Bombshell Beauty Blog

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

Blog Poll

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:28:00 +0000

I've been blogging here for a while (quite a while, actually!) and I thought it was long overdue that I take a pulse check with those of you who are reading Bombshell Beauty. I'm so happy you're here, and I want to be sure that what I think you're interested in seeing here is, actually, what you're interested in.

So take a second to weigh in on the poll - and leave additional comments on what you like, don't like, want to see more or less of within the Comments section.

Plus Size Style- Everyday Bombshell

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:27:00 +0000

It's a rare day that I work jeans into my plus size wardrobe. I never feel completely like myself in jeans. For one thing, honestly- I have long torso. Which means that I, inevitably, have a sweet muffin top whenever I wear pants. So that's a lot of fun. But every once in a while, I want to try something different than my usual dress and tights uniform. And this is how it turns out.

Not bad...just not me.

This pair of jeans is from Avenue. I topped them with a tee shirt from Old Navy, a cardigan (with girly puffed sleeves) from Talbots, and a yellow scarf from Old Navy.

These earrings were a Christmas gift from Most Ridic, from Patina here in St. Paul.

I'm getting to the point in my life where experimentation is less exciting...and spending a whole day feeling unlike 'me' just isn't any fun. How to find the balance between keeping my style from feeling stagnant and just not being myself...that's the question!

What's part of your everyday wardrobe?

Dinner Party Edition - Valentine's Day Inspired

noreply@blogger.com (Bombshell Beauty) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:15:00 +0000

Most Ridic and I love to throw a dinner party. Sometimes, we go casual - serving food in baskets like you'd find at a burger joint. And sometimes, we pull out the fancy dishes and buy some flowers. Last weekend, we went fancy and hosted a Sweethearts Dinner Party for four of our friends.

I'm a firm believer in the the little details - both in what I wear to these parties and in how we dress up our home. Those little things make all the difference!

I downloaded a basic template, then renamed our bottles of wine.

It's not a Bartlett dinner party without two things: baked turkey pepperoni slices and our

fireplace DVD roaring in the background.

It's always fun to send our friends home with something to nibble on during the

drive home. We made gift bags of Dan's Spiced Nuts & Sara's Cappuccino Cookies.

I love dressing to a theme, like Valentine's Day. I combined a hot pink dress from Old Navy

with a red ribbon that I picked up who-knows-where. Tying the ribbon in a bow cinched my waist and made me feel like a Valentine's present.

I adore aprons - Most Ridic bought me this one for Christmas.

It protected my outfit while cooking and felt extra festive. And kind of 1950's housewife.

Most Ridic adhered to the romantic theme by pairing a v-neck red tee shirt

and a cozy collar shawl sweater with a winning smile.

I like to mix fancy things with less-expensive decorations at a dinner party. Bone china dishes with a gray rose pattern add a feeling of, "Ooooh, aren't we fancy?" While hearts cut out of paper and tied with ribbon as napkin rings keep the table from feeling too "done."

We served our own little Tour of Italy - small plates of our favorite Italian dishes. I thought it would be fun to print out these menus so our friends would know what to expect.

Entertaining is a big part of my and my husband's life. We love having friends over and cooking for them. Every dinner party is an event of some kind, and it makes me feel good to get dressed up and show our friends that they're worth the effort.

My Outfits Details:

Dress- Old Navy's Plus line

Black Tights - Avenue

Vintage diamond and pearl earrings- Great Grandma Midge

Apron - Martha Stewart line from Macy's

Valentine's Day Gift Guide - with Most Ridic

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

Fellow St. Paul blogger, Most Ridiculous Man in Lowertown, and I got together to create a video showcasing our favorite picks for Valentine's Day gifts. We know each other pretty well... So we headed out to our favorite giftable store in St. Paul - Patina. Hope you enjoy!

The Gifts:
All available in-store at Patina in Highland Park

Notable Mustaches - $6.99
K. Hall Designs Egyptian Jasmine Bath Salts - $25
Manskills book - $15.99
Patina Jewelry - assorted prices
Jack Black King of the Road Travel Pack - $65
Inspirational plaques - $25-45