Zzouzi Vintage & Handmade: 3/1/12

March 30, 2012

This week's Instagram Pictures

Outfit Details:

Coral Pants: Old Navy

Flats: Payless

Watch: Michael Kors Horn

Purse: Vintage Dooney and Bourke

Trench: Thrifted

Denim Shirt: Target

Its really hard to take pictures with my Canon because it's so large and difficult to lug around but I'm constantly taking pictures with Instagram. Here are some highlights from my week:

Finished The Hunger Games Trilogy (loved it)
Lots of Spring Shopping (I got a new Anthropologie top with a giftcard I've had for over a year!)
Lots of laying around outside (while reading!)
Preppin' for my vacation in Vacationland (Maine)

Also I have to apologize for not putting up my DIY. I've just been super swamped this week. Thank goodness it's Friday! Phew. I'll be flying to Boston tomorrow morning and I should be in Maine by 2pm. I'm beyond excited!!

Also! If you want to follow me on Instagram my user name is Sazzou :)

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March 29, 2012

Plus Size Style

It's not really news to anyone who reads my blog that I'm plus sized. I don't make that the primary focus on my blog because well, it's not the primary focus in my life but I do understand how difficult it is to try and find something fashionable and not frumpy when you're plus sized. It's also really difficult to read a lot of other fashion blogs and have them post cute things from Anthropologie, Urban outfitters, Ruche, etc and not feel a bit down on yourself. There's a certain look that clothing stores seem to design for plus sized people..and its never the look I want. It's billowy shirts with elastic in strange places (like at the bottom of the shirt...who wants that?!? Lets try to not accentuate my stomach please) capri pants/jeans and baby doll style dresses. The dresses are fine most of the time, but there's only so much you can do with a jersey dress (as comfortable as they are!) But the billowy shirts and capri pants are what get me. You end up looking very disproportionate with jeans with a strange wash to them and a weird butterfly shaped top that has a strange print on it.

After weeding through quite a few pages of gross clothes (the model doesn't even look good in that) I compliled a few fun pieces from my "go-to" plus size places to shop while on a budget: Target, Forever21, Old Navy.

Forever21 Bicycle Print Shorts $19.80

Old Navy Women's Jersey Maxi Skirts $20

Old Navy Women's Ruffled Button-Front Drawstring Camis $15

Forever21 Layered Colorblock Top $15.80

Forever21 Sailboat Zipper Top $19.80

Target Strapless Wrap-Front Chiffon Maxi Dress $69.99

Target - Out of Stock Online - Mossimo Supply Co. Juniors Plus-Size Sleeveless Colorblock Maxi Dress $27

Target Mossimo® Womens Plus-Size Multi-wear Twist and Wrap Dress $39.99

Target Pure Energy Juniors Plus-Size Denim Shorts $24.99

Target Mossimo Supply Co. Womens Scoop-Neck Fashion Tank $9.99

Old Navy Women's Pleated Chiffon Tops $22

Well, thats most of it. As I was posting this I found quite a few more things that I liked, maybe I'll save them for next week. A few things to keep in mind when shopping - Forever21 always has things in their store that they don't have online and vice versa. Old Navy has cheaper sales and better deals in store than they do online (I bought a shirt for $12 there and when I found it online it was on sale at $22). Old Navy also lets you do price adjustments so you can take your item in with in two weeks and get a lower price. This also works if they're having a store wide sale. For target since there are so many locations you can usually find what you need at one of several stores in your size but to save you time you should call ahead and they can find it for you.

Well! I hope that helps anyone who's struggling to find on trend items in their size. There are a lot of stores that carry plus size items now, you just need to find them! Don't forget that some stores have lines that run larger and different fabric types. Make sure you try on everything even if it isn't your number size. Sizes are so difficult. Yesterday I tried on a 2X at forever 21 and it didn't fit but the other day I tried on a size 14 jeans and they were fine. I don't even pay attention to numbers very much anymore, as long as it fits and looks good, I'm happy.

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March 28, 2012

Gingham and Flowers

Sarah's Outfit Details:

Floral Skirt: H&M

Gingham Blouse: Thrifted - Ralph Lauren

Cross Body Purse: Vintage Dooney and Bourke

Sandles: Target

Watch: Michael Kors Horn

Earrings: Local designer at Mr. and Mrs. DIGZ

Cat Eye Sunglasses: Target

Kawtar's Outfit Details:

Dress: Vintage

Wedges: Thrifted - Target

Belt & Backpack: Vintage

The temperature has dropped considerably since last week and the readjustment to the chilly spring air is pretty difficult to get used to. Granted, it is still in the mid 60s during the week but the high 80s tease last week wasn't very nice. Oh well, I'm just thankful that the weather hasn't full revolted back to winter mode.

Kawtar and I went out Sunday afternoon to buy supplies for a DIY we're going to do later on this week. We're very excited to not only do the DIY but to wear it! It's been something we've been ogling for a long time in magazines. I was hoping to get it done this weekend but I ran out of time. Why are weekends never long enough? I guess it's okay. I have a week off from nannying next week and I'll be in Maine for a whole week!!! I haven't been in Maine for longer than 3 days in over two years. I can't wait!

March 26, 2012

Mad Men Attire

Outfit Details:

Black Ruffle Dress: 1960's Vintage

Black Pumps: Jessica Simpson via DSW

Woven Basket Purse: 1970's Vintage

Beaded Bracelet: 1980's Vintage

Grey Pillbox with Lace: Zzouzi Hats

Cat Eye Sunglasses: Target

Yesterday was the premiere of the fifth season of Mad Men and I could not be more excited. The show has been on haitus for 525 days (which Etsy so kindly reminded us in their status update) and I could not be more eager to watch the new episode! Unfortunately I have to wait an extra day because I couldn't make it out to any of the premiere events here in Chicago (and I don't have cable).

The black ruffle collar dress that I'm wearing is from the early 1960's. I was so lucky to find it last week because it's so difficult to find things from the 40s/50s/60s that are plus sized and not a mu-mu. I think I'll be putting it in the shop later this week (I need another black dress like I need a hole in the head). I've got to say this isn't my best 1960's outfit, my laziness overcame me when I was putting it on-- if I were to dress in real period gear I would have worn tights, gloves, and a light overcoat buuuut I was lazy and it was hot. haha!

Did you guys dress up for the premiere? I'd love to see what you wore!

Oh also today is the last day to get 20% off your purchase in the shop! Use code SPRINGSHOWERS

March 22, 2012

Spring Sale

Happy Spring everyone! In celebration of this gorgeous weather and my favorite season - 20% off all orders in the shop with the code SpringShowers.

Zzouzi Vintage & Handmade

March 18, 2012

Kawtar's Photography

Kawtar doesn't really showcase that she's a pretty good photographer but I wanted to share some of the stellar pictures she took while we were out last weekend.

Sports Competition

This all started a couple of weeks ago when Kawtar and I were cleaning up the house and the conversation of who was most athletic came up. Kawtar was always involved in sports through out her childhood, while I was not, I considered myself more athletic (who knows why really). I mentioned that and she laughed. I've got to say that really, I'm not athletic, just freakishly strong and strangely competitive. Well anyway, we got into a little spat about it and decided that the only way to figure out who was most athletic is to have a SPORTS COMPETITION were we play against each other in ALL SPORTS. Okay, that's a bit ambitious and expensive, but we're going to try our best to do as many as we can.

Yesterday was Day 1 of the Competition. Our challenge was a match of tennis, and honestly, no one won. We're really rusty! I'll be honest, we were a little too ~~more~~ excited when we went shopping for our workout outfits (note the visor and white hat and totally matching outfit -- pink socks + pink shoes + pink shorts + pink sports bra). Oh well!

March 17, 2012

Fishtail Braid

Outfit Details:

Dress: Thrifted

Cardigan: Target

Sandals: Target

Necklace: Gift from Jasmine

Watch: Michael Kors Horn

Copper Bracelet: Vintage

Cheetah Bracelet: F21 (gift from Kawtar)

Sunglasses: Target

Lipstick: Mac - Chili

I wore this yesterday in celebration of the nice weather and the fact that it was finally Friday! Weather in Chicago has been beyond beautiful this week. It's actually pretty confusing. It feel's like the end of May when its actually March. CAN YOU BELIEVE ITS ONLY MARCH? March used to be my least favorite month because it took so long for it to end and Spring to arrive!! Well! Not this year.

Kawtar found this dress while we were thrifting earlier this week, and I can't believe my luck! It's wonderful. So light and comfortable with a great chevron tribal print. It is a little long for me (surprising as I'm 5'9!) but otherwise its perfect. I also tried my hand at a fishtail braid and I'm pretty surprised at how easy it was! I could never understand how it worked when watching video tutorials but I finally found one that made sense to me.

Tonight I will be staying in and [hopefully] avoiding all the dummy tourists and drunkards of Chicago.

Happy St Patrick's Day to those celebrating! Stay safe!

March 16, 2012

Beach Photoshoot

Melinda sent me the final images from the photoshoot yesterday and they were phenomenal to say the least. I was so excited to be working with such a great team. The models looked amazing and everyone had such a different look to them. The model's did a great job not looking cold in these pictures, don't you think?

These are just a few of the final images, look for more later this week.

Credit:

Photography: Melinda Myers

Models: Anna Gorman, Caitlin Schriner, Gillian West, Presley ONeil

Jewelry: Bunny's Trunk Show

Clothes: Zzouzi Vintage

Hats: Zzouzi Hats