Monday, May 14, 2012
Plus Size Bodies, What Is Wrong With Them Anyway?
In the January 2012 issue of PLUS Model Magazine, plus-size model Katya Zharkova is featured in an explosive editorial where thought provoking statistics and statements are revealed.
*Check out all the images here*
- Twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed 8% less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23% less.
- Ten years ago plus-size models averaged between size 12 and 18. Today the need for size diversity within the plus-size modeling industry continues to be questioned. The majority of plus-size models on agency boards are between a size 6 and 14, while the customers continue to express their dissatisfaction.
- Most runway models meet the Body Mass Index physical criteria for Anorexia.
- 50% of women wear a size 14 or larger, but most standard clothing outlets cater to sizes 14 or smaller.
If we continue to ignore and rely on others to decide what we want to see, change will never happen. We have to be vocal and proactive, patient and realistic.
Tips on how we can help create change:
- Support the companies who market to you.
- Use social networking sites and email to let brands and designers know how you feel about clothing, options and the use of straight sized models (thin models) to market to you.
- Your dollars count! If you stop buying at “Store A” and let them know you will not be purchasing clothing until they market to you, this will raise concern.
- Use every avenue and opportunity you have available to you for your voice to be heard.
- Indie designers need our support.
The answer to the question is this, there is nothing wrong with our bodies. We are bombarded with weight-loss ads every single day, multiple times a day because it’s a multi-billion dollar industry that preys on the fear of being fat. Not everyone is meant to be skinny, our bodies are beautiful and we are not talking about health here because not every skinny person is healthy.
What we desire is equality to shop and have fashion options just like smaller women. Small women cannot be marketed to with pictures of plus-size women, why are we expected to respond to pictures of small size 6 and 8 women? We don’t!When the plus size modeling industry began, the models ranged in size from 14 to 18/20, and as customers we long for those days when we identify with the models and feel happy about shopping.
Are we moving towards that goal? Are you being marketed effectively by the brands who want your dollars?
Friday, April 27, 2012
Vogue Curvy!
Vogue Italia Cover Features Three Plus-Size Models
By William Lee Adams
Ahead of the curve: Plus-size models Tara Lynn, Candice Huffine and Robyn Lawley grace the cover of Vogue Italia's June 2011 edition.
Vogue Italia has thrown the fashion world a major curveball — by placing three plus-size models on its June 2011 cover.
The decision to shoot models Tara Lynn, Candice Huffine and Robyn Lawley isn’t a mere publicity stunt. It builds on efforts by the magazine’s audacious editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani to highlight the beauty of women with a bit of meat on their bones. In February Sozzani launched the website Vogue Curvy, which offers style tips to women who aren’t a size zero, and praises style “curvy icons” like Kim Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey who exude elegance in larger sizes. She’s also launched a campaign to shut down web sites that promote anorexia.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Fashion's invisible woman
Even as Americans get larger, designers and retailers cling to the idea that style comes in one size: small.
When it comes to shopping, the average American man has it made. At 189.8 pounds and a size 44 regular jacket, he can wear Abercrombie & Fitch, American Apparel or Armani. Department stores, mall retailers and designer boutiques all cater to his physique -- even when it's saddled with love handles, a sagging chest or a moderate paunch. In menswear, shlubby is accommodated.
But the average U.S. woman, who's 162.9 pounds and wears a size 14, is treated like an anomaly by apparel brands and retailers -- who seem to assume that no one over size 10 follows fashion's capricious trends.
Fashion-forward boutiques such as Maxfield and Fred Segal rarely stock anything over a size 10, and in designer shops, sizes beyond 6 or 8 are often hidden like contraband in the "back." Department stores typically offer tiny sections with only 20 or so brands that fit sizes 14 and up -- compared with the 900-plus brands they carry in their regular women's wear departments.
That leaves style-loving full-figured women with a clutch of plus-size chains including Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Avenue and Torrid. Or big-box stores such as Target, Kohl's and Wal-Mart, the No. 1 seller of plus-size apparel in the country -- though most of its selection consists of basic, often matronly items. Beyond this, plus-size clothing is largely relegated to the Internet, where customers who already have a complicated relationship with clothes are unable to see, touch or try on merchandise.
It often seems that it's easier to find and buy stylish clothes for Chihuahuas than for roughly half the country's female population.
Americans are getting larger, and 62% of females are already categorized as overweight. But the relationship between the fashion industry and fuller-figure women is at a standoff, marked by suspicion, prejudice and low expectations on both sides. The fear of fat is so ingrained in designers and retailers that even among those who've successfully tapped the market, talking plus-size often feels taboo. The fraught relationship between fashion and plus-size is far from new, but seems particularly confounding in a time when retailers are pulling out all the stops to bring in business. Carrying a range of sizes that includes the average female would seem like a good place to start.
"Plus-size has been a challenge for the industry for decades," said Marshall Cohen, chief industry analyst for the research firm NPD Group. "When I interview plus-size women, there's really nothing [in the market] that the consumer says they like. Because of this, women in this demographic have learned to make fashion not a priority." The longing for style is strong, but the hopes of finding it are low, and shopping is less fun than frustrating.
The message board at figuremagazine.com, the online incarnation of Figure, a magazine for full-figured women, reads like a laundry list of ways that brands and retailers aren't connecting with the demographic.
"Are all big girls supposed to dress like Midwestern farm wives?" asks one reader. "We have money -- why don't they want to sell to us?"
Another adds, "I don't want any more polyester, hip-hop gear, frumpy jeans and themed capris! I want the designers not to assume that I am a frumpy 55-year-old, middle-management employee. . . . Is anyone listening to us?"
It's a which-came-first scenario, Cohen said. Because plus-size women have been ignored for years, they've stopped actively looking for shopping opportunities. But when retailers bring savvy style to the plus-size game (as Gap Inc. did with its short-lived concept, Forth & Towne, which carried fashion-forward clothing for career women in sizes 2 to 20), they often shutter their efforts before they have a chance to bloom.
"Retailers don't have the patience to allow it to evolve," he added. "This is a market that's been underserved for 50 years. Customers are saying, 'For 50 years, you've ignored me and now you expect me to react to it instantaneously?' No."
Designer line
It's true that the development phase of a plus-size collection is costly, because fitting bigger bodies is more complicated than simply making smaller sizes larger. When bodies get larger (especially over a size 18), they take on a different proportion -- there's generally more girth in the middle -- and the ratio between hip and waist changes.But the payoff for sustaining a successful collection is worth the investment, said Rachel Pally, perhaps the only designer who sells a contemporary collection in trendy boutiques and a plus-size line -- Rachel Pally White Label -- in department stores. Pally's full-figured collection is one of the top-selling vendors for Nordstrom.
"Fashion-forward plus-size women have no options," she said. "They're so thirsty for the product." Why others don't jump on the bandwagon, she added, is a mystery. "It's like, 'Hello? Don't you guys want to make money?' "
By:Emili Vesilind
When it comes to shopping, the average American man has it made. At 189.8 pounds and a size 44 regular jacket, he can wear Abercrombie & Fitch, American Apparel or Armani. Department stores, mall retailers and designer boutiques all cater to his physique -- even when it's saddled with love handles, a sagging chest or a moderate paunch. In menswear, shlubby is accommodated.
But the average U.S. woman, who's 162.9 pounds and wears a size 14, is treated like an anomaly by apparel brands and retailers -- who seem to assume that no one over size 10 follows fashion's capricious trends.
Fashion-forward boutiques such as Maxfield and Fred Segal rarely stock anything over a size 10, and in designer shops, sizes beyond 6 or 8 are often hidden like contraband in the "back." Department stores typically offer tiny sections with only 20 or so brands that fit sizes 14 and up -- compared with the 900-plus brands they carry in their regular women's wear departments.
That leaves style-loving full-figured women with a clutch of plus-size chains including Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Avenue and Torrid. Or big-box stores such as Target, Kohl's and Wal-Mart, the No. 1 seller of plus-size apparel in the country -- though most of its selection consists of basic, often matronly items. Beyond this, plus-size clothing is largely relegated to the Internet, where customers who already have a complicated relationship with clothes are unable to see, touch or try on merchandise.
It often seems that it's easier to find and buy stylish clothes for Chihuahuas than for roughly half the country's female population.
Americans are getting larger, and 62% of females are already categorized as overweight. But the relationship between the fashion industry and fuller-figure women is at a standoff, marked by suspicion, prejudice and low expectations on both sides. The fear of fat is so ingrained in designers and retailers that even among those who've successfully tapped the market, talking plus-size often feels taboo. The fraught relationship between fashion and plus-size is far from new, but seems particularly confounding in a time when retailers are pulling out all the stops to bring in business. Carrying a range of sizes that includes the average female would seem like a good place to start.
"Plus-size has been a challenge for the industry for decades," said Marshall Cohen, chief industry analyst for the research firm NPD Group. "When I interview plus-size women, there's really nothing [in the market] that the consumer says they like. Because of this, women in this demographic have learned to make fashion not a priority." The longing for style is strong, but the hopes of finding it are low, and shopping is less fun than frustrating.
The message board at figuremagazine.com, the online incarnation of Figure, a magazine for full-figured women, reads like a laundry list of ways that brands and retailers aren't connecting with the demographic.
"Are all big girls supposed to dress like Midwestern farm wives?" asks one reader. "We have money -- why don't they want to sell to us?"
Another adds, "I don't want any more polyester, hip-hop gear, frumpy jeans and themed capris! I want the designers not to assume that I am a frumpy 55-year-old, middle-management employee. . . . Is anyone listening to us?"
It's a which-came-first scenario, Cohen said. Because plus-size women have been ignored for years, they've stopped actively looking for shopping opportunities. But when retailers bring savvy style to the plus-size game (as Gap Inc. did with its short-lived concept, Forth & Towne, which carried fashion-forward clothing for career women in sizes 2 to 20), they often shutter their efforts before they have a chance to bloom.
"Retailers don't have the patience to allow it to evolve," he added. "This is a market that's been underserved for 50 years. Customers are saying, 'For 50 years, you've ignored me and now you expect me to react to it instantaneously?' No."
Designer line
It's true that the development phase of a plus-size collection is costly, because fitting bigger bodies is more complicated than simply making smaller sizes larger. When bodies get larger (especially over a size 18), they take on a different proportion -- there's generally more girth in the middle -- and the ratio between hip and waist changes.But the payoff for sustaining a successful collection is worth the investment, said Rachel Pally, perhaps the only designer who sells a contemporary collection in trendy boutiques and a plus-size line -- Rachel Pally White Label -- in department stores. Pally's full-figured collection is one of the top-selling vendors for Nordstrom.
"Fashion-forward plus-size women have no options," she said. "They're so thirsty for the product." Why others don't jump on the bandwagon, she added, is a mystery. "It's like, 'Hello? Don't you guys want to make money?' "
By:Emili Vesilind
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
“Mom, I’m Fat:” One Mother’s Inspired Response to Her 7 Year Old
“Mom, I’m Fat:” One Mother’s Inspired Response to Her 7 Year Old
by Janell Hofmann
I am sitting, cross legged, on the bathroom floor trimming my five year old daughters’ toenails. My nine year old son showers his muddy body as I lean against the tub. My three year old daughter wrestles herself into pajamas in her bedroom. My eleven year old son bursts in from football practice and hollers upstairs about reheating leftovers and having a sore throat. My husband is out dropping our minivan off for a tune up. The sun has set and we’re putting another day to rest. In the confusion of this typical weeknight, I glance up from the floor at my seven year old daughter, standing on the step stool, completely undressed, brushing her teeth. I don’t like the way she is looking at herself in the mirror. I don’t like the way she pokes at her belly and frowns at her profile. I watch her for another minute and step in.
“What’s up, girl?” I ask. “I’m fat.” she responds without hesitation. I’m instantly weak. She continues, “My stomach jiggles when I run. I want to be skinny. I want my stomach to go flat down.” I am silent. I have read the books, the blogs, the research. I have aced gender studies, mass media, society and culture courses in college. I have given advice to other mothers. I run workshops and programming for middle school girls. I have traveled across the world to empower women and children in poverty. I am over qualified to handle this comment. But in reality, my heart just breaks instead. I am mush. Not my girl.
I rally some composure and stay cool. “You are built just perfect – strong and healthy.” And she is. But this doesn’t soothe.
I flounder. This child – my first and wildly celebrated daughter – was breastfed girl power. I read picture books with only central female characters, I insisted she wrestle her big brothers, demanded family call her words like smart and brave as much as cute and adorable. I tell her we are all different – straight and thin to round and plump and millions of ways in between. I tell her it’s what makes us all beautiful. Unconvinced.
I send all the other kids away. I shut the door and we sit face to face on the floor. There is more here and I need to see it through. I tell her I looked just like her when I was seven. I tell her she will grow to be tall and strong and fierce, like me. Not good enough. I reach and scramble. I tell her how fast she runs. Remind her of the goal she scored in soccer. What an expert she is on her bike and the amazing balance and tricks she does on her scooter. I remind her of her high level reading, her artwork, her mastery of math facts. “Fat.”
I grow desperate. “Child! What is the first thing everyone tells you when they meet you?” She sighs, “I’m beautiful.” Beauty is not helping me here. I’m failing. Pleading, I ask her why. Her blues eyes meet mine. She tells me on two different occasions friends have called her “kind of fat” when they were talking about bodies this summer in their bathing suits. And she felt sad. But she also felt good because finally she confirmed that what she thought about her body was “mostly true”.
I think a few bad thoughts about her peers and their mothers and wonder what messages are being sent. I am out of tools. And now twenty minutes later, I’m out of patience too. I feel powerless to what seems certain to her. And I cannot understand how she does not see all of life’s perfection in her reflection.
I stand her up on the step stool in front of the mirror. I strip off my yoga pants, my tee shirt, my bra and underwear. We are side by side completely naked together. She laughs. I start singing a song that I’m making up as I go. It’s rap meets Raffi with lyrics like “We are perfect, just the way we are.” It’s wild and silly, but I cannot be stopped. We’re shaking everything, and she’s belly laughing and totally thrilled. I pick her up. We are a ridiculous and magnificent pair. The other kids hear the commotion and barge in. They are confused and horrified. I carry her to the bedroom raving about all the ways we are powerful and naked and women. We settle into comfy pajamas and read a story together. Fat is not mentioned again.
On this night, I have no idea if I have succeeded. I’m not sure if what I said and did had an impact, if I fixed anything, or even if I changed her mind. But I do know that I must continue to infuse myself and my children with bold confidence. I must check in, ask questions, take the time. I must build and undo. I must be open and genuine. I must but willing to dance naked in the mirror, resist the urge to see all the ways five babies have changed me, and stare straight into my reflection with love. Then together, with a twinkle in our eyes, we only see radiance shining back.
Janell Burley Hoffmann is a writer and modern day abolitionist who leads empowerment programs for girls on Cape Cod. She is a lover of life and enjoys the wild ride with her husband and five children ages 12, 9, 7, 5, and 4.
by Janell Hofmann
I am sitting, cross legged, on the bathroom floor trimming my five year old daughters’ toenails. My nine year old son showers his muddy body as I lean against the tub. My three year old daughter wrestles herself into pajamas in her bedroom. My eleven year old son bursts in from football practice and hollers upstairs about reheating leftovers and having a sore throat. My husband is out dropping our minivan off for a tune up. The sun has set and we’re putting another day to rest. In the confusion of this typical weeknight, I glance up from the floor at my seven year old daughter, standing on the step stool, completely undressed, brushing her teeth. I don’t like the way she is looking at herself in the mirror. I don’t like the way she pokes at her belly and frowns at her profile. I watch her for another minute and step in.
“What’s up, girl?” I ask. “I’m fat.” she responds without hesitation. I’m instantly weak. She continues, “My stomach jiggles when I run. I want to be skinny. I want my stomach to go flat down.” I am silent. I have read the books, the blogs, the research. I have aced gender studies, mass media, society and culture courses in college. I have given advice to other mothers. I run workshops and programming for middle school girls. I have traveled across the world to empower women and children in poverty. I am over qualified to handle this comment. But in reality, my heart just breaks instead. I am mush. Not my girl.
I rally some composure and stay cool. “You are built just perfect – strong and healthy.” And she is. But this doesn’t soothe.
I flounder. This child – my first and wildly celebrated daughter – was breastfed girl power. I read picture books with only central female characters, I insisted she wrestle her big brothers, demanded family call her words like smart and brave as much as cute and adorable. I tell her we are all different – straight and thin to round and plump and millions of ways in between. I tell her it’s what makes us all beautiful. Unconvinced.
I send all the other kids away. I shut the door and we sit face to face on the floor. There is more here and I need to see it through. I tell her I looked just like her when I was seven. I tell her she will grow to be tall and strong and fierce, like me. Not good enough. I reach and scramble. I tell her how fast she runs. Remind her of the goal she scored in soccer. What an expert she is on her bike and the amazing balance and tricks she does on her scooter. I remind her of her high level reading, her artwork, her mastery of math facts. “Fat.”
I grow desperate. “Child! What is the first thing everyone tells you when they meet you?” She sighs, “I’m beautiful.” Beauty is not helping me here. I’m failing. Pleading, I ask her why. Her blues eyes meet mine. She tells me on two different occasions friends have called her “kind of fat” when they were talking about bodies this summer in their bathing suits. And she felt sad. But she also felt good because finally she confirmed that what she thought about her body was “mostly true”.
I think a few bad thoughts about her peers and their mothers and wonder what messages are being sent. I am out of tools. And now twenty minutes later, I’m out of patience too. I feel powerless to what seems certain to her. And I cannot understand how she does not see all of life’s perfection in her reflection.
I stand her up on the step stool in front of the mirror. I strip off my yoga pants, my tee shirt, my bra and underwear. We are side by side completely naked together. She laughs. I start singing a song that I’m making up as I go. It’s rap meets Raffi with lyrics like “We are perfect, just the way we are.” It’s wild and silly, but I cannot be stopped. We’re shaking everything, and she’s belly laughing and totally thrilled. I pick her up. We are a ridiculous and magnificent pair. The other kids hear the commotion and barge in. They are confused and horrified. I carry her to the bedroom raving about all the ways we are powerful and naked and women. We settle into comfy pajamas and read a story together. Fat is not mentioned again.
On this night, I have no idea if I have succeeded. I’m not sure if what I said and did had an impact, if I fixed anything, or even if I changed her mind. But I do know that I must continue to infuse myself and my children with bold confidence. I must check in, ask questions, take the time. I must build and undo. I must be open and genuine. I must but willing to dance naked in the mirror, resist the urge to see all the ways five babies have changed me, and stare straight into my reflection with love. Then together, with a twinkle in our eyes, we only see radiance shining back.
Janell Burley Hoffmann is a writer and modern day abolitionist who leads empowerment programs for girls on Cape Cod. She is a lover of life and enjoys the wild ride with her husband and five children ages 12, 9, 7, 5, and 4.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Melissa McCarthy wore Marina Rinaldi – or did Marina wear her?
Our favorite Curvy Comic, Melissa McCarthy, was spotted at the Academy Awards 2012 on the red carpet in a custom couture Marina Rinaldi evening gown. After Badgley Mischka created her last two dresses for the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, the good news is she finally was approached by someone who truly designs for the double digit divas out there. She must have come to her senses and realized that Badgley Mischka is not a great choice if she is going to promote and endorse a designer who is firmly full figured. We all know that Marina Rinaldi is the plus size division of the Max Mara line, a high end Italian collection who has been designing classic, elegant clothing for tallie forte donna (translated: strong (!) size women) for several decades now. That won her lots of points in my bodacious book and with the other women who are looking for her to “represent” them on the red carpet. Octavia Spencer is divine, but she has a more mature look and choosing Tadashi to wear was so wise. Tadashi is elegant and refined and he completely understands her hourglass figure. His designs are made for that body type. Melissa is more challenging because she must “give herself a waist” so she doesn’t look like a block of color and appear wider on screen than she needs to. It’s all illusion dressing, after all, and you have to know your shape to show your shape. And hey, Meliss, a tummy isn’t the end of the world!
A few points on the MR dress and why it did and did not work for her. The gathering and jewels on the upper bodice were exactly right bringing attention to her face. The coral family was a color that washed her out too much in my estimation. She needs more vibrancy in her choice of colors. A muted salmon tone seems right on paper, but it missed the “wow” factor. But, the color was not my main criticism. My problem with the design of the dress was that it had an empire waist that was encrusted with beading and sat right under the ribcage and floated over her tummy. Yes, it gave her the waist she needs to emphasize, but the empire made her look short waisted and low busted. The real culprit with the dress was that the bottom 2/3 of the garment was too much of a solid block of color. It needed to have an opening so as to break up the eye as it travelled to the bottom of the hem. How interesting if it had had a slit, and maybe not as dramatic as Angelina Jolie’s was, but a slit that broke up the solid block of color and showed some leg from the lower thigh down. She became a “wall of color” and that translates into width and breadth and doesn’t provide the added benefit of a silhouette that can be much more complementary simply with that design tweak.
I heard an interview with her and she commented on her handmade shoes and clutch created by her old pal Brian Atwood. He wrote an inscription on the bottom of the shoes with the date and place she wore them. She seemed obviously touched by that gesture. She also stated that she is going to get back to designing her line of clothing hopefully due out soon. She said that she has been so busy and the Award Season really took some of her time in between working. The added time spent just trying to find wardrobe choices that were appropriate must have been maddening.
I understand her alter ego is Sookie St. James….hilarious!
Sookie St. James was the loveable control freak and scatterbrain/klutzy best friend of Lorelai Gilmore on the Gilmore Girls. Sookie is the executive chef at the Independence Inn and later, the co-owner and head chef at the Dragonfly Inn.
And I know what you’re thinking – no it’s not Snookie – it’s Sookie!!
Even in a Marina Rinaldi that didn’t work 100% on her, she looked a million times more polished and pulled together than the Jersey Shore nightmare that I am forced to watch on the wall of TV stations that are plastered across the treadmill/stationery bikes/elliptical machine workout area on the main floor of my Equinox gym. I actually have a name for the cookie cutter, incredibly loud and too extremely close JS women who emulate that pint size, over extended, spray tanned travesty — I call ‘em Snook-a-likes!
I can’t help but voice my opinion, though, that my favorite look of hers happens to be the ensemble she wore for her appearance late fall on the David Letterman Show. Her makeup is vibrant, the tunic with the grommets is trend-forward as are the slim leather pants. And the pop of electric cobalt grape ruanna wrap that she threw over it was simply divine and exactly the right layering piece. We all know that finding evening wear that works as well as our daytime selections is extremely hard to do. In trying to find the look that is so ‘special occasion’, the dress comes off too contrived and actually accentuates the very areas we don’t want to have attention overly drawn to. My hope is that her new line will have some dressier garments that we can all wear along with her for our ‘red carpet events’….I hope she remembers to “ride your curves, not hide your curves.” She does have a design and textile background, so I cannot wait till it debuts. Make the time, Sookie, we all need your sensibility and we will rally round the racks when it hits the stores!
By Catherine Schuller
A few points on the MR dress and why it did and did not work for her. The gathering and jewels on the upper bodice were exactly right bringing attention to her face. The coral family was a color that washed her out too much in my estimation. She needs more vibrancy in her choice of colors. A muted salmon tone seems right on paper, but it missed the “wow” factor. But, the color was not my main criticism. My problem with the design of the dress was that it had an empire waist that was encrusted with beading and sat right under the ribcage and floated over her tummy. Yes, it gave her the waist she needs to emphasize, but the empire made her look short waisted and low busted. The real culprit with the dress was that the bottom 2/3 of the garment was too much of a solid block of color. It needed to have an opening so as to break up the eye as it travelled to the bottom of the hem. How interesting if it had had a slit, and maybe not as dramatic as Angelina Jolie’s was, but a slit that broke up the solid block of color and showed some leg from the lower thigh down. She became a “wall of color” and that translates into width and breadth and doesn’t provide the added benefit of a silhouette that can be much more complementary simply with that design tweak.
I heard an interview with her and she commented on her handmade shoes and clutch created by her old pal Brian Atwood. He wrote an inscription on the bottom of the shoes with the date and place she wore them. She seemed obviously touched by that gesture. She also stated that she is going to get back to designing her line of clothing hopefully due out soon. She said that she has been so busy and the Award Season really took some of her time in between working. The added time spent just trying to find wardrobe choices that were appropriate must have been maddening.
I understand her alter ego is Sookie St. James….hilarious!
Sookie St. James was the loveable control freak and scatterbrain/klutzy best friend of Lorelai Gilmore on the Gilmore Girls. Sookie is the executive chef at the Independence Inn and later, the co-owner and head chef at the Dragonfly Inn.
And I know what you’re thinking – no it’s not Snookie – it’s Sookie!!
Even in a Marina Rinaldi that didn’t work 100% on her, she looked a million times more polished and pulled together than the Jersey Shore nightmare that I am forced to watch on the wall of TV stations that are plastered across the treadmill/stationery bikes/elliptical machine workout area on the main floor of my Equinox gym. I actually have a name for the cookie cutter, incredibly loud and too extremely close JS women who emulate that pint size, over extended, spray tanned travesty — I call ‘em Snook-a-likes!
I can’t help but voice my opinion, though, that my favorite look of hers happens to be the ensemble she wore for her appearance late fall on the David Letterman Show. Her makeup is vibrant, the tunic with the grommets is trend-forward as are the slim leather pants. And the pop of electric cobalt grape ruanna wrap that she threw over it was simply divine and exactly the right layering piece. We all know that finding evening wear that works as well as our daytime selections is extremely hard to do. In trying to find the look that is so ‘special occasion’, the dress comes off too contrived and actually accentuates the very areas we don’t want to have attention overly drawn to. My hope is that her new line will have some dressier garments that we can all wear along with her for our ‘red carpet events’….I hope she remembers to “ride your curves, not hide your curves.” She does have a design and textile background, so I cannot wait till it debuts. Make the time, Sookie, we all need your sensibility and we will rally round the racks when it hits the stores!
By Catherine Schuller
Monday, March 14, 2011
Womens Plus Size Lingerie
Does your size get in the way always whenever you decide to look attractive? And you wish garment manufacturers and designers would think about plus size women and make clothes that would fit them, instead of you trying to fit into lingerie that were made for some other size?
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You will find there is nothing like comfortable and good to slip into after you come home and bathe after a hectic day at your work place. You have the option of using conservative womens plus size lingerie for wearing at night-time. Feeling sexy inside often makes you look sexy on the outside, Plus Size womens lingerie provides you with adequate reason to feel sexy inside.
Good fitting lingerie has a wonderful effect on the complete persona. Feeling good inside will make you look good on the outside.
Gone are the days when you dreaded the thought of wearing lingerie for the special night. In times before, you could not wear lingerie without wondering whether the garment is going to make you look sexy or overweight. You have now the option of wearing lingerie that is made especially for you!
Plus size lingerie is good enough to fit you in way which compliments your body. Womens plus size lingerie will not make your skin overlap the straps or stifle you. You can also find womens plus size lingerie in different sizes; this will facilitate you to select the plus size lingerie which fits you perfectly.
We have range of designs and different styles available. You can make a choice of elegant Womens plus Size Lingerie which speaks of what you are and your tastes. If looking for something stunning and attractive plus size womens lingerie, you can choose the plus size womens sexy spicy lingerie.
Making a choice of the Womens plus Size Lingerie is most engaging. There is an array of colors that you will love to make a choice from. If you love the color white, you have a wide choice in womens lingerie white. You will also find plus size womens lingerie in several other colors which are both stunning and highly attractive.
You can select womens plus size lingerie in an array of sizes and looks. You can choose the real skimpy and sexy extra size womens lingerie which will highlight your assets, or else go in for a conservative womens plus size lingerie which you can use for a feel good effect when you are alone with yourself.
You will find there is nothing like comfortable and good to slip into after you come home and bathe after a hectic day at your work place. You have the option of using conservative womens plus size lingerie for wearing at night-time. Feeling sexy inside often makes you look sexy on the outside, Plus Size womens lingerie provides you with adequate reason to feel sexy inside.
Good fitting lingerie has a wonderful effect on the complete persona. Feeling good inside will make you look good on the outside.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Hot Lingerie to Make your Man Crazy!!
Once in a while, women want to feel sexy and hot. The more satisfaction of feeling like a woman is worth the sexiness. Most of the time, the sexiness is derived with the kind of clothing the woman wears. With the right choice of clothing, any apparel can make one feel sexy and more so, lingerie is definitely not exempted. Although wearing simple lingerie can make one look and feel sexy, there are still designs and styles that make up Hot Lingerie. In other words, in the world of intimate apparels, one can still find a hot lingerie or sexy underwear. hot lingerie has sophisticated designs and materials. They are not just cute panties or flexible bras. They are designed to make one look pretty and sexy when worn.
Wearing hot lingerie can spice up your mood and make your love life interesting. The huge variety of women lingerie available now makes the choice easier for you as you can find the perfect fit for your body shape and size. Your partner may be aroused by a mere glimpse of your peeping hot lingerie from underneath your clothes. The thought of silky sensuous satin brushing against creamy smooth skin can make your partner go wild. It is not just the women who can stir up their love life with the perfect combination of bra and hot panties. Pampering your woman by buying her a hot lingerie gift can make her feel like a queen. It not only gives her a chance to understand what you want to see her in, but also gives her the faith in you that you love her.
The most important accessory is your attitude. Nothing you try one will ever look right for you if you don’t feel great about yourself. Hot Lingerie comes in a lot of styles, there is bound to be something that will fit your body type and lifestyle. The key to find the perfect lingerie is by knowing your personality. You have to know what kind of seductress you are to be able to pick hot lingerie that will simply make the hot you stand out.
Perhaps you are planning a honeymoon for your June wedding - or a romantic getaway with your man. You want to feel hot. First step: elegant hot transparent lingerie! However, something that looks good in a catalogue may not emphasize your positive features. Size yourself up in the mirror. Find something about yourself that is especially alluring. Maybe it is your silky-smooth neck, glossy hair, bedroom eyes, or shapely legs. Well-chosen transparent lingerie will draw the eyes to your most attractive features. Your intimate apparel should make you feel like Cleopatra - sexy, hot, and a little daring.
Wearing hot lingerie can spice up your mood and make your love life interesting. The huge variety of women lingerie available now makes the choice easier for you as you can find the perfect fit for your body shape and size. Your partner may be aroused by a mere glimpse of your peeping hot lingerie from underneath your clothes. The thought of silky sensuous satin brushing against creamy smooth skin can make your partner go wild. It is not just the women who can stir up their love life with the perfect combination of bra and hot panties. Pampering your woman by buying her a hot lingerie gift can make her feel like a queen. It not only gives her a chance to understand what you want to see her in, but also gives her the faith in you that you love her.
The most important accessory is your attitude. Nothing you try one will ever look right for you if you don’t feel great about yourself. Hot Lingerie comes in a lot of styles, there is bound to be something that will fit your body type and lifestyle. The key to find the perfect lingerie is by knowing your personality. You have to know what kind of seductress you are to be able to pick hot lingerie that will simply make the hot you stand out.
Perhaps you are planning a honeymoon for your June wedding - or a romantic getaway with your man. You want to feel hot. First step: elegant hot transparent lingerie! However, something that looks good in a catalogue may not emphasize your positive features. Size yourself up in the mirror. Find something about yourself that is especially alluring. Maybe it is your silky-smooth neck, glossy hair, bedroom eyes, or shapely legs. Well-chosen transparent lingerie will draw the eyes to your most attractive features. Your intimate apparel should make you feel like Cleopatra - sexy, hot, and a little daring.
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