For Appearance's Sake

Not too long ago, my sister sent a link to a wonderful blog about body image and I have decided to run with that idea a little bit here. I have never been described as skinny, no one had ever suggest I eat a little more and the concept of single digit sizing is something I can only relate to shoes and ring sizes. I have long since accepted the fact that I will never be a size six and I resent the fact that the fashion industry has deemed size 10 models as "plus size". Screw you guys, we true plus size girls wipe the floor with size tens...they're sissies!

A few things to know about plus size girls:

• We have boobs that REQUIRE bra wearing, but we would like them to be a little sexy, too (and we wonder why they even make A or B cup bras).
• We don't appreciate catalogs that feature clothes for us, modeled by a size 10 girl. It's not real and doesn't show us what the clothing will look like on us.
• Just because we have hips and butts, doesn't mean we want our pants and shorts to only feature drawstring or elastic waistbands.
• Most of us shouldn't wear spaghetti strap anything, unless it's under something else.
• We like pretty nightwear and undergarments too.
• We're not so desperate that we'll sleep with you as a given thing, we have standards.
• Some of us are comfortable with who and what we are, the rest of us are working on it.
• Your beauty standards are not necessarily mine, get used to it.

Coming of age as a plus sized girl was a challenge, to be sure. I went to a private grade school that featured uniforms (jumpers with blouses or turtlenecks underneath and badly placed darts in the jumper) so flattering, especially for the girls who got boobs first. God forbid it become obvious that you were actually wearing a bra as that became the topic of much conversation and giggling. Finding yourself as one of the only curvy girls among a plethora of waif like stick figured creatures is difficult, at best. You spend a lot of time with your arms crossed over the offending chest, slouching becomes a new hobby and forget EVER running anywhere.

Some of us learn to simply accept our plus-ness, some fight it and join the skinny legions and some of us embrace it and become comfortable in our skin.

It took a while, but I've have gotten to the point that I am pretty damned comfortable the way I am. Does this mean I like to eat three boxes of cookies at one sitting? No. Does this mean I don't want to improve myself? Again, no. This means that I can look in the mirror and see what's beautiful and not dwell on the parts of me that are less than someone's idea of "perfect". I have come to realize I have dynamite hair (especially now that I have joined the straightener cult).

We girls with a little more than less tend to look a bit younger as our skin has the underpinning of flesh that keep it smooth and less wrinkly. Take a look at some of the super skinnies and check out their faces, in particular. Plus, since we weren't bikini people and did not do the sun goddess thing, we have avoided the leathery look that hits after a lifetime of tanning. We have great skin!

I have lately discovered wrap and faux wrap tops and am LOVING the rather spectacular cleavage they produce. So, may I add, does my beloved. Try THAT without a wonder bra, skinnies! When you have a great rack, V necks are your friend.

Celebrate, my plus sized, curvy, less wrinkly friends, we've got a whole lot going for us, in every way possible!