Plus-Sized and Pregnant

Motherhood's "Normal" shirt

Ladies. I found it nearly impossible to find affordable, cute, flattering plus size maternity clothes. It is as if the majority of the nation only wears up to a size 12. I went to Motherhood Maternity when I was ready to get some cute, little Maternity tops and stretchy waisted pants. (A big no-no for me before I was pregnant.) 

Motherhood's Plus...
see the difference?

First of all, they have a whopping TWO sections for my size. I walk in and get drawn to the adorable little patterned long sleeved t's and coordinating puffy vests and realize I am in the "regular section". I immediately go into "chubby girl" mode and look for the display with the frumpy looking t-shirts and head that way. My hunch was right. It looks like I can get bedazzled t-shirts, jeans, and maybe a few frumpy looking shirts. Yay. Motherhood Maternity - you made my pregnancy clothing dreams come true!

Next, let me tell you about Motherhood Maternity underwear. My Aerie undies (you can read about my love for them here) were getting a little awkward around my bump and not staying up (plus I didn't want to stretch them out). So, I head to Motherhood Maternity - the mecca of all maternity clothing stores - and look for undies. I see a 3 pack on sale so I grab 2 packs. I even go UP a size since undies tend to be more fitted and I don't want that feeling near my skin. I get home and try them on and I hear the crunching of the waistband as I stretch it up toward my belly button. It sounds like the undies have dry rot and they have NO stretch. Seriously? These are supposed to be maternity underwear? I throw them away and ended up dealing with my Aerie underwear for the duration of the pregnancy. I wrote Motherhood Maternity an email and never heard back. I guess that is the benefit of having a monopoly. Well played, Motherhood, well played.

It looks like I'm not the only one!

For those of you who may be thinking, "Macy's has a maternity section". That is owned my Motherhood Maternity. Kohl's? A Pea in the Pod? Destination Maternity? All a part of Motherhood Maternity. 

"Embrace the slouchy perfection of our easy-going
 floral print drawstring pants."

So, plus size maternity solutions? 

• JCP  and Sears have some options - just please steer clear of the image to the right (from JCP). They also do not usually have Maternity in the store so you are stuck doing online shopping only. Sometimes I feel like the designers think, "how can I best describe how a plus size woman likes to dress...maybe by using the words "slouchy", "easy going", and "drawstring"."  Designers, please take note. We are not the People of Walmart but if you don't make stuff in our size that looks acceptable, what do you expect?

• Old Navy and Target advertise as though they have our sizes but really they just go up to XXL which we all know is much different than 2x. To their credit, they do run large in their tops but forget about maternity bottoms unless you have a tiny hiney. Old Navy also usually only has an end cap of odd items for sale in the store.

• You can also think about renting your maternity clothes from places like Mine for Nine. If you are planning for multiple children, however, it would definitely be cheaper to buy a few key items in your size and then maybe rent some special items each pregnancy.

Bottom line? If you are plus size and pregnant or planning to become pregnant, don't be fooled by Motherhood's Monopoly. Don't waste your time trying all the department stores. Think outside the box and Mine for Nine will probably be your best bet.

An Open Letter to Lane Bryant

Dear Lane Bryant Design Team,

Last weekend I went to Lane Bryant in search for some khakis and completer pieces and guess what I found? The perfect outfits to become a celebrity on the People of Walmart website. I am not sure who you are, but it needs to stop. Just stop. You are not doing us any favors by making skinny pants with little ankle zippers. Some ladies might not know how to dress their bodies to flatter so they are dependent on you to assemble a trendy, slimming wardrobe. Well, guess what, Lane Bryant? You can't fool me.

Stuffed Sausage:

• I know that even though skinny pants are "in" this season, I won't be putting them on my body. I don't want to look like an overstuffed sausage. 
• I also know that ankle pants make plus-sized beauties look short and stubby. An athletically built 5'2" girl can pull off ankle pants, but you know we can't. It is almost humorous how poorly you are encouraging us to dress. 

Blubby:

• I understand that people like to dress to  be comfortable. However, that doesn't mean that all plus-sized girls like to wear stretchy fabrics all the time. Do you realize that T-shirts get all stuck up in one's fat rolls and then makes it look like we just got out of bed? Is that the look that you are going for? Give us a little structure and respect. 
• Our arms might be chubbier than some, but that doesn't mean that we want our sleeves to start at our elbows. You have the expertise to create tops that don't scream "I NEED TO WEAR PLUS SIZE. CHECK OUT THE ELASTIC ON MY SHIRT!" Please do so. 
• Horizontal stripes. Really? 

In closing, I simply beg of you to consider your audience before designing clothes for us. We trust you to make us look good and lately you have been letting us down.

Sincerely,
Natalie

Just Google It.

There comes a time in every chunky girl's life where she googles something embarrassing. It meets these two qualifications: 1. She hopes someone has asked the same question. (So she can find answers, of course.) 2. She hopes she can delete her browsing history before anyone knows she searched for that. My recent search terms have been things like "control top leggings", "how to get permanent marker off my skin", and "Can fat people go skiing?" The latter is the one I hurried to delete from my browsing history. It was followed up with searches for plus-size ski boots, leg measurements for ski boots, weight limit for skis, width of a chair lift, and (perhaps most important of my searches) how to get up after falling when wearing skis. My search was disheartening as I realized I would probably have to enter into an intimidating ski shop full of people who wear clothes from places like Zumez and EMS, get custom boots made for my legs, buy skis (so I could avoid writing my weight on the rental application at the resort), score a winter coat (which I have successfully avoided for years), and then still try to figure out how to get up after I fell without breaking into a full sweat. After all of my expensive ski purchases...what if I hated skiing? I decided that asking Google if I was too fat to ski was a breaking point for me. Although I am a confident girl, my chubbiness has never inhibited me from trying something new...until now. I want to be able to get up if I fall. I want to know that if I tear my ACL on the slopes I will be able to support myself on crutches. So I am aiming for next year. It might take me that long to find custom boots anyway! In the mean time, if you are willing to give it a go and need some ski gear and don't want to worry about deleting your search history - here is the best stuff I found:) Plus-size snow pants and jackets and Boots for large calves. Alright, ladies. I am off to the gym. My next post will be about my fat crying.

Supporting your Assets

When I was younger, I couldn't wait to wear a bra. When I finally started wearing a bra, it was a sports bra. Nothing says "welcome to womanhood" like a uni-boob. Thankfully, training bras have come a long way since 1993. Once I transitioned to the awkward "real" bra, I never really appreciated what it could do for me until college. To me, it was just a necessary evil. Once I discovered the power of a perfect bra, I have felt the need to tell the world - so listen up!

Ladies, you need to have a clear definition between your chub and your assets. Your chest should be well supported - regardless of age. Comfort is definitely a consideration but should not be the end-all. Here is what you should look for in an amazing "over the shoulder boulder holder" (thanks for that phrase, Punky Brewster).

1. Proper sizing. Go to Victoria's Secret, Sears, JC Penny, or a bra specialty shop and get fitted. Then, stay pretty much within that range. "Range?" You ask? Yes. Each bra and each brand will fit differently so try on multiple bras unti you find the one that matches with the rest of the advice below.
2. Support. 80% of the support should come from the back strap. It should fit loose enough so you can fit 2 fingers under the back strap and it is best to start on the middle hook.
3. Adjustable straps. If your chest is still "saggy", adjust your shoulder straps. A new bra should allow the shoulder straps plenty of "tightening" space. As the bra gets older, you will want to be able to tighten the shoulder straps. Also, the ability to criss-cross your straps will give unbelievable support. Try it sometime!
4. Underwire. Hear me out on this one. If the bra fits well, the underwire will lay flat against your ribcage and along the outside of each breast. A well-fitting bra will be comfortable. Make sure you are wearing the right size...then try several styles. The lift provided by the underwire is unmatched.
5. Padding. Just because you are well-endowed, doesn't mean you shouldn't have some padding in your bra. Good padding in the base if the bra cup will give your chest the extra boost it needs.
6. Fun. Buy a bra you like and that you are comfortable in. Wear it all day and if you decide you like it, but several more...and then throw out your boring bras:)

Good luck, ladies. A well supported chest makes your waste look thinner and balances out your hips.

Layers aren't just for dip.

It's been awhile. I am just coming out of my layers I've been swaddling myself in for the past several months. Which brings me to the topic of the day: Layers.

If you don't currently dress in layers, you must. Now. Not sure how? Just start layering - you will figure it out. Here are a few tips:

1. Supportive Bra. There is no excuse for you to not have proper support. I will post on what to look for in a good bra soon.
2. Anti-back-fat tank top. Control the jiggle, tuck it in, and rock it.
3. Long tank top. Cut your rear-end in half while staying modest on the top.
4. Shirt of the day. It can be flashy, fun, or whatever you prefer, but do yourself a favor and make sure that you will have seams in the right spot. If you are wearing a t-shirt (which I am NOT a big fan of...what does that do for us? Makes us look blobby!), pair it with a structured hoodie. If you are wearing a polo or button down without a "completer piece" (see number 5), it should have seams on each side of the chest to keep your bodice from looking lumpy.
5. If you so choose, pair your shirt with a cardigan, sweater, or structured jacket.
6. Accessories. Big girls need big bags...and don't forget the jewelry!

Please feel free to comment or email me (personatilee at gmail.com) with any specific questions. My goal for this spring and summer is to have pictures to define exactly what I am talking about!

Chunky Girls in Sweatpants

Who designs plus size clothes? I would love to speak to some of them. I feel that some of the stores selling plus size clothes are doing a disservice to those who do not understand how to dress for their body style.

Yesterday, I was at the Avenue and saw enough sweatpant material (they like to call it "knit") to cover the surface of the state of New Hampshire. This isn't a dig toward chubby girls like myself. This is just that almost their entire fall line is made out of sweatpants. Sweat skirts, sweat shirts and yes, even sweat dresses. I saw a really cute black and white flowered dress, but nothing says "I didn't buy this at a mainstream store" like a nice sweatband material around the waist like this dress had.

I think the main reason I am becoming more dissatisfied with the Avenue is because I recently discovered Talbots Woman. I know, I know, their demographic isn't exactly toward my generation. But for business and classic apparell, I like their stiff fabrics (they don't easily get stuck in fat rolls - see my post on Anti-Back-Fat tank tops), structured jackets and skirts, and trendy colors. Scarves, mom-pants, and funny length skirts are also abundant there if that is your thing.

Although the prices are very steep, clearance is good (albeit the selection is more limited) and since they get a new line in every month, there is plenty to choose from.

However, if sloppy, shapeless, frumpy, unflattering sweatpants are your thing. Have a happy fall. There is a time and a place for sweatpants. On your couch.

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.