I’m 25 and I still get acne. What is the deal? I thought that pimples were supposed to stop popping up once I exited my teen years, but I haven’t been so lucky. So I currently put a huge focus on how I cleanse, moisturize, and treat my skin to mitigate some of my adult acne, and improve the overall look and feel of my skin. I took a trip to Meijer and scooped up my favorite skin essentials that help me fight acne and achieve my best skin! I’m a girl on the go, so any time that I can get all of my favorite products at one place, it’s a win-win! If I am ever in the mood to switch things up or seek a different treatment for my skin, I love that I can find any remedy on Meijer’s beauty section shelves.

I have been using the following products for the last month, and my skin has taken a turn for the better. I have fewer breakouts and my skin rarely flakes! (Peep these high-resolution images for yourself, you can see every little pore!)

Goodbye acne!
My favorite way to control my breakouts is with the Neutrogena Light Therapy Mask ($34.99 at Meijer) Sure, it looks like it came out of a Star Wars movie, and the dog runs away every time I slide the mask on, but there is no denying its acne treatment powers. I hate putting acne medication on my face because the harsh chemicals dry out my skin, which is one of the key reasons why I turn to this mask when I’m breaking out. The mask uses both red and blue lights to reduce inflammation and kill bacteria. It’s FDA cleared, chemical free, and UV free, which means my skin doesn’t flake after I use it, and my acne is gone in a matter of days.

After I use the Neutrogena Light Therapy Mask, my face can feel a little warm and tingly, so I apply this Yes to Cucumbers soothing and calming paper mask ($6.00 at Meijer) to cool my face down and moisturize.

A facial detox to brighten and tighten
Aside from getting my acne under control, I’m also always looking for ways to brighten and detoxify my skin from the makeup I wear every day. I have two coveted detox methods that I use once a week. On Fridays, I use the L’Oreal Detox & Brighten Clay Mask ($7.99 at Meijer) to remove the stressful week and its toll on my skin. I love, love, love clay masks, but I especially love this one because it combines charcoal and three different kinds of pure clay to tighten my skin and remove pesky blackheads. I leave the mask on for 15 minutes before I go to bed, and then I rinse it off with warm water and moisturize.

The second part of my skin brightening routine is the Yes to Grapefruit Pore Perfection Brightening Peel ($15.99 at Meijer). I do this peel on a Sunday night before bed or on Monday morning before work, if I have time. This peel prepares my skin for the week ahead and leaves my face glowing.

 

As I am typing this post, I am sort of surprised that this is actually the first romper I have ever worn. I always felt like they were unflattering—especially for curvy women—and just never fit me right.

But when I saw this plus size crochet trim romper from Curvy Sense, I had this wave of hope and faith. So I took the plunge, and it turns out that I actually love it. The fit is so flattering and sexy! I love how the crochet trim comes up a little higher on the thigh and lower in the back. And the plunging neckline is also super sexy. I used some fashion tape to secure my neckline a little bit as it is pretty windy in Miami, and I didn’t want my girls to fall out! I wore this out to dinner and a little stroll down Ocean Drive. The look was fun, flirty, and perfect for the occasion.

I’m wearing a 2x, which is my usual size, and it fits perfectly! The material doesn’t stretch, so if you want a looser fitting romper, opt for size up!

My best friend Katherine and I are currently in Miami on a little vacation. And since I have been cooped up in Chicago through most of the cold winter months, I wanted to celebrate Miami’s gorgeous weather in style. Which is why the second I saw this minnie jumpsuit from Rue107, I knew I had to strut down the streets of Miami wearing it.

So that’s exactly what I did today. And yeah, heads turned. But I was feeling HOT—and not because it’s Miami and always above 80°. I paired the jumpsuit with criss-cross bikini bottoms, this lace ladder bralet from Torrid, and a gorgeous silver necklace. It was the perfect combo!

If you love this look, but you are a little more reserved, try a jumpsuit with mesh sleeves, or, my true advice, would be to rock this minnie jumpsuit and give it all the confidence you got! Was I intimidated rocking a completely see-through jumpsuit? YES. I told Katherine, “I might be doing too much.” She replied, “Yeah and we’re in Miami and on vacation, you’re supposed to be doing too much!”  I’m glad I listened to her because I felt like a goddess, and every woman needs to be reminded that she is one!! This jumpsuit was my reminder.

I ordered this jumpsuit in a 1x, which is a size smaller than my usual, but it fit beautifully!

 

Photography by: Katherine Davis

I’ve been a princess since I was born, but today is the first day I’ve ever worn a tutu—side note: WHERE IS MY CROWN!? hah!

For real, if you told me a week ago that I would be wearing a tutu, I probably would have rolled my eyes at you and brushed off that prediction. I love all my clothes to be form fitting, dark-colored or black, with defined lines. Tutu was not a word in my dictionary.

But thanks to Dia&Co., a personal styling service for plus size women, I’m wearing a tutu, and I like it! If I had never signed up for this plus size styling service, I may not have tried this trend and I would have never known what it truly feels like to be a princess for a day. I took a style quiz so that my stylist would know what I like to wear and what to put in my box, but I love that my stylist thought outside of the box and put threw this tutu into the mix! If you want to try Dia & Co., sign up here!

I want to give you a chance to experience this magical company, too, so I have teamed up with Dia&Co. to give one of my readers their very first Dia&Co. box for free! To enter, visit this giveaway link, like my picture wearing this tutu on Instagram (@natalieinthecity_), tag two friends who may also want to win their very own Dia&Co boxin the comment section of my Instagram post, and follow Dia&Co on Instagram (@diaandco). That’s it!

Would you try a tutu?

I’m all about finding your clothing comfort zone, but occasionally, I will step outside of my self-imposed boundaries to try something crazy. For example, when the Victoria Beckham for Target line dropped, I didn’t opt for the black dress or black trousers. Nope. I had to have the fuchsia trousers. FUCHSIA GUYS!!!!!! I don’t have a single piece of clothing this bright in my closet, let alone a lipstick of the same hue in my make up bag. I keep it simple. All black everything is my sweet spot. But since plus size fashion has evolved, and now, we have more options than ever, maybe I should stop playing it safe with all-black ensembles. And with this post, I am making a pact with myself to do just that.

Now, more about these plus size fuchsia twill flared trousers, which have me in permanent heart eyes. I usually wear a size 16, but since I was ordering these online, sight unseen, I chose to order a size up. The material does stretch, but the waist band does not. So the size 18 fit me perfectly! The trousers were a little long, but I had them altered, and now they are perfect.

Here is my dilemma, where do I wear these pants? What do y’all think? I’m imagining blogging events, conferences, and maybe a fancy brunch? I hope I get the guts to wear these into the office one day—all of my coworkers would probably freak out. HAH!!

Also, I scored this adorable plus size finn ruffle trim peplum top from Fashion to Figure in my Dia & Co box. Dia & Co is a personal styling service for plus size women, similar to Stitch Fix, but they only cater to the plus size figure, which means you are getting clothes hand picked for your shape! You can request this top in your next Dia & Co order! Just let your stylist know!

Here’s to trying new things, and stepping outside of my comfort zone!

Photography by: Ghaffar Gbenro

Let’s keep it real. For every “put together” outfit I strut down the street in, I have five casual ensembles waiting for me to slide into the second I get home. While I love, love, love my yoga pants and sweatshirts, I hate that everyone asks me if I’m on my way to the gym. UGH NO. 

So, lately, I have been putting more effort into my casual ensembles beyond just piecing together my favorite workout gear. Which is why Dressbarn’s DB Sunday line is the spirit animal of my new, relaxed outfits. The DB Sunday’s slogan is “Get cozy on the couch, and indulge in some much needed me time.” While I’m all about having a lazy day and some extra “me time,” I think the line also works well for those #GirlBosses on the go who also want to be comfortable.

You all know that I love anything that laces up (exhibit A: Lace-up leggings, B: Lace-up dress, and C: Lace-up blouse). So it comes as no surprise that I gravitated toward this DB Sunday striped lace-up top. The material is thick, stretchy, and comfortable, making it a perfect piece for a day of running errands. And this drawstring mini skirt—it’s actually a skort, but you’d never know—gives me the boost of confidence and a playful edge that I need to kick start my day. I topped the look off with a denim jacket and some white slip on sneakers.

So March is almost over, and I’m itching to ditch my winter coat and shed heavy layers, but living in Chicago isn’t making the switch to spring any easier. One day it’s 80 degrees and sunny, and the next day it’s pouring rain and chilly. So what is a girl to do when she can’t wait to embrace spring pieces while living in a bipolar climate? Mix the best of both worlds, that’s what.

I paired this belted ruffled floral dress from dressbarn with a wool blend long vest from Eloquii for a day out on the town after a rainy morning. As spring arrives, I face the same conflict every year: I wear so much black, and very little color (and you can definitely see that by scrolling through my blog). But I’m trying to incorporate more colors, and this dress is a step in the right direction. I love how this dress flows with the wind and sways with every step I take. It’s a fun (and colorful) piece. I’m wearing a size 16, which is the size I usually wear in dresses, and the fit is perfect! The dress makes me want to go take salsa dancing lessons because I love the way it moves.

Photography by: Ghaffar Gbenro

Dressbarn sent me this belted ruffled floral dress to review. All opinions are 110% my own!

Ever since I scored this knitted cardigan from Zara, I have been getting some major school girl/preppy vibes from every outfit I top off with the piece. The pink tones in this cardigan would usually push me away from the garment, but the way the colors worked together, it reminded me of a Chanel tweed jacket, and since the piece was on sale, I just couldn’t pass it up. I love wearing the cardigan to work with a black blouse or this white button-up with a black neck tie. The sleeves are a little long, but I think that was the look Zara was going for. I like to roll up the sleeves to accommodate for that extra length and give the piece a different look.

What a time to be alive, ladies! Stitch Fix, a personal styling service, just expanded their size range to offer up to a size 24W and 3X. So many retailers are now offering and extending their lines to include plus sizes, which is a beautiful thing! And I’m glad Stitch Fix is following suit.

To get my fix and celebrate Stitch Fix‘s progressive move, the brand welcomed me to create my own style profile and sent me my very first Stitch Fix box.

I started out making my style profile, which tells Stitch Fix about the trends I love, the price I feel comfortable spending for each garment, and my sizing and measurements. Then, Stitch Fix assigns me a stylist who studies my profile to learn what trends I am currently sporting, and they hand-pick clothes to send me once a quarter. For those girls who love fashion, but don’t enjoy shopping, Stitch Fix is perfect for you. But even if you are an avid shopper—like me—getting a Stitch Fix box every once in a while is a great way to familiarize yourself with brands you may not always see during your average trip to the mall.

My two favorite things from my box were the blush-colored Pistola moto jeans and the open-back Colette blouse. I also received a blue tank top maxi dress from PaperMoon and some fun accessories. My stylist even wrote me a note telling me that they loved my blog and Pinterest account! I think I may have found my new clothing fix and a new pen pal! hehe!

When I was a teenager, my friends and I would frequent the water parks and beaches, and I always sported a two piece bikini. Granted, I was a lot smaller back then, but still heavier than all of my friends. The point is, I have never shied away from being in a swimsuit in public. Sure, I may have felt a little insecure standing next to my skinny friends, but nonetheless, I shrugged my shoulders and rocked a swimsuit.

Five-ish years and 80 pounds later, it was difficult to find swimsuits that were made for my plus size, curvy body. And it was getting harder and harder to go to a pool or the beach feeling confident and sexy.

I think the most common thing that most brands get wrong about plus size women is that they think we aren’t proud of our bodies and that we don’t want to show them off. Personally, I am always looking for clothes that hug every curve, and you’ll never see me turn down the opportunity to wear a two piece bikini. But a lot of swimwear retailers that sell plus size swimsuits only offer modest one pieces, tankinis with shorts or skorts, and a bikini ONLY if it comes with high-waisted bottoms.

But I want to wear what my skinny friends wear, even when it comes to swimwear. And Swimsuits For All understands that.

From their partnerships with blogger Gabi Fresh Swimsuits For All and plus model Ashley Graham, their swim offerings have provided women of all shapes and sizes with edgy, sexy, and modern swimwear choices that any woman can feel proud and beautiful in. While I usually opt for a two piece bikini, this Boss Underwire one piece with lace up sides and an eyelash bra makes me feel even sexier than my usual swimwear choice.

Every summer I make a pledge to embrace my body to the fullest. I tell myself, “Don’t opt for the pair of jeans when you can rock a mini skirt, don’t hide your stomach when you can sport a cute crop top, and most importantly, wear whatever the hell you want to the beach.” I have seen women (skinny and plus size) feel self conscious about wearing a swimsuit out in public because they think people will judge them. I’m here to tell you that no one cares what you are wearing. And if they do, and go as far as to say something to you, THEY HAVE THE PROBLEM, not you! Everyone has some sort of insecurity no matter how small, tall, short, curvy, skinny, or full figured they are. By stepping out in a swimsuit confidently, you never know who you could inspire to embrace their body, too.

It’s time to stop hiding. So will you join me in embracing your body and rocking that swimsuit you have always been dreaming of? You’ve got this!

I have been on the hunt for a whimsical duster that can be worn in an office setting, but also with an easy breezy ensemble. I finally found this beautiful blush-colored duster in Forever 21’s plus section, and initially I reached for the military green color, but my BFF Katherine guided me in the right direction toward this one. In the name of versatility, I avoided the green. (I’m planning on going back to get it. Hah)

I have had this dress for two years now, and I will probably have it for more years to come. It’s just such a classic piece, and surprise, it’s also from Forever 21. I can wear this dress anywhere, though. I love the different textures and the flow of the pleated tulle, but the fit of the knit under skirt. It’s flattering, but also has that intriguing movement to it.