My Experience With Gloria Vanderbilt Jeans

It can be difficult for full-figured women like me (5' 6" and 300+ pounds) to find jeans that fit, flatter our shape, and don't break our budgets.

Back in the day (and by that I mean even as recently as 20 years ago) there weren't very many designers catering to full-figured women, and there were even fewer designers producing jeans for plus-size women.

Since I had a limited budget for everything including clothing, I normally shopped the cheap racks for jeans. As long as it fit, didn't cut off my circulation at the waistband and in the thighs, and didn't drag on the ground (I've got short legs) I was happy, but I was even happier if I could get away with spending $10.00-$25.00 on a pair of jeans.

What to Wear If You're Large Busted

Boobs are a surefire conversation starter. Did you go up 3 cup sizes after you had kids? Did you have a breast reduction? Have yours gotten larger as you've aged? Most women I know have something to say about their chest. Especially when it comes to getting dressed.

Dressing for a large bustline can be a challenge if you don't know what you're looking for - or what to avoid. You may see a cute top that looks fabulous on a small-busted woman, but put it on and it's all wrong.

Yet knowing what to wear and what to avoid can be quite confusing. While there are many x-factors that determine what will work for your bustline and your body type, I want to offer a few guidelines to help you get the best fit and make dressing for a large bustline a little bit easier.

Be Healthy and Look Great in Plus Size Clothes

You've probably heard the myth that being plus size means being unhealthy. This is just not true. Studies have shown that plus size women can be just as healthy as their skinny counterparts. What makes all the difference is how committed you are to eating right and getting activity into your routine. You want to not only look good in your plus size clothes, but you want to feel good, too. It can be a challenge to eat right, be active, and take care of yourself if you have a busy life. But think of it this way; you not only owe it to yourself to be healthy, but to the people who love you and want you to be around for many years. Use these simple tips to incorporate good habits to feel and look your best.

Get your rest. You may not need eight hours of sleep, but you do need to have a significant block of sleep every night. 

How Do I Lose A Pound A Week?

"How do I lose a pound a week", is a frequently asked question, but if you use a few of these strategies you will quickly be on your way to losing weight.

To lose one pound a week you need to create a deficit of 500 calories per day. I know what you're thinking... one pound a week doesn't sound like a lot. But successful weight loss starts off with small changes with reasonable goals. When you lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you are more likely to maintain the loss than you would from a fad diet.

The "key" to cutting your daily calorie intake and sticking to it is starting off slow. Shocking your metabolism and depriving your body will only create deprivation that may cause your body to store fat, develop severe cravings, or binge. Instead, you want to start off slow. Gradually cut back 100 to 300 calories each day working up to 500 than 1000. This will give your body and mind time to adapt to the change.

What Is a Plus Size and Why Can't the Fashion Industry Deal With It Properly?

This is an area under debate at the moment and some people are clearly struggling with it. They know that plus size is popular and is a hot topic for discussion and they wish to participate and comment on the plus size market. But what is "Plus Size", what does it mean and how do we view it?

The words "Plus Size" are used to refer to clothing for larger people, there is a wide area of debate around what is considered to be large, where does it start? Size, 10, 12, 14 or 16?. The debate then also becomes associated with health issues as many people consider that larger people are automatically unhealthy (this is untrue). The Fashion Industry is totally focused on how people look and larger people do not figure on mainstream fashion's radar. This is regrettable as a lot of people are larger than the models generally used by the fashion industry (they are then expected to buy clothes modeled on thinner women). It is interesting that the fashion industry is associated with thinness which itself can also give rise to health issues.