A LITTLE BIT OF A RANT.......

I am so not a fashion blogger, because I am not going to take photos of myself wearing different outfits but mainly because you need to keep up with trends and when you are “plus size” trends are generally out of reach!

Having said that, we have finally seen some colder weather come our way and I am slowly starting to need more layers and longer sleeves.

Over the weekend I took some time to go and look for a couple of necessary items: a black pants, a red top, new jeans and perhaps a casual top or two which can be dressed up or down and a simple black jacket which I can also wear to work but to the movies too.  To say that my shopping experience was horrendous would be an understatement!!!!

I do not understand firstly why there needs to a be separate section for “plus sized” women. In a country where obesity is on the rise I am more and more becoming a “normal size”…..but no I have to venture into the dark corners of stores to find the “plus” size section where believe me the selection is nowhere near and nice or as vast  as the “normal size” clothes.

So already I am discriminated against because I am “plus size” in a dogma of  “separate but in no way equal” but then I have to deal with the worst part of all……the actual “plus size” clothes.  Trust me it is an exercise in pure revoltion to walk through the few racks.  The clothes are either something which resembles my grandmothers curtain, something my grandmother crocheted (yes, because dressing like a doily is such a confidence booster) or it is something my grandmother would wear.

Friends, you don’t know what ugly is until you have been forced to shop in the “plus size” section!!!!! It makes me want to scream  “JUST BECAUSE I AM FAT, DOES NOT MEAN THAT I HAVE NO TASTE’!!!!!!!!!

So I walk around and I see tops covered in huge shocking yellow flowers, I see jeggings and leggings, I see dresses with a hemline which but barely covers the possibles and the impossibles (if you get my drift).  I see sleeveless tops, I see high waisted skirts and heaven help me I see pants in various "loud" prints.  Friends, there is NOTHING flattering in jeggings or leggings when you are “plus sized”, you can’t make an impression in the board room when your arm fat is flapping around all over the show and in view of everyone, you can’t dance at a wedding if you are tugging at the hem of your dress all evening.

Source has been withheld as not to offend......

I am often fortunate that I find some true treasure when I venture into these places of torture.  I am often complimented on my look/style and appearance which always makes me feel good because believe you me it is hard work when the fashion houses are working against you.

The worst part is that this is a problem which can be fixed with a few nips and tucks (of clothes and not of people).  If you take a cute maxi dress for example: 

Give it sleeves, change it to an a-line/empire line waist and use a solid fabric instead of printed!!! How difficult is that!!

So here is another thing: wearing bulky clothes makes a “plus size” looked like a stuffed sausage.  I am not saying freeze to death but work on layers instead of bulk and make sure they flow and the colours match and for Pete sake watch out for the prints. The stores are filled with these heavy thick "I'm off to Alaska" coats and jackets which seriously don't look flattering.  Winter can really be a time to dress more elegantly and look smart with very little effort….unfortunately though it takes effort real effort.

When looking for clothes I only have two rules:

1)    Just because it fits does not mean it looks right/good

2)    Less is always more

And when leaving the house there is only one rule:  LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!!! Check out your outfit from all angles.

So I have been scouring the internet looking for online stores overseas (mainly UK and USA) for clothes. I have put together a couple of looks which I like for winter, here’s kinda what I have in mind.

With one of the black jacket/blazer

Source

What do you think?