Dearest readers:  Francesca is on her way to Bavaria, so this will be the last FFI until after the Christmas. xoxo

SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. Today is the last day to order at Saks.com and get delivery tomorrow. Use code HOLIDAY9 for a free shipping upgrade, and click on “yes this order contains at least one gift” if you want complimentary gift wrapping. Plus-size apparel is here. Francesca’s pick: Ruffle coat.

LA GRANDE DAME has already started their after-Christmas sale, to clear out their winter styles. The sale includes nighties by Betsey Johnson, among other things. Francesca likes that they use Big Girls as models. Francesca’s pick for the woman of a certain age: Gold Tadashi gown, at a truly excellent price.

BLOOMINGDALES has marked down select merchandise through tomorrow. Plus sizes here. Francesca’s pick (pictured).

OLD NAVY will take 10% off purchases of new arrivals through January 2, with code ONSAVETEN (online only). Plus sizes here.

SWAK Designs introduces their “Starlet” collection. Francesca’s pick: Black and Nude Lace Evening Dress.

ALWAYS FOR ME is giving free shipping (in continental US) through tomorrow on orders of $50 or more, with code freeship50.

BEAUTY.COM will give you a free ($15-value) pack of 20 Peter Thomas Roth “Unwrinkle Peel Pads” with any Peter Thomas Roth skincare purchase. Limit one per household. Ends January 3 (or while supplies last).

With Christmas just a few days away, Francesca reminds you:

You can control only yourself, no one else.  Do your part and let the rest go.

Keep your eyes on the prize. In this case, the prize is love, peace and joy among you and anyone you encounter on the holiday. Nothing is as important as these things, not even the turkey burning or your inability to find a Zhu Zhu hamster or whether you finish polishing the silver before your mother comes. (Do not be this person’s brother.)

Do what you need to be fully “present.” A nap or a hot bath might do more to make Christmas meaningful than last-minute tinsel. And if you are the guest in someone’s home, offer to vacuum or chop vegetables or load the dishwasher.

Reach out. If you are spending Christmas alone and don’t want to be, make some calls or emails now, and make arrangements with others (such as your internet friends?) to get together at your house or at a restaurant. Just popping some popcorn, and a movie into the DVD player, will be nice if you have company.

Eat as much of whatever you want this Christmas. You are a grownup person, and a beautiful one at that.

Give yourself and others lots of hugs!

xoxo!

Once again, Francesca reminds you: if you are buying something online that you need before Christmas, check the shipping options carefully!

AVENUE is taking 30% off everything online and in-store “for a limited time.” Excludes clearance. Online, use code AV91172. The outfit pictured, which could be great for the tall, non-apple woman, is available here.

CATHERINES has sales both in-store and online through Thursday: 50% off select regular price items and < 40% off clearance. For clearance, the online prices already reflect this discount. FYI, the readers with the very wide hips who thought the Kiyonna “no” of last week should have been a “yes” may also like this sweater.

LANE BRYANT will enter you for a chance to win $25,000 if you text “LBWIN” to 50799. Details here. Also they have reintroduced their Cacique no-wire bra.

TORRID wants you to look at their big collection of jeans and new sweaters. Francesca’s picks: dramatic Cowl-Neck Dolman-Sleeve Sweater, classic argyle cardigan, sweet cropped cardigan. She’d pick this lace inset cardigan, too, if it weren’t for the bow.

JUST MY SIZE will give you free standard shipping on any order of $50 or more, through tomorrow.

ZAPPOS will still guarantee delivery before Christmas (with free shipping both ways!) if you order before 1 pm (EST?) on Wednesday.

B & LU has a nice holiday collection (Francesca apologizes for not posting this earlier; the email slipped through the cracks). Francesca’s pick.

WOMENSUITS will give you a free matching hat with any of these 8 “Church” or “Mother of the Bride” suits, through Wednesday: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight. You all know how Francesca feels about the superfantastic hats of spectaculosity! If you buy one of these outfits, please email Francesca a photo!

ZAFTIQUE is having year-end sales until December 30.

Francesca wishes you the peaceful, serene, and happy Christmas week.

With Christmas just a week away (!) Francesca reminds you, when shopping online, to check shipping policies and speeds carefully to ensure delivery before Christmas.

SILHOUETTES will take 20% off your purchase if you buy 3 items or more, until midnight tonight (Eastern) with code SWB20. Main page here, winter sale here. (Offer does not apply to Clearance, Oulet, or gift cards.) Tip: If there are only 2 items you want, and it adds up to at least $75, then use code S9ZH1 for 15% off. Francesca does not know when this code expires.

MONIFC is having a shopping event in Houston tomorrow from 10-3, but you have to email them to get the location, at monif@monifc.com. Online store is here.

JUNONIA will take 30% off your order and give you free upgraded shipping with code 12159, until Sunday night at midnight Central time.

BEAUTY.COM will take $20 off orders of $100 or more until Sunday.

PERFUMANIA is having a buy one, get another item 50% off sale, on items included in that sale (click on the link to see). Francesca does not know how long that will continue. Also, for what it is worth, until the end of December or while supplies last, if you order anything at all they will give you a free gift of 1.75 fl. oz of the “23” men’s cologne by Michael Jordan.

DESIGNERSHOES.COM has two pieces of news: 1) Until  midnight on Sunday, all “on sale” shoes will get another 50% off with code HOLIDAY09.  2) Shipping outside the US? Until January 6, use code NOTUSA and get international shipping for free on orders of $400 or more.

FIGLEAVES will take 20% off your purchases from their Christmas Gift Guide through Sunday midnight (England time) with code GUIDE.

CHADWICKS will give you the following this weekend with code CHEER: 1) through Sunday at 2 pm (probably EST), a free upgrade to 2-day shipping, and 2) through Monday, buy one top get a second 50% off (with the code). Plus-size tops are here.

Happy shopping and happy weekend! xoxo

We are all so busy getting ready for Christmas, but it is important to remember to take care of ourselves!

1- Remember to perform a breast self-exam

2- Buy new toothbrushes for everyone’s stocking stuffers, including your own. Toothbrushes should be replaced every 3-4 months.  (Francesca thought it was once a month.  She will start reminding about this less often.)

3- Call your primary care doctor and make an appointment for after Christmas for a checkup!

4- If you wear glasses, is it time to see if you need a new prescription? Make an appointment for after Christmas with your optician or opthamologist, whoever is in charge of these things in your health-care system.

Happy and healthy holidays! xoxo

Here are some savings opportunities good for the long-ish term:

Zaftique is giving shipping for a flat rate of $3.50 on any order over $100, through December 21. Use code FSHLDY09.

Chico’s will take 25% off your purchase of $100 or more, through January 10, with code 6712. Can be used one time per customer.

Coldwater Creek will take 30% off everything in their store through December 21. For in-store purchases, print the coupon here. For online shopping, enter code WKH7923.

Eileen Fisher is giving free shipping in the contiguous US, through December 23, on all orders. (Picture is from their website; click for information.)

More to come tomorrow!

xoxo

Last week we admired the vintage Hilda calendars. Today we honor the work of the contemporary (living!) artist who uploaded those images, Les Toil (yes, that is his name).

For 11 years Mr. Toil has been lovingly and joyously creating vivid pin-up images of large women, often using his own girlfriend as a model and muse. He also does paid-for-hire work: for $300-400, you can arrange for him to paint a pin-up of you. (Note that he will ONLY paint large women, which Francesca does not think is right but is at least a change in our favor from artists who refuse to paint the fat girl.)

Here are images he has created of real live women just like us (click on them to see photos of the models and read their bios):

The Danni!

Francesca's favorite, the Elizabeth!

The Fierce Kaybelline!

The Amy!

Francesca wrote to Les asking for permission to post these images, and he wrote back:

Your blog is fantastic! It’s funny! It’s quirky! It’s informative! It’s positive! What would I object to?? Thanks much for the exposure and for considering my “skillz” worthy of Manolo. You rock like Elvis on speed.

Francesca thinks Les, too, is superfantastic.

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