Z. Cav Denim

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a preview of Z. Cav's new denim line. I went with Melinda and Amalia, and we got a sneak peek at some of their upcoming pieces. There was a huge range of styles, and I was really impressed. I've always been a fan of their jeans, and it was great to see what they're currently working on. The best part was that the representatives were extremely receptive to constructive criticism and even new design ideas. Melinda and I made it very clear that the light wash harem pants they had in straight sizes needed to be made for us too.

Edit: I recently spoke with the president of Z. Cavaricci who informed me that this event was not hosted by the brand, but by a separate company. Z. Cavaricci jeans in plus sizes are still exclusively sold at Torrid stores. Sorry for any confusion!

I wore a tribal crop top from Forever21 paired with my Tripp skinnies from Torrid and black fur vest from Target. In retrospect, I think I would have preferred a mini skirt instead of pants with this outfit, but oh well:

Top, Shoes, Scarf Turned Turban & Necklace-Forever21/Fur Vest-Target/Pants-Torrid

The Gold and the Beautiful

Last weekend I was in Chicago for Valentine's Day, and I was lucky because it happened to be the same time that a few lovely ladies were hosting a clothing swap for women sizes 12 and up. It was called "The Gold and the Beautiful," so of course I wore gold!



This amazing ASOS mesh and sequins dress has been in my closet for some time now. When I spotted it on the website a while ago, I knew immediately I had to have it. It's a size 10, but was clearly huge and slouchy (my fave) so I decided to give it a try. This piece is the opposite of anything any "fashion expert" would tell a fat girl to wear. It doesn't "cinch the waist" or "elongate the legs" or "show off your curves." It's basically an oversized, shapeless, really fucking cool t-shirt and I love it. Ladies, dress for yourself, break rules, stop saying "I wish I could wear that" and just do it.

It was my lucky day because my friend and photographer Lizz Kuehl (who has taken awesome pictures of me for previous YFF posts) was in attendance and snapped a few shots of my outfit!

Photos (besides the first) are by Lizz Kuehl, please do not use without permission
Dress-ASOS/Shoes-F21/Cape-ASOS Curve/Clutch-Marshalls/Headbands-Walgreens

Paper Mag Party

Last night after work I went to the Tumblr/Paper Mag party, which celebrated the launch of Tumblr's new fashion week website. It was a ton of fun, and I got to hang out with my friend (and amazing fashion blogger) Jaimen and her fab sister Bethany on the rooftop of the Empire Hotel.

I wore head-to-toe Forever21 (again), which is considered a fashion faux pas by many, but it's common knowledge I don't play by the rules. Forever21 has trendy, affordable pieces in my size and it's across from where I work, so that pretty much ends that conversation. I adore the silky (actually polyester) dove cardigan, I got so many compliments on it and no one believed where it was from. I'm actually considering buying another one for backup in case this one gets worn out (or, more likely, I spill something on it). I wore it with my leather leggings and grey suede pumps. I love the color and texture combo of this ensemble; I'm definitely going to keep it in mind for future outfit inspiration.

Everything is from Forever21 except the watch, which is Guess

IFB Conference

Today I attended the Independent Fashion Bloggers (IFB) Evolving Influence Conference and had an amazing time! I love connecting with new bloggers as well as old friends, and I got to meet some of my biggest blogger crushes.

I have been wanting great flare jeans for ages (like, at least a year), so when J of Fatshionable linked me to a pair at The Gap, I knew I had to have them. I haven't shopped there since middle school and I wasn't sure I could fit into their largest size (20), but I took the risk and ordered them online. Sure enough, they fit perfectly and I couldn't be happier. I wore them today with a sheer top from Forever21 for a bit of a retro look.

Jeans-Gap/Bag-H&M/Everything else-F21

With the gorgeous Christina of Profresh Style

The amazing Christina of Love Brown Sugar and Karen of Where Did U Get That

My style icon, favorite fashion blogger, and inspiration behind starting YFF, Karla of Karla's Closet

Time Out New York's Most Stylish

I was so flattered that Time Out New York contacted me and asked me if I'd like to be in their "Most Stylish" issue--of course I said yes! The list of 32 New Yorkers is online now, and the hard copy hit news stands today. You can see me in three different outfits; one casual, one dressed up, and one sort of in between. I'm so excited to be among amazingly fashionable people including another awesome plus size girl, Audrey Lea Curry. Thanks, Time Out!



Yesterday, I wore another casual outfit to work that I decided to share. I love the look of oversized, flowy tops paired with denim cutoffs that barely peek out beneath. Since it's freezing, just add tights (not leggings) and voila! Here, my top is from City Chic, and the vest and shorts are from Forever21+. The amazing boots can be laced up or folded over to reveal the studs. I got them courtesy of Akira Chicago months ago and have been meaning to post them forever! They're fabulous and are a great way to add style to my outfits during the winter months.

Blogger Off Duty

Since this outfit is pretty casual, I originally posted it to tumblr. I try to keep YFF to nicer outfits, but I decided to post it here to get your opinion. I know you guys like to see this blog updated more often, but this is usually the type of thing I'm wearing on my off-days. Do you guys want to see shots like this here, too? I'd love your input!

Today I'm wearing head-to-toe Forever21. The striped top and boyfriend jeans are recent purchases, but the jacket and shoes I've had for a while. You've probably seen the jacket a million times, and that's because I wear it almost daily--it was hands down the best $30 I spent in 2010.

City Chic Comes to America

Sorry for not updating for a while! Things have been pretty hectic and I haven't been wearing many "blog worthy" outfits, but if you miss me, follow me on tumblr @gabifresh! I update that daily and sometimes share what I'm wearing, even if it's casual.

If you haven't heard yet, the Australian plus-size retailer City Chic recently launched in the United States! They were one of our sponsors for the YFF Conference, and each of us received a $200 gift card that I recently cashed in for some great items. I got the Contrast Dress (can't wait to wear it this Spring), the Palm Tree Burnout Tee, the Mesh Skater Top, and the Roxanne Dress which I wore last night to a friend's birthday celebration. I love the mesh top and the shoulder detail--the perfect addition to spice up a little black dress. I wore it with my new platform wedges from Forever21 that I absolutely adore. I didn't have time to do your typical blogger shoot, so I just took a few quick shots before heading out the door:

Dress-City Chic/Platforms-Forever21