Plus size fashion and plus size in general has been given a boost courtesy of Beth Ditto. Recently the fashion and music diva announced she was working on a line of plus size clothes. The question in my mind would the clothes be for the every day lady or will they be for the experimental fashionista. What do you think?

According to some reports when her line came out for Evans a few years ago she did not have much creative control.  I can understand that because frankly I was underwhelmed with the collection but was proud of the fact she was able to get it done.

According to Ditto,  “I really want to do my own line that’s ethically made, and I can do whatever the f**k I want with it… It wouldn’t be crazy designs – it would be simple… Cheap, affordable, basic – but ethically made… for fat girls and boys.”

As a writer I can for sure understand wanting to have creative control over a product with your name on it and if she is looking to create clothes that are ethically and socially conscious then I look forward to seeing what she will come up with.

I wonder how much going into the clothing business has to do with her settling down with her partner Kristen Ogata?

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

Mobile sales are expected to be over $7 billion in 2012

When I interviewed the BareNecessites.com Marketing director, Jay Dunn a few months ago I had a feeling I would be seeing more from the lingerie leader in terms of mobile shopping.  That day has finally arrived. Mobile technology is here to stay and growing.  Bare Necessities is one of many companies looking to take things to the next level via mobile shopping.

Bare Necessities, the leading online destination for brand name bras and lingerie, today launched two new catalogs without printing a single page. The editions are completely digital and designed specifically for a tablet shopping experience. The catalogs are available today via the free Google Catalogs and Catalog Spree tablet apps for both iPad and Android, and can be viewed on BareNecessites.com  as well.

The first new catalog features Bare Necessities’ incredible new swimwear collection, featuring brands such as SPANX, Elomi, Freya, and Fantasie.

The second digital catalog highlights Bare Necessities’ Spring bra and lingerie collection from Wacoal in a rich, sensual experience that is accentuated by being designed for an interactive, tablet environment.

“We are excited for the opportunity to use digital technologies to connect with consumers in new and engaging ways,” said Bob Vitale, President of Wacoal America. “Through the digital catalog, Bare Necessities has made our bras and lingerie really come to life for women of all sizes.”

90% of mobile sales are driven by the iPad

BareNecessites was one of the first to recognize that the Internet could be a powerful way to sell bras, because the company could offer the enormous array of brands and especially sizes that a physical store could not possibly keep in stock. Now, the company is betting that the popularity and interactivity of tablets such as the iPad and Kindle Fire will change the way in which customers shop from catalogs.

“By eliminating our print editions, we are able to design a catalog exclusively for the digital environment,” said Jay Dunn, Chief Marketing Officer for Bare Necessities. “We crafted our catalog to be interactive and creatively rich. With one tap, she can view details about the fashion, watch in-line videos, create collages of favorite items, and email favorites to friends. It is not only fun and useful, but it matches how today’s consumer wants to shop.”

These are the first Bare Necessities catalogs to be designed by Robert Vega, who was named last month as the company’s first Creative Director. Vega designed more than 100 catalogs for companies such as Lane Bryant, and was excited by what he could accomplish creatively when designing solely for a digital platform.

“The freedom of design without physical constraints allowed us to really bring the swim and Wacoal collections to life,” said Vega. “We will continue to add features and design elements to make future digital catalogs even more interactive and engaging.”

I will for sure be watching this company and the entire tablet shopping market to see how things evolve and how I can move Full Figure Plus with it.

About Bare Necessities

Bare Necessities is the second largest online lingerie retailer (only Victoria’s Secret is larger). Launched in December 1998, BareNecessities.com has sold more than 5 million bras, and also offers lingerie, shapewear, swimwear, sleepwear, hosiery and men’s underwear from more than 180 brands, including Calvin Klein, Wacoal, SPANX, Hanky Panky, Chantelle, Elomi and La Perla.

Bare Necessities also launched BarePlus by Bare Necessities. in February 2012, which features more than 1,200 styles of full figure and plus size bras and lingerie. For more information, visit http://www.barenecessities.com , or contact Dan Sackrowitz, at press@barenecessities.com.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

Most people are hanging out on Pintrest these days including me. After getting my blood boiling earlier I thought it would be good to share some of my favorite photos from Pintrest and to connect with more people via the community.

I must admit there is not as much interaction on Pintrest as there is on other social networking communities but I think that the platform is a good one to show off visually what is sometimes hard to do in written form.

Another word is all of these photo below to other people and are repinned across the platform.  If you are the owner of the photos and would like them removed let me know and I will take care of it.  Otherwise enjoy a taste of what plus size is on the Internet.

Plus size fashion is my job so that is the majority of the pins I have on the community, but if you want to learn a bit about what makes me tick then check out some of the other boards I have created. Check out my page Glen L Johnson on Pintrest for pictures like these and more.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

A year ago when I put this list together of plus size fashion resources I was sure these tools would change the face of the plus size community. Today I am going to go through the list to see how things have come along in the last year and to add any that I feel are worth keeping and eye on.

The hottest of all the resources on the Internet right now is Pintrest the invitation only photo community that allows you to see pictures of hot plus size fashion and in some cases purchase direct from the stores. My board “Plus Size Everything” will give you a sneek peek into what I am talking about.  If you need and invitation send me a request to glen@fullfigureplus.com.

1. Full Figured Fashion Week™ - If you do not know about this Summertime staple event then check Facebook, Twitter and the main website, and countless blogs for THE event related to plus size fashion and more importantly networking among the players within the
2. community. For 2012 – Things just keep getting bigger by the year
3. Fat Girl Flea Market - The ultimate plus size flea market.  The Fat Girl Flea Market is on Saturday, April 30th from 12pm-8pm at the NYC LGBT Community Center- 208 West 13th Street, NYC on the 1st floor. For 2012 – The site still has the 2011 info hopefully this will change.
4. Facebook - Most of the names that you know in plus size fashion have facebook pages.  If you look at your favorite stores like IGIGI or Sonsi on FB then look at who connects to them you can find other new and fresh plus size fashion designers.  Not to mention Full Figure Plus is on FB. For 2012 – Still a great tool not sure with all the changes if the plus size community voice will still stand out.
5. Twitter - Almost identical to FB but a little more focused.  Finding plus size fashion is a simple as adding a “#” to “plus size fashion” to get #plussizefashion and clicking on search.  Dozens of companies and individuals from around the world for you to follow will come up. for 2012 – Still a great resource for those that know how to properly use it to let their voice be heard.
6. Curvy Blogs – For this one there are far to many great blogs to name to list a single one.  The fact that you are here then Full Figure Plus is obviously a blog to book mark.  I frequently mention great blogs to read so stay tuned. For 2012 –  The trend of blogs popping up daily continues with many using Tumblr, the photoblogging community, to get the word out.
7. Google News - With your free google account you can access the news to find headlines like: (2012)It’s Bigger Than Plus-Size Fashion
8. Gmail - Setting up email alerts for plus size fashion favorites as well as your favorite plus size celebrities will get your favorite information delivered right to your inbox. For 2012 – Improvements to gmail such as the use of plugins like rapportive  can make a good thing better.
9. Plus Size VIP - Powered by Plus Model Magazine and Daily Venus Diva.  Though new I expect a lot from this resource. For 2012 – Still a great source especially for those who are new and looking to network in the plus size industry.
10. Linkedin - To complete the social networking loop you should not only create but connect to plus size fashion insiders here. For 2012 – Lot’s of upgrades to showoff the serious side of your worklife.  Lots of groups and individuals to allow you to get your network on.
11. Video Sites – Specifically YouTube were you can find plus size fashion tips literally by the minute from merchants as well as consumers. for 2012 – Video is going to be huge in the future.  Though YouTube is the biggest I expect smaller video sites to make just as big of an impression on the plus community.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

Dove is at it again targeting those who are out to shame women into losing weight by placing ads in front of you like “want to lose the belly?” or “get rid of that muffin top” by allowing ladies in Australia to replace the ads on their Facebook and friends Facebook pages with positive body messages.

I won’t get into why something like this is not coming to social media in the US I will just applaud Dove again for showing the guts enough to stand up to the negative imagery that women are bombarded with daily in terms of online advertising.

One of the reasons Full Figure Plus is online is to combat the negativity aimed at plus size women that comes from size discrimination. While I applaud as I stated Dove’s efforts to point out the dark side of online advertising I must say I am sad that it took so long for the next campaign to come about.

Most of you remember the time lapse video of how a photo on a model was severely “photoshopped” to the point she looked like a completely different person. That video was produced in 2004 right about the time FFP launched. It took eight years for another video to come out? Not good but let me not point the finger at Dove, after all they are the good guys.

The problem in which Dove is addressing in the negative ads that contribute to only 4% of women, not sure if this is globally or just in Australia, think they are beautiful. It is shocking to hear numbers like this but I can understand where they are coming from. I have been with my wife 20 years next month and she still tells me though she hears me say that she is beautiful she still does not see her size 20 body the way I see it.

I see her as gorgeous and tell her as much but my enemy as well as hers is the Internet and the advertising that is targeted to the way you browse. If she looks at lots of weight loss websites eventually no matter where she goes online she is going to be bombarded by ads that tell her she needs to lose weight.

If only a campaign like what Dove has done would be available as a plugin to your browser to be able to customize the types and amount of advertising you see. If that were the case there would be no need for companies to spend billions of dollars advertising on the Internet.

As you can see I can go on and on about this type of problem but let me stop and give Dove a standing ovation for pointing out the size discrimination in online advertising and encourage them to produce more videos more often and to bring this campaign to the US.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women

When I reported on the Ms Curvaceous UK contest originally my plan was to showcase curves from around the world with the readers of Full Figure Plus.

I must say I was surprised to be contacted by the organizers of the event thanking me for the coverage as well as updating me on the winner of the contest.

15 curvaceous aspiring models were selected from regional heats all over the UK and given an intense training program with a leading fashion choreographer and runway coach, Reuben P Joseph.

After a lot of deliberation from the judges the finalists were whittled down to the final 5 who answered questions from the 6 judges in front of the audience.

When it was decision time emotions ranged from disbelief, happiness and ultimately glory which struck the face of Simone Charles when Abi from Hughes Models Announced her as Ms Curvaceous UK. Natasha was announced 2nd place and Zizania 3rd.

Streamline Empire, a youth led organisation consisting of mainly 18 – 23 year olds exceeded all expectations with the biggest youth led event of 2012 the ‘Ms Curvaceous UK’. This annual competition promotes girls from size 12 and above who are unfairly phased out of the modelling world due to its unrealistic size restrictions.

Ms Curvaceuos UK Simone Charles(Sitting Down)

What I can gather from the photos of the entrants they represented a good slice of ladies of all sizes and shapes and for that I must take my hats off to the UK plus size community for an accurate presentation of curves.  Here is crossing my fingers to it taking a hold here in the US, but let me get back to the contest.

Streamline Empire strives to provide a platform that encourages diversity in the modelling industry, as well as create experiences and opportunities for individuals who need that encouragement to get started. They believe that big is beautiful and now they are bringing their vision to the UK for the word to see.

The aim was to empower women of size and it was clear that after holding Ms Curvaceous UK 2012 Streamline Empire will achieve this! Empowerment is something the worldwide plus size community needs to see more of.  Hopefully this contest will be around for decades to come.

Full Figure Plus - Plus Size Fashion For Today's Active Women