Category: Body Image

Why Fa(t)shion?

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I have been very fortunate to have major support for what I do here on this blog. I’ve had friends and family help me pick out blog shoot sites, take pictures and point out new industry updates that I may have missed due to my hectic schedule.  And every once in a while they question what I decide to feature in my posts, but with recent events being what they are, I’ve noticed that these private exchanges have shifted. I’ve begun to get messages saying that with my academic background and intellect, my time and efforts would be better spent writing about social injustices instead of fashion. To be honest, I have been anticipating that comment for a while now. The very act of  getting dressed is considered to be a necessary, yet  frivolous, part of everyday life, so the pointing out that  fashion plays a central role in society is met with denial and ambivalence. The thing is culture, race, socioeconomics, gender, capitalism/consumerism and even politics all intersect in fashion.

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Everyone whether black, white, rich, poor, male, female, adult, child or teen interact with it in some capacity.  Just think about  the amount of effort we put into figuring out what to wear for everyday occasions like going to work,  job interviews, graduations, dates,  quinceañera parties and of course weddings. Fashion, even at its most simple, conveys culture, social status, income level, education, age, sexuality, and even nationalism.  Continue reading →

+Size Matters: My Top 5 Positive Animated Plus Size Characters

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It’s been a while since my last post and if you follow me on Facebook and Instagram, you know about the unexpected death of my beloved laptop. (Poor thing was only 2 years old…) However, thanks to my good friend and mentor, I now have a borrowed laptop to work on which has allowed me access to resume work on my blog. And I’m happy to report that I have a few outfit posts in the works as well so stay tuned for that. That said, let’s move on to today’s discussion: animated plus size characters.

Animation is an often snubbed form of media as it is usually geared towards children. For the most part this is our first introduction to Western standards of beauty (or at least it is here in the US) with fat bodies not being the norm. These often negative portrayals, though many are brief, tend to perpetuate negative stereotypes and body image perception, even more than live action portrayals. Media on a whole reflects society’s standards and beliefs of body image, but animators usually exaggerate it as they see fit, usually for a “comedic effect.”

I present to you Exhibit A. 

So when we are continuously fed this idea that being bigger makes a plus size person undesirable and the punchline to a joke, it limits what they are capable of which is not a message you’d want for any kid.  Fortunately, there were a few positive representations that do make it to the screen that helps change this visual practice. By “positive” characters I mean that their characterizations and story lines are not specially linked to their size or limited to archetypes like comedic relief, instead they are truly fleshed out personalities. As one can expect these characters had brief appearances  in their respective films or series, but they do leave  quite the impression as they challenge the controlled image of what a plus size character is. With that in mind, here are my top 5 positive animated plus size characters.

**It stands to reason that there are spoilers ahead, so consider yourself warned.**

Disclaimer: This list is completely made up of female characters, however, I am considering making another list specifically about plus size men in the near future.

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Too FAT For Short Hair?

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TOO FAT for short hair- Blog picMy hair and I are like Ross and Rachel (yes, I finally got around to watching Friends while I was in college and have since reference the series when appropriate). Admittedly, part of this complicated love-hate relationship is due to the fact that it is thick and curly, thought that is a topic for a future post.  My hair is a dull shade of dark brown and has a mind of its own, to the point that I refer to wash day as “taming the beast.”  Even still my hair has been considered my most beautiful feature. This was only cemented by how people reacted to it on a daily basis – – with awe and compliments. Continue reading →

Full Figured Fashion Week Day 1 & 2*

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Full Figured Fashion week started this past Sunday and I couldn’t be any more excited. This is my first year attending some events and while I didn’t get the chance to go to some of the signature ones, I will be recapping my experience on the blog up until this weekend a.k.a. The Curvy Con!

Day 1-  Redefining Healthy Panel

This afternoon event hosted by Darlene of Suits, Heels and Curves, was so inspiring and empowering that I can’t even put to words. The workshop with its panel, conversation circle, makeup tutorial and Vixen workout covered the importance of self love, mental health, claiming your sexy, cultivating your style, and putting your best face on; all stressing that size does not determine your worth, beauty or your health. #iamredefininghealthy from here on out.

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Darlene welcoming everyone to this empowering event.

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My Two Cents: Modesty is NOT “Anti-Body Positive”

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Webster’s dictionary defines modesty as, “the quality of behaving and especially dressing in ways that do not attract sexual attention; propriety in dress, speech or conduct.” Even with this definition “modesty” brings to mind images of plainness, frumpy clothes and overly-religious reserve; all things that the body positive movement is against. For the most part being body positive has meant wearing revealing clothes such as body-con dresses and crop tops, understandably so as plus size women are reclaiming visibility after decades of being taught self-loathing to the point of hiding their body. However, this in turn has made the movement somewhat exclusive as those who chose not to empower themselves in such a way are put down as needing more self esteem and confidence.Modesty is not Anti-Body PositiveMay exclaim: “Show those arms! Your figure! Them legs!” Continue reading →