17 October 2013

Well it’s been quite some time since I’ve written  a blog post so I figured I should  get to it. I must say I have been a little stuck for topics of late however I did recently come across something that was definitely worthy of a rant because well, it just annoyed me LOL so here we go. Topic of the day is….SHAPEWEAR aka TUMMY SUCKERS or most commonly known as spanx!

Now I am yet to come across a curvy woman who hasn’t tried shapewear. In fact, most women who don’t even need shapewear have tried shapewear, which brings me to the main point of my rant. Have any of you actually looked at the women advertising shapewear?  When I see an advertisement for tummy suckers these days this is what I hear in my head…. ‘Oh hi take a look at our tummy suckers and see how great they work on our size 8 model…can you see how well our shapewear is holding in her non existant fat rolls?!’ Because you know it makes sense to smooth out and firm someone’s shape who clearly doesn’t need it! And if you keep on reading you’ll see the reason why these companies do this!

Ok so the frustration of the advertising aside, let’s get to the next point which is actually getting these tummy suckers on. Now as most of you would know, the range of the good old big girl panty has changed quite a bit over time. Gone are the beige Bridget Jones full brief high top knickers! These fat busting babies now come in knee length shorts, boy leg shorts, bikini, full brief, g-string, skirt, strapless dress, underbra straps and hey you can even get full length tights and almost everyone of these options comes up under the bust and is available in either black or beige.

Now I can tell you I have pretty much tried every single one of those mentioned above, in almost every brand and I have come to the conclusion that whenever I don’t have time to go the gym  or exercise, I’m just going to get out my tummy suckers and try put them on. Asides from the fact that they look like I’d only get my arm into them,  I am certain the time and effort involved in getting them on (not to mention the fact that you’ll have sweat dripping off you by the time you finish) has got to be the equivalent of a decent workout right?! I have to laugh everytime I’ve picked a pair up I look at them and think….No….how could this possibly be the right size…..how could this possibly fit?! But they fit….you might have a coronary getting them on, but once they’re on, you’ll surprisingly see that they fit and you can breathe…for now!

So you’ve done your work out and put on your tummy suckers and you’re standing in front of the mirror (front on) thinking hmm….this doesn’t look too bad and your silhouette is a little less bumpy. Ok so now you turn to the side.  And all of a sudden your smoothed out lumps and bumps don’t look so good.  It seems the ‘tummy suckers’ didn’t ‘suck’ anything in at all, but have actually decided to flatten and disperse your fat giving you a strange shaped stomach and well, a rather flat and now extra wide behind. So you look at the size 8 model on the tag with her washboard stomach and perfect ass  thinking to yourself….why don’t I look like that now? Surely that’s what these undies are supposed to do?!  Ahhh unfortunately not. You see because that’s how they look when you have no fat to suck in!

So then you take a seat on the bed trying to decide whether or not you put your dress on over the top of these things. You could probably do with a shower given you worked up a sweat putting them on, but hey who’s got time for another half hour workout before they’ve got to go somewhere. Not me! Anyway so as you’re sitting there you start to feel pretty uncomfortable because your suckers which are supposed to stay in place have decided to start rolling down from under the bust and rolling up from your legs! So not only are you now hot, sweaty and uncomfortable, you also have strangely shaped fat rolls added to your silhouette. Guess it wasn’t made for sitting down in. Don’t think it was made for eating in either actually, because I’ve found that original surprising feeling of being able to breathe, very quickly disappears the very second you put that first canapé in your mouth. And then after canapé number 3 it’s time to go to the bathroom and remove the tummy suckers altogether….Now I don’t know about you, but I can’t say I’ve ever had a different experience with these regardless of the type or brand. But like every other woman out there I am yet to give up on the tummy sucker and seem to think that there’s got to be one out there that miraculously smooths every lump and bump, doesn’t make you work up a sweat and take 30 mins to put on, doesn’t roll down and doesn’t affect your breathing after you eat a cracker?! Ahh NO!

So this brings me to my next question. Why? Why is it that everytime a curvy woman buys a new dress she feels the need to put herself through the shapewear torture? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a woman say “Oh I love this dress but it’ll look so much better once I’ve got a pair of tummy suckers on”. It seems we all want that slimline look but without actually doing anything to get it. Well to permanently get it anyway! Which brings me to my next point. If you’re that unhappy with yourself that you feel the need to waste money buying hideous looking underwear that really is only a potential health hazard then you really need to do one of 2 things…..you either need to learn to love and accept yourself the way you are OR you need to do something about your shape, the right way which is healthy eating and exercise.

Shapewear is like a diet pill or meal replacement shake – a waste of time and money. There is no quick fix and to be honest I personally think if you’re not one who wants to change your lifestyle, then instead of putting yourself through tummy sucker torture, I’d just make sure you buy a dress in your size that fits you (and in a style that actually suits your body shape). Forget the I’m going to buy it one size smaller cause I’ll lose 5 kilos before next weekend’s event (yes we’ve all said it!) because chances of it happening are slim to none.

And sometimes as much as we’d love something to look good because it’s in fashion and just happens to come in our size, doesn’t necessarily mean it will look good. So with that, I’ll say EMBRACE YOUR SHAPE, LOVE YOUR CURVES and make sure the junk in your trunk is dressed to impress (without the torture!) ….. www.curvyisbeautiful.com.au where all the gorgeous curvy clothes are at!

Until next time

x

 

4 November 2012

So here we are, well and truly overdue for another blog post. To my followers, I do apologise that it’s been so long! Things have been crazy as usual, and as most of you would have noticed, I have been busy spreading the Curvy is Beautiful message on the facebook front. So it has now officially been a year since Curvy is Beautiful was born, and what a journey it’s been! Our facebook fans are just over the 4K mark (and rising) and the incredible number of messages of support that I receive on a daily basis continues to blow me away. So first and foremost, a big THANK YOU to all of you for your support over the last 12 months. It’s a great feeling when someone messages you telling you that you’ve made a difference to the way they feel about themselves. And THAT is what this is all about. Making women feel good about themselves. As I’ve said before in previous blog posts, we’ve copped a bit of criticism over here for supposedly condoning or promoting ‘unhealthy’ lifestyles and as human nature goes, there’s still the odd taunt from those who say that we are deluding ourselves in accepting anything that isn’t classified as society’s norm for weight and size. Well to those people, I say fuck you.

I recently had a moron post on my page saying that there was a ‘universal standard of beauty’ we should all strive to attain and by not doing so we were not only doing the wrong thing by our bodies, but we were being lazy, unhealthy and delusional. I cannot begin to tell you how frustrating that is to read. Now we’ve had this debate many of times, and it’s been mentioned in many of my blog posts previously. Your size DOES NOT necessarily determine your health. Many people can carry extra weight and still be healthy.  Sure carrying a substantial amount of excess weight in certain areas has been said to put people at a higher risk of certain conditions, however that doesn’t necessarily mean it will happen. People carry extra weight for all sorts of reasons. Some do because they want to and some do because they can’t help it, now whether that is due to a medical condition or due to them being stuck in a rut or being ‘lazy’, is irrelevant. We are the ones who have to live with our shape and size, we are the ones who have to live with the way that we feel and any health conditions that may or may not arise, so tell me what business that is of anybody else’s?

Why do people feel the need to say oh she’s overweight, so she must be unhealthy or she’s fat, she needs to spend less time eating McDonalds and more time at the gym. Or ‘you need to stop being so lazy and work your ass off if you want to be a size 2’. What do people gain from saying such things and/or from having that sort of opinion? Have these people ever thought that maybe not everybody wants to be a size 2? Maybe some people are genuinely happy in their skin the way they are? And as I have said before, if you are one of those people who is not happy carrying extra weight, then of course, you should do something about it, however you should do something about it in your own time, the right way, for the right reasons. And you should not be made to feel pressured or any less of a person for doing so (or not doing so).

Then of course we have the argument of those who are thinner saying that they don’t necessarily want to be thin and can’t help it, so women who are overweight shouldn’t be putting them down to make themselves feel better. Well to that I say this. Sure some people are thin and can’t carry or put on weight regardless of how much they try/how much they eat. That is not their fault. Same way as it’s not an overweight person’s fault if they have a thyroid condition or polycystic ovaries or some other condition that makes it difficult for them to lose weight. And whilst people are quick to say it’s offensive to be told that you’re too skinny, the reality of today’s world is that it is much more socially acceptable to be ‘too skinny’ than what it is to be ‘too fat’.  Then of course there’s the other side of the spectrum where people do choose to be ‘skinny’ or ‘fat’ and if that is the case, then so be it. Each to their own. We’re allowed to have a preference for how we look and how much weight we do or do not carry. Same way as we are allowed to have a preference of which is preferred personally, whether that be in ourselves or in our partner.

I personally believe that our bodies and our health are important. We only get given one body, one life and one chance. But I also believe that what we choose to do with those bodies is up to us as individuals. Some people will choose to tarnish their health by taking drugs, smoking or drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Others will choose to tarnish it by eating too much fast food or foods that aren’t good for you. As they say, everything is ok in moderation, but as many of you know, this can be difficult. Human beings often don’t understand moderation (or choose not to) and whilst some have the opinion that we only get one body and one life so we need to preserve it as best we can, many also have the opposite view point that life is short, and so they should live it and enjoy it as they so please. Who is to say that one opinion is more right than the other? Who is to say that either of them are wrong? Isn’t it personal choice if we choose to live a lifestyle that prolongs our life or if we choose to live one that potentially doesn’t?

I think we need to stop worrying so much about what other people are doing and focus on ourselves a little more. Someone who is of ‘normal weight’ but who drinks alcohol and takes drugs is no healthier than someone who is overweight. Being unhealthy can take many forms and one of those is mental health. We are quick to focus on the external and to focus on what we can see with our eyes, but not so quick to give care to the things we can’t see. How we feel about ourselves mentally and emotionally is just as important as how we look on the outside, if not actually more important.

So I will leave you with this thought and with the image below, which surprisingly, is a Nike ad! (Please click on the image to enlarge, it’s worth the read!)… Regardless of whether you are a size 6 or a size 26, do what you want to do with your life and live in a way where you wake up every morning and are content with who you are and how you are living. And if you are not, then work on changing that, in time, in a positive way. Don’t succumb to pressure from societies idealistic views of who you should be, how you should look or how you should live. Live to a standard that makes you happy and have the confidence to stand by that decision.

Until next time

x

15 August 2012

Well here we are again…Mid August (and for my Australian followers, nearly at the end of this freezing winter and gearing up for some warmer weather finally!) so with that in mind new stuff is now in stock from Kiyonna and SWAK. There’s some gorgeous new dresses ranging from bright fuschia’s and teal’s to your staple blacks. All of which are of course flattering, beautiful and affordable! We’re still shipping worldwide for a flat fee with free shipping throughout Australia and we also offer a layby service for those of you wanting to pay off your frocks. I am always on the hunt for new labels, thinking I might try my luck at the next Fashion Exposed Expo being held in Melbourne soon. Of course if anyone knows of any labels they would like to see in store, do drop me a line as I’d love the feedback.

So with the clothing update out of the way let’s move on to the next topic – the way society makes us feel. As I mentioned above, here in Aus we’re nearly at the end of our winter and moving into Spring and of course, warmer weather. Now obviously you aren’t all here in Aus, however I’m sure you’ll all be able to relate to this.  As the weather changes, retailers and the media make it known that they love this time of year with it being a prime opportunity to sucker in the female population to ‘lose those winter kilos’. Mind you it’s nowhere near as bad as what it is gearing up to Summer however none the less, the adverts are there in full force. From gym’s and diet programs offering discounted memberships and no joining fees, to pharmacies discounting the latest and greatest fat buster wonder pill, I can guarantee if you haven’t seen a cheesy, confidence de-railing advertisement yet, it will only be a matter of time!

I get it, I really do. I understand that a change of season is prime marketing time for those in the ‘health’ or ‘diet fad’ industry however I have to ask the question….at what point do we say enough is enough? Like do we really need to be reminded every time we turn on the tv, radio, open a magazine, get on a bus or train or even when we’re in a public shitter reading the back of a toilet door, that the time has come to ‘lose those winter kilos?’ Do we really need to be answering the question (in our own mind, to ourselves) that’s being asked by some random advertisement, as to whether or not we’ve eaten too many baked dinners this winter? At what point did we lose complete awareness of what we’re doing and how we look? I mean I don’t know about you, but my jeans tell me if I’ve eaten a few too many baked dinners and hot jam donuts,  I don’t need some bullshit advertisement reminding me, nor do I need to continually hear and read about all these companies that are ‘genuinely concerned’ about my health. Because you know, that is what it’s all about apparently.

I think we know when we haven’t been as good to our bodies as what we should have. Everything is good in moderation however when it’s colder we tend to eat more because our bodies crave those warm hearty meals. There is nothing wrong with that. Same way as there is nothing wrong with putting on a few winter kilos. Now I am NOT saying we should be unhealthy and I am not saying that packing on a whole heap of weight is a good thing. However what I am saying, is that it’s common to put on a few extra kilos during the colder season and you will find that as it does get warmer you do tend to eat less and you don’t eat the same heavy winter foods, so those few kilos that you may have put on, will most likely come off just as easily. And if those extra kilos don’t budge or you feel like you want to get fitter or be a little healthier, then hey go for it. But do me a favour. Do it because YOU want to do it (for YOU). Do it because your jeans are saying they’re too tight. Don’t do it because some diet pill manufacturer wants to add to their bank balance of squillions.

And if you don’t feel like you’re ready to change your lifestyle (or if you don’t want to, which some people don’t) then do yourself a favour and buy yourself a pair of jeans that actually fit instead of procrastinating over your old ones that are 2 sizes too small (which were probably one size too small to start with because you would’ve either a) bought them a size smaller in the hope that you’d fit into them because you were on a diet or taking one of those miracle fat blasting wonder pills that were due to work any day now or b) you bought them a size smaller because you know jeans have a tendency to stretch so figured if you laid down to zip them up and could deal with being suffocated on 2-3 occasions they would end up fitting correctly….until you decided to wash them that is!)

Been there, done that. It’s a vicious circle and it’s an unhealthy cycle. People are always going on about being healthy and the importance of having a healthy body. And yes, having a healthy body is important. It’s imperative because we only get one and one would hope it’s going to last you a long time! However there is no point in having a healthy body and an unhealthy mind. You need to feel good from the inside out. You need to learn to accept that not all of us will be the same size as what we were 10 years ago. Things change. Our bodies change.  It’s ok to put on a few kilos every now and then. And if you feel like you’ve put on a few too many or put on weight to a point where you’re not comfortable with yourself or you don’t feel healthy then do something about it in your own time, the right way, for the right reasons.

So the moral of today’s blog?

  1. Don’t be too hard on yourself!
  2. Don’t be suckered in to some other bullshit money wasting ‘quick fix’ diet fad
  3. And last but not least….be kind to yourself. Look for the positives and be grateful for what you do have, because we are more fortunate than we know…YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL and deserve to feel it every day.

Until next time

x

3 July 2012

So I’m well and truly overdue for a blog post and like every other time, I’ve found that a month (if not longer!) has passed in what feels like 60 seconds! But anyway enough of me whinging about the time flying, things have definitely been busy on the Curvy is Beautiful front. Our mid year 40% OFF ALL STOCK SALE is still going but will be finishing very soon, so if you haven’t picked up a gorgeous bargain, be sure to check it out online www.curvyisbeautiful.com.au . We are still shipping worldwide with FREE shipping throughout Australia! We are also still on the hunt for the latest styles, so stay tuned with some hell gorgeous stuff on its way in store soon!

Ok now back to the part that really matters…..the real meaning behind the brand. As most of you know, I have openly said we need to learn to love and accept ourselves for who we are on the inside AND on the outside because there is so much more to life than that number on the scales or that size on the back of our clothes. But let’s face it, that’s not an easy task. It’s a pretty cruel world out there and these days it seems someone has something to say about everything. And it’s not just those carrying a little extra weight that are discriminated against, people seem to be being discriminated against for everything.

We’re either too fat, too thin, have too many tattoos, too many piercings, hair colour’s not right, too short, too tall and the list goes on and on. So other than saying I am over hearing it, I will say who gives a fuck what someone else looks like and why does it matter to us so much?! Why is society so obsessed with criticising others? Why do so many people feel the need to be so bitchy and rude about other people’s appearances? Does it really matter to you if the girl walking down the street is a size 18 and has half a shaved head? Does that affect you? No it doesn’t. So then why is it that we have become a society that just can’t help but stare, comment, criticise and say things that are not only hurtful but not necessary?

Don’t get me wrong, it’s human nature to observe and form an opinion and everyone is entitled to an opinion. However whatever happened to ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it at all?’ Whatever happened to keeping some opinions to yourself and whatever happened to being accepting of individuality and accepting of the fact that not everyone can be the same size or look the same and that in fact, many people actually don’t want to?

I know there are many women out there who are on the diet bandwagon wanting to lose weight and if they are doing that because they want to feel better about themselves then that’s great. But I know many curvy women out there who have no intention of changing the way that they look because they are content and that is a beautiful thing. I admire those women. In fact I admire both types of women. I admire those that make lifestyle changes for THEMSELVES and I admire those that are happy with themselves the way they are. I think it takes a lot to do something for you and not because of what other people say, same way as it takes a lot to learn to love yourself the way you are. And if you can’t do that, then doing something about it the right way, because YOU want to is the next best thing.

It’s a crazy world we live in these days, we’ve come so far in so many areas of civilization yet there still seems to be this shadow of judgment that hangs over so many different areas of our lives. If someone isn’t being criticized for how they look and what they wear, they’re being criticized for how they make a living or what they do in their spare time. The bottom line is this. Yes you are entitled to an opinion (on anything and everything really). But unless what you’re commenting on directly affects you then think about what you say out loud. Constructive criticism, informative opinions and passionate debates are a good thing. But criticising others to be a bitch,  gossip or to have a laugh at someone else’s expense, isn’t such a good thing.

Be who you want to be and let others be who they want to be. And when you wake up every morning and look at yourself in the mirror be content with not only who you are on the outside, but who you are on the inside because you have to live with that person every day.

Until next time

x

11 May 2012

So I’ve found myself mentally retreating a little these last few weeks as I’ve been thinking about the Curvy is Beautiful mantra and what it is I’ve been trying to achieve with it. It was an article I read recently about the death of a 19 yr old girl who lost her battle with anorexia that has compelled me to write today.

Bethany Wallace was a young and beautiful up coming teenage model who had the world at her feet. A cover model since the age of 12, the world of fashion and the weight stigma attached to it was no secret to this beauty who had battled an eating disorder since she was 16. Weighing just 44 kilos and with a BMI of 16.1, anorexia finally took its toll as her heart stopped and she died in her sleep aged 19 yrs.…what an incredible waste of life.

Believe it or not, there was a time when I could relate to that pain and longing to be thin. I remember being that age and thinking that the only and most important thing in life was to lose weight. I counted calories, took laxatives, took every diet pill you could possibly think of (some so bad they’re now banned in most countries) and I stuck my fingers down my throat every time I ate something with a calorie count greater than a celery stick.  It really sucked. If there’s one thing I hated more than anything it was the smell of my own stomach acid which was often the result of throwing up virtually nothing.  But I was a girl on a mission. I wanted to be thin and I wanted to be what I thought was beautiful.

It has taken years of that, years of yo-yo dieting, hating myself, putting myself down and years of trying to attain and look like something that I’m not before I realized that whilst I could keep trying to be a size 6, the reality was, I just wasn’t built that way. Thanks to my mother I had hips, boobs and a European ass that wasn’t going anywhere!  And for those that are wondering, yes it’s all still here. I am a curvy girl. Always have been, always will be.

It took a long time for me to accept that and it took a long time for me to realize that there is nothing wrong with me the way I am, because we are all beautiful in our own way and beauty comes in all different shapes and sizes.  Having said that, I don’t think beauty comes in a form that shows we are potentially unhealthy. It doesn’t come in a form that shows we are in pain whether that be physical, mental or emotional and it definitely doesn’t come in the form of an eating disorder.

Now I know that we often see celebrities and models in magazines who look like they are continually caught amongst the media pressure and social whirlwind of crash dieting and an obsession with being a size 0, but there is one thing that has gone that next step further and that is ‘thinspiration’ – the ever growing online websites and blogs promoting anorexia and/or being excessively thin.

And sure I get that everyone is entitled to an opinion on any topic, including that of being thin, but it just blows me away that there seems to be such a mass following of these sites. There are young women on these forums sharing tips and tricks on how to dangerously lose weight and talking about how beautiful it looks to have excessive protruding bones and gaps between their legs as they post up photos of sickly thin women they are striving to imitate. I have to ask – what the fuck has happened to society’s image of beauty?!  How and when did it become so badly distorted?!

I understand that mindset that many young women have in terms of wanting to lose weight, as I said above, I’ve been there myself years ago. However, whilst I was once upon a time a young girl wanting to be thinner, NOT ONCE did I ever look at a photo of an anorexic woman and think that was beautiful or think that was what I wanted to look like. If anything it was Marilyn Monroe’s figure that I wanted! I just don’t understand why anyone would want to purposely look like a skeleton?

And I don’t mean in any way to come across as ignorant or offensive to those that suffer with an eating disorder because obviously it is a disorder and those suffering it have a blurred vision when it comes to their sense of self and beauty. However, it’s those that don’t yet have eating disorders, who are actually perfectly healthy but for some reason have developed an obsession with wanting to lose weight because they think that skin and bones are beautiful, that concern me.

Believe it or not, there’s apparently a name for these people – they call them ‘wannarexic’ which basically is a person who doesn’t have anorexia but wants it. Now I don’t know maybe I’m missing something, but why on earth would anybody knowingly want to be and look anorexic?!

I see these absurd photos, quotes and comments on some of these ‘thinspiration’ sites and I don’t even know where to begin with trying to fathom the mindset behind these people’s thoughts. I literally sit there reading with a look of nothing but disbelief and a continual default gasp that comes as a result of what really couldn’t be summarized as anything other than a sickly twisted and distorted image of what makes a person beautiful.  The only thing I see when I stare at an image like the one below, is a woman who is vastly losing any beauty she once had along with her life and soul which unfortunately is probably sitting at the bottom of her toilet bowl…

Until next time
x

6 April 2012

Ahh so we meet again, but this time it’s near Easter! Who would’ve thought we’d be here already, I’m sure it only feels like yesterday where I was writing about New Years Resolutions! Time is definitely flying by, so I thought I’d better get on in with a post before it’s xmas again.

So we currently have an Easter sale online at the moment – 30% off all stock + Free shipping! There’s still some great pieces left in each range, so be sure to get in quick. Some gorgeous new frocks and casual wear (including skinny leg jeans) are on their way in store very very soon so that’s just a little bit exciting! Do keep an eye out, we’ll also finally have Hell Bunny on its way in too, so stay tuned.

On the Curvy is Beautiful mantra front, most of you would have seen we’ve been getting some great support on our FB page, please please keep the positive comments and likes coming, it’s awesome to have so many of you sharing your thoughts on how you feel about yourselves and getting that positive message of loving who you are out there!

It’s funny when I decide it’s time to write a blog post I’ll find there’s always a zillion things or issues I could potentially write about, there always seems to be something in the media about weight or dieting, or there’s always something about some celebrity who’s put on half a kilo or at the other extreme of wasting away because they’ve lost a couple off an already tiny frame….but today I thought I would share with you a conversation I had with a good friend of mine.

Now as you would have gathered, I am a curvy girl and am an ambassador for loving your shape. I am not saying we should or shouldn’t be a particular weight or size, I am just saying we should accept that we can’t ALL be a certain size or look a certain way and we should learn to be a little more accepting and a little kinder to ourselves when we’re constantly comparing ourselves (or attaining to be something that’s clearly unrealistic). So this goes both ways. It applies if you’ve got curves and applies if you’re someone who doesn’t.

So where am I going with this? Well the girlfriend I caught up with (who mind you has always been supportive and encouraging of my venture), happens to be a size 6 and probably weights around 45 kilos. She’s a little thing, but always has been. She eats like you wouldn’t believe, but just has a small build. Now that doesn’t bother her, she’s actually quite a confident woman and is content with how she looks and loves her shape and size. She is not one to put others down, however finds that even though she doesn’t do so, she is often prone to snide remarks or being stereotyped for the fact that she is quite a small build and obviously thin. So this is where my blog post is going….

We say that people should accept the fact that not everyone can be a size 6 or a size 8, that not everyone can be thin or look like someone on the cover of a magazine. We want people to accept the fact that some of us are genuinely happy and content carrying  a few extra kilos, and that some of us like having something to grab at. So then why does this not apply the other way? Why are we starting to become critical of those who cannot be a size 14 or 16 or more.

Why are we not accepting of the fact that some people are just not built curvier, some people have small builds and quick metabolisms and genes that have them still fitting into the same jeans at 35 that they wore when they were 18. And of course on the other hand, some people just want to be a smaller size so they live a lifestyle that enables that. There is nothing wrong with that.

Why are we striving so hard for self acceptance and tolerance of bigger or plus sizes, yet continue to put down those who aren’t? My friend said to me ‘people don’t realize, but it’s actually pretty frustrating to constantly be hearing people say that skinny isn’t attractive or that being a size 6 must mean you don’t eat’ and at that moment I sat there and thought she is spot on. It would be awful to have people making remarks about your shape regardless if it’s because you are ‘too small’ or ‘too big’.

This girl couldn’t be bigger than a size 6 if she tried. And no she’s not really exercise mad, or overly health conscious, in fact, she’s one of the only friends I can always count on to have a big arse block of Cadbury in her cupboard and we’ve had many a times where we’ve sat there and devoured the block between us!

She’s a beautiful woman, blessed with good genes and is someone who is open and honest in saying ‘if bigger people are happy the way they are, then that’s great and good for them, but don’t go putting us skinnier ones down because we aren’t carrying extra weight, because some of us can’t help it, or don’t want to because we like the way we look.’ And on that I had to say that I agreed with her.

I have many friends who also have been unbelievably supportive, who would definitely fall into that category of being a size 6 or less than a 10, and they think it’s great that I am trying to get a positive body message out there (and of course trying to provide more of an option for those who are bigger than a size 14) but it goes without saying, we really shouldn’t be hypocritical in our quest for acceptance. We shouldn’t be putting another size or shape down to make ourselves feel better about the way we are. For some it’s a choice, but for some it’s not. We need to learn to accept ALL shapes and sizes even if they don’t necessarily suit us or the way that we want to be.

And to my die hard supporters, I am in no way saying that we should start trying to be smaller or something that we aren’t, because I personally am still of the opinion that curves are HOT! But I am saying  that we should accept that not everyone shares that opinion, and as we are expecting others to be accepting of our shape, size and opinion on our bodies, then we should really make sure we try and do the same of theirs.

Until next time

x

           

17 March 2012

My oh my have I been a slacker!!! Well actually I shouldn’t say that because I have been doing things of utmost importance I swear! However it has been nearly a month since my last post eeeek! So my apologies now for not having written to your beautiful selves sooner, it’s been a crazy whirlwind of look books, dresses, buying meetings, marketing, advertising and everything else in between! And speaking of advertising, Curvy is Beautiful has featured an ad in this months edition of Plus Size Model Mag http://plus-model-mag.com/ and we’re also now listed under Marketplace, Boutique. So do drop on by and of course please keep spreading the word!

Now on spreading the word, my regulars would know all about this bandwagon of mine, but for you newbies (and for those of you needing a little reminder!) I’ll say it again….here at Curvy is Beautiful our aim, our goal – MY aim, MY goal, MY passion, is to spread the word of self acceptance. Spread the word that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL regardless of your size, you are beautiful regardless of that number on the scales and most importantly, you are worth so much more than the value society places on your clothing size….

There is more to life than counting calories and worrying about a few extra kilos and there sure as hell is more to life than beating yourself up over what people say you should look like in order to be classified as beautiful. We are all beautiful in our own way, size 6 or size 26 it doesn’t matter. Who you are on the inside is what matters. How you feel about yourself and the image you portray to others is what matters. Confidence and a beautiful heart is what makes a woman sexy.

Whilst I have received an incredible amount of support with this message of mine, I have also received my fair share of criticisms. Why? Well other than the fact that you can’t please everybody! I have been told that by promoting the message that any size is beautiful, I am potentially advocating an unhealthy lifestyle. Now I disagree with that whole heartedly and want people to know that I am in no way saying we should be unhealthy.

What I am saying is that we aren’t all built the same. We can’t all be the same size, or fit into some height and weight chart that someone decided was ‘right’ or ‘healthy’.  You can be classified as ‘overweight’ yet still be fit and healthy. I think the methods for determining what weight we should or shouldn’t be are flawed. As an individual you should know what is comfortable for you. You need to be happy and confident with who you are and you need to feel good about yourself.  Others shouldn’t be determining that for you.

And regardless of your size, if the self acceptance and love doesn’t come from within, you will never be satisfied. You will always look in that mirror and see flaws. Because unfortunately that mirror, doesn’t show us the inside. We need to love ourselves and love our bodies. There are so many people out there who are sick or dying and have issues that are far greater than not being a certain size or weight. Let’s start getting our priorities in order. Let’s start appreciating what we do have and let’s start being thankful for the fact that we are here and we are living this life in a world that is full of opportunity.

Don’t let the irrelevant consume you. Don’t let society’s stereotypes stop you from loving yourself, stop you from succeeding or stop you from being the person you want to be. The sky’s the limit and it’s a positive thought pattern that will get you there. Now with that thought I’m going to love you and leave you. Have an amazing weekend beautiful people!

Until next time

x

 

19 February 2012

So I’ve pondered a little as to what to write this time around, there’s been so much going on it’s somewhat hard to know where to start! On the Curvy is Beautiful front, I’ve been actively trying to source a few new labels to carry in store and may have potentially found a few at the Fashion Exposed trade expo that I went to last week. Details to follow soon!  I have also uploaded a few gorgeous pre-order items that will be on their way in from Igigi, Kiyonna and Swak. Our 15% off all stock sale (including new arrivals) AND free shipping is still continuing, so if you haven’t already grabbed yourself a bargain, better get to it as these gorgeous frocks aren’t waiting around!

On the news front  I’ve seen a zillion controversial headlines lately, which I’m sure many of you have heard of, mainly a story on Karl Lagerfeld (Creative Director at Chanel) and his comments on Adele who he said was “a little too fat, but has a beautiful face and a divine voice.”  Dear oh dear…..Now why on earth would someone say something like that? In the interview he was actually asked what his opinion was on Lana Del Rey (an American singer/songwriter) and with his response being that he preferred Adele’s music, you would think he would have mentioned her divine voice and stopped there! But no….he somehow ended up responding in a way that was not only incredibly rude and inappropriate but with what seemed to be a weird cross between a compliment and an insult.  Funny how men often have that uncanny way of ruining what should have originally been a compliment!

But regardless of any man’s pre-disposition to often word things with a lack of tact, it really does surprise me that a label like Chanel, is content to have such a moron representing their illustrious brand. And I say that because this is not the first time Karl Lagerfeld has come out with an idiotic comment. He is well known for being controversial, once famously saying “No one wants to see curvy women.”  Now did that get my back up as he goes one step beyond rude and moves into the territory of ignorance! Not sure why he seems to think he would know the opinion of the entire nation, which he openly insinuates as he makes reference to what nobody apparently “wants to see”.

I personally think he needs to get out of his ivory tower. I don’t know what makes him think people want to see his head all over the place, he sure as hell isn’t anything special and unfortunately for him, he doesn’t seem to have much of a brain or a personality to compensate for what’s missing in the looks department. Luckily for him Alain Wertheimer (who took over Chanel in 1974) obviously thought he was able to use a pencil. Glad he’s apparently good at something. Perhaps he should stick to drawing and keep his mouth closed for a change.

And speaking of keeping mouths closed, I’m glad Adele didn’t keep hers closed in response to Mr Lagerfeld’s hogwash. In an interview with People magazine she replied: ‘I’ve never wanted to look like models on the cover of magazines. I represent the majority of women and I’m very proud of that.’ And a representative of many women she absolutely is! Newsflash Karl, we don’t all want or feel the need to look like what dominates the covers of our magazines or catwalks! So on that note, I’m going to leave you with an image of Velvet D’Amour (who I absolutely love and will speak more about next time)….

 

 

28 January 2012

Well hello again to all the beautiful people that make it onto my blog! Happy Saturday! So I always say that the time seems to fly by, and the last couple weeks haven’t really been any different. I promise though I am trying to get into the habit of writing a blog a little more regularly! Lot’s going on as usual, last time I told you all about the gorgeous kaftans we’ve been making and a few have been making their way all over oz which has been great! We do have some other gorgeous bits and pieces on their way in store, hence the wee lil sale we’re having at the moment (not that what’s on sale isn’t gorgeous, because ALL of our clothes are devine!) however there is lot’s more coming in, so I was needing to make some room lol! We’re also still offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders, and we have sold out of quite a few styles so be sure to be quick if you are interested in any of the remaining pieces. We also do offer LAY BY on all pieces, including new arrivals and sale items. So why not spoil yourself?!

Now speaking of clothes, in my usual search for what’s out in the world, I was quite excited to see that the much anticipated Von Follies Lingerie line (by the lovely Dita Von Teese) is finally being released! Due to hit Target stores throughout Australia on the 8thof February, the range is very much true to Dita’s signature style, with an iconic vintage feel that’s glamourous, stylish and oh so sexy! Now why am I so excited about a pint sized star releasing a lingerie line I hear you ask?? Well first and foremost, I must say I am a Dita Von Teese (and Burlesque fan) however what really got me, was the fact that this beautiful woman really is openly positive about the importance of women feeling good about themselves and feeling beautiful! So with that, she will have selected bra styles in her range go up to an E cup and briefs up to a size 20! Hooray!!

And another bonus is that the range will be affordable. According to Target’s media release for the range “Bras and briefs will range from $17.00 with exquisite bustiers and fitted corsolettes ranging from $79.00” On the range itself, Dita Von Teese explains, “It was very important to me to offer lingerie in a large range of sizes. Size range was one of the first things I asked when I was approached to create this collection. It was important to me to accomplish the task of making these beautiful things in sizes that can make any woman feel sexy and glamorous, and I’m very proud that we have been able to do that, while keeping prices affordable,” she concluded.

Now whilst this obviously won’t cater to all women, I definitely do think it’s a step in the right direction, in terms of it being a positive. It’s not often that we see a celebrity who is not classified as ‘plus size’ release a clothing or lingerie line that caters to anybody over a size 12-14. So here here I say to society slowly but surely realising that women do come in all shapes and sizes…

Until next time

x

  The lovely Dita Von Teese

12 January 2012

Hello Hello beautiful people! Nearly into our 3rd week of the new year, hopefully you’ve all started it off with a bang!

So I felt like I had to re-post an article I read online today. It’s titled “Plus-size magazine slams skinny models”…. Now I am not one who thinks we should be bagging those who are ‘skinny’, because I think we should accept that people come in ALL shapes and sizes, however I am very much in agreeance with the article itself. One quote from the article that really stood out to me was: A plus-size fashion magazine has claimed ‘most runway models meet the BMI criteria for anorexia’. Now why does that not surprise me! Funny that we so rarely hear about BMI’s being used for those who are underweight, however it always seems to be the topic of conversation for those who are supposedly overweight!

Another comment that grabbed me was… “Critics have used the ‘obesity epidemic’ to condemn the magazine’s call for acceptance of body shapes that don’t fit the skinny ideal.” Now is that not the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard?! How on earth can a call for acceptance of your body shape be condemned OR compared to an ‘obesity epidemic’?! Would we rather encourage women to batter their self esteems and potentially develop eating disorders so that they can attempt to look like an airbrushed model on the front cover of your standard fashion mag? Anyhow, that’s my mid day RAH! Below is the rest of the article, I definitely thought it was worth a read…

Until next time

x

“PLUS Model Magazine’s editorial calls for its readers to demand retailers cater to plus-size women, and to stop promoting the skinny trend.

The magazine backs up its argument with an attention-grabbing photo shoot featuring a plus-size model, 28-year old Katya Zarkhova, and a series of statistics about body size and the fashion industry.

On one photograph is printed: “20 years ago the average fashion model weighed 8 per cent less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23 per cent less.”

  

www.plus-model-mag.com

To drive home the point, in the shoot Zarkhova is also pictured with a ‘skinny’ model.

The magazine’s editor-in-chief, Madeline Figueroa-Jones, writes in the editorial that the skinny ideal employed by the fashion industry alienates many women.

“We are bombarded with weight-loss ads every single day, multiple times a day because it’s a multi-billion dollar industry that preys on the fear of being fat,” she writes.

“Not everyone is meant to be skinny, our bodies are beautiful and we are not talking about health here because not every skinny person is healthy.”

      

www.plus-model-mag.com  

Critics have used the ‘obesity epidemic’ to condemn the magazine’s call for acceptance of body shapes that don’t fit the skinny ideal.

Other online comments dispute the use of the word ‘anorexic’, which denotes mental illness, instead of ‘underweight’.

The issue of body shape and health has been in the headlines this week in Australia. Masterchef-winner Julie Goodwin was told by social columnist Ros Reines that she needed to lose weight after she appeared in a swimsuit on the cover of New Idea.

Goodwin hit back by saying that without any medical data Reines’ claims were baseless.

“It is well and truly time that we stopped approaching health with a cookie-cutter mentality as in, thinner equals healthier, larger equals unhealthier,” Goodwin wrote at her blog.