What to Wear to a Country Wedding!

I am just dying to be invited to a country wedding this summer so I can wear my fabulous new lacy dress from SWAK Designs.  I`m not a frou frou kinda girls, so I would give it a dressing down with a chunky belt and cowboy boots, instead of heels and a sash...yee hah!

Online Shopping at Navabi

from www.navabi.co

Honestly, I get so frustrated with fashion it makes me depressed. Not being able to find great fashion in plus sizes gets me down. Although I have a few local sources for decent basics, I totally rely on Internet shopping to find the styles I really love. A recent find of mine is Navabi. www.navabi.co. Europe is miles ahead of North America in terms of plus size fashion and Navabi represents a lot of the top European brands. I found them just before Christmas, and honestly they make my life so much easier. There is a shipping fee to countries outside of the EU, but if you order over $250.00 that is waived. I always order several items at a time to avoid this fee. I have had to return things, which has been no issue. Return postage is a small price for me to pay for clothes that fit and don't make me feel like grandma. They used to have each garment on live models, but now have them on a mannequin, which I hate...I just can't get a good feel of the style this way. Plus I loved seeing how they paired the clothes and accessorized. I commented on Facebook and they did say that they were going to have new "Outfit Ideas" shortly..so hang in there.

Don't you love that model in the top photo. Plus sized and healthy and gorgeous. Stylishly casual and in clothes that flatter. Here's a couple more looks (below) from Navabi that I love. Here's what strikes me about these clothes. THE FIT. Covers the iffy bits, elongates the torso, shows off good legs in this case, and best of all no low cut, tarty clothes. I find with a lot of plus size, all the designer wants to do is show off the boobs. Yes, curvy girls usually have great cleavage, but it doesn't need to hang out with every outfit. In the coming weeks, I shall show you some of my Navabi fashions.

First Post...an Introduction

Black cotton dress, Bloch animal print flats and chunky necklace.

 I am so glad you stopped by so I could introduce myself.  I am an Interior Decorator by profession, but am currently leaning towards a product based business, as opposed to a client based business.(www.razmataz.ca)    This will give me the freedom to travel to our newly purchased vacation home in St. Petersburg, Florida. I'm 50.  I can't wait until I am 65 to spend the Winters in a warmer climate, so my husband and I take advantage at every opportunity for seat sales to hop on down to Florida where we both can work from home with our Internet based businesses. I've recently taken up photography, and have done the photos for a few wedding showers and also a Bahamas wedding.  I am an occasional felt artist and have had several pieces accepted into a juried art show.  Right now, I am on the cusp so to speak. Not totally involved in decorating, but searching for a new Interest, a career change or shift....a way to showcase my creativity, writing and photography skills and to have fun.  A LOT of fun.

My gorgeous cream ruffled dress with flouncy skirt...gold Bloch flats (super soft)

One of the defining things about me is my size.  I'm a big girl.  Size 18. I've always had big bones (size 10 feet) but I used to be a skinny little thing.  So skinny, I often wore thick tights under my size 4 jeans to give me some more shape and a bit of a butt.  But then it changed.  I had two kids, now 24 and 26, and never shed the extra pounds.  I've tried every diet going.  I've exercised.  I lost weight, 35lbs in fact, then gained it all back and then some. It's totally discouraging. What's worse is the fashion offerings for plus size women.  Have you noticed that manufacturers seem to thinks Plus Women have a mental age of about 10....they like to throw cute prints with animals on sweaters, bows, ruffles (ok if done with class) and horrible matronly attire that makes us look like crazy grandmothers, not vibrant, attractive women. I spend a lot of time scouting great clothes to wear out.  Like most women, my casual attire is usually jeans and a warm sweater for hanging around the house, but give me an invite, and I'll throw on a fabulous dress, pretty heels and some great chunky jewelry.  I like to look great and wear what skinny girls can (within reason).

A pretty linen dress for Florida sunshine days.

Is confidence an issue?  You bet it is.  Would I rather be thin?  You bet I would. For now though, I've decided to focus on fit, rather than thin. If I could be a fit, healthy size 14, I would like that.  I'm a bit afraid to try new things such as skiing or paddle boarding (although I recently did just that).  I worry about tipping out of a kayak and not being able to get back in. I worry about fitting into a wet suit to go snorkeling. It's always there. The feeling crappy when I walk into the ocean from my beach chair...feeling like the whole beach is noticing my fat butt.....but on the other hand, I'm trying to be the best I can at this Size. If I get a big smaller...good.  If I get a bit fitter...FABULOUS.  I'm tired of the back handed compliments like "oh your haircut makes you look much slimmer" or the direct hits like "Is your trainer upset you gained all the weight back?"  I don't think the trainer cares, but YES, I am bloody upset about it. People still talk about fat people like it is acceptable to pick on people....the Walmart Shoppers videos make me cringe. I'm self conscious because I am bigger than my husband.  He is a short man (5'6") and really fit.  I sometimes imagine people are wondering why he's with such a "big girl" or that we look like the odd couple.  There's the confidence thing.  Like any "target group", people seem to have something to say about what you eat, wear and weigh. And yes that bothers me.  But I may always struggle with my weight, so I am going to try and look and feel my best no matter what size I am. I am often asked about my styling and where I find certain pieces.  The BEST compliment I ever had was when a staff member on a cruise ship said to me "you are such a stylish woman....you pull it all together really well". That felt great.  

So this blog will be about fashion...regular size and Plus, but with an emphasis on how to work it for the Plus sized woman.  And also about lifestyle and beauty.Great tips on health, a focus on great beauty products and fun events and WHAT I WORE features. And if I see great street fashion on plus gals...you'll see that too.

This is the start of being who I really want to be and making the most of who I am. Thanks so much for dropping by.