What Am I Going to Wear?! Fashion Help for the Full-Figured Wedding Guest

by Kiyonna, Guest Contributor to Elegant Plus Magazine

Specializing in contemporary fashions for sizes 10-32W, Kiyonna is a leading designer for plus-size women who want to look current and stylish.  Dresses have long been one of their strengths, with silhouettes designed to enhance curvy figure types.  Careful, you might outshine the bride!

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Looking for more full-figured  ideas for the next wedding to which you received an invitation?  Dresses are the hottest fashion statements of the year, and special events are the perfect way to indulge in the latest trends.  Check out the Elegant Plus Editor’s Pick Dress selections for styles ranging from casual to dressy or check out the complete shopping directory listings for plus-size dresses and special occasion attire.

Has your wedding invitation indicated more formal attire?  Or maybe you are a bridesmaid or the mother of the bride? Check the Elegant Plus Formalwear Directory for more shopping options.

But most importantly……. relax, enjoy the wedding festivities and have fun!  You might think your best accessories are your shoes or jewelry, but in fact it’s your sparkling personality and gorgeous smile!

Popularity: 14% [?]

Obesity Contagious! Beware of Fat Friends and Other Nasty Headlines

from Elegant Plus Magazine

In a week that saw the opening of the delightfully fat friendly, feel-good movie Hairspray and the celebrated third installment of Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance self-esteem and size-acceptance television special on the Oxygen Network, a study of an entirely different nature reared its head in the esteemed New England Journal of Medicine from researchers at Harvard and the University of California.  Within hours of the related press-releases stating “Obesity is Socially Contagious” hundreds of articles had appeared and news outlets across a variety of media picked up the story.

What raised the alarm bells first for me was realizing that unlike many “stories” that make daily appearances in our culture in the infamous War on Obesity, this one had more legs than most.  Thoughtful news shows like Jim Lehrer on PBS and columnists at the well respected New York Times took up the story, while more tabloid type outlets gleefully declared that you should beware of fat friends and family members because they could make YOU fat!  Yet not once did I hear any real examination of the science behind the study, NOR a consideration of the implications such thinking might have on the lives of large individuals who are already targets of bullying and ostracization.

As an academic who has been trained to cast a critical eye on scientific methodology and underlying assumptions  before accepting the conclusions of any study as fact no matter from which institution it comes,  the media’s tendency to embrace every study that comes out of a laboratory as fact with a capital F has always disturbed me. Perhaps especially so because of the prevalence of hype and sound bytes throughout all types of media in the United States today.   Equally disturbing is the frequency of Junk Science and statistic manipulation used for a whole host of agendas, not the least of which is the support of the diet and pharmaceutical industries.   My first inclination was to contact NAAFA (National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance) to see if their health experts had addressed this specific study and invite them to write a guest article for Elegant Plus.   I received a cordial reply and the press release they had prepared on the subject which didn’t seem to really target this specific study, but more the general underlying hype surrounding the media’s War on Obesity, with the promise of a Guest Article if I wanted one.  I encouraged the latter option and sincerely hope one comes.  I am very interested in  publishing an educated and well informed rebuttal from someone equiped to take a critical look at this study for our readers.

So far, the only clearly argued discussion that refutes the specifics of the study based on data and methodology that I’ve seen comes from Sandy Szwarc’s blog Junk Food Science.  She’s a nurse with a biological science degree that equips her better than most to think about health related studies critically.  I highly recommend reading her article “Oh what a tangled web we weave” to begin to bring the hype on this particular obesity study into a balanced perspective. 

But regardless of the rightness or wrongness of the science there is another very real and dangerous repercussion from this type of media spin, especially on women.   Many of the lead drummers in this charge to “fix” what they view as a  looming public health crisis, fail to take into account the impact of their language, rhetoric and social messaging.   Screaming headlines like “Obesity is Contagious” and “Fat Friends Could Make You Fat”  does not effectively guilt anyone into changing lifestyle patterns, which is their purported intent.  It only makes people feel worse about themselves, lowers self-esteem and now piles on the guilt of harming the people closest to them.  How could this be a positive and productive state of affairs?

 In fact equating weight with lifestyle is one of the dangerous underlying assumptions permeating society.   The two are so enmeshed in popular thinking that fat, obese and unhealthy lifestyle are considered interchangeable synonyms (as are the equally false thin, slender, healthy lifestyle) , the first two the current synonyms of headline choice.  We, as a society, somehow think that simply by looking at (or weighing) an individual we have the ability (and sadly the right to judge) how well they take care of themselves.  But the fact is weight and obesity are far more complex than that, with some individuals naturally heavier than others, others suffering from medication side-effects and a host of other medical reasons.  There are women who eat healthier than most and run marathons who will never be slender.  There are skinny minis who eat chips and soda and junk food every day, and rarely lift so much as a  toe to get any exercise.   Simply, you cannot tell by someone’s weight alone what kind of lifestyle choices they make. 

 Think how differently the emotional impact of this research would read if the headlines said “Unhealthy Lifestyles are Socially Contagious”.   That truly is a different meaning than the one currently screaming across our media sphere, since not all fat people have an unhealthy lifestyle and many thin ones do.  Not only would the scientific data have a better shot of upholding such a theory which is already debatable as junk science, but the social implications would be less damaging to individuals already judged strictly by their body mass.  This leads to a downward spiral of social and self-loathing that adversally affects an individual’s mental health.  Now add in other’s fear of just knowing a fat person and we have a recipe for permissable discrimination.  I don’t think that is the path most of these so called “health advocates”  truly had in mind.  But it is the one we, as a society, are fast going down.  

Popularity: 18% [?]

Wide-Calf Boots Guide

by Elegant Plus Magazine

How To Measure for the Perfect Plus-Size Boots Before You Order

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NEW!!  Click Here for  Elegant Plus Boot Picks for 2007

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Boot season is coming up fast and every fashionista lusts after the perfect pair of stylish boots.  But, for those of us with plus-size calves that match the rest of our curvy bods, shopping for wide-calf boots can be among the most disappointing and frustrating experiences.  Fortunately retailers are getting savvy and beginning to carry more plus-size boot solutions.

But take care!  Average boot shafts are usually 14 -14 1/2 inches around. This means that boots as slender as 15 inches around can be referred to as “wide calf boots”.  But often 15 inches is still much too slim for the fashionable full-figured gal.  The good news is that 17″, 18′, 19″ and even the occasional 20 inch around boot is becoming more readily available.  Some are referred to as “extra wide” or super-size calf boots, but not all, with terms and descriptions inconsistent from shop to shop.  

So how do you know if a plus-size boot will fit you?    You might find that your leg fits at the low, middle or high end of that size range causing a boot ordered in a simple “plus-size” or “wide-calf” fit to be too snug, too loose or as Goldilocks used to say, “Just right.”   But nobody really wants to go through the whole long process poor Goldilocks went through to get to that last feeling of success.

Here are some tips for finding the perfect pair of wide calf boots and guarantee a good fit, right at the time of order!

1. Know your own calf measurement:

If you are to make sure that you can find a wide calf boot that fits you, you must know your own measurements first.   The measurement you need to have is the fullest part of your calf.

The easiest way to figure this out is to use a flexible measuring tape used by seamstresses. This inexpensive item can often be bought in the notions section of the supermarket, the sewing section of stores like Walmart and of course, sewing stores.  Place the measuring tape around the fullest part of the calf and make a note where the measuring tape overlaps. Then round to the nearest inch.  If you round down, look for boot styles with gussets or slight stretch for that added little give needed to get you the extra little bit.

Don’t have a measuring tape?  Take a piece of string and measure the widest part of the calf. Mark just where the end overlaps. Stretch it out against a ruler or yardstick.

2. Look for calf measurements in the boot descriptions:

 If the description states “wide-calf boots” or “plus-size boots”, always look for an actual shaft measurement.  The term “wide calf” covers a range of sizes beginning at a mere 15 inches in circumference all the way up to 23 inches around in super wide calf styles. Your boots should fit snuggly around the calf, without cutting off circulation. If a measurement is not stated, do not assume that it will fit you. If a boot’s shoe size is stated as  ”wide” or “extra wide”, do not assume that this also means that the boot shaft will also be wider also.  Some are, some aren’t.  Unless the description specifically states that wider widths include a wider boot shaft chances are it won’t fit you right.  Some boot shafts also gradually enlarge with shoe size. But again, this cannot be assumed. Always look for exact boot shaft measurements and compare them to your own measurements. They should be close.

3. Tips & Tricks:

Need to get an extra few centimeters? Some styles have a little more give than others. Look for lacing, side and back stretch gores, and stretch styles.  If your calf size is in the 15-16 inch range you should be able to wear stretch boots comfortably.  If your calves are wider, this style will not be comfortable and will feel too tight. Lacing offers the most comfortable option, but be careful that it won’t leave gaps. Those with 15 inch calves should be able to wear lace up boots with regular width shafts successfully, while wider calves shouldn’t rely on this feature in a non-wide calf style. Side zippers also make getting boots on and off much easier, especially for curvier calves.

4. Where to Shop

In an ideal world we would all have a shoe shop near or in our town that carried wide-calf boots, but this is even rarer than a plus-size clothes shop.   More and more cataloguers and internet retailers, however, are carrying a greater selection of wide-calf boots than ever before.  Stylish and fashionable boots are becoming more readily available at affordable prices, allowing full-figured women to indulge in boot fashions.  Follow the measuring tips above to minimize order disappointments at the shops listed below (some carry boots all year, while others only carry them in the fall and winter shopping seasons). 

Shop early for the most fashionable styles or the more difficult to find sizes.  Plus-size boots tend to fly off the shelves at most of these retailers and back-orders are not infrequent.

• Anna’s Place Wide Widths

• Audition Shoes

• Cloudwalkers (on Avenue website)

• Eddie Bauer

• Footsmart

• Jessica London

• Lane Bryant Catalog

• Macy’s

• Nordstrom 

• Roaman’s

• Silhouettes

• Torrid

• Woman Within

•  Zappos

 Keep those boots walking!

Popularity: 65% [?]

Could you be the next new face of Torrid?

American Idol, Jordin Sparks, was a Torrid model. Are you the next hottest face of plus-size fashion? Last year the model search took them to Chicago, Charlotte, Phoenix and Philadelphia.  This year it’s new locations and new cities, giving an opportunity for more curvy cuties to try out.  No registration fees, plus great shopping discounts the day of the model call and prizes.  So what do you have to lose?  Flaunt your curves and show the world your full-figured charisma, beauty and camera ready smile!

Torrid Cover Girl, Katie (left) 
Model Search Winner, Jordin Sparkes (right)

Registration for the Model Search will take place on-site at the day of the event.  There is no on-line registration.

Each Model Search begins at 10 A.M.  Get there early to get your place in line.

Dates and Cities for the Torrid 2007 Model Search are:

Saturday July 28, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Stephenson Galleria

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Saturday,  August 25, 2007

NORTH ATTLEBORO, MA

Emerald Square

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Saturday, September 22, 2007

ORLANDO, FL

Florida Mall

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Saturday, October 27, 2007

REDONDO BEACH, CA

Galleria at South Bay

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For more information visit Torrid on-line.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Season Three is almost here………..

By Guest Contributor to Elegant Plus Magazine

 Paris has always been fabulous. It’s about to get Fabulous and Thick.

Mo’Nique and Oxygen are taking their hit show to a worldwide stage!  They’ll continue the Miss F.A.T. tradition by taking on the world capital of couture– Paris, France. It all begins with a nationwide search for 5 big beautiful contestants willing to take on the challenge of their lives. We’ll follow their journey as they transform into divas ultimately strutting their stuff in a high fashion Paris runway show.
At the end of the night, the judges and Mo’Nique will evaluate the contestants on their entire journey and the winner will be named Miss F.A.T. 2007!

Judges this season include ground-breaking plus-size model Velvet d’Amour whose ample curves have graced the Paris runways in haute couture fashion!

 Tune in to the Oxygen Network on July 28th, 2007 at 8pm/7C and let the fun begin!

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Enter the Mo’Nique’s Let Them Eat Cake Sweepstakes for your chance to go to Paris Mo’Nique style!

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 To find out more visit the Oxygen Network F.A.T. Chance Paris website.

To contact Mo’Nique hereself, visit her website.

Popularity: 22% [?]