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…

Until next time

x

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

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

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

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

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