On Style

Hello Rachel,

I think even the skinniest people in the world have days when they just feel "FAT," some people are just better at ignoring these times than other people. they have different ways of dealing with them. It sounds like I'm a lot like you in the sense that I get out the baggy t-shirts, sweatshirts and baggy bottoms when this happens.

I realized the other day, that my body and how I feel about it have determined my style. There are certain parts of my body I try to hide. I too have made up "rules," for myself. For example, I have short legs in proportion to my torso, so I always try to pick out shoes with some elevation to them or since I have a very curvy body I try to pick out clothing that will stretch and curve with it, instead of just hanging off me.

But I understand how you feel, because even though I've created these rules and dress in a manor that makes me feel better about my body, every now and then I will see someone walk by and I will think that would totally be my style if a style like that would look good on me.

Since you know me, you know I LOVE dresses, LOVE them. I especially love wearing sundresses in the summer time...but a lot of sundresses have an empress cut to them. This means there is a certain section of material that my boobs are supposed to fit into and be placed perfectly.

Here are some examples:

 

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I would feel so carefree and beautiful in the second one, if only my busty self would ever fit into something like that. I do usually end up finding some dresses that make me feel beautiful, but my choices are very limited. Sometimes I will go dress shopping and only one dress will be available that my body MIGHT be able to squeeze into...and that's how I became more of a skirt girl.Many of the dresses I find are made of a stiff material and darker colors. Like this:

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They are fine...but see how it's not blowing in the wind like the yellow one up there. ;) lol.

If you are wondering if dresses don't fit me, then why don't I just shop in the plus size section or go to a store for bigger girls...the answer is that those dresses don't fit me either! They are too big in the stomach and I find that my boobs still don't usually fit in the PLUS size empress cut dresses that blow in the wind. When I was prom dress shopping in high school. I remember looking at dresses online and they never had equally proportioned dress for bustier girls. If they dress got ten inches bigger in the bust it got 20inches bigger in the rear! Um...no actually my bust and rear are about the same...thank you.

Another style that I LOVE dearly, but have written myself as not being able to wear are these flowing empress cut blouses. 

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I walked past a girl with a model-like body wearing a blouse similar to the one in the picture with jeans, flip flops and a long necklace and I thought...if only I had a skinnier body I would probably dress like that, but since I'm bigger even if I did the style just wouldn't look the same on someone busty. 

So in conclusion, this post had made me realize that I need to start my own clothing line for busty women. NOT plus size women, but women who have a proportioned body with curves that just happen to have bigger curves and be more curvy than the skinny minis out there. 

I could have Joan from Mad Men aka Christina Hendricks be my spokes person, since she is as bold as I would like the clothing line to be.

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Dare to dream, right? I don't know how popular this clothing line would be, but at least there are a few women out there who might appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Angela- The world's newest clothing designer for curvy women....well maybe someday, it's just kinda  joke for now.

F is for Fat

Knotted shoulder cover-up by Gap

Hello Angela,

I have a post in mind on cute cover-ups for the pool/beach but you will have to wait for it. For now, I want to discuss how I am feeling today. And that feeling is... fat.

Can "fat" be a feeling? Oh, yes, of course it can! It happens when the weather reaches 80 degrees, humidity is high, the A/C hasn't switched over in your building and suddenly you find yourself sweating. Like a pig. Like Britney in her "Slave 4 U" music video. You just feel fat. At least, this is what I was feeling as sweat dripped off me in a very non-sexy, non-elegant, gross kinda way.

Today I met up with my plus-size friend, Chloe, for lunch. Unlike myself, she appeared cool and confident. I looked closer. Well, unlike myself Chloe was dressed in a stylish tank top. She doesn't have perfectly toned and trim arms but she doesn't care or maybe she does care but she doesn't let that stop her. Meanwhile, I rarely feel comfortable wearing tank tops in public. I would feel confident- if I had the upper arms of a slender goddess. Well, Chloe does not but she doesn't let that stop her either.

Chloe also keeps her hair in a short, pixie cut (similar to here). Obviously, such a haircut is ideal for staying cool. Compare this to my hair which often feels like a wild lion's mane, only 20 times thicker. But would I ever chop off my long locks to be cool and fab like Chloe? Of course not! For me, I often feel like my hair is my security blanket, my shield. I also have this horrible belief that in order to have short hair you need to also be an incredibly thin person to pull it off. And, you know what, I often find incredibly slim women are the ones going short and staying with it. Hey, I am just saying...

As our lunch date winded down I began to seriously reconsider my body image hang ups. For one, should I be sweaty and uncomfortable all Summer because I make up rules like "no tank tops" and "you have to be skinny to have short hair"? And why can't I do things with more freedom when Chloe (who is not some size 4) can do as she pleases- and get away with it?

I know there might come a day when I am skinnier, healthier, stronger and all the things I so desire. However, in the meantime I should find ways to be happy and less sweaty too.

Waiting for the A/C to Turn On,
Rachel

Tricky Buggers

Dear Rachel,

Yes, bathing suits are tricky buggers. I try to avoid shopping for them and wear the suit from last year as many years in a row as possible. Last year, while I still fit into my bathing suit, I realized I had it for a really long time...and it was just too old fashioned and out of style- it was a Tankini with a straight tight skirt....I can't even find a sample picture online anymore...all the skirts I see now flare out or have a ruffle...

That's actually what triggered the bathing suit shopping last year...I'm a sucker for ruffles...

Now my biggest challenge with bathing suit shopping is my biggest challenge with dresses, shirts and just about any article of clothing that has to go on the upper half of my body...my boobs. If I find a bathing big enough to cover my chest than usually the stomach will also be huge which does not make good swimming attire. Once, as a teenager when I went on a long-hours-bathing-suit-shopping-trip with my mom we discussed the possibility of having a bathing suit altered to fit me. Then, we realized that all the bathing suits that big didn't have pretty patterns.

However, last year I found two great fitting suits and get this...I actually bought a two piece with a bikini-like top! I was a little self-conscious about the decision and before purchasing it I brought three friends who I knew would be brutally honest with me on whether I could actually get away with wearing it without disgusting everyone around me. All of them agreed that it looked fine...even GOOD on me. I was going to brave and post the picture I took of myself in it last year, but unfortunately I can't find it. This is the basic idea though:

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I don't look as good as the model. I usually pull the bottom of the suit up higher on my stomach, but mine does have polka dots, but you get the idea here, but because this suit is a two piece and I am self-conscious about my body. I'm usually very selective about the people I wear it around and because I am a little afraid of popping out of it, I don't wear it when there is a chance I may be holding a baby in the water.

So the hunt began for a one piece. I thought I would just get a nice cheap traditional pretty one piece...well it turns out I hate my body in one pieces even more than I hated my body in that two piece, but luckily I found a not so traditional one piece that I LOVE. It's a forties style suit I got for cheap online.

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I did buy the red because last year they only sold it in red and this really ugly leopard print (this year the suit is back at the store in purple, teal, black and white polka dot...because it got really good feed back last year). I Love this suit for its forties style which is almost a dress but without being obvious about it and the tie in the back. This year before I hit the beach I'm going to buy a fashionable sun hat to go with it.

Anyway that bottom line is I'm glad I found these suits last year. I can't stop wishing I fit into teeny weeny bikinis, but maybe my day for that will still come.

Relieved to not have to bathing suit shop this year,

Angela

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini

Dear Angela,

You made it through finals week. Let the memory of bad eating fade away. Now is the time to pat yourself on the back because you made it. Celebrate this moment. Pull out the celebratory fruit salad and veggies! One more semester is complete.

Today it reached well into the 80's. Forget any thoughts of Spring you might have had. I feel we have switched to Summer in full force. Let's see, I need to shave my legs. I need to go find sunscreen. Oh wait, I also need to find last year's swimsuit and figure out if I need to do any new bathing suit shopping. IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR. LET THE DREADED BATHING SUIT SHOPPING WARS BEGIN!

(Caps lock for dramatic effect, ya'll. Otherwise, how would you take me seriously?)

Before I go further I want to share something refreshingly positive on this topic. Go to this entry by blogger Gabifresh. This gorgeous gal proves that you don't need to be a size zero in order to look fab at the pool. She looks amazing and like her, I am smitten with the retro look. How can you not be? Is it even possible?

For my body and personal style I ignore the bikini, the hipkini, the monokini, anything with the word "Brazilian" in it, or anything that looks like flimsy patches of fabric that are falling off the body. I also avoid doing dances for Terry Richardson in a tiny bikini because that is simply gross. Kate Upton, go talk to your mother.

The swimsuits I do favor tend to be the one-piece and tankini style. I also love suit bottoms that are adorable skirts, or a fun cover-up after a long swim. For me, it is all about comfort at the pool (or beach, ocean, what-have-you). This doesn't mean I want to look boring or don't want to show off any skin. Even at the pool I want to look as cute as ever.

In this post I have gathered my favorite bathing suits of the season. I feel that many of these picks are also great for gals who want more coverage in a swimsuit. Here are my top picks:


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My favorite trend right now is the retro pin-up style bathing suit. Just throw in the polka dots and I can die a happy girl. Of course, I am starting to wonder if everyone at the pool this Summer is also going to be wearing some version of this and it will end up looking a bit obnoxious.

If I want to be safe, I go with black. Black is the most slimming color of all and a classic. You really can't go wrong with black.

Another tip: when trying on a swimsuit make sure to sit down in it and lean over in it. I perform these tests in order to see how the suit moves while on the body.

After some searching I discovered that Spanx also makes bathing suits. This one is their most popular. Has anyone ever worn a Spanx brand bathing suit? Any comments on how it worked out? What about comfort?

In my next post I hope to feature my favorite cover-ups for the Summer.

Until next time,
Rachel