This post is sponsored by Macy’s!

Hello my loves,

And happy holidays! I hope you all had an incredible Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever way you choose to celebrate this time of year! As for me, I’m still winding down from spending my Christmas laughing, drinking, and eating enough for two haha! I love the days between Christmas and New Years because it’s this weird time of the year where you work less, rest more, and don’t really need to know what day it is! My main focus these days is solidifying my New Year’s Eve plans and deciding what to wear!

With that in mind, I’m grateful to be partnering with Macy’s to discuss an item of clothing that becomes very necessary for me during this season – shapewear! It’s a topic I’ve wanted to discuss here for a while because I know that there are a lot of mixed feelings about this particular item of clothing! While some hate shapewear with a passion, my work as a plus size model requires it to be a part of my regular life! And through this experience, there have been five major takeaways I’ve learned when it comes to shopping for shapewear!

Number 1: First things first, shapewear isn’t a replacement for learning to love your body! In high school, I used to wear shapewear every single day – at home, at church, in class, and even during P.E.! I had an extremely unhealthy view on shapewear and used it to feel better about my body. Even 16 year old Alex came off as confident, but my self esteem was tied to being able to smooth and hide my real body. That wasn’t real confidence because it was based on someone else’s perception of me and it took me years to learn how to actually love and accept my body. It was a lot of work and still an ongoing effort, but I promise it’s worth it! Now I wear shapewear to make wearing clothes more comfortable!

Number 2: Shapewear has tons of uses and different clothing requires different types of shapewear. I have shapewear that I use to block sweat marks, to prevent wrinkles, and to act as a barrier against chafing! Now that I’m in full holiday party mode, I’m wearing shapewear styles with built in shorts so that I can dance the night away and not worry about chub rub! I love the pair I’m wearing here because this MiracleSuit high waisted power short has soft cotton on the inside to keep me cool and a smooth nylon/spandex outside layer to block any sweat that may seep through all while protecting my thighs from rubbing together!

Number 3: One size does not truly fit all! There are many shapewear brands out there that only carry one or two sizes, but this isn’t the shapewear for me (or you!). I only want shapewear that is built to fit my body and not just squeeze my body! Macy’s carries shapewear up to a size 28!

Number 4: Details definitely do matter! When shopping for shapewear, I look at the fabric, fit description, and most importantly, the waistband! I like to wear shapers that have a silicon lining at the waist and thigh. Taking the time to consider these small details will save you from pulling, tugging, and re-adjusting your shapewear all day – which is possibly the most annoying thing about wearing shapewear!

Number 5: Shapewear is for you and for no one else! If you choose not to wear shapewear, I support you! If you choose to wear it, I support you too! And I urge you to find shapewear that serves a purpose further than simply making you smaller. Because you are beautiful and deserve to take up all the space you require!

All items in this post are available at Macy’s! As always, thank you for reading!

Xoxo,

Alex

This post is sponsored by Macy’s!

Fall Florals | City Chic at Macy’s!

November 12, 2018 Alex3 Comments

Hello my loves!

Fall is here and it is by far my favorite time of the year! Autumn leaves, cinnamon spice, and the promise of months of festivities is more than enough to make this girl excited about the changing season. However for me, fall is all about the fashion! It’s time to pack up your shorts and pull out your scarves! It’s time to play with different layers and silhouettes! And most importantly, fall gives you the best excuse to go shopping! I’m always looking for new brands to wear and one of my recent finds is City Chic! They are an Australian brand that is all about offering premium fearless clothes for plus size women! I was instantly impressed and that’s why I am so happy to be partnering with Macy’s to share this beautiful City Chic look for fall!

I was scrolling through the Macy’s site and immediately fell in love with the lux feel of this dress! At first, I was drawn to the sheer floral design and the flowy fabric! But the cut is what takes this dress to the next level for me! This maxi dress is easy breezy enough for day and easily dressed up for night!

I opted for a leather jacket; because if I’m being honest with myself, even the slightest breeze is reason enough for me to bust out the layers. I also wanted to add some kind of pop that would take the look to the next level, so I choose to pair the dress with bright white booties! Styled this way, I’d wear the look out for a date or an event or girls night out! You could swap the booties for a pair of pumps for a more upscale look.

All items in this post are available at Macy’s! As always, thank you for reading!

Xoxo,

Alex

Thank you Macy’s for sponsoring this post!

NY Collection at Macy’s!

September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 AlexLeave a comment

NY Collection at Macy’s!

Hello beauty! How are you? How have you been? How’s your mama? What’s up with me? That’s so sweet of you to ask…

I’m currently sitting at a cafe in San Francisco it is CHILLY!! It’s super foggy and misty; and the summer breeze feels more like a distant cousin of a hurricane! The longer I sit here the more grateful I am that summer is not over at home in LA!

We’ve officially reached the time of the year where I’m still shopping for summer, but I’m mentally preparing for fall! And you should be too! I’m thrilled to be partnering with Macy’s to share their NY Collection because this line is a great starting point when looking for those perfect transitional pieces to get you through the next few months!

The first thing you’ll notice about the NY Collection is that it is super stinkin cute! It’s really giving you a taste of New York with pieces that offer everything from the elevated, chic look of Manhattan to the more balanced boho vibes of Brooklyn. I opted to represent my old stomping grounds and style this adorable floral print shift dress.

It’s perfect for summer because of its light airy fabric and cute lace up details. This dress would honestly look great with heels, boots, flats, or even the right pair of sneakers! It’s versatility is what makes it a good choice; however, it is the fit that makes it a great choice! The dress pintucks at the waist and flares out along the bottom making a great silhouette whether you carry your most weight in your bust, belly, or hips.

I’m so happy with this dress for summer and I can’t wait to style it for the fall! You could pair it with a suede moto jacket and a pair of booties; or my personal choice would be to pair the dress with tall boots, trench coat, and a beanie! How would you style this dress to take it from summer to fall? Any way you wear it, it’s going to have you feeling (and looking) incredible!

All items in this post are available at Macy’s! As always, thank you for reading!

Xoxo,

Alex

Thank you Macy’s for sponsoring this post!

Tommy Hilfiger | Sponsored by Macy’s

July 27, 2018July 26, 2018 AlexLeave a comment

Special thanks to Macy’s for sponsoring this post!

We are officially in the full swing of summer and I, for one, am so happy! I know, I know… I live in Los Angeles where it’s practically always summer weather (I’m talking 90 degree Christmas’s here), but I still long for these summer months because of all the incredible summer clothes! Today, I’m excited to be partnering with Macy’s to share the latest Tommy Hilfiger plus size summer collection, because 1.) the clothes are super cute and 2.) I’m finally tackling my fear of chino pants!

When I first saw that Tommy Hilfiger had launched plus sizes, I was thrilled to see such an iconic brand cater to us curvy girls! There are so many incredible dresses and polos in their summer collection, but the first thing that really caught my eye were these navy chino pants! I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been afraid to rock the chino look because I was scared they wouldn’t flatter my hips! Clearly, I was wrong! Look how great these look! I tried these babies on and was immediately impressed with the fit, the quality, and just how amazing they made me feel!

It may sound silly, but I really do believe there is power in your fashion choices! So often, we are told that we are too big, too small, too femme, to masculine, too extra, too…(you get the idea) to wear something! And that couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s YOUR body, so YOU get to decide what kind of styles get to go on it! We are taught from an early age to wear clothes that flatter your body a.k.a. clothes that make you look smaller or more hourglass or closer to whatever beauty standard you are being asked to meet. I challenge you to prioritize wearing clothes that make you feel happy instead of clothes that make feel like you fit in! It’s so rewarding!

I decided to channel my inner prep girl and style these with this a classic striped button up, a nude pump, and some gold accents. For me, this outfit was all about showing off my new found love for chino’s and I thought the striped shirt was the perfect compliment. I kept it casual with quick front knot and a few unbuttoned buttons, but you could also tuck it in and add a belt and a blazer for a more polished look. What I love about these pants is that they will carry me into fall where I will definitely pair them with a chunky sweater and some booties! There are so many ways to style them and make them your own!

I am so happy that I was able to tackle my fear and fully embrace these Tommy Hilfiger chino pants! I know I’ll be wearing them over and over again! Okay, now it’s your turn! I want to know, how would you style them?

All of the items in this post are available at Macy’s! As always, thank you for reading and I hope you all have an incredible summer!

Xoxo,

Alex

Spring Denim with Macy’s

April 16, 2018 Alex2 Comments

Celebrity Pink Denim | Sponsored by Macy’s

The time has come! It’s time to put our winter coats in storage and slowly transition to our warmer weather wardrobe. It took a bit longer than we all hoped, but Spring has finally sprung and I, for one, am pretty hype about! I love dressing for Spring because it’s a perfect time to update your denim collection and who doesn’t want that?! Denim for spring isn’t necessarily groundbreaking *cue Miranda Presley voice*, but I do have a spring wardrobe go-to that has literally never failed me! I’ve partnered with my friends over at Macy’s to show off these amazing Celebrity Pink jeans and to share my spring favorite: white denim!

White denim is a spring staple for the versatility alone! You can create any look, vibe, or aesthetic that you want (okay maybe with the exception of a goth girl throwback)! One pair of jeans can take you from the mall to date night to church to the club. It’s all about finding the right pair of jeans!

So what do I look for in a good pair of white jeans? Well first and foremost, fit will always be the biggest factor in any shopping experience! I love that these jeans stretch and hug my curves in all the right places while still keeping shape throughout the day! I like to wear my jeans a little looser than average, but I definitely avoid any pair of jeans that is easily overstretched and made awkwardly baggy. These jeans held their fit for hours, providing stretch without losing their shape! Another thing that is super important when buying white denim is making sure that the fabric is thick enough and won’t turn see through in bright light! Who else has worn a pair of unexpectedly thin clothing only to discover too late that your whole butt is displayed for the world to see? Just me? Well, I didn’t have to worry about these jeans at all!

I had a blast styling these jeans two different ways! When you have good quality basics, styling is really about accessories. For my first look, I allowed the jeans to speak for themselves and kept my styling sweet and simple. A clean pair of white sneakers, a black and white striped tee, and an ankle cuff allows you to be comfy while still having that put together look! I wear my denim like this most days tbh, but sometimes you need to take it to the next level!

I was all about this pop of lavender for the second look! Lavender is a huge trend this spring and it looks great with the white denim. I decided to keep the black and white tee, switch up the shoes to these lavender slingback mules, add a suede envelope clutch to match; and viola, you’ve got a whole new look!

Your options really feel limitless once you step into a pair of these Celebrity Pink skinnies! How would you style your pair?

All of the items in this post are available at Macy’s! Thank you for reading!

Xoxo,

Alex

Special thanks to Macy’s for sponsoring this post!

ALEX LAROSA

Tag: macys

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Spring Denim with Macy’s