Shopping at the New SexyPlus Clothing Store

As of April 9th, the retail store for SexyPlus Clothing officially opened in downtown Toronto (901 Yonge St.)  The Grand Opening was such a fun afternoon I spent with my girlfriends Liz and Laurie.  Stefanie, owner of SexyPlus Clothing and her super blogger sidekick Nina were gracious hosts.

There were fun fruity drinks, treats to keep our energy up and Jessica Sheppard singing to people on the street and customers in the store.  Check her out, she is a fantastic local talent that will be going places.

Liz, Laurie and I took our time browsing the store, challenging each other to try on things we wouldn't normally have tried.

On my first walk through the store I had looked at the Ruffle Shuffle Top, Liz and I both agreed there was too much going on with the colour, pattern and ruffles.  Suzanne, helping at the store that day convinced me to try it on,  saying she had it and loves it.  Wow, was I shocked, it hides everything!  I hold most of my weight in my stomach and with the Ruffle Shuffle top you can't tell.  I totally thought with the ruffles laying on my stomach it would add inches but I was so wrong. It is my new favourite!

I tried on a few things from the Pretty Woman line and was happy to see the sizing was a true plus size fit.  I wear a 3x/4x.  I should also mention the quality of Pretty Woman... really nice to the touch with enough stretch in the fabric to make it super comfortable but not too much that it looks sloppy.

I also purchased the Arwen Sun Plus Size Sheath Dress, which I have had my eye on for sometime now

and this little pink number I plan to wear as a top:

Each of us left the store with a few pieces which was really good because the all wear different sizes and have very different body shapes.  The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing how awesome we will look in our new clothes over yummy mexican food.
I know there are a ton of new arrivals to be posted to the SexyPlus Clothing online store so if you are not in the Toronto area don't worry you will beable to place an order soon.

My only criticizim was that I didn't win the $500 Shopping Spree!  I had it spent already :)
Two thumbs up to the new SexyPlus Clothing store.

Introducing Loko Plus Lifestyle Wear with a 10% Off Offer

Recently my attempt at living a healthier lifestyle has included participating in a yoga class.  Effective and fun - yes. Pretty to watch - not so much.  How important is it to my health that I can wrap my leg over my head?  It isn't like I can or will show other people, "Hey everyone look at my new party trick!" Alright, alright maybe I would if I could actually do it.

I also know it is hard to look good doing anything in a crappy old tee and sweatpants.  Time to ditch that look and go for something that makes me feel good when I put it on.  I am sure I would feel motivated in cute well-fitting sportswear, which leads me to introducing Loko Plus, our newest ad sponsor. 

Sandra, owner/designer of Loko Sport/Plus  recently contacted me to introduce her line of plus size sportwear.  I was quite excited to see the great styles and colours she offered but also her ethical approach to business.

Some background, Loko Plus active/lifestyle wear is a woman's line designed for the plus-sized woman who is looking for quality, polish and comfort in her casual and activewear.
 
I interviewed Sandra to find out more about her business and products, I thought you might like to learn more:

Tell us how you started designing sportswear and for how long?
I decided I wanted to be a fashion designer at age 13. I started sewing my own clothes and making patterns using newspapers. My older sister decided to enroll us both in a Fanshawe College evening patternmaking course when I was 15. I was thrilled that I knew how to now make patterns that actually fit!
After highschool, I headed off to Toronto to study Fashion Design at Ryerson. To make a long story short, I started my own business Loko Sport in 1995 after getting some experience working as a pattern grader on Spadina, a part time seamstress at the National Ballet, and as a design room assistant at Body Wraps Aerobics Wear. Loko Sport started out by supplying Canadian cheerleading teams with uniforms and then branched into competitive dance costumes after my daughter took ballet. When she headed off to Grade 1 in 2005, I decided that I would now have the opportunity to start my women's activewear line and sell to retailers.
Loko Sport and Loko Plus is now sold to boutique stores across Canada, and I just picked up stores in Australia and Antigua.

How is your garments different then what we find in the stores?
Loko garments fit and flatter a real woman's body from size 4 to 24. I do the patternmaking myself. In the tops and jackets, I add extra tummy room and nip in the waist to give shape. Most of my customers want tops that can be worn with a bra. Pant rises are generally mid to high rise so they cover our curves instead of creating a muffin top. I use lots of bright colour paired with black on the bottom. Lastly, the Canadian-made quality can not be beat. The fabric feels amazing to wear, and the garments last forever.

Why is it important to you that the garments are "fair-wage" and environmentally friendly?
Many popular brands are made off shore where labour standards are much lower than Canada's. The garment workers get paid about $5.00 per day for a 10-12 hour day. Loko is made in Canada where workers get paid competitive wages and are then able to put the money they earn back in our local economy.
Environmentally friendly fabrics are becoming more and more available. When a fabric is made with bamboo, it becomes naturally breathable, wickable and anti-bacterial. Bamboo is essentially a grass which grows easily in little water and regenerates itself in 30 days. It also requires no pesticides.

How is the Loko Plus different then the Loko Sport?
I started Loko Sport first in 2005: sizes XS-XL. As time went on, women asked me for Plus sizes, so I created Loko Plus in 2009: sized 1X-4X, and happily, it has been well received!

Other then on your website, where else can we find Loko Sport/Loko Plus.
Loko Sport/Plus is sold in boutique stores across Canada. They are listed on the website. I am working on getting the lines into more stores. I see a real demand out there that retailers are starting to address.  http://www.lokosport.ca/womens_fitness_wear_where_to_buy.php

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your company and products?
I love what I do. I makes me happy when a woman puts on one of my designs and loves the way she looks and feels. Every woman deserves to feel comfortable and beautiful no matter what size or age.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER!
Sandra has generously created an exclusive offer to readers of Plus Size Fashion.  Receive 10% off your purchase until May 31, 2011.  When you place an order refer to code: BAMBOO10OFF


 
HOW-TO-ORDER
For individual Loko Plus orders please contact Loko Sport directly thru email or phone:
Email your order to: sandra@lokosport.ca
Phone in your order: 519.471.0504

New Plus Size Store Opening in Toronto!

I could get used to this!  Another new retail store that caters to plus size woman is opening in Toronto.

You may be familiar with SexyPlus Clothing already, Stefanie has had been selling her clothing online for awhile now and had a few pieces in Maximum Woman. She is now growing her business and is opening an adorable retail shop at 901 Yonge St, Toronto ON (just 4 blocks north of Bloor).

The official Grand Opening is Saturday April 9th, 2011, which you won’t want to miss. There is a $500 Shopping Spree to be won, big savings on New Arrivals and fun events throughout the day.

When I say fun I mean fun, Stefanie and her friend Nina have been documenting the entire store renovation/opening process on YouTube. This latest video cracks me up and really gives you an insight to how fun it will be to shop at the store.



You can see all the videos as http://www.youtube.com/user/SexyPlusClothing

Just alittle info, SexyPlus Clothing will feature fashions and lingerie for sizes 12+. A lot of the clothing lines Stefanie carries are exclusive to her; you won’t find anything like them in the city. The styles she offers range from urban club wear to uniquely feminine with the Pretty Woman line. Her new arrivals include a funky new denim line, sexy summer florals and even a reversible trench coat that is zebra print and hot pink – I have my eye on that!

SexyPlus Clothing will continue to be available online for those of you who can’t make it to her retail location. And for those of you in the US, she also ships to you.

I have gathered the girls together, Saturday we are going shopping at the SexyPlus Clothing Grand Opening and then grabbing lunch to chat about how great we will look in our new finds.

Hope you can make it, and if you do make sure you tell Stefanie, Sherri sent you!

Here are some of the New Arrivals you will find at the store...

Arwen Sun Plus Size Sheath Dress $64.99

Pretty Woman Series: Flirt Dress in Venus Ocean $109.99

Karmic Felicity Plus Size Sweater Dress $39.99