I have to say that I’m excited — a more targeted diet, coupled with exercise, has made me get closer and closer to my goal weight. However, the more I read in the plus size fashion world, the less I feel as if I deserve a voice — especially if instead of a size 24, I become an 8 or a 10.
Therefore, today’s question is, what qualifications must be met before one can, with conviction and credibility, write about women’s plus size fashion. Does one have to be plus sized in order to do this? Heck, does one even have to be a woman in order to write about plus size fashion?
Well, the latter question is answered with a no, as Glen from Full Figure Plus writes about women’s plus size fashion all the time.
But the other question, for me, is harder to answer. The designer of a well-received brand in the plus size world, Igigi, is not a plus size woman in the slightest. Yet her line of clothing has turned women’s heads and made us all collectively drool (and collectively wince over the price tag) over those collections.
I’m a blogger that writes about women’s plus size fashion, who is also plus sized herself. However, I’m reaching a part of my life where I need to get active. Am I silently slapping the faces of silent multitudes who aren’t down with the weight loss train? I certainly hope not, though I feel as if I post progress on my weight loss or anything health-wise, I will undoubtedly step on some toes.
You want to know something about weight loss and Deluxegrrl? It’s been a hard ride. I’ve given up soda, candy, chocolate (for the most part. I do slip in a little dark chocolate as a treat every now and again), ice cream (now reserved as a once in a while treat), and fast food (though I still order a steak at a nice restaurant). Am I going to plus size hell for giving up the grease? I surely hope not, but since I kinda exist in a bubble, I’d appreciate comments at this point.
Whenever someone talks about weight loss, especially a plus size person, I almost feel like a million people are sighing, like “oh no, not another ex-big-girl-to-be!” It’s not like I’m going to go from a 24 to a 2, I just don’t have that type of build. But even at 19 going on 20, I have to get real: diabetes, high blood pressure, and other ailments are a huge problem in my family, and the thought of jabbing myself three times a day (or more, my mom definitely had to poke herself a lot more than that!) with a needle is not my idea of a good time.
I’m not saying that every plus sized person is on the same wavelength as me, or faces the same problems as me. I know several that are healthy as horses, and could outrun me on a bad day. But I’m taking control of this weight loss issue for my health, and therefore I might have to break away from traditional thought on the plus size manner.
If I was doing this for looks, I’d laugh at myself. I’m no starlet, but I definitely get enough attention when I’m out being just plain old Isabella. So I don’t wish to do this for the “hot factor”, since my ego tells me I’m hot as is. 
But when it comes to describing myself, I’d prefer elegant over hot, it seems to last longer.
OK, I’m done. Discuss.
Happy Easter / Resurrection Sunday to those observing the holiday, and to those still surviving Pesach (Passover), happy no-leavening remembrance to you too! OK, I’m suffering silently, but it’s not helping that Martha’s in the kitchen making hot crossed buns so good I want to reach into the tv and take them all!
Some of you may know that I’ve been bouncing back and forth between choosing a way of eating. Why didn’t I mention the dreaded “D” word? Because we know all about that. I want to talk about a way of eating — it may be high fiber / high protein, low carb, low fat, low calorie. Whatever your “diet” (which really should just describe what you shove into your yap. I shove lots of kosher, organic, and often high carb things into my trap. However, now I’m a little smarter about what I shove into my yap.) consists of, it’s a personal choice that only turns public when we socialize …but since food is also culture, it bears discussion here as well.
I have often wondered why I am so obsessive about personally curbing food in various ways. I’ve gone nuts over carbs, slashing and burning like an angry flame zipping through a forest. I’ve declared a war on sugar, cutting away sugary sodas. OK, so I’m proud of giving up my soda. Unfortunately, I haven’t really seen the results of that.
I drink 100% juice, even though it has lots of carbs, and I try to eat as much organic food as possible. That part doesn’t quite bother me.
But I can’t keep counting. I can’t keep counting calories, carbs, fat… I can limit my portions.
I can’t keep stressing that I only manage to get 25 minutes of cardio at the gym, while other women there can do an hour or more. I can only worry about myself.
I cannot believe how sick I’ve made myself…maybe not physically, but mentally. I feel terrible to admit this, but I also feel terrible if I didn’t mention it. I’d be doing all of you a great disservice. I’m not perfect, and never will be.
I’ve been silent here on DG for a while because of this. It’s odd, and embarassing to say on a public blog where THOUSANDS of you are viewing this every month, but there it is. I never realized how depressed this has made me until today. So in a way, I do apologize — I haven’t done my job. Writing this blog post just might help someone else.
We’re all smart, dynamic, amazing women. I was going to keep this private, but I wanted to share it with all of you. Thank you for listening.
Y’all have probably heard this video again.
Favorite quote from the video: “Throw out the clothes that you can’t wear anymore. They’re just taking up space, and PISSING YOU OFF!”
Thoughts, ladies and gents?
Even though I’m moving towards low-carb eating after Passover/Unleavened Bread/First Fruits, I still hear loud and clear what she’s saying! Rockin’.
Oh yeah, and the woman is BEAUTIFUL. Oh man.
As much as I love plus size fashion, I think we tend to seperate ourselves from “mainstream” fashion problems and concerns, which isn’t the best road to take. MamaVision (along with back in skinny jeans) pointed me to a newspaper article on Diane von Furstenberg’s letter to fellow members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America that it’s time to address the “global fashion issue” of too-skinny models.
I know it looks like small steps, but the fact that Ms. “Head of the Council” Furstenberg took the time to address the issue sounds like there just might be a change in the wind.
Italy, Spain, Brazil and Israel all have policies on the table about underweight models. I think it’s a good start, even though I have my doubts about using BMI. BMI’s a rather flawed model in my opinion, but it’s better than the empty void that’s been going on all these years.
What saddens me is that all of this seems to be rolling into action because of models dying from being too thin. Considering that most of those models coming down the runway look so young, I’m sure that modeldeath is going to turn a few heads. Can’t have them dying, now can you?
It does feel almost a CYA operation as well, now that I think about it. As long as they weren’t dying, was it OK to have hyper-thin women wearing your fancy couture clothing? I mean, they were helping you make money. Now that Ana & Mia are in the spotlight after a few-too-many (yes, ONE death from eating disorders is already one too many) models are now in pine boxes when they didn’t need to be, now we’re getting people saying, “Hmm, maybe the skinny model thing is a bad idea.”
No matter the category, we all have our problems. I do think that plus size women are highly political in their own right, due to what we’re going up against. However, let’s never forget that in the long run, we’re all apart of the same clothes buying, model runway-walking, companies making dollars industry.
Our clothes are just bigger. The problems haven’t left the building.
I’ve had it up to hear with two things: the double-standard that’s being slung around about women’s sexuality, and our (albeit silent) acceptance of it all. What’s the matter with women looking, feeling, and otherwise being sexy? Does that stop us from being mothers, daughters, sisters, businesswomen, granddaughters, wives, friends, mentors, leaders, creatives?
I was talking with some ladies the other day (how all my stories start this way, I don’t know) about lingerie. They were shocked that I do pay attention to my lingerie, even though my fiancee isn’t around. It bothers me because I think that lingerie is both a private and quasi-public pleasure (OK, so my audience is 1 - it’s still an audience!) - why is it wrong to praise good lingerie?
I want bras that hug, embrace, caress, lift, and protect. I like color. Texture. Fabric is also a point of interest - give me satin, give me lace, give me soft fabrics that make time melt away!
Our greatest enemy seems to be ourselves. I can’t change the way people think, but I can change the way I talk about things. And I want sexy lingerie for me first.
Does it help or hurt that our thoughts of lingerie linger around sex? Are we quieter about corsets and hosiery than we are about camisoles and high-heels because it’s related to “that issue”? Or am I just missing out on the secret cabal of plus size lingerie blogs, where we vocal and verbose plus size fashion bloggers are really sermonizing?
In order to feel desirable, to feel loved, to feel good about ourselves, we have to start at the root. That root is us - not the media, not the stores (I actually did a post without striking at Charming….OK, maybe not), not family. US!
A wise woman told me once, “My dear, if you want to truly walk in this world and be substantial, you have two choices. You can either be a pretty girl or a smart girl. I’m not saying smart ladies can’t be beautiful, but if you go for the lipstick instead of the lecturn, you might just be more miserable than ever thought possible.”
Maybe in 2006 we’ll have it all, ladies.
[powered by WordPress.]
dee·lux·GRRL n.An intelligent, dynamic female who isn't afraid to take risks, take time for herself, or create her own unique style!
Stores I Like:
31 queries. 0.245 seconds