Tee perfect

What is it about the tee-shirt? It's a total wardrobe staple - and I mean everything from your plain white cotton ones that are perfect for layering to this breezy, chiffon beauty in a nice deep pink.

A Time Away

Dear Readers,

Are you still out there? If I've lost you forever, I apologize. I hope that you moved on to other Plus-sized Mom blogs full of sarcasm and love. If I haven't lost you, then I am soooo glad you're still here!

I didn't plan it, I just found that I needed time. I love this blog, I love you, dear Readers, but I needed a time away. A time to focus on myself, my family, my home businesses, my life! But the other day I thought - you know what I miss? Blogging!

Move it Move it

Recently I've started a new program to get back to running. I used to run all the time when I was younger - but age and life takes over and the thought of going out and running around the neighbourhood just seems silly. So I downloaded a Couch to 5k app (from here on called C25K) for my phone and have started interval training hoping to get up to a running a full 5 k by the end of week 9.

Despite dancing regularly and walking with the kids everyday and the odd family bikeride I don't usually do anything that requires any specific gear - but getting serious about running means wearing appropriate gear. It has to breathe and move with you and not be too constricting or uncomfortable (because there's ENOUGH uncomfortable things about running already, lol).

But therein lies the problem: finding plus size activewear that's not a)super ugly/unflattering b)too small and therefore overly constricting and c)exorbitantly expensive.
Now I know this is going to seem whiny, but I'm going to say it anyway: apparently heavier people "need" to exercise (let's not get into that - the fact is I personally WANT to exercise) but there is a definite lack of activewear in plus sizes. And frankly - I don't want to run in a giant cotton t-shirt just because people think that I need to wear something that bears a striking resemblance to a sack when I run just because I'm bigger.

So - I've done quite a bit of searching and found a few Canadian plus size activewear options that aren't bank-breaking, and are actually quite functional and even cute!

Additionelle has a line called Nola that makes some decent pieces. Their dry-wear is actually quite effective and the prints this season are decent. Some of my faves are:

Nola No-show Waist Legging - love the purple!

Online Shopping

*Disclosure: I will be receiving product from Newchic in return for this wishlist posting as well as a post reviewing the items once I receive them.*

Do you do much shopping online? I order lots of different things online, but usually, clothes aren't one of them. I was recently contacted by Newchic website and asked if I would like to order a few things to try and review. I was definitely interested, but wary because I don't usually buy clothes online - what if they don't fit!? What if the material isn't what I expected?
Also - I usually have major issue navigating the websites for online clothiers.

Newchic's website is fairly easy to navigate and they have TONNES of search options, which I like. I hate looking through lots of pictures and choosing to look at something only to find it's not available in my size. You can narrow your search parameters by size, colour, print, price range, material and pretty much anything else you can think of! They also have a really easy to use wishlist function (which I find is a nice way to save all of the things you *think* you might want to order and then narrow it down according to your budget later on)

Surprisingly - they actually have a fair amount of plus size clothing. My other main issue with most online retailers is they say "We have plus sized clothes!" and by that they mean "We carry up to a US size 12" which is.... not. the. same. You have to take a look at their size chart to figure out what they call the sizes, and knowing your measurements is definitely helpful, but Newchic had quite a few items that fit my measurements.

Here are a few things that I actually ordered from Newchic. I may order other things later on if these items work out.

This casual top looks really comfortable and I look forward to pairing it with my fave jeans, or leggings.

This scarf has a beautiful print and I'm looking forward to wearing it when it arrives.

And lastly this dress is just so fun. I'm hoping that the ruching and curved detail suits my figure.

What do you think? Have you ordered clothes online? Did you have a good experience or bad? Let me know in the comments below - and let me know your fave online retailers!

*This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link/make a purchase I may make a small commission or receive compensation. Thank you*

Another side of Me

Something that I don't often discuss here on the blog is my faith - it's not a secret - I obviously talk about what I've worn to church, or what we've done with our church family throughout the week. That said, however, there is an aspect of my faith that actually is very important to me, and involves clothes as well (so win win for me!) - And it is our Liturgical Dance Ministry. Our group, which is named Anointed Joy, is a huge part of my life, and a great passion for me.

 

My good friend Andrea and I are often partnered together - we're similar heights!

Family Fashion Feature

So, today I'm featuring my sister-in-law Melissa - because, well - Hello, Gorgeous!

Back in the Saddle

Hello Friends,
It's been a while - I know. I said I was "back" when I posted in July for my 1 year blog-i-versary - and I really really thought I would be... but while this blog is about mom style and personal plus size style and just generally having fun with clothes - there are times when reality takes over.

Mama's Measurements

This post is a little different from my regular posts. First off - I've been grossly and viciously ill since just after New Year's and I know I'm totally failing you with outfit posts - I will be back with a vengeance next week - I promise!

In lieu of an outfit post today I wanted to go over something that happened just recently: I received a nasty facebook message.

Let me preface this by pointing out a few things:

1) I am a Mom. A woman. A Canadian. AND a blogger. Yes: I take pictures of myself and put them on the internet and Yes: I realize that that opens me up to a certain amount of scrutiny. I am not a fool. I was prepared for that before I hit post for the very first time.

2) I am not a "fashion expert". There is no where on my blog that you will find me saying that I am such a thing. I am just a plus size, Canadian woman who wears clothes and takes pictures and puts them on the internet. The end.

3) I am not okay with body-shaming. I try my best to dress the body that I have in a way that I think is stylish, comfortable and appropriate. I don't make claims to be a model, to be a designer, to be a stylist, none of those things. I don't like to shame anyone for being big, small, skinny, thick, curvy, flat, boob-a-licious or WHATEVER. Let's stop telling people they're too big to be this or too small to be that or too anything to be anything.
We. Are. People.
We. Are. All. Different.
THAT. IS. AWESOME.

SO - having said those 3 things I was, frankly, shocked when I received this message in my personal facebook "other" folder in the past week.

You dont know me and i dont know you. But I have read you're blog and i am pissed off at you always saying your plus sized or whatever. Your not a plus-size woman your just fatter than you should be but your not like a natural size 24 or whatever. In all your pics you can tell that your just fat and you shouldnt be calling yourself plussize and saying stuff about being "hard to fit". plus size and fat arent the same thing. Nobody cares about you"re stupid cothes blog so stop posting.

Wow.
Yeah.
That happened.

This person - who I am not naming, because what is the point - took the time to figure out who I am, my real name (since you will realize that I don't use my "real" name here on the blog) and then find my facebook and send me a message via fb to tell me that I'm not a plus sized woman (I'm just fat) and no one cares about my outfits anyways. Um... what?

First, apparently, I'm not plus-sized. Well - I am totally baffled, because I have no idea why I own all these size 14, 16 and 18 clothes! I've been wearing the wrong size all along! Also - evidently until I'm a "natural size 24 or whatever" I'm not plus-sized. Someone alert the media! We've been labeling plus clothing all wrong!


Here's the thing, readers: I don't care.

I don't really care whether this person (or anyone) thinks I'm plus-sized or skinny. I don't care. I live in this body. I have to dress it. I know that I carry extra weight on my body and where on said body it is. It's MY body.

FYI - In case anyone's wondering. I DO wear plus-sized clothes. I'm not sure how there's necessarily a difference between being plus-sized and being fat. Does the writer think I'm too fat to be plus-size? Not fat enough? I'm confused. In any case, generally I'm a size 16. And for kicks - here's my measurements just to give some accuracy!

So, even though no one cares about my "stupid cothes blog" (clothes blog? They're probably right; as evidenced by my 2 blogloving subscribers and 0 other actual followers - oh well! lol) I'm just going to keep on keeping on. And if you're reading this, letter writer - click on by - I don't do this for you. I do it for me.

Tea.