Manolo for the Big Girl

Here we are, my friends. Excellent Fourth of July weekend shopping!

AVENUE.COM: Enter code AV81184 for 20% off, through July 10. Also, get two tees or tanks for $10 if you click here.

TALBOTS is having their summer clearance sale, with deep discounts on most items. Additionally, if you spend $100 or more, you get another 20% off (until July 13). Remember, they sell both Woman and Woman Petite sizes.

KIYONNA.COM: Through July 8, enter code FIREWORKS08 at checkout, and you’ll get 20% off any item (except, for some reason, the “premium denim.”)

LIVE IN MIAMI? MonifC is looking for local plus-size models for their Miami Swimshow, July 19-22. Requirements: You must be at least 5′8″, wear size 14-16, and be toned (perhaps Francesca will address her thoughts about the requirements some other time). You do not have to be available all three days, but any day you are available, you have to be there from 8-6:30 pm. To apply, send a full-body picture (preferably in a swimsuit) and a head-shot to models@monifc.com, putting “Miami Swim Show” in the subject. And if you work in the show, please send a photo to us at francesca@shoeblogs.com! Good luck!

Meet Francesca in person tomorrow night at The View, at the top of the Marriot Marquis in Times Square, from 7:30-9:30. See you there!

Over the past week or so, some great things have been written by our fellow bloggers of size. Here are a couple of the highlights:

The Rotund has a lovely reminder today that being kind to your body is part of being superfantastic…and keeping sane in a crazy world. Makes me want to make an appointment for a massage. In fact, I think I just might do that.
The Fat Experience Project is looking for your stories of what it’s like to be plus-sized in our world. The idea is to bring faces to the question of size acceptance. Go. Read some stories. Submit your own. Telling stories is important.

Junk Food Science neatly dissects a recent study claiming to prove that fat mothers who clearly eat nothing but junk food have fat babies who eat the earth and then die and it’s all the mother’s fault.

Big Fat Delicious has yet another example of the so-called Obesity Paradox to share with us all.

And if you need a good giggle, I highly recommend heading over to Shapely Prose and reading the thread on Spaghetti Language. There are some darn funny bits of prose in that thread.

Happy Fourth of July!

Red

White

Blue

Happy weekend!

xoxo, Francesca

So I’m trying to get myself all het up over American Independence Day this year. It’s not quite working out, and I am concerned.

I’m not worried about my inability to muster the customary excitement over celebrating the birth of the nation that has brought us inventions that add so much to my daily life (Diet Coke, The Federalist Papers, The Colt Single Action Revolver with custom mother-of-pearl inlay and scrollwork.) No, I’m worried because it is The Matchiest Holiday and I am allergic to matchy. When I saw that Herr Karl chose “God Bless America” as the theme for Spring rtw at Chanel, I quivered in my extended-calf boots. The sign of bad things to come.

So what’s the deal? Why do so many people who wouldn’t dream of wearing leprechaun socks in March or heart-shaped dealybobbers on their heads for Valentine’s Day have no problem going all yankee doodle dumbass in giant foam hats to celebrate the birth of the our nation?

Am I an old crabbity crab? Do I hate America, Mom and Apple Pie? Do I kick children and puppies and put eyedrops in the Communion wine? Of course not!* But I want to know what YOU think.

This week Plumcake wants to know:

Do you think wearing red, white and blue on the Fourth of July is a fun way to get in the spirit or is it just cheesy and painfully literal? And for those of you who really want to get into the meaty stuff…Is wearing an American flag disrespectful?

*My lawyer told me to say that.

Francesca is in the mood for a Meet-and-Greet, so she can talk with our wonderful readers in person, drink cocktails with fabulous women, and see (and show off) some wonderful clothes and shoes.

How about it, New Yorkers?

Francesca is thinking The View restaurant and bar at the top of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square, a week from today: Monday, July 7. She will make reservations for drinks from 7:30-9:30, yes? Time enough after work to get to midtown and join us, time enough afterward to get home and get some beauty sleep.

Please let Francesca know in the comments if you will attend, so she will know how much space to reserve. xoxo!

When I finished up Food Friendly May, reader Angel was kind enough to say she was going to miss my recipes. Well, Angel, you didn’t have to miss them for long. With the Fourth coming up, many of us are going to picnics or holding backyard barbeques, or just want a festive treat in honor of the holiday. And so I went looking for just the right sort of treat in a recent addition to my cooking library: Pie by Ken Haedrick.

If you love pie and haven’t taken a look at this book, do yourself a favor and go check it out. I’m overwhelmed with the range and tastiness of the recipes inside. I’ve already made a couple and am looking forward to using this book a lot!

So, what goodie did I find for the Fourth? Watermelon Chiffon Pie. I’ve modified the first instruction, but other than that, it’s just as Mr. Haedrick wrote it down.

Read the rest of this entry »

Once again, you all light up my life. Last week I dropped this perverse image on you:

and you responded with eleven hilarious captions for it.

In the end, though, there can be only one winner. This time around that winner is GradualDazzle for this all-too-appropriate variation on a classic tag line:

“Only YOU can prevent camel toe.”

Congratulations, GradualDazzle! And thanks to everyone who played!

Another chapter in the book of “Francesca catches up on her email correspondence”!

Dear Francesca,

I’m a regular reader, and really appreciate your fashion advice — I’m 5′2″ and a size 14, so it’s hard to find things that suit someone short and generously proportioned. I’ve learned a ton about where to look for superfabulous clothes from the site, and think you guys do a really lovely job of balancing sensible advice and entertaining insights. Kudos to you all!

I’m writing specifically because I am thinking of getting that lovely beaded dress you posted in the post about the semi-annual Nordstrom’s sale for a friend, but can’t find it on the Nordstrom’s site. Can you point me in the right direction? Also, what kind of shoes would you recommend wearing with it? The dress is so lovely the shoes should balance it out, but sometimes those of us on the fleshier side can’t wear the strappiest and most delicate of sandals. Any thoughts?

Thanks again and have a lovely weekend,

Leah M-O
San Diego, CA

Dear Leah,

Francesca is happy to oblige.

The Nordstrom dress is still available in mint green right here. Your friend is lucky indeed to receive such a gift!

As for shoes, indeed the strappy, summery sandals are best. But if you would like a more sturdy shoe, something with more coverage and a lower heel, Francesca would recommend black satin, to echo the ribbon belt, and a simple design so as to keep attention on the dress. Something like this:

Or perhaps this delicate pump by Paul Smith:

Happy shopping, and happy weekend!

xoxo, Francesca

Remember last week when we were talking about aging into things? For me, Ferragamo is one of those brands that I’ll still have to age into. I was at the symphony a few weeks ago and somehow lucked into to the Founders’ Circle. It was nothing but a parade of fantastically aged matrons in their St. John suits and Ferragamo flats and it was fabulous. The flats are just a little too close to home in their WASPiness for me to wear them personally. It’s just a little too literal. I drive a luxury vehicle and can metabolize gin like a anamatronic sailor, I don’t need any more social signifiers, thanks.
THESE however, these are shoes you can wear until you’re dead. They are Not Cheap and I’m always hesitant on recommending fabric shoes because they’re just not at hearty as their leather counterparts but they are classic classic classic. The color is gorgeous, the cut is flattering on the foot and although the heel does tend towards the slender side, it’s “only” three inches so it’s not like you’ll be teetering around like a stilt-walker with an inner ear infection whenever you walk across the room.

Happy Weekend Everybody!