Tuesday, October 27, 2009

H & M Has Plus Size Clothing in Germany



I'm in Germany, and I'm happy to report that there are stores with nice large size clothing here. My friend, Andrea, took me shopping in Pforzheim, a city with a population 116,000 at the northern edge of The Black Forest.
There's an H&M here and guess what? This H&M has plus size clothing! H&M is a retail store out of Sweden and the concept is "fast fashion," meaning they offer the latest trends from the runways at affordable prices. The H&M in Los Angeles does NOT have plus sizes, so I was really curious what the clothes would look like. The billboards in LA indicate that their clothes are trendy.
This H&M in Pforzheim dedicated a corner of the store to the larger sizes. The area was small and frankly, nothing jumped out at me as a "must have." But I did like this green military/safari style jacket in cotton. Andrea and I both bought one.
European is very different from American sizing. A size 10 in America is about a size 40 in Euro sizing. My jacket is a size 52, which would be a size 22. However, in America I usually wear a size XL to a 1X in tops and a 16/18 in jackets. It's a bit big in the torso, but to accommodate my broad shoulders I got the next size up. I'll take it to my tailor in LA to move the buttons over. It's always been my opinion that cheaper clothing tends to run smaller.
You may not know that there are no standard specifications for women's clothing sizes like there are for men's apparel. A man shops for a shirt by his neck size and a pair of pants by his waist size and inseam. Not so for females. Women usually end up wearing a range of sizes, depending on the maker, the shape and the fabrication of the item.
Years ago, Anne Klein started a trend that made it seem like we were all wearing a smaller size by shifting her size chart. If you wore a size 12, you could fit into a size 8 or 10 in her collection, making her clothing very popular.
I will say this again and again, I don't really care what size I actually have to purchase, as long as it fits. It is the price tag I am more concerned about. Price of the green military jacket? €39,95 Euros. And no, that comma isn't a typo, there is a comma vs. a period with Euros!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

BBWs Say Online Dating Doesn't Work. What Is Your Opinion?


The Associated Press called me up the other day to discuss online dating and in particular, dating sites that cater to BBWs.(Big Beautiful Women, coined by Carol Shaw, founder of the original Big Beautiful Woman magazine and a woman with a real set of balls!)
I had written about my personal experience with online dating on Craigslist.org and posted it on my other blog at open salon dot com.
I had met Craig Newmark during the whole scandal of "The Craig's List Killer," and felt that my experience with Craig's List was an example of the organic and sincerity of most people who post or peruse Craig's List. In fact, the overwhelming response and the transperancy of most of my responses actually restored my faith in mankind, as in kind men.
The article Megan Scott wrote about BBWs and online dating has crossed the wires and is starting to get internet pick up.
Here is the link to the first paper to post it. Let me know about your experience with online dating.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Kingley&Posh Sale - New Resource


I heard about Kingley&Posh when they were looking for industry insiders to take a survey about plus size clothing.
I've been watching the collection. There are some nice tops and a cool black dress worth checking out.
They're having a sale and contest through October 16, 2009.
Enter to win a $100 Visa gift card.
Enter code Gorgeous09 for instant savings on some items!
www.kingleyandposh.com

Update on Newport News Catalog High Waist Push-Up Leggins


The high-waist push-up Shape FX Leggings arrived. The XL Tall will fit at least a 46 hip. The control band at the "high waist" may press into the torso, right under the bust, and may be too tight for some. They washed well, I let them air dry, but even washing with Woolite Dark, I can see they are going to fade. Turn them inside out to prolong the inevitable.


http://www.newport-news.com/shop/product_single.aspx?style_id=37598236

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Drop Dead Diva

Check out this article in The New York Times about an "overweight" character who struggles to lose weight on Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva." Recent research on weight loss, how the brain works and the truth about genetics are revealed in this article. I haven't seen this show or the character, but we might want to check it out on Lifetime.

लास्ट होलीडे विथ कुईं लातिफः

queen latifah in last holiday
I finally got around to screening the film "Last Holiday," with Queen Latifah.
She really walks her talk in this movie. The costumes are colorful and show off QL's curves. The character transforms from a matronly sales clerk to a jet setting entrepreneur. The subtle nuances that can make or break the style of a larger woman, were deftly handled by costumer designer Daniel Orlandi.
Every year I look forward to the exhibitions that feature costumes from television and film at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, FIDM, gallery in Los Angeles.
It's exciting to hear the curator share industry anecdotes and insider information about the costume designer, the production and the clothing itself. This year I was particularly entranced by the costumes from Coco Before Chanel.