Pages

Wednesday 29 October 2014

Hallowe'en Outfit Woes

I've always struggled when it comes to Hallowe'en, put off by most things, from the sexy doctors (because being a doctor isn't sexy enough) to the down right offensive outfits (anyone remember the outcry (rightly so) about the Mental Patient outfit being sold at ASDA?)

But this year, I thought I would get into the spirit of the day (geddit?) - whether down to my time in the US this autumn, where it is all about Hallowe'en, or due to the fact it's an awesome pal's Hen Weekend this weekend, I don't know, but I was ready to get my horror on!

After some changes to themes, we settled on the scarier the better - and so I hunted out a good basis for a costume, and hoped for the best:

Sadly, I received an email yesterday to say this was out of stock. Leaving me with the panic of WHAT DO I WEAR! 

I've found the same outfit on a different site, which may get to me in time (so ordered that one), and I've ordered a back up dress in black. 

I'm toying with the idea of going as a zombie Velma from Scooby Do (already got the pieces from last year):


Add blood, and we're ready to go!

And this is when Hallowe'en becomes a challenge - this is a Yours Clothing top, a New Look skirt, and my own hair and glasses - not a costume, but clothes from their standard lines. 

Yes, there are jumpers with Hallowe'en slogans on, but that isn't what you what to go DRESSED UP AS, it's what you wear before the night out!

By popping onto Amazon and typing in Plus Size Hallowe'en, it brought up the following:


Nothing really very 'Horror-ific' about these, except that number 2 is meant to be a sexy nun, and number 3 is a witch. 

Here's hoping that I can pull something together for Friday, and that soon the Fancy Dress industry will realise the untapped market for good costumes that don't take months to plan / create and that go beyond a size 22!

Much love my lovelies, 


K x

Monday 27 October 2014

Where is my head at?

This is a very self involved post, so please indulge me!

Most of my dating encounters have been one offs. I have so many dating horror stories I wouldn't think to bore you with them (although I am happy to put these, frankly, raw thoughts down for all to read, which seems a little backwards frontwards) so much so, that I'd signed off the on line dating scene some months ago, after a particularly awful situation which could have been a lot worse. 

What that led to was a very sweet - and organic - relationship starting, one that seemed to have something the other dates didn't - a second date, and even a third!

And then nothing. It just ended. No drama. No reason given. Just ended. 

And I don't know why. 

I'm now not sure if, a week on, the reason I'm writing this is to get an answer, or if it is just to vent and scream and cry. 

It does seem a ridiculously melodramatic reaction over something that barely lasted a month (and I'm including my 2 week holiday in that time frame), but the thoughts will not stop whirling around my head. 

I am finding it hard to get past this one - whatever the reason. 

If anyone needs me, I'm under a blanket on my settee with the ice cream.

Much love my lovelies,

K x

Wednesday 15 October 2014

How the other half live...

I've often lusted after clothes on US websites for their prettiness, their edginess, their, WOW-ness:



So on my recent visit stateside I was hoping to be wowed by the options as I wandered the streets of Boston and New York. 

I was very disappointed. I was keeping an eye open for a Torrid store and a Forever21, but didn't see any until my last few days in New York, but as we were hitting the touristy joints in New England, it's not surprising.

I was even more disappointed by what met me in Macy's Woman section. An entire floor for the plus size ranges and the petite section - a DREAM I thought! 

I was able to look at the Jessica Simpson collection - but it was full of nasty cheap material. As was most of the floor if I'm honest - it was an absolute fire risk - the amount of shiny polyester blends was just not necessary!


An expensive price tag, but a cheap material. I didn't try this on as I was sweating as soon as looking at it! Also, wrap dresses. I have some in my wardrobe, but the entire floor seemed to be variations on the wrap dress theme. I was bored of them by the time I got to this one!

But there were some gems though, including this Calvin Klein skirt:


And this entire outfit, from the tweed cape, the lace collar effect ruffle Victorian top of WOW, to the leggings. Ralph Lauren just created my top of dreams there, and that cape is **kiss emoji** (ie: I have no words!)


We did venture over to Old Navy after Macy's, from the designer to the high street, just by crossing the street!

The Old Navy store on West 34th Street is possibly the flagship store, given the size, and sheer volume and range of stock. I was surprised to see such a large about of 4X's on the rails, along with the XS's - and so, armed with an armful of options, I headed into the changing room. 

I was hoping to pick up a few pieces, and was hoping for this to be a loose fitting shirt dress:


And if it hadn't been long sleeved, I would have snapped it up - no gaping to be seen, and a really nice length on me too. Shame about my weird always hot thing - otherwise it would have crossed the Atlantic with me!


Now, looking at this shirt as a jacket combination, I did have to spend a little bit of time thinking why I didn't get it - and I think it was down to price - and for a lumber jack shirt, I did think the price was a little steep.

In the end, I came from my awesome holiday with 2 pieces of clothing - my Boston hoodie, and an awesome Human Rights Campaign T Shirt from Provincetown.

The amount of stylish fats I saw in the NYC was rather few, and I was a little disheartened. I was expecting the streets to be full of fashionable fats. 

Seems like the clothing options are NOT always better on the other side of the sea!

Much love my lovelies, 

K x

Tuesday 14 October 2014

Fatty Bechdel Test

One of the greatest things that has come out of me writing irregularly on the internets, is being a part of the wonderful plus size community. Most of this is based on the shared frustrations of the plus size fashion retailers (which is getting WAY better in recent years), and the anger in how fellow fats are represented in the media. 

I've not really used this space to talk about these kinda issues, and I'm not really sure why!

I'm lucky enough to be a part of a community, where when the hive mind has an idea, there is a wonderful person who can put these ideas into practice: which is what we got with the Fatty Bechdel Test

The Bechdel test itself works on the premise that some (most) female characters are just a plot device to talk about the male characters. 

Take the strong female pairing of River Song and Amy Pond. Two strong women who seem like good role models. Right? Wrong - when you look at it, they spend most of their time on screen together talking about The Doctor. So are they just a plot device? 

And that is what the Hive mind wanted to look at in terms of plus size characters in film and TV: are they just a plot device, or do they have a purpose. 

Now, the idea behind this is new, and relying on the Hive mind (us) to suggest plot devices, characters, films, and TV shows to 'rate'. We are then able to vote as to whether we feel a character does or doesn't meet certain standards - and therefore whether that show passes the Fatty Bechdel test. 

I have suggested and rated the character of Sookie St James in the Gilmore Girls as a character who passes the test, from my point of view, but having just checked, I've seen other ratings which someone else does not feel that she is as perfect an example as I might think. And that is okay. 

So go, check this website out, join in the rating and suggestions process and let me know what you think.

Do we even need a Fatty Bechdel test? Or is it long over due?

Much love my lovelies, 


K x