Today is my favorite kind of Friday. I spontaneously took the day off of work! I had two docotor’s appointments that were going to eat up all my work hours, so it seemed like a good solution. The even better part? This means I somehow have 4 whole hours to myself, in the city.

That’s right, four glorious hours without my toddler-tornado or excel spreadsheets. PARADISE!

So naturally, I took myself to breakfast at Panera.

The place is practically deserted today, so I’m working guilt-free at a table in the corner. Don’t worry, if it picks up I’ll be sure to pack up and make room! At any rate, my bills are getting paid and I’m tweaking a few things on the blog. Seriously, I have a problem – I can’t stop tweaking. That sounded wrong.

Buckle up, this is a lengthy post. I would be really honored if you read and commented, this new adventure means A LOT to me!

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Now, the moment you’ve all I’ve been waiting for … the first installment of…

FASHION FRIDAY!!

Some of you knew this was coming (mentioned on my Sunday Coffee Talk vlog). I have desperately been trying to hone some kind of fashion sense at work. I have a semi-irrational fear of skirts, dresses, and shorts. Pretty much anything that hits my knee. I’m a total jeans and t-shirt type of gal. I posted here about how I’m trying to take my FEARLESS mantra into this realm.

Boy, do I need help.

There have been some hits and some definite misses. Note to self: stop trying to wear billowy tunic shirts. They do not work.

Just in the nick of time, I saw a post by SkinnyEmmie, talking about a new clothing service called Gwynnie Bee. All I heard was “netflix for clothes” and I immediately signed up! After tweeting and instagramming multiple “ohmygosh I love this!!” messages, Gwynnie Bee reached out to me to jump on their blogger-affiliate program.

What?! YES! Really?! I KNOW!

SO, what really is Gwynnie Bee?

From the source:
“Gwynnie Bee offers ‘clothing with out commitment’ for women ranging from size 10 to 24. Our service provides a flexible way to explore fashion without worrying about price tags or size tags.”

From my own mouth:
It really IS just like Netflix, but for clothes!

Step one : Chose what subscription you want. This ranges from one garment per mailing ($35) for the newbies to 10 garment per mailing ($159) for the fashion divas. I signed up for the three garments per mailing.

Step two: PICK OUT CLOTHES. Shopping a virtual plus-sized closet? Please and thank you! You build up a closet of clothes, so the company knows what to pull from when shipping. Here’s a look at what I’ve got on deck in my closest right now. I can not wait to try that pink/floral dress. I told you – this is a whole new me!

Step three: eagerly wait by the mailbox like everyday is Christmas morning! The company includes shipping (both direct and return) into your fees, so you never have to worry about shelling out the extra cash. Once you receive your garments, let the fashion show begin.

When you’re done, you fill out the rating card and return. Once they have received your shipment, your next set is sent out! The plan provides ultimate flexibility. You can return all at once, one at a time, or in whatever combination works for you! You can do this UNLIMITED TIMES PER MONTH. In my first month, I was able to try out six different outfits! I would have done more, but we moved in the middle of my subscription and I dropped the ball on mailing a few back fast.

Plus size clothing is so incredibly hard to find in a store. I almost cried when I tried on that Hawaiian dress. It fit perfectly. I felt confident, beautiful, and just so .. ME. I found it online and figured out that it would have cost me $120 to have purchased that dress. $120! I got to try it out (for as long as I wanted) for $35 a month? When you’re pinching pennies, this is such a lifesaver. That day at the office, so many people complimented my look. The feeling of pride was priceless for me.

With out getting too emotional, I really want to take a serious side-note here. I’m working with GB for a multitude of reasons. The most important, is that they are a company that firmly believes in body love and confidence, no matter WHAT size. I spent many hours talking with Stephanie, the GB representative, to set up this partnership. I would not be standing behind them if they weren’t an amazing company.

What’s even better? They’re just starting up which means they want YOU to try them out and give as much feedback as possible! They really listen, too. I suggested that they needed to include some sizing chats on their site. BAM! Charts are up!

So here’s the deal, exclusive to Fit and Free with Emily readers!

Hop over to Gwynnie Bee using this link. They are currently invite-only and not open to the public, so make sure you use the link. Click on your subscription preference and be sure to mention that you were invited from me in the corresponding box.

Gwynnie Bee has graciously offered readers an EXTRA PIECE OF CLOTHING to their subscription, for free! Order one garment per mailing : get two! Order three : get four! I love this offer. Although one garment per mailing is great – what if it’s a dud? Just like any other clothing experiment, you’re bound to get something that just doesn’t work. BUT if you’re getting 2 or more, you have more opportunity for success on that shipment!

**Edited to add – this offer is only good through October 15th at midnight. hustle hustle!**

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Jeeeeze, yall, I’ve talked forever on this. Almost 1,000 words!

Again, I am positively over-the-moon about this opportunity. What do you think? Isn’t it a brilliant idea? Do you see a company like this benefiting you? PLEASE comment below or tweet me ( and cc: @gwynniebee) – I honestly want to hear your feedback!

Thank you a million times over for your support on this journey. Here’s to embracing the bodies we have, and being able to rock some fabulous frocks in the process.

 

 

xo – Emily
Be strong. Be fearless. Be you.

 

IMPORTANT :: Here’s what I’m getting out of the deal, in full disclosure to you because that’s what I believe in. For every one of you that signs up for a month subscription, I receive 1/2 off my current subscription! I’m also allowing them to run an ad that you see in the upper right, which will cover the other 1/2. Basically … you buy a month = I get a month free. Although I am getting perk’d for this partnership, my opinions are my own. If I hate something about the company, you will for sure being hearing about it. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I’d be happy to answer!