neck. But the vest and trousers made good effect of his tall, lean build. It took a moment for the women to make their way from his stylish wingtips, over the well cut suit, up past chocolate brown eyes and a sexy grin to the tousled bronzed hair.

“Well what do you know, y’all?” Anna drawled, leaning one elbow on the table and casting a wide smile up at him. “Could this be the one and only Josh Norman?”

“The one and only,” Josh grinned.

“And you said this story wasn’t embarrassing enough, Samantha.” Elizabeth’s heart rate picked up. She suddenly felt flustered and warm and…off kilter.

Samantha reached across the table to introduce herself. “I’m Samantha Stevens.” Josh took her hand and gave it a firm shake.

“And you must be Anna Porter,” he said, offering his hand to Anna. She shook it, nodding.

“I sure am. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Josh.”

“And that makes me Elizabeth Weston.” Elizabeth smiled up at Josh. Elizabeth slid her hand into Josh’s, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. “Nice to meet you.”

“Have a seat, sir,” Samantha grinned widely, gesturing toward the open seat next to Elizabeth. “Your timing is as impeccable as your sense of style.”

“May I?” Josh focused his gaze on Elizabeth’s pretty face, noting the pink in her cheeks. She was more beautiful than the photos on Bombshell Beauty made her out to be.

She silently slid her purse closer to the wall and moved down so Josh could sit. He folded his long legs under the table, setting a glass of whisky on the table top.
“When you suggested the Wine Bistro, you didn’t mention that you’d be here, too.” Elizabeth felt every inch of Josh’s body next to hers, even as she carefully shifted away from him.

“This is one of my regular stops on the way home from work. Me and the rest of Grove City.” He glanced around the now-packed restaurant. “I was hoping you three would show up. Did you get caught in that little storm we had a while ago?”

“Did we ever?” Anna exclaimed. “We almost died. And it would have been your fault.”

“It wouldn’t have gone over with my bosses at PS if I’d gotten three of my bloggers killed before the conference even started.”

“You’re very lucky that Samantha is such a terrific driver,” Anna replied, clinking her wine glass against Samantha’s.

“We can talk about how amazing a driver I am after Elizabeth finishes her story.” Samantha narrowed her eyes, impishly. “I think we were getting to the good part.”

“That’s right – now, when I walked up it sounded like you were about to skip right over one of the best parts of the story, Bombshell.”

Josh nudged Elizabeth playfully with his elbow. She glanced up at him through thick eyelashes and he felt a slew of butterflies kick up in his stomach. That was….unexpected.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “Fine. I picked up the phone and said, “Would you give me a fucking minute to unpack?”

“Ohhhh!” Anna and Samantha hooted with laughter. Josh sat back, arms crossed, a satisfied grin on his handsome face.

“Clearly I thought it was one of you calling.” Elizabeth reached across the table to swat Samantha’s arm.

“Then what did you say?” Anna asked, gasping for breath.

“Then Josh said-“Elizabeth broke off. “Why don’t you play the part of yourself and I’ll play the role of humiliated blogger?”

Josh cast a bright grin at her. So she was up for playing. That was a good sign. Elizabeth hid a smile behind her glass of wine.

Josh cleared his throat and sat up straighter. “So then I said, ‘I’m so sorry to call at a bad time’. There was a long silence on the other line, which made me wonder if Bombshell here had stroked out or simply hung up on me. But then she said- “

“Holy shit.”

Samantha and Anna erupted again. Anna had tears sliding down her cheeks, while Samantha laid her head on the table, shoulders shaking.

“Of course you did,” Samantha exclaimed. “You curse like a sailor!”

“I do not!” Elizabeth protested.

“Oh yes you do,” Anna chimed in. “You even curse over email and instant messages.”

“I don’t mean to,” Elizabeth sighed, a small laughed escaping her lips. “I curse a lot more in my head than I do out loud.”

“Well shit, Bombshell,” Josh drawled. “That’s pretty impressive.”

Elizabeth punched Josh lightly in the arm. They locked eyes for a moment. She quickly looked away, but not before catching the attention of Anna and Samantha. They gave each other a look, eyebrows raised.

“I have to say, Josh.” Samantha reached for the bottle of wine at the center of the table, then topped off each wine glass. “You’re not what I expected.”

“I would ask what you mean by that,” Josh offered,” but I’ve actually heard it before. A straight male who spends all day working with women’s clothing…I know.”

Josh signaled the waitress, holding up his empty glass. She nodded and turned toward the bar.

“Now you three…each one of you is exactly what I expected.”

“Oh really?” Samantha lifted one eyebrow.

Josh sat back against the back of the booth, arms crossed over his chest. He cast an appraising look at each woman in turn.

“Anna – you’re warm and welcoming and ooze southern charm.”

“Which means?” she prompted.

“Which means you’ll be the first to tell someone to go to hell, but you’ll do it in a way that’ll have him looking forward to the trip.”

“Yep. That sounds about right.”

“And Samantha – you’re a cut-to-the-chase, no bullshit kind of woman. Your charm lies in the fact that you say exactly what you think all the time.”

“You’re a wise man to recognize that as charming.” Samantha raised her glass at Josh. “You have no idea how many people mistake that for something else.”

Elizabeth felt her skin grow warm as Josh gazed at her.

She was even more beautiful in person that he’d expected. Her skin looked soft with a creamy complexion that pinked at the cheeks easily, and often. Her lips were full, and dark green eyes were lined with thick black eyelashes. He wanted to reach up and touch the curling mass of chocolate brown hair that tumbled past her shoulders. And when she shifted away from him, Josh caught the scent of warm coconut.

“What about Elizabeth?” Anna prompted.

“I thought she would be funny and charming and…ladylike.” Josh shrugged. “Two out of three’s not bad.”

“Ha ha.” Elizabeth shook her head, grinning despite herself.

A chirping sound from her purse distracted her, and she turned to rifle through the bag. Her cell phone was beeping, indicating an incoming text message. She glanced at the phone’s illuminated screen, made a face, and then set the phone facedown without opening the text message.

“What’s that all about?” Anna asked. “Looks like you just sucked on a lemon.”

Elizabeth shrugged indifferently. “It’s Matt. I told you we had a fight before I left, and we were going to cool off while I was gone.”

Anna nodded.

“Well, he’s not very good at keeping up his end of a bargain – so he keeps calling and texting.”

“Is Matt your husband?” Josh asked, hoping his tone sounded casual.

“Uhm – no. Definitely not,” Elizabeth laughed. “He’s my boyfriend.”

Her cellphone chirped again. With a sigh, she picked up the phone and scanned the messages. It was the same old stuff – I’m sorry, I love you, why aren’t you responding? Elizabeth shook her head.

“Sorry about that, guys. I’ll turn the ringer off.”

“What’s it say?” Samantha asked, her fingers itching to snatch the phone out of Elizabeth’s hand

“It doesn’t matter. Look – turning the ringer off. Matt will bother us no more.” Elizabeth slid the ringer button to Off and set the phone back on the table. “I’m going to use the restroom. If you order more wine, I’d drink some.”

Josh slid out of the booth and pointed Elizabeth toward the restroom. He took his seat, watching her walk away. She’s taller than I expected, Josh thought.

“You do it!” Anna hissed at Samantha, looking pointedly at the phone.

“No way! You can sweet talk your way out of it better than I can!”

“Are you guys talking about looking at her messages?” Josh asked, somewhat incredulously, somewhat hopefully.

“Of course we are,” Samantha whispered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “But Anna’s gotta do it.”

“Fine. Keep an eye out, Josh.”

Josh leaned back against the booth, which allowed him a clearer view of the restroom. Anna quickly reached for the phone and tapped the messages icon on the front screen. “All right – his first message says, “E – quit being so dramatic, would you? You’re an independent enough girl. Not like you really needed a ride to the airport.”

“That must be what the fight was about,” Samantha mused. “He wouldn’t take her to the airport this morning.”

“Not very gentlemanly,” Josh commented.

Anna nodded in agreement, her eyes twinkling.

“The next message says, ‘I know we said we weren’t going to talk until you got home but I really need to talk to you. Just call me during a break from your little conference thing.”

“God he sounds like a patronizing ass.” Samantha made a disgusted face. “Why is she with this guy?”

“And for the record, “Josh interjected, “this conference is a pretty big deal. A huge deal, thank you very much.”

Anna scanned the final message, her face falling. “Oh boy y’all. Listen to this one. ‘I’m sorry, ok? You know I love you but damn – you can be a real bitch. Have a great few days.’

Samantha’s mouth dropped open in shock, as Josh’s fists clenched around his whisky glass. He was about to say something, but spotted Elizabeth rounding the corner, headed back to the table.

“She’s coming!”

Anna quickly tossed the phone back in the middle of the table.

“That’s not where it was,” Samantha hissed. “She’s going to know!”

Elizabeth was almost at the table, and the phone was nowhere near where she’d left it.

Josh burst into laughter. He gestured to Anna and Samantha. “That’s a pretty funny one, huh?”

Anna and Samantha glanced at each other then started laughing along. Josh swept his arm across the table, sliding Elizabeth’s phone off the side and into his hand. “Oh shoot!” He acted like he was fumbling the phone.

“What’s so funny?” Elizabeth asked, standing at the edge of the table. “Is that my phone?”

“Sorry about that, Bombshell – I got into a story about…Uhm-“Josh trailed off.

“It was a story about soccer,” Anna chimed in. “And it was – hilarious, wasn’t it Samantha?”

“So hilarious,” Samantha agreed, nodding vigorously.

“Your phone became a prop – here you go.” Josh dropped the phone in Elizabeth’s hand as he stood up to let her back into the booth.

Elizabeth glanced down at the phone and then back at her friends. Something is up with these three, she thought.

“You know you guys are all being weird, right?” She slid back into the booth and reached for her purse. She dropped the phone inside and reached for her lipgloss.

“Whatever, you’re weird,” Anna retorted.

“I’m weird?” Elizabeth pulled the lipgloss wand from the tube and ran it slowly over her lips.

Josh’s eyes were glued to her. He wondered what the gloss tasted like. How it felt going on her lips. What her lips would feel like under his. He realized that Elizabeth had stopped talking, stopped swiping that little wand over her mouth, and was staring at him with an expectant look on her face.

“What was that?” he asked, giving himself a mental shake.

“I asked you to tell me the hilarious soccer story that had Anna and Samantha in stitches a few minutes ago.”

“Oh.” Josh looked over at Anna and Samantha, who both looked like they were about to burst out laughing again. “Well. It was about…soccer.”

“I caught that part. What was so funny?”

“I uhm – hmm…you know. It doesn’t sound so funny anymore. Anyone hungry? I’ve got a corporate credit card that would love to buy you ladies dinner.”

“Mmmhmmmm…that’s what I thought,” Elizabeth replied archly, reaching for menu. “Soccer story, my ass.”

********************************************************************************

Twenty minutes later, hot plates of food were placed on the table and everyone tucked into dinner. Glasses of iced tea and Diet Coke replaced whisky and wine.

“Josh, how did you end up working for Plus Style?” Anna asked around a mouthful of chicken pot pie. “You said yourself it’s a little unusual for a hot, straight guy to be into plus size women’s fashion.”

“I’m not only straight but I’m hot?” Josh asked, teasingly. “Thank you for the compliment, ma’am.”

Josh set down his fork and took a sip of iced tea.

“I moved here two years ago from Iowa, looking for a job in Public Relations and Social Media. I was the PR manager for a couple of sporting goods stores in Des Moines. Columbus is a hotbed of retailers, mostly women-centric brands, so there are a lot of opportunities in the field. I interviewed with a couple of companies and hit it off with the PS team.” Josh shrugged. “I know it’s a switch from sporting goods, but I really like what they’re doing. And I think they have a lot of potential to connect with customers in new ways over social media.”

“So Columbus was a destination for you – a place you were specifically seeking out?” Elizabeth asked. She took a bite of flatbread, dabbing her mouth when a piece of sausage fell off the slice and rolled onto her plate. She probably should have chosen something a little more dignified to eat.

Josh grinned, shaking his head. “Nope. You have to earn a question by answering a question.”

“Ok, that’s fair.” Elizabeth took a sip of water. “What do you want to know?”

“What’s your day job?”

“I work for an electronics retailer – Everyday Electronics. I’m the Director of Brand Integration.”

“What does that mean?” Samantha asked. “And don’t even think of counting that against me as a question to be earned.”

“It means that I oversee the development and implementation of all the different elements that comprise our brand – photography, color palettes, the types of fonts we use in print and in the store. I make sure everything we put in front of our customers works together and accurately represents the brand. It’s a mix of marketing and creative development.”

Josh whistled. “Gotta say – that sounds pretty impressive.”

“It does, doesn’t it?”

There was a wistful tone to Elizabeth’s voice. Josh wondered what that was all about. Before another second had passed, she brightened up.

“All right, my turn. I’m going to use my question on Anna.”

Anna made a show of sitting up straight and raising her right hand. “Ready to answer under oath.”

“When are you and Mark going to have a baby?”

“We’re having a lot of fun practicing, but no definite plans for another few months.” She swirled a straw into her glass of Diet Coke. “We’ve been married for six months now and I swear – when you’re dating all anyone wants to know is when you’re getting married. Then you get married and all anyone asks is when you’re having a baby.”

Samantha snorted. “And then after you have one, they want to know when you’re going to have the next one.”

“Do you have kids, Samantha?” Josh asked.

She shook her head.

“No. I’m not sure Steve and I are going to do the whole marriage/kids thing. We’ve been together seven years and are happy with things just the way they are.”

“Wow – seven years?” Elizabeth exclaimed. “That’s a long time. Good for you.”

“How long have you and Matt been together?” Samantha asked.

“We’ve known each other since college, but we’ve been dating for the past five years.”

“So you guys were friends before you got together?” Samantha reached for a piece of flatbread from Elizabeth’s plate.

“We weren’t really friends, more like acquaintances. We had some mutual friends, so we’d see each other at all the same parties and happy hours and stuff. I always had boyfriends and he seemed to date around, too. But then five years ago, a good friend of ours got married. Both Matt and I were single at the time, so we decided to go to the wedding together. And then, we just kind of settled into a relationship from there.” Elizabeth shrugged. “It’s not exactly a big romantic story.”

An uncomfortable silence settled over the table, which Anna quickly took hold of.

“We might as well button up the relationship questions by getting your status, Josh. Single and ready to mingle? Married with 10 kids? Divorced and heartbroken?”

“I am 100% single. Not quite sure I’m ready to mingle, though.”

“Sounds like there’s a story,” Samantha prodded.

At that moment, the waitress stopped by their table.

“You guys need anything else? Boxes?”

Samantha and Elizabeth asked for boxes, and the waitress headed over to a server stand to grab them. She came back with the check and handed it to Josh when he held up his card.

“I just have to tab out two more tables, Josh,” the waitress said, placing both palms on the table and leaning over. “You want to grab a drink before calling it a night?”

Josh leaned away from her, slightly. “Thanks, Jules, but I’ve got an early morning tomorrow. Raincheck?”

Her enticing smile faltered as she took his card and stalked away from the table.

All three bloggers struggled to avoid eye contact with one another. He looked around the table. “What?” he asked, innocently.

Samantha shrugged. “I guess that explains why the service was so good.”

“Be nice, “Josh replied, a playful warning in his tone. “For the record, the service here is always excellent.”

“I’ll just bet it is.”

Jules came back to the table, tossed Josh’s credit card and payment slip on the table before him, then huffed away without saying a word. With a sigh, he added a generous tip and signed the tab before sliding out of the booth. Josh stood to the side, waiting for the girls to gather up all their purses and phones and lipgloss and other girl stuff.

They headed as a group to the front door, pushing their way out into the humid June evening. It had rained a bit more while they were inside, leaving the ground wet and the air thick with heat and moisture.

“Group hug,” Anna commanded, slinging an arm around Samantha and Josh, forming a semicircle. Elizabeth slipped herself in between Samantha and Josh, trying not to think too much about Josh’s arm slung casually around her waist.

Giggling, Anna pulled everyone in close until they all touched foreheads. Pretty soon, all the girls were laughing.

This is a fun group of women, Josh thought. Silly as hell but fun.

“All right, ladies. You know how to get back to the hotel?” Josh asked. “I can lead you there, if you want.”

Samantha shook her head. “Not necessary. My internal GPS is perfectly calibrated.” She pulled the rental car keys from her pocket.

“Sounds like you’re all set then.” Josh pulled his car keys out of his pocket and jingled them in one hand. “I’ll see you three tomorrow – bright and early.”

The women, chattering and laughing, walked across the parking lot to their car. Josh watched them get to the vehicle and waited for them to unlock the doors. Just before stepping into the passenger seat, Elizabeth looked back at him. He raised one hand, and she tilted her head to the side before casting a bright smile at him. He felt that smile all the way to his own car.

“That Bombshell is going to be trouble,” Josh said to himself, sliding the key into the lock.

Bombshell Blogroll is available for Kindle and Nook, $2.99

Read Chapter 1 of Bombshell Blogroll

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:42:00 +0000

Over the next few days, I'm going share Chapters 1-3 of Bombshell Blogroll with you. Here's Chapter 1!

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 Sara Bartlett
All rights reserved

CHAPTER 1

“This really isn’t how I expected my life to end.” Elizabeth Weston glanced out the passenger side window of the small Ford Fusion. She could barely see the road ahead.

“We’re not going to die,” Samantha Stevens muttered, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.

Violent gusts of wind whipped in circles, pushing and pulling debris through the air. The sky above churned a murky pea green.

“Was that a cow?” Anna Porter shrieked as something large and dark flew past the windshield.

Moments ago, the sun had been shining across all of Columbus, Ohio. The June heat was borderline oppressive, though the air conditioning in Samantha’s rental car kept the three friends from melting. When they’d set off in search of appetizers and wine, the impending storm wasn’t on their radar until it was too late.

“I think it was a really big tire,” Elizabeth shouted over the roar of the wind. The hairs on the back of her neck tingled as the air filled with electricity. The car suddenly rocked violently from side to side. All three women gasped.

“Forget it girls. I’m not doing this.” Nerves shot, Samantha maneuvered the car to what she hoped was the side of the road. She placed the car in park, then leaned her head against the head rest, exhaling loudly.

“Should we get out and lay in a ditch?” Elizabeth asked, trying to remember proper safety protocol in a tornado. Not that she encountered many tornados back home. St. Paul, Minnesota wasn’t exactly part of tornado alley.

“That sounds right, right?” Anna leaned forward, sticking her head between the passenger and driver’s seats. Tornados ripped through Dallas every once in a while, but whenever there was any danger, Anna was usually holed up in the basement with a flashlight and a bottle of Malbec – not sitting in a car out on the open road.

“I’m not getting out of this car and lying down in a freaking ditch,” Samantha declared. “If I’m getting sucked up into a funnel cloud, it’ll be in this car with the two of you.”

“If we get sucked up into a funnel cloud, as least we’re all dressed up and looking good,” Anna cracked, trying to break the tension. Samantha and Elizabeth managed short laughs before lapsing into anxious silence.

Elizabeth twisted a strand of brown hair around one finger. It was hard to believe six months ago, she didn’t know Anna and Samantha even existed. And 30 minutes ago, Samantha, Anna and Elizabeth met each other in person for the very first time. It felt like she’d been friends with these girls forever.

They’d forged an online friendship, brought together by their plus size fashion blogs. Samantha, as Thrifty Mixer, began commenting on Elizabeth’s posts on Bombshell Beauty. So Elizabeth checked out Samantha’s blog and started participating in the conversations within the Thrifty Mixer comments section. That’s where she spotted Anna – commenting as Fashion Adjourned.

Samantha was the blogging veteran of the group. The kind of woman who always knew what was going to be the “next” big thing, she’d built a large following of readers who looked to her for inspiration and practical advice on how to mix designer pieces with Goodwill finds to create eclectic, stylish outfits. Samantha’s big personality was accented by sun-kissed blonde hair that drifted past the middle of her back. Chocolate brown eyes noticed everything and gave away nothing. She was quick to laugh and didn’t take much of anything too seriously. She always said that she might buy her pants in the plus petite section but her signature 6” heels would never give away her true height.

Anna was the newest blogger – Fashion Adjourned joined the blogosphere eight months ago. Anna wanted to document the trials – literally and figuratively – of being a fashionable, plus size lawyer. The conservative dress code mandated by her profession was a stark contrast to her off-the-clock style, which was marked by lots of prints and layers. At 5’8”, Anna was a proud southern lady. Her swingy bob – the most gorgeous shade of natural red – swished along with her curvy hips and sassy attitude.

Elizabeth’s blog was called Bombshell Beauty, and she supposed that she kind of looked like a bombshell from another era with curling dark hair and an exaggerated hourglass figure. The clothes that fit her best were tailored, ladylike pieces with splashes of color. Over the course of her 29 years, Elizabeth had worn every size from 14-24 before settling comfortably at an 18. Bombshell Beauty offered fit and style tips to her plus size peers, and encouraged every woman to feel like a Bombshell Beauty in her everyday life.

The three bloggers started following one another on Twitter before becoming Facebook “official” friends. Their conversations evolved from talking strictly about fashion and where to shop, to more personal topics. Elizabeth knew that Samantha was having some serious buyer’s remorse about the new house she and her boyfriend had just moved into. The boyfriend was fine – but the house was a lot more work and a lot less fun than she’d expected. Anna shared all the details of her recent wedding, from mother-in-law drama over place cards to her refusal to wear Spanx under her wedding dress.

For her part, Elizabeth talked to them about her job – the job that had seemed like such a dream come true – but was now as unfulfilling as her relationship with Matt. She had been with both the job and Matt for over five years now and, while both looked great on paper, for some reason neither one made her very happy these days.

The opportunity for the three women to take their friendship from virtual to in-real-life came by invitation of Plus Style. PS was the foremost retailer within the plus size world – equally loved and hated by the fashion community that sometimes felt held hostage by Plus Style’s influence over other plus size clothing designers.

Plus Style’s Director of Social Media, Louise McGarrity, recognized the increased popularity – and increasing influence – of plus size fashion bloggers as an opportunity for the company to do some outreach in the community. She decided to pull together a Blogger Conference, inviting six of the most influential bloggers on the scene to visit the PS headquarters in Grove City, Ohio. They would spend two days touring the PS flagship store and meeting with executives and the design team behind the fashion line.

Louise explained to her leaders that the goal was to pull back the curtain a little bit and invite a few bloggers into their world – with the hopes that they would come away with nothing but good things to say about PS. The bloggers would, hopefully, then share all their positive impressions with their blog readers and across their social network. The fact that the trip was padded with a complete makeover for each blogger, plus a fashion shoot with PS’s top fashion photographer didn’t hurt. She hoped.

Louise and her top social media coordinator, Josh Norman, had spent months planning every detail of the conference. Deciding whom to invite was the biggest decision to be made. A few of the bloggers were no-brainers, like Carmen Pearson of Pretty Plus Magazine and Martha Morrison of Miss M Says. But Josh kept pushing three amateur bloggers who all had day jobs and average readership.

“These three – Thrifty Mixer, Fashion Adjourned and Bombshell Beauty - are key to the integrity of this event,” Josh argued late one Friday afternoon. He was supposed to get the invitations out first thing Monday morning, and the last three spots on his invite list were still up in the air.

“Why do you feel so strongly about them?” Louise asked, leaning back in her leather chair. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, glancing up at Josh as he stood in her doorway.

“They’re not pros. None of these women make her living as a blogger – they’re relatable. Our customers will see them on our website and our Facebook page and think, “She’s just like me – maybe she knows what I really want and need.”

Louise reached for the sheath of papers Josh held. He handed them to her and she started flipping through the blogger bios. With a sigh, she nodded.

“Ok. Fine. But they’d better pan out, Josh,” Louise said with a warning smile. “We’re going out on a limb with this conference, as it is.”

***************************************************************************

First thing Monday morning, Josh emailed the six bloggers they’d selected. And then he sat back, waiting to hear whether or not the reception would be warm or…less than warm.

As soon as Elizabeth received her invitation, and quit jumping around her living room like a little kid, she pulled up Facebook and started a new Message.

Bombshell Beauty: Hey…just wondering if you guys received an interesting email from PS today…

Thrifty M: Yes! You too? Anna, you’d better have gotten it too or else I’m not going.

Anna P: I did!

Thrifty M: You know what this means, right?

Bombshell Beauty: We finally get to meet each other!

Anna P: Even if this conference sucks – which I’m sure it won’t – we’ll get to hang out together!

Thrifty M: We’re going to be those annoying cliquey girls who walk around giving everyone else the side eye.

Bombshell Beauty: LOL. You’re terrible. I’m SO excited!

Anna P: Wonder who else is going to be there.

Thrifty Mixer: It’s Martha Morrison of Miss M Says, Carmen Pearson of Pretty Plus Magazine, and Dee Dee Smith of Fat-SO.

Bombshell Beauty: How’d you get the insider info?

Thrifty Mixer: Please. It’s me. I always have the insider info.

Anna P: Seriously…

Thrifty M: I asked Josh and he told me.

Anna P: I’m curious to meet him. He seems really nice over email. Although he’d be a pretty crappy Social Media Manager if he wasn’t.

Thrifty M: Maybe he’ll become the gay fashionista that our little trio has been missing.

Bombshell Beauty: What makes you think he’s gay?

Thrifty M: A guy. Working in the fashion industry. For a plus size women’s company? What are the odds that he’s not?

Bombshell Beauty: Fair enough.

After responding back to Josh with a round of resounding Yes’s, Anna, Elizabeth and Samantha spent the next few weeks asking their blog readers for advice on what to pack; what kinds of questions they should ask the designers and executives; and for their overall impressions of Plus Style. The responses on all three blogs were a mixed bag of, “I love PS! It’s the only place I can find jeans that fit me,” and, “Ugh. If there were any other places in my town where I can find size 22 tops, I would shop elsewhere.”

“I feel a sense of responsibility to my blog readers,” Elizabeth commented on a Skype call with Anna. “I want to be sure that I accurately reflect not just myself but all of them, too – and to let PS know the good and the bad, you know?”

“Absolutely,” Anna agreed, taking a sip of Malbec. She reclined on her couch, laptop propped up on a few pillows. “I’ve always liked PS but even I get frustrated sometimes with the selection or the fit.”

“We’ll have to keep each other in check,” Elizabeth said. “We can’t let them turn our heads with free clothes and the photo shoot.”

She was sitting at her dining room table, a glass of Chardonnay at one hand and a pile of paperwork from the office at her other. She had to crank through a bunch of employee reviews before heading out of the office for the conference. It was going to be a late night.

“The photo shoot is the one thing I’m not looking forward to,” Anna admitted. “I just know I’ll feel like an idiot in front of the camera.”

“Do you think they’ll have a wind machine? If they have a wind machine, I think that’ll make us feel less stupid and more glamorous.”

“Maybe…or it’ll just make us feel windblown and stupid.”

Elizabeth laughed, leaning on her elbows. “I’m really looking forward to meeting you and Samantha in person. That’s going to be the best part.”

“Me too. And with that- I gotta go show some love and attention to Mark before leaving him on his own for a few days. Is Matt coming over to see you off?”

“No – we had a disagreement this morning and need to cool off a bit. So I’m just going to get some work done and then try to get some rest before tomorrow.”

“I hope everything’s ok.” Anna frowned. It seemed as though Elizabeth and her boyfriend were always fighting.

“Definitely, everything’s fine. Just our usual – whatever it is. I’ll see you tomorrow, OK? Tell Mark hi for me!” With a wave, Elizabeth disconnected the Skype call.

****************************************************************************

Less than 24 hours later, Samantha, Anna and Elizabeth were hugging in the lobby of the Oak Grove Hampton Inn.

“See? Best blogger conference, ever,” Anna exclaimed, disentangling herself from Samantha. “We need to celebrate, ya’ll.”

“Drinks and snacks are in order.” Samantha pulled a set of car keys out of her Louis Vuitton purse. “I’ve got a rental car. It was faster to drive over from Indiana than to fly.”

“And I happen to know the place to go,” Elizabeth grinned.

****************************************************************************

The sound of rain pelting the windshield snapped Elizabeth back to reality.

“That’s a good sign y’all,” Anna said, leaning in between the two front seats. “When it starts raining you know the tornado part is dying down.”

A collective sigh of relief washed over the car.

“Let’s give it a few more minutes to lighten up.” Samantha reached for the radio dial, tuning it until she found a station playing a familiar Top 40 song.

Elizabeth pulled a tube of pink lipgloss from her purse and applied a layer to her full lips. Anna held her hand out for the tube and Elizabeth passed it back to her. The mood in the car lightened along with the weather, and before long they were all singing along to the radio.

Samantha placed the car in drive and scanned the road before them. The street was littered with tree branches and garbage. They had, in fact, made it to the side of the road – which was more than could be said for a handful of cars that dotted the lanes ahead. Several had stopped right in the middle of the road, lights flashing. If Samantha hadn’t pulled over when she did, who knows what they might have hit.

“Nice navigating, Samantha,” Elizabeth commented. “I would have driven us off the street. Or right into a flying cow.”

Anna snickered in the backseat.

“I was just focused on keeping us alive long enough to get a freaking cocktail,“Samantha replied. “That damn restaurant can’t be too far ahead.” She pulled the car back into the flow of traffic, which was resuming its pre-storm pace.

“Hey, how did you hear about this place, Elizabeth?” Anna asked. “The Wine Bistro?”

Elizabeth exhaled loudly before twisting around to look at Anna. “That’s actually a pretty embarrassing story. I’m going to need a glass of wine in my hand before I go into it.”

Bombshell Blogroll is available on for Kindle and Nook, $2.99

As Seen on Twin Cities Live- DIY Pedicure

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:28:00 +0000

I joined Elizabeth Ries and Chris Eggert on Twin Cities Live, yesterday, to show Chris how to give himself the ultimate Man-icure/Pedicure - at home, using ingredients that can be found in most households. We had a lot of fun, a lot of laughs...and Chris said his feet felt softer at the end of the segment.

I wore one of my favorite dresses- the LucieLu Party Dress in mint and gray (from a few seasons ago). I paired it with jade earrings that I picked up in Guatemala, a cocktail ring that Dan bought me for my birthday a couple years ago, and a pair of black kitten heels.

Click here to view the segment.

My New Novel Available Today

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:07:00 +0000

I'm so excited to share some news with you guys...my new novel is available, today!

Bombshell Blogroll is the first in a series of 3 novellas - it follows the life of plus size blogger, Elizabeth Weston, as she navigates the blogosphere, her day job and (of course!) her love life. Here's a short synopsis:

Elizabeth Weston never thought her little blog, Bombshell Beauty, would be much more than a hobby. But when she gets invited to Plus Style's blogger conference, she gets more than she bargained for: a nemesis in the form of a bratty blogger; a possible job opportunity with the foremost plus size retailer in the country; and a really cute guy who completely shakes up her love life.

With nothing but her wits and a closet full of fabulous clothes, Elizabeth tries to decide where exactly she wants to go - in life and in love.

First in the Bombshell Beauty Series of novellas.

Loosely inspired by a few of the fun experiences that I've had thanks to this blog, Bombshell Blogroll is a work of fiction along the lines of Confessions of a Shopaholic or Something Borrowed. It's the first of three novellas that tell Elizabeth's story, and each of them will be released over the course of this summer - right in time for those long holiday weekends.

The eBook is for sale on Amazon, and Barnes & Noble - for $2.99. I hope you'll check it out!

My Fuerza Story

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:05:00 +0000

Last week, Sealed with a Kiss Designs contacted me to talk about a new collaboration they're launching with plus size supermodel, Rosie Mercado. The collection is called Fuerza, which is Spanish for 'strength'. SWAK asked me to share with about what Fuerza means to me, or to tell them a story about when I had to tap into my own Fuerza.

I told them about my trip to Guatemala last year with the non-profit organization, Common Hope. It was such an intense, incredible week of my life- one during which I had to draw on many sources of strength. It changed my life in so many ways and taught me a lot about the strength within. Click here to read my story, and stories from other friends in the plus size industry (like Aimee of Madison Plus and Maddy of Plus Model Magazine) - plus SWAK customers. You can even submit your own story of Fuerza to the site.

I haven't tried on any of the clothes from Rosie's Fuerza collection, yet, so I can't tell you how they fit. But they look great on the website! A few of my early favorites include:

Plus Size Style- Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:40:00 +0000

I had one of those moments a couple weeks ago where I realized that I'd completely forgotten about one of my favorite plus size retailers - City Chic. I wore a lot of City Chic clothes after meeting their executive team at the Curvy Revolution back in 2010. I liked the quality of the clothing, the fresh trendy styles and the fact that their sales are frequent and fantastic.

And that's exactly how I came to add this pretty, emerald green dress to my wardrobe - on sale for $17. And the best part? Free shipping both ways, so shopping online with City Chic is a total no-brainer. Love that.

The Outfit:
Green ruffle dress- City Chic
Black cardigan - Avenue
Jeweled buckle belt - Gap Outlet
Teardrop necklace- Patinastores.com
Missoni-print flats- Report

Plus Size Style - Belts

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Last week, I asked you guys to send me questions over Facebook, Twitter, email (wherever! however!) that you'd like me to answer or topics you'd like me to address in upcoming YouTube videos. I received lots of great ideas that I'll be incorporating into my YouTube channel, but had to pick one to get started. So I went with the most popular question that was asked...How do I make belts work? Here you go!

So...what are your thoughts? How do you make belts work for you? Where do you find great belts?

Plus Size Style- Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:17:00 +0000

I'm wearing not one but TWO mythical, baseless -but -widely- accepted fashion taboos today...can you spot them?

Do I look like a taboo?

No. Of course not

Stripes on a plus size woman! Mixing black and navy blue...the horror! You know what? It feels great to go against the grain. Although I really have to wonder if many people still abide by those fashion "rules," anymore. Do you? If you don't follow these two "rules" - are there others that you just can't get yourself to break?

The Double Taboo Outfit:

Navy blue and red striped dress- Old Navy

Black leggings - Lane Bryant

Black kitten heels - Payless Shoe Source

Mixed metal necklace - gift from Lane Bryant

Limoncello necklace- Lia Sophia

Crystal cocktail ring - gift from my friend, Jenn

Plus Size Style- Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

I've said it before, and I'll say it again (probably every time I wear this dress...) but I hope you have something in your closet that makes you feel like POW! Check me out, world!

I don't know why, but this dress is it for me. Something about the way it fits over my curves without clinging...I don't know. I also don't question it - I just enjoy the way I feel when I pull this baby on.

The Outfit:

POW-inducing dress- Avenue

Open cardigan - TJ Maxx

Pink skinny belt - Old Navy

Triple strand of pearls - QVC

Kitten heels - Payless

Plus Size Style- Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:37:00 +0000

This LucieLu lace dress is quickly becoming a favorite. It has a really cute bow detail on one shoulder that I can't wait to show off once it's warm enough to peel off all the layers and wear it sleeveless. In the meantime - a ruffled shrug adds just a little necessary coverage.

The Outfit:
Primrose Dress in Dusty Rose/Slate - provided by LucieLu
Ruffled shrug- Lane Bryant
Beaded necklace - Mark
Link bracelet - Lia Sophia
Black kitten heels- Payless

Plus Size Style- As Seen on Twin Cities Live

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:27:00 +0000

Happy Earth Day, everyone! I hope you had a chance to show your appreciation for our wonderful planet in some way, today - whether it was taking an extra moment to recycle something, choosing to buy something made locally or grown organically, or sitting outside and enjoying what nature has to offer. I celebrated with an appearance on Twin Cities Live, where I shared a few of my favorite beauty products that are committed to Earth-friendly ingredient and/or sustainable sourcing.

I wanted to wear something a little springier for the appearance, especially since we were talking about Earth Day...but with snow STILL falling here in St. Paul, it just felt a little unseasonal. I know. How is that possible?

Anyway I chose to layer a striped tee shirt from Talbots underneath an Alfani Woman sheath dress. Heavy metal acccessories, including a layered necklace from Lane Bryant and a bunch of bracelets, completed the look. I'll be on again with the month...so let's pray I'll be wearing sandals and a few less layers next time!

Sneak Peek at Bombshell Blogroll

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:57:00 +0000

Hi everyone! No outfit post today, but I did want to share with you a sneak peek at something I'm working on...

Available in May

I'm writing a three-eBook series of novellas with a tie-in to Bombshell Beauty Blog. I've had so many interesting, fun experiences as a blogger that I thought it'd be fun to weave them together with a fun, flirty romance story - starring a really fabulous, plus size woman making her way in the world.

Bombshell Blogroll will be available on Kindle and Nook in May. I'll let you guys know more about the release date as we get closer!

Help a Minnesota Maker Succeed: HAMMS Event Apr 20th

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:10:00 +0000

I'm really looking forward to this Saturday...well, I'm often looking forward to the weekend so nothing new there. But what's especially look-forward-worthy about this particular Saturday is the one day HAMMS Event. It's a movement here in St. Paul that's being driven by a group of small business owners (the Minnesota Makers) to create opportunity for and awareness about small businesses here in town. I'd be shocked if this type of event didn't make its way across the country.

What: HAMMS Market with a Twist
When: Apr 20th, from 10AM - 7 PM
Where: Former Hamms Brewery Shipping Docks (top floor),
             713 East Minnehaha Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55106

The gist of it is this: Open up a marketplace, for one day only, that brings together the people who really are the heart and soul of Minnesota's retail landscape - from people who create food and beverages to products for men, women and even dogs. A lot of independent "makers" can't afford retail space of their own - so coming together in the old Hamms building in St. Paul is a terrific way for those business owners to collaborate with peers in creating this market with a twist.

A big part of that twist is that one Minnesota Maker will be awarded up to $5,000 in ticket sales! I can only imagine what one of these fantastic entrepreneurs could do with $5,000. I mentioned ticket sales- that's where we, as local consumers, come in. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online ahead of time.

Those 10 smackers gain you (and your dog, if you have one!) entry to the market and access to all the superb vendors who are setting up shop. Most Ridic and I will be there at some point, during market hours of 10-7, Tweeting out pictures and Vine videos and just taking it all in. I'm sure some serious shopping will be done by the two of us, as well.   The list of vendors looks really diverse and very promising.

I hope to see you there...and to make that even more likely, I'm giving away 2 tickets to the event.   Head over to my Facebook page and let me know which vendor you're excited to visit at the HAMMs event. I'll announce the winner on my FB page on Thursday.

Plus Size Style - Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Today's outfit made me happy for two reasons. First, I pulled this LucieLu dress out from under the best yesterday and was excited to wear it after a short hiatus. I've owned the dress for a couple years and it got a little stale last summer. So I stashed it under the bed...and when I pulled it on today, the dress felt like new.

Second, I really like the peplum trend that's cropping up everywhere. It's really flattering on plus size figures because the peplum defines and enhances our natural curves. I don't own anything with the peplum detail designed into it...so I decided to create the effect on my own. Belting this cropped sweater did the trick.

The Outfit:

Open cardigan - From TJ Maxx

Belt - Gap Outlet

Party dress- LucieLu

Black kitten heels - Payless

Limoncello necklace- Lia Sophia

Bangles - Karma boutiqe

dpHUE Private Party Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:06:00 +0000

This has been one heckuva week, let me tell you - culminating in a freaky April thundersnow storm that landed in the Twin Cities this morning. The same day as the much anticipated (by me, anyway) dpHUE Private Party. I spent Wednesday evening making appetizers for the party and obsessively tracking the weather. Would it push on through before 6:00 p.m., or would it mean disaster for this little Bombshell Beauty gathering?

As you can see below, the party went on! I had a great time meeting the Bombshell Beauty readers who'd won their way into the event, and watching the dpHUE professionals do their thing by providing hair consultations and custom at-home color kits for everyone. Most Ridic was on hand to capture the fun moments, and it was just a terrific evening all around.

Click on the picture to view a slideshow of photos

from the night.

Special thank you to dpHUE for bringing us all together in their beautiful retail space located in Edina. Their staff was fun and gracious and incredibly knowledgeable when it came to those custom hair color consultations. They were also really helpful in answering general haircare questions ("How do I keep mine from being so frizzy?? I don't know how to create volume!")

Thank you also goes out to my secondary sponsors, who provided fantastic swag for the gift bags and some of the food:

3way Beauty
Corset Styling and Fashion Boutique
Smiling Spaces
Ritt Beyer & Weir

Plus Size Style - Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:52:00 +0000

I'm so happy the denim shirt trend is popular again this season. I'm not sure how many seasons something has to be popular before it ceases being labeled a trend and is just kind of accepted as something that's universally and timelessly cool...but whatever. I'll take it.

I'm putting more effort into wearing heels instead of flats.

This pair will either make it or break today...it's their last test run

before heading to Goodwill.

I love the look of infinity scarves because I'm inept when it comes

to tying a scarf. This, however, is just a standard scarf that I tied together

to create the illusion of an infinity. Fashion DIY!

The Outfit

Denim button-down shirt- Talbots plus line

Black knit dress- Old Navy plus line

Jeweled belt - Gap Outlet

Strappy heels - Jessica London

Faux infinity scarf- Old Navy

Spring Style Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:21:00 +0000

I know it's incredibly unoriginal to grouse about the fact that spring is taking FOREVER to arrive in St. Paul....so I'll just skip over that part and start talking about what's making me feel lighter, brighter and happier this season.

Silhouette Ceramic Flat Iron by NuMe
My old flat iron conked out mid-hair styling a couple months ago which, with my wavy/frizz-prone hair, was a big problem. Big sigh of relief when NuMe sent over a whole slew of hair styling tools - including the Silhouette Ceramic flat iron. It's lightweight, heats quickly and evenly, and the temperature goes up to a nice, hot 410 degrees.

This is the first flat iron with which I've been able to master not only straightening but also curling - something I'm excited about because my new haircut really responds well to that particular technique. And the fact that the black finish has a little sparkle embedded in it doesn't hurt either.

New spring haircut! I had 12" cut off - talk about feeling lighter!

NuMe Coupon Code: If you're looking for a new styling tool, NuMe is offering Bombshell Beauty readers a special coupon code for 60% off these models of flat irons: Vintage, Couture, Silhouette, Fashionist & In Vogue. You'll also get 60% off the classic curling wands and magic wands.

It's case sensitive, so be sure to type it exactly like this: sara60

LuLu Cross Body Bag
I've been looking for a small (but not too small) cross body bag for a few months now - and I fell in love with this one, from JCP. Yes, JC Penney. I was walking through their store in Des Moines with my mom and spotted this bag. It's available in the most beautiful range of colors, from grass green to turquoise and a rich bright pink.

I went with cobalt blue because it's practically a neutral - but better. The size is perfect for my plus size frame; it's not so small that it disappears when I pull it on. Perfect for sticking a few of the basics I need to walk around my neighborhood. I realized after getting the bag home that the designer is Lulu Guiness...whom I'm a big fan of! All of my glasses are by Lulu Guiness, and I'm excited to discover more of her accessories line at JCP in the future.

Leggings Under Tunics
Thanks to the progressive nature of Minnesota weather, I don't typically jump straight from winter tights to summer bare legs. No, there's a style step in between the two - leggings. Not as much coverage as tights, obviously, but still enough to keep from freezing in 40 degree warm-ups.

All of my outfits here, lately, have featured leggings under short dresses - and it's a look I'll be into for the next few weeks. I know a lot of plus size women feel unsure of leggings, thinking their ankles will look like cankles. It's a valid concern, and one that I combat by pairing mine with heels instead of flats. Leggings that end at the ankle -instead of the lower calf - can also create a more enlongated appearance.

Flowey Skirts
I've been looking forward to pulling this silk, swirly skirt out of storage - where it's been resting alongside its twin in a cream color- since last summer. They're light and breezy and so much fun to wear. This was a pretty popular style last year, and I picked up the skirts from Talbots' plus size section. I'm hoping to add to my collection this year - I'd love a green version.

I'm going to pair the skirts with stripes, polka dots, tank tops and wedge sandals this spring.

TOMS Wedge Sandals
Speaking of sandals...this is the pair that I'm saving up for this season: TOMS Oahu Strappy Wedges. I just recently realized TOMS come in size 12, which in a sandal usually works for my large, large feet.

I love the springy pattern created in saturated pink and coral, balanced with an airy blue. They'll go with everything in my spring wardrobe.

Plus Size Style - Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:22:00 +0000

I don't often make purchases that I'm not 100% sure about...but today's dress falls into that category. When I ordered it online from Avenue, I was 90% sure I'd want to wear it on Valentine's Day. When it arrived and I took it out of the package, that dropped down to 74%. And when I tried the dress on? It dropped to about 40%. I, instead, wore something else.

The fabric is thin - you know what I'm talking about. Every bump and lump and line shows in this sucker. And I'm not one who willingly pulls on a pair of Spanx, especially for a dress that I got on super clearance. The dress came with a belt that I would, typically, never even give a second glance. It's black with gold hardware and some kind of tassle thingy.

However, today I was standing in front of my closet - absolutely sick of everything I've worn all winter - when I realized that the dress needed to either earn its keep or quit taking up valuable hanger space. I decided to wear it today and see how things go - tassled belt thingy and all.

I'll let you know if the dress will be making its way back into the closet or into a bag bound for Goodwill.

How many chances do you give an article of clothing before giving up and moving on?

Oh, hiii leggings.

Yep, the leggings phase continues on.

I've been wearing the heck out of these double drop earrings

that I picked up at Len in Minneapolis.

The Outfit:

Red dress and belt- Avenue.com

Gold bird necklace - Target

Teardrop earrings - Len

Leggings - Lane Bryant

Black kitten heels - Payless

dpHUE Private Party Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:28:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who entered for a chance to join me at dpHUE for a private party - as well as all the others who don't live in Minnesota but who Tweeted and Facebooked about the party. I could relate to each and every story that the entrants submitted...and am excited to meet the following Bombshells who'll be joining me at dpHUE:

Jackie
Linda Humphrey
Stacey
Cheriwitt

Ladies, please email me at: BombshellBeautyBlog@gmail.com to RSVP by Friday, April 5th.

I'm looking forward to doing more get-togethers like this, so I can meet more of you guys!

Plus Size Style - Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:53:00 +0000

Yesterday, I mentioned over email to my good friend, Stephanie, that I was wearing leggings. She was aghast at my fashion decision...which really surprised me. So I took to Twitter to find out what you guys think about leggings these days.

The reactions were split between, "Yeah, I wear 'em. Why?" to "No one under 8 should wear leggings!"

Clearly, I fall in the, "Yeah I wear 'em" camp. I wear leggings for a couple of reasons.

I like the way they look on me
At 6' tall, a lot of 'dresses' are more like tunics on me

I wear leggings, mostly, to work or other places where flashing a lot of thigh isn't appropriate. Leggings bridge the gap between 'too bare' and pulling on a pair of tights - which (optimistically speaking!) are just about unseasonal.

So what do you think - do you wear leggings or do you leave them to the toddler-crowd?

The Outfit:

Black blazer - Talbots

Pink dress - Old Navy Plus

Leggings - Lane Bryant

Kitten heels - Payless

Triple strand necklace - Patina

Bombshell Beauty dpHUE Private Party!

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:49:00 +0000

What better way to start the new week than with a give-away? And this one is like none you've ever seen before on Bombshell Beauty. I've partnered with a fabulous local retailer - dpHUE - to bring together four Bombshell Beauty readers at a private party hosted in the dpHUE store in Edina, MN!

About dpHUe
This concept store meets a unique need within the beauty world: how to merge the precision of professional color services with the convenience of at-home hair color. The solution? Create an environment where you can stop in and consult with a licensed colorist who will

Evaluate the health of your hair
Discuss the results you're looking for
Mix a personalized formula of hair color
Send you home with all the tools and education you need to apply the color for professional results

This hair oil smells fantastic!

In addition to color services, dpHUE also carries full hair care lines that address specific needs such as Living Proof, Simply Organic, Moroccanoil, and DS Laboratories. dpHUE also carries their very own line of products that include an outstanding Oil Therapy that, in my opinion, rivals Moroccanoil. The light scent and texture make it a great alternative for those of us who find Moroccanoil to be a bit heavy.

The Party
Four winners will be invited to bring along one guest, and join me at dpHUE's Edina location on Thursday, April 11th at 6 p.m. Each attendee will receive a personal color consultation from a licensed colorist - and will take home a hair color kit packed with everything she'll need to achieve salon results in the comfort of her own home.

In addition, we'll enjoy wine, snacks and everyone will take home a swag bag packed full of fabulous items from local sponsors I love and adore.

The Prize

Total of four (4) attendees will be chosen during the entry process
Each attendee may bring one (1) friend along to enjoy the party
Each guest will receive a professional color consultation + at home color kit from dpHUE
Each guest will receive a swag bag of gifts to take home

To Enter
To enter, submit a comment on this post telling me a hair color story. It can be about your dream hair color, an at home hair color disaster...anything related to hair color. I will read through the stories and will select four winners.

One entry per person - multiple entries will be discounted. Entries are due by midnight (CST) on March 29th. Winners will be announced on the blog and Facebook on April 1st. Winners will have until April 5th to RSVP. Winners must be able to get themselves to Edina, Minnesota for the party on April 11th at 6 p.m. Winners will be asked to sign a photo release form at the event.

Follow Bombshell Beauty with Bloglovin'

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 14:32:00 +0000

Google Reader is going to vaporize this summer...which, as a devoted Google Reader-er threw me for a loop. But I've started to follow my favorite blogs with Bloglovin' - and you can do the same with Bombshell Beauty.

You can also sign up to receive new posts delivered right to your Inbox. The sign up button is on the right sidebar.

Everyday Bombshell - Glam Glasses

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:09:00 +0000

*Links included in this post are sponsored by SmartBuyGlasses.com

I slipped on my first pair of glasses when I was in the 4^th grade, so I was about 9 years old. I’d spent several months squinting at the chalkboard in my classroom and, when my teacher let my parents know about it, they realized I’d inherited my dad’s terrible eyesight. (Love you, Dad!)

We headed to the local spectacle shop where I picked out a sweet pair of semi-clear plastic frames. The engulfed my entire face. I thought they were sooo cool. In fact, I was pretty convinced that my one-sided celebrity boyfriend, Joey McIntyre, was going to see me in them (How? I can’t explain it.) and think I looked smarter and older. Because that’s pretty much all I cared about in frames when I was 9. That Joey McIntyre would like them.

Now, I mostly wear glasses at home in my yoga pants. That doesn’t mean, though, that I’ll wear just any old pair. Oh no. They must be cute. They must make me feel a little glam and look great with my pajamas.

When I was 9, my face was round. So, too, were my frames. Not good. Not something I want to revisit because, frankly, my face is still round. I prefer frames that are longer than they are tall. (I know, length versus width or height or something…Geometry was not my favorite class). Basically, I want my face to look elongated from left to right. Here’s what I mean:

I wasn't sure how to pose in my glasses...finger by face just felt right.

Oooh, this time let's actually touch the frames!

All right, let's just take this one - no posey shenanigans.

I’ve tried on the cool, geek chic frames that are so popular among designer brands, celebrities and other bloggers. They just don’t work for me. Or maybe they remind me, a little too much, of my early days as an eye glasses wearer. Either way – I love the look on other women but can’t see myself pulling it off. I’ll stick with my basic formula and have fun choosing frames that go perfectly with my pajamas.

As for sunglasses? For some reason, I throw the whole "elongating face" thing out the window. Which is strange, I know, since I wear my sunglasses waaay more often than glasses. What can I say? See previous comment about being fickle, I suppose. Anyway, these are my favorite sunglasses at the moment.

This pair came in a swag bag I received

at a fashion show three years ago.

Picked this pair up at a gas station somewhere in Iowa.

I know a lot of you wear glasses - and most everyone wears sunglasses. So let me know what you think about the selection process. Do you have a set of rules or do you just go with what you think looks fun?

As Seen on Twin Cities Live

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:36:00 +0000

After almost a year of doing this,I think I'm getting the hang of dressing for television. There are a few guidelines that govern how I choose what to wear for my appearances as the Twin Cities Live Beauty Guru:

Darker, more saturated colors - bright colors can look too warm on camera
Fitted pieces - this is especially true with layers; less-fitted clothes look especially ill-proportioned on TV
Large jewelry - dainty jewelry is virtually invisible on TV, so larger necklaces are my go-to

Last week, I did a follow-up segment on BB Creams. The very first segment I did on TCL introduced the audience to the very first BB Creams on the market. So I came back to talk about all the new BB's that are available now, and to share my thoughts on which are great and which are not.

The red dress that I wore is one of my favorites. I bought it a few months ago at an Old Navy Outlet near the Twin Cities. It's a little shorter than most of my dresses, so I usually pair it with dark tights - although this spring, I'll probably treat it more as a tunic and wear the dress over leggings.

The blazer is a piece I got from Talbots a couple years ago. I don't wear it very often because I sometimes feel a little too buttoned up in blazers. But I thought it added a polished feel to a somewhat whimsical, bird-patterned dress.

The necklace is another favorite. I bought it from mark a few years ago and love how sparkly it is.

Plus Size Style- Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:14:00 +0000

I can feel it, everyone....winter is on its way out. And to help it along its way, I've officially stopped wearing tights! I'll pull them back on if the temperatures plummet below 20 again, but (fingers crossed) that's not going to happen. The necessity of layers isn't completely eradicated, of course. Today, I traded in my ever-present long cardigan for a favorite striped tee shirt.

I get compliments on this dress every time I wear it.

This teardrop necklace has become one of my favorites -

I work it into an outfit whenever possible.

Have you begun the transition from winter to spring wardrobe?

Outfit Details:

Dress- Avenue

Tee shirt- Talbots

Belt - Gap Outlet

Black pointy heels (cut off of the picture, of course!) - Payless

Necklace- Patina