Thursday, December 8, 2011

Ignore the Naysayers


Blogger Gabi Fresh's bold summer look.
Full figured women, like me, are often caught in a fashion catch 22. Like all fashion fiends, curvy babes want to enhance their wardrobes with fierce trends and classic pieces that accentuates their curves and put their best assets on full frontal display. But, some top designers aren’t creating pieces that cater to our large hips and wide waists. So, what is a full figured woman to do when society has developed standards for what is acceptable for us to wear, but we want to bend fashion rules?

Just do it. Ask blogger, Gabi, whose fashion blog Gabi Fresh, caters to the curvy woman. In a recent blog post, Gabi posted photos of herself wearing a sheer chiffon blouse, one of her wardrobe staples this past summer. The criticism she received was astounding. Being told that she should lose weight before showing her flubber was both disrespectful and a blatant stab at her self-esteem. But, what I respect about Gabi is that she refused to be silenced because she doesn’t fit into society’s perception of what “beautiful” is. So, the next week, she posted again in another chiffon blouse. What Gabi represents is fashion at its’ core: risk taking, daring and willing to bend the rules to showcase individuality.

Fashion is an art form and fashionistas use clothing pieces and the perfect quilted leather handbag to represent the colorfulness of our personalities (or at least I do).

When I interviewed Leslie Medlik and Tiffany Bank, two of the stars of TLC’s smash hit mini-series, “Big Sexy,” both women were adamant in their refusal to limit their clothing options to stores designed for us such as Torrid and Forever 21 plus size. Both of these powerhouses were confident enough in themselves and their bodies to venture to straight size stores and ignore the 8, 9, or 10 on the label. They used dresses as shirts and removed the seams from blouses to create the “flowing” look.

That is the creativity that fashion allows us.  You don’t have to conform to what society would have us wear. Channel that Big Sexy confidence and dare to be bold in your closet. 

-Evette Dionne

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