Jay Miranda

Good Taste, Mom Life, Homeschooling

Spotted: Talbots Spring Plus-Size Fashion

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Outfit details: Crepe spot dress, Crepe tie sleeve blouse, Knit jersey pants

This spring is ladylike and full of classics in black, white, and navy which can be softened up for day with bright, fun accessories. I got a chance to play with Talbots’ new spring collection, available through size 24w. You’ll definitely want to check it out. It’s full of easy-to-wear silhouettes, dots and stripes, jersey, low heels, and pretty details. Basically, this is for the modern classic lady who wants to look lovely and stay comfy. Um, me.

I know some of us can feel a little shy about prints, especially in plus size fashion, but there’s really no need to worry. There’s no print you can’t wear. Unsure how to mix your prints? A dress like this with dots in two sizes takes care of that for you. Side note: this dress drapes beautifully and is such a relaxed way to look dressed up. If you want more definition, just add a belt in a fun color. It can be hard to find plus size dresses that fit just right because plus size women comes in different shapes. This dress will work on a variety of body types and that makes me happy.

Back to prints—need your clothes to be versatile but want to breathe fresh air into your style? A pretty, printed top will work with your go-to neutrals and can be dressed up or down. If dots aren’t your cup of tea, Talbots has SO MANY stripes for spring. All your nautical dreams can come true.

Oh! Can’t forget accessories. I fell in love with these comfy ankle-strap heels, this scalloped purse, pink gem necklace, and these pink tortoise sunglasses. Once winter fades and we put away our coats, our accessories can really sing. (If you love this little bag, you need to see it in yellow zest.)

While in the store, I got to see more of Talbots’ new Knit Jersey System of Style. It’s all about versatility and comfort. Jersey is definitely a springtime staple: light, stretchy, wrinkle-free. Mix and match with what you already have in your closet and you end up with lots more outfit ideas. I’m wearing the cropped pants here and got to try on a few more styles in the dressing room. So good for your travels! SO SOFT. You know those days when you just want to wear soft pants? I know them well. I love anything that helps me look pretty and polished, effortlessly.

One more thing! Talbots released this really lovely plus-size mailer. You can flip through it here!

#Sponsored by Talbots  #ModernClassicStyle
Photos by Jessica Castro

 

Shine from Within

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Shimmer dress: here

I love ideas about futurism and fashion. I wonder if the future will be replete with muslin and shades of moss or whether we’re going to be floating in space in something more dazzling. If the latter is the case, you can start now by adding some Lavish Alice to your closet. This UK brand makes clothes somewhere in between space chic and insta-baddie. Think: dramatic capes, fluid lines, geometry, and bodycon. Consider this iridescent wonder. This would be perfect for New Year’s Eve or any cocktail party where you want to stand out.

This dress was a personal reminder that no matter who you think you are, you can become someone new if only a few circumstances get shifted around. Where you are, who you’re with, and what you’re wearing. When I saw this dress, I had a bit of self-doubt: can I still pull it off like that? Wearing it, I was once again reminded of transformative power of a great dress. Be the woman who wears the dress.

 

 

Moana Birthday Party For Julia

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A few months ago I told myself I wasn’t going to go overboard for Julia’s 5th birthday. When the day came I had made my whole family dress thematically, hired a princess, bought grass skirts for the kids, got Hawaiian catering, curated the perfect island playlist, and put out an ocean-themed spread. Like all well-meaning moms, the day before the party, I was pretty frazzled. But the party came together beautifully and my heart runs over with love and gratitude that I can be Julia’s mom. Five years old!

Moana birthday party ocean table spread

Moana birthday party hula skirts

I really do love throwing parties and entertaining friends. Julia loves parties too so when she gave me the theme (Moana) I sailed with it! I bought most of our party supplies from Oriental Trading. My tip is to shop a few weeks early to take advantage of free shipping codes. Check out their Luau section because that’s where I got all the cutest stuff like the grass skirts, tiki popcorn boxes, pineapple favor boxes, and sea life masks. We got our cake from Some Crust Bakery in Claremont, Calif. The sparkly aquamarine fringe backdrop is from Amazon. Julia’s romper is from Gymboree. I got my dress from ASOS.

For lunch we got catering from a local Hawaiian restaurant: barbecue chicken, kalua pork, rice, musubi and malasadas (which are donuts.) I made sure we had lots of veggies, fruit, and a seaweed salad to balance it out. Another party hit was a caramel and cheesy popcorn mix I found at Costco. We also got pizza for the kids as a backup.

For games and fun, we hired a princess from Wishing Well Entertainment. We’ve also hired Princess and Me in the past. We love both and recommend them if you’re in the Los Angeles area. The kids loved her! She did a dance lesson, temporary tattoos, storytime, general princess stuff. We also did the sea life mask craft, a backyard treasure hunt, and this adorable hula pig piñata.

Finally, here’s the Moana Playlist I compiled for the party. It’s full of Hawaiian vibes, Moana soundtrack favorites, and a few songs all about my little girl, but which you might love too, like my all time favorite, “Daughter” by Loudon Wainwright, which goes:

Everything she sees, she says she wants
Everything she wants, I see she gets
That’s my daughter in the water
Everything she owns, I bought her
Everything she owns
That’s my daughter in the water
Everything she knows, I taught her
Everything she knows
Everything I say, she takes to heart
Everything she takes, she takes apart
That’s my daughter in the water
Every time she fell, I caught her
Every time she fell
And that’s my daughter in the water
I lost every time I fought her
Yeah, I lost every time
Every time she blinks, she’d strike somebody blind
Everything she thinks blows her tiny mind
That’s my daughter in the water
Who’d have ever thought her?
Who’d have ever thought?
That’s my daughter in the water
I lost every time I fought her
Yeah, I lost every time.

The Average Woman

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Jay Miranda, Lauren Downing Peters, and Rachel Kinnard. Photo: Racheal Pena.

I had the pleasure of speaking at CLOTHING & SIZE, a panel organized by Rachel Kinnard along with Sommer Green, Lauren Downing Peters, and Marcy Guevera-Prete. If the subjects of plus size fashion and body positivity interest you, it’s a great read.

The average American woman is said to wear a size 16. Marcy made a brilliant point about the average woman–she has obligations, works, is married, has kids. “She’s always buying the kids shoes!” This made me think the average American woman probably feels like her whole life has been marked by transitions. I have certainly felt this way. Babies, career moves, aging parents, etc.

Then there’s the idea that plus-size women see themselves as a body in transition. This might be true for some, but it’s often used as an excuse against making clothes in our size.

As you grow into your 30s, the meaning of fashion shifts. You might be thinking about or spending more on others than yourself. You might be focusing your energy on other areas of your life. That’s grown woman stuff.

And that’s fine, until you need a dress for an event.

My body HAS changed in the last few years and this HAS been a challenge I haven’t written about. I’m a few sizes smaller. My proportions have changed. Some things don’t fit as expected and I’ve felt a little sad in the dressing room at times. Dressing a different body is an adjustment.

Then, serendipitously, you find an amazing dress. And you get it for yourself, as you are now.

What can I say about Target? There’s no other place where you can buy detergent, play doh, and a dress that makes you feel like you’re falling love in Portofino.

OK, OK, that last part was probably due to the fact that my husband and I had dinner afterwards at SPERANZA, a beautiful little Italian restaurant in Los Feliz, Calif.

Gazing at my husband over a candlelit dinner while he tells how much he loves me in the unrestrained ways of pinot grigio? Um yeah, I could do that every night.

Garden canopy at Speranza.

But. This. Dress.

It’s a wrap dress, which means I got a perfect fit. It’s on-trend with these gorgeous prairie ruffles. It was flirty, romantic, feminine. It was cotton. It was under $40. Let’s all collectively hope that Target’s Who What Wear collaboration endures.

Maybe life shifts more toward experiences than appearances. But the right outfit can always enhance how we feel. And how we feel in the moment is ultimately what we remember.

If you want THIS PARTICULAR DRESS, you might still find it in-store in straight and plus-size.

Wishing you more of those wonderful, unexpected moments. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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