Saturday, January 28, 2012

Fashion is about you ....

So I've not posted much this week, just having 'felt' it ya know? I've taken pictures of some outfits but honestly you know what I've found, when you don't feel it you shouldn't try to make yourself take pictures.  Now granted, there are times when you have to fake it till you make it.  Still the other day I just wanted to slip on schlubby sweats and a sweater and no bra and shamble out of the house and keep my coat on for decency sake but said NO Hopey get your ass in the shower and put yourself together and it did help. I did feel better after.  I put on make up and got dressed.  Not dressed 'up' per se but looked together and ultimately that's more than enough.  I didn't do it for anyone else, I didn't care what anyone else thought, it was for me.  That's what fashion should be by the way, for YOU.  To make YOU feel good about YOU.


Work it for YOU.  


So here's my new outfit.  This dress is from Macy's plus and I love it. It's light as a feather but soooo fun.  I paired it with some tights, boots and this open front cardigan from Kohl's plus.


Color blocking and stripes are really in this upcoming season.  The great thing about this dress is it's sleeveless so I can wear it with a shortsleeved cardi and some slides come spring/summer too so yay, multiple season wear.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Tangerine Dreams

OMG I am so excited this morning.  First let me say Torrid  customer service is amazing!! Amazing.  I ordered the striped tunic and 3/4 sleeve cropped cardi I'm wearing today from them just 4 days ago online and it got here in 2 days AND I messed up my order. I called customer service right after I placed the order and they fixed it for me and were SO SO SO helpful.  Wow.  I can't recommend them highly enough. 


Torrid Navy, Coral/White/Pink Striped Top
Torrid 3/4 Sleeve Coral Cropped Cardi
Avenue Navy Knit Slacks
Nude Patent Flats
Navy/Silver Accessories






So I wore this outfit today and felt like a million bucks.  I just felt like I was shining - you know that feeling? When we went to Garry's Grill in Severna Park for breakfast our regular waitress was like "Wow you look GREAT!" I can't tell you how wonderful that feels hearing something like that.


Plus-size gals, don't hide your light under big bulky cloths or dark colors.  These tops are a size smaller than I would usually buy.  WHY? Because I'm realizing that it's okay for a top to FIT and not bag.  I don't have to HIDE.  I've been buying my clothes too big for YEARS.  No more. 



Saturday, January 21, 2012

Cleaning out my closet ...

Can I just say wow ... I am now a firm believer in cleaning out one's closet at least ONCE at year.  At least!  I thought I'd been purging.  I truly thought I'd been doing it.  A little here a little there but NOPE. It took me about oh 8 hours yesterday to go through and clear out, and reorganize my closet.  I know that sounds crazy but you will not believe how many items of clothing I had that I hadn't worn in ages or that didn't fit or that I just didn't like or had never worn.  I have a GIANT pile of clothes to donate. ALSO a giant bag filled with shoes to donate as well.  ((I still have to organize the shoes - I have acquired several new pairs that are still in boxes, which I think I might be liking. I may keep them in boxes. I dunno.)


So ladies, save yourself the misery I went through yesterday and go through your closet at LEAST once a year and PURGE.  Make 2 piles, donate and garbage, because you do not want to donate something that isn't decent quality.  


In between my hours of closet cleaning I went to lunch at Moulin De Paris here in Pasadena with my good friend Jayne.  It was lovely.  Great food and even better company.  
  


So it snowed/ice stormed last night and is still spitting icy bits out there now.  The roads are supposed to be a bit treacherous so we're planning on staying in safe and sound today and have a snuggly day at home. Shhh don't tell anyone but I'm blogging here in my fluffy robe and cup o'coffee. ;)

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Honoring my Inspiration Jessica Kane







THE LIFE AND STYLE OF JESSICA

Above is a link to the website of my inspiration in Plus Size Blogging - Jessica Kane.

THE HEALTHY CURVES MOVEMENT

Here is a link to the Healthy Curves Movement

WHO IS JESSICA KANE?

A great article about her and her amazing work for plus-size women everywhere.

Rocker Chic or What I Wore to my Oncologist Appointment

So I return to the oncologist at 7 a.m. this morning.  My 6 month follow up after my vulvectomy.  For those of you who don't know I fought vulva cancer this summer.  Sadly vulva cancer has a very high rate of returning.  I've been having some odd symptoms returning - moving south. Not fun.


I wish I could say it was just gonna be a peek under the sheet and everything would be peachy but I doubt that will be the case.  Who knows though.  Maybe it still will be.  (Please pray it will?)


So I'm feeling dark and edgy today.  Rarrrrrr. Laughs. 






I'm wearing my:


New graphic T from Kohls Plus
Cropped Cardi from Jessica London
Straight Leg Jeans from The Avenue
Boots from FitFlop (Yep they make boots COMFY boots)


 I wish the details of my shirt could be seen better.  It's a beautiful foil rose with thorns and there is writing on the shirt in a lovely teal green color.  Alas photography in this house is very much on the amateur level.


So anyway.  I'm just praying that the doctor can do something for the issues that have come back that doesn't involve another surgery. I honestly don't think I can handle another one of those.  I mean sure I can ... will ... handle whatever I have to.  I'm too strong not to.  I've learned that but I don't wanna! 


I wanna have fun this year.  Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun.  :)


Oooooooh on that subject, Jessica Kane posted to her blog yesterday about her shopping spree and mentioned this Lane Bryant Dot Cardigan.  I'm seriously thinking of getting it.  What do you guys think?  Yay? Nay? I love it cuz I think it can be worn all seasons and seems really really fun!  Lemme know your thoughts.  


Dot Cardi


Love ya'll.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Conquering Insecurity

This question was part of my bible study from "The Confident Heart" today.  I thought it was pertinent to my fabulous blog because it's about conquering insecurity which keeps me (and us all) from being fabulous at any size.

2.  Has Insecurity ever kept you from doing something?



Oh my goodness yes yes yes.  Especially in the last I dunno 5 years 5 years or so.  I've become such an insecure person.  So ashamed of my body, so ashamed of my appearance and who I am.  I've hidden away in this "fat suit" I felt I lived in.  BUT NO MORE. I am not ugly. I am not this terrible blubber of a person. I am beautiful. I may not be size 6 but that doesn't make me worthless.  I am a WORTHY human being.  Being a six doesn't make me worthy.  



This really stuck out to me.  THIS is truth.


What makes me worthy is being a child of God.  What makes me worthy is being a decent human being.  Being good to people. 


I want to be fabulous.  I want to SMILE.  I want to SHINE.  I want to be HAPPY inside my heart and that kind of happiness doesn't come from a dress size it comes from a HEART size.  It comes from  having a heart that's two sizes too BIG not two sizes too small.  

MY LIFE PLAN - It really is simple

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? ~Mary Oliver

"I want to start living fabulous - one small step at a time" ~Me

Monday, January 16, 2012

Humor makes you Beautiful!

Okay I have to say that one of the most attractive traits in a woman (or man) is a sense of humor.  I love Ellen DeGeneres and think she is beautiful.  Her heart is so sweet and she is so so funny.  I think Sofia Vergara is gorgeous as well.  An amazingly talented funny CURVY woman.  I LOVE this clip from Ellen's show.  


Check this out!!!




Hilarious right?  OMG I laughed so hard I cried.


Sunday, January 15, 2012

What is Plus Size Exactly?

According to the fashion industry anything over size 6 is plus size - can you BELIEVE that !??? It is INSANITY??


As far as I know, the average sized woman now-a-days is a size 14 / 16.  I know women who run everywhere from a super fit size 6 (a runner) to curvy 16 to a larger 20 (me).  


In the straight sized fashion industry the  usual model you see is a size 0 or 00.  The models' weight usually fall in a zone that would quality for anorexia.  There is something terribly wrong with this.  


I know that I am overweight and that I need to work to become more healthy.  I am working on this.  I am trying harder to eat more vegetables and fruit, to incorporate more whole grains in my diet and exercise more.  But it is my 'body type' that is frowned upon by society, by the straight sized fashion industry.  I am 'told' that I need to get my act together.  Yet where is the outcry for these poor models to get their act together to eat healthy, to put more healthy foods into their diet and put on healthy weight?  This is the unhealthy imbalance in our society.  


If you are unhealthy but look skinny society says you are okay.  You 'must' be healthy because you look thin.  If you are overweight then you MUST be unhealthy and therefore you are a pariah.  You are subject to all kinds of shaming behavior.  This cannot continue.

I am a size 20 and I am in excellent health. My blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar are all in normal ranges.  You can't judge healthy from the outside all the time.  I have friends who 'look' thin and healthy who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.  Looks don't equal health.


Designers are beginning to realize that women come in all sizes and plus size women deserve to look good.  Deserve to feel good.  That women of all sizes love fashion and that we all have the desire to express ourselves through fashion.  There is even a Full Figured Fashion Week now! (YAY!)  There are plethora of plus-size fashion blogs popping up all over the place - which are what have inspired me to love the body I'm in WHILE I'm working to get healthy and fit.


I can only hope that women of all sizes begin to work to try to become more fit and healthy and that they also begin to enjoy fashion more and let it be something that helps lift their self esteem and bring them closer together with all the fabulous wonderful women out there.  We as women need to love one another more.


Here is a great article speaking a bit more about this topic:


What's Wrong With Our Bodies Anyway 

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Adventures in Plus Size Fashion

Well here I am - January 2012 and beginning a Plus Size Fashion Blog.


This is totally new territory for me.


I'm 43 and have never EVER believed I could do something like this.


I am doing this totally for fun and for my own self-esteem.


I am totally inspired by Jessica Kane of http://www.fatshionchic.blogspot.com/ , by Tina of http://www.tminus-tplus.com/ ,  by so Marie Denee of http://thecurvyfashionista.mariedenee.com/ and so so many more.


These ladies and their blogs have reached into my heard and pulled me from a place of feeling terrible about myself, unhappy with my weight, with what I wear, how I look, feeling old and frumpy and like I don't have many choices for myself .... AND THEN I found these blogs and they showed me that I have CHOICES.  I have choices for fabulous shoes, clothes and accessories - that there are great stores out there for me to buy lovely quality clothing that will look good on me NOW.


I don't have to live my life WAITING until I lose weight to look good.


I don't have to live my life in that "I'll buy that scarf when I lose 5 pounds" or "I'll buy those shoes when I lose 10 pounds" mentality.  I deserve to feel good now.


SURE I am taking care of myself.  I am slowly learning to eat better, exercise, become more fit and hopefully lose weight and grow healthier but I am going to love WHAT IS.  Love me NOW and that includes dressing for the body I live in RIGHT NOW.


I am so much happier than I've been in ages, since I've started doing this.  I cannot believe how much I already have in my closet that I have to wear, with just a little tweak here and there with one fabulous accessory.  A great pair of shoes, a boot, a scarf, a tank or bracelet.


Fashion isn't complicated, it just takes a tiny bit of effort.  It just takes you looking in the mirror in the morning and saying I AM WORTH IT.  And you know what.  No matter what size you are girlfriend.  You are.


Love yourself.