Big Fat Betty

I suppose this thing should start with some sort of introduction, right? I'll try not to bore you before I even get started. My name, or rather my alias, is Betty - if you're lucky enough to know my real name please have a cookie, otherwise go to the back of the queue ;)

I'm a 24 year old 'BBW' (that's 'big beautiful woman' - you'll see me use it a lot), living in scrumptious North London. I'm a full-time mature student studying BSc Social Policy & Youth Studies, so this blog is somewhat of an academic interest as well as personal.

I'm also what I call a hobbyist model - I do it because I enjoy it, not for monetary gain (though if someone wants to pay me, feel free). I quite often work with students and I am very lucky to have a few close friends who are also photographers/models. Anyway, I will go into more detail about this at a later date when I do a dedicated post on modelling.

You're probably wondering what this blog is about and why I've started it? Well, you might not be, but I'm going to tell you anyway. I plan to cover all things 'fatty' and have been asking my friends for feedback on what they'd like to read about - if you have a particular idea you'd like to see me cover, please feel free to comment and I'll follow it up.

I have recently begun to rediscover my confidence and once again feel comfortable in my own skin - a lot of things have helped this and a lot haven't, which is what I'd like to write about. One of the first things I will be covering is my views on a recent documentary, which spurred my 'need' to write and share my opinion with others - I would love it if you could comment, too, and we can start a debate about the subject. I am interested in your opinions as much as I am in sharing my own.

The main areas I will be trying to cover, as they are of most interest to me and also to my potential readers, are positive self image and prejudice/attitudes. As a newly confident BBW I have personal experience in both of these areas which I would like to share with you, as well as highlighting some other 'cases' and the views of others (bloggers, celebrities, etc). I would love to link in with other blogs, share guest entries and other such things, so if you are interested in forming some links please do get in touch!

Last but not least, I must give thanks to my good friend Lauren of ladyshambles for the awesomeness that is my blog layout. If you'd like to commission a layout from her (anything from just a header upwards), send her an e-mail at dearlauren@laurenfrench.com.

I'll leave the whole Gossip Girl style sign-off, for now...

Image © Luci Alice Photography (Model: Big Fat Betty).

Well, My Big Fat Fetish (on Channel 4/4OD) has certainly caused a lot of discussion, as well as an incredible amount of slander on Twitter, over the past few weeks. In contrast to the remarks on Twitter, I have noticed that there are a lot of positive comments/words of admiration on the Channel 4 page for the programme (as linked previously).

Before I start I would like to state that my comments are not to be taken personally and are not an 'attack' on anyone involved in the documentary or who otherwise may be offended (i.e. the feeder/gainer community). I am purely expressing my opinion and do not judge anyone as an individual..."each to their own" and all that jazz.

Firstly, I'd like to talk about the association between BBW and feeders/gainers - I feel this is overly strong, both in the documentary and in the website description (e.g. "big beautiful women - also known as gainers"). BBW are NOT feeders/gainers, they are two completely separate things. You do not have to be a BBW to be a feeder/gainer, and only a very small proportion of BBW are feeders/gainers. So, why the association? In my opinion this is just doing further damage to the view of BBW by society (in general).

I heard a rumour that Big Girls Paradise (BGP) were asked to be involved, but declined as they didn't want BGP to be associated with feeders/gainers - rightly so. From this point of view I am glad that they didn't participate, but I wonder if the documentary would have given a broader view if they had been involved - I mean, asides from a very small snippet on squashing/sitting, the documentary focused on feeders/gainers and not a lot else.

I wouldn't judge someone for being a feeder/gainer, nor would I dismiss anyone's friendship because of it, but I don't agree with it from a health point of view. Intentionally increasing your weight to excess (particularly over a short period) is not healthy - at some point it is bound to have a negative impact. The documentary shows this in the case of Patty, but doesn't really discuss any other health implications - I am sure that if it were about slim women not eating it would be an entirely different story, sparking international outrage.

Anyway, I did feel there were some positives/interesting points in the documentary. One is that it highlighted to me that each BBW has a completely different figure from the next - there were a few ladies in the documentary around the same weight as me (I'm 20st, in case you were wondering), but each had a different build. Though, I still appear to be one of few BBW that are not blessed in the cleavage department (42B)...

The second positive point, for me, was hearing about Lizzie's story. An absolutely stunning individual who is interested in modelling and not in feeding/gaining (for the time being, at least). Though I am somewhat sceptical as to the possible links to the feeding/gaining industry, given her modelling for Reenaye, it would appear from my subsequent research that there will be a separate (unassociated) website - perhaps more focused on modelling? I am following Lizzie on Twitter and look forward to following her journey and seeing exactly what the outcome is of this venture into the modelling world.

All-in-all, there are pros and cons. Watch the documentary for yourself, if you haven't done so already, and let me know what you think. I feel that a second documentary focusing on other, less taboo areas, would go a long way to restoring my faith in the media.

Last but not least, kudos to all the BBW that took part in the documentary. Regardless of my previously voiced opinion, you are all stunning and inspirational in your own ways.

Image from MSN TV.

Big Girls Paradise (BGP) is a BBW nightclub (well, more of an event I'd say - it's held in different venues and not necessarily a nightclub) which runs in various locations across the UK. I'm not sure how long I've known about BGP or how I found out about it, but I've wanted to go for a very long time - before I moved in London, it just wasn't viable.

Since living in London I'd been desperate to go, but I wouldn't go on my own and at £12.50 a ticket (plus travel + drinks) I didn't feel comfortable asking anyone to go with me. So, when my friend asked me if I wanted to go with her I was ecstatic!

We went to the London event at All Bar One in May (2012).I was a bit anxious about going, as I was unsure what to expect and thought it might be a bit of a meat market. I almost convinced myself not to go, but did in the end, and despite the confusing journey was glad that I did. When we arrived I was surprised by the venue as I presumed it would be a nightclub, but it was a bar - though it was aesthetically pleasing and made me feel more at ease. There were quite a few people there when we arrived.

There were a reasonable amount of males in attendance (though could do with more!) and I was pleased to find some of them attractive! The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly and we had some brief conversations with some of the other ladies there. The BGP Curvy Kittens were very welcoming and took time to talk to us, which helped me to relax. It wasn't a meat market as I had anticipated - we did get chatting to a few men and overall had a pleasant experience, except one chap who...well, wouldn't take a hint!

The music was varied and generally enjoyable, except for a short period of 'different' music which I am unable to describe, though I did hear that the DJ wasn't the usual gentleman (whether that is true or not I don't know). The drinks were average London prices - bottles of wine started from about £14.00 and I purchased two single vodka and cokes for £7.80 (ish).

I found the location to be slightly odd, but appreciate that another venue may have been more expensive to procure and would raise the entry fee as a result. Whilst I don't begrudge paying £12.50 for entry on a Friday night, which I believe to be in line (if not cheaper) with other London venues, I feel that more could be done in relation to regular custom - i.e. perhaps membership with a discounted entry fee, etc.

The only downside was to find that, after a week of anticipation, our photo wasn't in the gallery. The friend I went with sent a query to the website - "Hi there! Me and my friend attended our first BGP party on May 5th, we had our photo taken but it's not in the gallery? I'm only asking because it was a bloody good photo, haha, and we wanted it to keep. Have all the pictures been uploaded? Thank you :) x" - and received the following response:

"HI there,

All the picture that we decided to use have been uploaded for last month, it
is hard for me to say as I have no idea who you are and what picture you are
referring to."

...I've taken out names, as I didn't feel it was fair to name people specifically. What I would say though is that if you want a photo to remember your night take one yourself...take a look at the gallery and come to your own conclusion. Perhaps some lessons in business etiquette wouldn't go amiss for this person...I have no idea who you are, indeed!

In summary, asides from the photo issue, it was a fun night out and I will certainly go again - in fact I am already planning to go to the London event on 7th July, come and say hello!

Since attending the event in May, I have been a regular visitor to the BGP chatroom and have made the acquaintance of some very lovely ladies whom I hope to meet at the next event. There are quite a few regulars in the chatroom and fun group discussions (particularly in the evening, around 9-10pm). I would highly recommend having a look for yourself, whether you just fancy a chat, are looking for BGP buddies or want to get more feedback on the events.

As well as their own site, BGP also has a Facebook page and a Twitter.

Image from Big Girls Paradise.

Good evening followers. It is a rare occurence that I don't look like a sack of potatoes in a novelty t-shirt, so I thought I would share my 'outfit of the day'! I have to say I have found posting this on blogger a bit of a nightmare, I've had to edit it upteen times just to get the font in the right place...still, got there in the end. Hope the photo size is okay?

Nails: Avon Nailwear Pro in 'Viva Pink' and L.A. Colours Art Deco (found in the 99p shop)
Bracelet: A present from a friend. Thanks Nykie <3 :)

Top from Matalan (ages ago), trousers from Next (£25)

The following is a part-quote from the 'Usage' section of Wikipedia's entry on 'Big Beautiful Woman': 'Although "BBW" may have been first used in the context of BBW Magazine, the term's usage spread over the years, to the point that even women who had never heard of the magazine began to refer to themselves as "BBWs".

Some women may adopt the term as a personal preference over the term Rubenesque, or full-figured, because they may not necessarily have large breasts or hips. Such terms, and others such as "queen-sized", "plus-sized", or "fat" may lead to feelings of marginalization or non-inclusion for some women. However, some strongly prefer the term fat over other words which they consider unnecessary euphemisms.'

I can't remember where I saw it and whether it was an image or just text, but I recently read something that said something along the lines of don't say "you're not fat, you're _____". I initially agreed with this but then started to doubt my decision...the trouble is, the word 'fat' is associated with negativity - that being 'fat' is a bad (or terrible, rather) thing.Well, I'm taking back the word 'fat' and so are many other people. I AM FAT. Fact. You don't say someone isn't black because there's still racism in the world, so why say I'm not fat because there's still weightism (for want of a better word)? It is what it is, a descriptive term. It shouldn't have to mean 'pretty' or 'ugly' in the same way that 'slim' or 'petite' doesn't (well, I think).

I first came across the term 'plus size' when I first started modelling in 2008. Technically, or as far as the modelling industry is concerned, the term is meant to apply to size 12 and above (to a 16-18 really). There are two issues with this - firstly, this means that ALL sizes over a 12 are represented typically by size 12-14 models, which is a significant misrepresentation. Secondly, there are some people who dislike anyone outside of said category using the term 'plus size' - I have seen it said many a times that 'fat' or 'obese' models are not 'plus size'. It annoys me that, as a size 22-24 model, it would appear to some people that I should market myself an obese/fat model instead of as plus size. Slim models don't market themselves as slim, models under 5'8" don't market themselves as short....it seems pretty one-sided and 'anti' to me. Larger models get a lot more 'stick' for breaking the mould than non-conventional smaller models do. Until there is a legitimate non-discriminatory category to apply to my modelling, I shall continue to use 'plus size' as a category and descriptive term, particularly as 'plus size' in the fashion world in general is used in what I would consider to be an appropriate way.

Last but not least...'BBW' or 'big beautiful woman' is a relatively new term in my view. It is being used more frequently and more positively than before, however, it still seems to be predominantly used by the adult entertainment industry (you only need to use google or look at the BBW tag on Tumblr to evidence this). I didn't really refer to myself as a BBW until I attended Big Girls Paradise in May 2012, and I only tend to use it online. As a term in general though, I like it - it doesn't seem to carry any negativity but instead celebrates the beauty of big women.

Whilst we're on the subject of names and descriptors...I may as well include a little bit about 'name calling' - or rather, bullying. I was bullied throughout the entirety of my childhood and only really escaped it when I left my home town (finding that those who bullied me in school would now bully me in the streets, in town, college, etc). I was called a lot of things, including Miss Piggy and Kelly Osbourne. I was mostly bullied because of my size and lack of feminine figure (or lack of breasts, to be honest). I find I get verbal abuse on the odd occasion even now, but it rarely happens and now it doesn't really bother me - if anything I get a bit annoyed rather than upset. I love Miss Piggy and find the relation hilarious now (can't say the same about Kelly, but not for any particular reason)...and in short, you can call me what you like, as I will more than likely use the word(s) myself. I have come to accept and start to love who I am and that includes being fat, plus size, a BBW, obese, big, large, whatever. I just hope that one day we can drop the negativity associated with some of these terms and be happy to be the way we are.

Image © Lauren French (Model: Big Fat Betty).

Article: Calling someone fat could be made a HATE crime as girls as young as 5 'mentally and physically ill' over weight worries (The Daily Mail, 30 May 2012).

Now that I've stopped laughing at the use of 'the scale of the problem', having read the article above, I found this article quite interesting and there are a few points I'd like to talk about.

a) How can a 7 year old go on a diet? Surely they eat whatever they're given by their parents? Maybe things are different these days, or in different families, but when I was a kid I ate breakfast under the watch of my parents, I had a packed lunch for school and we ate dinner together as a family - at what point in that cycle I would be able to decide to go on a diet, I do not know. I won't get into a debate on parenting skills, as that's slightly off topic...

b) I've thought for a long time that body confidence and self esteem should be included at school to some extent - I am not certain that it needs a dedicated class, but I guess time will tell if they introduce such a thing. Asides from individual self esteem, I think it would aid in the way that children view their peers - something that, as a bullied child, I always found to be distinctly negative. Then again, is all of this just reacting to the problem rather than solving it?

c) I think that 'appearance-based discrimination' being included in the law is long overdue - not just based on weight but on other matters too, such as those who choose to have tattoos for example. Though, as with many types of discrimination, I expect it will be very difficult to prove - and I doubt people are going to start taking people to court for calling them 'fat' but who knows.

Overall I feel that this article and the proposals discussed is just skirting around the problem as usual - why can't we start looking at WHY people are feeling this way (*cough* the media *cough*) and work towards prevention rather than cure?

As always I would love to hear your thoughts.

Image from gabi-rl (Tumblr).

Last Saturday, my friend and I went to Big Girls Paradise (BGP) again in London - we first went in May (read more here). Unfortunately we had some issues which delayed our arrival and arrived after 10:30pm, so we had to pay £15.00 entry each instead of £12.50. I will be giving a lot of thought to getting a taxi there and back next time I go, as getting there by public transport has proved to be a bit of a nightmare!

I was pleased to see that the venue was quite busy, more so than our last visit, and we were warmly greeted by the Curvy Kittens who remembered us from May. Shortly after our arrival we were able to meet up with some of the girls I had been chatting to in the BGP chat room - it really made my night to meet so many lovely people, and put aside any worries about attending on my own in the future. I also chatted to a few people I didn't know previously - some were more talkative than others...

As it was a busier night the venue was a little more cosy - the size of the venue is adequate but at times I wished for somewhere a bit quieter to chat to people. There is an area downstairs by the toilets, but I've heard that it's 'off limits' following an, err, incident.

Bonus point - we made it into the gallery this time! I think it's probably only because we had our photos taken with the Paradise Guys, but still, I am pleased all the same.

I had planned to wear a corset that I purchased from a plus size sale group on Facebook, but picked up a couple of bargains in town and decided I'd go for a comfier option...

Blazer: £8.00 from Clearance Store* | Top: £7.00 from Clearance Store* | Leggings: £20.00 for two from Sainsbury's | Necklace: Handmade by me and my friend Amz of Black Sunshine

*there's a little shop in the mini precinct by Morrisons on Holloway Road that sells end of line items & such and has a lot of plus size clothing. I was tempted to get another blazer as they had other colours including a lovely blue.

PS: I've pinched some inspiration from the lovely Hanna's (of The Wardrobe Challenge) OOTD posts in terms of descriptives. Hopefully looking a little more organised now.

Sadly I forgot to take an up-close photo of the necklace, which is a white scroll with the text 'Betty' on a black heart. I was hoping it may raise the opportunity to talk about my blog...but we were all too busy enjoying ourselves!

That's all for now. I hope you've all had a lovely weekend. Don't forget, if you'd like to keep up to date with the world of Betty in between posts, you can follow me on Twitter and/or like my Facebook page - I will be holding a giveaway here on my blog featuring some awesome goodies from Black Sunshine once my Facebook page reaches 50 likes!

Image (top left) © Big Girls Paradise.

Evening all. The sun is finally shining, so I'm making the most of it and giving my summer gear a good airing - what better opportunity to bring you some OOTD's! I celebrated the first weekend of sunshine by going to the beach with the family - I wanted something comfortable but stylish to wear and I've never owned a maxi dress before, so I decided to treat myself...

Dress: £10.00 (sale) from Store 21

Today I decided to continue my summer spirits by wearing something that didn't involve black jeans (shock horror) to work, though I was in the office so didn't spend much time in the sun!

Top: £? from charity shop (originally F+F @ Tesco) | Cropped Leggings: £4.99 BOGOF (now £1.99 in sale) from Store 21 | Vest: £2.49 BOGOF from Store 21

Oh and last week I decided to give my swallow print dress an outing...

Dress: £12.00 (sale) from New Look | Jeans: £10.00 (sale) from New Look

That's all for now. I have some plans for some more meaningful posts shortly, but life is rather hectic at the moment! Hope you are all enjoying the good weather now that it's here. TTFN :)

Since modelling is one of the main things that has given me confidence in my appearance, I feel it's something that I ought to blog about - though apologies if some areas, in particular dates, are a little vague - I've been modelling as a hobby since 2008 and, as is the nature of a hobby, it is pretty much undocumented in terms of timescales. So, here goes...

I owe a great deal of my initial (and continuing) interest in modelling to my friend, model and photographer, Luci. It was her modelling work that inspired me to consider modelling and she very kindly shared a great deal of information with me - including networking websites.

I registered on Net-Model and had my first shoot in Camden in January 2008 with an amateur photographer. Two friends kindly came with me as chaperones - their presence was reassuring, as well as the obvious safety aspects. My first experience was a pleasant one overall, but definately a learning curve from a personal perspective - for example, I only had one outfit and my make-up, well...lets just say it left a lot to be desired!

Following on from my first shoot, I got involved in quite a few group shoots across the South of England (a group shoot is where multiple photographers and models get together and take turns working with eachother) - they were all very enjoyable and proved invaluable in terms of networking, and I also started to develop a reasonable portfolio for a beginner.

It has been tricky, trying to learn techniques, as a plus size model - there are not many people to look to for advice and inspiration. I may still not be able to flash through X amount of poses in a given timeframe (which there are pros and cons to, anyway), but I have become comfortable in front of the camera. This has gradually developed and grown over the years - it has certainly been helped by the beautiful images and positive comments I have received...in fact, I would actually say that this is the reason my confidence has grown, as it's enabled me to finally view myself and my body as beautiful. I have learnt to appreciate myself as I would a piece of art.

There is one model inparticular that I have looked to as inspiration and have also had the pleasure of meeting, that model is Roze Thorn. I would strongly urge you to take a look at her portfolio for yourself, as I cannot do her justice in words.

After modelling for approximately 6 months, I made the decision to start doing nude modelling. I was heavily inspired by the TV programme 'How to Look Good Naked' and inparticular the participants' reaction to experience - I wondered if I could experience something similar...

...and I did. Since I started nude modelling I have not looked back and gone from strength to strength. I still get a little nervous, not so much about being in front of the camera but being around strangers so to speak - and whilst I'm comfortable in my own skin, I sometimes wonder how comfortable they are. Also, a lot of studios I've been in are quite hot, which is amplified when you're stood in front of however many lights...!

I love sharing my work, though I appreciate that not everyone is comfortable with it, so I have uploaded most of my portfolio (that's worthy of sharing) to Flickr. There's both clothed and nude images and the latter shouldn't show unless your settings allow it, so it's entirely up to you what you do or do not look at (if you want to look at all, that is!).

Now-a-days I don't really seek out modelling opportunities as my life is pretty occupied with being a student and everything that comes with that, though I do the odd shoot now and again - since moving to London I have had the pleasure of working with some exceptional photography students (namely Dan Thomas and Hannah Coates) and I hope this will continue.

Before I sign-off, I would like to highlight that I do modelling as a hobby and not a professional occupation (though I sometimes have paid shoots). I do, however, have some knowledge of the industry and if you have any questions either about me personally or about modelling in general I will be happy to answer to the best of my ability - just leave a comment or, if you prefer, you can send me an e-mail at mybigbeautifulblog@gmail.com.

Image © Luci Alice (Model: Big Fat Betty).

I was going to run a giveaway when I reached 50 'likes' on Facebook, but as I am as excited as hopefully you will be...I couldn't wait so I'm doing it now!

The raffle is live from today and will end on Saturday 1 September at approximately 05:00 GMT (as you can't change the times on Rafflecoptor, which is in BST, hence the odd time).

The prizes have all been handmade by Black Sunshine and include an Ice Cream Ring (RRP £1.99), Hello Kitty Purse (RRP £5.00) and Cosmos in a Jar Necklace (RRP £2.99). I will also be including some sweeties and other bits 'n' bobs.

NB: I can't post during the week so the winner will most likely have the prizes posted to them the following Saturday (8 September).

There are lots of ways you can enter and none are mandatory, so you can do as little or as much as you like - though remember you've got to be 'in it to win it'!

Black Sunshine is also running a giveaway on her blog for 50% off a custom set of crochet dreads.

Oh and if you can't wait to see if you've won this giveaway, or fancy a bit of retail therapy in the meantime, take a look at Black Sunshine's etsy shop.

Last but not least, thank you all very much for taking the time to read my blog and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hi everyone! Hope you are enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend. I just wanted to let you all know that there will be a plus size flashmob in London on Saturday 1 September 2012 as part of Global United Plus Size Day, organised by Plus Confidence In You.

The embedded videos by Anita Bellamy will tell you more about the flashmob (first) and Plus Confidence In You (second).

If you don't want to take part in the catwalk at the flashmob but would still like to be involved in some way, please do come along as there will be plenty to do and the more of a presence we have the better! Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable, confident and at your curvy best - I'd advise comfortable shoes though (or a spare pair for before/after you strut your stuff!) ;)

For further information check out the Facebook event or e-mail plusconfidenceinyou@yahoo.co.uk.

Videos © Anita Bellamy (Plus Confidence In You)

Ooh, my first blog sale! Sizes 22-24(UK).

Things you need to know before purchasing:

1) I accept PayPal, bank transfer, postal order or cheque

2) If you wish to pay by PayPal, please add fees (there's a calculator here)

3) Prices include 2nd class P&P

4) Please note that I am a smoker (though all items are washed)

5) I can only post on Saturdays and may not be able to post on 01/09/12

Item #: 001

Size: 22-24

Brand: C&A

Info: Slightly faded though hasn't been worn much

Price: £4.00

Item #: 002

Size: 22

Brand: Unknown - tag removed

Info: Dark (navy?) blue

Price:£3.00

Item #: 003

Size: 22

Brand: Unknown - tag removed

Info: Pale orange, small hole in sleeve

Price:£2.50

Item #: 004

Size: 24

Brand: Matalan

Info: The neck/sleeves are lace (front & back)

Price:£3.00

Item #: 004

Size: 22

Brand: Unknown - tag removed

Info: Worn once

Price:£5.00

Item #: 005

Size: 22

Brand: Evans

Info: Cropped jeans

Price:£7.50

Item #: 006

Size: 24

Brand: George (Asda)

Info:Medium brown (slightly darker than pic)

Price:£4.00

Item #: 007

Size: 20

Brand: Dorothy Perkins

Info: Ties around back

Price:£5.00

Item #: 008

Size: 22

Brand: Store Twenty One

Info: Tried on & washed

Price:£3.00

Item #: 009

Size: 22

Brand: TU (Sainsbury's)

Info: Nightie, tried & on washed

Price:£2.50

Item #: 010

Size: 24

Brand: Yours

Info: Smart long shorts/cropped trousers

Price:£4.50

Item #: 011

Size: 22

Brand: New Look

Info: Short strapless dress w/boning in bust

Price:£7.00

Item #: 012

Size: 20

Brand: Primark

Info: Stretchy panel in back

Price:£4.50

Don't forget to check out Part 1!

Things you need to know before purchasing:

1) I accept PayPal, bank transfer, postal order or cheque

2) If you wish to pay by PayPal, please add fees (there's a calculator here)

3) Prices include 2nd class P&P

4) Please note that I am a smoker (though all items are washed)

5) I can only post on Saturdays

Item #: 013

Size: 22-24

Brand: Evans

Info: See above photo for reverse

Price: £4.00[SOLD]

Item #: 014

Size: XXL

Brand: Store Twenty One

Info: A bit tight for me, best suited to a 20 or smaller

Price: £3.00

Item #: 015

Size: 22-24

Brand: Evans

Info: Well worn but still in good condition

Price: £3.00

Item #: 016

Size: 24

Brand: New Look

Info: I love this but it's not long enough for me :(

Price: £4.00

Item #: 017

Size: 22

Brand: Next

Info: Some slight fraying on the bottom (gathered edge)

Price: £5.00

Item #: 018

Size: 22

Brand: Next

Info: Some slight fraying on the bottom (gathered edge)

Price: £5.00

Hello everyone! Apologies for the unintended hiatus - life has been very busy since I returned to London and started my second year of university. Anyway, enough about that! You may recall that, back in August, I posted about a plus size flashmob happening on 1 September - I attended the event and wanted to share my experience with you. I have waited a little longer than I intended as I wanted to share the video footage which was taken on the day.

Firstly, I'd like to thank Anita Bellamy of Plus Confidence In You for organising, Symone Woods for filming and Chris Harvey for photographing the event, as well as everyone that participated.

My experience of the flashmob was that it was an excellent opportunity to meet other plus size and likeminded women, as well as to show the general public that we are comfortable in the skin we're in. It was both exhilirating and confidence building - I left feeling sexy and proud.

I hope that there will be more opportunities like this in the future...and perhaps one day we can take on Trafalgar Square! If you'd like to read more about Plus Confidence In You and the story behind the flashmob, read my previous post or check out the Facebook page.

Video © Symone Woods (for Plus Confidence In You).
Images © Chris Harvey (for Plus Confidence In You)(edited by me, with permission).

You know me, I love a controversial topic and a recent article got me thinking - can size acceptance be unhealthy? Now, I'm not going to refer to said article as I don't wish to appear to be attacking an individual which is NOT what this is about - I just wanted to share my views on the question that I've posed and, equally, hear your views too.

So, we're all (well, most of you reading this) up for this size acceptance/pro size lark, myself included...though I will admit I am fat, overweight, obese, whatever. I'm heavier than I should be (ignoring BMI as according to that I should be 13st, at which point I'd probably be dead) and borderline diabetic, though (as much as the doctors like to tell me otherwise) I have no health problems associated with my weight asides from being generally unfit. The point I'm trying to make is that if my weight was having a detrimental effect on my health I would not be pro size in my case, as whilst every body is beautiful I feel that health is paramount.

Now, I'm not a doctor or an health expert and perhaps part of this is me making presumptions about people's health based on their looks and statistics - however much I don't want to be the type of person that does that, I can't help but think there must be a point at which one's weight would have an effect on one's health with certainty, even if it's just mobility.

This is why I am asking if size acceptance can be unhealthy - is it right to promote acceptance of size if you fall into the above catagory, much the same as (it would appear) it isn't acceptable if you are underweight for whatever reason. At what point are we promoting size acceptance, or even obesity, at the risk of others - for example, if a 13 year old child weighed 20st, do we ignore the health implications in favour of size acceptance?

(If you like this post, you might also like my post on the C4 documentary 'My Big Fat Fetish'.)

Image © clarita (morgueFile).

Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the weekend. I am very excited for the coming week as I have an announcement to make *drumroll*...Linda Koch, Organiser and Founder of Big Girls Paradise and Miss BBW International, has very kindly invited me to cover Miss BBW International on Saturday 10 November. I received a message from Linda earlier this week, offering me two free tickets in exchange for covering the event via my blog and other social media. I of course didn't hesitate in accepting this (my first) opportunity to cover a plus size event!

There are LIMITED tickets available at £67.00 per person which includes a champagne reception, seated three course dinner and entry to the exclusive after party. Further information and how to purchase a ticket can be found on the Miss BBW International website.

If that's not enough to convince you..."The show will be presented by Alison Hammond from the award winning ITV show This Morning and showcase appearances by comedian Junior Simpson, pop sensations The Diva Dolls, Fabia Cerra FROM Britain’s got Talent and vocalist Annaleigh Koch" - quoted from the Miss BBW International website.

The competition/pageant is specifically aimed at plus size women who are a size 18+, a range which is not typically catered for by the relevant industries. The 19 finalists, aged 18-47 and ranging in size from 18-32, have been working hard attending various planning events and arranging their outfits, which I cannot wait to see on the day!

I have to admit though, the thing I am most looking forward to is seeing Velvet D'Amour in person - Velvet, a model and photographer, is one of the judges and is perhaps most famous for her appearance on Jean-Paul Gaultier's catwalk in Paris (2006).

Anyway, that's enough rambling from me...I hope to see some of you there on Saturday! If you're not able to make it, I will tweeting throughout the evening and posting about the event in the following week.

At last, here it is - the eagerly awaited lowdown on the Miss BBW International 2012 Final - if you haven't got a scoobies what I'm talking about, you can check out my 'Part 1' post here. Now, it's not often that I start my posts with a large image - I tend to resize them and frame with text, but this time I am going to make an exception as I think the beauty of these girls deserves to be noted...which isn't going to happen if you can't see their gorgeous faces!

Image © Miss BBW International (The Finalists) | Let me introduce to you the winners of Miss BBW 2012 - Katie-Ann Mumby-Cole (5th), Kimberlea Randall (2nd), Gemma Cruickshank (1st), Georgina Hawes (4th) and Severine Spicer (3rd)...intros over, I would like to say congratulations to ALL the finalists, who all shone both on the catwalk and off.

Sorry, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself - I haven't even told you what happened yet! Where do I start? At the beginning, I suppose. My friend and I were staying at the Ibis Hotel in Heathrow and met an awesome fellow blogger, Becky, before we all walked down to the Marriott Hotel in Heathrow for the champagne reception. Upon arrival were greeted by the lovely Emma Walker (Marketing and PR Manager for Miss BBW International), who looked sensational in her C for Chickah dress by Syreeta Badu. We then met equally awesome fellow bloggers, Lucy and Charmaine. All of the bloggers, including myself, had been invited by Linda Koch (Organiser and Founder of Miss BBW International & Big Girls Paradise) to cover the event and were gifted a free ticket (or two, in my case) - the tickets included a champagne reception, three course meal and after party as well as the event itself.

Image © Miss BBW International (Alison Hammond [centre] and The Diva Dolls) | The event was presented by Alison Hammond (who is most recently known as being part of the presenting team for ITV's This Morning) and I honestly cannot put into words how fantastic she was - she was bubbly, feisty, funny and, perhaps most important of all, down to earth. She was very friendly and approachable, even giving my friend a hug whilst I attempted to hide from embarrassment! There was also sensational entertainment from The Diva Dolls (female vocal group), Junior Simpson (comedian) and Fabia Cerra (burlesque dancer).

The contestants were put through their paces in quick fire fashion walks including casual (sponsored by Excite Clothing), swimwear and formal wear. I was surprised to discover that some of the contestants had made their own dresses - I wish I could do that! As well as fashion, the contestants were quizzed about their motivation for entering the pageant (or why they would like to win) and typical pageant questions such as what would you change in the world, etc.

Although if I'm honest the idea of a pageant isn't really my thing, overall it was an enjoyable experience and I feel that the majority if not all the women in attendance left feeling positive and empowered. I will be interested to see what the following year holds for the finalists and, in particular, our 'Miss BBW International 2012' Gemma Cruickshank.

There has already been a considerable amount of media coverage of the event, both positive and negative, including the BBC 3 documentary 'Britain's Biggest Beauty Queens' (view it on iPlayer here) which was surprisingly supportive (I say 'suprisingly' as having watched the trailer I felt that there may be a few 'digs' here and there, but there weren't - asides from the unnecessary highlighting of what the girls were going to be eating at various pre-pageant stages). The documentary is definately worth a watch, but if you stumble across an article written by a well known ill-mouthed journalist...well, I'll leave the decision up to you!

Image © BPSFW |Happy New Year everyone! I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and enjoyed celebrating the end of 2012. I'm very excited about 2013 and looking forward to the numerous plus size events that are happening throughout the year - I'm particularly looking forward to the British Plus-Size Fashion Weekend (BPSFW, previously LPSFW/London Plus-Size Fashion Weekend), which I will be attending as an Official Blogger!

BPSFW is being held on Saturday 16 February 2013 at Shoreditch Town Hall in London. Tickets can still be purchased from LPSFW.com, either at a discounted rate for the full day or per individual session.

The event is packed with exciting sessions including a market place, swap shop, fashion show and masterclasses. There will also be a panel discussion hosted by Lauren Ding of Pocket Rocket Fashion - the panel will be formed of industry professionals including Jessica Kane (Owner/Publisher of Skorch Magazine), Anna Shillinglaw (Founder of Milk Management), Rianna Ward (CEO of Evolve Magazine) and Velvet D'Amour (International Plus Size Model and Photographer).

I am personally looking forward to the masterclasses and and panel discussion most of all, as well as seeing more of Syreeta Badu's collection after seeing
Emma Walker (Marketing and PR Manager for Miss BBW International) rocking her
C for Chickah dress at the Miss BBW International 2012 Final.

I hope to see you there! Though, if you're not able to make it, be sure to follow me on Twitter as I'll be tweeting live on the day. For further information and future updates visit the BPSFW website, Facebook page and Twitter.

Image © BPSFW (Beach Blanket Babylon - Exclusive Press Event Venue) | Hello everyone! I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I just wanted to bring you a quick update regarding BPSFW (previously LPSFW/London Plus Size Fashion Weekend - if you're not sure what I'm talking about, take a look at my previous post).

The team announced a competition on their Facebook page today which I thought you might be interested in...

To enter the competition, all you need to do is produce a short Youtube video stating how you feel as a plus size person and why you want to be involved in the event. A chosen few will be selected from the entries to be a VIP guest at the event.

So, I bet you're wondering what you get as a VIP guest? You will be given a VIP goodie bag, an exclusive invitation to the press event (which is being held on Friday 15 February at Beach Blanket Babylon and is by invitation only), priority seating at the fashion show, a chance to meet the designers and much more.

So, what're you waiting for? Get recording those videos! Once your done, send a link in a message to the team via the BPSFW Facebook page. The closing date is 26 January. Good luck!

Image © Dionna Humphrey (Dionna Humphrey of Body Conscious Beauty at the Inaugural Peace Ball, Wearing Dress by Rue114) | Hello lovelies! I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend (well, what's left of it by this point). Now, you may have read that I have been on the hunt for businesses to collaborate with me on a giveaway - I was over the moon when I had an e-mail from Dionna of Body Conscious Beauty, expressing an interest in offering her services.

Who is Dionna and what does she do, I hear you ask - well, Dionna is a Style Consultant based in Washington D.C. and helps women of all shapes and sizes to re-imagine their style and look their absolute best. She offers a variety of services, which you can read more about on her site.

Dionna and I would like to run a giveaway to offer one lucky reader a complimentary consultation, which can be undertaken online via Skype or in person (in the Washington D.C. area). At the moment we are just guaging interest to see if this is something that you would be interested in - if you are, please leave a comment and share with your friends!

PS: You can also find Dionna on Facebook and Twitter :)

A brief (for me!) introduction

My Big Fat Fetish

Big Girls Paradise (BGP)

Betty's First OOTD!

What's in a Name?

You Can't Call Me THAT!

Belated OOTD

Summer is Here!

Modelling and Confidence

Giveaway!

Plus Size Flashmob (Part 1)

Blog Sale (Part 1)

Blog Sale (Part 2)

Plus Size Flashmob (Part 2)

Acceptance vs. Health

Miss BBW (Part 1)

Miss BBW (Part 2)

BPSFW (Introduction)

BPSFW (Competition)

Giveaway Feedback