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.

Blogger Dinner Party with Addition Elle in Toronto

Hey Guys!

So this past Tuesday, I was invited to celebrate with Addition Elle at a blogger dinner party commemorating the grand opening of their new flagship store at Queen and Yonge in Toronto. I wanted to wear an outfit from Addition Elle to the dinner, and I picked out this gorgeous coral lace bodycon dress and some great accessories. I also picked out my very first pair of designer shoes! I tried a bunch of different shoes that I really liked from Vince Camuto, Sam Edelman, and David Dixon, but I ended up falling hard for this pair by Ivanka Trump that came home with me :D

Dress, Jewellery, and Belt - Addition Elle/Shoes - Ivanka Trump from Town Shoes

I got a chance to meet/reconnect with some of my favourite blogger idols - L to R, Nadia Aboulhosn, Gabi Gregg from GabiFresh, and Marie Denee from The Curvy Fashionista

The stunning supermodel and star of many of Addition Elle's ad campaigns Ashley Graham, left, and fellow Canadian blogger in from Montreal, Sarah St. Fleur from Queen Sized Flava. Ashley announced that she is coming out with her very own lingerie line to be sold in Addition Elle this coming November. Very exciting!

All of the lovely bloggers and ladies of Addition Elle...

Sasha from Flaws of Couture and Ashley Graham

Check out all the fab outfits! Definitely some very fashionable ladies...

Many thanks for Addition Elle for the lovely dinner with some of my favourite fellow bloggers!

#jeansdujour - My Favourite Fellow Curvy Bloggers in Denim Jeans

Hey Guys!

I hope you all had a really lovely Thanksgiving if you celebrated this weekend. I had a lot of time to reflect on what exactly it is I am thankful for, and one of the major things is having such an amazing community of fellow bloggers who are also plus size and have amazing style, and who help me to see that fashion and beauty come in every size and shape.

So for some jeanspiration for this #jeansdujour post, I thought I would give you a little taste of what I get to see all the time, my fav bloggers looking absolutely fabulous (and in denim jeans)!

Curvy Girl Chic

Elann Zelie

Fat Aus

Frantic Dreams

Gabifresh

Jay Miranda

Le Blog de Big Beauty

Nadia Aboulhosn

Round Raglan Road

Sticky Sweet Danish

Too Many Sequins

Which blogger's jeans for curvy women did you like the best? Addition Elle has a completely awesome selection of jeans this A/W. You should definitely check it out if you're looking for some! What are your favourite types of jeans?

I got a chance to head to Oktoberfest in Kitchener this past Friday, and I wore my favourite Addition Elle jeans, the Love and Legend Coated skinny jean in black cherry. Love!

Full Figured Fashion Week Day 1 - Press Reception and White Cruise

Hey Guys! So after an exhausting but amazingly fun day slogging around Manhattan in the rain, the next day we all got prettied up to attend the press reception and all-white sunset cruise. At the press reception, there was wine, champagne, and lovely catering, and best of all, we got to meet and chat with the designers and PR reps from all of the different brands exhibiting in the runway shows. Also in attendance were all the fab bloggers from the Full Figured Fashion Front, as well as other familiar and awefaces from the blogosphere.

 

L to R - Gaelle from Les Pitreries De Vanoue, Ty from Gorgeous in Grey, Elann from Elann Zelie, and Jess from TOO Many Sequins

I got to meet one of my favourite bloggers of all time (I'll admit I was a little star-struck, lol), Nadia Aboulhosn

Top, Jeans, and Shoes - Forever 21+/Spiky Necklace and Hair Tie - New Look/Neon Triangle Necklace - EA Burns/Purse - c/o Penningtons

A look from Ashley Nell Tipton's new line. ADORE.

Ashley Nell Tipton (Right) and her team

We got to meet with so many reps from all the different brands, including 17 Sundays, Ashley Nell Tipton, Ashley Stewart, Chinoo Designs, Curvato, Evans, Eyani Couture, Eye Candy by SK Wilbur, Jibri, Jill Alexander Designs, Kiss My Curves by Evie Foster, Lane Bryant, Lavender's Jungle, Masaari, Mynt 1792 (love those guys!), Pretty Pear Bride, Queen Grace Collection, Rachel Pally White Label, Savannah Red, Sonsi, Sorella Swim, and Youtheary Khmer. 

Once we'd mixed and mingled at the press event, it was time to head out and get ready for the annual white cruise. Since I was staying in the Bronx with Peter's family, Jess from TOO Many Sequins invited me to get ready in between events in her room (so nice!). I don't know what I would have done without her! She looked absolutely stunning in her white outfit. 

I had a really hard time finding a white dress I liked, especially since I didn't want to show up in the same dress as anyone else, but after ordering three other dresses, I finally found this one at Addition Elle, and I was so happy with it! Many thanks to Addition Elle for the dress!!!

Dress - c/o Addition Elle/Shoes - Wal-Mart G21 line/Clutch - Your BIG Sister's Closet/Bracelet, Brooch, and Earrings - GreenFlea NYC/Spiky Hair Tie - New Look/Belt - ASOS Curve

Peter's Outfit - Shorts and Shirt - Old Navy/Shoes - Forever 21/Watch - Perry Ellis from The Bay/Sunglasses - Street Vendor

L to R - Meaghan from Little Lime Dress, Monique from Curves and Chaos, Kimberly from The Curvy Spot, Ty from Gorgeous in Grey, and me!

There were some delays with boarding, but we were finally able to get on and set sail...

Team Skorch all the way! Me with Jessica Kane, founder of Skorch Magazine

Peter looking his cool, bad-ass self. LOL. I think I styled him well.

L to R - Sarah from Queen Sized Flava, Rikke from Sticky Sweet Danish, Me, and Tanja from Miss Cherry Lipz

Too cool. Smooches for all of you.

There was even a proposal on-board! Olivia, from the blog Wait Until The Sunset, brought her bf Ben on board and he proposed right after we passed the Statue of Liberty! So romantic! <3 you guys!!! So after we docked, we all headed to try to find a taxi, but there were so many of us that it took a while. I think a bus from mid-town to the pier and back again for next year's white cruise would be a great idea. This way, no one's stuck trying to flag down a taxi. We actually had trouble getting one both ways. And someone stole ours on the way back! Look what Peter had to resort to just to get us there!

LOL. I think this should be his new profile pic on FB! Anyway, we finally made it back to the hotel, and everyone crashed for the night almost right away since the next day was also pretty jam-packed with awesome fashion events. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post about the blogger workshop and the Curves, Connections, and Cocktails networking event!