Thick/Thin Models

For decades I've admired female models.   Those women who walked the catwalks of the world, wearing exquisite creations from the salons of Dior, Givenchy, Chanel,  Norman Hartnell and Edith Head to name a few.

Some of these creative design houses have closed while others have changed their image by bringing in new and more modern thinking entrepreneurs.

Models of the 1940s and 1950s were considered to be not only glamourous but beautifully shaped - their waists were a natural 20 inches but they also had natural curves that complimented their small waists.  And their professionalism both in their private lives and in the modelling world were so admired as to be copied by young girls from every walk of life.

Fast forward to the 1990s and 2000s and models were expected to be stick thin.   The problem with this is that many began to show signs of abnormal shapes as well.  Skeletal comes to mind as a description.

But lately there's something else occurring.  Take Ioana Spangenberg as an example.  This woman has a 20 inch waist but can she be favourably compared to the 1950s and 1960s models?    

A recent photo of a model showing one of the latest Lauren garments from the Autumn collection also looks as though she is "starved".   What has happened to healthy looking arms and legs, not to mention busts and butts with a bit of flesh?

But now look at 2012 - we have a new young model who is gracing the scene - Lucy Moore, the new face of Ann Summers. She has curves in all the right places.

Another success story!

Yet again Igigi has come up with the "goods".   Visit their website and see if you don't agree.

This is the Vika Dress and here's the blurb from the website:

"Make day-to-night dressing easy with this elegant ombre dress in brown and teal. It's high waistband & A-line skirt with inverted pleats was created to skim and flatter the figure. We suggest cinching your waist with our Tassel Belt in Bronze and adorning your neckline with a chunky statement piece like the Estelle Necklace.

Designed and made in San Francisco, USA"

A head-turner

Another website I've discovered is Qristyl Frazer Designs

These dresses are stunning and I highlight here the "Embrace" garment in plum and black,  Visit her website and see if you don't agree with me.

We love beautiful clothes .... and we love ......

This blog usually highlights beautiful clothes for the plus size woman - it's our small way of "inspiring women of size to look beyond their shape and size and to realise their full potential©".

You and I, and other women, also have other needs in order to feel acceptable and lovely, and self-esteem in a high need.

Over in the States at the moment there is a campaign by the name of Strong 4Life which promotes a healthy life style for kids.   However .......

One of the ads that I've been sent shows a little girl who is, yes, plump.   But she is not obese.

The photo shows a little girl who isn't overly happy.  And I suspect it's not her size that makes her unhappy, it's the inappropriate attitude shown towards her by people all around her.  I speak from experience; and I have photos taken during my childhood where I had the same facial expression.  I was not only unhappy but I was desperately so.  This sort of recent campaign does absolutely nothing to a vulnerable little girl who looks at the picture and then tells herself she has to diet in order to become acceptable.  Most of us who are plus size have all been subjected to teasing and bullying not only during our childhood but adulthood too and we travelled the heart-wrenching diet journey that did nothing for our self-esteem or our weight.  Telling a person they're fat as though it's the most horrible thing in the world will never affect a healthy feeling of self-worth or a healthy body and mind.  

Attitudes and behaviour like this by others constitutes:

(a) abuse (visual, verbal and emotional),
(b) bullying and discrimination
(c) a lack of kindness and
(d) a lack of respect.

We all deserve respect, and children definitely need it.  How can a little girl have a healthy self-esteem if it is inferred in advertisements such as this, that she is "unacceptable".   Our kids need our encouragement and simple guidelines to follow in their lifestyle and to gain a healthy personal self-respect.

I've written about Marilyn Wann many times in my newsletters, and I've discovered that she is collecting photographs of girls (and boys) and women (and men) who all promote the "I Stand for ....." ideal.   And I'd like to include one of her posters here (copyright to Marilyn Wann, of course).    I love this photo - it shows someone who is cheeky, who is confident and someone who knows she is worthwhile and she intends the world to know it too!

The title of this blog is "we love beautiful clothes ......, and we love........."

What we are saying is:

"we love beautiful clothes ...... 

and we love beautiful people ....... 

no matter what age, size or shape"©

(Some of my followers may think this is a step away from my NoteBook© guidelines, but I feel strongly that this particular campaign, which I have no doubt will spread to other countries including Australia,  should be confronted full-on.  We also need professional to stand up on our behalf - those people who deal with us and treat us and who appreciate us for who we are.  People who accept clients of all ages and all sizes and shapes.  Those nutritionists, psychologists and those in the medical and health industries who deal with us and treat us and who accept that we're not all meant to be a size zero.  Those professionals who in fact promote the theory that plus size people can be healthy.)

"Convertibles"

We used to use the word "convertibles" to describe our motor cars.  Now to have a "convertible" means having a garment where you have almost limitless ways of wearing.   Monif C is an extraodinary plus-size designer who has come up with a beautiful number - her marvellous "Marilyn" dress.  Why fill your wardrobe with umpteen garments when only a couple will give you as many option? - you'll not only save space in the wardrobe but also save money.  And we all can do with that!

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is almost here. For those who do, or will, receive little tokens of love, then congratulations.  May you be pampered and spoiled and really loved.  However, many women miss out on Valentine’s Day wishes or celebrations. I would like to reassure every woman that she is beautiful and her presence in this world deserves to be celebrated - at any time and all the time.

(a) If no one sends you a Valentine’s card or gift: 

(a) buy (or even pick) yourself a small bunch of flowers and put it in a

prominent place so that when you look at it, it is a reminder you are special

(b) indulge in a special luncheon or High Tea somewhere you don’t normally go – this can be most enjoyable even if you are alone. However, if you know of someone who lives nearby who doesn’t have family , invite them to spend time with you at this luncheon or High Tea

(c) invest in a bottle of your favourite perfume, or a luscious chocolate cake

(d) pack a small suitcase and book into a nice little Bed & Breakfast in the hills; or even an overnight stay in one of the leading city hotels. Spoil yourself

(e) pack a small picnic lunch and go to a favourite park (or even a new park you’ve found, or picnic spot. Once again invite someone you know who may be lonely too

(d) write about your feelings in a small essay for publication in RoseMary’s NoteBook© (the actual newsletter that is, which is quite separate from the blog) - use a pen-name to protect your privacy, but let your feelings out. We can all share with you.

One of the things that most of us have to learn is to love ourselves, just as we are, right now. It’s not quite as easy as it sounds, but it’s very worthwhile. When we can love ourselves, then we find we appreciate ourselves for who and what we are. Building upon our own confidence in this way, will open the doors of opportunity to allow other people to see our value – even someone who will in time call us their friend or even in time their beloved. It’s not so impossible.

There are so many videos around that give the plus-size hints and ideas to put into practice within their own  style preferences and to build upon garments already in our wardrobe.

All it takes is a little bit of thought, and an open mind.

This video from Jessica London is really good, even though short.  I love the coat with it's waterfall fronts and the dress with flares that flatter any plus-size figure.    I hope you enjoy it and get some great ideas.

Fashion in Motion!

Igigi has this beautiful video on YouTube which I'm sure you will all enjoy.   This is the sort of media that we need to see more often - lovely curvy women modelling beautifully designed garments to compliment the curvaceous figure.

Watch and enjoy.

Here comes the bride - well it can even be as a guest!

What a wonderful time for being a Mother of the Bride or Groom, or being invited as a guest to a wedding.     Even for the lower plus-sizers.

Doing a bit of travelling around the internet this morning I came across yet another supplier in the UK by the name of Jacques Vert

The dresses and outfits here include hats for the occasion, and come in sizes 10-24.   dresses and outfits here, including hats for the occasion,

I have to smile!

Copyright - Salvation Army Stores, WA

Yes, this countenance of mine sometimes breaks into a smile (lots of times into outright laughter).

You see the reason for my smiles this morning was the fact that I've been  receiving so many emails and reminders of fantastic New Year sales, that it seems to me that businesses haven't realised we're already into February. This brings me to a simple question.  If retailers are so over-stocked that they're pushing Christmas/New Year sales for more than three months now, (yes - they began back in November in the lead up to Christmas), then why aren't these garments available at a lower price all the time.   Then a lot more of us would be satisfied, wouldn't we?

Of course we LOVE the sales.   We wouldn't be intelligent, professional women if we didn't.  But there's another side to this "sale" business.

Where are all these clothes coming from?   I include the better known labels as well as the much less expensive little items that you can buy from your nearest shopping mall from little Asian store sprinkled around the place.  And don't get me wrong.  These little shops have some really great clothes at really great prices.

But all the clothing, whether it be the top labels or the cheaper offerings are all made overseas.  You can't get away from it.   Even if you disagree with the fact that "slave labour" has to be involved, and you go out of your way to buy something with a better label, and a higher price, thinking that well, it's an Australian label and therefore obviously is made here in Australia, you can be completely wrong!  (Take for instance the recent Sonja Kruger line which is made off-shore).

So let's get back to my "smile" this morning.  (And it wasn't because I thought of something funny).  

Dressing on a shoestring 

is the latest plug for buying sale garments.   A shoestring?  Do these people know the meaning of dressing on a shoe string?  Because they then go on to provide pages of garments all priced, wait for it, around $100.   Well that doesn't sound too bad, does it?   It's a very expensive shoe-string as far as I'm concerned.  But make your own mind up when you look at the garments.

Once again, inferior fabric and not too imaginative styles.  You could save your money and pop down to K Mart and get almost the same for around a quarter of the price.

Now don't get me wrong.   I'm all for patronising Australian retailers who provide good, well-made, well-thought-out styles and designs, in very good quality fabric.   This is why I highlight those that I believe fall into this higher category.  But there are others, with recognised names, who I don't always see eye to eye with.  

Not everyone has $100 to spend on a garment.   (Some of course have no budgetry constraints).  But let's face it, every woman likes to look good and feel good in what she wears.

Give the local smaller retailers a fair go - those who provide good quality garments with the plus-size woman's needs as far as styles, sizes and fabric are concerned.   They too, have "sales" and this is where a shrewd fashion buyer will spend her money.  

Money is getting somewhat tighter - no matter what we're told by the so-called economists (they're still earning $200K a year so what do they know?)  We know what's left in our purse at the end of a week.  And there are other options available to those of us who are plus-size and who can't quite find something that really takes our eye.   Op Shops and pre-loved boutiques are doing a thriving business, and so they should.   For it's here too, that we can find absolute bargains that enhance our wardrobes and certainly enhance our feelings of self-worth.  Do these clothes look or feel second-hand.  From my point of view - definitely not.