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!

I am still creating…

I am working daily on my outfits and fashion ideas for this blog but I think I have come to a block in the fashion road because I have all these ideas but I have no way to organize them! I hate it when this happens! So while I was taking a break from my" fashion mental block" I recently found this orange
corduroy A-line skirt barely hanging in the back of my crowded closet, that I made some years back. (This must have been a very trying time in fashion for me! LOL!) Now I got a great deal on this fabric when I made this. And I must have seen some future fashion potential in it for it to be still in my wardrobe, but if you are one who likes to go to thrift stores and find items that you can either wear or turn into something else that is more of your style just remember that  there are styles from every era that can look great on  plus sizes body types.The best tip for finding thrift clothing that fits well is to try everything on, and if that is not possible, measure yourself and know your own measurements. This is the best way to get a flattering fit regardless of you size or body shape. Knowing your measurements will also make it easier to buy thrift or vintage clothing and be assured that they will actually fit. For example, I am more of a pear shaped and A-lined skirts can be very flattering on pear shapes, When I am making or buying skirts I  always pay attention to the  the length and fabric type. I try to avoid heavy fabrics and lengths that fall between the calf and knee which shorten and will exaggerate my bottom half. A line cuts not only emphasize the waist but looks great on all  plus sized figures.  Just be mindful of bulky fabrics like wool, tweed, and corduroy. Make sure that the cut of the skirt in these fabrics will flow with your shape.  another tip for plus sized vintage or thrift clothing shoppers is to look for labels with a 1/2 size. Half sizing is how plus sizes were originally labeled.)  This being said,  I love the feel of corderoy and I love this color! but this skirt is very plain so I decided to revamp it and turn it into something more fashionable. I knew this would be a challenge but I never back down from a challenge! LOL! I just hope what I am visualizing in my mind will look half as fabulous as it will on
me……stay tuned! and remember to stay absolutely fabulous!

To eat or how not to eat? That is the question! and it's a choice

Me thinking

 

 

As I was sitting here lamenting the Christmas holiday and the new year that is about to evolve. It dawned on me that I needed something to discuss in this new found blog that I woke up and just decided to start. Well 8 hours later I still haven't found anything until I laid in my bed again and got back up with the idea of blogging about the first thing that popped in my mind. So here goes. Since we are in a super sized category and whenever it comes to holidays there is always the thought of how much we are going to eat at the office shin dig or will we eat any refreshments at the small gathering at a friends home we were asked to go to? I always wonder if I am going to be the biggest one there and if so will people look at me as if I may eat more than I should considering the size that I am?  I think  that eating is fine as long as its in moderation. The reason being is because it's good to map out whats going to be in the "big spread" once you get there. Just because there is a variety of those gourmet cookies you like doesn't mean you have to try each one on the platter.I also always consider what I will be wearing and how I think its going to look once I get there and start filling up on sausage balls or the macadamia nut fudge or any other type of fudge or food  that these festivities are known to have not to mention how I want to be perceived once I walk through the door and mingle before heading towards the food. I always eat a little snack before I go to any event where food is going to be served. That way I want be hungrier than usual and I want seem like the party pig inhaling everything in sight. I try not to eat anything filling this leaves room for me to casually nibble and I never eat anything before any social gathering that will cause me to feel bloated or gassy.

 Let's face it there is nothing cute about a plus size woman or any woman; letting one rip in a silent but deadly way that automatically draws more attention to herself. And ladies if you are going to be wearing a girdle which I know you are  (which is another topic all in itself) you definitely do not need to drink anything with carbonated water in it. because  we all know that women tend to swallow air when we get nervous or anxious. That is a gas bomb waiting to explode! The main thing is to nibble and mingle don't go there to get your belly so full that all you want to do is sit down with your legs open and pat your belly. That's fine if you want to do it at home but not in public! (trust me I have seen this done before, one of the plus sized models in a fashion show I was in was just about to get on the runway and stuffed herself till she couldn't eat anymore and she made the red fitted dress look like a tomato ready to pop! This was  from all the salty chips and fried foods she was stuffing herself with. And we want even go there with the gas! That's not the name or the look you want to be associated with. You know how its been said that, just because its made in your size does not mean you should wear it? well the same applies to food. Just because there is a lot of food doesn't mean you should try to eat all of it. You came there looking fabulous and fierce and just because you are plus sized doesn't mean you have to hide behind the bowl of chips. .Remember, you are there to have fun  and feel confident and look fabulous not look and act like you are a wild boar scavenging for your next meal.