I’m feeling a big return to the wicked end of the Belle Epoque for fall and it is sending me wild with glee. I had a feeling after Galliano’s incredible Fall/Winter show last year that we’d be heading this direction, but it took a while for it to settle down and flesh itself out.

I have for you today three highly wearable (as in they’re not big leather-ruffled glamazonian bastards, which I’d still buy and wear every day) pumps from the new fall season.

This is the Dior deco pump, available in blue and purple. It occurred to me that out of my not-inconsiderable collection of Diors, I’ve never bought a pair with the dangling C & D. Usually I think charms on a shoe look cheap, low-rent by their very aspirations to be posh (I’m looking at you Coach, D&B and Louis Vuitton monogrammed bags) but I love the element they add here. The heaviness of the suede and the crackle-finished kid might have been a little over-rich if the sleek silver wasn’t there to add light and a little discipline to the lines.

Bottega Veneta, a great old house with a recent facelift, is known as a sleeper luxury brand and they are all about beauty and restraint. Not restraint in an American “classic” way or a Germanic minimalist sense, but in a meticulous balance of opulance and scalpel-precise design. You wouldn’t think a peacock green, blue, purple and crimson brogue would look so restrained, but that is just how Bottega Veneta rolls.

I’m seeing more and more of this shortened almond toe recently and I love it. Between us, I’ve never been a huge fan of pointy toes. Too often they scream “Fashion Victim” to me. Russian designer (and son of a Siberian shoemaker) Max Kibardin, is relatively new on the scene, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to add him to my man-harem of pretend boyfriends. I’m loving his stuff at Saks and also?

Brother is FINE.

Thank you to our internet friend “T” for bringing to our attention this fascinating photo exhibition at the Rencontres d’Arles.

In France today, the women known as Les Insoumises are feisty feminists who will not take any affront to their dignity lying down. During the Second Empire (1852-70), lying down was just what Les Insoumises excelled at, and dignity had nothing to do with it.

They were courtesans whose nickname “insoumises,” meaning insubordinate, came from the fact that, unlike common prostitutes, they refused to submit to police licensing or conventional morals. They were glamorous, venal and usually ended up badly but while the going was good they were celebrated, from before the Empire and after its end, by writers from Dumas fils to Maupassant and Zola.

At the 39th-annual Rencontres d’Arles, France’s most famous photography festival, the guest curator, the couturier Christian Lacroix, chose Les Insoumises to feature in a special and very entertaining section, explaining that he has long been fascinated by these colorful transgressors.

The 50 photographs on view at the festival, which runs until Sept. 14, were collected by Philippe and Marion Jacquier, a husband-and-wife team who specialize in vintage prints in their Galerie Lumière des Roses in Montreuil, on the edge of Paris.

Here is Big Girl Alice la Provençale, who is described in the exhibit as “glorying in all the profitable vices,” including “peepshow lesbianism.”

Francesca wishes to point out that Big Girls are, still today, often sought-after for, ah, profitable ventures. But because beauty standards have changed, today what used to be called a “desire” is now called a “fetish.” Still, the men, they have all sorts of tastes; that is why Baskin Robbins makes so many delicious flavors!

Les Insoumises were much more robust and well-fed than the supercovermodels of today. Francesca believes that the day of the plump girl will return at some point, and then the bony, flat-bellied girls will be the ones in the websites of the dark underbelly of the internet. Francesca says this as a statement of opinion, with no schadenfreude involved. The dignity, it is something that the women of all weights deserve to keep.

Inspired by the lovely and gorgeous (and married, which gives me some pause, but at least I have a reasonable expectation that he’s straight –caveat: he did go to Cambridge– and honestly that’s better than I normally do) comedian Mark Watson who is making The World Substantially Better over on BBC Radio 4, I’ve been thinking a lot about virtue.

In each episode Mark “Hatefully Not Married to Plumcake But Otherwise Probably Quite Nice” Watson tackles one of six virtues in an effort to make the world substantially better. I highly recommend listening to it, although I would caution readers to turn down the volume during the “Exemplum” theme tune because it is so catchy that after you’ve died, the worms eating your delicious squishy brains will be doing so humming that song.

Watson lists the six virtues as:

• courage
• patience
• generosity
• honesty
• diligence
• humility

Good list, but here’s today’s big question. What virtue would you add to that list, and what is the best example you’ve seen of that virtue recently?

Internet friend SG sent us a link to an article about a plan in Alabama to charge extra for health insurance to obese residents.

She said “I’d love to read your thoughts.”

Francesca’s thoughts?

She has no thoughts. Only a gut reaction (pun intended), which sounds vaguely like aaaaaaauuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrgh.

And she is pulling on her hair, and her stress levels are rising. She must go lie down now, with a cold compress on her head and soothing music playing softly in the background.

For a more articulate response, one should go to Shapely Prose and read the comments here.

Hey everybody, guess what? It’s September! Yes! Which means it’s fall! Okay, not technically since the first day of autumn isn’t for another 20 days, and not temperately since the mercury here in Texas is going to be hovering around 100 for the rest of the week at least AND WHY YES IT IS HOT ENOUGH FOR ME THANKS FOR ASKING OVER AND OVER AND OVER UNTIL I WANT TO DIE BECAUSE APPARENTLY I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO KNEW IT GETS HOT IN TEXAS IN THE SUMMER, but in my mind?

Oh yeah, it’s fall.

In celebration I’ve got some lovely green transitional pieces that are perfect now and will carry you through fall, starting with this cute croc clutch from Lodis Catalon.

Love. This. Bag. It reminds me of my vintage emerald green tegu lizard bag I know and love (and which unfortunately deposits color as I discovered the day I wore it with a floor-length white linen dress. If that lizard hadn’t been dead since the New Deal, I would have killed it right there) and it’s on super sale, check it out.

Now, I’m not a jeans girl, but these would be prosh with dark denim for just a little splash of color. They’ve got such a back-to-school feel. Love. Also? Marked 45% off at Endless. It costs more to dry clean my scarf.

I went back and forth on these ankle straps from FLY London (actually made in Portugal) that are on big fat sale. I love the heel, but are they too musical theater? I say no. Wear them now as is, and pair them with tights come the the cooler weather. Yeah, I know you’re not all with me on that one, especially not with colored tights but if you’ve got the gams and make sure your skirt isn’t too short…well, why not?

What’s that sound? Oh right, that’s me pushing your envelope.

I don’t support cropped pants because if God wanted us to wear pants that didn’t cover our ankles he wouldn’t have invented fire ants. BUT if you insist on doing cropped pants, take a page from Style-Spy and her bubble Fendis and wear them with a statement shoe. I like these from ABS by Allen Schwartz on sale for well under 100 smackeroos.

As a personal note, if you scroll down that page a little, the next post you see features Stella, my beloved Cadillac convertible. Awww.

Oh, to be a Canadian!

If you live in or near Toronto, you will be happy to hear that the first-ever “Fuller Woman Expo” will take place at the Mississauga Living Arts Centre on September 13-14.

The theme of the event is “Curvy Girls Unite – Unleash Your Plus-Size Diva.”

Get Excited At Long Last!!!!!! This is a historic event that can not be missed; the ultimate celebration of real women with real bodies. There is something for everyone at this long awaited girl’s two day weekend event. In order to guarantee a memorable and pleasurable shopping experience there are four show zones: Fashion & Beauty, Fitness Health & Wellness, Food & Nutrition and Travel & Lifestyle.

Fashion & Beauty
Discover the latest in plus size fashions from classic suits, swimwear, luxurious lingerie and undergarments to elegant gowns, jewelry, and sensual beauty products to pamper your body and take you to the next level of living.

Fitness Health & Wellness,
Our focus is not on weight loss but weight management; getting and staying healthy is key to a long life; you don’t have to be a size 8 to be happy and health. Be exposed to the latest in new fun exercises, vitamin supplements, relaxation methods, everything from health options, massage therapy, yoga to spa retreats

Food & Nutrition
Be exposed to new food and beverage products, great delicious low calorie and wholesome recipes or get help with planning your Christmas holiday dinner that will have you looking like a pro.

Oh, how Francesca is salivating right at this very moment.

If any of you dear internet friends will be there, please take photos and tell us all about it!

Also, please note the (as yet incomplete) exhibitor and sponsor lists. Support those who support the Big Girls!

Today, two different deals at J.Jill: 1) Get 15% off full-price items by entering code HBC255 at checkout, and 2) Shop already-reduced items, and get an additional 25% off – the reduction is taken automatically at checkout.

Today and tomorrow: Get free shipping and additional markdowns at Sydney’s Closet by entering code LABOR08 at checkout. (Their “Sheer Delight” dress, pictured, is now available for less than 90 of the American dollars!)

Today and tomorrow: Get free shipping on orders at Coldwater Creek by entering code WXH5102 at checkout.

Today, get free shipping at Maximum Woman by entering code SHIPFREE at checkout.

Free shipping on orders of $49 or more at J.C. Penney, if you enter code WLCAUG at checkout before September 10. You can find the gored skirt, pictured at left, here. It is only $30, and available through size 22W.

Land’s End has some great new plus-size sweaters. Mmmm, fall is coming and these sweaters look so cozy. Also, check out their Overstock section.

Evans of London has released their Fall catalogue, and it’s  great fun to look at.

40% off women’s shoes at Nordstrom!

Dozens of items have just been marked down at Zaftique, and many of them are terrific, such as the dress at left!

Roaman’s has launched a new online shopping site, “OneStopPlus.com,” and they are having a huge “pre-season sale” right now. Worth checking out.

Through September 4, enter code WW26099 at Woman Within and get 40% off any one item (it will be applied to the highest-priced item in your shopping cart).

Happy shopping!

xoxo,

Francesca