…then again, I’m never quite sure. You see, I don’t see Tyra Banks as fat in the slightest. By the same token, I’m not automatically looking at myself and going, “I’m still hot, I’m still hot”. My life doesn’t revolve around a woman who has made millions off her body. Part of that livelihood means that there will be critics that will note that you’ve gained weight. Some may not be as polite as that, but it is what it is.

“It is what it is” is the catchphrase of our industry — from mainstream fashion right back into us little plus sized ladies. We don’t like our options, but sigh, mentioning our little catchphrase into the conversation: it is what it is. For most, it’s either the mainstream fare, the online boutiques (I’m still not in a clothes buying place, let alone with enough cash to put down for a Monif C. dress), or the sewing machine. Hey, it was good enough for Grandma.

I don’t have anything against Tyra Banks, except that what she’s going through the rest of us go through every. single. day. Maybe that little walk around in a fat suit has finally made her realize that “golly, other people feel like this all the time — *giggle*”. I still don’t think a 5′10″, 161lb. woman can call herself “plus-sized”, but that doesn’t mean I can’t say I don’t understand what she’s going through. It’s quite simple.

The. spotlight. blows. Add in the ex-model part, blend it with the “I tell young women on my hit reality tv show whether or not they make good professional clothes hangers” part, and you’ve got a whole mess of issues just waiting to come out. Sorry to be crass, but let’s not forget one thing: Ms. Banks is a celebrity — and there’s no such thing as bad PR, to be perfectly honest.

Parallel? I’m an internet marketer — and I’ve watched some of the best marketers in the field get torn apart in forums — everything from “this product blows” to more personal attacks. Does it hurt? Of course. However, every single person I know faces criticism in some area. Should Ms. Banks garner more sympathy because she’s a celebrity, even though several of you lovely readers go through similar, if not the exact same struggle every day of the week?

I’ll believe that Ms. Banks has made a change when her ventures change. It’s all well and good to ask for sympathy, but I can’t stay quiet when she runs a reality tv show that’s severely based on weight / appearance. Ms. Banks, does this mean that you’re going to make a way for America’s Next (Plus Sized) Top Model?

I wanna be on top.

Tags: tyra banks, fashion, modeling, plus size fashion, gripes, body image

Being a marketer as well as a writer, I’m often curious to see a 360 degree profile of what my audience is doing — buying, selling, eating, drinking, wearing, living. Knowing what you readers like and dislike makes both of the hats I wear much, much, easier to deal with.

That said, I’m putting my marketing cap on.

Deluxegrrl is supported by advertisements, truth, and the American Way. OK, primarily by advertisements. One type of advertisement I’m looking at is called Cost Per Action (CPA) or Pay Per Lead (PPL). As you can see, there are little text ads from Google — those are Pay Per Click (PPC). PPC ads pay decently, but they don’t tell me as much about you as I would have hoped for.

PPL ads are pretty direct — you either click on them and take action, or you don’t. I get a small incentive for the action you take, which further powers this blog (bandwidth, primarily - this site is beginning to take off, and my hosting account knows it ) and keeps my lovely accountant happy.

I’m a fan of relevance — if there are ads on this page, they should be fairly relevant. I’ve turned down sponsors because they don’t quite match the tone and audience of this site. I believe you can keep the lights on without resorting to just any old thing.

So, I’m looking at some CPA networks, and looking at their offerings, the biggest thing in the women’s category is weight loss. Considering this is a plus-size audience, weight is and always will be a sensitive issue (hence why there hasn’t been much discussion on it here). Is weight loss an actual interest of this bunch?

That’s the main question I have: is ‘weight loss’ an actual interest? I’ve been dying to touch on some of the crazy diet notions, talk up some organic stuff, and …well, you’ll see My goal in 2007 is to really reach out to all of you — something that I haven’t quite been successful at in 2006.

That’s my fault. 2006 has been sort of up-and-down for me, Reversia Media (the company behind the pink-and-purple blog you all love so much), and my family/extended family. Death, screwed up hands (I lost sensation in three of my fingers for 2 solid weeks, and I still don’t have sensation in my index finger yet), unemployment, unexpected moves, divorces (not mine ), and overall life have made 2006 sheer trouble for Deluxegrrl, and I’m hoping that 2007 is a lot brighter.

Again, I would like to thank all of you for sharing in the ups-and-downs of Deluxegrrl, and making it an up-and-coming star in the plus size fashion niche. Your comments, links to this site, and ad-love make running this site much, much, easier.

Oh yeah. The last two paragraphs were written with my human cap on, so savor them

Tags: weight loss, plus size fashion, questions, advertising, marketing

I’m an American citizen. So when I write for Deluxegrrl, that’s the perspective that you’re getting. I’ve lived all over the States, and spent a few years in Europe as well. However, my experiences are strongly American — when I was staying in Germany, I wasn’t worried about plus size fashion — my mother made my clothes.

Swing forward to 2006 — I’m in southwest Missouri, where I have a few boutiques, the Charming Shoppes trifecta, and that’s about it. Is it peachy? No, it’s not. However, after reading some responses from those of you outside the US (and probably Canada as well), I guess I have a lot to be thankful for.

I owe my international readers a big apology — the grass always looks greener on the other side, but for all of you living outside of the States, our grass has got to be a mighty bright green.

I’m a picky shopper, and this blog doesn’t hide that — my darling fiancee-cum-accountant sees all of my receipts. I have to truly like not just the clothes, but the experience. That’s what I focus on — the experience of the purchase, not just the purchase itself.

If Igigi treated its customer base the way, say, Walmart, Target, Kohls & Co. do, would you honestly fanworship them? Would you buzz your designer on your blog, wear their clothing? When it comes to an exclusive shop like Igigi, it’s harder to play the income / circumstance card than it is for the other stores mentioned. In a nutshell, Igigi is more of a luxury, whilst if you’re clipping coupons, you might buy one or two pieces from Igigi, but they’re going to be few and far between.

However, all that aside — I’m blessed to be able to complain about experience. That doesn’t mean I’ll stop pointing out glaring customer service errors, nor will I stop discussing the dearth of other components of the shopping experience (more promotional pieces that make us center-stage, not just a leftover — see ‘The Five Finer Points of Plus Size Magazines’)

It simply means that I hear what you’re saying, international readers. Your problem is lack of product, period. My problem is decent product, substandard service.

I’m not going to drop $500+ for a new wardrobe, only to find the store ringing up my things (remember that employees are still agents of the company, and therefore contribute to the image of the store) doesn’t really give a flying notebook about my needs.

So I’m American-centric. My apologies. But I don’t know how bad the problem is unless you international folks give me a shout.

This started bubbling in my brain thanks to Tanis, one of our commentors without a webpage. Thank you, Tanis, for giving me food for thought.

I really want to thank each and every one of you for the time you’ve taken to view what I have to say. That means everything to me - I don’t write for you to make a full time income - I write for you because I think every woman deserves to know great information, to feel great about herself, and to make smart decisions with her money. That’s about it - no catches here!

I will be putting out a FREE report for all of you, called “Worthy at Every Size: A 7-Day Wake Up Call for Real Women”. It’s part self-improvement, part “preachin’ to the choir”, and always 100% heartfelt. I mix in my personal experience, words from famous women, and even a second helping of Scripture to bring my points home to you. I believe each and every one of you has unlimited potential in every corner of your life.

Didn’t think you’d get that from a fashionblog? I didn’t either, until I stopped and realized that a shallow take on fashion is similar to a shallow take on a sickness, or a dilemma that’s been plaguing you for months — it only addresses the symptoms, not the root of the problem.

I leave this note with one last quote, one near to my heart: “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to the one who is striking the root.” — Henry Thoreau

I’ve been taking note of fashion trends, and other issues that I think women in general should be aware of. By January, I hope to release:

1. A comprehensive guide on luxurious plus size fashion — beyond just shopping
2. Info guides on finance and insurance, from a woman’s point of view
3. A book on college like you’ve never read before - I’ll drop that information to DG readers FIRST before anyone else
4. More self-awareness / acceptance topics

Last piece of news before I get back to handling the backlog of information I have for y’all: Aja of Belle Noir has asked me to be her beauty Q&A correspondent! Belle Noir is one of my favorite sites for finding information relevant to BBWs of color. Definitely not going to be a general interest issue, but it’s one that I’m proud to both participate in, and announce to my lovely readers!

Now it’s time to get back to work - if I don’t actually get stuff done, I think my accountant is going to give me a “reminder”!