The Fat Girl's Guide to Living

One of our first Fat Girl’s Guides covered how to practice yoga when your boobs and belly are, shall we say, significant enough to render certain poses difficult without a skilled instructor to offer alternatives. Now we’d like to offer our readers a free copy of Plus-Sized Yoga: Beginners Yoga for People of All Sizes by Donald Keith Stanley. A yoga student for many years, Stanley worked with yoga instructors and students to develop this guide for “the rest of us,” dispelling the myth that you have to look like a cover model to practice yoga. The book also covers the many benefits of yoga, including improved posture, stress relief, and improved focus and sleeping patterns – benefits Toni can happily attest to since returning to practice at the beginning of this year.

To enter, comment here with the FIRST word that comes to mind when you hear the word “yoga,” and you’ll be automatically entered in the drawing. (One entry per person and you must enter a valid email address).

The contest closes Wednesday, March 10 at 11:59 pm CST. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments, and will be notified by email within 24 hours after the contest closes.

Designer Monif Clarke knows a thing or two about dressing up our curves

Dear FGG,

HELP! I always have a hard time finding tops and dresses to fit my large chest. By the time I actually find something that fits me on top, I’m swimming in it on the bottom. I’m desperate for tips on what styles to wear!

I learned the hard way that dressing my pear-shaped bod in baggy, straight tops made me look like this, so it took some trial and error to find clothes that flattered my body type. But even on my biggest, non-pregnant days, I maybe make it  into a C cup, so I turned to an expert to help us answer this question: Monif Clarke, CEO and Designer at Manhattan-based Monif C. Plus Sizes

FGG: What are some common fashion mistakes you see large-chested women make?

MC: I am large-chested myself and I think the biggest mistake we make is not wearing the right size bra. Sometimes women come into my plus size boutique in New York, and when I take a look at their bra that they got for $20 at their local mall, I tell them it’s so important to invest the money to go to a bra shop, get fitted, and buy the right size bra. [FGG here: I've had great luck with Nordstrom for personalized bra fittings]

FGG: How important is a good bra, and can you suggest any brands to our readers?

MC: A good bra is very important because it will improve posture, make your clothes look nicer, and help alleviate the additional weight from our large chests. I don’t have any particular brands I love, but I do shop quite a bit at bravissimo.com. [FGG here: Readers, if you have any faves, we want to hear from you in the comments on this one!]

FGG: What should busty girls look for in tops and dresses that will fit and flatter their curves?

MC: I think that we look great in wrap tops and dresses, and V-necks are universally flattering. Often when women are large-chested, the chest pushes out the dress/top, which can make her look like she has no waist or hips. I think it’s important to look for dresses with empire waists and wraps to highlight your waist. Also, short jackets with curved seams are great to pull in our figure at the waist.

FGG: Do any fashion lines – from budget buys at Wal Mart to high-end couture – really “get it” in terms of fitting bigger breasted women?

MC: As a large chested woman, I’ve never really felt too limited to stick to particular brands for clothes. I think rather you want to look at an entire line of clothing and figure out what pieces you can pick out of the line to highlight your curves. For example, when I shop, I usually look for fitted dresses or fitted tops to wear with A-line skirts. I try to minimize volume on the top half of my body and concentrate it in the lower part of my body to avoid looking bigger on top.

FGG: Anything else you’d like to add?

MC: There are more options than ever for large-chested women to find bras that are pretty and supportive, and many more options for clothes out there, but we have to be willing to seek out these options. When designing clothes for Monif C. Plus Sizes, I always make it a point to pay attention to necklines as well as things like the width of shoulder straps on a dress, so I can know it can universally work for all women. We recently expanded our product line and are now designing plus size swimwear for sizes 14 – 24. One of the main features of the swim suits are halter neck ties, which work especially well for large-chested women because they help to “hoist” up the girls in the swimsuits.

Thanks for your insights, Monif, and for creating such vibrant, fun, and fashionable clothing in our size! Readers, we know we’ll be hearing from you on this topic because you always seem to know the best places to find fashion that actually fits our figures. Share your favorite finds and tips in the comments.

Comfortable in my own pants

I love yoga. The reasons are many: it’s a low impact activity (perfect for my myriad prior injuries), practice can be adjusted to suit just about any ability level (no need to take one of those overachieving “power yoga” classes to reap its benefits) and body type (I am a master at adjusting poses to suit my ample lower belly), and it makes me feel fantastic, inside and out (I leave class feeling both relaxed and energized – unlike anything else physical I do, except maybe for sex!).

Let’s face it: yoga pants are inexpensive and easy to find at just about any major retailer. Those yoga pants are just fine, and fortunately, you don’t need any specialized equipment to practice yoga. But if you want comfortable, well-made, sturdy, flattering yoga pants that will last you for years, check out these beauties from Land’s End. The fabric wicks away moisture from your body and prevents the growth of bacteria–distinct advantages if you’re a sweaty Betty like me. They’re also nicely insulated–I never feel the cold when walking to and from yoga in our freezing Illinois winters–and I just love the thickness and firm flexibility of this fabric.

The only down side to these yoga pants is the price: $48.50 for plus (IX and 2X) and tall sizes (where regular and petite pay $42.50). However, my pear-shaped, size 20-but-pushing-22-for-a-while-now bod fits into their regular XL (listed as an 18-20). Also, I only buy these on sale, and they are marked down once or twice a year–sign up for email deals on the Land’s End home page (they arrive almost-daily but there are new offers all the time) and become a fan on Facebook, where unique specials sometimes pop up. Finally, check your local Land’s End at Sears stores for in-store sales that aren’t advertised on the web and the Land’s End Outlet stores if you have one in your area (I once found the yoga pants for $28 at a Sears store).

Whatever your budget (and as a feast-or-famine freelancer, I love a good bargain), it’s always a good idea to have some items that really work in your wardrobe and are built to last. If all this yoga-in-comfy-pants talk has you excited to try yoga, check out the Fat Girl’s Guide to Yoga, and look for an upcoming Stuff We Love on yoga tops soon. And as always, share your fave finds in the comments section.

I haven’t paid more than $2 to line these eyes since ‘07

It happened innocently enough. Wandering through the aisles of SaveMart with a list, a budget, and a pair of neglected eyelids. A few days before I had used the last little nub of my pencil eyeliner, and while I don’t wear makeup anywhere else on my face, I love a nice, dramatic eye. I felt naked.

But they didn’t have my usual brand, and spending $4-8 on an eyeliner I hadn’t tested out felt too risky on my budget. If I didn’t like it (and I’m picky about eyeliner consistency) – then I’d be stuck with it, because I couldn’t justify buying another one right away. After a few minutes I spied a collection of eyeliner sticks in nice, rich colors in a jar on the shelf, marked Jordana Quickliner Eye $1.25/each.

My first instinct was to wonder what was wrong with it. Do they break easily? Do you have to press hard and dig at your lids to make it show up? Do they wear down fast? Will I get eyelid cancer?!

I really liked the smoky tones, so I decided I’d give it a shot. I figured for $1.25 if I didn’t like it I could at least justify buying another one. But I didn’t like it. I loved it. The cocoa brown was exactly right, and the texture was smooth as silk going on. That stick lasted me about three months. Since then, I’ve found it as low as $.99 cents and as high as $1.99.

Good stuff, good price. Done.

Danskin NOW Pants ($12.99) and T-Shirt ($7.99)

A reader wrote to ask:

Dear FGG,

It’s a new year and I made a resolution to get in better shape. But I’m having a hard time finding workout clothes that fit and I can actually afford. Help!

Here’s a starting point that’s relatively convenient for most people: the Danskin NOW line launched recently (and exclusively) at Wal Mart, with plus sizes ranging between 1X and 4X. These are definitely affordable – tops and bottoms range in price from between $9 – $12. The fabric is comfortable too: very soft, flexible, and it even handles sweat well. The pants pictured here have gathered ankles to keep you from getting caught in fast-moving equipment.

As with the White Stag Woman line we wrote about last week, not all styles are available on the Wal Mart web site, so you really have to dig around your local store to see what they offer. I’m going to look for one of those $9 tank tops now that I signed up for regular (gentle) yoga classes again. Love that fiery orange! (They even have pretty yoga mats for $15).

If you’re looking for a plus size sports bra, our readers continually sing the praises of Enell sports bras; you might have to pay more for one, but when it comes to supporting “the girls,” it’s a worthy investment. Danskin also offers other plus size items (including a Racer Back Bra in up to size 4X) which run between $30-$40 and are available at most sports retailers.

Find any post-holiday workout deals for us big girls? Share your plus size bargain finds in the comments.

“Better than Chocolate” – clitoral vibrator by Nomi Tang

Whew! The first Wednesdays of each month are quickly becoming known as “sexy Wednesdays” around here, with Peony’s hot new monthly column, Sex and the Single Fat Girl, and now a sexy giveaway from brand new FGG sponsor Eden Fantasys.

Popular blogger, FGG reader and sexy Eden Fantasys liaison, Cecily Kellogg, wants to give away a decadent Better than Chocolate clitoral vibrator to one lucky reader. To enter, comment here with a one-liner about your favorite chocolate snack or dessert, be sure to enter a valid email, and you’ll be automatically entered.

Contest closes Saturday, January 9, at 11:59 pm PST. A winner will be chosen at random from the comments, and will be notified by email within 24 hours of contest close. Only one enter per person.

Good luck, ladies!

Me: cozy and comfy in my White Stag turtleneck sweater

If you’re like me, you have well-worn go-to pieces in your wardrobe for everyday living. Stuff that never fails to meet at the junction of looking good, feeling comfortable, and being just valuable enough to feel great in it, without being so valuable that you’re afraid to wear it out.

I have three favorite pieces like that, and two of those are White Stag Woman: my cotton “business casual” pants, and my ribbed cotton turtleneck sweater. Here’s why I love ‘em:

1. I’ve had the pants for almost three years, and the sweater for two. Neither has shrunk, lost its shape, pilled, faded, unraveled, ripped/split, stretched out or otherwise failed me.

2. Stains and dirt have come out/off quickly and easily with both.

3. Both are form fitting with a tailored feel (a standout in a world of boxy, shapeless plus-size clothing), but without being snug in the wrong places. I feel shapely and feminine and touchable when I wear them. The fabric is soft without being flimsy, and knows how to hide the parts I want most to hide.

4. Both pieces are impressively slimming, and make me look and feel about a size smaller (the turtleneck sweater in the photo above is a 2x).

5. Both pieces were under $20 at Walmart.

The bad news: they’re not always easy to find. It’s hit-and-miss to find them at Walmart, some stores carry a wide range and others nothing at all, and their online store only carries a small selection. A search on eBay only yields about 35 pieces. (An aside: am I the only one who loathes the way plus-size clothes hang on a hanger?)

But these are worth seeking out and waiting for, so keep your eye out for them. Next time you come across a White Stag Woman piece at Walmart, shopping eBay or even a garage sale, you can be sure you’re getting a plus-size brand that looks great, feels great and holds up to everyday use for years.