Fatshionista!

Non-halter fatkinis?

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:02:31 GMT

I bought the Gabi Fresh neon pink fatkini, and it just came in the mail today. I love how it looks on me (pics to come, once I take some!), but the halter hurts if I tie it tight enough for even minimal support.

I'm going to return this one, but I really want a fatkini for the summer. Pretty much all the other ones I've found online are also halters (including the Monif C peacock bikinis, which I've been drooling over forever...so gorgeous!). Has anyone seen any non-halter fatkinis?

Body glide

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:19:24 GMT

I am trying to tackle that whole wearing dresses/skirts & bare legs issue, because I think I'm finally feeling comfortable enough with myself to try to wear them. I ordered Bodyglide and I just put some on and... did they accidentally send me Pritt Stick? I thought this stuff was supposed to make the skin smooth enough to reduce chafing, not stick my thighs together?!

Is the Bodyglide faulty or is this just how it feels and it will still protect me from chafing even though it doesn't seem to reduce friction at all?

Belly Dancing in the Boston Area -- class forming now!

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:20:41 GMT

Hi all, I'm putting together a fat-positive (and possibly allies?) group for a beginning belly dance class with Nadira Jamal, who teaches in Union Square, Somerville. Her Web site is very clear that her classes are open to people of all sizes, but her upcoming intro class wasn't at a time I could do, and I thought I would try and put together a class specifically for fatties.

She has offered me Mondays, 6-7pm starting June 24th, for 10 weeks. The cost would be $140 per student. I need a firm commitment from at least 6 people to hold the class.

If you are interested, please PM me with your email address. Thanks!

SotS - Swimsuit of the Season!

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:54:10 GMT

Hello wonderful fats!

Another long time follower, first time poster. I made my first trip to the pool in I can't even remember how long today. I mostly just wanted a chance to try out the swimsuit I just got in! I really love it.

The top is this: http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/Chlorine-Resistant-Aquabelle-Blue-Floral-Plus-Size-DD-Cup-Racer-Back-Tankini-Top?p=3149
And the bottom is this: http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/Plus-Size-Black-Brief?p=3646

I picked this specific suit for it's chest coverage and support and I'm definitely happy with those aspects. My old swimsuit was from Target/Merona and the cups were just not big enough for my DDs. It was also my first and last halter top. Oh, my aching neck. This top was offered in regular and DD. I'm wearing the DD and it's quite adequate for the girls. The empire band under the chest is wider than in my old Merona suit and the racer back straps provide nice support. I felt very comfy and secure swimming laps. I've got a trip booked to the beach in a few weeks and I can't wait! Hopefully, I will no longer have to be paranoid about a big wave making me accidentally flash the whole beach.

Not to just echo Lesley, but I'm so in love with swimsuitsforall.com . They have such a great selection with designs that are modern and young, much better than what's offered Lands End or any other place I've looked at. The first top I ordered was too big and I had to exchange it for a smaller size. They have free exchange and return shipping, so I only paid the one initial shipping fee. The directions on how to get free return shipping were a little confusing and contradictory in some places, but I called their customer service line and the lady there was super nice and hooked me right up. It was about as painless as online shopping can be.

ISO swim bottoms or swim shorts, boy-cut or bike-shorts style

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:41:50 GMT

Hi all! I got these swim shorts from Land's End recently, and they are blousier (not a word, I know) than I was expecting. I was hoping for something a little more form-fitting. Does anyone know where I can get something like bike shorts but in swimsuit material? I have cute thighs and want to show them off without having to remove too many hairs. ;) I would probably wear a 16/18 or 1X. Shipping to U.S.is a must, and I've love to pay $30 or less shipped. Thanks!

My Itsy Bitsy, Teenie Weenie, Navy Elomi Bikini

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:38:02 GMT

Last week I ordered the Elomi Isis Underwire Swimwear Bra in navy.The estimated time for it to arrive was on Tuesday the 21st, so I figured that it would be okay if I was out and about until Tuesday. Well, I just got home on Tuesday and it seemed that the item had already shipped and was by my door!I ordered the item from Bare Necessities, which accounts for such prompt service.

Anyway,here is a picture of the item taken with my phone. No picture of me wearing the bikini until I have a proper bottom to go with it!
I am sorry that i was unable to get pictures of the item fresh from the bag because in a ravenous moment of capitalistic glee, I opened the box and tried on the bikini. I was at first worried that it would be too small since there was not as much material as the bras I usually wear. Turns out that maybe I need to get another fitting, because the bikini fit just fine if not a bit...very revealing compared to my more granny-cut bras.I can dig it, however, because why be conservative when you're wearing a bikini?It literally fits and supports like a bra, and I am very excited to see what it does when water comes into the equation. For reference: I usually wear a 42 DDD, and I ordered the 42 E, which the size chart said would fit. I'm err...wearing it right now (don't judge me!), and it just fits better and better the more I wear it. I think it's the material molding to my shape or something.

Now, some might be wondering "Why didn't you get the bottom to go with the top?". My answer is clear and simple: $48 for an item I can get at a thrift store. The thrift stores that I frequent have various bikini bottoms in my size.I could get one for at most ten dollars, and when looking for something to go with a navy top, it's a total no-brainer.I would rather save my money for my trip than get an exactly matching bottom. Who knows, I might even wear an unrelated print bottom and rebel against color theory and the concept of a bikini body.
I'll give an update with actual fatkini pictures once I hunt down a bottom to wear with my top.It's going to be a great summer!

Shirt with Ties...?

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:04:42 GMT

I firstly want to thank everyone for all the help they provided for my formal events next month. I am super excited, I feel like I am going to be tres glamourous, and... yes. It will be epic and awesome!

However, my girlfriend wants to attend wearing a tie and nice button-down shirt with a formal vest over. We went to Men's Warehouse this past weekend, and... well. The salesman was extremely nice (he was adorable, actually. I don't think they get many fat lesbians in there), and we found a suitable vest and some ties, but we're still stumped for shirts. We're going to go to Casual Male this weekend and see if anything in the Big and Tall section fits her, but I thought I'd ask here and see if anyone has any suggestions.

What we're looking for:
Button down oxford style shirts in white, black, and another bright color (huge bonus if we can find a vibrant purple)*
Button cuffs are perfectly fine

She wears a 26-28-ish top- carries most of her weight in her belly, but her bust is large enough that fitting the vest was... interesting.

We live in the greater Boston Metro area, so we have most of the major chains available. Our trip is at the end of June, so online orders are okay- but we'd prefer a Brick and Mortar so we can ensure fit and don't have to futz with returns.

Thank you in advance!

Note: It is not a requirement that it be a man's shirt- it's just my experience that women's button down shirts don't have collars that are suited to wearing a tie.

Summertime Interview Clothes

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:34:36 GMT

Hi all,

I'm in the process of applying to jobs, and having interviews. The weather is warm, and obviously I can't keep my coat on during the interviews. I wanted to purchase a lightweight blazer that's not too expensive (maybe under $60). Problem is, every single store I've been to (online and in-store), all of their jackets and blazers are either:

1. Way too short. Meaning they're damn near cropped up to your boobs.
2. Has a floral print or some kind of embellishments.
3. Are over $60. Way, way over.

All I want is a simple, lightweight, Black (or pinstripe), semi-affordable blazer/jacket that's about 30 inches long. And I'm finding anything BUT that. I understand that florals and stripes and very short tops are all the rage this season, but what about clothing for plain people like me?

If anyone can direct me to a store that has what I'm looking for, I'd greatly appreciate it. I did find something on eBay, but I'd like other options as well in case I don't luck out with eBay again. Thanks!

About A Dress

Sun, 19 May 2013 03:31:38 GMT

I have recently been smitten by this item from Simplybe.I have neither ordered from Simplybe nor have I owned an item from Simplybe. I have, however, heard a lot of bad things about their items (Long wait time, cancelled orders, terrible quality, etc.) along with great things (Cute dresses, large sizing (some consider it a fault, but I like things to fit generously), and more importantly: cute dresses!). I am wondering, however, if anyone has this specific dress, or anything like it from Simplybe purchased recently.If they have any warnings or praise, I would really appreciate hearing about it. I give a big thanks to everyone in advance.

Another non-fatshion Boston-area event: the Fab Fatty Frolic

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:08:13 GMT

Sunday, June 2nd
1-4 p.m. on the Cambridge Common

Let's enjoy our fabulous fat community out in the sun. :)

Fats and allies of all shapes/sizes/ages/backgrounds/genders/abilities/etc are welcome!

You can find me by my hot pink Hello Kitty blanket. I will also bring various frolicking implements such as a hula hoop, frisbee, and bubbles, as well as FA books to read (and possibly a few to swap). Feel free to bring any frolicking implements, books, snacks, whatever you want.

The Cambridge Common is near Harvard Square on the Red Line.

Rain date = June 23rd.

The Facebook event page is here.

ISO: lacy dress

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:09:14 GMT

Hey Fats, I was wondering if anyone could help me find a similar dress.

I was out shopping last night with my sisters. One of them found this really cute dress- it has a white lacy layer and beneath that was a kind of light neon green/yellow layer. The color popped out from the holes of the lace and just looked awesome. It was super cute but unfortunately, not in my size. It was a small boutique and I doubt I could find the actual dress in my size (around a 20) but I was wondering if anyone could point in the direction of a similar dress?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Not Fatshion: Fat-themed reading in Cambridge

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:58:13 GMT

Friday, May 24th
7:00pm-9:30pm
$10-$20* sliding scale at the door
Athenaeum Building
215 First St., Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA

Venue is accessible for people riding wheels & such.

Books for sale and to be signed by the authors.
Cash only!

Hanne Blank is a fat queer femme writer, historian, and speaker who spends her time at the crossroads of bodies, self, and culture. Joyfully spanning the town/gown divide as well as the mind/body split, her books include the cult classic sex and body-acceptance books The Unapologetic Fat Girl’s Guide to Exercise and Other Incendiary Acts (Ten Speed Press, 2012), Big Big Love: A Sex and Relationships Guide for People of Size (and Those Who Love Them) (Celestial Arts, 2011), the histories Straight: The Surprisingly Short History of Heterosexuality (Beacon Press, 2012) and Virgin: The Untouched History (Bloomsbury, 2007), and numerous others. A new body-acceptance book, The Good Body Manifesto: A Guide To Radical Acceptance for Bodies and Those Who Have Them, is slated for 2014. Hanne lives in north-central Massachusetts and in Atlanta, Georgia.

Lesley Kinzel has been writing and activisting about body politics for most of her life, having helped lead the Fatshionista Livejournal community for several years and then moving on to her own blog, Two Whole Cakes. Lesley has also written a book, a manifesto-memoir also called Two Whole Cakes, published by The Feminist Press. It has cakes on the cover. These days you can find her writing about fattery and other subjects as Senior Editor on xoJane.com. Lesley currently lives in the Boston area with her husband and cat, where she is very fond of tea, and cardigans.

Susan Stinson is the award-winning author of the novels Fat Girl Dances With Rocks, Martha Moody and Venus of Chalk, as well as Belly Songs, a collection of poetry and lyric essays. In 2011, she was awarded the Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist Prize from the Lambda Literary Foundation. Writer in Residence at Forbes Library in Northampton, Massachusetts, she is also an editor and writing coach. Alice Sebold had said, “Susan Stinson is a novelist who translates a mundane world into the most poetic of possibilities. “ Spider in a Tree, her novel about eighteenth century Northampton, is forthcoming in October 2013 from Small Beer Press. She can be found online at www.susanstinson.net.

*10 $7 scholarship seats are available to those with limited ability to pay; please email thethebigthrifty@gmail.com.

Swimsuits

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:56:05 GMT

Hello all, first time posting here!

I'm wondering if anyone could give me some advice on where to find plus size swimsuits that ship to Asia? So far all the sites I've found are either US only or have the most horrible selection of swimsuits. Anyone have any recommendations? Any replies are greatly appreciated! : )

Shoes for San Francisco?

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:01:43 GMT

Hi, all! It's been a long while since I last posted!

This summer, I've got an internship in San Francisco, and for the life of me, I can't find a decent pair of shoes to wear.

My main issue is that I'm over 6' tall, wear a size 28/30, and need women's size 12 shoes; in short, they've got to be crazy-supportive, but they also have to come in a size 12--although, I am definitely open to wearing men's shoes in a size 11, as long as the shoes look gender-neutral. The shoes also need to come in black, since most of my shirts/blouses are that color, and should be appropriate for outfits ranging from casual to business-casual, as I'll be around potential employers some of the time.

I used to teach, so I have shoes for standing all day, but aside from sneakers, I have nothing for walking outside, uphill, etc. For example, I can already rule out Danskos and Birkenstocks, as I tend to sprain my ankles in both when walking upstairs or uphill. Otherwise, I am unconcerned with the silhouette of the shoes: flats, oxfords, and whatever else is fine.

If y'all can offer some insight, do share! And, even if you don't have shoe recommendations, if you live in the Bay Area, feel free to comment, as well! <3

May Trigger Fatness and Rape Kits

Sun, 12 May 2013 22:54:50 GMT

Hello,

i was raped last Thursday and went to the hospital and got a rape kit done and a few really sketchy things happened with the cops and sexual assault nurse. I was wondering if any of you fats had any advice:

1. The SA nurse refused to do a speculum exam in spite of severe tearing because it is too hard to do on fat vaginas. I am not even sure what that means but I have several largish tears and don't what to do to heap them of how to get them as part of the kit.

2. They had to take all of my clothing except a hoodie and because I was too fat they had no clothing that fit mr so I had to walk out in public with just a blanket and no underwear.

Any suggestions on what I can do about this or how to advocate for myself as a fatty?

ETA Do any of you know of any good resources in Toronto, Ontario?

Fat-friendly shopping in San Francisco?

Sun, 12 May 2013 04:54:30 GMT

Hello everyone! I'm traveling to San Francisco in a couple weeks for the first time, and I'm looking for some recommendations for fat-friendly shopping in the city. I'm a US 16/1X if that helps. I'm traveling for my birthday trip so I want to do as much shopping as possible, but want to avoid wandering around looking for clothes that fit me... So, anyone know some good stores? :D

Thanks in advance!

Many outfits!

Sat, 11 May 2013 23:48:29 GMT

Hey everyone, I just wanted to post a few of my recent OOTDs :) As always, more where these came from on my blog. I also wrote something about fat acceptance & health that I don't think I've linked here before, so here it is if any of you are interested.

Dress: Forever 21+
Cropped cardigan/shrug: Old Navy
Flats: Shoe Dept Encore
Bracelets: Primark
Necklace: Blog giveaway

Top: Old Navy
Tank (underneath): ASOS Curve
Skirt: Dorothy Perkins
Flats: Payless
Tights: Worthington via JCPenney
Bracelets: Primark
Earrings: Dorothy Perkins

Top: Dorothy Perkins
Skirt & belt: ASOS Curve
Earrings: Dorothy Perkins
Bracelets & necklace: Primark
Tights: Worthington via JCPenney
Wedges: Mossimo via Target

Sweater: Primark
Skirt & belt: ASOS Curve
Earrings: Dorothy Perkins
Shoes: Forever 21

Floral tank: H&M+ via eBay
Black cropped jacket: Torrid
Plum coated skinnies: H&M+
Boots: Kmart

Dusty rose top: I <3 Ronson via JcPenney
Pearl flower earrings: Dorothy Perkins
Lilac skinny belt: ASOS Curve
Black skater skirt: ASOS Curve
Pearl “bracelet”: Actually a necklace from Forever 21
Black tights: Kmart
Lavender ballet flats: Old Navy

Colorblock Navy/Green Swing Dress: The Webster at Target (USA)
Pearl pendant necklace: Dorothy Perkins (UK)
Navy bow flats: Shoe Dept. Encore (USA)

Colorblock Maxi Dress: Primark
Gold hoop earrings: Target
Gold skinny belt: Target
Black faux leather jacket: Xhilaration via Target
Boots: Kmart

Embellished peplum top: Simply Be
Black skinny belt: Forever 21+
Leopard skinny jeans: Forever 21+
Shoes: Kmart

OOTEvening

Sat, 11 May 2013 23:25:33 GMT

Greetings, Fats!

It has been a very long time indeed since I've posted an OOTD, but I was quite fond of this one so I thought I'd share:

top and wrap/shawl thing = Katies (Australian clothes store), many seasons ago
skirt = Primark
tights = M&S
shoes = Dr Martens (!!!)
necklace and bracelet = Magnolia Silver
glasses = goggle4u.co.uk

I apologise for how skewed everything looks, but anyway. I particularly loved the skirt/dr martens combination. As my friend put it, "a mini-skirt and docs makes me feel powerful and sexy". So true.

Abercombie & Fitch CEO hates "fat chicks"

Tue, 07 May 2013 22:22:09 GMT

Thought I'd share this. What a jerk!!

http://elitedaily.com/news/world/abercrombie-fitch-ceo-explains-why-he-hates-fat-chicks/
mbie & Fitch CEO Explains Why He Hates Fat Chicks

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Explains Why He Hates Fat Chicks

Anyone who’s been to Abercrombie & Fitch in the last few years has probably noticed that they don’t carry XL or XXL sizes of women’s clothing because they don’t want overweight women wearing their brand.

According to this popular teen clothing retailer, fat chicks will just never be a part of the “in” crowd.

They take a big risk with this tactic because two of Abercrombie’s biggest competitors, H&M and American Eagle, both offer XXL sizes for men and women.

The largest women’s pants available at Abercrombie are a size 10, while H&M goes up to 16 and American Eagle goes even farther to 18.
Abercrombie’s attitude towards plus-sized women derives from CEO Mike Jeffries. Robin Lewis, author of The New Rules of Retail, spoke to Business Insider about the kind of people Jeffries wants advertising his brand.

“He doesn’t want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people,” Lewis said. “He doesn’t want his core customers to see people who aren’t as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they’re one of the ‘cool kids.’”

Lewis said that the only reason Abercrombie offers XL and XXL in men’s sizes is to appeal to large athletes.

In a 2006 interview with Salon, Jeffries confirmed that the communication between hot people is his primary marketing tactic.

“It’s almost everything. That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that,” he said.

Jeffries also told Salon that he wasn’t bothered by excluding fat people. In fact, he said that not limiting his ideal demographic would make his clothing less desirable.

“In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids,” he told the site. “Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either,” he told Salon.

One might wonder why Mike Jeffries only wants to be in the company of good-looking people. That curiosity will end after seeing what this freak looks like.

After seeing a picture of Mike Jeffries, it can only be concluded that he was never around good-looking people as a kid and is now making up for the glamorous youth he wishes he had.

Advice/help regarding discrimination?

Sun, 05 May 2013 18:34:07 GMT

Hey, beautiful people! This is my first post, and it’s a doozy. I’m hoping you guys can help me and/or give me some advice.

I was a nursing student at a private college from fall of 2009 through spring of 2011. I enjoyed the college for the most part and excelled at most of my classes. However, I experienced discrimination, belittlement, and humiliation for an entire semester.

During my spring 2011 semester, a nursing instructor (Professor F) at the school would consistently berate me, glare at me, act disgusted by my presence, and ignore me when I asked questions. I accepted this treatment because I assumed it may have just been a conflict of personality, or she may have just been that kind of person. It was brought to my attention by fellow classmates that she was treating me differently than the rest of the class. I still ignored the treatment, kept my head down, and tried to stay out of her way.

However, that was not possible. Professor F also became my clinical instructor for my first clinical. I was accused of being late with assignments when I wasn’t and called “stupid,” “lazy,” and “slow.” I was berated for yawning while walking out of class, criticized for not speaking up in class, and accused of speaking too much as well.

I have a history of panic disorder, and the symptoms arose again. I would have panic attacks before class and upon arriving home from class. These attacks would leave me exhausted, sore, and unable to focus. My grades slipped, and I still did not know why this professor treated me so differently than anyone else. I asked the division head if I could switch clinical instructors and she said no. I was depressed, anxious, and already looking forward to the summer.

The climax came soon into the spring of 2011semester. My nursing class had validations for IVs, and I had already failed a quiz by less than half a point. (Professor F had given a quiz and marked me down by .5 points even though I had the exact same answer as a friend who got the question correct.) The failed quiz constituted a clinical failure. If I failed my validation, I would fail the class and be ineligible to continue with nursing classes. I approached the head of the nursing department and asked her if I could please be validated by anyone other than Professor F. She said yes, but it would be a “one time courtesy.” I gladly accepted that and confirmed it with her again later that day.

The day of my validation came, and my stomach dropped when I saw I was being validated by Professor F. I felt panic well up inside me, but I held it together to get through the validation. She hovered over me the entire time, asking me questions, and standing right over my shoulder. My mind blanked, my hands shook, I made several mistakes, and then she told me I had failed. I was devastated and in shock, but I accepted my failure.

After the failed validation, Professor F took me into the nursing office and shut the door. I had to sign paperwork regarding my failure and discuss it with her. She began by giving me tissues and filling out her side of the paperwork. Then the “discussion” began. She informed me that I was “too fat to be a nurse,” “lack the intellect to be a nurse,” and I should “do something more [my] speed.” I had roughly a 3.8 GPA at that point and had made Deans List in two of the four semesters I had been there. I was also told that until I “get healthier and work harder” that I would never become a nurse. She had me sign the paperwork and leave. Soon after, I withdrew from the college with a 3.65 GPA.

Due to the actions of this professor, my life has changed drastically. I fell into a deep depression, was unable to leave the house, and stopped functioning. I still suffer from anxiety on a daily basis, am on disability and medication, and see a therapist once a week. I no longer get enjoyment from learning. My loans are in default as well due to financial problems and anxiety that pops up whenever I even THINK about something regarding school. I dreamed of being a nurse and I used to read nursing textbooks for pleasure, but have been unable to even look at one without feeling pain and anxiety. My life has forever been changed and tainted by this experience.

I’ve come to realize that I deserve the same rights, respect, and treatment as everyone else regardless of my size. The treatment I received was unfair, cruel, and has had lasting effects on my life and psyche. I was wondering if there was any action I could take against the college or the professor herself.

Support Thread for First-Time Bikini-Wearers

Sat, 04 May 2013 19:31:59 GMT

Spring is, slowly, giving way to summer, and my mind has turned to the idea of wearing a bikini. For years I have been stuck on wearing one piece swimsuits only for the reason that fat people are told it's more flattering. This summer, I would like to break out of the mold, and if anyone else would like to share encouragement and plans for their first time wearing a bikini,let's share it!

Thinking back, the best swimsuit I ever had was a bikini. I was around 10 or 11, and while I wasn't as, ahem, "developed" as I am now, I was still pretty curvy for a kid my age(I'm fat4lyfe it seems lol). I felt really adult and pretty in this green bikini that I wore, and I wore it so much that I had to throw it away for being too small (because puberty)and worn out (because water park chlorine).

And when you really think about it, a bikini is just a matching bra and underwear that you can wear in the water.I can't imagine that, as long as the bra and underwear fit, that a bikini would look so bad on anyone.

This summer I am lucky enough to spend some time in another country with a hot climate. It's near the coast, so that means I'll eventually get to a beach.I am in the market for a swimsuit, and there is surprisingly a lot more choices (online at least) for me to look at. I am torn between a retro halter top and high waist style or a more bra-and-panties cut of bikini.Here are some posts on bikinis that I have found while looking around the internet:

this post on WTF, Plus Size Clothing has a lot of great ideas for bikinis that are being sold right now. This lands end bikini mentioned in the post actually looks a lot like a floral version of the bikini I wore as a kid.

Refinery29's plus-size bathing suit roundup didn't have a lot of bikinis, but the ones they featured were pretty darn great.I like to get swimsuit recommendations from fashion websites because there's more of a "look at me!" aesthetic than a "cover that up!" mindset that more mainstream places have.

I am really considering this top with this bottom, but a part of me wants to hold out for something with more coverage and with a print.I like that the top is bought like buying a bra. I always struggle with getting support from my bathing suits.

Thank you for providing a community where I can consider a bikini without massive weight loss. I hope that other's on this site feel emboldened to take the plunge if they haven't before.

Help Out a Plus-Size Consignment Store

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:00:02 GMT

Mods, if this is not allowed, please remove!

I opened a small, plus-size consignment store called Plush Consignments last June in a former barbershop that is about 350 square feet. In about a month, I will be moving to a much larger space (1400 square feet). I do it all on my own (aside from the fact of my amazing customers who help keep me in business) AND work a second job since I don't take a paycheck from my store.

The best part about this store is meeting so many fabulous, curvy people and helping them to feel better about themselves by being able to find trendy plus size clothing. I even have an "encouragement board" in the dressing room where people can leave encouraging, positive messages for the next person to see. So many of the women who come in feel bad about their bodies and I want to change that.

Anyway, I have two things going on right now that I'm trying to do to help grow my business. One is a GoFundMe page, but that only has 3 days left and I'm only at 9.33% funded. The other is just a simple click-to-vote contest hosted by Intuit (the makers of QuickBooks, etc.) where I'm trying to win one of 15 "business wishes", which would be a grant of $5000. In my case, it would help to buy a sign for the new location, real consignment software (since I'm currently using MS Access), and some marketing.

If you can help by just clicking Vote for Us, you can vote once per day here:
https://apps.facebook.com/intuitlovelocal-tm/?x=us-en_lolb2desktop_43434_

If you can help by contributing to my store's GoFundMe page (but I don't expect it), you can do so here:
http://www.gofundme.com/28h0h4

If you'd like to follow us on Facebook, that link is:
http://www.facebook.com/plushconsignments

Thank you, everyone, for reading this. Fatshionista was the community that got me started along this path in the first place! <3

Gabi Gregg for Swimsuits for All Collection

Wed, 01 May 2013 20:50:46 GMT

as mentioned on NBC http://www.today.com/style/fatkini-blogger-designs-stylish-plus-size-bikinis-6C9708421
Gabi Gregg of Gabi Fresh is having a collection of bikini's released on May 15th with Swimsuits for All (http://www.swimsuitsforall.com) sizes will be from 10-24.

I'm excited to find another avenue for bikini's! has anyone viewed the few pictures of the collection?

Tall boot socks for bigass calves

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:17:48 GMT

Summer is coming and I am going to want to live in dresses and boots. Now that I found boots that FIT MY CALVES, I'm elated. But I don't like the fake leather sticky sweat grossness that happens when I wear them without leggings. Anybody have any suggestions for tallish boot socks that would fit over super big calves?

Thanks!

**oh and if someone could recommend a place online I could find bigger sizes (4x, 26/28) for chub preventer shorts that will ship to the US, that'd be great!

Fat-friendly dojo?

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:30:13 GMT

I'm looking to start martial arts training. Can anyone recommend a fat-friendly aikido dojo in NYC or nearby?

Or a fat-friendly class or dojo of another martial art, so long as actual interaction with opponents is involved -- t'ai chi as it is often taught on the beginning level, all forms and no touching, is interesting too, but not what I am looking for right now.

Bonus points if they are also experienced at and willing to work with beginners, people that are out of cardiovascular shape, and/or people with low-level back issues that may need the occasional workaround.