All photos via 11Honore

I am a sucker for a good dress. In fact, if I could wear dresses, skirts or even gowns more often, I'd be quite content to not have to always rummage through my closet to put together a whole damn outfit. Unfortunately, the climate I live in does not allow this half of the year and so I have to daydream until it gets warmer and live vicariously through my endless scrolling on IG and the window shopping I do online. 

A dress with so many expectations can lift your spirits up, make you feel extremely confident and sometimes have you wishing you lived in a fairy tale. This desire to wear more outfits in dress form may have been what inspired me to study fashion, however, I did not realize this until I got out of high school. As I've gotten older and moved away from just wearing a black hoodie with jeans, I've found myself truly enjoying finding dresses that I know will flatter my body type. The best part is that there are at least a few more size-inclusive options out there that I can chose from to do so. Fate much? So today, I wanted to talk about one option in particular that plays on the wish to live in a fairy tale - 11 Honoré! 

From their website: "11 Honoré is a size-inclusive shopping site that for the first time ever, gives more women the option to experience the best designer clothing and celebrate and honor their bodies, beauty and style.They offer up to size 24(!!) and are consistently working with various designers (Christian Siriano, Tanya Taylor, Jason Wu) to curate special collections for every new season. These are dresses that can be see on the runway or at any type of Hollywood event! All of this being said, I had to do some window shopping and found a few options that I would DIE to wear, even if just for a day. 

ZAC Zac Posen Pink Joss Gown: $1,490

Mary Katrantzou Theresa Dress: $2,365

Marchesa Notte Bishop Sleeve Printed Embroidered Tulle Cocktail Dress: $695

Reem Acra Velvet Burnout Jacquard Kaftan: $1,950

Jonathan Simkhai Short Sleeve Ruched Front Sateen V-Neck Dress: $695

Juan Carlos Obando Green Tulip Dress: $1,195

Rachel Comey Proposition Dress: $625

Let me know what dress you would wear and what other size-inclusive brands you've been shopping at lately!

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Always,
Mostly Lisa


Oh 2019, I will not miss you. You were an absolute shit show, for literally everyone. The year, for me, started off really high and then ended at the very bottom of what you expect a low to be. It was spectacularly, devastatingly life changing and was not at all where I expected the year to go for me. I can look back at it now and be somewhat grateful that what happened, happened, but it was not at all wanted at the time. That being said, my expectations for 2020 are at the bare minimum and so I now want to take back the narrative of life and really focus on things that are going to make me happy. I'm more determined than ever to continue telling myself to keep going, to not blame myself for things I cannot control, to love myself completely and to not sweat the small things. I have been knocked down millions of times but I'm still here, and I'm looking to be inspired by other people who have done the same in even worse situations. Those are the people I am going to look up to. Listen, I have no idea where this year will take me, I don't think anyone really does, but to start this new narrative, I have come up with five things to do this year that will hopefully guide me to a more positive ending. Please read below and let me know what you are planning on doing in 2020 to make life more enjoyable.

WORK
Photo via Morgan Harper Nichols
I worked really, REALLY hard to get to where I was at the beginning of 2019. I busted my ass to truly figure out where I wanted my future to go at the company I was working at, took the leap, and started working in a role that was essentially what I had been working towards since I graduated college. It was my dream career. Five months into the position, not even a real chance to show what I could do, it was snatched away from me. I'm not going to go into details with what happened, however, my life was flipped upside down. It felt like all the hard work I had done up to this point was for nothing, the belief in myself was shattered and I felt like I had no purpose anymore. Not to play the tiny violin on me though, because life moves on, doesn't it? As the trauma has moved further and further away from my present self, I've gained clarity from the people around me and am now looking to the future. I have now decided that the event doesn't define me anymore and I'm ready for a new adventure, a better one, that will lead me into even greater opportunities. This leads me into the first thing I'd like to do in 2020 - find a new job. Let's do it!
LIVE
Photo via RÜNI CLAY STUDIO
These are pretty obvious for the explaining why, however, getting my ears re-pierced is something only recently that I've gotten into wanting to do. I originally got them done when I was in 6th or 7th grade but I didn't like the way they framed my face so I let them close and my earlobes have been naked ever since. There is this recent trend of really gorgeous handmade sculptural earrings made out of brass or clay that I've been obsessed with and I may just need to cover my lobes in something beautiful again. This goes with my skin as well, so getting a new tattoo is also on my list.

CREATE
Photo via Walmart.com
Anyone on here interested in the ASMR community? Raise your hand, because I don't want to be the only one! If you take a look at my YouTube history, you may just see that I've become enamored with watching various artists (itsblitzzz, mads asmr, Gibi ASMR) in the past couple years create some very relaxing content. I mean, truly relaxing. The best part is that it's really helped with my anxiety, depression and feelings of loneliness over the past several months. The community itself is also very positive, so with the suggestion from one of my friends, I've been planning on starting my own ASMR channel where I read some of my favorite books and possibly do various triggers that I find calming. The main goal is to actually get the channel up and running with at least one video - getting the proper equipment is what is holding back - by the middle of this year. Would anyone watch these?

LEARN
Photo via Brit & Co.
Who doesn't want to learn more every year? I'm trying to find new skills to learn that aren't just career-focused but projects that I can work on by myself in the comfort of my own home. I tried picking up a few things here and there back in 2016, to no luck. Let's just say I've never seen myself so frustrated trying to learn how to crochet. I'm older now (which means I'm trying to be less anxious about not getting things correct the first time) and want to take up a few easy classes to create, just create. Brit + Co. is really great offering affordable classes on various subjects, i.e; calligraphy, painting, knitting, so I'm hoping I can start one during these colder months and into spring! 

HOST
The last thing I'd like to do in 2020 is to host! Parties, coffee chats, a night out to celebrate, anything really. There are so many beautiful ways to be inspired to host a gathering so I want to create something of my own that people can enjoy. My first idea is to do a Galentine's Day-themed party filled with all the gal-pal love you could ask for. I'm thinking plush pink velvet, heart-shaped balloons, cupcakes, a fun backdrop to take pictures at, and so much more. How would you throw this pre-Valentine's Day party? Let me know down below!

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Always,
Mostly Lisa



It's been awhile since I last did a round-up of my favorite looks on the red carpet, two years in fact, and I decided what better time do this again than the beginning of awards season - starting with the Golden Globes! Before those fancy (mostly talented) A-Listers get to potentially win a statue, they first have to win the favor of every fashion critic (as well as this unqualified fashion blogger) while walking the red carpet. To be honest, I prefer the drama of the red carpet exponentially more than the actual show, so I often find myself completely skipping watching. The fashion tends to be the best part anyways! My other favorite part of these award show nights is being able to relax, unwind and converse with other people about who is wearing who. Why wouldn't I want to start this up again?

Please read on below to see the ten that stood out among all of them. Hope you enjoy!

MY BEST DRESSED

1. Beanie Feldstein in Oscar de la Renta
Why I love it: Ever see someone in a dress and just KNOW that they feel beautiful in it? Yeah, that's how I felt with this look and was eventually the reason I decided she'd be my number one. The rich color, that Blair Waldorf headband, and the stunning cat eye all come together for a beautiful ensemble. I was clapping all night long for this entire look! 

2. Ana de Armas in Ralph & Russo
Why I love it: Drop dead gorgeous, serious Anastasia vibes, absolutely glamorous! I can't think of any other adjectives right now...This was the first look I saw of the night and my jaw instantly dropped. It's super simple, which I think a lot of people were going for the year, but it still shines in all the right places with the colorful drama, the neckline and silhouette. Yes, please.

3. Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Ralph & Russo
Why I love it: The sharp, sexy and oh-so English vibes given off of this just had to be on my list. A tweed tuxedo sounds like it'd be hard to pull off, but not for Phoebe! She flexed HARD tonight and nailed it by pairing the subtle suit with a sleek pair of pumps and tousled hair. 

4. Leslie Bibb in Honor
Why I love it: A look I was not expecting to be from an actress I haven't heard of since she was on the show 'Popular', but supposedly she's still acting and is married to Sam Rockwell. Who would've known?! I'm choosing this dress particularly for that subtle ombre, which is 👌! 

5. Chris Evans in Isaia 
Why I love it: Ugh, what a gift. I'm super partial to this guy but he's been turning into an actual men's style icon for a lot of people, so I'm not mad about that. Thank you kind sir for not wearing a typical black and white tux. You're killing it in this burgundy corduroy suit, absolutely killing it. 

6. Jane Levy in Steven Khalil
Why I love it: I heard Jane arrived for the red carpet, stayed for about 5 minutes and then left to immediately board an airplane to continue filming her new show. If that's not commitment to earn yourself a place on Best Dressed lists, I don't know what is! Loving the romantic Old Hollywood vibes.

7. Saoirse Ronan in Celine
Why I love it: This was definitely more of a subtler look that I've seen her put together, however, I still enjoyed the simplicity of it. Her soft makeup and hair, the pink crystals that reflect in the light and then the hint of skin tie this together for me. 

8. Charlize Theron in Dior Haute Couture
Why I love it: I think it's a fact: the face of Dior has to wear Dior to every event she goes to. I, surprisingly, really enjoyed this dress. Yes, even with the fact that it's green. 😬 The contrast of the black bodice is definitely a helping factor and I just think this is quintessentially Charlize, which is okay in my book!

9. Kaitlyn Dever in Valentino
Why I love it: I was hesitant on if I liked this or not but the more and more I came across it, the more I leaned toward loving it. I noticed that big, puffy, exaggerated sleeves were a trend across the board for a lot of celebrities and this dress nailed that trend. The bold pink and red floral embroidery makes this dress really fun to look at, and doesn't she just look super comfortable in it?! 

10. Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Gucci
Why I love it: This was another look that I wasn't sure if I loved at first but the more I happened upon it, the more I really found myself enjoying it. She's definitely shining in this gown and "G" can stand for glamorous as well, right? Win-win!

Who turned your head this year in a good OR bad way? Let me know in the comments below or talk to me on social! 
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Always,
Mostly Lisa