Manolo for the Big Girl Fashion, Lifestyle, and Humor for the Plus Sized Woman.

July 31, 2007

Tuesday Morning Miracle!

Filed under: Shoes — Miss Plumcake @ 11:30 am

See? SEE? THIS is the sort of good thing that can happen to a girl if she lives virtuously. The shoe gods reward her by giving her beautiful flats that fit her fatly feet!

Last week I ordered a pair of Delman flats. It was my first experience with the legendary American house who most notably made the white sandals sported by one Miss Marilyn Monroe in her famous flying skirt shot, figuring I’d get them home and have to stretch them out on my shoe forms.

BUT NO! Their 11M fit my typically 11W (sometimes 12W) feet beautifully, the leatherwork is even prettier than the pictures and it is distinctly possible that I got seriously busted at a traffic light when a family in a RAV4 caught me rubbing my cheek against the smooth, unworn leather sole, caressing it lovingly and perhaps aiming some baby talk in its direction (who’s mama’s little miracle flat? Is it you? Is it you? Res rit ris! Res ru are mama’s wittle miracle flat!)
Ahem. Perhaps I have shared too much.

Delman's Engage! It's a miracle.

Plumcake specifically recommends the “Engage” flat whose buttery leather upper would lend a luxe finish to your casual weekend wear. Even better, these and other Delmans are on sale at Endless.com for more than 50% off the regular price, a savings of over $175!

Skin Deep is deep enough!

Filed under: Uncategorized — Francesca @ 9:10 am

Now that you have the perfect bra, or plans to get one, it is time to think about skin.

Ladies, please wear sunscreen on your face, hands, and arms every day, rain or shine, winter and summer, to prevent wrinkles, spots, and cancer.

 For over a decade I have used Oil of Olay Complete All Day UV Defense Moisterizer every day, under my foundation and on my arms, hands, neck, collarbone, and sometimes my feet.

It is the only moisturizer I’ve tried that has sunscreen and doesn’t feel oily and doesn’t make me break out.  And I can report with a little bit of vanity that I consistently receive compliments on my clear, soft skin. Now, you, too, have the secret.

But of course you are free to use whatever sunscreen/moisturizer combination works for you. The important thing is to use it.

 Moisterizer. Sunscreen.  And remove your makeup before going to sleep!

Francesca hath spoken.

July 30, 2007

Manolo for the Brides for the Big Girls

Filed under: Fashion — Francesca @ 6:44 pm

Look! In honor of the launch of our Big Girls blog, the Manolo for the Brides site created a post with pictures of beautiful wedding dresses for plus-size brides! Go see!

Here is just one of the pretty dresses:

Thank you to the blogger, Never teh Bride, for celebrating our Big Girl blog and Big Girl bridal needs.

L’amour Est Bleu

Filed under: Be Super Fantastic,Fashion — Miss Plumcake @ 11:55 am

Plumcake does not, as a rule, audibly gasp. A Southern Lady of Breeding –no acronym please– would simply dah rather than let on that whatever she just witnessed was not the exact and most appropriate thing that could have possibly been done in polite society.

For example, when Aunt Merriweather finds Uncle Shorty passed out in the croquet court with a giant hickey on his face, an unfortunate side effect of sucking all the air out of his julep cup and attaching it to his chin in order to add realism to his Pharaoh impersonation, she simply dusts him off, fetches him an aspirin and casually remarks to the gathering crowd that Uncle Shorty always did love his ancient history.

Yet, when at the behest of the fantastic Francesca, I visited igigi.com and came across this little jewel I could not help but gasp. This dress –the Beatrice in cobalt—is flawless. The bateau neck is so flattering, as is the cut of the skirt and the 3/4 length sleeves.

flawless.

It’s very melon and prosciutto on granddaddy’s yacht. Not that I ever got any of the melon or prosciutto NO I was a kid and had to have Coca Cola and corn nuts instead. Corn nuts! Not that I’m bitter.

The black is beautiful, but if you happen to have flowing raven tresses and creamy porcelain skin like the model (and like Plumcake herself, who most closely resembles Snow White on a carb bender) do yourself a favor and pick up the cobalt.

Pears and Apples make great fruit salad!

Filed under: Be Super Fantastic,Fashion — Francesca @ 7:49 am

One of the challenges inherent in writing a fashion blog for Big Girls is that not all Big Girls are Big in exactly the same places. As our internet friend g-dog wrote in the comments a few posts back, some of us are “succulent pears” and others are “delicious apples.” There are women with big shoulders and women with sloping shoulders; women with long necks and some with none; bustier women and tinier, perkier women; women whose bigness sits on their hips and those like me whose tummies pooch out in front. (Dare I call us Poochie Mamas?*)

And so no one article of clothing which Plumcake or I recommend can possibly make every single woman look superfantastic. Every woman is superfantastic in her own way, and trying on the clothes is often the only way to find out whether a particular blouse or skirt will make you, yourself, look and feel your best for the particular environment in which you plan to wear it.

If you want new ideas about what might look great on your own frame, my first advice is to click, right now, on the amazing myShape feature at igigi.com. Igigi is absolutely my favorite online source for plus-size clothing. Their wares are beautiful, feminine, and tasteful, without breaking the bank. And, at this myShape page, you can determine which “shape” comes closest to your own body type, and then shop by shape! I’m in love!

My second bit of advice is to experiment. Often we get stuck buying clothes in the same shapes and styles for years and years, not realizing that the passage of time and changes in our bodies, tastes, and shopping opportunities have opened new vistas. Perhaps it is time to try something new, like a belt – when was the last time you put on a belt? – or different necklines or shirts without darts. Are you sure you don’t look good in orange? Are you positive you “can’t” wear an empire waist? Perhaps that emerald-green blouse will look great even though it’s shiny, and you always thought that big girls “can’t” wear shiny fabrics?

Perhaps the “rules” you have created for yourself over the years are still correct for you. But perhaps not. So put on your adventure face and your adventure shoes, and happy shopping!

xoxo, Francesca

*PS We are Pucci Mamas!

July 29, 2007

Oy Vey!*

Filed under: Fashion,Sales — Francesca @ 2:51 pm

The sale at MonifC is ending today and Francesca has not told you about it yet! She offers her most sincere apologies!

MonifC is the designer of plus-size clothing for the woman with such flair that it is as if she says “hello world, here is my flair! And now here am I!” Many of their designs require an attitude of uber-superfantastic proportions – on the order of Queen Latifah – to carry off. However, they also have some designs which those of us who are merely self-confident can also wear with pride and style.

I like this silk blouse. Until the end of the day, it is marked down from $218 to less than $56! It is still available in Dusty Gold (shown here) in sizes 14/16 and 18/20.

Southwestern touch - pretty as a cactus in bloom!

What I, Francesca, particularly admire about this blouse is that it offers a feminine and sexy option for those of us with less-than-perfect upper arms. See how it shows off the silky-smooth skin of the forearm while hiding the luscious but private lumpy-squishies? And the flared sleeves and beading are pretty, too.

Happy shopping!

xoxo, Francesca

*or as the Manolo would say: Ayyyyy!

July 27, 2007

The Wonderful Wide World of Weitzmans

Filed under: Fashion,Shoes — Miss Plumcake @ 2:48 pm

Oh my fellow fat-footed friends, do not think I have forsaken you. I hear your feet stomping out in the wilderness! They are calling out for the shoes deserving to cradle your superfantastic feets. Shoes that do not make you look like you spend your weekends playing the nickel-slots in Atlantic City with Doris and Edna, reminiscing about the good old days when Rosie was a riveter and trips to Canada were for pleasure, not prescriptions.

Never you fear! Plumcake will be your sasquatchy style sherpa, snorting around like a particularly glamorous truffle pig, searching high and low for the shoes of quality for the woman who has, as my podiatrist once said “a firm understanding with the ground.”

As the lovely and fragrant Francesca has already noted, Stuart Weitzman makes shoes for the superfantastic girl who, like Plumcake, happens to be more Fred Flintstone than Betty Rubble. These brown beauties are currently available up through 12W.

Here we have his handsome mid-heel “Portal” pump, pictured here in “mushroom.”
Portal by Stuart Weitzman

and for something completely different: the aptly-named “Sensual” tortoise-shell stiletto.
Sexy Stewies!

How sexy librarian are these?! They should come with fake glasses and a rip-away blouse.

***

A short note about high heels:

Plumcake knows that one woman’s kitten-heel is another woman’s stiletto. Indeed, the girl who walks around like an incontinent geisha in 3″ Blahnik d’orsay’s may very well be the same girl who can do windsprints in 5″ Kors espadrilles. For convenience’s sake, we will use Zappos’ definition of heel heights.

Low Heel: 5/8″ – 1 1/4″

Mid Heel: 1 1/2″ – 2 1/2″

High Heel: 2 3/4″ and up.

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