I am one of the panelists too! Yes… Atlanta here I come! Here is what the weekend breakdown looks like:

BUT WAIT, there is more!!!!!!!

In celebration of bloggers of color, SBOC has announced their 1st Annual SBOC Awards and I am NOMINATED for Best Plus Size Blog!

This means, I NEED YOUR VOTES LADIES!

Head on over to Style Blogger of Color Awards and cast your vote for your faves from each category (or not) and then when you get to Plus Size Blog, give your girl a nod! J You can vote each day too!

You can vote here, and while you are there, make sure you check out the event- who just landed Google as their sponsor! This weekend is going to be HAUTE! Will you be there? I will!

Make sure you follow Style Bloggers of Color on Twitter & Pinterest to stay up on the latest news!!!

VOTE VOTE VOTE!

Popular Posts:

• It’s Here: H&M Plus Sizes in Select Stores and I tried it on…
• Spring into Plus Size Trends: Peplum
• Spring into the Plus Size Trends: Colored Denim
• Tara Lynn Dubbed “The Body” on the Cover of Elle France
• A Plus Size Spring: Jibri Spring 2012

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2. A Plus Size Spring: Jibri Spring 2012
3. A Night at the Academy Awards: What the Plus Size Nominees Wore

Do you have curls?

Do you love your curls?

 I do.  I did. And will always!  

However, it has taken me a while to get here!

I have shared my most colorful hair story before… after vowing never to let anyone else in my hair except Dede after a forever scarring trip to the hairdresser years ago.  THAT man is the reason I rock my hair how I do today.  AND most interestingly and comically enough, after having my hair straightened for a shoot, the next person I let in my hair literally burnt the LIFE out of mines… !!!!!! I wanted to scream.

It hurt this time too.  I love my hair, its curls, its attitude, and its color!  So, when I heard that Garnier is celebrating curls by dubbing the 22^nd of May “Wear Your Hair Curly Day,” I could not have been more excited!

And even when I wasn’t rocking my natural curls, I was in a curly weave!  Ha!  Yep!

I have always have had an affinity towards curls! Curly hair, for me has always had a free spirit, wild child, edgy, spunk, rebellious vibe to it, that I JUST LOVED.  Even though it took some time for me to love my own curls, thank GOD there are now products that let my hair do ITS OWN THING!

Seriously!

SO.  Drop the flat iron!  Put down the Hair Dryer!  Let your curls go free and bounce/sway/prance in the wind! (At least for one day!)  I know, I know, some of you share the sentiment of controlling the curls, and maintenance, but if you have noticed, there are TONS of brands and products that are designed with YOU, the naturally curly woman you are!

DO you think you can do it? Go Curly for a day?

Well if you think you can do it OR already DO, head on over to Garnier on Facebook and take the pledge!  While you are there, you can learn more about “Wear Your Hair Curly Day,” and why they started it and how you can make the best of it!

 *This post was sponsored by Garnier and Style Coalition and I was compensated to write this but opinions are all my own*

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• Beautiful Curls- A Review
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Word on the Street: Plus Size News Roundup

• Weight really is “one of the last acceptable prejudices,” according to a survey performed for Glamour Magazine. I disagree with the statement because there are lots of prejudices that are pretty darned unacceptable that I still see actively embraced. That said, the attitudes behind this particular form of female social violence are pretty darned upsetting.
• Weight Watchers in the UK is launching a campaign to teach shop assistants a bit more tact when it comes to handling plus-sized customers. This after a study revealing that 30% of plus-size shoppers walk out of shops because of rudeness. Education in decent customer service – and the idea that your taste, even if good taste, can not possibly cover all situations – would help.
• Julie Burchill talks about the use of underage models and its sexual inappropriateness. My opinions about this on the primary level are: get your hands off the kids. Not too controversial. But I think there’s more than just gender politics involved, and I’m pretty sure the world isn’t ready for where I think some of these continuing problems come from. It’s misogyny, all right – just not from sources even the most ardent feminist is willing to recognize.

• We have a word for it now: the natural model movement. This is an extension of the Healthy is the new Skinny campaign.
• BoingBoing ran a piece on how hijab (Islamic modesty dress) has become a form of expression. There are women where I live who wear what I consider “punk rock hijab” and I saw some women in Paris who were honoring their values while looking amazingly stylish. The side effect of this creativity, though, is that women who claimed they lived beyond the male gaze and sexual judgment are now experiencing self-esteem based body issues. I do want to mention this: there’s a LOT of research out there that makes it clear there is NO living beyond the male sexual gaze. Covering yourself should always be a personal choice, but covering yourself in an effort to control the thoughts and behavior of another human being is not a choice based on objective fact. Men are quite capable of taking responsibility for their hormonally motivated actions, too. The body issues are often because of –again – female social violence.
• More 20-30 somethings are going for a clothing swap in lieu of shopping.
• Maryanne Mackenzie, a plus-size friendly designer out of Nairobi, talks about choosing fashion over the hotel business.
• In southwestern Illinois, plus size clothing chains are finally appearing.
• Style Goes Strong asks if some women are too old to wear caftans. This is a bit of a reversal – I’ve always believed  caftans are more popular with older women.

• Avenue will be shutting down 120 stores.  No list of stores due to close could be located.
• Bare Necessities has issued two tablet magazines.
• Lane Bryant now ships to the UK and Europe. But not Canada. Blame NAFTA? These companies, however, DO ship to Canada.
• Christopher and Banks has three new members on its board of directors.

• Check out this pictorial of Beth Ditto.
• This body positive piece looks at the complexities of eating, disorder, and nourishment after observing the Minas Trend Preview fashion show.
• South Asian news sources are now commenting on the movement against using underweight and underage models.

Did something catch your eye?  Make sure you visit Fat Chic to read the Plus Size Heath roundup, and catch her Plus Size Sales Roundup as well!

PS. Have you voted for The Curvy Fashionista today? Nominated for Best Plus Size Blog for the Style Bloggers of Color, you can vote once a day!  No registration needed! Vote NOW

Popular Posts:

• It’s Here: H&M Plus Sizes in Select Stores and I tried it on…
• Spring into the Plus Size Trends Flowers and Birds
• Guest post: Fluvia Lacerda and Summertime: Letting it all hang out
• A Plus Sized Valentine: 19 Lingerie Picks to spice things up
• Adele Slays in her Vogue Cover and Feature

No related posts.

These Forever 21 “Flounced Geo Shorts”

PS. Denise Bidot is slaying them

For me, it’s a skort. But hey! I am not sure if I love them or hate them, but the possibilities to rock these puppies leaves me on the fence, just a bit… I mean, I haven’t worn a skort in like…. YEARS- okay? Maybe 8^th or 9^th grade? LORD… But pairing these with this season’s neon colors? In this Cali heat? Oh yes…

So when I saw these, you must now understand my flashback! Okay, okay… as I pretend of the many ways that this could pop off, I had to pose this question to you. I think I am too old for a skort comeback, but I think they are cute though… Who knows? This is why I am posing this to you:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

If you love them, you can shop them at Forever 21 Here!

How would you wear them, if you love them? OR BETTER YET, do YOU remember your last Skort Affair? Or am I alone?

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• Media Planet’s USA Today Insert “Curvy Evolution” Hits Stands Today

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So, brands, I ask you this: Will you continue to use an outdated marketing model or adapt to the new consumer mindset and reap the rewards?~ Ben Barry op-ed in Elle Canada

Before I go in, let me set the stage for you. This is a long, informative post, so grab your coffee, turn down the TV and read on.  Imagine this:

• What if the staid industry norms and advertising techniques used to attract, motivate, and inspire women to make a purchase NO LONGER MATTER.
• What if new statistics emerged within Northern America that show that using a monolith model, white and size 2, NO LONGER ONLY INSPIRE.

Plus size bloggers and magazines have LONG been calling out designer and brands on this. Contrary to traditional fashion marketing belief, Ben Barry has found that women will buy fashion when models convey a realistic, attainable image and make them feel confident.

Say What?

Meet Ben Barry of the Canadian Ben Barry Agency. In pursuance of his PhD, Ben Barry recognized that while the impact of models on body image has been studied, very little research has been conducted upon how models—depending on their size, age and race—influence purchasing decisions.

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! You would think though, that rather rely upon long-established and terribly outdated industry norms to guide their casting decisions, marketers, brands, retailers would use or conduct some kind of research on this!  HA! Well, enter in Mr. Barry who wanted to challenge those norms to see if there was a business case to support a more diversified approach and shares his findings in Elle Canada.

And Guess what He FOUND OUT?

Thanks to Ben Barry all of those above IFS are finally proven to be TRUE! But for us plus size women, we already KNEW this… but having new research and findings? YES! With 2000 women, sizes 2-18, age and ethnically diverse, this two phase study looked at both purchase intentions and the reasons behind those. I mean if you care about your bottom line and running shop, let me tell you what Ben Barry’s findings reveal:

Phase 1:

Looking at models who had similar and dissimilar sizes, ages and races to themselves, each woman was randomly shown two of eight possible ads where the models might have reflected some of their traits, all of their traits or none of their traits.

“I found that Canadian and American women increased purchase intentions for fashion products advertised by models who reflected their own demographics: age, size and—for non-Caucasians—race.” ~Ben Barry

For those over a size6, women increased their purchase intentions by a dramatic 300 percent* when they saw curvier models. Conversely, when women saw models who didn’t reflect their size, they decreased their purchase intentions by 60 percent, and women over size 6 dropped their purchase intentions by 76 percent.

Phase 2:

Why did women increase purchase intentions when models looked like them? The women shared that  they could better picture themselves in the dress advertised by similar models. GO FIGURE.

According to Ben Barry, “They could imagine how the dress would flatter their shape, how the aesthetic would suit their age and how the colors would complement their complexion.”  And for those idealized models? “… Their insecurity didn’t translate to purchase intentions as the industry hopes; it actually turned them off the product.”

His Conclusion?

“The women in my research want models—regardless of size or age—to inspire them with glamour, artistry and creativity.”

Basically, models should reflect the same size and age ranges of the brands target market. Ben Barry smartly deduces, It’s clearly in a brand’s financial interest to create samples in a few sizes to reflect the diversity of their consumers.

The underlying message is that fashion needs to sell aspiration, but it is NOT a standardized model’s age, size or race that is aspirational; it is the clothes, styling and creative direction of the shoot.

Why this matters? And how this affects the Plus Size Industry…

Far too many department stores, designers, and retailers have made decisions, assumptions, and choices based upon BAD and outdated information. For example, if a division in your department store, plus sizes, is not selling through, chances are the plus size consumer is not being spoken OR catered to.

To the online retailers that insist on using a size 6, 8, or 10 and label her as plus size AND the modeling agencies that force feed these 6, 8, 10, and 12 models down the retailers throats, please know that you are only hurting yourself and your business.

This means that YOU the businesses that cater to or are interested in selling to US, the plus size woman- please know we need MORE from you! We have voices now and speak up and out on what we like.

Understand this:

• No, selling plus size will not dilute your brand.
• No, using a size 8 model will NOT effectively sell your clothes to plus size women.
• No, hiding the plus size brands in a corner, not merchandised, unsigned, and poorly attended to, will NOT sell the clothes.
• No, using marketing people who are uninformed about TODAY’s plus size woman will help you understand her.

What will help your bottom line?

• The first step is admitting you have an opportunity here…
• Finding out who YOUR plus size shopper is and listening to her.
• Finding out who she is and what she likes. Just like the straight size woman, there is junior, contemporary, high end designer, fast fashion plus size shoppers. There is new market segmentation!
• Read the plus size blogs to see what is trending.
• Data mine (READ BEN BARRY’s ARTICLE!), hire the industry professionals who know the business. They are there!
• Commit to the plus size woman and make the changes we so hungrily need you to do!

I am stepping off my soapbox now, but I encourage everyone to head over to Ben Barry’s article and read, share, tweet, and comment on this piece! The fact that ELLE Canada backed him up in his findings already speaks volumes! You can also give Ben a shoutout on Twitter too! @BenBarryAgency is his Twitter!

But I want to know your thoughts. Are you as excited about this as I am? How do these new findings and research make you feel?

All images of models from Ben Barry’s Board

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• It’s Here: H&M Plus Sizes in Select Stores and I tried it on…
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• Spring into the Plus Size Trends: Colored Denim
• Spring into the Plus Size Trends Flowers and Birds
• Tara Lynn Dubbed “The Body” on the Cover of Elle France

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You have to love Tara Lynn. Constantly Holding it down for the voluptuous. Showing and sharing the beauty of a plus size woman and she shows this in the latest Italian version of Vanity Fair for May 2012!

Can we say HOTTT!!!

Smokin???

Yes, yes, and Yes!

Don’t believe me?  Take a peek here at her spread!

Tara Lynn for Italian Vanity Fair

Shoot Details:

Grande Bella E Tosta
Vanity Fair Italy, May 2012
Shot by Pascal Chevallier

SourcePopular Posts:

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Living in Sunny California, life has a way of being and getting quite easy breezy and laid back.  And because of this, you will find quite a few designer tee shirt lines based in California that reflect this way of life. One of those brands is the label Splendid.

Known for its amazing tees, Splendid was founded in 2002 by Moise Emquies after a tireless search for THE prefect TEE.  That they did!  Perfecting the blend of Supima cotton and Micro Modal, Splendid is the lifestyle collection driven to delivering effortless style!  See? And if you want to learn even more about this brand’s fabrication, check out their handy Yummy Fabric and Color Glossary! LOVE!

However, what makes this even better is that they FINALLY introduced this luxury line of tees to the plus size woman by way of Nordstrom- EXCLUSIVELY!  First, Thank you Nordstrom and secondly WOOT!

Launching with a micro assortment, at least I will finally have the chance to play and lounge in these amazing pieces!  Here are a few of my faves from Nordstrom!

Splendid in Plus Sizes at Nordstrom

Tropical Stripe Dress

Rolled Sleeve Top

Tropical Stripe Henley

Always Active Top

Flare Leg Sweatpants

Are you a fan of premium tees?  Do Modal and Supima cottons speak your language?

Well if so, then head over to Nordstrom NOW to shop Splendid in Plus Sizes! I have a feeling this collection will become my new blogging uniform!Popular Posts:

• It’s Here: H&M Plus Sizes in Select Stores and I tried it on…
• Spring into the Plus Size Trends Flowers and Birds
• A Plus Sized Valentine: 19 Lingerie Picks to spice things up
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• Media Planet’s USA Today Insert “Curvy Evolution” Hits Stands Today

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