A Stroll Down the Avenue

I realized after reading through my Target rant that I had left out a few other plus-size stores or stores that include a women's/plus-size section among their other offerings. I went into Avenue a few weeks ago and had the same feeling of being underwhelmed I usually have when shopping there. I like the selection of cotton-y shirts that come in a variety of sizes and the prices are fairly reasonable but again, I feel the quality is somewhat lacking and I always seem to have problems with fit, especially the pants. I was able to at least snag a nice pair of shorts, which I am always on a mission to find in the summer.

I also just recently rediscovered JCPenney's, which used to be an old stand-by favorite of mine in my thinnner days. I wandered into the JCPenney's at the Parmatown Mall (don't laugh, Clevelanders; I was there killing some time before some evening plans) and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of clothing I found in the Women's section, so much so that I had to put a few things back that I couldn't justify buying on my meager budget. There were the usual matronly choices that no one, fat or thin, should ever buy but there were also really cute blouses, perfect for work or going out and about for a night on the town. I'm looking forward to checking out Penney's again when I have more time and money.

As for a few other places I've wandered into here and there, I walked into a Catherine's one time and was instantly depressed with the selection of boxy, unflattering choices staring back at me. Fashion Bug Plus is oddly overpriced with their weird, cheap quality fabric. And forgive me for never wanting to shop at a store called Dress Barn... Yes, I know they offer both Misses and Women's sizes (Dress Barn Woman) but whoever thought it would be a good idea to include the word Barn in the name of clothing store for women was clearly out of their mind.

My quest for summer clothing continues... For as much as I hate having to order plus-size clothes from Old Navy, I was very successful in my last purchase, which included shorts, cotton and denim bermudas, and even a pair of jeans. I find that reading the customer reviews is extremely helpful. Everything I bought fit and is very flattering.

Now, I have my eye on www.onestopplus.com, an on-line plus-size clothing "mall". I have to find a bathing suit (eek!) and they seem to have a great selection. I'll be sure to post about any results!

Feeling Sassy for SATC 2

Ok, so the second installment of the Sex and City movies was a mess but I felt sassy in my new dress from Torrid (Z Cavaricci Coutoure Black Zip and Stud Denim Dress) and my hot shoes, a bargain find at Marshall's...

Target's Plus-Size Clothing Section Is a Big, Fat Joke

I was in Target earlier tonight and was once again pissed by the fact that the plus-size clothing is hidden way back in the corner, barely visible through what seems like a ginormous section of maternity clothing. The fact that Target feels the need to co-mingle maternity and plus-size clothing in the first place offends my chubster soul (and I have too much pride to ever wear maternity clothing, no matter how fat I am). To add insult to injury, it seems that every time I do make my way back to browse through the few racks of mostly bland blouses, skirts, and unflattering dress pants and jeans, there's always shopping carts full of dressing room cast-offs in the way. Way to make fat women feel like valued customers, Target.

Shopping as a plus-size woman is always a frustrating adventure. Shopping as a short, plus-size woman who takes being fashionable very seriously is even more so. Lane Bryant is great but expensive. I love Torrid but the clothes are way overpriced for the quality and have a tendency to skew a little too young for me. Macy's and Kohl's have great plus-size sections but skew a little too matronly at times. TJMaxx and Marshall's are touch and go as far as what can be available at any given time.

Old Navy has a wonderful plus-size clothing section (I LOVE their khakis!) but it's only available on-line. Although I've had decent luck with the clothes I've ordered, if I do need to return anything, I have to return it by mail, as opposed to being able to return it directly to an Old Navy store (Watch out! We don't want fatty wear mingling with the Size 2's!). So not only do I have to pay for the initial shipping when I order something because I can't buy it in the store in the first place, I also have to pay the shipping again to return it through the mail. Discrimination much?

What's a fashion-forward chubster to do? Sometimes I get lucky because I'm at a weight where I can buy clothes from the Misses section but then again, the fact that I'm 5' 2" and have big bazoombas always complicates the situation, no matter what size I am. I'm also hesitant to order clothes from on-line plus-size clothing stores because the sizing can be so wonky and I hate the hassle of returning things through the mail (Old Navy is enough of a hassle already).

In closing, I find it quite ironic that in a city where heavy women abound, Cleveland has such a dearth of stand-alone plus-size clothing boutiques. It's a dream of mine to open one someday, after I find the time and money to open a specialty foods store and a cosmetics boutique. Maybe I could combine all three and open a wonderland boutique where fat women can shop for fabulous clothing, get their make-up done, and pick up fancy food for dinner.

A Few of My Favorite Things - Winter 2010

As winter in Cleveland continues to rear its cold and snowy head, there are few products in my beauty arsenal I like to use to keep from turning into a scaly lizard. Without further ado, here is my list of favorite winter beauty products:

Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser - This lightweight foaming cleanser smells great, is free of sulfates and parabens and deep cleans without drying or stripping the skin. One pump is all I need to clean my entire face. Available at sephora.com 5 oz. - $26

Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Regenerating Cream - Super moisturizing and one of the only facial creams I have found that keeps away the dry patches I get on my cheeks in the wintertime. The texture of my skin seems better, too. There's no SPF but I wear a powder foundation with an SPF so I feel like I have ample coverage for the winter sun. Available at most retail and drug stores. 1.7 oz $15-20

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner - Hands down my favorite make-up find of the year! I first saw Bobbi Brown selling this eyeliner last winter on QVC and decided to give it a try. It was love at first brush stroke*. My eyes water non-stop during the winter and once this gel eyeliner sets, it doesn't smudge, smear, or run. It looks great by itself, paired with a neutral lid or used to help build a smoky eye. Available in 16 different colors at bobbibrowncosmetics.com .1 oz $21

*Speaking of brushes, I use an angled eyeliner brush with my gel eyeliner. I've found the angled brush allows a greater amount of precision; I can make a thick or thin line with just a slight change in the angle of the brush itself. I use the Sonia Kashuk Bent Eyeliner Brush, $5.99 at Target.

Nars "I Want You" Lipgloss Set - I absolutely love Nars lipgloss! It's lightweight, long-lasting, has no taste or smell (I hate lipgloss that has artificial flavor added to it...) and comes in a variety of flattering colors. Most make-up/lipgloss junkies probably have a tube of Orgasm lipgloss or blush in their beauty box (I know I do!).

This collection of 5 mini-glosses, exclusive to Sephora, includes great colors (including Orgasm) and is also a bargain, considering a full-size lipgloss is $24. My new favorite color is Greek Holiday, a shimmery, shear peachy color. Available exclusively at sephora.com $45

Palladio Mosaics Bronzer in Sunkissed - I'm not someone who goes tanning in the winter, so it's nice to have a bronzer to create a nice, natural sun-kissed glow, that's not shimmery. There are a variety of mosaics and each one has 5 hues combined into one kit. I sweep a bronzer brush over the Sunkissed mosaic and lightly build up the color where the sun would - forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin. Available at Ulta $10

Body Shop Aloe Body Butter - I started using the Body Shop's Body Butters when I worked there as a sales associate. Before that, I had desperately searched for a lotion that would truly moisturize my dry, chapped skin in the winter and never had any luck. Using Body Butter for the first time was a like a gift from the beauty product gods. All Body Butters contain shea butter and cocoa seed butter. Best of all, these body butters contain NO mineral oil or petrolatum, two petrochemical ingredients I refuse to put anywhere near my skin.

I particularly like the Aloe Body Butter as it has no smell, so it doesn't clash with perfume. Other body butters include coconut, mango, cocoa butter, and brazil nut, to name a few. Unfortunately, we no longer have any Body Shop stores in Northeast Ohio but all Body Shop products are available from thebodyshop-usa.com 6.8 oz $20

LUSH Dream Cream - Another favorite body lotion that also is super moisturizing and smells good, too. The base of this body cream is oat milk, which is very soothing to sensitive skin. It also contains tea tree, chamomile, olive oil and lots more. And again, NO mineal oil or petrolatum. Available at LUSH stores or lushusa.com 8.4 oz $22.55