Change in the Air

Hello Gorgeous Self-Esteem Column by Lisa Klobucar at Elegant Plus Magazine

The fall breezes are blowing again and that means it’s time for a change. There are only three months left in 2007. Before long snow will be flying and Christmas songs will be jingling.

This time last year I wrote in my column how I wanted, needed a change in my life. Well lo and behold a year later lots of changes have occurred for me and my family.

First, I met someone in the summer of 2006, fell in love and became engaged. However, this was not a union to last. After nearly a year I ended the engagement and the relationship. While this was a wonderful guy he just was not the one for me. Now, don’t worry, love will come to my life again. But I am glad I realized that this relationship/marriage wasn’t going to work before I said, “I do.”

Now, my girls and I did end up relocating. No, not out of state but to another part of the same state. I had been contemplating a move to New Mexico. But we ended up staying here in Michigan. We bought our first home and happily relocated to a new community, new school and new friends.

While moving can be a trying and exhausting undertaking in itself, my girls and I actually enjoyed cleaning packing and moving. There is something very liberating in purging your space of clutter and junk. My girls were awesome at sorting and packing. I would not have been able to move as efficiently as I did if my girls were not so helpful.

The move was just what we all needed. A change of scenery, and a change in the way of life we were living. My girls love the new house and we have been busy discovering parks and of course place’s to shop. Talk about a boost in self-esteem, a positive move can make some huge differences in how you see yourself.

It takes confidence and determination to relocate your family. I moved about 60 miles north of where I used to live. I left some very good friends, whom I do miss. But despite phone calls and emails, those so-called friends are not willing to come out for a visit or even keep up with the emails and such. So I have had to let those friends go. It hurts but you move on. I have actually made or reacquainted myself with some friends who live on this side of town.

I made some promises to myself after the move. I wanted to take some time and do some things just for me , whether it is taking a class or working on crafts. Moving is all about change, and I always look at change being a good thing. Since moving some very good changes have taken place. First of all love has entered my life again. I am currently seeing someone who has been in my life for awhile. My girls are doing great in their new school and they are making friends as well.

Overall, yes, I recommend moving. Whether it’s for a professional or personal satisfaction. Yes, moving can boost your self-esteem. As I mentioned earlier, it takes confidence and determination to relocate to a new area. You have to be willing to put yourself out there and meet new people and make new friends. If you are feeling stagnate in your job or in your home, a move can give you a whole new outlook on yourself and your life.

There is no time like the present, so get moving!

Popularity: 9% [?]

Stilettos and Curves Traveling Plus-Size Fashion Show
Whistle-Stop: Detroit, Michigan

by Lisa Klobucar,  Hello Gorgeous! Self-Esteem Columnist at Elegant Plus Magazine

Curvy, rubenesque, voluptuous and zaftig are all words to describe the fuller figure. I had the good fortune to attend a fashion show Sunday night (October 21, 2007) at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan that celebrated women who embodied those words: the “Stilettos and Curves” fashion show. Not your average fashion show, Stilettos and Curves is part of a growing grass-roots self-esteem movement across the United States that marries fashion with plus-size models to show big girls can, do, and deserve to look fabulous.  It joins the likes of the pioneering Hips, Heels and Curves Tour from DeVoe Signature Events out of New York City, the Simply Couture Tour out of Los Angeles, and the Divabetic Tour, to name just a few, that are criss-crossing the country, plus numerous local and regional shows that are shouting this positive message from the catwalks. Mo’Nique may have taken the movement sleek and Hollywood style with her enormously popular Fat Chance televised plus model boot camp and competition, but this type of urban event is where it all started.  This wasn’t just a simple fashion show, it was a fashion EVENT!

To see gorgeous, big girls, not just walking the runway but strutting their stuff in glamorous, well fitting and stunning clothes was truly exciting. These ladies knew they looked great and their confidence showed in the way they came down that runway. Outfit after outfit was presented on models of varying sizes and shapes, none smaller than a curvaceous size 14 with sizes as large as 30, while every shape of curves from apple to pear was dressed to kill. No matter the outfit or the model it was a celebration of curves. No wafer thin, “Twiggy’s” on this runway! This was a runway for the woman of size, substance, and style.

This wonderful fashion extravaganza was presented by the Full Figured Diva Academy. Who knew that there was a place to celebrate the “Diva” in all of us?

Plus models strut their stuff at the Stilettos and Curves Fashion Show

The Show

The sell-out crowd was an awesome mix of men, women and children. They were all charged and ready to see this show. Once the lights dimmed, the clapping started even before the first model had appeared on the stage. There were two little boys there cheering on their mom as she walked the runway. Deafening enthusiasm washed around me as the models came out. Cheers, shouts, whoops and whistles were the order of the evening, both in appreciation of the fashions being shown and for the models themselves.

The fashion show featured clothing from local stores, so the outfits were very accessible and affordable for anyone attending. Most of the stores were all very familiar big name brands like Lane Bryant, Torrid and Ashley Stewart to name a few. In every color of the rainbow, the clothing styles ranged from business attire, to casual weekend wear. There was even a section on formal evening wear. I saw several dresses that I would love to wear for some holiday gala or New Year’s Eve party.

While there were outfits that could easily run into the hundreds of dollars, there were also plenty of outfits for every size and budget imaginable. The fact that all the Divas were various shapes and sizes brought home the point of there is a outfit for every size. One of the models, Relita Clarke, has been a runway model for six years and she’s always been a plus model.  She told me, “I love being in an organization where everyone looks like me and to have that empowerment is a wonderful thing. We are trying to send the fashion industry a message. A message that not only thin women can do this.”

The one thing that really stood out with Stilettos and Curves Fashion Show was that each model wore colors that complimented her. In the big runway shows you never see that kind of nod to reality. The designers usually put the models in whatever fits best, applies make-up, and doesn’t worry about color. This show took the time to showcase clothes that put the models in the best light not only for the styles being displayed but for them personally, just like real women in the audience who were looking to them for inspiration ought to do.

For this big girl sitting in the audience and watching these women walk down the runway I felt exhilarated and inspired. The Divas looked great and they knew it, it showed on their faces. The audience loved the way the models looked as it was hardly ever quiet with clapping and shouts of encouragement throughout the hour and a half show. I have to admit after watching the Divas come down the runway, I felt the need to strut my stuff as I walked out the door.  I think their mission was accomplished.

    
All shapes of curves shown in casual and eveningwear

The Women Behind the Show

Natasha Bryson, 30, is the director of the “Diva Academy” and she also runs Gemini Modeling and Talent Group in Baltimore, Maryland. Natasha has graced the runway in many shows and is not your typical big girl. In fact she is not a big girl at all. She’s an extremely slender woman, but she’s in our corner. Natasha’s recognition for the need of big girl fashions prompted her to open the Full Figured Diva Academy several years ago. The Diva Academy includes a four week boot camp for aspiring models and women who just want to learn to strut their stuff and improve their confidence and fashion sense. Like most plus-size fashion and model boot camps, Diva’s are taught to not only walk the runway but also how to wear the clothes and how to walk confidently in 3 inch heels. Also included are makeup and hair tips that can be applied to your everyday life, not just on the runway.

I asked Natasha how she finds her Divas?  “Our advertising is pretty much a grass roots effort with email and radio spots, and of course word of mouth. Many of our Divas have come to us from friends of friends.”  The success of such methods was all around me Sunday night with a packed, sold-out show  which truly speaks of the hunger and demand for such shows in opposition to our “thin is in” culture. Natasha ‘s attitude in regards to all women shows when she says things like, “My goal is to have women feel good about themselves no matter their size. I feel that you have to work with what you have been given and improve on yourself from there.” Following up on the self-esteem message of these grass-root shows, Diva Tammara Zanders (Sponsorship Coordinator) added, “we are striving for a consistent presence not only in fashion but in ourselves.”

Don’t think that all these women do is walk the runway, they all have careers outside of the Academy too. For example, Kimberly Badru is one of the original Divas. She has been with the Full Figured Diva Academy for three years, but she is also the director of a catering company. Kimberly became involved with the Diva’s not only for herself but to give her daughter a positive role model. She wants to show her daughter that she can be and do anything she sets her mind to in life.

    
Trendy business wear and classic evening
styles come down the runway

The Tour

The Full Figured Diva Academy is currently on tour showcasing “Stilettos and Curves.” The tour has been to Pennsylvania, Virginia and Michigan. The next stop on the tour is Maryland. While in Maryland they will hold a four week, two hours a day boot camp and then present the fashion show with the local Divas who attended the boot camp as well as the national Diva’s who travel with the show.

So are you ready to be a Diva? Or maybe you just want to check out the next fashion show. You can find out more information by clicking here.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Colored and Patterned Tights in Plus-Sizes 

by Elegant Plus at Elegant Plus Magazine

Plus-size tights can be some of the hardest items to find, especially over Queen sizes and especially in colors other than basic black. Fun patterns like diamonds or fishnets, you’re kidding right?  But every fashionista knows that colored tights not only keep you toasty warm as a layering piece in fall and winter, but also can make an outfit go from ho-hum to fabulous. Plus, tights really are a must-have under wide-calf boots since they hold up better than finer weight hosiery.  Sizing is always a challenge with some manufacturers opting for the classic hosiery height and weight charts and others using dress sizes.  Height and weight chart sizing can be tricky with plus-size pears needing usually to go up at least one size from what the weight chart indicates, due to carrying a majority of their weight on the bottom half.   Sizing charts that follow dress or pant sizes usually are closer in size for all plus body types Here are a few of our favorite spots for colored or patterned tights to fit curvaceous, full-figured legs. 1. We Love Colors Topping the list is a fabulous shop called “We Love Colors”….. and boy do they!  They have 45 colors to choose from in their plus-size solid opaque and fishnet tight lines, plus eleven tie-dye colors and even striped tights for the wilder and more adventurous curvy cutie.   Their sizing chart goes up to a 4X which is determined by height and weight charts. This shop gets 5 stars for variety and a realistic size range. 2. One Stop Plus One Stop Plus gets our vote not for color or pattern variety so much as size range.  With colored tights available in season at a very reasonable price, this shop regularly stocks opaque tights in sizes up to 6X.  While the usual black, brown and navy blue are reliably available here in fall and winter months we’ve also spotted hues like crimson red, pearly gray and hunter green in the mix from time to time.  Worth a stop if you are a larger or super-size diva. 3. Torrid Who could leave the trendy plus retailer Torrid off the list when talking about fashionable and stylish leg wear?  This is THE shop that can be counted on to keep up with the latest ultra-trendy trends in plus-sizes.  Right now this translates to fishnets, footless tights in lace, patterns, metallics and stripes, sexy thigh highs and, of course, curve smoothing Spanx.  Sizing varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but most fit up to a size 4X.

Click here for more plus-size hosiery listings.

Popularity: 16% [?]

When a Queen Lets Down Her Subjects:  Queen Latifah Representing Diet Industry Giant Jenny Craig

by T. A. Politis, Managing Editor
Musings for the Editor’s Chair at Elegant Plus Magazine

I’d begun this week writing a column on the looming clash of plus-size apparel company giants for market share, but a surprise….. a disappointing surprise…… popped up on the radar screen.  Queen Latifah, a celebrity I had long admired for just plain being good at what she did and doing her thing while proving size really had very little to do with talent, is now publicly linked with diet industry giant Jenny Craig.  To say I’m let down and disappointed is an understatement.  So the other article will have to wait until later in the week while I pause to examine the issues this turn of affairs raises.

There are those who are applauding Queen Latifah’s move, asking why shouldn’t a woman clearly comfortable in her own skin not promote healthy lifestyle?  In fact, some believe she has a moral obligation to do so as a role model and a celebrity.  And, guess what, fundamentally I agree with the view that healthy lifestyles are worth promoting.

 But this is where it gets messy and opinion diverges.   Those applauding this particular business partnership between a curvy celebrity and a diet industry giant are accepting a fundamental  assumption pervasive in our culture.  That’s right an assumption, not a fact.  Thinner equals healthier.   Actually two assumptions.  The other is: dieting will make you thinner (and therefore healthier, right?).  There have been lots of advertising dollars, spin doctors, pharmaceutical industry paid “scientific” studies to prove this too.  And let’s not forget the sound bites and media blitz yelling hysterically about the rise of obesity.  The fact is, Queen Latifah herself probably believes in these assumptions.  So many of us do.

There is another school of thought altogether that promotes healthy lifestyle choices - eating right and getting enough exercise PERMANENTLY — not restricting calories to unhealthy levels temporarily to lose weight and then going back to poor eating patterns. (And healthy eating choices does not just mean only the number of calories that you consume, by the way. It takes into consideration food quality and overall nutritional value as well.) This alternative view, known as Health at Every Size,  also does not focus on the numbers on the scale as the marker of success, but rather how well a body is functioning.  Let me say that again. It is worth repeating:  Health at Every Size does not focus on the numbers on the scale as the markers of healthly lifestyle success. Diet companies do. It’s been proven many times that those that go on big name diets  gain the weight back at an alarmingly high rate within just a few years. And one thing we do know for sure is that yo-yo dieting wrecks metabolisms and leaves people far more susceptible to disease than if they never went on the diet in the first place.  We ran an article by fitness professional Jennifer Portnick awhile back that addresses many of these issues in greater detail that you might want to consult for more information.

Also, there is a lot of evidence out there that doesn’t get talked about much,  especially not from a business that makes its money selling diets to you or a media that loves sensational headlines and imagery:  weight gain may not be the causal factor of a lot of the diseases to which it is linked, but rather is one of the first symptoms of the disease as it takes hold. So losing weight isn’t the cure all it’s held up to be often, either.

So you think that perhaps your lifestyle choices could use improving and you want to better your health, right? You feel sluggish, not your best, and huff more than a little bit climbing stairs.  And you don’t like that.  You want to improve. Yay! That’s great news!  That’s truly the first step to loving yourself - staying in tune with how your body is functioning and taking care of it when all is not well. 

The solution, however, I would suggest is not in the bottom of pre-cooked, over-processed, tiny caloried food boxes of Jenny Craig.  Nor is it in the magic diet pill being sold at the supermarket.  If you are serious about creating a healthier you, educate yourself in what healthy food choices are.  Get yourself to a nutritionist if you need help understanding why not all yogurt is created equal and why whole foods are better than processed (even if the box reads “low calorie” or “diet”). Then work on gradually altering eating styles permanently — and no that doesn’t mean never eating chocolate cake, fried chicken or ice-cream ever again, just maybe not three times a week and always in moderation.  Find a fitness professional who can help you develop a sensible exercise plan you can stick to for life if you find yourself unable to do it alone, or find a walking buddy.  And if you need to, visit a psychologist to help you with any emotional issues you may be linking to food or eating. 

No quick fixes.  No short term solutions.  And very little standing on scales to measure goal success.  Some people, many people in fact (although not all and very rarely to the waifish sizes usually seen as “success” in diet driven literature), find that they lose weight when they normalize eating and exercise patterns.  But, and this is a big BUT,  when weight-loss and fitting into a size 6 (or 10 or 14) dress isn’t the end goal, this lower bodyweight set-point is a non-issue. Rather the reward and goal of changing lifestyle patterns is what it should be…..that an individual can keep up with their toddler better or they find they have fewer colds, their blood sugar evens out or lowers and therefore risk for developing Type 2 diabetes declines, or they just generally are more active and enjoying life more. That is how better health is measured.  So, for those that have bodies that fall on the heavier end of the human “normal” body weight bell-curve there is no failure when weight or size loss isn’t achieved.  Diet companies even when they use the words “health” and “healthy” still measure success by pounds or inches lost, and don’t care much what other parts of your health may have been wrecked in the process.

So yes, I’m hugely disappointed by the this big business partnership. She may not be their spokeperson, but rather is accepting advertising dollars as a sponsor for her “Trav’lin Light” album (three guesses why they wanted to be linked with that slogan) tour.  But most people won’t see the fine line of who is sponsor and who is sponsored.  The Queen has fallen far in my esteem and affections.  There are so many healthier causes she could have aligned with than the yo-yo diet industry.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Joy Nash’s original Fat Rant video clip took the internet by storm earlier this year.  Since then she’s become a talk show guest taking on the likes of MeMe Roth and gotten neck deep in national size-acceptance issues.  She’s smart, well-spoken …. and yes fat.  But not in the media stereo-typical way that seems to delight in images of sloth when portraying fat people.  She’s very cute and curvaceous, fashionable and well dressed. And, let’s not forget funny, but unlike the usual fat comedian, not in a self-deprecating (might we even say self-loathing) way that we usually see.  No Kirstie Alley self-hating antics for her. 

 Check out Part 2 of her Fat Rant.   Kudos! 

Now excuse me while I go feed a sleep addiction and take a nap.

Popularity: 9% [?]