September 2020 | Le Hoarder
Le Hoarder

A NYC -ish* Style and Shopping Blog

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Minkoff and Fashion Week Madness

This year NYFW didn't look like previous years. Presentations were streamed online and you could easily watch from the comfort of home in your tie-dye PJs. There were a few exceptions, and last week I hit the City and headed to Spring Studios for my one IRL rooftop presentation—Rebecca Minkoff

I'm proud to share that I've once again been included in InStyle.com's plus street style roundup. As I said, I channeled my inner J.Lo with this Baacal maxi wrap dress that reminded me of her iconic Versace dress. I was looking for something with color and movement for my one IRL NYFW presentation at Spring Studios. Added these green Valentino sunglasses and a few pops of white (no white after Labor Day isn’t a thing anymore) to complete the look.




Shutting down the big shows leveled the playing field and probably saved the designers hundreds of thousands of dollars in production costs. But as a blogger/influencer it meant the loss of priceless networking and photo opportunities with which we hustle and turn into collaboration opportunities. So when this invite turned up in my inbox a week before the presentation, I couldn't resist. 

What I love about Rebecca's shows is that they're immediately shoppable. Unlike other designers that make you wait months, you can head to her website and shop the looks on the spot. The show was very much her boho chic, rocker girl esthetic but I loved most was her nod to motherhood with a pregnant model and her new Medela collab pump bag hidden in plain sight. My only note is that the models weren't as diverse as years past. I did see a mix of ethnicities but not much for size diversity which was a little disappointing. There were a couple models who looked larger than a size 4 but I guess I shouldn't be surprised because right now there isn't anything larger than an XXL (which is a size 12?!) and that's not even for most items. What she did do right were matching masks for every look—I seriously need them all. I keep checking the site but they haven't seem to have dropped yet. With designer face masks being the new it-accessory, I'm sure they will roll out with the rest of the collection soon.







Can you spy the Rebecca Minkoff x Medela pump bag?

And frankly after months of quarantine, I missed my fashion friends. Fashion Week usually feels like a reunion when I see my online friends from all over the world amidst the crush of shows, and madness of photographers swarming to catch the shot. It was so good to see Greivy and Wendy—and a bunch of my New York crew who popped up. Overall it felt pretty safe with everyone wearing their masks and keeping their distance. When you entered Spring Studios they took your temperature and guests had a 15 minute time slot for the presentation. Each slot was extremely limited and I went in with Wendy (Greivy had a later slot) and we enjoyed the fresh air and fashion. It was a welcome change compared to last season where you could have easily waited on line for hours only to get in...and still have to battle crowds. Although I confess that last time Ella and I waltzed in to the preview with a connected friend and skipped the line completely. 




I had less than a week to pull together this look so I immediately reached out to a few brands and designers, including Baacal who graciously came through with this maxi wrap dress No. 27 in green superbloom silk chiffon. If it looks a little familiar it's because I already own it in blue--and you may have seen me wear it last NYFW or more recently on my feed on a daytrip to Manor Farm in Long Island. 

Quick note, I've linked what I could (some affiliate, some not) which means I may get a few pennies when you click thru. My shoe habit thanks you.

And for me, because fit is so key, I wanted something I knew I could take out of the box and put right on without needing to tweak anything. So I really had to choose wisely. Although it did not help that my package got delayed in shipping and I had to drive to the UPS pickup center the morning of the show to grab it so I'd have it in time. I was literally down to the wire. Within hours my sunglasses arrived (also got delayed and I nearly had a heart attack from the stress) so I matched up a few accessories and ran out the door. Ideally I like to plan my fashion weeks looks weeks if not months in advance, but I've always been good at the make-it-work scramble.




I personally look for forever pieces to add to my wardrobe. From this look, only the dress and sunglasses are new—the rest are from my closet. Cynthia Vincent designs sustainably with limited run collections (and with upcycled, vintage and existing materials) in sizes 10-22 that are made in the US. Fashion isn't supposed to be disposable and I'm honored to work with designers like Cynthia who focus on sustainability, luxury and fit for larger sizes.

I should note that these dresses are sheer so I wore this one with a white Torrid slip from this dress but I'm wishing I went with a nude. I already have a yellow Staud belt and bag from their sample sale set aside for the next time I wear it...





Earrings: Stella and Ruby c/o
Sunglasses: Valentino, Sunglass Hut c/o
Dress: Baacal c/o (I'm wearing the size 1 which is 10-12)
Ring: Lagos c/o
Nails: Popsocket c/o
Boots: Daniella Shevel c/o

You can shop this look and similar styles here:



And as always, everything worked out in the end. Although I wish I remembered to stop and take a breath, and really enjoy the moment. 

Did you watch the shows online? Which was your favorite?

XO
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Friday, September 18, 2020

What Mid-Size (or Almost Any Size) Gals Need From H&M Right Now


With the change of seasons I often feel a little anxiety about what I'm going to wear. Thanks to age and quarantine I've added a few more pounds to my frame. Every time I put on weight I try to take things in stride and challenge myself with finding new pieces to add to the mix and build off of what I already own in my closet. As I moved into the mid-size & plus-size space I had a harder time finding affordable pieces that looked luxe. While most of H&M's pieces run XXS-XXL (and I typically take a large), they do have more and more plus pieces which runs up to a 4XL. Just know that stuff sells out fast (and no guarantee of restock) so if you see something you like—grab it! 

This post is not sponsored by H&M but they did gift me several of these pieces—thanks guys! And I'll try to link up what I can with affiliate links, which basically means I get a few pennies when you click on and purchase from my links. 

First let's start with my "shacket." I'm still not clear on exactly what a shacket is but it translates to a shirt-jacket. And frankly I like saying the word. Shacket, shacket, shacket. I actually spotted this one in a photo display in their store window over the summer and I think I may have screamed a little. I stalked the site until it finally dropped online. It was love at first sight and I knew it was going to be my go-to jacket for fall/winter. Don't get me wrong, it's not for everyone. Going to back what we discussed in my last post, it may not be something traditionally "flattering" but that shouldn't matter if it's something you love. It may not work for you because it is a lot of material and can overwhelm you, but there was something so chic about it so I just had to try. Note that most of their shackets size up to XXL with a only a couple shorter versions in the larger sized. Mixed it up with my Miu Miu velvet platform booties that I scored for almost 90% off at the end of season last year. 



From top to bottom:

Hat: Zara, sale rack $5.99

Sunglasses: Mulberry & Grand c/o

Shacket: H&M (sold out but check back for restock and they have other patterns available) c/o

Belt bag: H&M c/o

Dress: H&M sale rack $4 (I grab their basic tee dresses by the handful)

Boots: Miu Miu, $148 (RV $990), The Outnet

Nails: Popsockets Mani-Phoni (press-on nails have a matching Popsocket for your phone!) c/o



For my next look, it was all about this dress. As a dress girl, I usually focus my shopping on dresses (and coats) in shapes that will work for my curves. Because I'm short-waisted, I would have preferred a higher waistline but this one was workable. I know that my friend Greivy has this dress in blue and she belted hers. I also love a voluminous sleeve to cover the little extra I'm carrying on my upper arms. And if you were looking for a Bottega dupe, this quilted vegan bag from House of Want for under 100 bucks may be just what you need.




Hat: Zara, sale rack $5.99 (hey, I'm a repeater)

Sunglasses: Valentino, Sunglass Hut c/o

Necklace: Sequin NYC, c/o

Dress: H&M c/o

Bag: House of Want c/o

Sandals: Nicholas Kirkwood, sample sale (90% off—a few years old already)


Shop these styles (and some inexpensive versions too) here:


They also sent over a few looks for the kids for back to school. I decided to try to do more coordinating than matching to showcase their own personal style. 






A few of my secrets to shopping H&M:

1. Create an account and heart your favorites. I check my hearts daily to see if any of my out of stock faves were restocked. Not to mention your favorites may come back in another color. 

2. When shopping online, you can stack 2 codes. 

3. If you have very thin teen or tween girls, be sure to check out women's not kids. Ella can fit the XXS & XS women's (especially their younger Divided line) perfectly yet the size 12 girls may fall right off of her.     

4. In-store sale racks at the end of season will often have tons for $3, $4 or $5, so always be sure to take a peek when you pop by the store. 


Is H&M one of your go-to stores? What's on your fall wishlist?


XOXO

M

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