I hate pantyhose!

The holidays are a terrible time to die. In my small town, the death report usually spreads pretty quickly. But the holidays slow the speed of grapevine transmissions. Yesterday, I found out that one of my high school classmates' mom had died during Christmas. By the time I heard the news, I had just enough time to make it to the funeral.

Thus begins the pantyhose struggle. I showered, did my hair, and applied makeup. All for naught, as it turned out, because the sweat I worked up struggling with the pantyhose flattened my hair and melted my makeup. I had to walk carefully once I was at the funeral, too, in an attempt to keep the damn things from falling down.

So today, I started to look for options. I've always hated garter belts because they seem to want to move in one direction while the hose move in another. The hose with the elastic bands at the top don't cut it either. I found these garter hose at Stockin Girl. They're a one piece contraption, and I've ordered two pair. I'll report on their wearability as soon as I know something.

More Swimwear

I like this nautical print from JMS, too! What to do? What to do? Perhaps I need two. :-)

Swimwear

Swimwear Sale at JMS

Tired of winter? Lucky enough to need resort wear? Then head on over to JMS for their swimwear sale. I like the skirted swimsuits, but there are a variety of styles available.

More JNY

If you've spent more than two minutes reading my blog, you know I love Jones New York. As soon as my credit card stops smoking from the holiday spree it's been on, I'm going to order this blouse to wear with those Svoboda jeans I mentioned in an earlier post.

Review-JNY Shirt

I'm very pleased with this shirt from JNY. It arrived Christmas Eve, and I wore it to a very casual party on Christmas night (paired with black pants.) It brought several compliments!

Good quality fabric in a great color combo and no gaping at the breast--what more could one ask?

Now's the Time

Now's the time to buy a great looking coat at sale prices. We don't have much winter left down south, but the after-Christmas sales make it worthwhile to buy and tuck away for next year.

A few words about wearing color . . .

Plus size women often want to wear clothes in which to hide. We try to hide the hips, the midriff, the legs. And then we wonder why people don't notice us.

I've found that wearing bold colors gives me confidence, and hopefully it helps me rise above the frumpy fat woman label that I carry around in my head. This coat is from J.G. Hook, and I guarantee you won't blend into the woodwork when you wear it!

Putting it all together

This jacket caught my eye as a great wardrobe booster for career women. From Jones New York, you can find it for 30 percent off at Bloomies After Christmas Sale.

Ulla Popken

Where have I been? No one told me about Ulla Popken!

I just bought some cute things from the Ulla Popken sute. Will post more when I receive my order. If you don't know about Ulla Popken, check out what you've been missing! Why aren't there more stores like Ulla Popken for those of us carrying a few extra pounds?

Jeans

So today I was watching "What Not to Wear", and I saw Svoboda jeans recommended for pear-shaped women. I checked the credit card and learning that I had not racked up quite as much as I feared Christmas shopping, I ordered the midnight jeans and another pair in white. I hope they fit as well as the reviews and the show indicate. They're a bit pricey, but I haven't had comfortable jeans that also looked good in years.

By the way, Svoboda is slavic for "liberty". That sounds promising! I've not felt liberated in the jeans I've been wearing, so this will be a relief. :-) Svoboda jeans are available at Nordstrom.

Very interesting!

Is the runway the last frontier for plus size women?

Another Great Silhouette

Another great silhouette for plus-sized women--princess seams. This jacket from JNY has a lot to offer, particular for those of in the deep south. I like the look of a jacket for work, but it's often simply not cool enough in the classroom to merit the extra layer. This one appears to be lightweight, and the single button closure and princess seams promise a flattering fit for a pulled-together look.

Sometimes You Just Know. . .

Sometimes you just know that a silhouette will look good on your body, and this is one of those silhouettes that always works for me. This dress from Spiegel has an empire waist, and the soft gathers of the skirt ensure a roomy and flattering fit. Spiegel's site also shows it with a wide leather belt and a cardigan, which I think would also make it suitable for career attire.

Houndstooth Jacket

One of the things I really like about Coldwater Creek is the large number of plus-size items it sells. Many stores seem to have a dozen or so pieces in their plus-size line, almost always in basic black and navy. Not so at Coldwater Creek; many of their pieces are available in both women's size and misses. Of course, we can expect a large selection of plus size items at a specialty store like Catherine's or Lane Bryant, but I appreciate regular stores that offer a large variety in plus sizes in addition to their regular line.

This houndstooth jacket is from Coldwater Creek, and it's a great example of what I'm talking about. This spiffy little wardrobe booster is definitely not an afterthought; someone has actually thought about the kind of cut that will be flattering on a plus size figure. And the coolest thing of all about this little number? It's handwashable!

Why Should Teachers Wear Professional Attire?

I remember hearing long ago that people should dress for the job they want rather than the job they have. I'm a teacher, and I actually have the job I want. But there's something to the idea of dressing professionally even in the trenches.

Whenever teacher pay raises are discussed in my state, I hear comments that relegate teaching to something less than a profession. You know the ones I mean: "You have summers off. You have spring break and midwinter break. Teachers only work half the year anyway."

If we want to be treated as professionals, we must act and dress professionally. Have you noticed the difference in your students' behavior when you dress for class? I don't have any formal studies to support this idea, but student behavior improves when I'm dressed professionally, I think.

Many of my students' parents are professionals, and I think that's another reason to wear professional attire. If I'm dressed well for a parent teacher conference, I'm not intimidated by Mr. Bigshot Helicopter Dad. That may be because he has subconciously evaluated my professional appearance and is treating me as a professional, or it may be because I'm more confident.

At any rate, I think there are lots of reasons to dress professionally for class. Try it, and let me know what you think.

Jewelry that makes an impact

Let's face it. A thin gold chain is going to disappear on a larger woman, so why not choose larger, chunky pieces. Most of want to emphasize our faces, and large necklaces like this one from Chicos are a great way to do just that. While shopping at their site, I saw lots of cute earrings that were described as lightweight. When you're looking for accessories, give some thought to scale and consider adding a few larger pieces to your collection.

Forever 21: True to Size?

I've spoken to several people who have said that Forever 21 does not run true to size. I'm hearing that their plus size fashions do not have much "give" in the fabrics, and that their size 3X is actually about a size 18. Have any of you shopped there? Is the information on sizing that I heard correct?

Casual top

This casual top from Bloomingdale's is by Rachel Pally White, a designer who offers many plus-size pieces that are both sophisticated and contemporary. I have some chocolate brown jeans that fit well, and I think this color combination might work well.

Out with the winter blahs. . .

We don't exactly have a real winter down south; instead we have rain. Drab skies, grey days, drizzle. You get the idea.

What a great sweater to chase away the winter blues! This plus-size silk cotton deco rose v-neck cardigan is from Liz Claiborne.

Little Black Dress with Flair

I'm liking what I see in this dress. The flaired skirt and fitted waist and top are usually flattering for plus size women, and there's a touch of crinoline at the hem according to the store's website. We go to one huge holiday party, and I'm thinking this might be the ticket. Maybe with a shrug?

Oh, and it has a built in bra. Lots going for it, yes indeed. It's available at Coldwater Creek.

Calling Size 16 W

I'm not a size 16W, so I can't buy this great herringbone dress from Liz Claiborne. Apparently all the other sizes have sold out, but if you're a 16W hop on over to the Claiborne site and grab this one before it's gone. Spoil yourself.

You have my permission. :-)

Hey, it's on sale, too!

Three Easy Pieces

Here are three easy pieces from Eileen Fisher that would make a great ensemble to wear for weekend errands or casual Fridays at the office.

I'm sure some of my readers are single, and I want to offer a couple of tips for ladies who want to be date bait. Maybe this is a southern thing, but I was taught to always try to look your best--even if you're just going to the farmer's market or the grocery store. Single men are everywhere, and you'll feel confident and attractive if you're looking your best and feeling comfortable.

There are PLENTY of men out there who love a woman with curves, but even they are not going to take a second look if you're out and about in your red sweatpants and stained white sweatshirt. Just don't do it. And anyway--why would you with comfortable, attractive plus size options like this outfit?

Design Gone Wrong

If I had the ear of plus-size designers, I would point out the following. Do you agree with these "designer don'ts" for plus size clothing?

• We don't look good in a sack! Roomy is good--shapeless is bad.
• We can wear colors other than black or navy. We can even wear prints.
• We don't like dresses and skirts that fall two inches above the knee. I don't know about my readers, but my knees are not something I want to emphasize.
• Don't place a stripe at the hips, por favor.
• We are not all eighty years old and ready for the housecoat/duster. We can find plenty of these. We need nice clothes! How about taking a look at your regular size line to find clothing that we'd like to wear, too?
• We work! We need business clothes that are attractive and contemporary. Even though we're larger, we need to blend in to the business world.
• We don't want heavy, ugly clothes. Think about clothes that women want to wear, whatever their size.

What would you add to my list?

I love this blouse!

I love this blouse by Jones New York! Can't you see it paired with a black skirt or pants? Perhaps a white or black shell beneath the shirt would work if wearing the shirt unbuttoned.

What do you think? It's not available for shipping yet, but the Jones New York site indicates it will be available in early January. I've preordered it, and I'll post a review when I have it in my hot little hands.

Why Blog?

Like most plus-sized business women, I have trouble finding attractive plus-size business attire that fits. I am a professor, and I try to look professional and put together. While searching for plus-sized business clothing yesterday, it occurred to me that my findings might help other larger ladies select a business wardrobe. I'll be posting my discoveries on this blog, and I hope I can make the blog useful to others in the same situation.