about a week ago, mandy moore (who i have been obsessed with since grade school when the song “candy” came out –> the obsession continued with both the movie and soundtrack for “a walk to remember” when i was in junior high –> and it is going strong since she is knocking it out of the park on the hit show “this is us”) posted this adorable photo of her in a bright, striped dress and said she was a little early for national stripes day. i had no idea national stripes day was even a thing which is odd since i love most prints, stripes included. apparently, it is on june 21st so here we are.
in honor of flashback friday, i figured i would include toddler me rocking a striped outfit.
here are some things that haven’t changed: green is still one of my favorite colors, i still love when my hair is braided and often wear high ponies/buns whether it is braided or not, i am all about throwing on a denim shirt or jacket to break up the rest of my fit.
while i have a striped scarf that i often wear in the fall or winter and multiple striped dresses and rompers i have worn to events over the years, i wanted something striped to travel to new orleans in (i am here for a bachelorette party this weekend). when i did a quick weather check and saw it was going to be 92 degrees with intense levels of humidity, i knew i needed something light and breathable. when i was in target doing a little shopping for my apartment earlier this week, i stumbled across this super soft and light striped dress by ava + viv in the plus sized section. for only $24.99, i had to get it!
i paired it with a dad cap, a lightweight cardigan and my high top converse. even though it is hot in nola, i don’t ever get on a plane without at least a lightweight sweater – you can never be sure of the temperatures you’ll encounter.
for my plus sized girls, here are some other cute striped dress options for summer:
for years, i have wanted to attend the veuve clicquot polo classic. and yearly, i had to turn it down due to grad school or work commitments. here’s the odd thing: i never even knew that there was one on each coast. i had only ever seen my friends post about the one in la. then, earlier this year, when i was looking into purchasing tickets, i saw that there was one on the border of new york and jersey. being that one of my favorite people from undergrad, teki, had recently moved to new york and i was overdue for a trip there (hadn’t been since march of 2017), i figured it would make more sense to make a trip of it. and let me tell you, i am so glad i did.
even though the gates to the event officially opened at 11am, i wouldn’t consider any of the girls in our group to be morning people. we decided that the best place to meet for brunch (and a little pregame) at our friend jasmine’s apartment. we had not seen each other since summer of 2017 – it was right when i wrapped up grad school and moments before she moved to new york. it is insane how quickly time flies. as soon as we saw one another, it was as if we had just seen one another. she hosted the most amazing brunch. a couple of bottles of champagne and iced shots may have been served in addition to the deliciousness you see below.
we arrived around 2pm via ferry. if you are someone who gets seasick, this is definitely something you need to know about. the ferry was incredibly rocky but the ride was short. the walk from the dock to the entry of the event is about 20 minutes are so. if your plan is to wear heels, i would highly recommend packing a flat as well. it will make the walk much more bearable.
as soon as we got inside, our first mission was to find inny. leslie and i met inny while we were in spain for elisa’s wedding. it was great to reconnect and she also took some great photos of our group before she left for the day. she is truly a gem.
*leslie and i with inny!
*clockwise starting with me – jasmine, mandy, leslie and teki
a few of us set up our little picnic area while two of the girls went to go grab our first two bottles of champagne. now, initially, i thought about getting a table in the rose garden but after realizing that i did not fully know what to expect and looking at pricing, we figured we would try general admission. our tickets were just under $100 each and it was worth every penny. i would absolutely do it again and did not feel like we missed out on anything. we were in close proximity to the dj and danced freely. we met a ton of amazing people and also reunited with old friends. we consumed bottle after bottle of veuve in prime weather conditions. we reminisced about old times and talked about life and love. we were surrounded by so many beautiful people of color in outfits that were absolutely to die for. we kicked off summer in the perfect way.
*can we just take a moment to admire mandy’s amazing jumpsuit and flawless skin after getting literally no sleep the night before – how is this goddess even real?!
before we left, we had to get a couple of shots in front of the gorgeous flower arrangements:
*teki and i
*mandy and i
oh – i am sure you are wondering where the shots are of people playing polo. i literally had to steal a video a friend took because i had no interest in watching the actual match. it was starting right when we arrived and i was more concerned with popping open our first couple of bottles and finding an area to stake out. i have absolutely no regrets.
would i go again? absolutely. the east coast veuve clicquot was so extraordinary that i am almost afraid that i won’t love the la one as much.
most of us went out afterwards. i cheated and went to teki’s apartment to take a bath before rallying until 7am. rallying was well worth it since the bar teki and leslie recommended ended up being the hot spot that night – so hot that michael b. jordan ended up being there later that night just a few feet away from us. and yes, he is just as dreamy in person and was incredibly gracious/humble with the wait staff – how could you not just love him?
the veuve polo classic was amazing. new york treated me well. the best part of it all is who i shared the weekend with.
have you ever been to this event in la? ny? both? if you are on the fence and have questions, don’t hesitate to let me know.
there has never been a time in my life where i was not plus sized. there has also never been a time in my life where i did not love being in the water. whether it was in my godmother’s backyard pool, working as a swim instructor at my local pool, day trips to the beach or extended trips to hawaii, mexico or the dr, i live for the water. it just brings me calm.
something i always hated was how matronly the swimsuits were for big girls like me. while i have no interest in being in a string bikini, i also did not want a bathing suit that matched the grandmothers who took my senior citizen water aerobics class. additionally, it was a hassle to have to take off my entire suit when i had to run to the restroom.
tankinis served as a happy medium for awhile but did not really do much for my shape. during that time, i was still self conscious about my midsection so i figured beggars cannot be choosers. once i turned 21, i started traveling more with my friends. i noticed how often i saw guys comfortably strutting their stuff on beaches or at pool parties in miami or vegas. some of these guys looked like they could have been carrying octuplets and no one said anything, grimaced at them or threw them a shirt to put on. i then started thinking to myself – would i be fat shamed in a bikini or was i personally just ashamed of my body?
a few years passed and i started seeing more and more bathing suit options for plus sized girls and places like torrid, forever 21 and asos. i went out on a limb and bought my first high-waisted bikini. i brought it to hawaii to celebrate my friend alan’s 26th birthday back in 2016 and i haven’t looked back.
since then, i have added a few more to my collection and wear them proudly whether it be in an intimate setting or to go snorkeling in the dominican republic. i have found that people tend to just feed off of the energy i give off. the energy i give off is typically calm and confident. i channeled that same energy when i wore this suit in mallorca recently and did a quick post on my story about it.
i knew i looked good in the suit but more importantly, i felt good in it. this floral stripe swim set is from torrid. i bought it last summer for my trip to the dr but have shed some pounds since then so it fits much better. for my other plus sized girls who are looking for fun suits, here are a few of my favorites:
what a whirlwind. it is hard to know where to even begin.
before i dive in, let me apologize for being mia this week – jet lag is truly a bitch. that paired with me being maid of honor in a wedding today definitely took over this week. i finally feel like i am back on a normal schedule so thank god for that. now, onto spain!
i landed in barcelona on tuesday of last week (the 7th) and was feeling both physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted. physically, i was exhausted from travel. emotionally, i was exhausted because the day i landed was the two year anniversary of my grammy’s death which you can read about here paired with mother’s day being just a few days later while i would still be in spain. mentally, i was exhausted because work has been absolutely insane the last couple of months. to say this vacation was needed was an understatement.
upon getting barcelona, i checked into h10 montcada boutique hotel. the lobby reminded me of a library you would see in a home with a lot of character that happened to have a bar in it – it was perfect for someone like me that likes to blog and read a ton. the greeting was warm and filled with complimentary champagne. the room was small but had everything i needed. something that i noticed was there was no bathtub but i have found that to be the case at many hotels i have stayed at across europe. for my next trip (if it is a lengthy one), that might be something i need to consider beforehand.
on that first day, my main goal was just to stay awake. i found a little bar right by my hotel called tapa tapa. i was able to enjoy patatas bravas (a traditional appetizer found in spain that consists of cubed potatoes covered in a delicious spicy sauce) and a few glasses of sparkling rosé. a glass of wine is literally within one euro of a small bottle of water. this was a blessing and a curse. i am surprised i consumed any water whatsoever while was in spain.
after going back to the hotel, i got a bit more settled before going for a walk around the city to see the cathedral and find a place for dinner. i stumbled upon this cute little restaurant – taverna del bisbe. since the weather was decent, i figured i would sit outside and just take in some fresh air, especially after being on a plane for 10 hours to get there in the first place.
i enjoyed cava based sangria, paella and flan. i have never had better paella in my life. with me being a seafood junkie, spain was definitely for me.
i took a longer walk home just to see a bit more of the surrounding area in the event i did not get back to that same space the following day and stumbled upon some amazing street art. clearly, the feminist movement is happening in barcelona as well.
on day two, i got some much needed sleep and had a reservation at pez vela – a restaurant that was highly recommended by my friend elisa (who lives in spain and was getting married later that week in mallorca). i love being near the water and this restaurant being beachside was exactly what i needed. i ended up spending over four hours at this restaurant. the impeccable service made it easy to do so.
both the burrata and ceviche i ordered were outstanding. everything was so fresh and i needed to just see the sun again after missing it for days both in la and on my first day in barcelona.
i went back to my hotel to do a bit more reading before leaving to go to a bar recommended by my girl, chinae, paradiso. i was unsure if i was in the right place because pictured below is the front door which is located inside of a deli.
but once inside, it was moody and magical.
i loved everything from the spicy specialty cocktails that were garnished with sprouts to the beautiful candle holders (that my friend hillary found for me on amazon from the post on my story and had waiting for me in la when i returned home) to the amazing locals i met who sat with me while i had dinner and a couple of drinks.
since i was in barcelona solo, i figured going to a bar was acceptable but did not think i should go and explore the nightclub scene. all that means is that i need to return soon. thursday morning, i had an early flight to mallorca. luckily, the flight was only about 45 minutes. as soon as i landed, i knew i was in the right place. it was just breathtaking. my hotel (melia palma marina) being right on the water made me insanely happy. the room here was substantially more spacious and the amenities could make you never want to leave the hotel.
i had this sweet note from elisa and jose when i checked in and i could not wait to link up with them for a little afternoon day party.
elisa and i had not seen one another in over a year so being back together was the absolute best. being together to celebrate her love with someone who truly understands, supports and adores her made it even better. this is how i got to spend my thursday afternoon:
*the bikini is from torrid!
that evening, i got to spend some quality time with leslie, one of my friends and old roommates from college. it was so good to just be on the same time zone (since i live in la and she is currently in new york). i enjoyed calamari, tuna tartare and wine at this cute little spot – la chica de santa catalina.
on friday, leslie and i met up with our friends brittany and ryan for tapas and wine. i was so excited to see them that i forgot to even take a picture of the food or wine. however, there is nothing wrong with living in the moment. brittany had rehearsal for the wedding so she had to run. leslie and i stumbled upon this spot, cappuccino, and enjoyed some tapas and wine before going back to get ready for the welcome reception.
i ended up wearing an outfit from asos – a black bodysuit and peg pants to the event. you can read more about that here.
it was a wonderful event filled with people who loved the bride and groom dearly. i also think it amplified all of our excitement for the big day.
*from left to right – brittany, leslie, elisa (the bride) and me
i don’t even know how to describe how beautiful the wedding day was. from the church to the outdoor cocktail hour to the two part reception, everything just felt like a dream. pictures don’t do it justice but we will try.
we left for the wedding at 11:30am and returned at almost 3am. it was unlike any other wedding i have ever been to and we made some memories we would never forget. to say i was exhausted the next day is an understatement. i was pretty much in a coma until after 2pm. i met up with leslie to enjoy pizza and burrata at a place right near my hotel.
afterwards, we went to the cute little gelato spot. it was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.
leslie had to fly back to madrid and i did some packing since i had an early flight to barcelona the next morning before heading to la. however, i couldn’t resist late night wine and tapas with brittany one last time in spain.
the trip was just extraordinary and i would do it all over again in a heartbeat. i would definitely recommend staying at least 10 days to see more of what barcelona and mallorca have to offer.
to see more about my trip, head to my instagram and look at my spain highlight reel.
hope you are all enjoying your sunday! i have to run to go get ready for my godsister’s wedding. 🙂
i am all about looking sleek and chic. something i have been wearing more often are bodysuits. they hug me in the right places and show off what i want to accentuate most.
i used to go back and forth about what would work best on bottom for a girl like me that carries some weight in my midsection. insert these amazing peg pants from asos.
while the color is described as a dusty rose, i actually think of it as more of a burnt orange. they are ridiculously comfortable with an elasticized waist. what i love most are the pockets.
my bodysuit is also from asos but i have had it for over a year. whether you are plus sized or not, asos is one of my go to stores for a bodysuit. i also have a few from forever 21.
the strap around the ankle, sparkly, nude open toed heels are from torrid. they are as comfortable as a four inch heel that isn’t a wedge can be. they also come in black if that is more your vibe.
i couldn’t initially decide what to throw on for this wedding welcome event but something tells me i made the right decision.
keep up with k.tap 