GABIFRESH

bug out

2012-02-13T05:40:00.001-08:00

I can't get enough of my new cicada necklace from TopShop! It's a total conversation piece--yesterday I wore it with my F21 denim button down + Gap trouser jeans. Totally digging all the different shades of blue.

Top-Forever21+/Jeans-Gap/Necklace-TopShop/Belt-eloquii

panther

2012-02-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

I've been super into the button up shirt + statement necklace + high waisted skirt trend lately. I can't stop wearing my panther print top with my pleated skirt; today I paired it with one of my favorite necklaces from Stella & Dot (I keep seeing it everywhere)!

Panther Top-ASOS/Blazer-Forever21/Skirt-Forever21/Necklace-gifted from Stella & Dot

SimplyBe Giveaway!

2012-02-01T07:23:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and to celebrate my love for you guys, I've teamed up with SimplyBe for a $500 giftcard giveaway! They have some amazing items right now (as always) and $500 will go a long way.

Below, I'm wearing a V-Day inspired outfit: a flirty pink babydoll dress from SimplyBe with my polka dot tights from eloquii.

Dress-SimplyBe/Tights-eloquii/wedges-forever21

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and your favorite piece from the SimplyBe website! For extra consideration, tweet I just entered @gabifresh's $500 @SimplyBeUSA giveaway http://bit.ly/z5Rvj7

A winner will be chosen on Valentine's Day! Good luck, guys! (Unfortunately, this contest is for US residents only).

eloquii accessories

2012-02-01T04:59:00.000-08:00

So in my recent eloquii haul vid, I talked about loving their accessories! I finally got my hands on the ones I'd been wanting, which included necklaces, bracelets, and belts that I adore. Take a look at a few of my faves:

Above: skinny chain belt /pink ombre bracelet/ stone bracelet/ emerald collar necklace
Also loving: lucite necklace / multi bead bib necklace/ fringe hoop earrings
Good news! You can get 40% off all sweaters, tops and jewelry with promo code ELQ40!

january blues

2012-01-28T13:31:00.000-08:00

You all know I love color blocking, and though it may seem like a spring and summer trend, I wanted to see if I could pull it off this winter. I got the yellow (more like pea green?) bomber jacket from eloquii that I mentioned in my last youtube video, and paired it with their royal blue skinnies. Loving it! I've been seeing colored skinny jeans everywhere lately; I tried mine with a bright printed top but it seemed like too much--how do you guys style them?

Jacket & Jeans-eloquii/Top-Thrift/Shoes-Forever21

eloquii haul

2012-01-16T20:47:00.000-08:00

As eloquii's brand ambassador, I've been meaning to do more outfit posts featuring their products, but since I got behind I thought I'd do a haul video so you guys can see my fave stuff all at once. Some of it's no longer on the site, but I also talk about what I'm lusting after (and will do some outfit posts featuring those items soon)!

Links to the pieces in the vid:
Teal Skirt, Yellow Bomber Jacket, Blue Blazer, White Chain Belt, Ombre Bracelet

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T15:04:00.000-08:00

Sorry I never posted my New Year's Eve outfit! There was a last minute change of plans and I ended up spending the evening snuggling in my pajamas with pizza and champagne (and I am so not complaining about it).

By now, I'm sure you noticed almost every fashion blogger has done a 2011 recap, and I thought I'd add mine to the mix. From tweeting for MTV to being honored at Glamour Magazine's Women of the Year Awards, 2011 brought a ton of wonderful experiences and I can't wait to see what's next. Fashion-wise it was definitely my biggest year of growth. When I moved to NYC in August 2010, someone told me my style would drastically change and I remember being kind of insulted...until I realized they were right. You can't live in this city without it heavily influencing your style, but I'm loving the evolution of mine.

Below are some of my favorite outfits of this past year:

Hope you're all enjoying 2012!

eloquii giveaway

2011-12-29T11:03:00.000-08:00

I hope you're all having an amazing holiday season! To make things even sweeter, eloquii is having a $1000 New Year's Eve Giveaway! One winner will get $1000 to spend at eloquii, and two runners-up will get $500. It runs from today-January 15, and all you have to do is like their Facebook page and enter the sweepstakes there. (Make sure your pop-up blocker is turned off; if you have any issues, tweet them).

I'll be posting my New Year's Eve outfit featuring eloquii on Saturday, so check back soon. Let me know if you got any amazing presents in the comments (or what you're wearing for NYE)!

Comfy

2011-12-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

There's absolutely nothing like a great comfy-chic outfit! I can't stop wearing some variation of this one: boyfriend jeans, striped tee, basic blazer, cute flats. I got the super cute prescription sunglasses from eyefly, bluefly's new site for stylish eyewear on the cheap (every single pair is under $99)!

Blazer-Simply Be/Top-H&M/Pants-Forever21+/Shoes-Topshop/Earrings-Fennimas/Sunglasses- c/o Eyefly

Remember December

2011-12-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

December is one of my favorite months! Though it's cold, it's still the beginning of winter and--unlike in February--the chilly weather still feels romantic and fresh. I love the holiday season for lots of reasons, including the excuse to dress up often for parties. As much as I adore sequins, I thought I'd experiment with other ways to look festive without going all-out sparkly. I created my own take on the traditional green and red combo by pairing two of my favorite colors: eggplant and chartreuse.

When I saw the cropped velvet jacket by Domino Dollhouse at the Indie+ Fashion Show, I knew I had to have it. I approached the designer at the end of the show to tell her how amazing it was and she was kind enough to send it to me! Of course, I couldn't go completely sparkle-free: I completed the outfit with my recently purchased beaded fringe wedges from TopShop.

Dress-ASOS Curve/Jacket-gifted by Domino Dollhouse/Necklace-ALDO/Shoes-Topshop

Plus Model Magazine

2011-12-01T09:19:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let you guys know I'm in this month's issue of Plus Model Magazine! I'm so honored to share the cover with Nicolette Mason! We had a blast on set, and I want to thank Plus Model Mag for continuously showcasing models size 18 and up, proving that style and beauty are not limited by size. So many mainstream magazines attempt to show they embrace women of all sizes with editorials featuring size 10 models. While I am not knocking them (I love body diversity in mags!), I do think PMM is amazing for taking chances with true plus size bodies. When was the last time you saw a size 20 woman in a mesh body suit in mainstream media? Make sure you go to plusmodelmag.com to see the rest of the photos and the entire issue!

Bodysuit-American Apparel/Fur Vest-Michael Kors/Shoes-Nasty Gal/Jewelry-Fennimas

Black Friday!

2011-11-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving! I'm back in Detroit with my family enjoying a break from the fast pace of New York. This year, we decided to do all of our Black Friday shopping online--all of the deals with none of the hassle.

Today through Cyber Monday (November 28th), everything on eloquii is 50% off with the code FAB50! Yesterday, I wore their sheer black sequin top and skinny jeans; I got size 18 short because I wanted the cropped look--of course they have regular and long lengths too. (Also dying over the accordion pleat dress).

I'm noticing as I get older, I'm starting to gain more of an appreciation for simple outfits. Don't get me wrong, I still love the crazy stuff, but occasionally I enjoy wearing a classic silhouette and minimal accessories.

PS- My camera is still being fixed! I promise when I get it back I'll post more pictures again!

Glamour Women of the Year Awards

2011-11-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

Monday evening, I had the honor of attending Glamour's Women of the Year Awards. I was so excited to be named one of their 21 Amazing Young Women of 2011 along with some totally inspiring girls changing the world.

Huge thank you to Glamour! I cannot even begin to describe what it felt like to be in the room with women like Arianna Huffington, Lea Michele, Jennifer Lopez, and Gloria Steinem!!! (Side note: I also died a little when I saw Marc Jacobs walk in).

When I first heard about the event, I immediately reached out to the fabulous designer, Rani Zakhem. Rani makes some of the most gorgeous red carpet worthy dresses for plus sizes, and I knew I'd love to wear one of his designs. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of going to the photo shoot for his Spring 2012 Lookbook and I was blown away. Rani told me his collection was inspired by Elizabeth Taylor, and I could definitely see the influence in his color choices and glamorous draping. Everything was so intricately designed, from the perfectly tailored cocktail dresses to the flowing, beaded gowns. I fell in love with a camel colored dress with voluminous sleeves, a sheer top, and sequined shoulders. For this event, he was kind enough to custom make it for me in black!

Dress-Rani Zakhem/Shoes, Ring-Aldo

You can see a video of highlights from the night here, with a super brief shot of me and the other 20 girls at 3:47.

Wonder Woman

2011-11-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

I'm absolutely in love with Monif C's latest collections, and when she offered to send me something, I immediately knew I'd choose the knit arrow dress. Initially I wanted the white and black one, but once I saw the red and navy in person, I had to have it. I wore it out last night and got tons of compliments; I don't know if it's the color or the design, but it kind of makes me feel like a superhero (which can only be good thing).

I'm also wearing a very special pin: Kenneth Cole partnered with MTV International’s Staying Alive Foundation and amfAR on the reinterpretation of the iconic AIDS ribbon. Designed to commemorate the discovery of the virus 30 years ago, and to ignite a new wave of awareness about the pandemic with the next generation, the new AIDS ribbon features a double loop, and symbolizes the coming together of individuals and the re-doubling of efforts in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

The ribbons will be on sale beginning November 4 through December 31, with 100% of net profits being donated to AWEARNESS, the Kenneth Cole Foundation, in support of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research*. The ribbons will be available for purchase at: Kenneth Cole retail and outlet stores in the U.S., Latin America, Israel, the Philippines and Kennethcole.com; Bloomingdale’s worldwide and Bloomingdales.com; Gilt Groupe; and House of Fraser in the UK.

Eloquii Launch!

2011-11-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

Yay! eloquii by The Limited has finally launched, so now you can head over to the website and start shopping! I've been getting a lot of questions since my last post, so I thought this would be a good time to answer them:

-eloquii offers sizes 14W-24W.
-For now, eloquii is only available online, but shipping and returns are free.
-They ship to the USA only.
-As the brand ambassador, I've had the opportunity to offer feedback after seeing the clothes and trying them on, however I was not involved in the design process.

I'm in this month's People Style Watch talking about my favorite pieces! If they're not on the site just yet, they should be soon. My other faves include the batwing dress, the skinny jeans, and the sheer leopard print top.

Oh, AND you get 25% off your first purchase at www.eloquii.com with the code BUYME. If you have any other questions, you can tweet them directly @eloquii. Happy Shopping!

eloquii by The Limited Preview Event

2011-10-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

I'm still on cloud nine from last night, when I had the pleasure of hosting the preview event for eloquii by The Limited. It was held at the Cooper Square Hotel, and I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful view of New York City. The event featured mannequins and models styled in eloquii clothing, as well as iPads so that people could preview the products on the website (you can start shopping online next Tuesday)!

I wore one of my absolute favorite pieces from the collection, a gorgeous yellow silk dress with a black band at the waist. I cannot get over the fabulous color, quality material, and cute little details like the pockets and pleats.

Thanks so much to everyone who came, it was seriously one of my favorite nights since moving to NYC!

With Linda Heasley, CEO of The Limited

Gorgeous models in eloquii clothing, including my favorite piece, the cream and black tuxedo blazer!

Photo Credit: Will Ragozzino

VOGUE x Target

2011-10-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun last week at VOGUE, celebrating the limited edition collections from Albertus Swanepoel, Dana Kellin, and Josie Natori for Target. From beautiful sleepwear to delicate jewelry and fun hats, each designer offered one of a kind gorgeous pieces. The collections will be available from the end of this month through December 26th!

I wore my Forever21+ blazer and blouse with my pleather shorts from the UK retailer, Very. (Unfortunately they don't ship to the US, I had to have a friend order them and send them to me). I've been on the hunt for leather shorts FOREVER, and as usual, it's taken many seasons for plus size brands to catch up to the trends. Luckily, Franceta introduced me to leathercult.com, an online store that makes custom sized leather pieces; I definitely plan to get their pleated skirt!

Like everyone else right now, I'm loving the neon & neutral trend, so I decide to finish the look with a neon green belt. The gorgeous bow bag was given to me courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff, and has easily become my favorite accessory. I also got non-stop compliments on my earrings from Pixel Heart Pixel--such cool, affordable jewelry.

Photos above by Nicolette Mason

With some of my favorite fellow fashion bloggers!

Blazer & Blouse-Forever21+/Shorts-Very/Belt-Street Vendor/Shoes-Forever21/Bag-Rebecca Minkoff/Earrings-Pixel Heart Pixel

Polka Polka

2011-10-08T13:13:00.001-07:00

I know I've been wearing sheer non-stop, but I can't help it! Whenever I shop, it's the first thing I gravitate toward and before I know it I'm buying another see-through top. Speaking of which, apparently a while back, a retailer posted an outfit of mine on their Facebook wall, and a reader informed me that it got a lot of negative feedback. People were saying how I shouldn't be wearing sheer at my size. I didn't check it (I know better), but I do forget that lots of people reading my blog are relatively new. I thought this would be a good opportunity to remind everyone that though this is a fashion blog, it's rooted in body acceptance. That means I refuse to dress "for my size," instead I dress to express my style. I pick out the same items (or at least styles) I'd wear if I were a size two. I have no issue showing my midriff, arms, legs, or anything else. I hope I don't sound preachy, and I know everyone doesn't subscribe to this way of thinking, but I just wanted to let you guys know where I'm coming from :)

When I saw this sheer polka dot button up in a newsletter from NastyGal, I immediately fell in love (there are cut-outs on the shoulders and in the back--SO cute). I paired it with khakis and my favorite spike collar necklace from Forever21.

As you can see, I decided to go back to dark hair for the fall.The amazing people at Arrojo Salon invited me back last week to celebrate the fact that they are now open on Sundays! I got my hair dyed, cut, and styled by an amazing team of people. If you're a New Yorker, you should definitely check it out. They are offering two for one specials on Sundays for the rest of the month!

Eloquii Outfit Sneak Peek

2011-09-30T15:54:00.001-07:00

Finally, I get to show you guys a sneak peek at eloquii by The Limited! While the line of course offers great work wear, it also has some really cute options for casual days. You know I love oversized sheer tops, so when I saw this one with velvet detailing, I knew I had to have it. I decided to go with the monochromatic trend and pair it with their gray skinny jeans (which are seriously SO comfy and cute)! With the addition of some mixed metal accessories and my favorite purple platforms, I had a chic outfit for a day in the city.

I can't wait to show you some more of my favorite pieces in upcoming outfit posts. The big launch happens in less than a month, but in the mean time you can follow eloquii on twitter and Facebook for any updates!

PS- So surreal to see my name in the Women's Wear Daily feature on eloquii!

Fall Favorites on Essence.com

2011-09-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Ahh! Long time, no post. I no longer have a laptop, and no one's ever around to take pictures for me (#fashionbloggerproblems), but I'm definitely working on fixing it! Luckily, Essence is here to save the day. Recently, I met up with my good friend Christina of the blog Love Brown Sugar to do a photo shoot for Essence.com. We wore two outfits each that expressed our favorite fall items, and surprisingly ended up choosing really similar silhouettes!

I'm obsessed with anything bird print, so I wore one of my fave blouses from ASOS with the same Torrid Tripp Skinny pants I can't get enough of. I was just discussing with someone how skinny jeans look great on all shapes and sizes--I can't believe people still believe that outdated crap about curvy girls having to wear bootcut pants. Blegh.

Below are my favorite pics of the bunch, but be sure to go to the full feature to see the rest! Thanks, Essence!

Top-ASOS/Pants-Torrid/Shoes-Forever21

Back to Black

2011-09-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

I went to a few Fashion Week events today and wasn't sure what to wear, which means I opted for my go-to look: head to toe black. Since my outfit itself was pretty simple, I decided to glam it up with a statement necklace from Aldo and a floppy hat from H&M. I love dark lips with looks like this, so I wore "All of My Purple Life," the MAC lipglass designed by friend and fellow blogger Afrobella!

Top-H&M/Pants-Torrid/Necklace-Aldo/Bag-Fashion to Figure/Shoes-Forever21/Hat-H&M

Fashion's Night Out!

2011-09-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

I had a blast yesterday in Soho for Fashion's Night Out! The city's energy is always super intense during Fashion Week, and last night was no different. I decided to wear my awesome sheer beaded cape top from Dorothy Perkins with my gold sequin mini from Forever21. I definitely got a lot of stares in this, both good and bad. I consider that the sign of a great outfit.

Can I just take a moment and thank the fashion gods that top knots are in? Because seriously, my hair + humidity just doesn't work. I had it professionally done and it lasted about 4 minutes after I stepped outside.

Cape-Dorothy Perkins/Skirt-Forever21+/Shoes-Forever21/Earrings-Adha Zelma
And oh yeah, um, I met my hero, Beth Ditto. She performed at MAC's event, and was just as amazing as expected. She signed my magazine, "Fat Forever, Love, Beth." I died.

eloquii by The Limited

2011-08-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to finally announce that I am partnering with eloquii by The Limited, a new plus size brand that's launching this fall! I've been working closely with them for months, checking out the clothes, having brainstorming sessions, and giving my feedback to the team. I can say with confidence that eloquii is really about celebrating plus size women who want quality, on trend clothing that works from day to night.

Take a look at the video below to see a sneak peek of what's to come, and make sure you sign up at eloquii.com and follow them on Facebook and twitter for exclusive info before the launch in October! I can't wait to share more with you guys as the date approaches.

P.S. I promise to post an outfit in the next few days!

Arrojo Salon Makeover

2011-08-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to dye my hair for, oh, about ten years now. Yep, since high school I've wanted to go blonde, pink, blue, jet black, and everything in between. But for some reason (read: fear) I never took the plunge. This month, more than ever, I'd been craving a change of hue, perhaps because of the transitional time in my life. I just finished my year at MTV, and I want to thank all of you again for supporting me and helping make my dreams come true.

So anyway, back to my hair. When I was contacted recently by the famous Arrojo Salon about coming in for a complimentary service, I knew I had to go for it. I told my colorist, Kelly, that I wanted light brown, and I'm really pleased with how things turned out. It's crazy because depending on the lighting, it can look red or even blonde! My stylist Emily made my hair look so fabulous; she gave me beachy curls that I never knew my hair was capable of having. All in all, I had a great experience and I can't wait to see the final shots. Here are some photos of the process:

And if you haven't heard, I was featured alongside some of my favorite bloggers in the September issue of Teen Vogue!

Lastly, congrats to the winner of the Nikon Coolpix Contest, Zavonna! You will receive an email soon! Thanks to everyone who entered!

Nikon COOLPIX Giveaway

2011-08-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the break! Life is hectic at the moment, but in the good way. I have so much fun stuff coming up to share with you guys, including a giveaway in this post!

I cannot wait for Fall. I'm really over the NYC heat; getting dressed loses its fun when it's 100 degrees outside. I'm dying to throw on layers of black, and yesterday I did my best to bring a bit of Fall fashion to my outfit. I wore my H&M sheer bodysuit and favorite F21 velvet mini with a shaggy black vest and black combat boots sent to me by the lovely people at Wanted Shoes. To top it off, I wore my turquoise and gold accessories courtesy of Igigi. I'm obsessed--I have been wearing them non-stop.

Vest & Skirt-F21/Bodysuit-H&M/Accessories-Igigi/Shoes-Wanted

Now on to the fun stuff! I'm teaming up with Nikon to give away a COOLPIX P300 camera! It's a really nice point and shoot and great for bloggers (retails at $330). While you're at it, you should check out their Cool Shot Contest--you might see me at one of the concerts :)

To enter to win the COOLPIX camera, all you have to do is comment below with your name/email address, and tell me what you would use the camera for/why you should win! For extra consideration, tweet "I just entered @gabifresh's Nikon COOLPIX giveaway! http://bit.ly/nkfJ86 " If you tweet, please let me know in your comment. I'll pick a winner on Sunday, August 14.