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Fall Transition Kimono Style

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I’ll be honest, my personal style is eclectic.  I can go from hyper feminine to polish professional, to dark and edgy, to Sunday Best within a week. Notice that there is no mention of boho in that mix. I’m not sure what it is about that particular trend that I find not for me. My workaholic nature probably won’t embrace the concept of a light and relaxed style. Anyway, that changed once I saw this floral print kimono on the Wet Seal Instagram feed I wanted to see what I could do with this new addition to my closet. I’ve teamed up with fellow “budgetista”, Angelica from Affordable Curve for some transitional style inspo, make sure to check out her looks here.

Look # 1 : Breezy & Dressy

With this kimono’s dramatic bell sleeves and  floral blossom print on a brilliant blue background I immediately thought about sizing up to wear this as a dress only to realize I should have sized up two sizes because of my large bust.  When that original idea didn’t pan out I thought, why not wear it over a dress? I love the mix of silk, jersey and faux leather textures here. I swapped the fabric belt for my new faux leather obi belt I managed to score from Torrid last month for less than $2! (Note: Always check the clearance section between seasons.) The strap front pep toe heels are a step above the heeled sandals that I would usually wear to the office during the summer. For a more conservative professional look I could swap them for flats or closed front pumps.

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+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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Not a Production but a Movement: Viva Africa by The Truth UTG

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viva africa title card

Image Credit: The Truth UTG

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of going to see Viva Africa, a musical retelling of William Shakespeare’s Romero and Juliet, that deconstructs present social issues like racial profiling, stereotyping, immigration as well as ethnic cultures and tradition. The Truth Urban Theater Group manages to not only entertain as it seeks to educate the audience on the significance of the immigration narrative as it is what connects us, but has also managed to create a great divide.

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Last Minute Holiday Shopping Guide

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This holiday season has proven to be hectic with trying to balance work and everything else to the point that it became very difficult for me to even start my Christmas shopping when usually by this point I would be finished.  Even as I write this I only have one stocking stuffer to show for all my shopping efforts, and its not even for anyone on my list…I got it for me.  Anyway, here are some gifts ideas of things I found as I did some online shopping. If you like me are way behind in shopping, make sure to put in our orders as soon as you can, Christmas is next Friday! In an effort to finish the year on budget I’ve made sure that everything on this guide is $30 and under, minus shipping though many retailers seem to now be offering free shipping due to holiday rush so that cost shouldn’t be as bad as it usually is. Happy shopping! Continue reading →

24 Hours In Queens, New York with Eventbrite

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New York City. The so called “center of the world” is the place I call home.  As much as I love “the city” (aka Manhattan), Queens has my heart, having been born and raised in this borough. Queens truly is the unsung part of the city though parts of it is now being developed into hipster-villes much like Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Nevertheless,  Queens has a lot to offer, you just have to take a closer look. Here is just one way that you can spend a day in my fair hometown. On this list of recommendations you will find places that are both enjoyable and affordable so that you can get the most out of your visit. Continue reading →