Blog Posts by M.J - Fierce Beauty and Fashion

The holidays are around the corner and that may spell holiday parties or even holiday weddings that call for the perfect special occasion dress. Here to help us plus size fashionista's get that perfect party (or wedding party dress!) is celebrity plus-size style expert and David's Bridal Style Council Member Nicole Brewer. She has shared her plus size expertise on shows such as The Rachel Ray Show and now she's here to answer your most pressing fashion questions when it comes to formal wear.

What type of special occasion dresses are most flattering for:

Busty women. Women with a bigger bust should look for special occasion dresses with simple necklines that really open up the bust line. Avoid styles with high necklines, as they can make the bust area appear larger than it actually is. Draw the eye's attention away from the bust line downward towards such lovely distractions as beautiful full skirts that balance out one's shape or intricately detailed hemlines. I love the

If you've been keeping up with the awesome plus size tips that my Fierce experts have given these past couple of weeks, you should know that having right undergarments is essential in plus size fashion. Bras are definitely no exception, having the power to make you look instantly slimmer if you have the right one. So in honor of the fabulous bra, I'm spotlighting Amoena Mia . After serving the needs of breast cancer patients with pocketed bras, breast forms and prostheses, they took their company main stream, offering full cup sizes in six styles with The Comfort+ technology, described as the fabric's ability to transfer "heat away from the body as needed, absorbing excess body heat during a rise in temperature and warming the body with stored heat during a drop in temperature". I had the opportunity to review a bra from the Adriana collection , and it fit quite nicely! The fabric is nice and soft, I have full cup coverage (because my "girls" need it!) and I was rather

Hey my plus size fashionistas! I have some more awesome advice when it comes to dressing our curves. My next Fierce expert on Plus Size Fashion is celebrity stylist Jeni Luciani. She has worked on TV shows such as More to Love, Dance Your Ass Off, The Bachelor, and this season's Dancing with The Stars. I had the awesome opportunity to talk with her about plus size shopping and how we ladies can look absolutely fabulous - curves and all!

MJ: What are some of the key pieces that a plus size woman should invest in?

JL: Undergarments should never be under estimated for any woman. Investing in the proper fitting bra and maybe some Spanx (always a favorite of mine!!) makes all the difference. Just don't make the mistake of buying something that is a smaller size than you should be wearing. Never be afraid to buy your true fitting size when purchasing undergarments…the better they fit, the more comfortable you will be! Torrid is one of the few stores that sells Spanx in sizes

I tell you, after putting together today's plus size fashion feature I got a major shopping bug! That's because I've always been a fan of Ashley Stewart . Carrying sizes from 12 to 28, their fashion always has that urban edge and trendy flare that make them one of my favorite plus size stores. One of my absolute favorite button-down shirts is from there and picking out some of their cool and sexy fashion to show you ladies just reminded me I need to buy another one! As for my favorite of this bunch, I really couldn't tell you because I like them all! Between the prints and the styles, it's too hard to choose! So you ladies tell me! Which one do you like?

Read on for more looks from Ashley Stewart!

Besides having to accommodate "my girls" when it comes to buying clothes, I also have my thick thighs. Buying pants can be such a hassle because while they may fit at my thighs I have that awful gap effect at the waist which is so not cute! So, to help us girls with thick, curvy thighs do them justice is Gail Ambeau, a fashion designer/stylist. Her work includes dressing gospel singer Melinda Watts and Tiffany Richardson from America's Next Top Model 4 not to mention working on numerous fashion shows. I know I found these tips really helpful (especially the one about the boot cut or wide leg pants because that is all I wear!) so I hope you will too!

1. Wear boot cut or wide leg pants to help balance out your body proportions


2. If you wear a mini make sure it covers the widest part of your thigh and wear skin tone heels (no ankle straps) to give your legs length.

3. You can never go wrong with A-line skirts or dresses.

4. Wear dark colored pants

As you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and many companies are showing their support and donating to the cause in awesome ways. Even as I watched football (yes I love football!) it's great to see the players wearing pink and black gloves and towels as they take to the field. Beauty and fashion companies are no different. Because they are soo many participating in the fight to end Breast Cancer, it made sense for me to give you ladies a round of up for just some of the companies doing their part!

lab-series-bca
Lab Series Skincare for Men

Breast cancer affects men just as much as women and Lab series feels that everyone should show their support. That's why they are incasing their Daily Moisture Defense Lotion SPF 15 for men in a special sleeve with the BCA Pink Ribbon. Not only will this Lab Series for Men still keep giving men same all-day hydration that a man's skin needs with this lotion, they are also donating $10,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

I hope you ladies had an awesome weekend! This week's plus size fashion spotlight is Dressbarn, a store that I'm sure you all are familiar with. I've bought some items from Dressbarn over the years, including a nice pair of black pants for work that I needed a few months ago. Not only do they carry regular misses sizes, they also have a whole side dedicated to plus sizes. The clothes are just as fashionable and trendy and I can personally attest that the fits are great! I go there to find some great classic pieces for work as well special occasion dresses. My favorite thing to get from there are their dresses, especially their sheath dresses. Those types of dresses are great for plus size women, giving you shape and definition, while hiding those problem areas! Prices are also very reasonable and they are known to have a good sale or two!

Jeweled Neckline Dress

Belted Sheath Dress

Rosette Dress

Metallic Brocade Dress

Plus size Fashion Spotlight: IGIGI

Plus Size Fashion Spotlight : ASOS Curve

Plus Size Fashion

As a beauty blogger, I get kinda giddy when I run out of a certain product, because it's the perfect excuse to go out and try something new! So when I ran out my morning cleanser, I went out and picked up Morning Burst Shine Control Cleanser from Clean & Clear. This cleanser is a gel made with lemongrass and fruit extracts. Its tiny beads are supposed to burst with energy and vitamins onto your skin, leaving it refreshed while controlling shine. I've read a lot of great reviews on it and with it only costing me about $7 at Walgreens, my wallet wouldn't take a huge hit just in case things didn't work out.

The verdict?

I LOVE IT! I found that my skin not only felt super clean and refreshed after using it, but my face had such a healthy looking glow. Over time, I noticed that my T zone wasn't as shiny as it normally was, which meant the shine control in this cleanser was doing an awesome job! My skin also felt moisturized and soft¸ knocking my old cleanser out of