#ImNoAngel Campaign

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#ImNoAngel Campaign PLus Size Models Fashion BlogNot surprising, one of my most popular posts on this blog is Models in the Media. Yes, “fat and pretty” women exist, and get paid to flaunt their curves. Again, I wonder if people genuinely are interested and looking for inspiration, or are they gawking to poke fun. I guess we will never know. These are true thoughts of a plus size women, always questioning ourselves if people are being honest. That’s what I believe anyway, maybe I am jaded.

Today’s latest news in the Plus-size world is the #IAmNoAngel Campaign, which is a rebuttal to the Victoria Secret Angels Campaign that only features thin women. This cleaver hashtag by Lane Bryant nicely encapsulates that plus size women know we don’t belong, and we chose not to belong. It’s like big sister who is a rebel, confident in her own ways and a trend setter for the rest of the women who need the encouragement.

So let me be your big sister! I’ll be using this hashtag on my instagram in the next coming days, please join me sistas!

xox Chantsy

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Transformation: My clothes tell my story

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This is a picture of my favourite belt, sadly it’s also my “fat belt”. It’s a men’s XL from Danier. When I say fat belt, it’s not to insult myself, it’s just an unfortunate term that perfectly describes my story. The good news is, I need to make new holes or get a new belt all together!

Wearing a belt with pants is the best way to keep yourself in check if you are watching your waistline. It’s actually a method that professionals use for obese patients to control their eating. I intuitively started doing it, and it’s helped me immensely.

There used to be a time where tights and flowy tops dominated the fashion scene. Not much motivation to keep our weight in check. Now, we’re seeing crop tops and cutoff shorts making their way into our repertoire and encouraging us to look (and feel) our best. What a great time to play with new clothes!

The style and size of your clothes mark a moment in your past.

What does this mean? Well, whether you need to tighten or loosen a notch on your belt, you are marking this moment in your fashion history. If you are getting rid of tight clothes, you are accepting your new larger weight. 

Often times we hear people say “how did I let this happen to me? It was such a slow progression, I never saw it coming”. Really it wasn’t. Changing your clothes and moving your belt are concrete actions that can lead you to more trouble in the weight department. So, if you’re seeing a trend in your habits, take note and start making changes to steer you in the right direction.

As for my belt story, well it tells my story in more ways than one. I’ve seen myself tighten my belt over the last few months and I see the notches to prove it! I’ve also rediscovered some old clothes that fit me better now than ever! Remembering a time when I had to ditch the small clothes makes me want to preserve my smaller size even more now.

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Transformation: New bod, new clothes

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When I decided it was time to start my weight loss journey, I never in a million years considered the psychological aspect of it. I mean, not just finding your motivation and determination, something deeper than that. For instance, getting dressed. I am at a point now, where getting dressed in the morning at a lower weight is more difficult than when I was heavier. Why? Well for one thing, I want to show off my new (and tighter) figure. I am working hard people, I deserve it! Second, my clothes look frumpy on me, they are floating in the wrong ways and are frankly, unflattering. These are “big people” clothes meant to hide your soft parts. That’s not the person I am today or will be tomorrow. But the real question is…what shall I wear?

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Easy solution- Shopping! Something I am very good at, by the way.

So, I went shopping the other day, on a mission to find myself a new pencil skirt for work. I want a white skirt with a bright floral print. I did my typical rounds and visited the stores I often buy from. Wait a minute, I am now 2 sizes smaller, which means I can buy smaller clothes, which means I now have a world of stores that I can shop in!!! More like $$$!!! OVERWHELMING!

You’d think it would be easy for me to grab everything in a size 12 and call it a day. It wasn’t. Let me paint you a picture of what is going on in my head.

Am I done losing Weight? Should I keep going? Is there a finish line? When is this finish line? What’s my final and optimal weight for my body? What if I GAIN IT ALL BACK!!???

You see what I mean? Weight loss is a journey, and I am obviously not ready mentally and physically to invest in new clothes. Plus, going through my closet was a sign of how easy it is to buy bigger clothes and hide your problems under the flowy tops and cozy tights.

So, I went to H&M, where I can find reasonably priced fashionable clothes and bought some fun tops to brighten my closet. I bought some motivational J Brand jeans (2 sizes smaller!!) from Vincent that keep me in check. I love them! I pulled out some old clothes that were too small and reacquainted myself with a pair of old trousers that never really fit me. They still don’t fit well.. they are getting lose 😉 I also found an LBD that I can almost zip up! It’s a classic little black dress that I bought 7 years ago and I can’t wait to wear it at my fiends wedding in May! Big strides!

I am creating a series of posts about my transformation, so stay tuned! I’ll be talking about my “closet conundrums”, where I share my tips on how to transition your closet slowly. Also find out how your clothes can tell your story. Stay tuned!

xox Chantsy

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