It’s Flashback Friday, and I stumbled across this ridiculously cool shoot from over a year ago — never-posted! This is a great and oh-so-tough BB Dakota Plus Size Bodycon Dress that I closeted from Gwynnie Bee — the best plus size clothes subscription service out there. The crazy black and white print on the jacquard fabric creates a strange optical illusion — it’s so cool, it hurts!
BB Dakota Plus Size Bodycon Dress via Gwynnie Bee
The sporty design of this dress just makes you feel tough! I was working those shades and giving major attitude during this photoshoot!
Spring is here…and with it, so many charming prints and dresses available in plus sizes! Voodoo Vixen is the master of the adorable print and retro shapes, and one of my favorite new arrivals is this Katnis Blue Dress*! Available in straight sizes (here) and plus sizes (here), it’s easier than ever to indulge your fantasy of an adorable plus size retro dress with a print that’s raining cats and umbrellas!
Katnis Blue Plus Size Dress c/o Voodoo Vixen
I love Voodoo Vixen because it is size inclusive and always has some fabulous options for plus size dresses and cardigans. Case in point….CATS and UMBRELLAS! Black silhouettes against a bright fabulous blue background! A scalloped neckline and pockets and black covered buttons are extra features that make this dress go to an 11 on the cuteness meter. And OMG….did I mention that there’s a matching cardigan??? Check it out here! This is just one of the cute new dresses they have in for spring, so be sure to poke around the Curve section of each of their product categories. You’ll be squealing with glee for sure!
Just be careful on windy days, because the wind loves this dress and wants to get fresh with it!!!
*Voodoo Vixen provided this dress to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased product review. All opinions are my own.
Sometimes I stumble upon an outfit that is a lot cooler than me. That happened when I collaborated with Forever 21 Plus on a series of spring fashion posts*. I saw this Forever 21 Plus Size Faux Leather Shift Dress and my cool girl meter went to 11! I love the rock star vibe of the faux leather and the short skirt. The deep cuts on the sides are meant to show off a cute patterned top — like this striped tank — or even a crop top!
Forever 21 Plus Size Faux Leather Shift Dress
I love how soft the faux leather feels, and the short length is perfect for those who want to show some leg!
*Forever 21 plus sent me this dress free of charge to facilitate this review. All views are my own.
Plus size women have so many more choices now! It’s a whole new world that has opened up in the last two years, and I couldn’t be happier. Clothes that would have never been manufactured in plus sizes — like mini skirts and crop tops! — are now showing up in major retailers everywhere. Shopping is so fun now — since I know that I have cute, stylish and fashion forward clothes to choose from! So to celebrate…I’m showing a little leg in today’s post!
Forever 21 Plus Plus Size Skater Skirt in Tomato; Forever 21 Plus Plus Size Texture Crop Top in Ivory; Alexander Wang Blue Multicolor Pumps via Nordstrom Rack; Saint Laurent 102 Surf Retro Sunglasses via Nordstrom
A little dose of self-empowerment featuring this mirror from bottledBrooklyn
As a plus size woman, people always ask me, “Where do you get your confidence from?!?” Or they say, “I wish I could be as confident as you are.” Whenever I hear this, I get so sad because it seems to be an anomaly for plus size–or even straight size–women to feel confident and sexy and fabulous…not to mention fashionable. Why do so many women — of all sizes — struggle to feel confident in their bodies and believe that they are powerful and beautiful and can take on the world if they need to?
I recently read Mindy Kaling’s book Why Not Me? (It’s an awesome read. BUY IT HERE) and she said that the first question she always gets asked in interviews is about her confidence — and she’s like a size 6!
And don’t even get me started on Oprah’s Weight Watcher’s journey…
Wait, WHAT???? I completely respect her right and her desire to lose weight…but to think that after all of the incredible work she’s done and the huge impact she’s had on the world, that she still views the defining struggle of her life to be her weight… That “every overweight woman” cannot become the woman she wants to be because of her weight? It’s shocking and so so sad.
Does being fat make me any less intelligent? Does it make me less analytical, tactical or insightful or motivated to accomplish my goals and dreams? Am I less funny, less charming, less kind, less passionate? The truth is, my confidence and self-worth exist independent of the number on the scale.
Could I exercise more? Sure. Should I try to eat healthy foods and tons of fruits and veggies instead of the brownie I currently have in my hand? Yes. But there is always something that we could be working on to improve our mind, body and spirit. Why must we be consumed by and obsessed with the need to be thin, thinner, thinnest?
I say no. I reject the notion that I can’t be the woman I want to be because I’m fat. There’s more to being a woman than our bodies and I, for one, hope that women everywhere will stop believing that their lives, their confidence and their accomplishments are limited and diminished by their weight.
Do I try to lose weight after I’ve indulged once too often? Yes. Will I continue to strive to be healthy? Yes. Do I try to go to the gym multiple times every week? Yes. But it is NOT the defining struggle of my life, and it is NOT the end goal. We need to change the narrative. We need to change the messages that bombard us every day. We need to surround ourselves with people and things that motivate and empower us.
So…to get us off on the right foot, I’ve rounded up 5 items that I keep around when I need a little dose of empowerment…
1. Self-Empowerment Mirror from bottledBrooklyn
2. Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker {BUY YOUR COPY HERE}
3. Diet Industry Dropout Crop Top from Chubby Cartwheels
4. Be Bold Be Brave Be You Tote Bag from Candid and Co on Etsy
5. What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you Fly? Wall Art {BUY IT HERE}
What are your favorite inspirational/motivational/empowering reads, tees, or prints? Share!