My thoughts about self image

Well I have been a little under the weather and I didn't feel fabulous at all so I don't have anything to post and that's ok because I wanted to focus on feeling as fabulous as I try to look. So now that I am feeling at least 85% better ( aside from this annoying coughing, I am going to write about the one thing that I had time to really think about on my down time and that is self image. To often I encounter women who seem to look and show that they are comfortable with themselves and the way that they look until they start to talk a little about themselves and then it seems as though they are not as well put together as they want everyone to think. Now I am an observer so I tend to look further into people then I should most times; but that is part of the compassion I have for everyone that I meet. I love reading biographies because I think that somewhere in the biography there will be an unnoticed phrase, description or maybe even one word to sum up how and what this person really feels about themselves. I am reminded of a quote I once read and it states: Your self image is your pattern. Every thought has an activity visualized. Every activity belongs to a pattern. You identify with your pattern or thought. Your patterns leads your life. Gallimore, J. G. We live in a world where everything is fashionably led from the cars we drive right down to the cell phones that we have. I don't understand who comes up with all these fashion rules and stipulations and I am not going to try to figure all that out but when it comes right down to how we as plus size women feel about ourselves then I want to inquire as much as I can to help myself as well. A lot of it has to do with educating ourselves on that which has the most interest towards us. There are so many sites that cater to plus size fashion and self image it just the matter of taking the time out to research it. Most women feel that if you show a little cleavage and wear ill fitting clothes and make a pouty face than that makes you a model. I beg to differ its more than just taking pictures and making faces because cameras don't lie and whatever is going on mentally about you will show on your face so you have to be sure that everything is right within so that everything will look right on the outside. I remember the first fashion show I did it started off as a hobby so I didn't think that much about it; but I was told that I was going to be the main attraction which meant I was going to wear the majority of the outfits and take the most picures. Well I was so excited until the day of the first rehearsal. The other ladies there were rude to me and basically no one had much to say to me, not to mention I was having some outside issues on the homefront as well. I was really overwhelmed and not feeling good about myself. I went for my makeup rehearsal and I was just worn out from the previous day. The artist that was doing my makeup kept saying that he couldn't get my makeup right because I just didn't seem like I was there. The same thing was said when I was getting my hair done. I finally had to practice walking the runway in the heels I had to wear and I guess the designer had had it so he pulled me over to the side and asked me if I really wanted to be there. I said "sure!" but I didn't mean it. He finally said we were going take a break because he wanted to talk to me personally. We talked and he asked me again was something going on with me. I finally broke down and cried and explained to him that I was having some issues at home and I was feeling like I had done something wrong beecause all the other women were being so rude to me, plus I was overwhelmed and was just not feeling pretty let alone trying to be pretty for someone else. He said something to me that I will never forget. He said that just because you are told by society how beautiful you are doesn't change how you see yourself. You have to know without a shadow of a doubt that when you look on the outside and everything you see seems ugly; and even if you see yourself as ugly; that you will always see the beauty that anyone who wants to see including yourself will see everytime you bless the world with your presence. I was going through a rough patch in my life and I had never felt I was pretty enough to take pictures let alone model anyones clothes but I did and I didn't lose anything in the process. The point I am trying to make is that my self image was not right within and it showed all over me. Its funny how people can remember the bad that someone has done but the good always goes unnoticed. Now I understand why the designer wanted to make sure everything was alright with me because he didn't want me to represent his clothes in a bad way as well as giving myself a bad image. You don't find to many people who will take the time out to be concerned in the fashion industry its rare but its some there. We have to be encouragers of ourselves. If we feel good about ourselves our self images will appear even more fabulous!

the best neckline styles

What is defined as the best neckline? As a plus-sized woman, I have found that some necklines look better than others on me. In fact, some can make me look amazing, while others can make me look even bigger than I am. If you are like me and you find that some necklines don't work for you, the good news is that there is hope. Through trial and error from me and my wonderful curvalicious friends we have discovered   two necklines that always work when we are either buying or finding the right tops,blouses, shirts or dresses.
The following are my ideas of the best  necklines for plus-sized women.  Briefly I will describe how and why I have found that these necklines look amazing on each particular shape and not only do they give the illusion of an elongated  body, but they also draw attention away from the mid section which tends to be an issue for us curvalicious cuties when trying to find a particular style.  If you'd like to improve your look or you’re just trying to find a neckline  style, try these two styles the next time you go clothes shopping.
The first of the two is the v-neck.
                                                                                                                           This neckline  can be very flattering on a plus-size woman because it lengthens the neck  and draws the eye down to give the look of a slimmer appearance.The V- neckline is good for women with small and large bust size.The V- neckline can dissect large chests, but it can also create an interest for a medium to smaller bust. For example, pair up a plunging V neck with a single long necklace and some fabulous shoes and you have a chic look.  If your style is more conservative a basic V-neck is great choice and it is ideal for women with a heavy bust.
v-necks can be a wonderful option. You can find v-necks  that don't reveal cleavage, but still give that great look.The V-neckline with a width greater than the length will help you make your narrow shoulders appear wider. A deeper V-neckline will make your wide-shoulders look narrower. Then to finish off the look add a jacket and a long layered necklace if the top isn’t embellished with some kind of beading, along with a pair of heels will give you the classic chic look.

    

However, any neckline that shows overflowing cleavage is not flattering if you are aiming to look chic but daring. As with any lower necklines, there’s the risk of going too low and looking inappropriately sexy.

Lastly, there is the scoop neckline. There are a number of necklines that simply feel too tight on a plus-sized frame but this one isn't too close to the neck.If you’re not well endowed, scoop necklines are best at creating the illusion of curves This means it also creates an illusion of a larger bust size…

If you are heavier at  the top the scoop neckline   helps compliment the curves, by drawing attention upward and creating a proportioned silhouette..

 

These are my ideas of the two most flattering necklines on any shape. But If you choose to think outside the box and experiment with different necklines make sure you choose  a neckline style that flatters your shoulders, neck, and chest, and will give you the appearance and the confidence that  will make you feel and  look absolutely gorgeous as well as  create a slimming effect. Remember, the whole point to finding a flattering neckline is to find something you're not only comfortable in but something which also makes your neck appear longer. Also, If you don't want to show too much skin, start with a simple scoop neck over a v- neck, allowing yourself time to ease into the transition of showing off your neck area. Once you're comfortable with the v-neck, start experimenting with other neckline styles to see which ones fit you the best and make you feel and look absolutely fabulous!

Black Silver Floral jacquard Jacket is from priceinspector.co.uk

Hot Pink Halter Beaded Plunging Neckline Top (not available)www.discountwomensdressshoes.com

eVogues Apparel Plus Size Designer Print Layered Blouse in Black  from  Amazon.com

eVogues Apparel Plus Size Scoop Neck Dress in Orange from  Amazon.com

My corduroy creation

             Before                                                     After

 

Well I finally finished my skirt! and I am very pleased with it. I would like to thank everyone for giving me their fashion Ideas. I know that I said that I was going to put up a sketch of the ideas that I chose but I have been very busy getting ideas and outfits  ready for an upcoming fashion show and taking photos. I just didn’t have time. Then I was told that  I had to come up with an original look so  I had to figure out what type of look I was going for and decided on bold colors to bring out the orange. I added a purple shirt (Catos) But then I thought that everything just looked to plain. I then added a white and black polka dot belt (Rugged warehouse) to give the whole thing a bit of energy and to give a polished look and to also accentuate and add some excitement to  my waist. I must say I didn’t think I could pull it off but the more I looked at it the more it seemed to work. The aqua blue cardigan (Gap) really brightened up this look as well. My accessories were just a pair of purple pumps(Thank you to Michal T Kaplan owner of Hollywood Heels I love the way they fit!)

 

                                I then added a bronze and gold handbag  ( thrifted) Liz Claiborne)....
                  

  a gold pair of dangling hoops...



 and a gold bracelet on the wrist.

* I also added a white topaz, diamond accented gold ring to add some sparkle to the whole ensemble. You can always add any ring to these colors to give more of an interesting look just remember to find your focal area and don't over do it.*