Plus Size Jewelry by Emitations

Big girls need to accessorize too, and Emitations has some fabulous choices in rings, bracelets and necklaces in extended sizes! Keep in mind that some of the biggest trends for the Fall '09 season are Russian Folklore, Biker Chic, hoop earrings, chains, statement necklaces/other pieces, bold colors and nature-inspired items. Check out some of my favorites, all available on the website:

Rings (the second one is perfectly reminiscent of Kate Spade's '09 faux pearl ring):

Necklaces:

Bracelets:

Fast Find: Cross-back Stripe Dress

Soft cotton print dress from ASOS with draped neckline and full skirt, button detail on back; through UK size 20 (US 18); £35 ($59)

Vogue's Most Wanted Wardrobe: Plus Size Edition

So, as I'm sure most of you have already noticed, Vogue does not exactly offer plus-size friendly shopping tips. It's fun to peruse the pages and get an idea of what's in, but it's not very practical in the way of commercialism if you're over a size 8. That's why I decided to translate Vogue's "Most Wanted" into big girl language: I've pictured Vogue's Most Wanted items for summer partying and offered you an affordable plus size alternative for each. Hope this makes shopping (and styling) a little easier this summer!

1. Skinny Jeans in Color

Their Take:

The Rogan Slim Pant, available in sizes 25-30 (US 2-8), $240

My Take: 

Torrid's Tripp Skinny Leg Twill Pant, available in sizes 12-26, $48

 

2. Pleated Wrap Dress

Their Take:

VPL Flex Foil Wrap, available in sizes XS-Med., $645

My Take:

ASOS tie-front wrap dress, available through UK size 20 (US 16/18), £28 ($46)

  

                                                                                                 

3. Relaxed-Silhouette Dress

Their Take:

3.1 Phillip Lim silk chiffon, available in sizes 0-10, $475

My Take(s):

Old Navy belted kimono-sleeve dress, sizes 1X-4X, $36.50

OR  Delia's chiffon dress, sizes 0-16/18, $30.50

4. Fitted-waist Print Dress

Their Take

Alexandra Vidal dress, $486, sizes available upon request

My Take:

Evans' floral jersey dress, size 10-28, $66

5. Summer Sweater

Their Take:

Topshop striped jumper, $80, size not available

 

My Take:

Gap striped crewneck, sizes XS-XXL, $39.50

6. Vibrant Tunic

Their Take:

Janavi print tunic, XS-L, $385

 

My Take:

Ralph Lauren silk belted tunic, 1X-3X, $111

 

7. Plaid Shirt

Their Take:

Steven Alan boyfriend shirt, $160, size not listed

 

My Take: 

Torrid's rolled-sleeve buffalo check top, sizes 14/16 and 18/20, $44

 

8. Sexy Draped Dress

Their Take:

Tomas Maier cross strap jersey dress, through size 12, £396.38 ($656)

 

                                                                            

My Take:

Delia's strappy knit dress, through size 16/18, $34.50

Head Nod: JIBRI

While googling my head off and researching the world of the plus-sized and fashionable, I came across JIBRI, Jasmine Elder's online-based fashion label for the curvy and style-conscious. The tagline for the label is "dream big," and that's exactly what Elder has done, creating what she describes as "a perfect combination of high fashion chic and urban street sleek in sizes 14-24."

Perhaps the best part about shopping JIBRI is that the line is available on Etsy, an online handmade market, and you are able to send Elder your size request and personal measurements to customize the fit of each piece.

Check out some of my favorite items:

High-waist flair skirt, $85

Hand painted Spring Jacket, $320

Satin Swing Dress, $170

Fast Find: Military Blazer in Assorted Colors

From Alloy, this double-breasted french terry blazer is a great find! You'll appreciate the detail of the ornamental epaulets, back pleats, and high neck collar. Available in red, navy, and black from size XS-XXXL. $44.09-$46.90.

I recommend pairing with a stylish tee and either a skinny jean or dress short. Jazz it up with a sassy shoe, like the gladiator sandal featured below, $39.90 (also from Alloy)!

Fast Find: Stylish Peplum Tank Dress

This soft grey tweed number has a pleated scoop neck and a tunic-style overskirt that wraps around the back. Comes with skinny black accent belt. Kick pleat, zips in back. It's available in sizes 12-26 for a steal at $64 online at here at Torrid.

Newsreel: Too Fat to be Surgeon General?

Have you heard the news? This woman, Dr. Regina Benjamin, is too fat to be our Surgeon General.

Let's disregard the fact that she's got both an M.D. from the University of Alabama and an MBA from Tulane University, that she served as associate dean for rural health at USA's College of Medicine, or that she was the first physician under 40 to be elected to the AMA's board of trustees in 1995. Forget all the committees and commissions for health that she has served on, that she is the founder and CEO of her own health clinic (which she rebuilt TWICE after hurricane Katrina and a fire destroyed it), or that she was the U.S. recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights in 1998. She's probably a size 12, and that's just not cool.

The controversy stems from the fact that Benjamin LOOKS "overweight," and that she shouldn't be telling other people how to be healthy if she can't be healthy herself. Firstly, I'd like to point out that, no matter how much she weighs, her pounds do not suddenly cancel out her medical degree or her myriad qualifications. And last I checked her weight was not getting in the way of her doing her job. Is she suffering from diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, or any other disease that we believe weight may contribute to (but not actually cause)? Is she unable to walk, move around, or function in her day to day life? As far as I'm concerned, the problem here is with the way Benjamin LOOKS, and not how healthy she is.

If all employers were allowed to discriminate based on appearance (namely weight), more than 50% of U.S. citizens would be out of a job. Should people be denied promotions if they aren't physically fit? Are M.D.'s to be rescinded when a doctor hits a certain weight? Yes, I believe that you should not be hired if you are so physically unhealthy that you are incapable of completing your duties, but that is clearly not the case here.

"We want to influence young people to live a healthy lifestyle and be physically active and eat healthy food," said Lillie Shockney, director of the Johns Hopkins Avon Breast Centre. Acknowledging that Dr Benjamin's weight was not "horrific" or "over the top", she added: "I want an image of wellness [as surgeon general] because young people will hear her better if she is practising what we expect her to preach."

(If weight really does govern a medical professional's ability to dispense health advice, how does Lillie Shockney, left, get off talking about Dr. Benjamin? Doesn't SHE also appear to be overweight according to her own standards?)

Marcia Angell, a lecturer at Harvard University Medical School, told ABC News: "At a time when a lot of public health concern is about the national epidemic of obesity, having a surgeon general who is noticeably overweight raises questions in people's minds."

A doctor commenting on a medical blog said Dr Benjamin looked obese, with a body mass index of over 30, if not a morbidly obese rate of over 40.

One commentator estimated she would take at least a British size 20 in clothes.

Sarah Reed, another family doctor, who said she kept her own BMI at 19, said: "I am disappointed that Dr Regina Benjamin is obese. Obesity is the number one problem in my own practice and I make it a very high priority to lead by example. Although her credentials speak for themselves, her weight cannot be overlooked. Shame on her!"

Seriously? Is there going to be a weigh-in at her hearing? Is the AMA going to measure her waist and slap her on the wrist for wearing a bad Lane Bryant suit? There are so many myths surrounding weight and health, with the idea that a woman of a certain size cannot be healthy or that she lacks a degree of self control. And yes, I understand that the Surgeon General is all about promoting health, but healthy women come in all shapes and sizes.