Here's a surprise...I'm not actually to hard to please.

I think it is safe to say that one of the most readily available plus size resources is Old Navy and interestingly enough one of my personal favorites. In the past several years Old Navy has turned from a market brander (stamping there name on every t-shirt and sending the customers out the door as walking billboards) to a fashion forward trend follower. Since joining the ranks of the "broke college student" group, ON has become a large part of my wardrobe.

I will be the first to admit that I am a "shopaholic", "compulsive shopper"or even an "emotional shopper", but with ON super reasonable prices none of those things are bad! When I go shopping I tend to grab everything that I think I might like and worry cost and necessity later. While trying the garments on my mind starts racing with everything I own that would look good with the garment in question; before I even take it off I have several outfits in mind. After finishing my two or three trips to the dressing room, I start to think about editing. Actually I should say I occasionally think about editing because typically the garments are bagged and charged before I consider the finances.

Old Navy is doing something that some many other stores ought to be doing. That of course is extending their clothes into bigger sizes. Most of there in store garments go up to size XXL and bottoms in every size to 20! Even better, if that doesn't happen to work for you they offer additional shopping opportunities online, with their actual "plus size" line. I love being able to walk into a store and walk out with new clothes because more often then not nice plus size clothing can only be bought online-meaning there is a terrible waiting period from the time I purchase the clothes and the time I get to put them on. A lot of people may claim to only shop at Old Navy for the basics, I notice that those people are also the people with a whole mall full of options. But, I may agree with them to a certain extent. Old Navy is not the place to go for super interesting, dare I say chic pieces ,but then again where is for "us girls". But it is the beginning of a very classy and fashion forward look.

As a matter of fact recently I went on a mini-excursion and bought garments that I look forward to showing you later! More to come!

Shoes......need I say more?

Ok, I will...Lately the apples of my eye have not been garments at all, they have been shoes. Shoes are a paragon of fairness in the fashion world, because they come in sizes that aren't body type specific. Anyone can strap on a pair of heels and rock a chic shoe. So I am a firm believer that a extensive shoe collection is a must for any plus size girl. That being said, I have found a new pair of shoes that I need in my life. They are brought to us by Modcloth, they may not be spot on for plus size (yet!) but boy do they turn out a mean shoe!
Just allow me to describe them. Think gladiators meet spats. I know it may not be a pretty thought initially but man are these shoes amazing!

Aren't they just simply perfection? The color combination of this beautiful khaki and the dark, small buttons is so chic. Notice at the top of the shoe there is a small collar that sticks out above the highest strap- this will create an interesting silhouette on the foot. Typically, I shy away from boots because I hate the bulky zippers on the sides but, this is not a problem for these shoes with a lovely hidden zipper on the heel. Last, the actual heel itself. A tapered heel, because stilettos just simply don't go with everything, beautiful! Here is how I would use these shoes in my everyday look.

To see more of these shoes and tons of other amazing pairs check out Modcloth!

Another good idea. Psych!

Is the term plus size really already out of date. Or are retailers trying to down play stigmas by renaming the fashion for large girls? I am quite comfortable with the term plus size; so comfortable in fact I can not even find something sarcastic to comment on it. So why the new phrases. Whatever is going on, I certainly just don't care for it. Lately I have been seeing several other terms for what has been previously tagged as "plus size". I have seen "extended sizes"(Alloy), "additional sizes" (Modcloth), and worst of all "Special Sizes" (Delia's, JCPenny, and several more). Really? Special sizes? That just makes me one of two things... that lovely characture of the developmentally disabled that has come to be known as "special ed" or two that age old cliche used to make fat girls feel more confident "your special too!" The last thing I am looking from my retail experience is to be harassed by the signs that would say special sizes. Who thought that was a good idea? The same phrase is also applied to maternity, because apparently that phrase has too many stigmas attached to it as well. This is one of those moments that I am outraged that people sitting in offices (in my head this equals men in suits) are making these decisions for us! Why was I not consulted?
On a bit of different note, I am now coming to understand why plus size clothing has not been marketed more widely from trendier young brands like Urban Outfitters. According to the UK's Telegraph there are several reasons behind this:

• Companies know that producing new plus size lines are commercially expensive to design and manufacture yet go to a significantly smaller amount of consumers.
  

• Concerns about "normal" customers not wanting to be associated with "fat" customers. Not wearing their clothes or shopping in the same store.

I was quite surprised to read this. I am sure there are some people who are so overly weight conscious that seeing a plus size girl shopping in the same store as them may hurt their self esteem. But, is there really enough of those types of people to stop your business from taking on a larger (in two senses) customer base? The sad truth is it must be the case. For what other reason could there be for shops like American Eagle, Wet Seal, Forever 21 to sell their extended sized-plus size clothing exclusively online? Shops are keeping the fat girls in the house, shopping from the internet and not in there stores shopping like everyone else. Again, I am happy that these resources are available it just makes my blood boil to see such flagrant disrespect in every mall in America. I have what I consider to be a good idea. I think someone should start a company that partners with stores like Urban Outfitters and H&M and sell their designs in plus sizes. Then everyone wins! Plus size girls get the fabulous fashions available to the masses and Little Ms. Diet can still feel comfortable in the stores. It may sound like I get a little heated about these things...because I do. Only the first of what I am sure to be several rants of this nature. Thank you for reading!

Nice try, but no sombrero.

I never get that expression right so I just decided to embrace my mistakes and keep it. It seems lately that my expectations of new clothing lines may be to high. Case in point...Modcloth. For months I have been drooling over page after page of Modcloth's vintage inspired clothing feeling quite jealous (yes I admit it) of the girl who could wear any of there garments. I love the distinct looks the site offers and the snappy little names to go with it. So imagine my excitement when I read that Modcloth would be offering some garments in "Additional Sizes". Now, correct me if I am wrong but the word additional means more than what is already available so I assumed that meant some of the Modcloth garments would be available in the usual sizes as well as "additional sizes" that I could wear. But that was not in the books for Modcloth. Currently there are 9 items available in plus sizes and not one of them looks like something I would expect from Modcloth.


This is the Mademoiselle Tunic. Classic black sleeveless top with a hint of white detail. No problems so far. I like the band underneath the bust because it nips in at a good place for larger girls because in many cases it is the smallest point on the torso. The bow is nice although I wish it was a fuller shape. The tiers are also very nice and create a very appropriate volume on the lower half. But wait, there is more...






The problems are in the back. I notice a major problem here! It seems they have forgotten to finish the back of this top! For some reason the back is sheer! I, like many fat girls, have some serious reservations about exposing my back. The chiffon on the bottom is also a bit problematic for me as well. If you noticed on the front you can see the top of the models jeans. Why would anyone design a garment that exposes two of the biggest problem areas for plus size girls?




The other garments are not things I expected from Modcloth- a t-shirt really? Don't get me wrong, I am still excited that Modcloth as taken on this new feat. I hope that they continue to add more garments in plus sizes but in the same styles as the usual garments. Please Modcloth, give us MORE!

"I'm pulling the wig down from the shelf..."

For over a month now I have been sulking over this rather unfortunate hair cut of mine. It is true that I had intended to go shorter but this was not quite what I had in mind.



My hair ends at a terrible spot because it draws attention to my chin, which as many of you should now is not a good thing. As you can see my hair really isn't all that short, but to me it might as well be a buzz cut. So I had to outsource. It seems that wigs are making there way into main stream styling- think Lady Gaga, Kim from Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Louis Vuitton runway models. So the idea had been simmering in my mind when a friend of mine bought a wig. The moment I saw her in the wig I decided that I was going to get one too. All I needed was that final shove to do it and seeing my friend looking so damn fine in her luscious locks did the trick.

Turning next to my good friend, Ebay, I simply searched "brown wig". My search lead me to this shop. The store is so reasonably priced and offers free shipping, which is a steal considering the products are coming from Hong Kong. The wig arrived in record time! And now I am proud to present....




Ta-da! Can you believe this transformation? This wig completely revamps every look and suits my face so well. So, if you want a quick and inexpensive way to get a one step make-over you know what I recommend.

Fashion for the Massive

A play on words seemingly perfect to embark on a blog in regards to plus size fashion. I am aware this fashion blog is not the first of it's kind and may never be the best but, that will not deter this naturally defiant girl to go on mute. That being said, I am super excited to begin this new project. I have been a "fat kid" all of my life and just in the past couple years have gotten around to dressing myself well. I have always been interested in fashion but only recently have I been able to explore fashion on myself due to this ever improving world of plus size clothing. The plus size market has come a very long way from the hideous, bold patterned, one size covers all fat people-wrap dress and is still progressing now. What can be challenging however is finding the right pieces, the garments that are up to date with main stream fashion. For some reason many of the resources I have found think that the best way to dress a big girl is in awful rayon spandex blends and flashy chains. I am not about to go the club; so I am certainly not going to dress in that. But time and again with enough searching I can find fabulous plus size looks (now if only I could afford ALL of them). In addition to shedding light on some new looks or resources I come across, I also plan on keeping readers informed as to what I am doing in my personal fashion experiments. I have regained an interest in making my own clothes (or revamping thrift store steals and design. I would love to see any comments any one has to make on anything I post-the good, the bad, and the ugly. In addition to the fashion mayhem you may occasionally find some rants and raves on things I like (or hate)-definitely expect music, movies, and maybe a book or two at some point. Let the blogging begin!!