So, we’re thinking about expanding our store to include shapewear…you know, the uncomfortable corset-y type things that Spanx has made famous. On one hand, we understand the appeal to having a suddenly shapely, hourglass figure without any bulges or bumps.
But on the other hand, shapewear is sort of, well, insulting. It tells us we don’t look good enough without it. It tells us we should look different. And it doesn’t seem so great in terms of body acceptance or self-confidence.
What’s your take on shapewear???
Did I just not know about Vogue Curvy or is this something new? It’s an awesome online magazine (although it makes me wonder: when will we finally get a real print magazine dedicated to plus size life??).
The magazine includes interviews, information on plus size fashion and accessories, store reviews, and a blog, among other features. The only downside for us Americans is that it’s based in (and therefore marketed towards) Europeans, so some of the store reviews aren’t very accessible.
If you want to check out the magazine, click here.
A new study from researchers at Georgia Gwinnett College suggests that when men look at curvy women, it stimulates their brain’s reward center, much like drugs or alcohol would do.
The researchers suggest that it’s because shapely hips are linked with fertility and overall health. As women, we’ve always known we had a certain power over men– but now we know that it’s not just psychological, it’s biological. So here’s to being curvy!
To read the entire article from msnbc.com, click here.
You know, I’m not ashamed to admit that I loved the WB show “Popular.” A somewhat silly drama about high school? It doesn’t get much better than that. Add The Glamizons? Awesome!
So I was pretty disappointed to see Sara Rue as the new face of Jenny Craig- she played Carmen, who got initially got rejected from the cheerleading squad because of her weight. I thought her character was a really positive role model for plus size teenagers (well, plus size women of all ages actually), because though other people judged her because of her weight, she was determined to succeed at her goals.
In fact, I watched her video blog on Jenny Craig and she says that one of her first lines on TV, when she was eleven, was that she didn’t want to go to school because the kids were making fun of her weight. And that in most of the roles she’s played, the character has felt imperfect. She also mentions that she doesn’t own a pair of pants that she feels comfortable in.
Guess what, Sara? There are plenty of skinny girls who get made fun of in middle school (shocking, I know!), who feel “imperfect” and who don’t own a pair of pants that they feel comfortable in. Women, and girls especially, need an actress like you, who can portray what they go through on a daily basis. It always makes me feel better when I know I’m not alone– there are other people out there, too, who get made fun of for their bodies.
I guess if what she needs to feel good about herself is a weight-loss program, I shouldn’t be so hard on her. I just wish she could feel good about herself without needing to lose the weight. I think she’s been beautiful all along.
In the UK, they’re all a-flutter because, yesterday, Debenhams became the first mainstream retailer to use some size 16 mannequins in the window. I think this marks another small victory for acceptance of plus size women.
But, actually, I don’t know how it’s possible that companies have ignored the need for so long for real women to see how we (rather than a popsicle stick) would look in their clothes. In Miami Beach, the models all have huge breasts. It’s common sense, since so many women there have breast implants. But, in most places, plus size mannequins have taken much, much longer to get the limelight.
I can’t help but brag that when we started About Curves in 2001, using plus size mannequins and models was one of the things we founded our comapny on. We actually used ourselves (then sized 16 and 20) as our first models, and for the items that were too risque, we used a plus size mannequin. Her name is Gussie, and we still use her today (you can see her featured on our crotchless undies!).
Gussie, I guess you were ahead of the curve!
