Friends don't let friends wear packaged panties

So the search for good underwear continues. Each chunky girl I talk with seems to have the same issue: poorly made or frumpy underwear. Ladies, I would like to inspire you. Just because you are not a size two does not mean you have to wear granny panties. Underwear is the only exception to the "just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it" rule. In fact, I strongly encourage you to wear sexy, fun, inspiring, feminine, undies.

I understand everyone's body is different. You may prefer thongs while I prefer boy shorts. Whatever works. Recently I had the underwear discussion with a friend. She wears a size 22 pants and needed to get new panties. I recommended she try American Eagle (aerie) boy short underwear. She thought I was crazy...and the logic that followed is legit. If she cant wear their clothes, how could she wear their underwear? That is where the stretch comes in. I have been wearing aerie undies for 7years and must admit that they are my faves. They fit well, wash well, and last long. They come in all shapes and just in care you were wondering, I wear an XL but haven't fit into their clothes since I was 9.

Why aerie?
- Lane Bryant underwear are not only cut to be pulled up to my bra, but also refuse to keep their shape. Instead if my chub staying put in my undies, my undies stretch almost to the point of falling off. I don't know about you, but my underwear inching down my legs while tooling around in Walmart is not my idea of sexy.
- Avenue offers granny panties, if that is what you are in to. They have some cute styles and prints but be prepared to have them come way higher than your natural waist. I just love bending over and letting the world see my cute panties pulled higher than my jeans...
- Torrid has cute underwear that aren't frumpy, but I have yet to review a pair. I actually was just there last night and decided against purchasing a pair to try. The fabric and cut was astonishingly similar to Lane Bryant's undies...and I know too well how badly that money was wasted.

Okay, so what do you do if aerie doesn't fit you? Department store undies are a good alternative. I will post my findings as I come across other fits, brands, and cuts as well as continue to hope LB and Avenue get their act together so all the workers in aerie don't think I have a poor misconception of my pant size.

Baby got back(fat)

I've come to accept my fat rolls. We don't get along well, but now that I have learned how to control the jiggle, things are better. Back fat is a common phrase for me. I simple won't wear a shirt if it can't somewhat conceal my back fat. Right now, as I sit in Starbucks, I am wearing my typical four layers on my upper half: bra, anti-back-fat tank top, regular tank so my chest doesn't hang out, and my shirt. I have heard the argument that wearing four layers probably increases my inch count around my torso. Yes, it very well may do that...but these inches don't jiggle and my back is covered when I sit down. There are few things less attractive in this world than stretch mark laden chub spewing out over pants. I will take my layers, thank you.

Four major things you must look for when purchasing an anti-back-fat tank top are length and strength, material, and fit.
1. Length - will it stay tucked in when seated? Will it roll up and cause your roll(s) to bulge?
2. Strength - do you jiggle? Good tanks will minimize or even stop the jiggle.
3. Material - ideally, the material will allow your chest to be controlled but not squished (which will cause you to have the chubby neck look), and it will be non-silky at the bottom. This is crucial so it stays tucked in...you don't want to look great one second and pregnant the next.
4. Fit - it should be snug and may feel uncomfortable at first. If you can get it on and keep it tucked in, go with that size!

So far, the best tank I have found for this back fat issue is sold at JC Penney and is called "I am Yummie". It embodies everything I mentioned, comes in sizes up to 3x and is reasonably priced. However, I have not tried the Spanx tank yet but will give a full review when I do.

Good luck, ladies. Let me know if you find a great product, as I am always looking to reduce the mass.

Short shorts?

I have decided chunky girls should live in Alaska. Summers are just more stress than it is worth. Think about it: sweaty dressing rooms, swimsuits, and dare I say the problem I am currently facing...shorts.

Not all big and beautiful girls struggle with the shorts topic. Some have sculpted legs and thighs that don't rub so bad that they set off a four alarm fire. For me, however, I have difficulty finding shorts that are long enough to hide the "top of the knee pudge" but that fit well enough in the rump and thighs to they don't ride up and reveal the knee-rolls I've concealed all winter.

After an extensive review of shorts so far this summer, I have decided three things:
1. We shouldn't wear plaid. Ever. Unless we want to look bigger. Trust me, ladies, I've tried it all.
2. Lane Bryant has the best short selection this summer. They are thick enough (that is a topic for my next post), structured, and come in a variety of lengths.
3. Once again, a friendly reminder to all of us: just because they make it in our size, doesn't mean we should wear it.

So ladies, unless you choose to move to Alaska (where sweaters, jeans, and layers are in style year round), good luck in your shorts hunt...and get ready for a fun, blog-filled summer!