The Curvy Blogger

Like I said before, I was really excited for Prabal’s target collection. For this dress I loved the print but didn’t love the drop waist style on me, so I added a skirt to accentuate my waist line. :)

ITS WARM OUT! :D

dress: Prabal Gurung for target, skirt: Marshalls, earrings: OLD (read: no clue where I got them), shoes: Jeffrey Campbell

Happy Wednesday!!! <3

I was so overdue for an outfit post! With the engagement and my new job I have been swamped. 

I am also learning that planning a wedding is a lot of work! :P Who knew?! But we have figured out our wedding month (September 2014), are on the hunt for venues (outside of a B&B/mansion type thing), and have an idea of the total feel of the day. We also are super close to booking a photographer which I won’t announce until the contract is signed (you know who you are and WE CANNOT WAIT).

But even though all of this is hard and money absorbing I am REALLY excited to do most of the planning myself. After attending a bajillion (apparently not a word) weddings as a photographer and vendor I am so excited to make an event to my taste. :) 

But here I am and this is what I am wearing today.

The weather has been gorgeous lately but it is still a bit chilly. I haven’t been able to bust out my summer dresses yet, yet the trees are SO stunning around my neighborhood. 

I am wearing a scarf that I was sent as a Christmas gift from Tadashi Shoji, I wanted to do something different with it so I wore it as a top and twisted it into my bra in the back. :)

As for the bag, it is a film camera bag my grandmother let me borrow. I have been playing with her camera and old lenses for the past couple weeks and I am waiting for some of the results as we speak! 

jeans: levi (via goodwill), top: scarf c/o Tadashi Shoji robe: goodwill boots: gifted earrings: gifted film camera bag: borrowed from grandmother

<3 Happy Thursday!

When Prabal came out with his collection for target I knew I had to get my hands on a few pieces! He is in my top 10 favorite designers and the fact that I could afford something he has designed put me on cloud nine! :)

shoes+dress: Prabal Gurung for Target! <3

Ignore the wrinkles… It was mushed in my suitcase. ;)

Happy Monday everyone!! <3

I called Mandy to meet me at the dog park by our apartment so we could take a walk and relax after I returned from my “business trip.” We had a date planned for that evening, some welcome downtime after moving and working the previous week. We were going to hike around the park for a bit, wearing out our dog Luna in the process, then go to dinner and a movie. I casually suggested this last week as if it was any ordinary day.

I went straight from my “business trip” to the dog park and called Mandy to meet me. When she rounded the corner with our dog on the leash, I started to get anxious. I started pacing by my car and Mandy eyed me with suspicion. I only pace when I’m talking on the phone and when I’m nervous. I definitely wasn’t talking on the phone.

Luna was excited to see me because I was away the previous night on “business.” That quickly wore off as she realized that there are many more wonderful scents inside the dog park. She was off bursting into the field and Mandy and I started to stroll around the park. Before she could say anything, I said I wanted to tell her something. I’d been doing a lot of thinking while driving to and from my “business trip” and wanted to express my feelings toward her. I had thought about this moment in my head for months, and I imagined the speech sounding a little something like from a romantic comedy when the Ryan Gosling finally realizes he’s loved the girl all along, and eloquently expresses every one of his 46 different emotions.

What happened in reality was that we got about 20 feet into the park and I ran out of things to say. I already said the “I love you” and “I’ve never been happier” stuff, but didn’t want to get to the “I want to spend the rest of my life with you” part yet. We were still too far away.

I led Mandy down a path we don’t usually take in the park (there’s probably a metaphor there somewhere). I had my arm around her when she noticed a little brown ball under the bench in the park. She said “Oh my gosh. Is that a dog?” I replied, “Nah that’s probably just a piece of cardboard.” We took another 10 steps and she really started to see that is was in fact a dog. “It’s the cutest thing ever. Who would leave a dog tied up like that here?” At this point, I get a jump in my step and race ahead of her. I had to get to this mystery dog first. I also didn’t want Mandy to see my face. It was a mix of excitement, smiling, and horrible acting.

Mandy isn’t too far behind. When I reach the dog, I pretend to meet her for the first time and look at the tag. “Foxey.” That was the name we talked about for our puppy whenever we decide to get one another one. I do my best to act freaked out like David Blaine. At this point, I know exactly what is coming so I start to tear up. I tell Mandy to look at the back of the tag. As she does, I get down on one knee and am waiting for her when she turns around.

She immediately says “yes” and joins me on her knees. We hug for a couple minutes, all the while our dog Luna is running around the park as happy and clueless as can be. I really expected Mandy to cry so I wasn’t the only one, but there was a flaw in my plan. I didn’t think about how overwhelmed she’ll be. On a scale of 1 to 10, she was probably a 14. The happy crying stage is probably a 6 or 7.

We talk and hug a lot more as I put the ring on her finger. We turn around and there snapping away is our photographer friend, Dawn Derbyshire. I asked her to photograph the moment and she jumped at the chance. All of the photographs turned out absolutely amazing.

We all talk for a few minutes and we start to head out of the park, Mandy still processing everything. We bid adieu to Dawn and decide to take a lap around the park to talk about everything. I can finally stop hiding things like I had been for the past few months.

After our lap, we head home to settle down. Luna still has no idea we’re bringing home a new baby. Mandy hasn’t fully realized it either.

We get home and relax and snack on food. I still have a romantic dinner for two of us planned and we have to kill time before that. After that, we were planning to drive out to see our parents and let them know the good news. I remark about how this is probably the most surprised Mandy will ever be in her life.

She says “You still owe me a surprise birthday party sometime.”

Haha.

We leave for dinner after settling down Foxey. I’m driving us to our favorite sushi restaurant in Pittsburgh, Kiyoshi, where we can finally relax and take it all in. We get there and ask the host for a table for two. I ask for a little privacy because we’re celebrating something. The host leads us into the back room where all of our close friends and family yell out “surprise” when Mandy walks in ahead of me. She looks terrified, but quickly realizes what’s going on.

We enjoy a wonderful, gut-busting dinner of sushi with our very best friends and closest family. I lied to them and told them we were getting together to celebrate Mandy’s half birthday. Evidentally, I’m a terrible liar and they all knew what was really going on. Not much gets past them.

Looks like I don’t owe her that surprise party anymore ;-)

A little behind the scenes

I knew I wanted to marry Mandy in the middle of last year. I told her that to stop the constant if-you-like-it-then-you-shoulda-puta-ring-on-it speil. I knew I wanted to marry the love of my life (Mandy), but I wanted to ask her in a unique way that we would tell the story about for ages. Like be excited to tell our grandkids kind of story.

The way I’d do it came to me when I was drifting off to sleep one night. A puppy. A little golden doodle puppy, Mandy’s dream dog. It would be like a Hallmark commercial, cute heart tag with “Will you marry me?” and everything. Bingo.

I did my research for weeks on the kind of golden doodle to get. You’d be surprised about how many different types of fluffy dogs there are. Cream or apricot. Curly or wavy. Medium, mini, or regular. Male or female. I eventually found a great breeder near our hometown of Pittsburgh and put in a deposit.

Now it was a waiting game. I knew that I was going to propose to Mandy. I knew how. Now all I needed was the prop in our little show. In January, I got word that the mama dog was pregnant. On February 12th, when I was in Canada with friends, I got word that the puppies were born. I got a picture from the breeder right away and the puppies were already little fluff balls and their eyes weren’t even open yet.

When they were born, I knew roughly when I’d be proposing to Mandy. I asked Dawn to photograph everything. I asked Mandy’s father for permission. The pieces were falling into place.

Honestly, the hardest part about everything was deflecting Mandy’s constant, and I mean constant, hints that she wants to be engaged. Actually, “hints” is probably the wrong word. More like flat out suggestions that she wants a ring. I had to lie for over 6 months and pretend not to be interested in wedding planning or engagement ring shopping. Every time the topic would come up, I’d roll my eyes and try to change the subject. I wanted Mandy to be truly surprised and I think she was.

I’m looking forward to seeing what surprises she has for me up her sleeves :-D

Let’s start with how obnoxious I am. For about a year I have been dropping not-so-subtle hints to Kevin about engagement rings. I was excited because I knew I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life. We have been together for 6 years and it took us a while (5 years) to realize that we were meant for each other. But hey, we were young and just having fun together. :P

Kevin was finally kind to me and told me he actually did want to marry me too, but it would happen in December. I was impatient but at least I knew it wasn’t a one way thing!

I could handle December. I could wait. OK, so I was frustrated and I kept pushing all thoughts of being engaged, diamonds, and wedding planning out of my head. When I think about something I am completely obsessed with it, so my brain needed a break.

This doesn’t mean I didn’t complain to all of my friends and my mom, especially when it didn’t happen on vacation! :P OK, now back to the actual story of the day.

We planned on having a day date on Monday, April 8th. We just moved in together on the 1st and needed a day of relaxation and fun. When he suggested planning it I was slightly put off and thinking… maybe? engagement? Then I told myself “No, Mandy, don’t get obsessed about it you will be pissed when it doesn’t happen! Like vacation…” Therefore, I pushed the thought out of my head and swore not to think about it. I didn’t again, until a few signs later.

He told me out of the blue that one of his clients needed him to go to this conference with him on Sunday. Didn’t think much of it, but was excited to get some stuff done around the apartment. 

I remember feeling so good that morning, I was super early for my doctors appointment and knew I would see Kevin that afternoon. The doctors appointment was fairly painless, and I was heading home to Luna and Nimby to do some last minute cleaning (to surprise Kevin). Once I was within 10 minutes to our place I get a call from Kevin saying he was running a head of schedule and wondered if I would meet him at the dog park. I park at our place, pick up Luna, and walk to the dog park.

When I first see Kevin he is pacing (on the phone) and I just assumed he was talking to his client. Luna starts to see him and begins whining so I let her race towards him. When I get closer I cannot help but notice a shape in his left pocket that looked like a small box. But again I told myself “No, Mandy, its probably something else”.

I start talking about random everyday stuff, then he cuts me off by saying he has something really important he needs to talk to me about. At first I get really nervous, he sounded really nervous/worried so I wondered if something happened or he was mad at me. Then he goes on about how happy I make him and that he loves me and doesn’t want to be with anyone but me. Again I didn’t think anything of it, we have talks like this all the time. :) This is all the while we are walking through the dog park. We lost Luna a few times so we had to call her back. He starts to run out of things to say I noticed and we just talk about Luna.

 All of a sudden I see this small golden thing under a park bench. I said to Kevin “Is that a dog?!?”, and he said it must be a piece of cardboard. I thought he was nuts because it definitely was moving and looked exactly like a puppy. I was freaking out and started walking faster because I couldn’t believe someone would leave a dog in the middle of a park tied to a bench!!! THE NERVE!

We finally get close to the puppy and I realize it is the exact puppy I have always wanted (golden doodle) and I was thinking there is no way someone would leave a dog like that in the middle of the park! Then Kevin tells me to check the tag. I see it says Foxey which is the name we discussed for this puppy. Then I start to realize it had to be him! Next Kevin says to look at the back of the tag and his voice is choking up. I flip the tag over (hands shaking), and it says “Mandy, will you marry me”.

I turn around and he is on one knee crying and then he repeated the words. I am overwhelmed with emotion and I run to him and get on my knees and hug him while saying yes, over and over. :}

Turns out instead of his business trip he had to pick up a puppy! :)

I am a lucky girl! He also had a photographer friend (Dawn Derbyshire) capture it all.

<3

EDIT: I forgot to mention the after the proposal part! I was shocked and excited and naturally wanted to tell everyone about it! But he told me not to because he thought we should go to see our parents first to tell them in person. I was annoyed only slightly! ;) Before we went to our parents we had dinner plans at a place that was a surprise! I guessed it of course. But I was excited to have dinner out with my new fiance! So we get all dolled up, and drive to our favorite sushi place in Pittsburgh. He said he made a reservation which I thought was weird because it’s usually not busy on a Monday night! But I went along with it thinking maybe he got us a special table or something.

We park and I notice that there are a lot more cars than I expected there. I guess it was good he made a reservation! We walk in and there aren’t many people at the tables. So I thought there was a banquet or birthday party of some sort in the back. Then the waiter brings us to the back and everyone yells “SURPRISE!” Kevin planned a party too!! Surrounded by lots of our good friends and family I was so surprised! I was so excited to be able to tell them first that we got engaged. :) Turns out Kevin told them it was my “half birthday” celebration, but as we talked with them they all thought it was something else! Why? Because it wasn’t my half birthday! ;) haha

OK. NOW I’m done.

Today I move in with Kevin for the first time in the 6 years we have been dating. I cannot even tell you how excited I am! We tried doing it a few times before, but I do not think we were ready. I think I was kind of scared because moving in with him would mean we would have to split bills and worry about money together. Money is the root of a lot of break ups and I was terrified that would happen to us.

We have grown so much as a couple over the past year it is insane, I know now that I have no hesitations in living with him. We agree on so many things financially too, which is awesome. For example, we are all about paying off our school loans before making a huge investment like a house. After talking more openly about these things I have become so much less afraid of sharing my life with him.

It is also an amazing thought that he may be my roommate for the rest of my life! I used to be so scared of huge commitments, but he is the only one who has made me more comfortable with things like that. He brings out the best in me. :)

I know I haven’t gotten this personal in ages on this blog, but I felt like a post like this was due. <3

^had to do a silly pic

Here is my second post in my little bikini challenge for myself. For some reason, I have always had this reflex to cover my lower belly. So this one is like my “cheat day” suit, because I was more comfortable in this suit then the rest of the days. :P This was in the middle of the trip, so I deserved a comfort day right?! ;)

This suit is by Esther Williams!

<3 Hope you are all having a good week! I am in the midst of moving… GAH, the joys.

While I was on vacation, I made it a rule that I had to be photographed in each bathing suit that I wore… Why? Because I wanted to prove to myself that I am strong enough to share them with you all. 

When I was in high school, it was my BIGGEST fear that I would run into someone from school while in a bathing suit. I imagined the world would crumble and they would tell all of their friends what I looked like in detail, cellulite and all! Now, I am realizing how stupid that was, but I was extremely self conscious and I am so glad that is now a closed chapter in my life.

Every bathing suit I wore was slightly out of my typical comfort zone on this trip. I didn’t even bring a one piece! But I am going to take the time to share every suit on this blog.

This suit was AWESOME! I got it from Target, and when I tried on the bottoms the first time I was really worried because they didn’t fit, but then I realized I could make them a bit looser by untying the sides! Therefore I wouldn’t have a muffin top! :) Oh, and padded bikini tops?! My new best friends. 

<3 Mandy

p.s. I wanted to share with you all, I know how to retouch and alter things in Photoshop but I held myself back in all of these images (and 99% of the images on my blog)! I am very proud of myself haha. :P

I decided to let Kevin choose a dress for me to get for vacation, and this is the one he picked. He really liked the colors and the way it fit me, so I figured why not? :) It is not my usual style, but great for brunch with family or something along those lines. Did I mention it is super comfortable and fits me like a dream?

dress: c/o London Times

shoes: Prabal Gurung for Target

Leaving for St. John for a day of hiking and exploration!

Gorgeous sailboat we saw while leaving St. Thomas’s Red Hook Bay!

My view from the ferry

Cruz Bay, St. John

So we knew there was a trail to Honeymoon beach but decided to figure it out ourselves. We ended up taking a trail that took us up a mountain and then down it to the beach. The more difficult way (caneel hill trail), but we really felt we deserved the beach after. :)

The gorgeous honeymoon beach, which is on our top 5 most beautiful beaches in the world list (though we haven’t been to many)… haha

Me jumping for joy

The water was so warm and inviting here, I couldn’t stay out of it.

Brought my tripod so Kevin and I could get some great pics! :)

Explorin’

Funny story about this chicken, she wouldn’t leave us alone! All we brought was water, banana chips and oranges, so I thought she must be thirsty! I poured some water in my hand and offered it to her, then she bit my hand and ran away. I yelped out of surprise, and Kevin made fun of me.  Good story right? ;)

After a long day of hiking and exploring we grabbed dinner at “The Fish Trap” on St. John, so yummy!

Finished our meal off with this amazing coconut butter cake thingy! NOMS

The ferry leaves every hour at St. John, by the time we started walking back to the ferry it was about 5 minutes after the last one left! So, we just hung out by the dock.

And watched the sun set. :)

We had so much fun at St. John, we decided to go back! More pictures to come. <3

Happy Friday everyone! I was lucky enough to be featured twice recently, and I wanted to draw some attention to them. :)

First feature is Sew Magazine, which is a printed sewing magazine in the UK!! Also, huge thanks to my talented friend Veronica Varos who’s images are gracing the top of this feature (top left and top right)!

Second feature, I was selected with a bunch of other amazing curvy ladies for an article in Daily Life in Australia! So awesome!

<3 Have a great weekend everyone! <3

^listenin’ for the ocean

The one time it rained on our whole vacation was when I was wearing this outfit! Thus we had to shoot inside, we stayed in the most amazing apartment from airbnb and the perfect window wall (click here for the listing). Which made it a dream for indoor shooting, SO MUCH LIGHT! :)

I actually scored this look from target on SUPER sale! I think this outfit total (including the shoes) was under $50! I love me some clearance sales.

But I was so excited to find this outfit before vacation because I pretty much have to wait til summer to wear it again. :(

This weekend: My little sister is the costume manager for Beauty and the Beast playing at her high school so all of my family and kevo are going to see her work! :) I am so excited for her. ALSO, I have an amazing engagement session with this pretty lady and her fiance! Cannot wait!

Have a great weekend everyone! <3

Out of the airplane window 

These are bananaquits! They are the virgin islands state bird that eat lots of sugar (read: TOTAL SPAZZES). 

Coki beach is pictured above! This was probably our least favorite beach, it was small and there were a lot of ppl smoking which gave me a headache. I am a wimp, but I mean it was the ocean so it was still gorgeous. :P

Kev at Coki beach!

Feet at Coki!

Cute wittle bird at Coki!

We stayed at a place that had a PRIVATE POOL! It was awesome. We would get home from the beach, and go straight to the pool, cocktails in hand. ;)

Kevo loves pools. :)

Now THIS is what I’m talking about! Magens Bay!

Magens bay was probably our favorite beach in St. Thomas. The only complaint I had was how packed it got! Luckily, because we were there for 7 days we got to figure out when the least amount of cruise ships were in, so we came back after a few days which you will see later. ;)

It doesn’t look super packed here because we were far away from the bar and hustle bustle.

*sigh*

My orange toes!

Kevin being all brave going into the ocean.

Me being scared of it but going in anyways.

… I don’t like cold water much. But seriously after a few days, I was so used to the temperatures and the water felt SO warm!

Stay tuned for more trip coverage! <3