CONFIDENCE

CONFIDENCE

I found an interesting and inspiring Quote on Pinterest.  I could definitely relate to it and so I decided to share it with everyone.

The media and society constantly reminds and reinforces the notion that being plus size is negative and something to be embarrassed about.  Many women, myself included have struggled with esteem issues and confidence.  Enough is enough... Let's stop comparing ourselves with others and idealizing those false air-brushed images.  Each one of us is beautiful and unique in our own special way.  Let us walk proudly and adorn ourselves in clothing that makes us feel comfortable, trendy and beautiful.  Summer is here- After a long and harsh winter in Canada let us enjoy and live each day to the fullest.  Enjoy wearing those bright, bold and stylish colourful outfits.

MISS PLUS CANADA PAGEANT

June 30th 2014

Exciting News Ladies.  Canada is hosting it's annual Miss Plus Canada Pageant again this year.  After last year's roaring success, this year should be even better.

The Miss Plus Canada Competition was founded Dec 2012.

It is truly amazing that Canada has stepped forward and formed this type of an organization.  Other countries such as the USA have been hosting this type of event for a long time now.  It is high time that Canadian society has such a pageant to celebrate the fact that women are beautiful at any size.  The Miss Plus Canada Competition promotes and celebrates this fact.  Kudos to them for bringing this celebration to Canada.  The only few requirements are that you must be at least a size 12 and in the age range of 18-35.  It is not required that you are experienced in modelling or any other type of background related.  Anyone who is ambitious and confident can go out there and strut their stuff.   GO CANADA.  Let us show the world that beauty comes in many packages.   Even if you do not wish to be a contestant, plus size women should encourage one another to be confident and comfortable with who they are.  I plan on being at this event to show my support.  It should be a lot of fun.  Hope to meet some of you there!!!

THIS YEAR'S EVENT IS HELD AT:


FAIRVIEW LIBRARY THEATRE
35 Fairview Mall Drive, Toronto, ON
7pm Doors Open
8pm Event Starts

Tickets sold through eventbrite $25.00 Early Bird
Online and at the door for $35.00 after June 14th

Here is the link for you to check out all the details of this empowering event 
  www.misspluscanada.com

Why is a plus size NOT a plus size in Canada

Greetings again to all the beautiful bodacious ladies who reside in Canada.  Here we go again.  I went out shopping this past week, checking out what the latest trends were..  I am always curious to see what new additions are available for a plus size girl like myself.  The same old story.  I walk into a store, and WOW, all kinds of options.  Glitzy tops, sexy skirts, glamorous dresses and.......BUBKES  (pronounced bubkiss) for the plus size lady.  (which means nothing in yiddish)... Oy Vey.  So I keep walking .......waaaaaay to the back of the store....., down three flights of stairs and right in the very last dark corner, I find the plus size section.  Okay, I realize that is a little dramatic, but you get the point.  Ladies, you know what I am talking about, right?  Do you ever wonder WHY that is?  Do the store owners perhaps think that since we are NOT petite, we need more exercise?  Is this why they  make us walk further into the dungeons of their stores?  Do they feel that we are not worth putting some items out in the front of their store?  Just some things that make me ponder to myself and say "Hmmmmm".  Just once, I would like to walk into a store and see the plus size section right out in the very front.   Anyway, enough about that.  That thought is just too tantalizing, so I will just stop myself right there.

So at the end of my journey is immense disappointment. There are two or three items that look promising, but when you look at the sizes that they claim to be, you hold them up to yourself and come to the same conclusion that many of us come to....."NOT".  The 2X  or 3X should really have a label that says X or XL.

I peruse through a few more items and realize my Aunt Mavis would love that top.  I really do not have an Aunt named Mavis, but if I did, I am sure she would like some of the clothing items that are offered in many of these so called plus sections.  I apologize to anyone with an Aunt by that name.  The point is obvious.....I am youthful and wish to dress accordingly.  Although I see that retail is making some effort in providing a plus size section; particularily in stores that have never carried those sizes in the past, they are still not meeting the target.

I keep on walking into a few other stores.  I see something with bling bling on it.  A girl can never have enough items with bling bling in my opinion.  So I inspect the item, I nod with approval and then look at the sizes available.  I think to myself, okay they are trying.  At least this is available in 1X, 2X and 3X.  So once again I take the item off the rack and hold it out in front of me.   It was the same sh........ameful mistake.  Just wow......REALLY PEOPLE.  My daughter would just about fit into that and she is neither a plus size nor is she even an adult.  Okay a little exaggeration there.  Seriously though, I did recently order some leggings from the USA and with much anticipation for it's arrival, I was like a kid on Christmas Eve.  I had red eyes from lack of sleep.  The package finally arrived and as I salivated whilst opening the box.  I started inspecting what I just paid for in addition to over $40.00 in duty.  Much to my chagrin I realized I had been "burnt" again.  I ended up reluctantly giving my 11 year old daughter a couple of  VERY NICE styles of leggings, simply because not only would they fail to fit a plus size woman, but they would not even fit an ADULT. I do not think this should be happening.  When I received my order I found that there was no continuity in sizing. So although there were some appropriate for my daughter or someone who is definitely NOT a plus size woman, I was relieved that a number of them were at least a 1X  (17/18).  Those were fairly vibrant and so I was encouraged with that.  Sadly, some of the ones I really liked would be only able to fit a size 11/12 lady.

When you order something in your size, it should be in your size for heavens sake.  My goal is to make sure that the most unique leggings and bottoms become available to Canadian woman from XL all the way to 8X. This issue of incorrect sizing is a pattern I am seeing across the board with retail. Although I would admit, going into a strictly plus size store such as Penningtons, Addition Elle and Laura Plus etc, you definitely do not see these type of errors.  So thank goodness for strictly plus size retailers.  The other small boutiques that carry a small plus size section is where the problem lies. A 2X should not be equivalent to a only a large size. A 2X should be a 2X.  We will see what changes are made in the nearby future.  In the meantime, I guess my daughter is going to be "Stylin"!

Maribella Plus

Plus size leggings for the Full Figured Canadian Woman.

LEGGINGS- A fun addition to the plus size girl's wardrobe!


LEGGINGS.  What woman does not love them.  Teens, adults and mothers.  Leggings have been popular for many years.  In fact they have been around since the 13th century.  It was only in the 70's when they became a must have item in everyone's wardrobe.  Lately they are even more of a fashion trend.  Why is this?  The obvious answer is that women are busier than ever.  With work, children and social commitments. everyone wants to have something that is very comfortable yet can be dressed up for an occasion that calls for something a little more than casual.

Many styles of leggings are now available for women.  The prints and colours are endlesss.  Whether faux leather, bright vibrant solid colours or geometrical designs; leggings are definitely a trend that is not going away for a while.  Some stores are dedicated to selling ONLY leggings.

What woman does not love to throw on a pair of leggings with a long top or a hoodie and head out the door to take her kids to school, or just to run out the door for a quick errand.  Those types of everyday life events call for everyday comfort.  With leggings being mostly stretchy fabric, little is required of them.  They can be pulled off a shelf or off a hanger and not require anything else to be done with them other than putting them on with an appropriate top.  Plus size women like myself should consider a long top as a better option.   Since leggings are predominantly made from stretchy fabric, all women should generally wear a long top to cover up the toosh area.  In my opinion anyway, I think that a clingy dress or skirt is appropriate for most women who would like to show off their curves, however leggings tend to show a little too much.  Even though they are sooooo comfortable, many women make the mistake of wearing short tops that do not cover up their behind.  A long top if far more stylish and appropriate and can look absolutely amazing with a pair of unique leggings.  Whether a solid top or a glitzy top with a little more flare, any pair of leggings can look fab.
Plus size women like myself absolutely love leggings, not only for their comfort, but also because they require minimum effort in keeping them looking great.

Leggings are the perfect fit for busy Canadian women.  Plus size women like myself find that they are great because when you bend, they bend with you.  Unlike a great pair of jeans, there is much more flexibility with leggings.  Yoga pants have become very popular due to the same reasons that leggings are very in right now. Not everyone does yoga, yet alot of women wear them.  Am I right with that one?  I think this would be the reason why.  Not every woman can or even would want to put their leg behind their neck, yet they will go out and buy a pair of yoga pants, simply because of the flexible style and design.

Although there are many more styles to choose from with smaller sizes, I have found some that are fantastic and unique in sizes up to 3X.  I am finding more options for sizes up to 6X because I feel the need is there; not only for plus size leggings for Canadian women but unique and modern plus size clothing in general for the full figure Canadian woman.  Here are some of styles I just adore that I found in plus sizes.  When worn with a long top or blouse, leggings can be a dressy outfit if accessorized with the right jewelry and shoes. Here are some of my personal faves!!! Tell me what you think? -

Maribella Plus

The plight of the Canadian plus size woman

Here we are in the 21st century.  Mankind has made so many positive strides in the areas of health; transportation; communication and consistent efforts to fix our environmental issues, yet we can still ponder one thing that has not changed for the better.  That one thing is the ability for the plus size Canadian woman to find a multitude of options for youthful trendy clothing. We do not have a huge selection of vibrant colourful apparel that regular sized women can find on the racks in Canada.  Why is this, we ask ourselves.  It is the same plight that any plus size full figure Canadian woman finds herself facing year after year.



Not all of us want to keep our passports updated in order to spend some magical weekend across the border where it is eye candy for the plus size lady.  Shopping across the border should not be our only refuge when trying to find out of the ordinary clothing.  Plus size ladies in the USA are proud to wear orange, and bright yellow and any other colour they choose.  Colours that are not neutral or SAFE are in bountiful quantites across the border.  Canadian women do not have that conservative mindset, yet somehow these are the choices we find in the stores.  Canadian women were once thought of years ago as being cautious and non-adventurous with their choices for apparel.  Since we all know that is no longer true, why is it that as a plus size Canadian woman do we still have such few options for the bright orange and the zesty neon lime outfits that is readily available just south of us.    Shopping in Canada should not be still so limited in this modern day.  Being plus size is being beautiful at a size 14+ to 20 in Canada.  Any size beyond that means that you get to wear clothing that your grandmother would shake her head and say " You have got to be kidding me".  That is what I say each and every time I walk into a clothing store in Canada.   Many a road trip have I taken across the border with my sister and friends.  To my delight I prance around like a kid in a candy store as I come across one spicy outfit after another.  On these road trips I experienced the ultimate period of enlightenment in my life.  The ultimate discovery that "YES, I can wear that colour and it IS in my size". Although I thoroughly enjoy a road trip with good friends, kickin tunes and great snacks (not necessarily in that order), it is not always feasible to do so with life commitments.  Sometimes you just want to go down to the mall or some major shopping district area where you live and say "Just wow, that outfit is awesome. Then to be able to not just admire the outfit and walk away thinking "if only they had that in my size", but actually try it on and say "I look goooooood!"

      

Myself and a small group of plus size ladies decided this would be the year for us to seek out the best way for the Canadian woman to have access to any colour and style that she sets her heart on.  Clothing is far less expensive across the border, yet so many options are available to our neighbours to the South.  The Canadian woman has to pay enormous prices just to wear something that is bleak and matronly.  This is the time for change.

Time is not standing still, neither should our options for exciting apparel.  It is time for the curvy Canadian woman to pick up the torch and let the world know that she is bored with her clothing options.  Join us if you are one of these women who share these sentiments.  We have read many a blog and heard many women crying out for a solution other than hopping in their car and going to shop outside of Canada.  It is high time that the fashion industry  realizes the full figure Canadian women want change.

Maribella Plus