Category Archives: Plus Size

Plus Size 24+ Blog Roll

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The Plus Side of Me included Affatshionista on a list of 20 Plus Size Fashion Bloggers at Sizes US 24+ a few months ago. I was thrilled to see her list and to be included. I had been looking for these blogs, and there was now a plethora of new ones to gobble up. I find the list very useful and often refer to it.

To bring in the new year, I used it to update my Blog Roll. In addition, I added some of the Ahead of the Curve Bloggers, that are part of the blogging collective I participate in, and some other bloggers, mainly from the US. I chose bloggers that provided information about US Size 24+ clothes, mostly clothes you can purchase but some with DIY approaches, and that were more clothing oriented rather than lifestyle or beauty oriented. I hope you will find it useful.

So check out my new list on the upper right side of my blog:   Blogs I Love  – 24+

Happy New Year!

Our Guest Isabella in her Kerchief Dress

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isabellaI met Isabella at the Truth is Beauty studio on Tuesday evening. Truth is Beauty is going to go to Burning Man this year and there is lots yet to do to create this 60′ statue.  On Tuesdays the artist’s have a little potluck.  Some people come to help weld, some people come to hang out and some come to help in other ways like helping with marketing so the crew has the money they need to create this amazing piece of work.

Isabella walked in and she was wearing this fabulous kerchief dress and she said to me “I bought this dress in the slums of Oakland for $15“. And I was so impressed, you just never know what will work and at great price. Lesson learned, you never know where you will find a fun piece of clothing.  You can read Isabella’s blog HERE.

Peace…affinity

A Plus Size Dress from “My Baby Jo” at Rehearsal for Jerk Church

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Jennifer Raiser's photo of her feature on Jerk Church in the SF Chronicle

Jennifer Raiser’s photo of her feature on Jerk Church in the SF Chronicle

A few weeks ago I was hanging out in a backyard in Oakland, my brand new neighborhood.  It was hot, I was in the shade, and there was a rehearsal for Jerk Church, a creative musical learning community for musicians and non-musicians alike that gather each Sunday to break bread, share a cup and a song. I was there to hang out with my good friend Jennifer Raiser whom you have met here and here and here and here before.  Jennifer was writing this fabulous piece about Jerk Church that you can and should read right HERE.  The Church started as a group of friends just hanging out together, and have turned into performers who were going to perform that very evening, and they have a Hymnal so you can sing along if you like.

ChurchInTheYardThese men and women were dressed mainly in “Sunday Go to Meetin’ ” clothes, retro dress for the most part, either vintage or new, one of my favorite looks, and the men also looked like they could have stepped out of a backyard party that my grandmother might have given.  There were pies, and cakes, and little sandwiches and deviled eggs, my favorite, and beer and cold drinks.

kaitlin braidinglizards braidThen I turned and there was Kaitlan Hutchinson, braiding her friend Lizard’s hair in a fishtail braid (the tattoo on Lizard’s back is a Tibetan prayer).  Kaitlan was wearing a fabulous teal dress, beautifully made, and of course I had to know more about it.   The dress is a Size 1X Haute Milan Dress in Lake from My Baby Jo in Los Angeles and the material had a wonderful hand to it.  I love the crisscross in the front and the beautiful way the waist is tailored so the skirt flows into semi-pleats. I love it, and it is such a treat to just be out and about and see someone wearing something so beautiful and accessible.  And of course the hat was an extra bonus.

kaitlin better

Peace…affinity

Review of Plus Size Gold Lace Skater Dress From Yours Clothing

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Best Yours Clothing Gold LGLast Thursday night I went to a Fun-d-raiser for the 65 foot Truth is Beauty Sculpture that is being built to be installed at Burning Man this summer.  I wore this femme little gold lace skater dress that Yours Clothing was kind enough to send to me. They sent me a UK size 30-32 which is a US size 26-28 and it fits really well (and now they only carry a U.S. Size 24), and might be able to be worn by someone a little larger than I am.  Everyone loved it and it was fun and easy to wear.  I feel like I could wear this to lunch with the girls or to an evening out since it has such a casual yet dressy look.

better back gold YC LGI also loved the cut out back which covered my bra perfectly and adds a little extra sex appeal without actually revealing anything. And in case you have not been following along, my tattoo says affinity in Sanskrit, or actually “kindred” which was the closest iteration.

tib Marco JuliaThe event was at Marco Cochrane’s studio, and he did a live sculpture of his wife Julia while we were there.  Marco is the first person I had ever seen live sculpt, and it is a mystery to me how he gets what he sees through his eyes made into a clay, or a 65 foot steel sculpture.

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/62843802 w=600&h=338]
photos of skater dress: Leori Gill
photo of Marco and Julia: JRH Photography

The Plus Size Princess Dress from Sydney’s Closet

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Explo 1The highlight of a wonderful evening…We have just moved to Oakland, CA, to a more working class neighborhood, and I was standing on the street waiting for my sweetie to pull out of the garage and pick me up and some cholo teenagers were coming down the street.  I thought “Oh no, they are going to embarrass me, the old fat lady, in a strapless ball gown”… And while they are walking by, one of them turned to me and said, “YOU LOOK LIKE A PRINCESS”.  I almost cried it made me so happy, we had a little moment and I smiled and my sweetie pulled up and I responded with, “Oh look, here is my Prince Charming now.”  I smiled and he smiled and the whole crew smiled at me. What could make my evening better than that?

The dress is from Sydney’s Closet, Size 30, although I wear a Size 26-28, and then altered to make make sure it fit. It is the dress in my “About Page” and I had it shortened to tea length because it is a lot of dress and the long length just felt too bulky and heavy to me.  I originally wore it with short dressy Ariat cowboy boots because I bought it for Joe Olivier’s  Cajun style birthday party.  But for the Gala I wore simple Lane Bryant Size 10 dressy flats.

Some of my favorite friends hosted us at the amazing Exploratorium
 Opening Gala, and when we arrived there were Rickshaws to take us from the car to the entrance to the Gala, and some guest rode on the Serpent Twins.

1807--Exploratorium-jennifer 120412_largeHere is a photo with my friend Jennifer Raiser, you can find her account of the evening here (Tom and I even get a little shout out in her fabulous narrative) in her online magazine that keeps up with all the social events in San Francisco, SFWire. My favorite line from her article is “The glee was palpable, one of the few things a scientific instrument wasn’t set up to measure.” And since it is an art and science museum, that amused me. Jennifer is a fairly new friend and I am just finding her to be a delight.  We both love connecting with people and have an interest in fashion and writing and Burning Man. That dress Jennifer is wearing is vintage Bill Blass from the early 80’s, matte sequins and aurora beads on silk mesh, purchased from Ricky’s Exceptional Treasures on eBay.

1814--Exploratorium-grouplargeWe had a wonderful supper club dinner with our friends Paul and April Buchheit and the rest of our fun dinner partners, and then there was time to explore the art and science exhibits and listen to the bands.

clarePaul and April’s friend Clare Dibble was here from Colorado for the event and she looked like spring.  Her dress was from Dress Barn and it looked great on her.  That was especially fun since like many women these days she only wears a dress occasionally.  Thanks for posing Clare.

Thanks to my sweet friends for one of my favorite evenings ever!

Screen Shot 2013-04-18 at 8.20.07 PMHere is the original photo so you can see more of the detail.

Peace…affinity

photo with Jennifer & Group: Drew Altizer Photography

A Plus Size Military Jacket

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militaryYCDid you see John Varvatos, one of the Mentors on Fashion Star wearing a jacket similar to this last week, and I see he is also wearing it on his bio?  Can you ask for more than androgyny, a jacket that you can dress up or down, and can you get any more on trend than John Varvatos?

military jacket2Yours Clothing, a plus size store in the U.K. was generous enough to send me this Military Jacket and the best thing about it, for me, is that their UK Size 30-32 fits my US size 26-28 body and I love a tailored look. The arms are a good fit for me as are the shoulders, so it is very comfortable and you know that is important to me.  And it is 100% cotton, which means that in the cool San Francisco Bay area I will be able to wear it most evenings since the temperatures stay in the 60°s here.  I have always been a pacifist so I think more of it as a “band jacket” but regardless, it is everywhere this season, and now it comes in our size.

watches affI thought you might also like to see my necklaces.  The top and bottom ones are my husband’s grandfather’s watches (which I like to soften the military look and it keeps it in the right fashion era).  And the middle pendant is a brass logo of an art piece that is being made for Burning Man this year, Truth is Beauty.

originals of military jacketsHere are the original photos of the jacket, just so you can see a little more detail.  There are epaulets on the shoulders, with buttons and similar details in the back although it is dfficult to see in the photo.

Lots more to come from Yours Clothing, and maybe even a DIY glam version of the jacket from me, and some flirty little dresses (or tunics as they like to call them in the U.K.)

Peace…affinity

 

What Shape are YOU?

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IGIGI sent me this info graphic that highlights body shapes and provides insights on what types of clothing complement each body type.  By their definitions I am an Oval, but I almost always tuck-in my shirts, and tend to belt at my natural waist.

Please let me know how you feel about seeing this sort of content.  I kind of like to see what is going on out there so it would be my bias to use it unless you object.

shape-stylist   Peace…affinity

VOL•UP•2 • A Plus Size Fashion Magazine

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Screen Shot 2013-02-28 at 9.08.57 AMThis morning I woke up to a note from Velvet d’amour, the first super size fashion model and now the publisher of VOL•UP•2, a French Fashion Magazine, asking that I share their magazine if I liked it (no compensation involved).  This is what they have to say about it:

Created by supermodel Velvet d’Amour, the first supersize-plus model to infiltrate the elite world of Parisian couture,encourages readers to revel in their every “imperfection” and celebrate their bodies in their glorious entirety. Born out of Ms. d’Amour’s work to expand society’s limited notion of beauty by building awareness about women of every size and shape, the magazine is a visual celebration of full-figured beauty, combined with a self-affirming message of inspiration.

I loved looking at it, it provides an editorial look at plus sizes, which I love and is worth it just for the beauty and all that voluptuousness. AND, I will support it by buying it online each month because if we want plus size clothing to flourish then we have to support the accoutrements that will make plus size clothing legitimate, like fashion magazines.

Peace…affinity

Size 24+ Fashion Bloggers on The Plus Size of Me

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Screen Shot 2013-02-28 at 8.46.38 AMYesterday I was included in a post about Size 24+ Fashion Bloggers on The Plus Side of Me.  Since I love her blog, I was especially pleased to be included and I am thrilled to have other bloggers in my size range to follow.  You will see some of them on my “Blogs I Love” list when I update it. Thanks to the Plus Side of Me, YAY!

Peace…affinity