How I Shop for Shape Online and Why I Rebranded

I’ve made some changes on a personal level and on the blog since my last post! There’s so much to talk about. I’m going to share my take on how I shop for my shape online. Also, more importantly, I will discuss how I’m incorporating new content in addition to style.

I’ve partnered with JustFab and this dress is gifted. I’m wearing a size 2x. You can get it here

You can listen to this post on the Don’t Mix In Podcast:

The Rebrand

All right let’s talk about the move to Liv By Viv. It’s like you came over and I re-painted the house, changed the furniture, and got a haircut. I didn’t do any of that- but I feel like that’s how it feels when a blogger changes their name or something like that. I had been wanting to change it for a while. Also, I wanted to move away from a name that focused just on curves. My colleagues in education would always scratch their heads when I would say my blog is Mix It Up With Curves… Hehehe. I wanted to talk about additional topics such as mental health, race, wellness, and life. Plus, I just wrapped up my doctorate.

This dress is from FashionNovaCurve. I’m wearing a 1x. It’s back in stock! You can get it here. I also linked some similar dresses below:

When organizations stop changing and growing, it is a sign of decay. I think that applies to us too. This shift can be in the form of increasing your awareness of systemic racism or your own self-development.

My take on why we need to continue to evolve

The Shift

My style (and more importantly) the world have changed. Let’s first get into the context. Then we can talk about shopping for your shape. A lot has transpired since my last blog post.

This dress is from Amazon. I’m wearing an XXL.

Here’s the backdrop: First, we are in the middle of a global pandemic due COVID-19. Most of us have been working from home, homeschooling, sanitizing, and trying to score toilet paper. I was focused on trying to keep up. I bet you were trying to keep up too! So, I had to take a break from posting on the blog.

The Black Lives Matter Movement

Then, the killing of George Floyd. This horrific incident resulted in a global uprising, the Black Lives Matter movement, against systemic racism. There has been a shift. The movement has inspired action. I’ve incorporated my own ways of taking action on my Instagram and on the blog. Look for more content on my take on race, mental health, and wellness. You probably already saw the link to The Loveland Foundation. You can donate to support access to mental health for Black women and girls. I still will keep my content hopeful, informative, and positive because that’s just me. And, I will still talk about style since experiencing joy and being balanced are both important.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This tee is from Target. I’m wearing a medium. These jeans are from FashionNova Curve. I’m wearing a 1x. You can get them here.

---

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Feeling Factor

The Intersection Between Style & Psychology

Evolving, growing, shifting, whatever you call it… I think it is needed in order to really thrive. I remember reading that when organizations stop changing and growing, it is a sign of decay. I think that applies to us too. This shift can be in the form of increasing your awareness of systemic racism or your own self-development. I believe that any shift causes a ripple effect.

Shopping for Shape Online

Shopping for my shape has been something I’ve been talking about for years now! I first talked about shopping for my size in this post here. Then, I talked about how to avoid buying clothes you won’t wear here.

Online shopping has been something I didn’t do as often. However, the quarantine meant that I couldn’t go into a Target store to shop. Plus, I had been working out for months and had lost weight. I started working out for my mood and to manage stress. The weight loss was just a bonus! I have a post here on working out and gym outfits. So, I needed to replace some items while I tried some new stores online. To do that, I needed to take a different approach to shopping. Here’s what I did:

1. Measure, Measure, Measure…

Alright, the first I had to do is measure myself. Really know my size. I wasn’t super excited to do this but how else would I know if something would fit? So, I got over my insecurities and got that measuring tape out. If you’re exercising, you have to monitor your measurements as they can change. Mine did, so I need to re-do them every couple of months.

2. Fitted Items Can Work

Next, the other thing I am doing now is expanded my wardrobe of fitted items. Here’s the thing. You know how I had to accept my size two years ago? Now I had to do that again and be comfortable going a size down. I was stuck on being a size 16 when I could wear a 14. Once I started to wear a more fitted size I noticed that I looked better. I just needed to get familiar with myself again. And, I needed to take some risks to try some fitted items.

3. Remember Color and Cut

Finally, I still look at the cut or style of an item. Playing with color combinations is still something I’m doing. Additionally, I’m start with making sure the style or cut of an item will work for my shape. That ensures that what I wear feels comfortable.

Because getting dressed (and living life) should feel good! -Vivian

Rather listen to these posts instead of reading them? Check out the Don’t Mix In podcast. Join me as I dive into the topics from the blog. Don’t Mix In can be found on Apple Podcasts and pretty much anywhere you find your podcasts! If you are into what you hear, be sure to subscribe and leave me a review.