Hello, everyone! Sorry I've been largely absent. I started school a few weeks ago and I've been super bogged down. I've been reading the blog but not commenting much.

I went shopping with my mom a couple times in the last week or so, to two different consignment shops. She and I both struck gold. They're shops that have a good plus size section and carry high quality items, including some brands I couldn't normally afford. I saw a Chanel suit in one of them the first time I went in, and I was extremely amused, because I've never seen such a thing in real life before. It was like seeing a unicorn.

Anyway, here are my finds! I was hoping you could give me ideas on how to style them. I've already started playing with one of the tops--the one with the gold dots on the shoulders--but the others will have to wait until it gets a bit cooler in Atlanta. It's still very much summer here.

1: Short sleeved black top with gold studs on the shoulders. It's stunning when it catches the light. I wore it to a concert on Sunday night paired with black skinny jeans, combat boots, and a necklace with bullets and a gas mask, and I've worn it once with blue jeans to class for a little daytime sparkle.

2-3: THE GREATEST JACKET EVER. My amazing mother bought it for me because it was out of my budget but it made me smile from ear to ear when I tried it on. It's black leather with a high shine snakeskin pattern, and I'm in love.

4: A divinely soft, drapey black top with long sleeves. It's super cozy. The sleeves are long enough that they cover a centimeter or two of my hands, but not enough to be in the way. I've been wanting one like this for a long time, and this one fits now and will still look good--just a bit more fluid--as I lose weight.

5: Mustard. Yellow. Pants. This one is a total wildcard for me because I look awful in warm tones like this. But they work with a more flattering color on my top half--I tried them on with #4 and #6 and liked the look. I bought the tree together as an outfit. It works because the red hat has some yellow threads in it, but its overall color loves me more than mustard does. The pants are soft and comfortable and have a relaxed but not sloppy look on me. I might have them tailored a bit in the thighs, but I need to wear them a couple times to decide for sure. They're loose there (I have skinny legs), but fit my waist perfectly.

6: This adorable, kind of retro red hat. I have a large head, so any time I find a women's hat that fits me, I am compelled to get it. I love this one because it reminds me of a quirky jacket I used to have that I got rid of when I went through a big style change but have been missing lately. The hat is less of a commitment but has the same look to it, so it felt like it was meant to be.

I tend to go through phases with my shopping where for a while, I buy things that are extremely carefully planned out, and then I go into emotional shopping mode and buy anything that makes me smile. This year I think I'm finally getting a handle on how to balance the two. #1, 2, and 6 are definite emotional shopping pieces; #4 and 5 are ones I thought through.

I'm also going through a style shift--a long-term one--and I'm not quire sure where I'll end up, but I can promise it'll be interesting. My mom has been having loads of fun with her style journey because she has stopped listening to what OTHER people think she should wear and listening to her own heart instead, and I am following suit!