The Ultimate #ThrowbackThursday - Famous Plus Size Fashion Bloggers' First Ever Posts

We've all got our favourite bloggers, and some of them have gained significant notoriety in both the plus size and mainstream fashion industry. My own personal style has really evolved over the past two and a half years since I started blogging (I've had some terribly cringe-worthy moments, and some great ones) so I thought it would be interesting to revisit some of my favourite bloggers' first posts. While I was reading, I realized these pictures would make for an amazing #throwbackthursday post, and I got right down to work.

Gabi Gregg of Gabifresh

Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista

Nadia Aboulhosn

Stephanie Zwicky of Le Blog de Big Beauty

Allison Teng of Curvy Girl Chic

Jay Miranda of Fatshionable

Tanesha Awasthi of Girl with Curves

Ragini Nag Rao of Curious Fancy

Jessica Kane of Life and Style of Jessica Kane

Lilli Pascuzzi of Frocks and Frou Frou

Rebecca Agosta from The Plus Side of Me

Nicolette Mason

And of course, me!

The difference between the then and now is remarkable - but what makes it so? Is it the use of better cameras (or more-experienced photographers)? Perhaps it's the elevated sense of personal style that the bloggers are exuding? That's certainly a part of it. But no, that's not it. Then what is it?

They have started a revolution. They have come out as proudly fat in a society where the very concept of body positivity is completely foreign to most people, and body shaming runs rampant and (mostly) unchecked. They are visionaries who are leading the way towards a world in which our bodies are our own - a world in which the choices that we make about our body, from what we put in it, to what we put on it, from who we share it with, to who we don't, are our own - where our bodies are no longer up for others' commentary or discussion; where they just are, existing in a world where value is not placed on our physical instantiations - and bodily adjectives are no longer qualified with value (fat/short ≠ bad, skinny/tall ≠ good). Utopia!

The act of dressing well as a fat woman is a politically radical act. These women have made themselves visible in the most beautiful ways, and demanded that they not be overlooked. They have shifted the politics of representation of fat people by using the democratizing force of social media to include their own true and real representation as a part of the dialogue. They have subverted the staid and stale tropes that exist that say that fat women are lazy and/or ill-disciplined slobs who are ashamed of their bodies. They have proclaimed loudly that they are beautiful, strong, fashionable, and unwilling to be ignored by society and the fashion industry.

It's this act of revolution that they are wearing well. And that is the difference between the "Then" and "Now" pictures. They have come into their own as women railing against a largely thin-focused industry and world. They're fighting back. And it's never looked better on them.

The Fall Collection from Paris has landed at Your Big Sister's Closet!

Hey Guys!

So most of you probably know by now that I opened my own plus size store in Toronto, Your Big Sister's Closet, early this year. I found this stunning line from Paris at a trade show several months ago, and I placed a big order! We've been anticipating this collection for so long, and it's finally here! I created a lookbook so you can all take a look and see what's in store. I absolutely adore this collection - the romantic and bohemian-yet-sophisticated details are just stunning.

So what do you think?

FFFWeek Day 5, Part 1 - Just My Size Blogger Breakfast and Curves in the City Shopping Event

Hey Guys,

So I finally have time to pick up my coverage of FFFWeek! Day 5 was great, and started off with the JMS blogger breakfast. Just My Size is a major intimate apparel company for the plus size consumer. You've probably already got some undies from them and might not even know it. Their brand is sold by major retailers like Walmart and Target.

They hosted a breakfast at the Affinia hotel for many of the bloggers in attendance at FFFWeek, and it was a lot of fun! I got to chat and catch up with several blogger buddies that I hadn't had a chance to earlier in the week, and JMS had amazing personalized gift bags with loads of goodies in our size! Doesn't everyone look amazing?

Gaelle from the Curvy and Curly Closet (right) and Rebecca (centre) from The Plus Side of Me chatting with the ladies from JMS (left)

Step and Repeat fun! Dani from Danimezza

Lilli from Frocks and Frou Frou

Rebecca from The Plus Side of Me

And a detail shot of her fantastic belt, from the now-closed Eloquii =(

And ME! Blouse, Belt and Skirt - ASOS Curve/Earrings and Shoes- New Look/Handbag - Michael Kors via Holt Renfrew/Bracelet - Your Big Sister's Closet

I'm actually really a fan of this outfit! I love the skirt SOOO much and I got so many compliments on it. I loved it so much, I bought it in two more colours! Is that bad? I couldn't help it! I bought the navy and the red (wearing the red right now, actually!) because I thought they be great with some knee highs for the Fall. ASOS is killing my wallet right now, but I still love them! 

After the breakfast, a few of us wandered across the hall to the Curves in the City shopping event. Lots of great jewellery, and I definitely picked up a few bras from Curvy Couture, who was having a 50% off sale!

And I ran into Marcy Guevara from HelloStyle for Marie Claire. We hung out at FFFWeek 2012, so it was great to see her again. She was doing some work for Lane Bryant TV and she even interviewed me! Check it out - I'm on at about 1:00.

 

Big Deal Toronto really was a Big Deal!!!

Hey Guys!

I know I owe you many outfit posts - it's been too long! It's been a crazy summer with Full Figured Fashion Week, our participation in the Fuller Woman Expo, and then just recently with planning Big Deal Toronto, a clothing sale where the best Toronto plus size fashion bloggers get together to sell items from their wardrobes. It's really great for promoting the growing plus size community here in Toronto and for ensuring sustainable fashion! Things are starting to calm down here a bit so it should be back to blogging as usual really soon!

I thought I'd share the pictures from Big Deal before finishing my coverage of Full Figured Fashion Week, the Fuller Woman Expo, and posting all the outfit pictures I have "saved up", lol!

The event was absolutely amazing, and attendance was higher than any of us anticipated. We had over 250 women from all over the GTA attend to shop and socialize at the wonderful 3030, a fantastic lounge near our store in the Junction. It was so great to meet so many of my readers in one place and see so many beautiful, and confident plus size women getting together.

Were you there? If so, what did you score??? If not, hope we see you next time ;)