Archive for February, 2012

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.

6 January 2012

Welcome to 2012! Hope you all had an amazing Christmas, and hopefully you’re having an amazing start to the New Year! I can happily say that I’m still in holiday mode, however have still been quite a busy bee! You would’ve seen the gorgeous Kaftans we now have for sale that are being made right here!  Cut to flatter, and made from the most gorgeous and unique fabrics, it’s unbelievably exciting to have these in store. Only a few are being made of each design, to keep the uniqueness alive (after all, we can’t exactly have everyone wearing the same thing now can we!) however we are custom making them in a few styles so do keep an eye out for these new must haves!

So its been an interesting start to the year, with many telling me their New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight – surprise surprise! Oh if only I had a dollar for the number of times I’ve heard that each year, I’m sure I’d be a millionaire. Apparently losing weight and getting fit is the number one New Year’s resolution for all Australians.  Though apparently around 60% of people will also fail to keep their resolutions by the end of January.  Funny that! I came across a few interesting articles whilst doing a bit of reading today, and one of them was by Samantha Thomas. This is a part of what I read…

“Let’s face it. We are a bit overly fixated with fatness, getting fat, and losing weight. And you know where this has got us? Nowhere. It hasn’t made us healthier. It hasn’t made us happier. And it hasn’t made us skinnier. For some people, it has done exactly the opposite.

Not surprisingly, very few people actually keep their New Year’s Resolutions. One study conducted some 20 years or so ago, tracked 200 people who made resolutions over a two year period, to see how many actually kept their NYR’s. At 2 years, only 19% still had kept their promises. Some suggest that one of the reasons resolutions fail is because many resolutions are desires rather than intentions – i.e. they are things we want, rather than things we act upon.

However, in the case of weight loss, here is why I think our NYR’s fail. Because most people will look for that quick fix ‘fad diet’ that doesn’t work for the majority of people. And that is because….. DIETS DON’T WORK!  It is really that simple.”

Now I don’t know about you but I read that thinking yep, no surprises there.  Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying don’t set New Year’s resolutions and don’t set goals because I think it’s great to have them, but I think it’s better to have realistic ones. And I am not saying that we shouldn’t aim to be fit and healthy in our lives because I do think that’s important. However, the motivating factor for any lifestyle change should be about your health. We shouldn’t be dieting because some magazine says you need to be a size 6 to look good or because everyone you know is saying that they want to lose weight this year. Diet’s don’t work. If you are genuinely concerned about your health or you are genuinely unhappy with the way you look and feel, then you should do something about it the right way, for the right reasons. And in the meantime whilst you’re on your journey, you need to learn to love and accept yourself the way that you are because it is not what we look like on the outside that makes us as human beings. Nor is that what brings true happiness.

Ok so what am I really getting at? I’m saying try and go easy on yourself this month. If you want to make lifestyle changes, keep them real. Remember that not every day will start or finish as you intend it to, and if it doesn’t, then you need to accept that and say tomorrow is a new day. No beating yourself up if you’ve put on a few Christmas kilos (shit I know I have!) No beating yourself up if you don’t stick to your New Year’s Resolutions, and no negativity about how you look. Be positive and you’ll go a lot further in your goals.

So with that I’m going to leave you with this gorgeous image of Tara Lynn. It was taken by Solve Sundsbo (some time ago, for an old issue of V magazine) but wanted to share, because I just loved it when I first saw it. It’s bold, it’s brave and it really is just beautiful…

Size matters: Model Tara Lynn wears nothing but a slick of red lipstick while posing for V Magazine's size issue 

Until next time

x

24 December 2011

Well with only 1 day to go until Christmas I thought I’d better get a wriggle on and write a Merry Christmas blog! I don’t know where this year’s gone, but it seems to have disappeared and I’m sure before we know it I’ll be writing you an Easter blog! But until then, I should probably fill you in on what’s been going in my world. Hmm….where to start! Well the lead up to xmas has very much been xmas parties, lunches, dinners, eating lots of good food, drinking lots of good wine (with a cocktail or two thrown in for good measure!) and of course shopping for xmas pressies (and  then having the awesome job of wrapping it all!) And speaking of wrapping, I think I’ve cut and curled enough ribbon today to last me a lifetime! Yes I will be buying xmas bags in future!

But xmas shopping and pressie wrapping aside, lots has also been happening in store! I must admit its been a little hard to decide what to get in as far as new stock is concerned (you will see there’s some gorgeous stuff coming in under the pre-order section of the website) however it’s been difficult to select pieces this time around because this weather, whilst supposed to be summer, doesn’t seem to know what it wants to do! I find myself wearing a dress one minute and then layering the cardi’s the next. So keeping that in mind, the plan is to keep the beautiful frocks coming, but many with sleeves and also to start getting in some different autumn stock, similar to the Amber Shrug and the Palazzo  pants. Still waiting on Hope and Harvest & Hell Bunny, however lots of gorgeous stuff coming in from Kiyonna, IGIGI and Swak Designs soon.

Of course if you do see anything you like from the above ranges that is not in store, please do let me know as  I am always more than happy to order items in specifically for you if I can. I am also going to be doing a summer styling special shortly so please drop me a line if you’d like to know more about that. Styling sessions are not just about showcasing what we have in store, but more about taking the time to show you how to best dress for your shape (and flatter your curves) within a budget, regardless of where you decide to shop! And last but not least, as mentioned above, a few nice pieces are coming in as listed under the pre-order section of the site. If you do see anything you like here please let me know ASAP as many items are only being ordered in singles of each size.  

Well with that I’m going to love you and leave you ladies! Hope you all have an amazing Christmas and an even better new year! Please remember to eat, drink, be merry and ENJOY YOURSELVES because life is too short to count calories – especially over xmas! Thank you all for your support this year and I look forward to continuing the Curvy is Beautiful journey with you in 2012.

Until next time

x

30 November 2011

Heya ladies, how are we??? Hope you’re all keeping well and looking fine! Now as usual things have been go go go on the Curvy is Beautiful front with lots of hunting around for new prospective suppliers and of course keeping tabs on the hottest new styles coming in soon. I will be sure to put these up online here and on Facebook as soon as pre-order images are released from the look books! So stay tuned!

Now amongst the swirls of fabrics and gorgeous frocks, there’s been lots of other things on my mind, but the main thing I’d like to talk about is the ‘love who you are’ motto I’m plugging over here.  Now most of you may or may not have noticed, but I tend to use the word curvy a lot. This is how I like to describe us women who have a little something to grab onto! Now one thing that’s really gotten my gripe lately is the constant degrading labels that society seems to be throwing around about us ladies. You open a magazine, newspaper or an online news or fashion website, and everything is all about people’s size. If I hear or read of one more person being referred to as plus size, large, big, fat, overweight or obese because they’ve gained a couple extra kilos, I think I’m going to scream!

People really need to get off this labeling bandwagon and get the f*ck over it! Excuse my French! Amongst many other labels, I personally am really not too keen on the term ‘plus size’ because it’s associated with ‘big’ which I don’t really like. But it seems to be the common lingo these days for anybody that’s over a size 14 (which I think really, is just ridiculous). I mean what does that make those who are smaller than a 14? Are they ‘minus size’?! Pfft please!

Now I know there are many different types of women out there, many who are proud of their shape and size, and who wouldn’t find society’s labeling offensive, but there are many women out there, who aren’t ok with it and I don’t blame them. Mainly because, stereotypes seem to follow those labels pretty closely. I detest the fact that people assume I’m most likely unhealthy because I carry a bit of ‘extra’ weight. In fact, according to my BMI (Body Mass Index) I’m apparently obese, yet I have no issues when I exercise, I don’t feel unhealthy and I think I look pretty damn good when I put on a gorgeous dress and my dancing shoes! So tell me Mr BMI calculator how the hell did you come up with your figures?! I think it should be called the FGI (Feel Good Index) and should actually have realistic indicators to measure how you feel!

Which brings me to my next point….society’s assumption of what size you should be to be healthy. Now what a load of garbage.  I know people who are over 100kg in weight, they are happy and have no health issues. I also know a couple of people who are at that 65-70kg mark and they have health issues like high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  But according to the BMI calculator, they’re within their healthy weight range. So does this mean their health concerns are ok, because they’re supposedly not ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’? Go figure!

Where do we draw the line with how much emphasis we put on the million and one articles that are written about how much we should weigh to be healthy, what we should and shouldn’t eat and how we should and shouldn’t look? When did people stop trusting themselves, trusting their own judgment and looking at how they actually feel about themselves, within themselves? If you were constantly surrounded by positive affirmations and re-enforcement (instead of the negative ones that are often pushed out by society) would you feel differently about yourself?

Now I’m going to leave you with that thought and also with another inspirational quote from Julie Parker… “The only opinion about yourself that is important, is your own. Seek validation from within”

Until next time

x

16 November 2011

Well its been some time since my last spiel and whilst the intention to write has been there, the whirlwind that’s been my life has only just stopped spinning…..briefly!  So with a million things running through my mind the first thing I have to say is – 2011 where have you gone!? I mean seriously there’s xmas decorations out! Is it really almost that time of year already?! Don’t get me wrong I’m well and truly looking forward to the feasts (and R&R) that come with the festive season, but must say, it would be awesome if the days just slowed on down a little! But given there really seems to be no sign of that, I shall revel in telling you all about what’s been going on in the world of Curvy is Beautiful…..and oh how much there’s been!

We’ve got some gorgeous new styles coming in store from IGIGI and Kiyonna as well as a couple AMAZING new labels – HELL BUNNY and MacDuggal. If you haven’t already done so, do check out our Curvy is Beautiful Facebook page to see some of the gorgeous 50’s inspired Hell Bunny frocks as well as some of the latest pre-order items available in store soon! So that’s where we’re at with bringing you some of the hottest styles, but there’s also been lots happening on the ‘spread the word’ front and that’s been exciting….Ladies I’d like to introduce you to Teer Wayde! Gorgeous plus size model and the awesome blogger behind Curves to Kill. If you haven’t heard of this curvy bombshell, then you need to check her out! Teer’s blog http://www.curvestokill.com/ gives Curvy is Beautiful a special mention this week as one of the new sponsors for her blog, and what a privilege it is to be one! Very excited to have come across this funky lady and her fantastic blog, she’s very much an inspiration and a beautiful role model.  

TEER WAYDE (Photographer: Michele Grace Hunder)

Well ladies with that I’m going to love you and leave you, but rest assured there’ll be no rest here! I’ll be back soon with some more feel good vibes and the latest oh so hot styles, so stay tuned. And of course, please spread the word because I am absolutely stoked to be getting the Curvy is Beautiful message out there, and that is that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND DESERVE TO FEEL IT EVERYDAY….don’t you forget it!

Until next time

x

22 October 2011

What a whirlwind its been this last week! I’ve finally found myself with a minute spare to write to you all and can I just say, I am so excited about it! Why you ask? Well as I said above, yes it has been a crazy week BUT its been a good week!  I’ve spoken to some amazing people, seen some gorgeous new lines that are coming in stock, received some inspirational feedback from a happy Curvy is Beautiful customer AND read a pretty damn inspiring article. Which leads me to my spiel for today.

So this article I speak of is from MiNDFOOD Magazine and it’s about the inspiration for their cover girl this month, who is the one and only Adele – Damn sexy and amazingly talented, this curvy girl’s tunes have been playing on my ipod (on repeat!) for weeks now. So of course, I was more than curious to take a squiz when I heard all about it. Now she’s an interesting choice for the cover of this mag (which if you’re not familiar with MiNDFOOD, it’s a great mag with articles about Health, Self, Food, Travel,  Environment, Culture, News, Fashion, Beauty, Style and everything in between!)

So why Adele? Well the magazines focus for this month is – Body Love. Something we all seem to struggle with and it seems that the quest to find the right role model for the issue, was an interesting one. I found it so inspiring, I really wanted to share with you what I’d read from MiNDFOOD’s Editor in chief, Michael McHugh…..

“Looking for a cover star for this month’s issue stirred an interesting discussion in the MiNDFOOD office. We all agreed that whoever we chose should embody one of the main themes of the issue: the psychology of loving your own body.”

“When it comes to embracing your body, much more than physicality should be considered. It’s about embracing our whole selves; our talents, our achievements, our points of view and take on life. It is this large combination of things that make us love our bodies, and ultimately, ourselves.”

“And so, for the cover, we finally settled on someone who is not only comfortable in her own body, but is also extraordinarily talented. Bursting onto the world stage with her incredible vocal abilities, we couldn’t look past the remarkably gifted Adele. The youngest star to feature on the cover of MiNDFOOD to date, she is a creative force to be reckoned with. In the cover story we get a great insight into her background, her talent, her life and her impressive body of work. She really shows that life is so much more than just how we look. It’s having the confidence to stand up and embrace your talent, in whatever shape, size or colour you come in.”

Now I don’t know about you, but I just absolutely loved this! What an amazingly inspirational and powerful opinion to have. I say good on you MiNDFOOD for stepping outside the square and doing something different. If there’s one thing (amongst a few others!) that brought a huge smile to my face this week, it was reading that article and seeing a beautiful woman on the front page of a global magazine, who is not a size 0! Here here!

Until next time

x

12 October 2011

Well first and foremost a big welcome to those who have made it online to my site and onto my blog. As the creator of Curvy is Beautiful I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to be involved in something that I am truly passionate about, and that is – helping women look and feel good about themselves regardless of their size!

I am a curvy girl myself, and can honestly say that I know what it feels like to walk the aisles of a shopping centre trying to find that perfect outfit that just doesn’t seem to come in your size. I know what it’s like to be made to feel that you should be a certain size in order to be happy, healthy or accepted in society and I know what it’s like to be disappointed with the way that you look on the outside and the way that you feel on the inside.

I’ll be honest and like every woman, I have my bad days. But as time goes on I am learning that there is more to life than worrying about how much we should or shouldn’t weigh, counting calories or striving to look like someone we’re not. We should love who we are not only on the inside but on the outside. Embrace your shape, love your curves, dress to impress and feel good about yourself. Show your body the love it deserves and know that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL just the way you are because beauty is not determined by that number on the back of your clothes…..beauty is what you make it.

Until next time

x