Just a Moment...

Before I disappear into the ether that is Bad Blogging (I'm so sorry, guys!), I'm going to be a little horrible and plug my online shop. You can buy embroidery and (so far only one, but don't mind too much) paintings from me to put on your walls!

I promise there are really cute things.

Prodigal Blogger

I'm sorry it's been so long! I've admittedly been to shy to take photos of my outfits, even though they've been some decent outfits. I'm just neurotic. But I promise to get caught up on my Marvelous Monday outfits soon! Like, by next Monday. Expect some catch-up posts.

For now, here's what I wore today. Nothing particularly special, as this is how I've been dressing all semester thus far, but I finally got over myself and took pictures in the living room/kitchen.

As a quick aside, the semester's going pretty well! I like my classes, I like my suitemates, and I recently got into NBC'S Hannibal. My life is a good one.

Skirt and flats: gifted by Dani | Top: Ralph Lauren | Bangles: Forever 21 | Earrings: Mudd

The Trick

I think we all love what I call Awesome and Cool Fat Babes. I mean, how can we not? There are incredible people out there like Sian and Rachele and Erin (to name so very few), and that's exactly what they are. Awesome and Cool. They all exude this contagious confidence, and they all seem so incredibly comfortable in their own skin.

Sometimes, I wonder if I carry off that persona half as well.

And then, after that, I realise that it's just that: a persona. I don't know these people very personally. I haven't met a single one, and I don't know that they're that confident all the time. Heaven knows I'm not.

That's the thing, though. We talk about and encourage self-confidence so much that it becomes the first thing we admire, and the first thing we envy. We see bloggers smiling at the camera like they have all the best secrets, see them standing tall and proud, see them showing off their bodies like they are the most precious of treasures. We see the images and words they send out into the void, and we see who they'd like us to see. Presumably, they show us who they'd like to be.

This isn't an indictment on the "unreality" of blogging, or whatever. Because we all do it. That's how this thing works. We show off what we think is the best of us and we allow ourselves a brief moment to fully encompass that being we project, and it's beautiful.

This isn't an indictment of anything, really. Just... I don't know. It's me saying that, while we all showcase our strength and confidence, we forget that everyone has bad days. I don't say that to bind us all together—no, our shared love of pizza and cute clothes does that pretty well (the pizza was just a speculation, but then, if you don't like pizza, that is wrong).

We, as a group, encourage self-confidence so strongly that every second without it feels like failure. It feels like falling from a great height, like you've lost something you've worked so hard to get. I mean, look at that blogger, she's so confident, why can't I be more like her?

We punish ourselves in this way. We forget something so incredibly, incredibly important.

IT IS OKAY NOT TO LOVE YOUR BODY ALL THE TIME.

IT IS OKAY NOT TO LOVE YOUR BODY AT ALL.

YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO LOVE YOUR BODY EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF EVERY SINGLE DAY.

While I think that the message of self love matters so much, I also think that we need to teach ourselves and our world that you are not a failure if you don't love your body or yourself. You are not wrong, you are not being stupid, you are not anything. You are allowed to feel what you feel. Don't you ever forget that.

Plus Brands, Please Take Note

I just want eyes on all of my clothes, partially to channel my inner Night Vale, and partially because, come on.

Look at what Kenzo did.

Make it happen in a size fat, please.

(Pictures link to places where you can put them in your closet if you've the cash and the body.)

Street Style, Again

Once again, I'm filled with this vague idea that I'd like to try my hand at street style photography. I'd actually like to do it around my campus, with an emphasis on red on Wednesdays, which are, I guess, designated as Redout Wednesdays. Red is the school colour, and I liked seeing how people incorporated it on Wednesday.

Of course, there are a few roadblocks to this idea: I still don't know where my camera charger is (my nightstand back in Lancaster?), I can barely talk to people, and what if people just aren't into it?

I guess if I'm still entertaining the thought later and I've located the stupid charger, we'll see what happens!

Pretty Simple

It's Marvelous Monday again, guys! It's also my first at the university, so that's pretty rad as well. Though I was a bit too cowardly to go beyond the hallway; I did have to tell my roommate was going on, vaguely. So there's that. Eventually, I'll venture onto the beautiful campus.

Maybe.

Let's hope.

Anyway, today I just had a couple of classes, which was pretty nice. I like my chemistry teacher well enough, but my history teacher is fantastic! I'm going to like this semester, I think.

This week's theme: minimalism!

To me, minimalism is just simplicity. Clean lines, simple colour palettes, very few accessories, stuff like that. I went for a monochromatic outfit with a pop of colour (purple lipstick you can barely see in the photo, just how I like it), and a splash of weird.

What better way to introduce myself to strangers than in  my eye shoes? Now all I'm missing is my heart sweater...

Tee: Lane Bryant | Skirt: mom | Tights: WalMart | Shoes: DIY

Now, let's go see how the others did simplicity!

Sian: Sort Life Out; Buy Milk

Jocelyn: Fat, Fashionable, and Feminist

Cheri: Cheri'z Style and Angel Luvin

L: goodbye hollywood

I Have a Dorm!

Well, I'm all sorted out here! I've unpacked, put everything away, gone grocery shopping (twice), met most of my suitemates, and bought approximately 80% of Target. I've also eaten in the cafe, which isn't bad. I'm not sure how often I'll go there, as I have every intention of cooking as often as I can, but I hear they have pretty good pancakes.

I feel like I ought to wait so I can take better pictures of my dorm than what I already have, but I'm a bit impatient, and my cupcake painting is falling down again, already, so these mediocre, wire-crossed pictures will have to do!

And then, more on Mammoth!

Some Wanderings

I went to Mammoth last week, and took approximately six million pictures. This post will be in three parts because of that, really.

I'll properly explain everything another day, but for now, have some photos!

Also: today is my move-in day. Expect nonsense about that shortly!

Stove has fantastic corn bread, and some of the best prime
rib ever.

Dinner and a Movie

Welcome to another Marvelous Monday! Actually, this was taken last Tuesday, but it's still Marvelous Monday. In real life, I'm actually wandering the High Sierras. Again.

This week's theme: date night!

I like really easy dates, honestly. Things like walking around in the late afternoon, drinking cool soda, and joking around like idiots. But with nice little additions, like holding hands. As such, I normally wouldn't wear heels on a date, unless they were fairly chunky and low. I mean, I have to be able to walk, right? But these heels Dani sent me were just so lovely, and they thus shaped my entire outfit.

Line forms on the left, gentlemen.

Fun fact: I actually fell over while wearing these heels and
looking at myself in the mirror. Proof of just how bad I am at
high heels.

Top: Ross | Skirt: mom | Earrings, heels: Forever 21 | Sunglasses, bag: Claire's | Bangles: Charming Charlie | Barrette: vintage

And now, I'd suggest paying a visit to the others to see how they dress up for dinner, movies, walking, or whatever it is when they date people.

Sian: Sort Life Out; Buy Milk

Jocelyn: Fat, Fashionable, and Feminist

Cheri: Cheri'z Style and Angel Luvin

L: goodbye hollywood

First Fat Babe Meetup

I can't believe I'm only just now getting to this! Lame, I know. But, I guess, as I forgot to take pictures myself, I've been a bit lazy about putting up some of the photos from the album on Facebook. Hideously enough, I can't remember the name of our sort of (official?) photographer, but that will be rectified the second I do. (Cameron. That's the photographer's name.)

After the Renegade Craft Fair, my compatriot (who was helping me out with LA's public transit (did I tell you that I took a subway and felt irrationally sophisticated? That happened.)) and I headed over to Grand Park and found that there were people already there.

There was talk of purple leg hair, anger and overalls, glitter, and urban exploring, as well as more serious issues pertaining to fat people (like healthcare, stupid clothing companies, and internalising self hate). Long story short, it was fantastic. Now, there's talk of a beach meetup soon, so if you're interested, be sure to check out the Facebook group. It's private, but if you're game to meet up with a bunch of fat babes, a request to join is no big deal. There's also an official tumblr! Oh, we're all over the internet.

(And I'm basically only including pictures that have me in them, because those other faces aren't mine, and next time I'll remember that I have a camera.)

I'll keep you guys up-to-date on the future meetups I'll be attending, so don't feel bad about having missed this one! I don't think they'll all have these stellar pink tables and chairs, but we can all hope.

Only one photo was taken by me, and that's the Fat Babes in LA banner thing. I made the banner altogether, actually, and am quite proud. I can't claim any of the others, though.