Back to Life, Back to Reality

The blog has been sitting silent now for years. In that time I have gone through a couple different periods in my life, some good and some bad. I currently now am coming through a period of really not feeling right, not feeling like myself. Possibly a period of mild depression, though I don't know because I haven't been diagnosed. I hesitate to talk about it but a friend of mine said something that made me realize that I have to. She said "What if there are other people out there going through this that think that no one understands how they feel because we never talk about it. So now, I have to. I have to talk about it for my health and for anyone else it might help.

Changing it up

I felt like I lost myself in these last few months. Changes at work and in my life made it very difficult for me to feel like myself. And perhaps that was a good thing. I recognized a lot of unhealthy things I was doing to myself and how it was affecting my performance and relationships. I'm coming out of this period of my life, I think, a little better for having gone through it.

Having said that, there are changes around here at Falling Off the Blog. I started this blog with the intention of it being a source for plus sized gals. But I think that I wasn't doing anyone any good by pigeon holing myself and my readers. Being plus sized is not the only thing I am and by only highlighting that side of me I was not doing myself justice. So, henceforth, this blog is just that, a blog. A place for me to have a daily journal and talk about things in my life. I am not going to take down my past posts. They are still things that I find relevant. But moving forward will be a more positive voice and a more rounded view of who I am. I hope you'll stick around and grow with me!

-Christina

BMI, running, and a new pair of shoes

Lots of changes in my life over he past winter caused me to gain weight. I normally fluctuate around the holidays, but most of this was due to stress and I was, in a word, unhappy. For the first time in a long time I didn't like the way I looked and felt the anxiety I used to feel being a teenager all over again. I knew I had to do something.

I decided to start slow. I started putting everything I eat into Livestrong.com. Livestrong.com calculated my calories, my BMI, and tracks my weight. I was terrified at first. Having to face those numbers, admit that I stress eat, and see how out of control I had gotten was not fun. But it was what I needed.

I have started running. I never thought I would again, and it's still hard for me. But, I got myself a fancy new pair of Nike running shoes and I've been going down to the track at the Recreation center near me. It's been a big change.

It will take me years of changing my habits to get me out of plus sized category, but I am a big advocate for being healthy. I knew when I decided that I was unhappy with the way I looked that I was now unhealthy in more than one way. Now it's time to practice what I preach and get my mind and body in better shape.

Has Marie Claire Lost Their Minds?

I can't believe that I would do this story any justice by trying to summarize so I'm just going to link you to it.

"Should Fatties Get a Room?" article in Marie Claire

Christina Hendricks, a Vision in Lilac

Fans of Mad Men or undoubtedly jazzed about the show's recent Emmy wins. And surely those fans have also caught a photo or two of the three actresses from the series photographed on the red carpet. While January Jones went super modern and a tad risky, Elizabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks went ultra glam. But it's not actually what Christina is wearing that has my attention, but the body underneath.


It's no surprise that Christina has been reporting having difficulty finding a designer dress in her size. Last year she reported the same problem drawing some attention to her already eye popping figure. So, you would think this year would have been easier for her, since you know, she's super famous now. Get it together you designers out there! Who wouldn't want this vixen shimmying down the red carpet in one your gowns?

Some articles are actually reporting Christina's size which, for most of us would be horrifying. But supposedly these estimates are from a dress she donated to an auction that was measured. So I guess I can't get too mad at the media for that one. So, girls, here they are:

Christina Hendrick's reported size is somewhere between a 12 and 14. Don't we all have a few different sizes in our closet? Her measurements are reportedly 39-30-39 and her bust is either a DD or DDD. Take a good look at those numbers. Christina's body is beautiful. She was voted the sexiest woman in the country. She plays the role in Mad Men of the sexy, smart, office manager, who is often sought after and flirted with. She is bigger than many of the actresses on the show and she was chosen to play the voluptuous and fiery Joan. And on top of all of that, she says she is just fine with her body and declined the request to lose weight early on in her acting career.

You are beautiful and a role model, Christina! Congrats to you and your cast mates on the Emmy!

Taking it All Off

Whitney Thompson, the first plus sized winner of America's Next Top Model has recently stripped down in support of Love Your Body Day. Thompson, an ambassador for the National Eating Disorder Association is making an attempt to show women they can be beautiful at any size. Check out the photos as well as more information about this cause, and get ready to love your body for one day (and hopefully beyond) on October 23rd.

Crystal Renn gets "Shopped"

Hastily gathering my things to run out the door this morning I had one ear on the television set when I heard a teaser for a story involving Crystal Renn. I ran out of the bathroom to see what news Crystal Renn was involved in and why The Today Show was airing it. Unfortunately all I got was the general summary that Crystal Renn was upset because some of her most recent photos had been Photoshopped. I had to leave for work before the full story.


So here is what I could find online of what's going on. Apparently the people over at Glamour and Passion for Fashion think Crystal Renn is perfect for their campaign. Just not as perfect as they could make her with a skilled retoucher. Crystal says she was "shocked" when she saw the retouched photos and is being very open with the fact that she has not shed a bunch of weight. Still shots from video of the shoot have been posted up against the retouched photos to prove Crystal is still the plus sized gal we all love. Read more about the ordeal at the frisky.

Kate Dillon - An Intelligent Model (and she's plus sized, too!)

A little inspiration this morning : "I really belelive that if you're being the person you want to be, you'll care less about looking like the person everybody says you should look like."


A very intelligent and inspiring article about Kate Dillon, a plus sized model who speaks about her struggles and just trying to get into a normal life. Beautiful, smart, witty, she is quite interesting.

Read the full article here.

Plus Size News - New Series Featuring Plus Size Actress

If you have been watching any of the new summer series on ABC Family this summer then you have probably caught a commercial for the upcoming show, Huge. As far as we can tell from the promos, it's plot surrounds a fat camp and the campers who attend, focusing mainly on a rebellious and somewhat egotistical camper played by Nikki Blonsky.

Here is the plot synopsis as seen on the ABC Family website:
Funny, heartbreaking and provocative, Huge follows the lives of seven teens and the staff at a weight-loss camp, as they look beneath the surface to discover their true selves and the truth about each other.

In Huge, Nikki Blonsky will portray Willamina, a teen whose sardonic and rebellious nature make her a menace to some and revolutionary to others. Additional cast include Zander Eckhouse as George, Harvey Guillen as Alistair, Ari Stidham as Ian, Ashley Holliday as Chloe and Hayley Hasselhoff as Amber.

Huge, based on author Sasha Paley's book of the same name from Alloy Entertainment, is being developed by Winnie Holzman (Wicked, My So-Called Life, Once & Again) and daughter Savannah Dooley. Holzman will serve as executive producer as will Kim Rozenfeld (American High), while Dooley will serve as producer on the series. Alloy Entertainment’s Leslie Morgenstein and Bob Levy (Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries), will also serve as executive producers; Robin Schiff (Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion and ABC Family’s 10 Things I Hate About You) will serve as a consulting producer.

So now here comes my point of view on the show. I think the term "healthy" is becoming more and more prevalent in today's views of beauty and weight. While some of the actors in the series are clearly more overweight than others, their characters (from what we've seen so far) all have their own problems. Being obsessed with weight is not healthy whether or not it's coming out in the form of rebellion against exercise, or worrying about every bite of food that is taken. Getting healthy, physically and mentally is something that we all need to be focused on, whether or not that means weight loss is different for every individual.

I am happy to see that this series features some prominent plus sized actresses. Nikki Blonsky first made her debut in Hairspray and has since been a household name. This is the first time I have seen Haley Hasslehoff and am excited to see what she has to bring to the table.

Set your DVR's and get ready for yet another new summer series from ABC Family. I think this is one to watch.

To check out the official website click here.

Nice Weather Means Being More Active

The warm weather has been inticing me to go outside for months now, and I knew that I wanted to start an exercise routine. The only problem is that I hate running. So what to do? I had been an avid walker in college, spending hours walking around the indoor track at our state of the art gym, but I don't have access to anything like that anymore. So I trekked out in search of some walking paths. What I found was something much more enjoyable, much more beautiful, and a heck of a lot more captivating than either walking or running.

See, the thing with walking and running is that I lose interest very quickly. I have to change up my route a lot in order to keep from being bored, and that's a lot of work. And then there is the heat. Around here it can stay in the 90's up until about 8:00 which only gives me about an hour to be outside while it's cooling down. You can only get so far in half an hour when you walk before you have to turn around.

So what did I find that is so wonderful? Hiking. I'm not out in the woods with a bundle backpack and walking stick, but I am walking through a small forest alongside a creek. We encounter hills and valleys, overgrown paths, narrow walkways and even a daring pipe bridge or two. I never considered myself the outdoors type so I am shocked that I love this so much. But, sure enough, every night I'm ready to go on a new adventure. It's no surprise that plus size super model, Crystal Renn has said that she uses hiking whenever she is in need of some toning up.

What's your favorite way to get outside and get moving?

Standing Up for Yourself

I came across an article on Shine from Yahoo titled "Overweight and Proud : Standing up For Myself." I'll admit I wasn't looking for anything having to do with weight loss or plus sizes, a link from a Blake Lively photo shoot took me to the site and I just happened to find the other article.

I'm not going to recap the whole article for you, but the gist of it is that this writer, an overweight woman, was ridiculed at the grocery store for being overweight. Specifically, someone yelled "Lose some weight," as they passed by in the parking lot. The writer decided to confront the shouter and the article basically concludes with the idea that she was proud for standing up for herself.

So I got to thinking about how I felt regarding this situation. Luckily, the only time I was ever ridiculed for my weight was during one of those weekend long super important football games in college, by a very intoxicated sorority girl who then proceded to fall in the middle of the bar and get kicked out. So I can't say that I have ever felt the rage that this writer must have felt towards the stranger who embarrassed her. Skimming the comments in this article makes me see that we still have a long way to go with fat discrimination and that standing up for yourself, no matter what you look like, is something you can and should be proud of.

Many of the commenters in the above article are saying things like, "Yeah, that woman was rude, but you shouldn't be proud to be overweight, it's unhealthy." Well, what do they know? How do they know that this extra weight is actually unhealthy on her frame? How do they know she's not already working out, already eating healthy? And so what if she's not doing any of that? What if she is choosing to be the size she is?

Why do people assume that because you are overweight you are ashamed of it? I know exactly what contributes to my extra weight. It's my love for ice cream. And everytime I go to the doctor I ask if I need to lose weight and they tell me not if I'm exercising already, which I am. So, why should I convince myself that I'm not ok when everything points to that I am fine?

If you saw someone with pink hair covered in tattoos, would you feel compelled to yell something at them? If you saw someone dressed in religious clothing you were unfamiliar with, would you feel compelled to ridicule them? Hopefully most of you are thinking that you wouldn't, but the woman who yelled at the writer of this article probably does all of that. Some people just can't tolerate anything different from what they consider to me the norm. The fact of the matter is that this intolerance doesn't only have to do with your weight. It goes much deeper and expands much broader. Intolerance is ugly. It makes you much uglier than 15 extra pounds. If I have to choose between being intolerant and skinny and the way I am now, I'll take an extra scoop of ice cream tonight.

To Eat or Not to Eat?

I am smack dab in the middle of one of the busiest work weeks of the year. We are getting ready for a large convention and for about two solid weeks it means lots of late nights and lunches at my desk.

Since every one I work with is so busy we haven't had many organized lunches, not even in our little break room. But when I was heating up some lunch to take back to my desk the other day I realized something odd. I hadn't seen most of the women I work with eating lunch at all over the last week. Not even something quick at their desk. A few conversations with them confirmed that, yes, they have been skipping lunch for about a week and a half now and eating nothing.

Now, you may think that we really are just to busy to stop and eat, but I can tell you that's not true. We have one or two local cafes bring carts of food for purchase over every single day. There are at least a handful of places that will deliver with a very low minimum delivery order. And we have a full size refrigerator and freezer to store food brought from home. I haven't had very long lunches lately, 15 minutes tops, but it's still something.

So I got to listening to the women who weren't eating. They talk about it constantly. It seems like to them it's a badge, like they were able to make it throughout the whole day without food and feel proud of it. They also mention about how it's good for weight loss.

Now, I absolutely hate being the "fatty" in the office who wont skip a meal. But I know that we all work better with fuel in our bodies. How can these women actually think this is good for them? If this were happening once or twice I wouldn't think anything of it, but most of them are saying they haven't had lunch all week long.

It makes me realize (again) that just because someone has a thin body doesn't mean they are healthy. And it sure as hell doesn't mean they have a healthy relationship with food. Our bodies need fuel. Think of it as a car. There are many different kinds of gas you can put in a car, some better than others. Some cars can only operate on a certain kind of gas, while most others can take any kind. But no kind of car can run on no gas. Well, maybe the electric ones, but we're not going to get into that until you can show me a human who can run on electricity instead of food.

I have to switch my brain over to rational thinking when things like this happen because it's very easy to get emotional. It's easy to think that they will see me as a fat person who, of course, isn't going to skip a meal. But when it comes down to it I'm eating normal size lunches, with respectable calorie counts and I don't have a crash at 3:00 in the afternoon. And I don't feel ravenous when I get home for dinner either.

Ask any nutritionist out there, skipping meals is not really the way to go. And it certainly isn't some great new diet that you've found, either. It will catch up to you and you probably wont like the results. Eat, girls, eat! Your body wants you to!

Lane Bryant Ads Stir Up Controversy and Publicity

I was all ready to scoop the heck out of this story last week when the controversy first reared it's ugly head. I was lining up with my pitchforks right along side the rest of the Lane Bryant and plus sized women supporters. But then I decided I wanted to wait. I wanted to give the networks a chance to make a statement, because I do have an interest in what they could have possibly been thinking. So I waited, and it turns out they have nothing particularly helpful to say. So here is the official Falling Off the Blog entry on the Lane Bryant lingerie ad:

For those who haven't already heard, Lane Bryant has revamped it's Cacique lingerie line and are wanting to run ads announcing it's new products. So, naturally they did their research and determined they would get their message to many of their customers if they air an ad during Monday night's Dancing with the stars on ABC. According to Lane Bryant, ABC did not want to air the ad, saying it was not appropriate for prime time. They eventually gave in and said it could air, but only in the last 10 minutes of the show. The reason they felt the ad was inappropriate was because the model "had too much cleavage," and apparently that could be a problem for viewers. Lane Bryant is also claiming a similar reaction to advertisers over at FOX when they tried to purchase a spot during American Idol.


Now Lane Bryant is crying foul because they feel like this is discrimination. The lingerie featured in the ad is pretty generously cut bras, panties, and chemises. They are also saying that both ABC and FOX have been running Victoria's Secret ads during the same slots they were trying to purchase. Victoria's Secret ads often show as much or more cleavage and skin. Lane Bryant points out that a fuller figured woman often has large breasts and that there is nothing offensive about the models body or how it is dressed. They claim the networks are discriminating because the model is plus sized.

Ok, so now you have the facts, as best I understand them. Here's where I go "Huh?" with all of this back and forth from the networks and Lane Bryant. I understand that the networks have the right to decide what could be offensive to their viewers. Yes, the model has more cleavage than an average television actress or model would have. But is it an offensive amount of cleavage? Heck no. Is the model doing anything, suggesting anything, or posing inappropriately? No. And remember that they were wanting to show this during Dancing with the Stars. Now, I'm no prude but sometimes the costumes, or lack there of, make even me uncomfortable. And that certainly has nothing to do with the dancers size, since all of the dancing professionals are very thin.

Here is what I think this means for our society and how it must change. Being plus sized I automatically jump to the side of Lane Bryant and the full figure woman. I would appreciate seeing an ad for Cacique lingerie during a show I watch from time to time and I think the model in the ad is beautiful. But I have to admit when I saw her I thought "sexy". In my opinion it wasn't offensive sexy, but sexy nonetheless. And then that got me wondering, do I think "sexy" when I see Victoria's Secret ads? The answer is that generally I do not. Now I thought that this was because I had seen those ads so many times that I had gotten used to Victoria's Secret models in their underwear so it didn't effect me. But the truth is that I don't personally find them sexy. To me they are pretty, beautiful, and certainly very fit, but not sexy. When I see a woman I think is sexy she doesn't look like a Victoria's Secret model. She is often curvier, with cleavage, and hips. So does this mean that as a society we still think that boobs = too much sex? Do we see a straighter, more up and down figure, and think tomboy? It's terrible, really, that just a minor change in the shape of a womans figure can change what you think of her without even knowing her.

So, I say air the ad, represent both sides equally and maybe we will get to a point where a curvy woman wont be such a shock for the audience. Maybe the curvy woman can catch a break and not have to worry that what she is saying, doing, or wearing is too sexy because she apparently already exudes sex because of her shape. And maybe in doing so we'll get the world to see that all shapes of woman are equally beautiful and equally sexy and if you're going to have a problem with seeing skin then it should be with seeing any skin on any shape.

To see the Lane Bryant ad click here.

To read some current articles about the controversy click here.

Christina Hendricks Named Esquire's Most Beautiful Woman in America

Fans of the hit television series Mad Men are very familiar with Christina Hendricks, the actress who plays the fiery and voluptuous Joan. In the past year or so Christina has been the topic of many tabloids and newstories, but not always about Mad Men's success. Often she has been targeted about her size. And by size I mean that she's not a size 2. Now, let me get this straight, Christina Hendricks is not plus sized, probably not even close. But she is very, very curvy, with hips and a large chest which looks oh so beautiful in the form fitting style's of the 1960's which she wears in Mad Men.

Perhaps you saw an article slamming The New York Times for calling Christina a "bigger woman" and somehow distorting one of her red carpet photos to make her appear wider. This isn't the first, or certainly the last, of attention you will see about Christina's size. The fact is that her size is sort of dividing the public. Many of us are crying "Finally, a beautiful, curvy actress we can relate to" while men are reminded of leading ladies from decades gone by who were often very voluptuous. And then there is the other half who, while entitled to their own opinion, need to realize that the stick thin models and actresses are getting just a tad bit played out.

Now, I for one am in the Team Christina camp, I have been following her since season one of Mad Men. I think she is not only beautiful, but witty, charming, and stylish. I feel a great sense of validation to see that Christina has been named Most Beautiful Woman in America by Esquire magazine. Yes, Esquire is a men's magazine. Perhaps this tells us a little something about what will turn a guys head nowadays. The interview with Christina is beyond informative, it's quirky and smart, too as she discusses her opinions on men, what habbits she would rather see go away and how she feels about what she finds attractive.


I think Christina Hendricks is a great model for woman everywhere. Too often we want to label her. Is she plus sized or isn't she? Is she too big, or is she just right? Is she beautiful or is she (gasp) fat? But when it comes down to it those are just words. Christina is who she is and that's the sexiest thing a woman can be.

Model Crystal Renn Is Our Hero

Crystal Renn, easily one of the most recognizable plus sized models is recently talking about her past, her current life, and her book.

You can catch her on the cover of the upcoming May issue of Glamour or visit modelinia.com for a short video of her looking very relaxed.

Renn talks about her voyage to being a plus sized model, starting out at 175 lbs and trying for a traditional modeling career. She shrunk down to 95 lbs and developed a very dangerous eating disorder. In order to save her life she decided she couldn't stay at such a small size and went back to where her body wanted to be, 175 lbs, and one hell of a fantastic plus sized model.

You can see pictures of her at 95 lbs, and her current weight, her video to fans, and her book cover here.



And be sure to check out her book, Hungry, where she tells her whole story.

Renn is just another example of how some bodies just are what they are and I think they are more beautiful that way. Here's to you, Crystal Renn, and long and succesful career!

Understanding Sewing Patterns

For the crafty plus sized gal, sewing your own clothes can be a great way to get things in the styles, colors, and patterns that may not be available in store bought clothes.  You also get the options to size the clothes to your specific body shapes.  Choosing your favorite fabrics, details, and trims will allow you to make clothing that really shows your personality and is completely unique to you! Patterns are necessary to learn how to put clothing together and they have come quite a long way.  Many designers now offer patterns and some vintage patterns can create an interesting look.  I have found that pattern sizing varies greatly and they all tend to run very large.  This is a great thing for us plus sized gals!  Here are some tips when looking at patterns.

-  You don't necessarily need to look for plus sized even if you are plus sized, many patterns will contain larger sizes but are not marked as plus sized.

-  Know your measurements, but remember patterns run big.  Patterns can be adjusted in areas so you only need a very basic idea of what size you are.  If the measurements are close to your own measurements then that is probably the size for you because you can expand or reduce the pattern.  

   The Anda Dress pattern from burdastyle.com, a very loose fitting style that can be adjusted.

-  Measure the pattern as soon as you open it!  Many patterns include several sizes, don't assume you are the one that you selected based on the numbers.  Measure the pattern to see how big the garment actually will be and choose your size based on these measurements.

-  Take your fabric into consideration.  Knits provide a lot stretch meaning you can get in and out of them easier.  You may be able to make the overall garment a little smaller because of this.  

-  Vintage patterns run SUPER BIG.  And they can offer very cute retro looks so be sure to read the measurements, get your basic size and go from there. 

 

A vintage style pattern with a dress and jacket.  This marked as a size 20 with a 40 inch bust.  However, it measures closer to 48 inches at the bust.

The DIY movement is huge right now and making your own clothes is very rewarding.  Give it a try and see how you do.  

Check out the great patterns on www.burdastyle.com or the great vintage patterns at www.etsy.com.

Weight Loss Programs and the Work Place

Recently in the news Whole Foods new employee weight management program has created quite a stir. The summary of the new voluntary program is that employees who are categorized as healthier can get a larger employee discount on purchases, from the normal 20% to up to 30% off. Participating employees would be categorized based on four criteria: nicotine use, blood pressure, cholesterol, and BMI. Employees would be placed into one of four categories being either platinum, gold, silver, or bronze, or technically none of the above if a participating employee did not qualify for any of the categories.

Of course this is causing a lot of controversy and I have to say my stomach flipped when I saw this. Trying to wrap my head around the reasoning behind a program like this I tried very hard to convince myself that this was not sprouting from hatred of overweight people but that there is some good intentions here. This is what I came up with:

Healthier people are happier and that makes a better appearance at a store.

Healthier people cost the company less in cases where health insurance is provided.

And basically that's all I got. Notice that I am using the term "healthier" and not "skinnier" because a lot of people can confuse the two. Now I personally think there is a huge flaw in the system because it judges you based on your lowest category. So if I was overweight with healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and didn't smoke I could not qualify for a larger discount. Or if you were a body builder and had a large BMI (because we all know that BMI is not a great measuring device) then you could also place yourself out of the discount level. And to make it worse is that if there are employees who don't qualify, wouldn't you WANT to give them a bigger break. If you want to give incentive to buy more healthy foods at a health food stores you should give it to those who would need it most. On top of that, I feel that you would never want to set up something where your employees have the chance to judge each other further. Imagine buying some items at Whole Foods where you worked and having to get rung up by a fellow employee. They would see what discount you had gotten and,whether or not they wanted to, start to form opinions about you. And lastly, I don't think it's wise for an employer to document this health information. It seems like they are setting themselves up for a law suit. What if someone is fired, whether for legitimate reasons or not, and they claim they were fired because they were fat. The same goes for promotions or scheduling issues. Having that information on file is very dangerous for the employees and the employer.

Read the article here and see what you can come up with.

Then, of all things, this crept into my own workplace with the suggestion of company wide Weight Watchers meetings being implemented. Again, my stomach flipped. Since this was really just a rumor I went straight to the Weight Watchers site myself to see how they conduct meetings that are held for a company.

After reading their brochure here are my concerns :

Weight Watchers says "There is no question that active, physically fit employees have better work performance." Since when? I am overweight and I perform just as well (sometimes better) than my skinnier coworkers. There are many lifestyle choices that cause someone to be a bad worker but I have never heard that being overweight automatically makes you one. I have never taken more than 50% of my allotted sick days and usually have vacation left over at the end of the year. I don't come in late, leave early, or take super long lunches. I eat at my desk at least twice a week. So while there may be research to say that overweight people might have more personal issues to deal with in some polls, it is not fair to make the blanket statement that we are poor workers. It is very discriminatory and it's disappointing coming from Weight Watchers. I always thought Weight Watchers was there for the individual, that they wanted you to succeed because you wanted to succeed. But for their corporate brochure to flat out insult overweight people is a big slap in the face to their customer base. I imagine if I had decided to do Weight Watchers as an individual and upon enrolling they asked me if I was trying to lose weight so I would be a "better worker" I think I would have walked out right then and there. Being overweight doesn't automatically mean you can't do anything and everything that a skinnier person could. And until I truly can't perform the way I should I think I'm going to pass on the free weight management programs.

You can see the Weight Watchers brochure here.

Dancing with the Stars - Niecy Loves Her Body

Season 10 of Dancing with the Stars premiered last night. I'm not a diehard fan, but I will watch it ocassionally. I stumbled upon the premiere kind of by accident. Even though I didn't see all of the celebs and their routines, I did happen to be near the television when television host and comedian Niecy Nash performed. You may recognize her as the host of Clean House or as a police officer on Reno 911, but it was what she was saying in her pre-performance interview that got my ears to perk up.


Niecy is plus sized, something they like to play up for her character on Reno 911! In her interview for Dancing with the Stars she expressed concern. Not concern for her size or her skills, but concern for her shape. Niecy says that she likes her body and her "jiggly parts". She says that many celebs get on the show with the intention to get skinny but Niecy is hoping to stay the same. She even expressed how important it was that she keep her "jiggly parts" in tact to her partner. And boy did she ever look smoking in her gold sequined mini dress.

While she may not be out there in a two piece like some of the celebs this season, she looks good and knows how to dress and accentuate her body. She is truly beautiful, and has great character and personality. I hope that she inspires some of us (maybe even me) that you can get out there and dance, wear attention getting costumes, and flaunt your personality if you are plus sized. No body said there is anything wrong with that, and Niecy is a great example of finding charm in someone different than the norm. I will be rooting for this season!

Product Review - Old Navy Empire T Shirt

First, let me say that I have been a patron of Old Navy for over 10 years now. They often have cute things that I like to wear and even more often have the kinds of staples at the prices I need. I will always shop there as it is convenient, has my size, and will always be there.

However, I was quite disappointed with my recent purchase from their Women's section. They have quite a few new spring t shirts on their site, which is perfect for the climate in which I live. I am the layering queen so cute t shirts are great to go under jackets on the windy days and on their own on the sunny days. So, this cute striped shirt looks perfect for the upcoming warmer days. When I purchased it there weren't many reviews online and they were kind of mixed, so I took a chance. Now, checking back it seems most people are having the same problems with the shirt that I am.

Here is the rub. The colors are not as presented and the widest stripe on the shirt is white and placed right around your middle. When I first put it on (with no body shapers) I looked like I was wearing one those inflatable rings for the pool. Then, the "gathering" under the bust that appears to bring in the waist is not that at all. It's really a piece of elastic sewn into the shirt, about 3 inches long. The shirt does gather a bit right where the elastic is but does not bring in the waist at all. Basically it's a big striped boxy shirt and that's not usually a style that plus sized girls go for. I am keeping the shirt. I have found that with a dark camisole under it, it can pass for very casual weekend wear. But that's not really what I was intending to use the shirt for.

So, items fall flat sometimes. It's hard to shop online, right? Right. Except that what really irks me about this particular fashion flop is that it makes me wonder if the clothes are being misrepresented, as in are they being pinned on the dress form? I guess I'll never know, and as I said before this wont stop me from shopping at Old Navy. But I will have to keep in mind that things may not be exactly as they appear on their website. It makes me miss the days when they carried plus sizes in the store.

New Plus Size Shopping Site - Lucie Lu

Luck would have it that this new store some how found me. When an email came through last night advertising this store I knew that it would require further research. At first I thought they were associated with B & Lu, a rather well known plus sized apparel site because the names are similar. After some preliminary digging I can't seem to find any indication that they are in fact affiliated.

But what I did find was that they have absolutely gorgeous clothes for reasonable prices. This great new store is called Lucie Lu and they are brand new on the plus sized scene. They offer a variety of clothes including dresses, skirts, denim, knit tops, blouses and more. Their line offers a trendy and youthful vibe with a mix of elegant and classic pieces dotted in. A few of my favorites include the Adele Tunic, the Antoinette Dress, and the Patience Skirt, all seen below.

Their sizes vary by garment and can range from size 16-20, 1x-3x, and some styles even going up to 5x. Prices range from about $16 - $62.

The jury is still out on the fit and quality of this line as they are brand new, but I will definitely have my eye on them. I'd love to add another fantastic plus sized store to my list of favorites!