Travel

Outfit details – Duster: RUE107 | Crop Top: Forever 21 (similar) | Skirt: ASOS (wearing size 14)

Hi my loves! I’ve just returned from my trip to New Orleans and I have so much to share with you about it. It was my very first time in New Orleans and I was fortunate enough to be working with Ford Motor Company as they are an official sponsor of the Essence Music Festival. This 4th of July weekend was filled with empowering panels, energetic crowds and of course delicious food. So let’s get into it!

Where I stayed

Let’s start off with my hotel. I stayed at the Royal Sonesta that is located in the heart of the French Quarter right on Bourbon street. You are literally in the midst of all the action and let me tell you it can get a little crazy. However, the Royal Sonesta is a gem that offers a peaceful retreat from the happenings on Bourbon. The hotel has that classic New Orleans decor with huge crystal chandeliers as you walk through the lobby and wrap around balconies that is the trademark of the French Quarter. The rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated.

Day 1

As soon as I landed in New Orleans, I hit the ground running. Ford Motor Company wanted to do something special for all those attending Essence Festival that were Ford Owners. So they decided to have a VIP reception on the second floor of the Convention Center. The special guest was comedian and host of The Real, Loni Love, and I was helping to host as guests arrived. Ford Motor Company has had the highest level of loyalty among African Americans so they really wanted to celebrate that and offer a token of appreciation.

Outfit details – Dress: ASOS

I spent the rest of the day hanging out at the Ford booth downstairs at the Convention Center. Their booth had a “Block Party” theme with a DJ, musical performances, interviews with celebrities and more!

After I finished up at the Convention Center, I hit the picturesque New Orleans streets. I absolutely love the architecture and the whole vibe of the city. There is so much history with buildings that date back hundreds of years. This Simply Be Kaftan blended in with the colorful buildings and vibrant people.

Outfit details – Kaftan: Simply Be | Dress: Venus | Shoes: INC International Concepts | Clutch: INC International Concepts

Day 2

My second day in New Orleans, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel in the Ford Lounge called “Financial Winning”. Tiffany Aliche, also known as The Budgetnista, broke down everything you need to know about finances from budgeting to saving and most of all credit! As someone who chose a somewhat unconventional career path, I gained a wealth of knowledge from the talk and could really offer a unique perspective that many young entrepreneurs are faced with. It’s all about making your money “Go Further”!

Outfit details – Dress: ASOS

Day 3

I had some downtime so I tried to take in as much of the sights and sounds of New Orleans as I could. There is live music everywhere so I just walked all around the city in awe of this beautiful place. This red dress was perfect for the heat and humidity (which was no joke by the way!). It allowed for a cute yet ultra comfortable look.

Outfit details – Dress: RUE107 | Purse: Target

Before I headed home, I had one mission: to eat some beignets! So I went to none other than the famous Cafe Du Monde for this iconic New Orleans treat. The humidity had definitely gotten to me at this point so I opted for a white fedora to help keep me cool. Color was the theme of all of my looks and these Simply Be printed pants fit right in.

Outfit details – Top: Simply Be | Pants: Simply Be (would recommend sizing up) | Fedora: Amazon

Thank you so much to Ford Motor Company for this amazing opportunity! Also thank you to the Royal Sonesta for the southern hospitality. New Orleans, you definitely made a lasting impression on me and I will be back!

Photographer: Steve Suavemente

*This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own

My swimwear lookbook is here! Recently, I took a little vacation to Miami as you can see here. I stayed at the beautiful Nobu Eden Roc hotel and had an amazing time. While there, I took advantage of the gorgeous scenery and shot my annual swimwear lookbook right on the hotel grounds. Now if you’ve been following me for a while now, you already know the drill. But to those that are new to my blog, every year I round up some of my favorite swimwear styles of the season. You can see my previous posts here and here. Historically, it has been so difficult to find trendy plus size swimwear but every year I do this lookbook there seems to be more and more options. Here are just some of the cute styles that caught my eye and that I styled with my own little flair. Enjoy!

I featured La Blanca for the first time on my lookbook last year and I had to feature them again. This time, I went with their one pieces that are unlike any that I have seen out there. Their attention to detail with the lace up front and gold hardware makes for one fabulous poolside look.

La Blanca La Azteca Lace Up One Piece | Swimsuit Cover-up

La Blanca Wild Safari Lace Up Plunge | Zebra Sarong

What can I say? SwimsuitsForAll will always be a staple in my swimwear lookbook. Not only do they have such a wide variety of swimwear in a myriad of sizes but they have so many great collaborations with people like Ashley Graham, Gabi Fresh and more. I was particularly drawn to Gabi’s swimwear this year so I had to feature a couple of suits from her line.

GabiFresh x SwimsuitsForAll Inspiration Bikini G/H Cup (D/DD, E/F Cup found here)

GabiFresh x SwimsuitForAll Hera Bikini | Aphrodite Sarong

Kenneth Cole is making its debut to my annual lookbook. To be honest, I had no idea Kenneth Cole even made plus size swimwear. When I saw this mesh embroidered suit though, I immediately knew that it was a winner. This year I was particularly drawn to pieces that are unlike anything I’ve seen before and this was definitely it. The mesh panels with the beautiful garden design is super chic and a really clever way of being sexy without showing too much.

Kenneth Cole High Neck Garden Groove Top | Kenneth Cole Garden Groove High Waist Brief | Black Sarong

Last but certainly not least, there’s Miraclesuit. These suits are one of the most supportive and well-designed suits on the market. They hug you in all the right places and slim you down in the all the right places. I’m always amazed at how tiny my waist looks in their swimwear. Known for their one pieces, I went with some fun prints that really brought the suits to life!

Miraclesuit Printed Escape One Piece | Black Sarong

Miraclesuit Temptress One Piece Suit

I know that it is not always easy to feel confident in swimwear and trust me I have my days. Especially when it comes time to shoot this lookbook, I get especially anxious. Plus size women already get attention, whether positive or not, when wearing swimwear so you can imagine that it only amplifies when there’s a photographer and multiple wardrobe changes involved. However, each time I have done this shoot I have been met with people that give me amazing compliments and remind me of why I continue to showcase this lookbook. The more you face your fears and decide to live your life instead of hiding in the background, the more you realize that your insecurities are insignificant. It’s time to grow into confidence and enjoy all that life has to offer!

Photographer: Steve Suavemente