Thrifting while fat: finds and frustrations

Becky wrote a great guest post at Already Pretty about how thrifting while fat allowed her to experiment and develop her personal style.

I wish my thrifting experiences were as good as hers. For me, thrifting has been at best a chance to score some cheap basics, and at worst an exercise in frustration.

One of my thrift store finds: cute and comfortable, but not particularly me.

In my area, thrift stores tend to have a decent plus size selection–and some straight-sized items that are stretchy enough to fit fat people–but they very rarely include anything interesting, funky, or wild. I can’t count the number of times I’ve walked into a thrift store and seen gorgeous, unusual, sparkly, riotously-patterned, tulle-adorned, vintage, or punky clothes in straight sizes, while the plus sizes consist of jeans and solid-colored tops.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve thought, “I would dress so much more outrageously if this stuff came in my size.”

I can’t even read straight size thrifting blogs, because it just hurts to see someone finding so easily, so cheaply, the kind of clothing I have to search hard and/or pay lots of money for.

I’ve been lucky, though, to experience a taste of cheap plus size variety at Re/Dress NYC when it existed, and at the Big Thrifty here in Boston. And despite my limited options, I’ve always found ways to experiment with style–from my high school days of green lipstick, dog collars as chokers, chunky Mary Janes, and safety-pin bedecked skirts to the tutus and tiny hats I wear today.

I am heartened by events like the Big Thrifty and New York’s Big Fat Flea. I am heartened by the explosion of fatshion blogs and indie plus size designers.  I hope that the events spread beyond large urban centers, and that the clothes spread beyond small, expensive indie brands.

I hope that someday, I can walk into a thrift stop and be surrounded by Domino Dollhouse, SWAK, Torrid, ASOS Curve, Igigi, and Kiyonna. I want to see a world where fashion experimentation is an option for everyone who wants it.

Pseudo-DIY flower crown fun

So, this isn’t exactly a DIY flower crown, but it’s not exactly a store-bought one either.

This is what happens when I put a whole bunch of hairclips all over my head:

I really like how it came out–I will definitely do an outfit post wearing it at some point!

The clips are from: Forever 21 (pink roses), H&M (butterflies and mint roses), and Claire’s (silver, white, and champagne roses). And yes, that is Steve’s TARDIS lunchbox in the background! I intend to do an outfit post featuring it as well–it would go so perfectly with my TARDIS earrings and the royal blue sundress I thrifted a while back.

Recent finds: regular bras, sports bras, and workout clothes

This isn’t a comprehensive post, just a list of a few good items I’ve found recently that I wanted to share.

Bras

I had been wearing old, worn-out, unsupportive Lane Bryant/Cacique bras forever, because the one kind that fit me had been discontinued (boo). Multiple trips to Lane Bryant failed to find an adequate replacment, as did a few rounds of online shopping.

But then I came across the Playtex 18-hour bra. It had literally hundreds of positive reviews on Amazon, so I decided to give it a try. And damn. Cheap, comfortable, supportive without an underwire–this is pretty much the perfect bra.

I’ve found that the back rides up once I’ve been wearing it for a while, but that’s a pretty minor complaint. Otherwise, it stays comfortable and supportive throughout the day.

Sports bras

I’d never worn sports bras before, because finding them in my size was so hard. But I kept reading good things about the Enell sports bra, one of the few that actually comes in band sizes above 40. (Seriously, why do companies seem to think that no one with a chest bigger than 40DD ever works out?) I gave it a try, and I’m glad I did!

There’s no power in the verse that could keep these boobs from bouncing, but the Enell comes pretty close.

Workout wear

On one of those aforementioned failed bra-hunting ventures to Lane Bryant, I did find something else awesome–a tank top that’s long enough to keep my belly from escaping during yoga. It comes in both solid colors and a lovely variety of prints, so I can finally fulfill my long-held dream of working out in a watercolor-floral-print top.

And, combined with a cardigan or bolero, it makes great office wear.

Also, it is so hard to find workout plus size workout bottoms that aren’t black or gray. But LB also has a solution. Behold, hot pink and royal blue capris! I bought a pair of the pink ones (of course) online, and they’re too big in a 22/24, so I’m going to exchange them for an 18/20. Once I get them in the right size, I’ll do a workout outfit post!

Have you made any lucky finds lately?

On fatshion and cultural appropriation: an open letter to Jes of the Militant Baker

Dear Jes,

Normally, I believe people should wear whatever they want, rules be damned.

But there are some things that make me really uncomfortable. And the use of religious iconography as kitschy fashion is one of them.

It smacks of hipster racism: taking a symbol that has serious meaning to many Catholics, mostly Latin@, and turning it into an ironic fashion statement.

Our Lady of Guadalupe isn’t just some cool-looking image to be paired with a sheer top and leopard heels.

She is a symbol of all Mexican Catholics.

She is an inspiration to the indigenous liberation group the Zapatistas.

She represents the fusion of indigenous American and European culture and religion, and all the complicated (and often bloody) history that entails.

Jes, I love your blog, and I admire the work you’ve done to break down fatphobia. So rest assured that I’m not saying this to attack you–I’m saying it because it hurts to see people who do anti-oppression work engaging in other forms of oppression. I’m saying it because I believe you can do better.

I’m not asking you to stop wearing the skirt. It’s your body; you can wear what you want.

But I am asking you to think.

Think about what you wear, why you wear it, and what it might mean to other people.

Think about the power structures that make it cool for white USians to appropriate cultural artifacts from the Global South. Think about whether you want to uphold those structures.

Please, just take a moment to consider it.

Yours in fat solidarity,
Laura

The Big Thrifty!

Saturday was the most exciting shopping event of the year: The Big Thrifty. It’s an annual bargain-shopping event where people donate  plus size clothing in advance, pay $5 to get in, and then get to hunt through piles of awesome clothing priced at thrift-store prices. The proceeds go to charity, so it’s win-win all around.

Fabulous fatshionistas in line, waiting for the event to start (from the Big Thrifty’s Facebook page)

The Big Thrifty is awesome both because it’s a chance to try on clothing in person–which makes it easier to try new styles and brands–and because of the sense of fat community. Although it was uncomfortably crowded, everyone was friendly and polite. In the dressing room–which was a veritable celebration of fat bodies–everyone was passing clothing around and complimenting how items looked on other people.

It was wonderful to be among so many fabulous fatties: friends, internet friends, blog idols, and strangers, all joined in the pursuit of great clothing. And it made me happy to see the clothing I donated going to good homes!

I scored some awesome stuff, including a Deerie Lou t-shirt from Torrid, a pink prom dress (!), a turquoise Igigi sundress, a purple ruffled sleeveless top, and a bolero with cherry appliques. I’ll post more about my finds soon, once I’ve had the chance to photograph them. I have some OOTDs coming as well, both from the day of the event, and from that night (when I went to a party wearing the Igigi dress) and the next day (when I went to a May Fair wearing the Deerie Lou shirt).

The Big Thrifty includes men’s clothing, so Steve was able to find some stuff as well!

The sense of community got me thinking, wouldn’t it be fun to have an event like a picnic where we fatties could all frolic together? Something with the positive sense of solidarity of the Big Thrifty, but without being crammed into a dusty, crowded room (which, unfortunately, gave me a headache that kept coming back throughout the day…blehh).

So I’m going to plan a Fabulous Fatties Frolic, which will most likely involve a picnic in a park in Cambridge. Stay tuned for details!

I wish this existed: recycled costumes for regular people

So, I recently came across the Tumblr Recycled Movie Costumes, and it got me thinking. What if there was an everyday equivalent for us non-movie-stars?

Gown on Michelle Dockery and Geraldine Somerville

I know there are Netflix-like clothing rental sites such as Gwynnie Bee, about which I’ve heard good things. But they’re for normal clothing, and they’re internet-based.

I would love to see a brick-and-mortar clothing rental business that had gorgeous, costume-y clothes in a wide variety of sizes. Flapper dresses, woodland fairy costumes, Victorian outfits, steampunk get-ups, Renaissance gowns…

Victorian outfit on Briony Glassco, Maggie Smith, and Jennifer Saunders

People could rent them for special occasions, or just to play dress-up. You could have the fun of wearing gorgeous costumes from various eras without shelling out the expense to buy one, or investing in something that might no longer fit if your body changes. And you could always spend an evening trying on costumes with friends.

Costume on Drew Barrymore and an extra in a Taylor Swift music video

I don’t know if this could actually work as a business model–it would require keeping on hand a large number of costumes in different sizes, which might be prohibitively expensive. But it’s something I’d love to see in a sustainable future of fashion.

Costume on Cathryn Harrison and Zoe Boyle

You know what happens when you leave two tiny hats alone together…

They make babies!

Now my tiny hat family has an even tinier, ridiculously adorable addition.

(The real story behind its origins: I went to the Buffalo Exchange to sell some clothing and accessories, and used the store credit I received to buy, among other things, this tiniest of tiny hats. I was very excited that such thing even existed!)

Hat porn

This year, I have pretty much the awesomest calendar ever: a calendar full of hats.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Back to the ’90s with Domino Dollhouse’s spring collection

I’m not the biggest fan of the whole omg-new-collection-hype!-manufactured-desire cycle.

But I make an exception for Domino Dollhouse, because, well, Domino fucking Dollhouse. I’m so excited for their ’90s-inspired spring collection, Nuclear Seasons. (Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do if I wore straight sizes and had so many more options to get excited about.)

Here are a few previews and behind-the-scenes images, which I found on their Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram.

Pink velvet babydoll dress, ohmygod. I really hope it doesn’t end up being $90 like the galaxy print dress…I want it so badly.

Floral eye candy

I love florals, and have for pretty much my entire life. (Yup, I lived in floral leggings from third through sixth grade…and now they’re in again! Funny how fashion works like that…)

So when I came across this picture while flipping through a magazine, I was completely, utterly enamored.

Pink peony print = amazing. Just amazing.

A lot of celebrity fashion doesn’t do it for me, but this knocked my socks off.

This dress is why I love fashion.