Sparkles Sparkles Everywhere

You may have noticed that one of the most ubiquitous trends for this holiday season is sparkles. Sequins, glitter, and shiny paillettes are everywhere to be found, and fortunately, this is a trend that even us fat girls can take advantage of. Sparkles are a great option because they allow you to add a bit of pizazz to your wardrobe and give an outfit instant going out cred without having to show too much skin.

The best way to take advantage of this trend is to buy a short sleeved or sleeveless blouse and top it with a jacket or cardigan. Paired with dark denim and boots, you'll be ready for a night out on the town. Fortunately, there are many options for us larger ladies.






















Sequin Knit Top
$49.50 at Lane Bryant




















Burgundy Lace Top
$34.00 at Torrid






















Embellished Knit Top
$39.50 at Lane Bryant

If you're not quite ready to purchase sparkly apparel, test the waters with accessories - always the best way to approach a trend you aren't sure about. This sequin scarf from LOFT is sure to turn heads:

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

Well, it's not exactly winter - yet - but it is time to start thinking about outerwear. Because of the breakneck pace of fashion retail, winter apparel has already been delivered to many stores, and buying early will assure that your size and color choices are still available.

When it comes to winter fashion, I tend to go for more neutral pieces (blacks, browns, greys, and navys), and dress them up with colorful and textured accessories such as scarves, gloves, and hats. The great thing about cold weather accessories, of course, is that they're pretty gosh darn close to one-size-fits-all; coats, on the other hand, can be a bit more tricky.

Surprisingly, Land's End has a fabulous collection of not only generously sized, but cute, outerwear.

Below, a few of my favorites, all available in multiple colors:

Dressing For Success: Fall/Winter Edition, Part 2

As promised, a small collection of dresses that would work paired with opaque tights. Unfortunately there is not a huge selection out there, but I've pulled together some of the better looks.

Empires are flattering on most body shapes, but it looks like this one may not have left enough room for the boobs. Definitely a contestant for order-online-try-on-and-return-if-necessary. Also available in black.






















Cowl Neck Knit Dress
$48 at Avenue

Love this for night time. The rouched bodice probably is more appropriate for women who want to enhance, rather than minimize, their busts. Wear colored tights to brighten things up.





















Muse Jersey Poet Dress
On sale for $64 at Nordstrom

I love sweater dresses. They're great for both work and weekend, and I promise you'll live in them if you pick up a few. Plus the material is good camouflaging certain areas.






















Calvin Klein Cable Bodice Sweater Dress
On sale for $118 at Macy's

This is a good option if you like color. Contrary to popular opinion, larger prints actually look better on larger women. The bell sleeve will help with air circulation. Definitely keep accessories to a minimum.






















INC Boatneck Ruffled Dress
$89 at Macy's

Dressing for Success: Fall/Winter Edition

When the leaves fall and the weather turns cold, and after I've recovered from my end-of-summer depression, I pull my winter wardrobe standby out of my closet. Dresses and tights are what I will live in for the next 5 months.

Chubby women tend to stay away from dresses for a variety of reasons, many of which are rectified by adding a pair of tights to the ensemble. Tights not only squeeze flabby hips, thighs, and love handles, they also make legs look slimmer, especially when they are black. Tights that are high-waisted will also eliminate lines caused by a bra working overtime.

Another great thing about the dress and tight combination is that it is so versatile. You can bring a dress and tight outfit from day to evening by adding some jewelry, a pair of heels, and dark eye shadow. Sweater dresses are perfect for a more casual look, for Fridays at work or the weekend.

A few tips for making this look work:

1. Tights are not a place so be stingy. Don't hesitate to spend a decent amount of money for a really great pair of tights that are high quality and will last longer than one wearing.
2. Tights MUST be opaque. Seeing skin will ruin the whole effect. That's why I always tend to size up when purchasing a new pair.
3. Look for a pair with a control top. Trust me, your mirror will thank you.
4. Before walking out of the house, do a few laps around your bedroom and make sure the dress does not ride up. Certain fabrics, such as denim, cause friction against the fabric of the tights, which can lead to some embarrassing situations.
5. Make sure your dress is completely free of your tights when you come out of the bathroom!

My preferred brand is Spanx (you can find plus size options at Lane Bryant, among other locations), but that is not by any means your only choice.

Coming soon: dresses options!

Shoes for Every (Foot) Body

A lot of people assume that shoes are the perfect choice for a session of retail therapy because they will democratically fit women of all shapes and sizes. What people forget, though, is that being fat will make your feet fat, too. There's no unseen fat barrier that runs between the bottom of your ankles and the top of your feet, leaving them fat-free while the rest of your body grows.

That's why finding retail outlets that stock wide shoes is such a great find, and unfortunately, a rarity.

That's why I'm saying hat's off to Torrid for their pretty amazing shoe selection. Some shoes are available in medium width only, but the majority will fit women with wider feet and larger calves. Below you will see a sample of some of the Torrid footwear options. Click on an image to get more information. Enjoy!

HEELS








BOOTS









FLATS

A Rant on Both your Houses

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

I'm just disgusted. I went to Macy's this afternoon to go shopping for some clothes. Being relegated to the plus size section, miles away from the regular-sized shopping population, is humiliating enough. But then I saw the clothing selection and almost cried out of frustration.

It's as if designers think all plus size women are either 80 years old, completely lacking in fashion sense, or blind.

I've got news for you, Macy's merchants: I'm not 80, lacking in fashion sense, or blind. Please get stock some clothes that don't make me curse the day I was fat.