Some day my "prints" will come

Remember the theme song from Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs?   Some day my Prince (prints) will come?

Well, I'll be contented with some of the lovely prints (large and small) that are appearing in our stores, and I believe we're being promised many more variations on the print theme.

Block colours are gradually easing out and prints are back!  Does that mean chintz as well? Does everyone remember that fabric - mostly used for curtains and furnishings but brave young women of the day used chintz to make their own "fashion".  For we used to make our own clothes, would you believe?   

When it comes to fabrics, I wonder why we never see things like broderie anglaise and seersucker these days.   They're not seen to be "luxury" fabrics and yet, and yet ......... For one thing they are both excellent fabrics for our warm weather here.   Now I'm talking out of turn here I guess, because the temperature here overnight was zero but the sun is now shining in a bright blue sky and while there's a chill in the air, the sunshine makes us think of the warmer days.  

But then we're in Winter heading towards Spring (officially starts tomorrow!), so that's to be expected.  

In the meantime,
Regards

FEELINGS ABOUT YOUR SELF-WORTH!

Most of us in this team read a lot.   Our preferred choices of books range from the sublime to the ridiculous and most things in between.

However, the gaining of self esteem and confidence remains high on the list of books that we all enjoy.

At the present time I'm reading a novel written by Johanna Verweerd - "The Winter Garden".   This is a story of painful memories and the realisation that life is passing by.  Ika designs beautiful gardens and one day a letter arrives from her sister, "you'll have to come soon .... Mother won't last much longer."   To think this story dwells on sadness is wrong.  This delightful book takes the reader from the present to the past and back to the present in a beautiful flowing manner, allowing us to be with Ika as she confronts past issues and learns about herself and her own strengths.

I quote the following paragraph from the book:

"Ika would love to have been cheerful, but she didn't know how to go about it.  

Cheerfulness had to begin inside.  The same with laughter.  

Like being afraid, which also started inside a person.  ...........  

So how could she become cheerful?  

Bart said that being afraid evoked the threat of danger.  

Would thinking more about happiness, then, 

help her to experience what it was like to be cheerful?"

I guess there's something to be said for "thinking about happiness" because as many psychologists would agree, "thinking" happy or sad, will tultimately make a person BE happy or sad if they put their mind to it.

A thought for the New Year.

A NEW YEAR CHALLENGE!

Have you made New Year resolutions?   Do you bother?   Do you, as I do, set myself attainable goals. Even if I don't meet them in the long run, I sure have plenty of fun in trying.

How about a New Year Challenge?   With readers from all around the world, how better to share opinions, observations and fashion notes than through the NoteBook?

So here's the challenge for January.   Taking into account there are readers who are presently in the middle of summer, the depths of winter and some in between, why not tell us how you see yourself in January 2015, and what your wishes might be as far as life acceptances and changes and most of all fashion (as it applies to the naturally thin, the naturally curvaceous, the plump, the young, the adult and the more mature woman).

I await your comments, suggestions and thoughts.  Let's start this New Year off with a bang!

'til next time

GETTING THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT early without the hustle and bustle!

Hello girl-friends,

It's that time of the year when everyone is looking at their diaries and wondering how to fit all the appointments, all the coffee shop get togethers with girl friends, how to plan for and prepare all the menus for the Christmas festivities, all the presents still to be thought about let alone chosen for family and friends. Christmas cards still have to be written and posted (yes, there are those of us who still prefer snail mail when it comes to giving and receiving of cards - even throughout the year).   Then there are the break-up parties at work, as well as women's clubs and kid's breaking up from school.   What about fitting in a visit to the hairdresser - had you forgotten that?  There's a build up of crowds everywhere;  parking is a nightmare, people in the shopping malls are all getting cross because they're hot and bothered and you still haven't had a moment to think about getting yourself something special to wear whether it's to a Christmas celebration or just relaxing with the family. 

No worries!   Yes, you could venture down to your favourite stores at your local shopping mall, but give a thought to this suggestion.   Hundreds of thousands of other women have thought like yourself, and then decided to buy on-line.  Now as we've all discovered there are pitfalls at any time in buying on-line (I've been caught myself so many times) and while I can't guarantee foolproof that my suggestion will prevent that occurring, think about the lovely selection of clothing that is presently on sale at IGIGI  in the US.

Everything in the above photo is less than $100US at the present time.   There are many, many different garments on sale and everyone I speak to who has purchased an Igigi garment in the past has been thrilled.  I even have one and a half myself.

Let have a look at today's THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

"Friendship is that voice in your heart that tells you all is well, that you are being guarded and guided, and that you should feel no fear."

'til next time

WHAT IS SELF ESTEEM?

It’s many things.  Here are some of them.  (Based on a generously endowed curvaceous woman's experience!)

Self-esteem is learning:

* to like yourself, as you are! 

* to see yourself as a friend would see you, as a person worthy of respect

*  that it is not being selfish if you want things - perhaps you’d like to go to university;  you’d like to have a top flight career;  and you’d like to dress well

* that people from all sorts of walks of life should treat you with respect and courtesy

* that your health and fitness should be seen as being of the same worth as any other person, especially younger and slimmer

* that your health and fitness is YOUR business

* that your opinions should be respected   

* that your intelligence should not be questioned

* that how you dress is your choice (and your business) and  you shouldn’t be expected to accept derision or contempt

* that you have rights.   Rights that may include being able to choose for yourself those things that will make you happy.  Choosing for yourself those things that you agree o disagree with.   Choosing for yourself your own circle of friends.  Choosing for yourself what you may eat and what you may choose not to eat.   

* that no one has the right to push you into doing things that you don’t want to do, such as dieting, or undergoing surgical manipulations, including cosmetic

*  that you can do what you want if you really want to

*  that you can wish for anything you want and then go out and make your wishes come true

* that you have a right to be loved.   By others and by yourself

* that no one has a right to belittle you, to put you down or to walk over you

*  that you have the right to pursue a career, and that promotions are part and parcel of that career

* that you have the right to look for a partner and the right to be loved and respected by that person.

* that you should never be used, or abused (in an form, including verbally, physically, emotionally or any other sort)

* that you are a unique and a one-off person with your own personality and individuality

* that your opinions are valuable assets and are yours alone

*  that you have a special place in this universe, and no one has the right to tell you otherwise.  

WHAT GOES ROUND, COMES ROUND!

If you, like me, are a woman of a certain age, then you'll recall back in the 1950s and 1960s wearing "fancy" stockings.  Stocking with designs.  Whether a plain black line down the centre of the back of the leg, or some with fancy all over lacy designs.

Well girls, just like Arnold Swarzenegger, they're back!   As leggings, no less.

Mind you, I don't think I have the courage to wear these leggings today - although when I think about it, perhaps I'll surprise everyone and get a pair just to see the looks on my girl-friends' faces!

But here, have a peek at what Taking Shape have in stock.    They fun and funky so join in and wear these with your special tops, jackets and tunics and make eyes turn in your direction.

MAKE HEARTS FLUTTER

This was the title of an email I received from Monif C.   I love the peplum effect.  And isn't it true that red is definitely a colour of "power".   It says so many things, not the least being "I am Woman, Hear Me Roar!.

DAY-DREAMING ...

I'm at long last finding time to spend to myself and I'm being surprised every day with the knowledge there are times when I like solitude.

Let me hasten to say though, that in no way do I enjoy being "lonely" and sometimes it happens - but I mean choosing to be "alone" is quite nice when you want it to be.

For those of you who know me a little through my columns in various women's newsletters, you'll already know my career curve has taken another one - curve I mean! I'm loving the freedom that this choice is giving me in doing the things that I want to do, when I want to do them, and with whom I want to do them. And I'm saying nothing further in that regard - well, not at the moment anyway.

This morning has been one of those "supposedly" summer days with the promise of warm sunshine but a chilly little breeze reminding me that a cardigan would have been prudent!  While sitting down with a good book and a cup of coffee - with cream! - I found I was suddenly transported away on imaginings and my thoughts were falling all over each other in their scramble to form a sensible pattern. I realise I was daydreaming, and when I thought more seriously about it, I realised I hadn't had time to daydream for years, being heavily committed to business activities and travelling and then having to run the home as well before my CDC - "career direction change".

I remembered as a child - especially in the classroom, when I would dabble in daydreaming - of course neither the teacher nor my parents found it a bit amusing, and told me I was wasting valuable time and expense in doing so.

But you know, I found in my early and mid-adulthood, that being able to daydream occasionally rounded off some of the harsh edges that life created for me. And I guess it's the same for many people. Being able to put day-dreams into action plays a big part in our abilities to take on new challenges, to set new goals and to undertake new adventures.

(Wikimedia Commons)

I don't know about you, but I find daydreams very valuable stuff - without them I think life would be sadly lacking in some of the romance and fantasy areas that we all need at some time during our lives.

That's not to say we should spend the whole day daydreaming, but occasionally it can do us good. As a matter of fact just like chocolates - I've read so many times over the past decade or so just how VERY good chocolates can be for us, if eaten sensibly and moderately.

That's great because I've decided to take advantage of daydreaming when I want to, and enjoying chocolates when I want to. Perhaps I can combine the two together!

Because I reckon I'll be all the happier - knowing that there's no suggestion of "having to go without" all because people say that neither are good for me. To me, "going without",  WOULD be a waste of time!

© 2013 Leonie Stevens, Australia

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY ....

"Fashion. Fashion?"

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

I've been around for a while - get the joke?  ("a-round"?)   But seriously in recent times I'm not sure what the word "fashion" means any more.

According to the various dictionaries the word itself can cover a whole array of different meanings, from "habits", to a signature, to how something is done or happens.   As far as women's national and international magazines are concerned, then fashion more or less depicts the latest and most admired style in clothes and cosmetics.

Remember  (oh, what memories!) Bambi Shmith (nee Patricia Harewood), Diane Masters, Janice Wakely, June Dally-Watkins, Jeanette Elphick (who changed her name when she went to Hollywood to Victoria Shaw)?  Perhaps I haven't kept up with the times.  Because those models were VERY different to today's models - in many ways,  *  (and I'll talk more about this in a later post).   But in a nutshell fashion to me equals "style" - not only in the garments that are modelled, but the models themselves.

The mannequins of the 1950s and 1960s modelled garments which accentuated the female form; they gave a sensual motion of femininity in their walk and posture and created an ongoing illusion of fantasy/reality for the simple reason that copies of the garments they wore were soon to be seen in our corner "emporiums" and affordable to all - even if it meant layby-ing said garments for six months or more.   Many of us actually went to "deportment classes" - remember the Mannequin's Academy in Melbourne?, where we were taught to speak correctly; walk and sit correctly; and to be as lady-like as we could be.  Some of us weren't too sure whether "girls from the western suburbs" (read - the wrong side of the Yarra River!) could ever be called "ladies" but we sure had fun mixing with those girls from Toorak and South Yarra who went to the classes with us.  I guess we "hoped" that the lady-like characteristics would rub off on us.   I'd like to think so.  

But I'm digressing, as I am wont to do occasionally.    Maggie Alderson, a leading Fashion Stylist, who writes for a leading women's magazine and also has her own blog Style Notes, was asked during a recent interview "are you offended at what you see today as being fashion, compared with that of 20 years ago?"  With any hesitation she answered no.   In her opinion, fashion is really the style a woman feels comfortable with, and if she wishes to follow the seasonal trends then that is her prerogative.  If she remains constant in her choice of clothing, then that is her right as well.  Fashion in Maggie's view, as indeed mine, is that it is constantly growing and finding new ways of expressing itself, as indeed do you and I.

I've been of the opinion for a long time that when a woman finds her own style - whether it be conservative, sophisticated, goth, feminine, romantic, classic, vintage, serious or casual, then it's wise to stay with that style.  Although, with that said, and I do contradict myself at times, it's nice sometimes to "break out" and do something really startling which surprises everyone, including you!

And combined with style, when a woman discovers the colours that suit her, then a whole new world opens.   Take Sheila Scotter for instance - that lovely lady only ever wore black and white (and tones of the same).  She always looked stunning.

This is where sometimes "fashion" or the stores through which we buy our fashion, let us down.   Stores would be wise to occasionally take note of what their customers tell them.   Many women prefer certain colours, in fact if they wear the "wrong" colour to suit them, then everybody knows it.  Including the wearer.   How often have you bought yourself something that looked good in the store, looked good on the clothes hanger, looked good when you stood in front of the store mirror, only to find when you got it home that it made you look - bulky, ungainly, frumpy, showed up your imperfections including making your skin look sallow or too red?   Another frustration is when you simply want something like pants in black, and the colour of the season is brown or navy.   Infuriating!

But if you feel terrible in a garment that you thought looked nice in the store and it isn't, then it's not you at fault.  It's not the fault of the garment either, it's just that the garment in question doesn't suit YOU, whereas on someone else it will look terrific.  Too often though that store, and all those around, don't stock that style in a colour that suits you.

But learn to look at your body, at whatever age, size or shape, as a beautiful thing on which you should enhance its every asset.   Finding your "style" or choice of dressing and your colours will instil in you a feeling of specialness.  For whatever may have been said about you in the past, you must always remember, that you are unique.  And that you should never be compared with any other person.   That means that we must never compare ourselves to each other either, for each of us brings a different perspective to the essence of womanhood.

Surprised? Yes. Disappointed? Yes. Hopeful that things will change? Yes.

It takes something really out of the ordinary to make me sit up and want to yell from the rooftops that "this isn't fair".

Mind you, I've been up there (on the rooftop) many times over the years, in an endeavour to get women to recognise inappropriate attitudes (as far as body size and looks are concerned) and to put in place practical and workable solutions that will benefit their own lives, and those of other women in society.  Then something comes along when I listen in astonishment and say how can this be so?

On this morning's news on ABC 24, there was an interview of two  young women - Louise Adams a Body Image Consultant and Kristan Dooley of the Women's Forum Australia.   They spoke about body image in the present day, and more importantly the impact that negative body image is having on our children.

Firstly Kristan Dooley, the MD of Women's Forum Australia, was interviewed about the Lottie doll that is making inroads into the doll market for little girls.  The Lottie doll is a doll that represents a small child, and she even "stands on her own two feet".  She is totally unlike Barbie in her shape and figure and sales of this doll are surprising both retailers and the supplier.  A very positive interview from Kristan and there's no doubt that many parents will be looking for Lottie dolls to give as Christmas presents this year.


"There's a new kid on the block and she's all kinds of cute. Meet Lottie, the wholesome girl-next-door doll, here to destroy the joint with a healthy dose of body image realism.

She doesn't wear make-up, has a waist that won't fit through the eye of a needle, and sports sensible shoes built for jumping in puddles. She even manages to stand on her own two feet.

Barring an exceptionally large head - presumably to house her enormous brain - and Manga-sized eyes, her dimensions are modelled on the average nine-year-old girl's body shape.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/a-whole-lottie-to-love-about-this-girlnextdoor-doll-20121201-2ao4o.html#ixzz2E3VmbeNt"

Louise Adams then spoke about body image today being a fundamental dislike of body size and shape which is resulting in many eating disorders with countless women and young girls not liking themselves. She then mentioned that although many magazines are no longer photo-shopping the photos of models and women shown within their pages, there is still a lot to be done via the media, magazines and television to promote a healthy and happy philosophy of acceptable. She also mentioned that many women see themselves as objects and they then tend to look at other women as objects - never seeing their own worth nor the worth of other women, regardless of their ages, shape or size.

But this is where it gets scary, and down right frightening.   Children at pre-school at the ages of 3 and 4 are "dieting", or refusing to eat certain foods because they'll get or BE fat.   Where does this body dislike start?  Obviously in the home and through film, television and magazines.

What is happening in a society where little 3 and 4 year olds see that unless they diet, they'll become unacceptable?  

Have we turned away from the need to reinforce feelings of worth into our children and grand-children?  Can we blame current society or is some of the blame our own?   Where have we gone wrong?   What can we do about changing this situation?   Can we do anything?

We've got to talk about this subject.  With each other and to each other.

HAS "CASUAL" TAKEN OVER OUR LIVES?

I like to think I’m “modern” in my thinking and approach to life in today’s society.   As far as “fashion” or clothing is concerned, I convince myself that I have a fully rounded and balanced viewpoint.  Personally I enjoy being and dressing casually as the mood takes me; there are times though when I like to dress a little “smarter” than casual.  Even if my clothes are not expensive or seen to fall inside the perception of being 21st century, I do still “feel” good when I dress up.  To keep within my strict budget also gives me a challenge which I enjoy meeting time after time.

With a major move from a large home to much smaller accommodation, my circumstances have changed over the past week or so.  Being a woman growing older (and I suppose a man faces similar options) this means learning to adapt and to put into place new ways of handling those changes.  The important part of dealing with changes of any kind that face us, is in maintaining and retaining dignity and control (as much as possible) within constraints both self-imposed and imposed by others.

Walking down the street or through some of the major shopping malls, it is quite obvious to an observer than there are now two categories of women’s code of dress.  Three if you count the window displays of our clothing stores - yet no matter how hard I look I never see anyone dressed in those clothes from the store windows.  Do women buy them and then hide them in their wardrobes, only to be bought out to be admired by themselves and friends, or do they actually wear them?  When and where do they wear them?

So to get back to the two codes of dress, as far as I see them today.   First there is the casual casual, which unfortunately could be described as frumpy and so uninteresting as to make the person almost seem invisible.  Then there’s the person who seems to have a wardrobe of jeans and tee shirts and she never veers away from that code.  I wonder how women in this category deal with the thought of being invited to a mayoral ball or a Melbourne Cup Lunch!   They probably panic.

And women of substance, or women of a certain age, what do they do?  Let me say here that I can’t understand those descriptions, although I admit I use them.  The English language had an incredible resource of descriptive power, but when it comes to women of size and growing older, for some reason it’s much easier for society to say “obese or fat” or “she’s old so why does she bother?”  Why have we taken on these definitions?  Because we’ve been forced to in many instances.  But times they are a’changing, girls.

We “bother” because there’s an inbuilt pride in our nature and we don’t want to be categorised as being the same as everybody else.  We’re women, we’re feminine and we care - we honestly care - about how we dress, how we look and how we feel about ourselves.  We’ve gone through all the stages of being unsure of ourselves, feeling guilty about our size; frustrated at having to explain to all and sundry that we’re just different to the size 6 girl on the catwalk (besides, we’ve got a lot more knowledge and experience to back up our feelings of confidence). and we want to be allowed to be ourselves and to express ourselves the way we know best.

We do know best, you know.  That comes of always learning, always searching for ways of building upon our self esteem, through education and personal knowledge.  Most women “of a certain age” can’t be persuaded that they’ve got to change; that they’ve got to get “with it”, that they have to admit to being old-fashioned in their ideas.  Younger women have every right to express their views on how they dress and how they live their lives, yet the older woman has to justify her opinions about self and life-style.  Why?

My question in the title of this post is “Has “casual” taken over our lives?‘   And I’m beginning to think that it’s about time that the growing older woman in today’s society should stand up and be counted.  She has every right to be recognised and accepted and in fact applauded when she steps outside of the jeans and tee shirts syndrome and embraces her own femininity the way she wants.  Yet if that includes wearing jeans and tee shirts, then so be it.  But, and this is a big but, if she wishes to dress livelier, bolder, sassier and jazzier than jeans and tee shirts, let her.  Compliment her, see her for being proud of who and what she is.  Younger women will see that growing older holds exciting challenges in store for them, in that they will (hopefully) be more fair minded and open to the fact that women are able to enjoy their lives by making conscious decisions based on their own personal preferences through all stages of their maturity.  We don’t have to follow trends that we are told we should follow at EVERY stage of our adult lives; we know best.

As I have quoted so often over the years, 

“you are your own best asset - promote yourself,

 and NEVER, EVER compare yourself to someone else.  

You are unique.”

Discovering your individuality

Have you actually looked for it?  

Have you ever wondered why it is that curvaceous women tend to attempt to hide themselves in dull, almost boring clothes.  Is it that they think they’ll become invisible to such an extent that other people won’t look at them, point the finger, and even tell them to their face, you’re “fat”? 

This is not something in my imagination, because I can admit freely now, that there were many times in the past when I did precisely that; I hid myself in clothes that were so unflattering as to be ugly.   And why was that?  To hide - from the world and to hide from other people. 

I’ll say this.  When a person is ridiculed or ostracised by another person - male or female - for being fat or “out of control”, it doesn’t take long to lose whatever self esteem you may have ever had.  When you hear these things being said about you to others and even to your face, as a child, then it isn’t strange that you have no self esteem at all!   As you grow up and become an adult you cringe when you have to go out and about and mix with people - even shopping.  You’d do anything to hide in the house and not have to face other people who you just KNOW will say something hurtful and condemning.  And that’s exactly what you will do.  I know.  I even wrote about this in my little book, “Rose in Bloom - the years between!”,  based on some of my personal experiences merged with a montage of stories from other women I have had the privilege of speaking with, knowing, and then loving as personal and dear friends over the years.

It took many years of searching, sometimes fearing what I might actually find within myself, to come to terms with who I am and what I am.  But one day, I remember it so well, I set out for business and was driving to work, when out of the blue came a little voice in my head that told me I could go crazy if I kept trying to change myself just to fit in with what other people said I should be and look like.  By that time of course I had almost turned myself inside out.  But it was a defining and enlightening moment, for I realised right there and then that whatever anyone else said about me, I was mature and intelligent enough to make my own decisions.   From that moment that’s just what I did.  And my life has been so much richer and exciting for it.

It was about this time too, that I changed life-tactics.  I studied and read as much as I could on good dress sense - utilising style, colours and experimentation.  I asked my friend Susan to show me how to colour code my clothing.  I sought advice on makeup and hair styles.  In fact I set about to enhance what I am, rather than to foolishly try to follow the path, which is a trap to change what I am.

I’ve gained insights into how other women feel about themselves during the years between too.  For I’ve had the opportunity of speaking with hundreds of women, and one thing is clear to me.

Everyone, 

at some time 

or another has

low self-esteem.

It doesn’t matter whether you are slim, 

whether you are fat, 

whether you are coloured

 or whether you are white.

Given that I found my voice to speak and share with other women my own personal journey, it was a natural progression for me to talk with them about discovering their “inner spirit of individuality”.

Because it’s not necessary or essential (in fact it is not recommended at all) for us to all look alike.  It’s not necessary or essential for us to wear the same clothes, or do our hair the same way, or have the same interests.As I’ve said so many times, yes, we are different to each other, but we are of the same essence.   We all seek, or long,  to be accepted, we seek to be liked and we seek to be loved.  We seek to “belong”.  We also seek to be able to freely express our personal individuality without condemnation or judgement by or from others.  We seek to be allowed to be us.   And if we achieve these things, then we are  equipped to offer our encouragement to or sisters, whatever shape, size or colour they may be, so that they, in turn, may achieve their personal yearnings and discover their “inner spiritual individuality”.  

Maybe .....

Maybe Spring isn't really too far off.   Of course the fact that our overnight temperatures are down around the zero mark with top temperatures here in the foothills sometimes near enough to 14 doesn't really effect our thinking, when we see the sun shining.  It's not a hot sun, but it sure makes a person smile.  And in that smile our thoughts definitely DO turn to Spring.

I went out the front door this morning to check the post, and saw with such pleasure the one and only camellia bush on the block, out in bloom, with hundreds of buds to follow the first-blooms.

You only have to look at flowers in a garden to realise just how easily they adapt to colour variations.  I realise this photo shows what we used to call "a sport" (or a variation from the original colour of the blooms which should be on this bush) but when it sits in amongst all sorts of variations then it's a pretty sight.

That got me thinking.  How often do we allow our imagination to take flight when it comes to what we wear.  Most of know how to dress tone-on-tone and also contrast, but I love seeing women who let their fancy fly, and they dress in all sorts of colours and textures, complimenting each other, and most definitely complimenting the wearer.

I really don't understand when plus-sizers tell me that they "wouldn't dare to dress like that!"  My question is, like what?  Because clothing is clothing and should be worn with panache and style.  It doesn't matter what size we are.  It's all got to do with our self-esteem!   

Accessories - Scarfs

For many plus sizers, buying new clothes becomes a bit hard, especially if the budget is tight!   This is where accessories come into their own, and it doesn't take much to extend your wardrobe simply by adding accessories that attract the eye!

While most plus sizers have found a basic colour scheme to build upon, there are times when bright, vivid colour is needed to uplift not only the outfit but also one's confidence.

Like so many women I love scarves - I have quite a collection I've got to admit.   And while I have my favourites, I'm always willing to learn new and exciting ways of wearing them.

I came across this YounTube video from Coldwater Creek, and I'd encourage you to watch it.   It brings out the "creativity" side of me, and I've no doubt it will do the same to you too.

Watch and enjoy.

Oh, no! You mustn't wear .....

Has it been said to or about you?  I know for a fact it's been said to me so often I've lost count.   As with "know-it-alls", too often they don't really know a thing!

So it is with STRIPES.   "Oh, no", I can hear some readers say.   And whether that "no" is because they've been told the same thing, or whether they too are of the opinion that plus-sizers shouldn't wear stripes, then I say, give it some thought and think again.

Now I don't suggest throwing caution to the winds and wearing stripes that go around the body.  (Well not unless you have a lot of courage and confidence).  But I do like stripes that go up and down and every-which-way but loose as the old saying goes!  Mind you, I'm a great believer in garments that flatter the body and give a look of fluidity, rather than tightly hugging "some" curves that can be better flattered by clever designing.

Here's an example of stripes being used imaginatively.  Sorry, girls, but unfortunately the model is slim.  But look at the frock itself and then imagine something like this on you.   I think it's really flattering.

Ab Fab Designs in Paris

Our friend Teena is planning for her Paris trip.   This will be such an exciting adventure, and girls, if you've ever wanted to taste the flavours of Paris (whether in food or in beautiful plus size fashions) then why not contact Teena and have a chat with her.   She'll be so pleased to hear from you, and will welcome you into her group.

    

Teena is contactable at:  AbFabDesigns

But first please take a moment to watch this video:

Another great clothing supplier

There's a lot to be said for "visiting" clothing websites throughout Australia;  a lot of women though don't seem to realise that New Zealand has some absolutely terrific suppliers of "plus-size" clothing.

Take a moment to visit http://www.zebrano.co.nz/  See if you don't agree with me.

 I think this outfit is stunning!  

** Don't forget to send in some ideas on words that describe the more curvaceous woman better than 'plus-size'.

plus size wardrobe hints

Women's Plus Size Wardrobe Makeover

with Kim Johnson Gross

Some videos on the internet give great advice.   (We used to only have books to refer to, and unfortunately many of those were written by women who were slim, and who tried to convince us that they knew what was best for us!     This is quite a good video.  “Don’t get hung up on size” - what great advice.

http://video.about.com/plussize/Women-s-Plus-Size-Wardrobe.htm

Fashionista Afternoon Tea! - Melbourne

I couldn't resist the invitation - an afternoon tea with a group of like-minded ladies, viewing lots of beautiful silk designs uniquely created by Teena of Abfab Designs (www.abfabdesigns.com)

Meeting women through the internet is an interesting aspect of life these days - and especially corresponding with them for sometimes anything up to 10 years, inspires a feeling of "I've got to meet ...... one of these days, we know each other so well, but we've never met face to face."

My lovely neighborly friend (more like a sister to me) drove us to the address of Teena's friend where we were made most welcome.   "Getting to know you" took a short time, as we felt we knew everyone anyway.   Janine from Real Women Australia joined us (and Janine is a fascinating lady in her own right - I'll be talking about her a little later).

Expressing our thoughts and opinions on clothing and attitudes towards the plus-size woman particularly was an interesting aside, and there were lots of issues covered that we all totally agreed upon.  (You didn't think that women could agree on things?  You'd better believe it!) 

But we soon got down to looking, feeling, comparing and even trying on some of Teena's beautiful silk garments - kimono style;  waterfall fronts;  loose flowing tops (in different lengths);  scarves and complimentary accessories.   Teena is a fountain of ideas and she's got plenty of new thoughts to take flight.

One important aspect of the afternoon's viewing is that women, plus-size women can look absolutely stunning given the opportunity of wearing beautiful garments - beautiful fabric and beautifully (and often quite simply styled.   Given the chance we can all look (and feel) beautiful.