The "Simply Me" project...

Good Morning!!

         If you're a consistent reader of Luvin' My Curves then I hope you know that the clothes I wear, discuss or feature are nothing if the person who wears them has no confidence. Having this blog, I have an outlet to voice my opinion as well as hope that what I put out there can reach someone.

Though there is the Luvin' Her Look feature this series is more about the thought process or experiences that led to the confidence exuding in the Luvin' Her Look feature. My hope is that with this new series I can incorporate style and self-esteem together; by showing rather than telling that real women just like you are actually wearing trends or pieces that you may be apprehensive to wear. What I try to achieve in my blog is letting every girl  know that it's ok to love herself regardless of her size. Though there are many of us who love ourselves unconditionally,  there are many ladies who feel insecure in their own skin. I've met plenty of plus size women who refuse to show their arms or even wear short-sleeves because their size dictates their level of comfort. Perhaps showing our own past and/or present insecurities in pictures will allow someone else to see that they are not the only ones, and that it's ok.

   I hope that you'd like to participate in this project, if so here are the questions:

What's the most "daring" thing you've done style-wise? 

What's a fear or insecurity about your body that you've gotten over? How did you overcome it?

So whether it's baring your arms, wearing stripes, wearing a strapless bra, showing leg,wearing leggings, mixing prints, rocking a mini or whatever it is I'd appreciate greatly if you would share! 

This series kicks off next week - so email me at johara@luvinmycurves.com with your answers and pics!!

Enjoy your weekend!

~Luvin' My Curves

 P.S: The previous images were made by some of my students for their dorm project, I'm so proud!!

Single in the City: I'm Just Sayin'

 Morning! 

  My Twitter rant for today... 

 Maybe I'm out the loop but how is"When U coming over to see me?" considered a 1st date/meeting? #imjustsayin

As you can see this dating "venture" that I took on has given me alot of stories to tell, none of them worthy of date #2.  I've been out all summer; not necessarily LOOKING to meet a guy but making sure that all my ducks are in a row so that if it happened, it could happen in a good way. In the immortal words of Ed Lover "C'mon Son"... is dating really that hard? 

Ever since I wrote about my venture and my mom's suggestions (click here) ... I received some interesting emails mainly wanting to know how things were going. I guess I hoped I could discuss how fun it's been , but all I want to do is wave the white flag and surrender!! Now NYC is great for quantity; I'm sure if I wanted to go out for going out sake I could.. but when you put in that oh so important word quality then it  suddenly all just goes up in smoke. ( I won't say that they're arent' any good guys out in NYC or in general, I know that there are.. I just havn't met many yet.)

The most fun has been going all over NYC with my friends; it's been great to spend time with them and even have a great laugh about the current state of dating affairs. I didn't think I would be telling all on here, but since I've been away at 2 long conferences I wasn't able to dish on Twitter,let's review some of it now...

Things I've learned/knew all along

  1. If the man ONLY sends you texts and NEVER calls... don't even waste an iota of a second to answer. If he's your age then he knows that we spent a good portion of our lives actually having conversations with people, we didn't grow up using texting as a substitute for conversation and I won't start now. If we can't speak we can't chill.

 2. Like I twitter ranted this morning- I'm not that chick who doesn't know you yet will show up at your house. There a couple of issues with this... I don't know you, know nothing about you and you're not getting "it" from me. Come up with something more creative than that.. and if your intention is just to hit then move on to the next one.

3. Speaking of creativity.. get some! The movie theater and Dave & Buster's are not the only options for a date. We're in NYC - there are affordable restaurants to please any palate or take some time and think outside of the box. A walk on the BK bridge, summer concert in Central Park, a rooftop lounge - living in NYC makes the options easy. If you suggest that we go out, then there's a part of me hoping that you have put some thought into what you'd like to do.

4. If you don't like what you see, then why waste each other's time. I love who I am, and whether I met you in person or online I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. So constantly mentioning my size or getting uneasy with going to well-attended spots raise red flags that you have an issue. I refuse to deal with someone's insecurities about how I look. The end.

Do you think I'm being too harsh?

As for my attempt at the Essence Dating Challenge ... I went on one date hooked up by a former co-worker.
The outfit was on point, and my smile was on megawatt because the vibe was right. He was handsome, funny, and had great things going for himself - the conversation flowed easily and I was definitely in the moment. That is until I got a phone 7 a.m the next day - seems ol' boy had a girlfriend that no one, including my co-worker knew about. The juicy details? Let's just say I got a very sad phone call from my old co-worker apologizing profusely, and an even sadder call from the culprit. All I could do was laugh, some things aren't worth the time.

As you can see, so far there's been  no "success", but the process has been fun, if not interesting and great lessons are being learned. Life is too short to lose hope.  no one said that finally stepping back into the dating pool would be easy.




I plan on going into some of the issues I mentioned above more in-depth next week, especially as it pertain to being a plus-size woman. Stay tuned... 

~Luvin' My Curves

Dress Me: The "not so serious" White

Morning!

  
Today's "Dress Me" email comes from T. out of Boston, Mass. She writes:

"I've seen your previous white party posts and I love them. But I'd really like if you could suggest how to wear white to an event that's not as serious as a party. I don't know the 1st thing about wearing white, so I'm afraid, but I also want to do something different - I want to stand out in a simple way and I feel like all white would be a good way to do it."

First, off I'm glad you enjoyed my previous posts on what to wear to a white party (click here and here to check it out). I really do enjoy white party season and if my suggestions can help then I'm all for it. As the end of the summer nears, the quintessential white party mode is fully on. Alot of white parties occur around July 4th, but it also seems that many happen in August right before Labor Day season. The great thing is that you don't have to wait for a party to wear all-white, it's a classic must-do for the summer.

You can choose to go the simple white route which is perfectly fine - and easier to do. There are many options popping up that would make this option a "go-to" but beware that some other curvy girl may have it on too! Or  you can get crazy with the accessories and in that case you'll stand out because if someone else is rocking your white outfit the same exact way, there is some serious ESP going on. I bring on the bright colors  but look to metallics and prints to offset the whit as well. As you can tell, options are limitless and I'm excited that you want to try something different from your everyday. 

Since you stated that you'd like to wear white to an event other than a party, here are two suggestions that I hope you can start to run wild with. Both are pieces that you could wear to a white party or something as simple as brunch with friends.

White Affair by LuvinMyCurves featuring Nine West shoes

ASOS CURVE Exclusive Indigo Knitted Jeggings, $15
Nine West Escher peep toe platform pump (BLACK), $35
Straw Womens Fedora, $13
Women's Plus-Size Merona® White V-Neck Short-Sleeve Basic Tee - 1 :..., $9.99
Beirn cobalt snakeskin 'Ruthie' shoulder bag at Bluefly, $285
Krishna's Vermeil & Faux Turquoise Necklace

With this outfit, you could substitute the tee for a batwing top, and really cute shorts instead of the jeggings.

Simple White pt.2 by LuvinMyCurves featuring Bottega Veneta bags

JACKIE - Flat Sandals - Bakers Footwear, $60
Braided Leather Hobo, $1,400
Baby Phat is a premiere lifestyle brand celebrating women who dare to..., $69

I think you could definitely "stand out in a simple way" like this!

I get the apprehension  you have with white, some folks may say  "it's white, it's easy". But I totally understand that it also proves to be harder than it looks. I used to feel the same way because I MUST make sure NO ONE is wearing what I'm wearing or at least in the same way;  I don't want to just put a white frock on I want to OWN it; and I'm always thinking "what if I spill something?"

I hope these suggestions are helpful for your "not so serious" white event. Please let me know how it goes!!!

 

What do you think of my suggestions? Do you only take on the all-white for parties or do you make it part of your casual rotation?

~Luvin' My Curves

Luvin' Her Look: Stiletto Siren

Morning!!

Today's Luvin' Her Look feature is one fierce lady who I look forward to reading. She is fellow blogger Ms. Stiletto Siren from My Lipstick on her Collar. Ms. Siren is fearless, and loves loud colors and funky cuts.One reader describes her as "one of the only folks I know who's over a size 20 and wears the heck out of it". I couldn't agree more.

Read what she has to say about her look:

" I define my style as a bit of Rocker Glam meets Hippie Chic, I can be edgy, feminine, earthy & fabulous all at one and I love being that way. Versatility in my style reflects my personality because I have a million different sides to me and showcase them all through my fashion & style. I am not a huge accessorizer and am pretty basic when it comes to my makeup so I really like to let the clothes speak volumes which is why I will wear some pretty "loud" pieces from time to time, but I do always make sure to include great shoes!"

On what being plus-size means to her: 

"To me being proud and plus size is a journey for all curvy women and its a journey I am honestly still going through each day. It is about loving the skin you are in and knowing that weight and size are not an indicator of health and that no body is the same. If no body is the same why should there be any reason to feel bad about your own body? It is one of a kind, unique, beautiful and part of the wonderful person inside, and that is what really counts. Part of my journey to being proud and plus size means taking chances with fashion, having confidence in myself and having enough self worth to see how fabulous I am and letting the rest of the world have a chance to see it too! "

I'm loving her look and her attitude! WERK!!! Are you Luvin' her look? 

I'm always looking for curvy girls to feature on Luvin' Her Look , if you're interested send me an email to luvinmycurves@gmail.com.

~Luvin' My Curves

On The Scene: The 2nd Annual International Fuller Woman Expo

Detroit, MI- We are proud to invite you to be a part of the Second Annual International Fuller Woman Expo held on September 18, 2010 at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Downtown-Detroit, Michigan.

The Fuller Woman Network is dedicated to empowering women to recognize her internal and external beauty; to educate and motivate through workshops and seminars while providing information on the products and/or services available to them through companies around the country.

In 2008 hundreds of vendors, exhibitors, models, presenters, performers and patrons descended on The Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario to be apart of, the first ever plus size woman consumer trade show, The Fuller Woman Expo. In 2009, we launched the International Fuller Woman Expo at the St Regis Hotel in Detroit, Michigan . We were honored to have as our keynote speaker Personal Power Expert Mrs. Delores Pressley, founder of Plus USA Woman Beauty Pageant and Convention and The Born Successful Institute. For our inaugural event, hundreds of people from across the country were in attendance. We had sponsors from all around the world who supported this worthwhile event. Media outlets in the Detroit Metropolitan area joined us in the celebration such as the Detroit Free Press and The Michigan Chronicle with features in the Detroit Fashion Pages and on Fox 2 News.

In 2010, we are pleased to welcome talk show host, comedian and actress Ms. Kim Coles as our keynote speaker. She is best known for her portrayal of Sinclair on the hit television show, “Living Single” , a role that garnered her 4 NAACP Image award nominations. Ms.Coles is the host of the popular game show “Pay it Forward” on BET, making her the 1st African American Woman to ever host a primetime game show. Ms.Coles is also the co-host of “My Black is Beautiful”, a talk show that celebrates the diverse and unique qualities in African American women.

To add to the many positive initiatives she is involved with, Ms. Coles will speak at the Fuller Woman Expo about her latest empowerment series for women called, “G.I.F.T.S.” which is an acronym for Gratitude, Intention, Forgiveness,Triumph and Self love. This unique series is geared toward unleashing the potential we have inside of all of us.

Don’t miss your opportunity to connect with products and services that cater to the “Fuller” woman, from the inside out. You will be recharged, motivated and inspired by the workshops and seminars that will be presented from leading authorities from across the country. A staple in the expo in both Canada and the United States is the “Curves in Motion” fashion showcase(sponsored last year by Lane Bryant Outlet) featuring designers and talent from around the world. Prepare to once again be pampered in the “Curvy Girl Lounge” with free massages, free-make over’s, free gifts and much more!

For more information regarding sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, please visit the “Detroit Edition” tab on our website TheFullerWomanExpo.com. For the latest news and information, follow us on Twitter : @fullerwomanexpo and on join our Facebook fan page: International Fuller Woman Expo.

Contact:

Cassandra Jones-McBryde
US Director & Executive Producer
(313) 850-4507
thefullerwomanexpo@gmailcom


Stephanie Penn-Danforth
Assistant Director & Co-Producer
(313) 492-1991
presstfwe@gmail.com

Do you plan on attending??

~Luvin' My Curves

Spotlight: Chi Zeta Theta Sorority, Inc.

Morning!

  One day a friend sarcastically asked me if there were any plus size sororities. Hitting up Google (seriously, what would we do without it?) I found that indeed there was a plus size sorority. (my friend felt extremely "less than intelligent"...moving on) I started to look up their information and was intrigued with what I saw. I knew that highlighting this sorority on Luvin' My Curves was a no-brainer.I'm not a member of any sorority, but I highly respect organizations and groups that are made with a collective positive purpose in mind.

Chi Zeta Theta Sorority, Inc is the first Greek-lettered organization that focuses on issues affecting "woman of size", but also focuses on issues that affect women in general. Founded in 2005 by Janelle Myers, Chi Zeta Theta's vision is to represent the plus size woman by "celebrating within, uplifting throughout". The sorority performs extensive community building, and works on programs dedicated to such issues as diabetes, self esteem and domestic violence. Contrary to what someone may initially think, you do not have to be a plus-size woman to become a member.

Not only because service is a huge part of my passion and daily job but also because it's the right thing to do - it's no surprise that I am in love with the sorority's annual signature service project Que-.Tee F.I.TS!, a plus-size clothing drive.



The more I read about Chi  Zeta Theta the more proud I am that the plus-size community is making strides to come together in a positive and empowering manner.  I could not have imagined a Full Figured Fashion Week or a sorority dedicated to plus-size women when I was younger. I never saw many plus-size women who were truly happy with the skin that they were in.  Can you imagine the positive messages that a young curvy girl can have access to right now?!


What do you think of Chi Zeta Theta? Are you a member of Chi Zeta Theta? If so, what has membership meant to you? I'd love to know!


~Luvin' My Curves

A Throwback Revisited: Neon Hue

Morning!

As the summer heats up, so do the colors I see in the streets. One throwback I've seen continuously this summer is Neon. I have a habit of calling it the "hi-liter" look, but I know better :) It's definitley a throwback , but it's also a throwback revisited because it's definitely what's hot right now.

The ultra-bright hues were something that most of us were subjected to as children, after all this was the "thing" in the 80's. My mom went neon crazy, since I was the "focus" of her neon madness, I has a neon green winter coat, and neon pink glow in the dark leggings, needless to say I'm glad I'm able to pick out my own clothes now.

Back then you could find neon in just about every piece of clothing and accessory possible. Not just shirts, shorts, and dresses but also hats, glasses, jewelry,shoe laces Everything! The most popular hues were pink and green but yellow was quite on the forefront as well.

Here are a few of my favorite neon picks for the summer!

CC Skye Day Glo Neon Cuff $84, Zappos

Stone detail Flat Sandals $39.99, Lord & Taylor

My absolute favorite; nail polish!

China Glaze Towel Boy Toy $5.99;  Sally Beauty Supply, Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Rare $14; Sephora, Pop Beauty Radioactive Nail Polish $10;  Planet Blue

Tube Maxi Dress $34.99, Apple Bottoms ; Mossimo Kimono Sleeve Maxi Dress $24.99, Target

Zipper Trim Leather Clutch Wallet $64, Nordstrom

What's the best way to wear neon? However you like! I prefer to wear it a piece at a time instead of going from the head to toe look. But I also enjoy wearing a dark outfit and making the neon "pop" either in my shoe selection or nail polish.  

Are you wearing neon this summer? If so, how? Do tell :)

~Luvin' My Curves

OOTD: Summer Fun!

TGIF!!!

Because I promised I would do more OOTD.. here goes. This past weekend I attended the International African Arts Festival in Brooklyn. I havn't been in ages, I had a great time, but I'm not too keen on the new location (well, new to me) - Bed Stuy was perfectly fine with me.

I'm not a fan of taking pictures of myself - but I think I can get used to documenting my outfits ;) Since it's been a scorcher these past few days, I needed something that would allow me to walk through the festival so therein lies like my Jonesin' a cute summer dress and flats. Don't mind the cardi I was in A/C right before I took the pic.

Cardi: Fat Girl Flea Market Dress: Torrid; Necklace; Peep-toe Flats: Avenue

Enjoy your weekend,

~Luvin' My Curves

Single in the City? Not if it was up to Mom!

" You seriously need to date."

    - Mom

It's not uncommon to be a single woman in New York, just look at the figures. But for my old-fashioned West Indian mother this is a small cause for concern now that law school is over and I'm getting closer to 30. I am not as afraid of singledom as she is for me, but perhaps she's right - maybe I do need to go on a date.

Dating is tricky, but I've found that as a plus size woman my dating journey has been vastly different from my friends. There are some who WON'T date me because I'm a "thicka sista" and there are others who will ONLY date me because of that .(CeCe from The Big Girl Blog discussed this here)  I've matured in my resolve that I cannot be overly concerned with a guy's preference, I can only be concerned with me and how I handle myself.

Like everybody I do have my own insecurities, fears and terrible experiences when it comes to dating - from the extreme of  going out with a guy only to find out that we only went out so that he could win a bet of going out with the fat girl to having a guy spend the entire time trying to fatten me up. Don't get me wrong, I've had normal and wonderful dating experiences as well but this just goes to show you that this can be an interesting game.

With all of this said, Mom's comment rings true. I've taken the post-breakup "get my head right " hiatus from relationships, perhaps it's time to throw my fedora into the dating ring again. Coincidentally, one of my favorite bloggers Demetria Lucas from A Belle in Brooklyn took the plunge in the July issue of Essence Magazine by allowing herself to take a dating challenge. I read it but wasn't too sure if I wanted to allow myself to be hooked up or even actively seek out a date, eventually good friends and good wine prevailed and I figured "what could really go wrong?"

I don't know what this will bring, but my hope is that this venture won't be in total vain. I'm open to meeting new people and if a possibility arises that could be cool too. I may not discuss all of my adventures in a post, but make sure to follow me on Twitter because I'm sure you'll see some post-outing reactions there. So, join me for a spell as I (and a few guests) discuss these adventures in dating. What do you think?  I'd love to know your thoughts on these subjects, maybe we can all learn and/or laugh with each other.

~Luvin' My Curves

What J is Jonesin' For: Nothing like a NY Summer

Morning!

What happens when you're back in your element, and your calendar starts to pack up with places to go and people to see? You shop! The summer has always been a tough time for me jonesin' wise - I want everything I see and don't calm down until my wardrobe receives a decent size upheaval. The more I think about it, maybe I should I have done my 90 days no-shop during the summer - on second thought maybe not.

This month, I'm inspired by my social calendar. I've made a list of all the concerts,classes and places that I would like to go to this summer - a NY summer is something that everyone needs to experience, there's nothing like it. I want to make sure that I stay cool, but that I'm also expressing the style I've had to repress a bit for my job. Because I have no dress code to follow or students to worry about I can wear whatever I please; so I'm gravitating towards plunging necklines, higher heels and pieces that are perfect for late summer nights.


For the party lover in me:

I was jonesin' so bad for this dress that I ordered it; I refuse to agree with the "rule" that curvy girls should not do stripes.

Black and Grey-Striped Belted Dress $38, Torrid

Could I "sweep" all night in these 5" heels? I think not. However, I know I'd look damned good walking into the party with these shoes.

Rock and Republic Chelsey $344, Zappos

For an outdoor festival or concert: 

A simple summer dress and cute flat sandals will never betray you as you walk the entire length of the African Arts Festival or surrender to the rhythms at Central Park Summerstage.

Knit Dress $23.12, Avenue

A day walking across the Brooklyn Bridge with Chinatown Ice Cream Factory as a finish line treat:
I want to be comfortable yet cute; it's a long walk but the ice cream is worth it!

Cream Striped Hanky-Hem Tank $28, Torrid

There are so many other events going on this summer, and true to my jonesin' nature I'll be making sure to style for every one of them. What are you jonesin' for this month?


~Luvin' My Curves

P.S: Enjoy your holiday weekend!!

P.P.S: In my almost daily viewing of clothing websites I saw that Newport News has a Women's Plus Boutique- however the collection looks the same as it did before, just with a different name. Take a look at the site and tell me your thoughts.

-L.M.C-