Guest post - Curvas Libres

Today we have a guest post from Gisela.

Hello hello everybody! I´m Gisela, and you can usually find me blogging at Curvas Libres (Free Curves).  I can pretty much say that life as I know it today started last February. Till then, I was working on a regular 9 to 5 job without much ambition of it ever changing. And then I was laid off, and found myself with too much time in my hands and a reliable notebook, so I started spending hours online. I found some amazing plus size bloggers who lived the life I never knew I wanted –loving their bodies for what they were and flaunting them around. This women and their vision of what life can be baffled me, and so I started going deeper and deeper in the Fat Acceptance movement. It seemed like a new world was appearing in front of me. It may seem like an exaggeration, but that was the ways it felt for me. 

Around the same time, I signed up for a 30 days self-portrait e-course called Be Your Own Beloved. I still don´t know why I did it, ´cause I´ve always hated seeing pictures of myself. But I guess it came at the right time. After a month of taking self-portraits, I learned to see my body with much more kindness and love than ever before. It was a truly transformative experience for me. I started to feel more confident and beautiful –more like the woman I always dreamt of being.

It was such a life changing experience for me that I started to search for other people near me that were already living according to the Fat Acceptance movement and the HAES principles to share our point of view and perhaps meet sometime –the more fabulous fatties, the better. I spent days searching the web, and then asked my BFF to search too. We couldn´t find any blog or group in Buenos Aires, or Argentina, or even in other Latin American countries. (If you know of anyone, please share!). It was heartbreaking. Not just because I couldn´t get an FA buddy, but because there´s probably many many Latin women out there that get fed with all the media BS everyday and don´t have anyone like them to tell them that there is an alternative.  And that´s how the idea of Curvas Libres was born. I started blogging in August and every response I´ve got till this day is positive. I don´t try to portrait myself as any kind of expert –not at all. I just share my experience and my point of view, and hope to plant at least a small FA seed into someone´s mind. 

So two month ago, my new life is going great, except that I was still unemployed and without any good prospect in sight. And that´s where my mom comes in. One evening she turns to me and says “So why don´t you start selling plus size clothes?” I can swear the sky opened and a choir of angels started singing Aleluya. Of course, I had to sell plus size clothes. That´s exactly what was missing in my life. I´ve love fashion for many years and the new vision of my body had only increased that love, but buying clothes had always been an excruciating process for me, just like it was for every other fat woman I know.  And so Curvas Libres Indumentaria (Free Curves Attire) was born. 

September 2^nd I set up a Facebook page where people can check out the clothes that are available and purchase them directly -everything in plus sizes only, most pieces going up to 4XL (if the online convertor is correct). Each piece is specially selected to celebrate our body and flaunt our curves, not hide our rolls or our butt.  I also set up a showroom every Saturday, so any women that want to see the clothes in person can come. My dream is to offer them a safe shopping experience, with no one making fun of how they look or shaming them for their size. I have a poster on a wall that says “This is a body hate free zone. Every body is loved and celebrated here”, and I mean it.  

I leave you a few photos of our Summer/Spring production. Please be nice to the model –it´s me. My budget doesn´t allow me to hire a professional model just yet.

I hope you enjoyed today´s post. I know it´s totally autobiographic, but I wanted to share with you how my life changed after meeting incredible ladies like our lovely Leah. I´ll see you over at Curvas Libres if you wanna check it out (it´s in Spanish, but there´s always Google Translator).

-Gi-

Guest blog - Big Bottomed Girls

Today we have a guest post from Nat. 

Hi!

This week I am doing a guest post for the lovely Leah whilst she is on holiday, hopefully having a relaxing time!

One Sunday evening (back in April to be exact!) during PS Bloggers chat we were tweeting about the perils of finding skirts and dresses to fit our bubble butts.

Yep, you heard it right, BUBBLE BUTT. I for one had never heard of the term before! I was also overjoyed to find someone else who had a bum like mine - quite plump, with a little ledge and just beautiful!

It can sometimes be a pain finding trousers, skirts etc to fit, if I wear a skater skirt the front is by knees (perfect) and the back is halfway up my thighs because of the ‘ledge’. If I were to bend over it would be a case of hello there M&S knickers!

If you are a fellow bubble butt, here are some of my favourite picks to accentuate that good ol' junk in the trunk!

BESPOKE fit Jeans from Fashion World

Made for the curvier bottom... oh yeah!

Inspire Blue Ditsy Print Belted Midi Skirt

Red and Black Tapestry Print Midi Pencil Skirt 

Inspire Burgundy Chevron Texture Skater Dress

Inspire Navy High Waisted Denim Skirt

And here is a picture of my very own BB for your viewing pleasure! hee hee

Much Love

N

x

You can read Nat's blog here.

Guest blog - Underwear Woes

Today we have a guest post from Beverly.

You know what I love? Boy short undies! You know what I hate? BOY SHORT UNDIES! Am I the only plus size gal who has issues with finding the right panties that don't look ridiculous, serve their purpose AND make me feel sexy? Please tell me I'm not. I'm a size 18/20 and I used to shop exclusively at Lane Bryant for my underoos, actually, I still do. For years and years I'd buy their "string bikini's" they served the purpose, and were cute because they had a lot of different patterns and colors but did they make me feel sexy? Good God no! If you're familiar with string bikinis and are plus size you probably already know why. My, ahem, larger belly sticks out from under the triangular panel of fabric in the front and therefore leaving me feeling like an un-sexy idiot. I had bought two pairs of boy short style in the past but never really gave them a shot, until a few months ago when I noticed that LB seemed to no longer be carrying the string bikini styles, only thongs, boy shorts and the "granny panties". "Roh Roh Raggy! I better get comfortable wearing something new!" I thought to myself. Thong? No way, not comfortable. Maybe when I was 20 and on the prowl for my next sexual encounter but now that I'm married and a mom they just aren't practical. Granny panties? Ummm.... no. while I hear they are "coming back in style" I just cant' do it. So, Boy shorts it was!

I dug those two pairs I had bought in the past out of my lady pants drawer and dusted them off. I put one pair on and instantly fell in love! Why did I not fall in love the first go around? The cut was perfect and the fabric covered all of my tummy! I actually went pant less a few evenings before bed because I felt SEXY and I didn't feel ashamed of the fat peeking through because there was none to peek! Glorious, the next day I put the other pair and and it was night and day. HATED this pair! Why? Although they covered the area I had the problem with and I still felt sexy the rode up my bahookie during the day and I don't like that feel, another reason I didn't go with the thongs in the first place. I did some research, and by research I mean I held the two pair up side by side to see why the second pair left me feeling violated. AH HA! The first pair had some thicker fabric lining around the area my legs go through and essentially keeping them in place all day, the second pair just had a hemline going on in that area thus there was nothing keeping them in place so they rode up!

I am now on the quest of finding boy shorts with the extra lining around the leg areas that aren't Lane Bryant! I used to purchase all these type of products from the sale table because while I may be fat I don't think spending $5 for one pair of undies is appropriate. Does anyone else have any of the problems I've outlines above? What are your favorite type of panty and where do you purchase?

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You can find Beverly's blog here. Trigger warning - diet talk. Beverly's blog is primarily weight loss but she has recently discovered the body acceptance movement. She says "The basis [of my blog] is still weight loss with body acceptance sprinkled on top."

Guest post - Mrs B's top 5 tunes!

Today we have a guest post from Naomi A.K.A. Mrs B.

I love music.

I always have it on – in the car; when I’m cooking; while I’m chilling out; if I’m happy or when I’m sad. I’ve got quite eclectic tastes, with anything from Elvis to Elton, Guns N Roses to Girls Aloud on my iPod. I never know what a shuffle is going to pull out of the bag. Once upon a time, I was embarrassed by my musical taste – it’s not necessarily cool – but now I don’t care so much. I listen to what I like, and I like what I listen to, so there!

I really listen to songs, too. I like to listen to the lyrics, and if I’ve gone old school and bought a CD, one of the first things I do is check the booklet and see if the lyrics are in there! I used to LOVE Smash Hits with the lyrics in there!

Lyrics can make or break a song for me. For example, the Scouting for Girls song, “She’s So Lovely” annoys the whatsits out of me. Think about it - she has a boyfriend, but wants you to meet her discretely because she’s got a thing or two to teach? No, she doesn’t sound lovely at all. She sounds like a floozy who is cheating on that boyfriend of hers....

I really struggle if someone asks me what my favourite song is. Often my “favourite” song depends on what I’m doing, who I’m doing it with (ooh er!) and what mood I’m in, so the best I can do is to narrow it down to my favourite 5!

Happy song – Don’t Stop Me Now, Queen. This was the last song that played at our wedding reception and always makes me think of that.

Song to “smooch” to – You Had Me From Hello, Bon Jovi. This is a track on their Bounce album, and it’s “our” song. I love the lyrics – particularly the chorus:

“The first time I saw you it felt like coming home, If I never told you I just want you to know, You had me from hello”. Hubs and I met online, so this really rang true for me. The first time I saw him in the flesh, it felt right. It felt like home. (Vom. Sorry about that).

Sad song – Songbird, Eva Cassidy. They played this song at my Uncle’s funeral, which was the saddest day. Every time I hear it, I break down. There have been times when I’ve had to switch off the X Factor, or mute Strictly just because this is the song that is being performed.

Karaoke Song – Like A Prayer, Madonna. Ever since I vommed on the dancefloor after singing this at 17 on a student night, this has been “my song”. I never let an opportunity to nail crucify it at a karaoke pass me by!

Dance-around-singing-at-the-top-of-my-voice song – Let’s Hear it For The Boy, Deneice Williams. I can’t explain what it is about this song, but I fricking love it. Who doesn’t like a boy who’s watching every time and sings off key!?

So, what’s your favourite song? Or 5....

Thanks for reading my guest post on the lovely Leah’s blog – I hope you’ve enjoyed it. I blog (intermittently!) over at http://blogbymrsb.blogspot.co.uk/ - come and join me. Or not. Y’know, the choice is yours!

Mrs B

Guest post - L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splash Review

Today we have a guest post from Beth Tinkerbell.


Hi!



I thought I'd share my thoughts on the L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splash. I own 3 of them which I picked up a little while ago but I haven't got round to reviewing them on my blog yet!



They are a lip lacquer and are similar to the Rimmel Apocalips, and of course are a dupe for the YSL Rouge pur Couture Glossy Stain. I picked these up in my local Superdrug where they had about 8 shades, ranging from a neutral pink to a bold red. When I bought them they were on offer 3 for 2 and are £7.99 each making them more expensive than the Rimmel Apocalips which are £6.49.

I am a person who hates lipglosses, I hate that sticky feeling you get on your lips and you've got to tear them apart and they just make that horrible noise. However, I find that these aren't too tacky, and even when they begin to wear off they leave a nice stain on the lips so you don't need to rush to top them up. I find that all the colours I have transfer to cups when they've first been applied but once the sticky/tackiness has gone they don't transfer.

I'll start off with Lolita (101) which is a nice neutral pink that you can wear everyday. I usually wear it for work where one of my bolder colours isn't acceptable and it means that I don't need to worry about topping it up.



I also picked up Juliet (300) which is the classic bold red colour. I wouldn't buy this unless you do love a bold red because even the stain is very bold and it's not easy to get off. However, I would say that the stain is slightly pinker than lacquer is on application. If you are after the bold read then you will want to keep topping it up throughout the day.



My third choice was Bonnie (501) which is a terracotta shade of orange. I find that this is my favourite colour and when I'm not at work i'll wear this for going out during the day. I keep this in my handbag so that it's always on hand.



I first swatched them with just one layer so that you can see what the colour likes if you want to put a light sweep on when you're in a rush.



Here I've built them up with a second layer and you can see how solid the colour is, they are very easy to build up, with Juliet and Bonnie creating a very bold colour.



I left all 3 colours on my hand for about half an hour, and when I washed them off all 3 left a stain, with Juliet being the boldest.

Have you tried the L'Oreal Glam Shine Stain Splash, or will you be trying them now?

Tink x

Tink's blog can be found here.