Plus Size Garment of the Week

Monday is upon us again, and with Autumn getting settled in (well, in most places), we are starting to look for that great Autumn piece for our wardrobe. One that comes to mind is the Prague Dress.

plus size dress

A softly structured, eminently wearable piece, this draped shawl collar dress embodies the aesthetic of femininity without the fuss. 

Pair with an empire waist belt and matching boots for a refined finish.

plus size clothing

It features princess seams shaping, high waist A-line skirt ruching at sleeves, back concealed zipper, and is partially lined.

This gorgeous plus size dress, in either red wine or black and plum, would suit many occasions, and is best suited to hourglass, triangle and rectangle body shapes.

All purchases of the Prague Dress this week at our plus size store will receive double Diva Diamond points! That will give you an extra 146 towards your total!

Conditions of Special Offer
 
Customers must be registered with Style & Substance to earn Diva Diamond Points and take advantage of this offer.  Offer is available until Sunday, 18th March 2012 AEDST.  Orders must be purchased via Credit Card, PayPal, or Direct Deposit or Lay-by.  This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other current special offer.  These goods are subject to the  current Style & Substance Returns Policy. 
 
plus size dress
 
 

New Arrival!

We have a fantastic new arrival here at Diva Central today – the Sophie Sweater Shrug by Kiyonna.

Style and Substance are the only international or Australian online store that this gorgeous shrug has been released to, and we have only been given limited quantities.

Kiyonna Australia

Too warm for a coat, but too chilly for bare arms; these are the times you would throw on our new Kiyonna sweater shrug. The long sleeves and comfy fabric will keep you perfectly warm while still flattering your outfit. This shrug is also great for just making you more content in an outfit that might be a little more revealing than you are comfortable with. You will love the delightful ruching detail on the back of the neck and with its hidden hook and eye closure, you can wear it open or closed. This shrug will let you show your wild side and is a must-have for anyone’s closet.
 
As we have limited quantities, you will have to be fast to grab this beautiful shrug as they are sure to sell out quickly!

Monday Musings…

Hello gorgeous Divas!
I have had truly the most amazing day at the Style and Substance online fashion store – and on a Monday too! And it set my mind to thinking… which let’s face it, for me is actually a pretty impressive feat. But today – more than any other day in a while, if ever, I actually felt so lucky to be, well, ME!
The wonders of human kindness really began on the weekend, with a picture of one of our beautiful customers sent to us by email. She wanted a special plus size dress to wear for Mardi Gras (in Sydney) and even I confess that I wasn’t sure that it was going to land into our warehouse in time due to a few customs hiccups. Sure enough though, we were able ensure that her dress was delivered safely and I was thrilled to receive her email and see that she looked every inch as beautiful in reality as I imagined she would.
plus size dress
Second came in the form of a treasure within our mail delivery where I received a beautiful card (hand-made with so much love) from two very, very dear friends in Canada. What touched me the most was that the card was spontaneous and they must have just known that for some reason I needed to know that these two amazing ladies, with so much going on in their world, were thinking of me enough to spend the time to create and pen the most beautiful words inside a card that still has my eyes filling with tears.
My other blessings were in the form of two remarkable, beautiful and talented ladies that came to select some dresses. We do not often get a chance to have people come and visit us, and that is for a couple of reasons, but today was dress-ups from start to finish and my beloved Cassie was amazing with her styling skills, not to mention her keen ability to translate my gibberish! To see these two visually different women blossom and be transformed by the simple act of trying on the perfect dress for them is an honor and a privilege and today I really appreciated that, while my life is far from perfect (as am I) I am pretty lucky to be able to do what I do, when I can do it. 
I realize that the world is filled with media portraits of what is beautiful, who is beautiful, what we all need to do to become (unattainably) beautiful and yet, what I have been reminded of today is just how easily we forget how unique and truly beautiful we are – just as we are. For many, many reasons there will be people and situations that are created specifically to “bring you down” or make you feel “less than” – I know this all too well right now. And I also know that it is sometimes safer to focus on what is not so good about ourselves because that way we do not open ourselves to ridicule or rebuke; if I can urge you – from the very bottom of my heart – to search out and find that part of you that you love, and nurture and care for it and the rest of you, fall in love with yourself as it were because life is so very, very short and it will pass you by while you are waiting for permission to be acceptable.
To each and every woman who came into my world today and every other day; Thank You for helping me to understand why I do what I do. For my wonderful friends who accept me and love me and nurture me and protect me – thank you! There are no words to express what you mean to me.  

Style and Substance sells women’s clothing, and that is commercially necessary, but today I have been reminded of what is so, so much more important and that is that each and every one of you take the time every day to remember just how wonderful you are – perfectly imperfect, uniquely beautiful and a natural treasure to be cherished and adored!


Kxx

Retail Therapy Thursday

Today at Diva Central we have been having fun styling the gorgeous Mandrake (aka our mannequin) to play around with some transitional pieces. Now that summer is nearly over in Australia and Autumn is on its way, we want to get the most wear out of our beautiful summer garments while we can.

Digging through our accessories cupboard, I came across our stash of Obi Belts.

Belts in hand, along with other various pieces to play with, Mandrake and I set upon creating some gorgeous new looks.

plus size belt

Our first, and maybe our favourite style, was teaming a Collette Dress in Lipstick Red, with an Essential Stretch Camisole in White, and the Obi Belt in Black & White.  We found it to give the colour of the Collette a whole new life, and the layering of the camisole lends to a cooler climate, while working beautifully with the belt.

plus size belts

Another style which would be great for casual dining or a barbecue with friends was the Oasis Cropped Pants in Black, the Lucie Ruffle Top, and again the Obi Belt in Black & White.  This also gave the Lucie Top a new look, and would be gorgeous when paired with a cute pair of ballet flats.

plus size

Our last and somewhat surprising find, was the Emerald City Eyelet Dress with the Obi Belt in Black & Emerald.  The belt lifted a plain summer dress into something extra, and could be worn with a black shrug when the weather gets cooler.

For our Retail Therapy Thursday offer today, we would love to give our gorgeous Divas 20% off the Collette Dress, the Essential Stretch Camisole and of course, all Obi Belts (excluding solid colours). To take advantage, just use the Coupon code RTT6241602 when purchasing through our online store.

Conditions of Special Offer
Offer is available until Sunday, 19th February 2012 AEDST.  Orders must be purchased via Credit Card, PayPal or Direct Deposit, and is not available to Lay-by customers. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other current special offer. These goods cannot be returned for exchange, refund or store credit.

Garment of the Week

Our Garment of the Week features will, for the time being, take on a different form. 
 
As we in Australia are approaching the end of summer, while our friends at Igigi and Kiyonna are near the end of their winter, our minds are turning to the fabulous Autumn/Winter stock that we have been seeing on the designers’ websites, but just haven’t quite been right for our current climate. 
 
Each week, we will be featuring one of the new releases from their Autum/Winter collections, and making them available on our online plus size boutique.We have been holding this stock in our warehouse until we believed the right time was upon us to share these gorgeous garments with you all.
 
igigi kiyonna
 
This week, we are releasing the beautiful Hiroko Dress.  
 
This surplice bodice dress with set-in waistband is a brilliant display of the ladylike style with its figure-hugging design that graduates to an A-line skirt, which hits below the knees.  The Hiroko comes in blue and maroon, features set-in ¾ bell shaped sleeves, and includes a reversible belt, which has a contrast print and self colours.
 
igigi kiyonna
 
 
 
The Hiroko dress would suit those with a rectangle shape, and is a versatile garment.  Dress it up with boots or heels, or with tights and flats for a more casual look.  Great for work or play and a perfect dress to transition from summer to autumn!
For our Divas who purchase either Hiroko dress this week at our online store, they will receive double Diva Diamond points!  That will give you an extra 151 towards your total!
Conditions of Special Offer

Customers must be registered with Style & Substance to earn Diva Diamond Points and take advantage of this offer.  Offer is available until Sunday, 19th February 2012 AEDST.  Orders must be purchased via Credit Card, PayPal, or Direct Deposit and is not available to Lay-by customers.
This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other current special offer. These goods are subject to the  current Style & Substance Returns Policy. 

Retail Therapy Thursday

Every now and then, a garment comes along that should be a staple piece in every woman’s wardrobe. One of those garments is the Gwendolyn Cardigan.

maxi dress

This featherweight sweet pointelle knit cardigan is a delicately feminine style made for chic weekends and cooled offices.

It is a truly versatile garment, which can be worn with capris, a maxi dress or over a tank top and a pencil skirt for a professional chic.

plus size dress

The Gwendolyn Cardigan has a cascading front, with the sleeves elbow length with slight puff sleeves, finished with a ribbed cuff.

This gorgeous cardigan can be worn from late spring into early autumn, and is a must-have for any Diva.
 
And today, our offer for you for a limited time is a massive 30% off this beautiful cardigan. That is a fantastic saving for a timeless and versatile piece.
 
Just enter the coupon code RTT4930902 when purchasing the Gwendolyn Cardigan at Style & Substance

Conditions of Special OfferOffer is available until Sunday, 12th February 2012 AEDST.  Orders must be purchased via Credit Card, PayPal or Direct Deposit, and is not available to Lay-by customers. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other current special offer. These goods cannot be returned for exchange, refund or store credit.