Babble: FA Links Feed

Time to update the algorithm

2009-11-11T08:15:16-08:00

I am quite the googler. As a researcher, it’s part of my job, you know? I have to google stuff, I get paid to google stuff. And all this googling gives me a unique perspective on how search results have changed – degraded, actually – over time. Most of the problem stems from Web 2.0 [...]

Lane Bryant Friends Family event!

2009-11-11T07:24:36-08:00

Well, I wish I had known about this before I bought stuff over the weekend but that’s ok! Everything at Lane Bryant is 25% off through November 15tth. And you can save even more with a gift cheque for $25 off a $75 purchase, $50 off $150, or $75 off $225 with the code 050002658.

Adipositivity 326

2009-11-11T03:19:13-08:00

Adipose: Of or relating to fat. Positivity: Characterized by or displaying acceptance or affirmation. MISSION: The Adipositivity Project aims to promote size acceptance, not by listing the merits of big people, or detailing examples of excellence (these things are easily seen all around us), but rather, through a visual display of fat physicality. The sort that's normally unseen. The hope is to widen definitions of physical beauty. Literally. The photographs here are close details of the fat female form, without the inclusion of faces. One reason for this is to coax observers into imagining they're looking at the fat women in their own lives, ideally then accepting them as having aesthetic appeal which, for better or worse, often translates into more complete forms of acceptance. The women you see in these images are educators, executives, mothers, musicians, professionals, performers, artists, activists, clerks, and writers. They are perhaps even the women you've clucked at on the subway, rolled your eyes at in the market, or joked about with your friends. This is what they look like with their clothes off. Some are showing you their bodies proudly. Others timidly. And some quite reluctantly. But they all share a determination in altering commonly accepted notions of a narrow and specific beauty ideal. Bookmark adipositivity.com and check back often, as new photographs are added regularly(ish). And please help spread the message. The Adipositivity Project: Changing attitudes about the aesthetic validity of big women, one fat fanny at a time. ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Substantia Jones’ photography has been exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the US East Coast, and has appeared in The New York Times, Time Out New York, and some other publications she can’t recall at this time, but you probably haven’t heard of them anyway. She is biographied in the 2006 Who’s Who in America (though under the name her momma gave her), and back in the day, she won some photography awards which would sound somewhat Mayberry if listed here, but at the time, they damn near made her cry. Still kinda do. She lives in Manhattan, where she also sometimes steps out (more like lays around) in front of the camera, and on some of those occasions, the snapping is done by her trusty sidekick, Dr. H, who also fetches her banana popsicles and maintains her muse, a certain pancake colored dog who’s asked that his name not be mentioned on the Internet. Ms. Jones likes crispy calamari, Squidbillies, and the ika okonomiyaki from Otafuku in the East Village, if only the lines weren’t so long. ANNOUNCING: TAP Shop is now open! To mark the first 100 Adipositivity Project images and to answer those who've asked for T-shirts, calendars, and posters, a CafePress shop has been set up with the requested items, as well as mugs, bumper stickers, mousepads and greeting cards. Yeah. Went a little crazy there. So go get your merch on! Visit TAP Shop Thou shalt not reproduce without permission. Except for babies. Make all o' them you want. © The Adipositivity Project 2007-2009

Review: Gift items from Silhouettes

2009-11-11T08:01:56-08:00

Silhouettes recently sent Francesca three “Fall Essentials” of their choosing to review on the blog. They were gifts to Francesca, but as always Francesca is 100% honest with her readers about the items’ quality and style — with thanks, of course, to the Silhouettes for thinking of us.

It is difficult for Francesca to have to start with the shoes, because as our readers know, here at Chez Manolo we deal in the highest-quality-materials-and-craftsmanship feetswear, which one cannot possibly get for the retail price of $49, which is what these shoes cost. So Francesca asks herself, If I were one of the many superfantastic girls who, doing the best she could, wanted to spend no more than $50 on the pair of shoes, what would I think about these? And the answer is that, for what they are, these are very attractive shoes. Francesca loves the medium heel and the suede- and Oxford-inspired style, which is “in” right now, and in the brown color they are perfect for the Fall wardrobe. As long as one understands that everything but the sole is constructed of man-made materials, that they will not last for many seasons, and that they are less comfortable than their higher-end counterparts, then, as they say in Yiddish, gezuntahait. Enjoy them and go forth in style!

They also sent me this faux snakeskin silver “hinge” bangle in purple. It is on sale right now for $19. Francesca does not understand how this is a “Fall Essential.” It is, in her opinion, a “Spring or Summer Option.” If you like the design and the color(s), again, it is perfectly nice for the price-point. Francesca was not “blown away,” but that is a matter of personal taste. If this bracelet tickles your fancy, then Francesca will not look at you askance.

Francesca has just 3 words for this unfortunate glass-and-acrylic bauble:

Barbie Dress-up Playset.

Though, if she squints, she can imagine the young girl with the pageboy haircut, jaunty attitude, and vintage clothing pinning this to her cloche to cute effect.

And now, in deference to Silhouettes, who were willing to send a box to Francesca internationally for her to try their wares without any hope of getting them back, she proposes another item from their site which suggests more promise: a classic Mock Wrap Dress in eggplant. She also points out that they have easy-priced, wide-calf boots, which Francesca knows is of utmost importance to many the Big Girl.

PS From Francesca’s Inbox: Use code S96E2 for free shipping in the continental US on orders of $100 or more. Code is good through November 16.

It Bears Repeating

2009-11-11T06:53:16-08:00

In Flanders Fields
John McCrae, 1915.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

No matter your position on war, do something nice for a veteran today.

Fat Girls Float!

2009-11-11T06:00:04-08:00

I invite you all to check this out! I'll be interviewing the lovely Kira very shortly!

FAT GIRLS FLOAT is the provocative, engaging and moving new documentary from 300 pound filmmaker Kira Nerusskaya, who shares her message of perseverance and heart with the world.The film showcases intimate interviews with fat women from around the world who discuss size discrimination, political activism, fat and size acceptance, and their experiences as fat women under attack in a thin-centric world. Please be a part of making this film by pledging HERE. Any donation in any amount is appreciated. We only have until December 13th to raise the rest of the funds we need for this next step of post production, so please help us spread the word about this amazing project by tweeting, reposting this paragraph in your blog every Wednesday or on your site and telling your friends. Donate Now. Join us this Sunday, 11/15/09 at 7:00p.m. EST for a "meet the film maker" conference call and Fat Acceptance discussion. Check out the Fat Acceptance Salon for more details at http://www.meetup.com/SizeAcceptanceSalon/calendar/11829542/

Calorie counts: Coming soon to a restaurant near you?

2009-11-11T05:54:00-08:00

We’ve discussed the pros and cons of posting calorie counts on restaurant menus before. Now Politico’s Glenn Thrush points out a little known provision in the House health care bill that would mandate such conspicuous calorie-counting. He writes: Buried deep in the House health care bill is a provision, likely to raise nanny-state hackles, requiring fast-food [...]

Yes, I do know I’m fat.

2009-11-11T04:41:26-08:00

It’s been a bit busy at Chez Rotund but I have many, many personal and fat things to talk about!

Right now, though – and man, does it feel early in the morning right now, I have this link to my most recent piece for Comment Is Free.

They recently received a comment wondering if… wait for if… fat people know they are fat.

*facepalm*

Fat is a humanist issue

The “eat less and exercise more” comments are making quite the showing, as are the “it’s your own fault for being fat” comments. But there’s some good discussion that is cropping up, too. I’m always surprised by how that goes.

Also, for the visitors wondering about the tagline – that’s a direct response to an accusation by a radio caller that I could justify my existence however I want; fat people don’t need to justify their existence!

Holiday Weight-Loss

2009-11-10T17:36:22-08:00

Drstaceyny would like to believe that she lives in a diet-free world. . . but she does not. A reporter recently contacted me and asked for trends in weight-loss that might be influenced by the economy, the holiday season, etc.

Are people changing the way they lose weight? Are they foregoing formal diet programs (e.g., Jenny Craig, Nutri-System, WW) and tossing their diet books, trying to go at it alone?

Thoughts?

The Embiggening

2009-11-10T16:15:18-08:00

My first post here was about a radical bodily change I was undergoing (drastic weight loss due to an undiagnosed medical condition) and how it made me think about myself, my body, and my visibility as a woman. I shrank, quickly and unintentionally, and the experience reaffirmed my commitment to FA, because people praised me [...]

Monday Hotness: Anderson Cooper

2009-11-10T13:15:30-08:00

GOSH I’m so glad I don’t have to do another dumb lug. I heart you guys so much.

In the Land of Cake-Believe (i.e., my head) Anderson Cooper is totally my big brother.

Of course I’m perfectly happy with the brother I’ve got in real life, despite the fact he’s insisted on being both younger than I am (selfish!) and not having cancer anymore thereby making it just a matter of time before his stupid eyelashes grow back and I’m no longer the most doe-eyed of the Plumcake clan (selfish SQUARED) but don’t you think Anderson would be the best grown-up brother a girl could have?

Coop is a Confirmed Bachelor –much in the same way Bitsy the First was a Virgin Queen– so odds are low he’ll be chasing your hot girlfriends BUT he WILL be surrounded by good-looking gentlemen’s gentlemen who will love you and buy you drinks, if only to get you drunk enough to “borrow” your size 42 tigerstripe sequined Manolos (DON’T THINK I’M NOT ONTO YOU, TODD. -ed)

He’s smart, adorable, funny and a Vanderbilt which, if you HAVE to be a Yankee, is not a bad sort of Yankee to be.

Incidentally Coop’s great great granddaddy is at least partially responsible for my existence since my beloved grandparents fell in love at Vandy in 1952 –which according to my grandmother’s personal mathematics would’ve made her three at the time– so it’s like we’re related already.

(Coop tries spray tanning. Adorable.)

Another great thing is the Silver Fox and I wouldn’t have to worry about going after the same guys since I don’t go in for musclemen and he probably doesn’t have the hots for the Archbishop of ~~My Pants~~ Canterbury, which is good, because like my Nana always said; “No one’s too pretty to stab.”

Cold and Wet Weather Gear

2009-11-10T12:32:00-08:00

This past weekend, I took my kids to their soccer games as I usually do on weekends in the fall. It was a total Mud Bowl. Yuck.

Personally, I hate soccer in November because the weather is invariably nasty---rain, wind, cold, or worse.

Saturday was all of those....plus the worse. As in thunder and lightning. The ref wouldn't call the game at first because they only heard thunder. (Well, duh, if there's thunder then there must be lightning somewhere nearby as well! Potential safety issue, anyone?)

Finally, in the second half of the game, in the TORRENTIAL rain, winds blowing like crazy, and wind chill near freezing, there's a clear flash of lightning and a crash of thunder soon after. So finally, the game was called.

One more week of soccer to go. Hopefully it won't snow at next week's game, but I'm not holding my breath.

Ugh. I've got to get some new cold-weather clothing.

Why I Need Cold-Weather Gear More Than Most

First, you should know that I'm a VERY cold person....as in, I hate the cold and I get cold very very easily.

I think it's part of my hypothyroidism---I have a very narrow range of temperature in which I am comfortable, and a real tendency towards being cold, even when others around me are okay. Even though (with medication), my TSH and other readings are in the "ideal" range now, I still feel cold with very little provocation. And when I'm cold, I'm miserable.

My family laughs about how cold I am. I went RV camping a couple of years ago and sleeping beside me, my toddler was wearing a diaper and nothing else and was on top of the comforter....and she was fine. My DH had on only shorts and a t-shirt and he was fine. I was wearing full WARM clothes with mittens and was under a down comforter....and I was still freezing.

I just have very poor temperature regulation, for whatever reason, even with supposedly "well-treated" hypothyroidism. So when I say I need good gear for cold weather, I mean it.

Items That Work For Me

This summer I was talking with my nephews (who are avid hikers) and they recommended "Smartwool." So I got some Smartwool socks and gloves when I was at REI, buying fitness clothes for my kids.

Saturday was my first real chance to use them. They were awesome. I had thought, wool....ugh. But really, they were very comfortable and not itchy at all. And they did keep me noticeably warmer than cotton or fleece. It wasn't a cure-all---my hands still got cold by the end---but it was definitely better than what I already had, while being less bulky to boot.

Unfortunately, some of the best cold gear doesn't come in plus sizes. When I saw all the nice stuff available at REI for my kids, I really was struck by the difference in what's available in "regular" sizes and what's available in "plus" sizes. Additionally, I was frustrated at just how inferior a lot of the stuff available in plus sizes is, especially the higher range of plus sizes. Frustrating!!!

For example, Junonia is where I usually go when I want something for sports, fitness, or outdoors in my size. I typically wear about a 4x or 26/28 (anything from 3x to 5x, depending on the company, but I like things loose and I've got a 'rack,' so I prefer to be generous in sizing) and Junonia is one of the few places where I can get that kind of gear in my size, not just the "tweenie" sizes.

Junonia carries a lot of great stuff in many ways, so I do generally recommend them as a company----but I've also been disappointed by some of their stuff before. Many things have been fine, but I've ordered more than a few things from them that really disappointed me...which is bad cause they are not cheap. And just when I find a type of swimsuit or fitness pant that I do really like from them, they discontinue it. Augh!

However, I had a revelation this fall. I realized that a number of companies carry good outdoor gear in MEN'S plus sizes, often up to 2-4x (generously sized), and because MEN'S plus-sizes run larger than women's plus sizes, it's one way to find gear in extended sizes for me.

This is a decent way to fill in the gap, I've discovered. Women's plus sizes often end at XL or 2x if you're lucky, but a Woman's 2x is a lot smaller than a Man's 2x. Some Men's 2x sizes fit me (depends on the company), whereas a Woman's 2x usually won't.

And oftentimes, the Men's plus-size range extends into larger sizes than the Women's plus sizes. So Men's plus sizes can be a great way to get decent cold-gear stuff in extended sizes for women who need a little extra room.

For example, L.L. Bean carries a lot of great outdoorsy stuff....but most of their women's stuff ends at an XL, or about a size 18. However, their men's stuff mostly ends at a 2x, some of which fits me (a Woman's 4x).

At Lands' End, women's sizes go to 3x in some limited items, with a couple of new 4x and 5x items (but their size chart only goes to 3x, so it's hard to tell what their "4x" and "5x" really means in real life). BUT men's sizes at Lands End go to 4x, and it's likely that their 4x is much bigger than the equivalent in women's sizes.

But isn't it maddening that men's plus sizes are readily available in a much wider range of sizes than women's plus sizes are? And particularly in practical stuff like cold and fitness gear?

Another sign of the double standard out there....it's okay for MEN to be plus-sized and even very plus-sized....but not for women. Women are only allowed to be a little bit plus-sized, if at all.

And of course, why bother to supply cold or fitness gear for very plus-sized women because we all know they can't be doing any activities that require such gear, right? But on the other hand, we all know that very plus-sized men do need this sort of thing....just not the chicks. Ugh!!! (Fashion Pet Peeve #548 and #549, I guess.)

So anyhow, I took a chance and ordered a wool long underwear/sweater from L.L. Bean in a Men's 2x. I didn't think it would fit me but it did. A little snugger across the behind than I prefer but definitely workable. It's been GREAT.

I also ordered a really nice Men's hoodie coat, lined with a special fleece, from L.L. Bean. I was looking for something for that "in between" weather----don't quite need a full-on winter coat, but a light jacket just won't cut it. But this works great for in between weather and even into light winter weather. I'm loving this jacket more and more each day, and just discovered that they have an even more insulated version of the same coat, so I'm thinking about getting that too.

Footgear - A Special Problem

Footgear is a particular problem for me because I have abnormally large legs, probably from lipedema. Most people have never heard of lipedema, and most fat people don't have it....but lucky me, I probably do. Here's a definition from biglegwoman's blog:

Lipedema -- sometimes spelled lipodema or lipoedema -- is a hereditary condition which causes patients (almost always women) to store excess fat in the lower body, particularly the lower legs.

This is not the same as lymphedema, mind. In lipedema, the size is from excess fat being deposited there, not a malfunction of the lymph glands as in lymphedema (although lymphedema can sometimes be a side effect of lipedema). Also, lipedema is bilateral (on both legs) and lymphedema usually is not.

Anyhow, that's another post. The relevance here is that it's hard for me, with my very large-sized calves (and cankles, I haz dem too), to get boots for wet or cold weather. Impossible, in fact---at least so far. Even the places I've found online that cater to boots for wide calves don't go up to my size. Not even the ones that specialize in super-wide calves. I could have a pair custom-made, but that's prohibitively expensive.

So I have yet to find boots to wear to keep my chronically-cold tootsies warm and dry.

Instead, I try to buy warm footwear that ends at the ankle.

In the past I've used Duck Shoes, but find they tend to cut off the circulation in my feet. Wore them to one soccer game this fall and didn't feel my pinky toe on one foot for most of the rest of the day. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

So I went to Lands End recently to see if there were any men's or women's shoes for winter weather and found these. I wore them with my Smartwool socks this weekend and my feet did indeed stay warm and dry, despite the Mud Bowl conditions. Huzzah!!

If I were walking in deep puddles or got really splashed, I'd still get wet and cold, but hey, I'd get the same with the duck shoes and at least I don't lose feeling in my feet in these shoes.

What I Still Need

One thing I forgot to wear this weekend was long underwear on my legs so they'd stay warmer. I do have a pair from L.L. Bean---so next time, I'm definitely going to remember to try them out.

But my pants to totally wet last weekend because the wind was blowing the rain so hard. So I've decided that I have to get some rain pants, preferably some that keep you warm too.

I'm contemplating buying these or these from Junonia, so if you have feedback on either, I'd like to hear it.

I'd also like to know if there are any other choices out there. Men's clothing isn't really an option here because I'm really short, more curvy in the hip than most men, and I'm not handy enough with a needle to hem or size them properly.

So does anyone have any fabulous options or recommendations for wind/rain/cold weather gear for the higher range of plus sizes? Especially rain pants?

Are there any other decent companies out there that specialize in sports, fitness, or cold-weather gear for women and have extended plus sizes? (I'm not talking about Lane Bryant or Roaman's or Just My Size, I mean companies that specialize in this type of item.) I'd love to have some more options to choose from.

Let me know what you've used that works for you, and any other resources you find. Share it in the comments section so others will know about it too.

And send me some warm, dry thoughts for Saturday! (And tonight too, I have an outdoor activity going tonight as well.)

IE: Two years later

2009-11-10T12:52:55-08:00

In October of 2007, I confessed to my husband that I was really struggling with emotional baggage mainly related to my lifelong struggle with food. While I showed early signs of disordered eating, I didn’t truly develop an eating disorder until I spent several years under the watchful and often vindictive and malicious eye of my aunt. I lost weight… I also lost all control over what I ate. I began to sneak eat. I’d eat out with friends. I’d steal food from the pantry when no one was looking. The aunt ridiculed me when I was caught, and did things that, in retrospect, often seem cruel.

Now, if you asked her, she’d tell you that she went out of her way to make sure I had special “treats,” often that she herself made. Things like sugar free pudding or fruit salads. The problem is that it was always presented to me in such a way that I was made to feel inferior and left out. I wasn’t “normal” like everyone else. I couldn’t be trusted with anything. I was shamed into eating alone, and by the time I was a teenager, I was what was then called a non-purging bulimic (though only because my attempts to make myself throw up repeatedly failed).

A month before this fateful conversation with my husband, I had begun seeing a nutritionist. She gave me another thinly disguuised diet to try. I was disgusted. I felt broken. I’d dieted for years, and the roller coaster of ups and downs was getting to be a major problem. I was trapped in a never-ending cycle of failure/success/failure. I’d gain, lose, gain. I wound up heavier each time I dieted, and I was frustrated beyond expression.

When I found Bonnie, a therapist who specialized in eating disorders, I was skeptical at best. I was waiting for her to hand me the next not-a-diet diet and start asking me how much I weighed each week. Imagine my surprise when she instead handed me a book called Intuitive Eating. Not only would she not ask my weight, she discouraged me from finding it out.

The Principles of IE can be read here. The bare bones basic gist of it, however, is simple. Don’t obsess over food. It’s fuel. It’s fun. It is meant to be enjoyed. It should not equate torturous rituals of weighing or counting Points (ala Weight Watchers). It is far more simple than you can possibly imagine, and yet, because of our twisted culutral obsession with thinness and fat phobia, it is almost impossible for most to follow.

I was ready for it, though. I had learned that dieting was emotionally and physically damaging for me. I wound up heavier and more sure I had ‘failed’ with each passing attempt.

Well, it’s been two years. In that time, I have struggled with and embraced the concept of IE. I am no longer worried about a number on the scale. I have chosen to accept the body I have, to love the body I have and to let go of insane fantasies regarding bikini bathing suits at high school reunions. I’ve come to accept that with my disordered thought processes, I would undoubtedly struggle with body image regardless of what the scale said. I have addressed my disordered eating behaviors and thoughts as opposed to worrying about how many stars I’ve got on my Weight Watchers bookmark.

The result? I have never been happier with my body. I have never been less obssessed or concerned with food. In the two years since I gave up dieting, I have essentially maintained my weight. Early on, there was (and often is) some weight gain. I know this not because of a scale, but because my wedding rings didn’t fit for a few months, or because the seatbelt fit a bit more snugly. After about six months, though, the rings fit again. The seatbelt felt less snug.

I still wear the same clothes I wore two years ago. I have probably maintained this weight within ten or fifteen pounds in either direction the entire two years. I don’t know what that weight is. I am lucky enough to have a primary care doctor who supports what I am doing, who recognizes that not every pain in the human body can be attributed to being fat (love the doctor who told my girlfriend she had carpal tunnel syndrome because she was fat!!!). My doctor also recognizes that the mental health benefits of not obsessing over dieting are enormous to me, and that the chronic yo-yo dieting I did was unhealthy.

I still have bad days. I still, sometimes, struggle with my weight… with not feeling pretty enough because of it. But these thoughts are fleeting where once they were constant. I am able to remind myself that being pretty doesn’t make one happy or emotionally healthy… and that being thin doesn’t necessarily lead to health, either. Especially if unhealthy means are used to achieve the so-called-ideal results on the BMI charts.

Where food is concerned, I eat what I want when I want it. I do not check food labels. I don’t obsess over whether or not I should eat a cream puff. If something tastes bad, I don’t eat it… if something tastes good, I usually eat until I am comfortably full. I almost never cross the line from full into stuffed, and the rare times that I do, I am usually aware that it is happening, and it’s a choice I have made for any number of reasons (something at a fancy dinner tastes really good and I decide I want a bite more, or I am actually giving in and emotionally eating - which is rare, but still happens once in a while).

Food is not a friend or an enemy now. It is something I enjoy very much when I need and/or want it, and something I walk away from if I am full or don’t like it. I rarely choose to eat emotionally because food is not the panacea it once was. I now face my problems head on and try to find other means with which to solve them. Food never solved a problem in my life. It may have allowed me to avoid it… and as Bonnie used to tell me, after years of using food in that manner, there are times when it’s okay to give in and do so. There are times when you need to allow yourself to shut off… but in allowing that, the “reward” of distraction is so insignificant that it is rarely worth that awful, overstuffed, my-stomach-hurts-from-eating-so much-feeling.

After two years of IE, I am happier than I have ever been with how I handle what I eat. I am more comfortable in my own skin than I’ve ever been, including that brief moment in time when my aunt managed to diet me down to my so-called healthy weight (and I thought I was fat). I am far more emotionally stable because I’ve developed skills to cope with my issues, whereas before I used food to avoid facing them.

Am I perfect? Hell, no. Do I falter some days? Sure. But overall I have a relationship with food that is far, far healthier than I ever dared dream it could become. Food is not my foe, nor my ally. It’s what fuels my body. It is social and sensual and enjoyable, but it is not something I need to be happy, social or sensual. It is simply food. It tastes good or bad. I eat it or I don’t… and no one tsk-tsks because I’m up a pound one week, and no one cheers and gives me an inflated ego because I happened to lose a pound another week. My weight is just a number on the scale that I refuse to consider or worry about, and I can’t even begin to describe the freedom I feel because of this.

xoxo,

Juliet

Fat Suit Sighting: How I Met Your Mother

2009-11-10T12:39:38-08:00

Oh Neil Patrick Harris. How I love you. How everyone loves you! However. Not only was last night’s episode of How I Met Your Mother very upsetting (we can talk in the comments, fellow viewers) there was also a whole lot of “Barney eats! Barney gets fat! NPH puts on a fat suit!” humor. (Also it was weird, because in that fat suit NPH looks just like Jiminy Glick.)

The weight gain was presented in the show as not very true-to-life; Ted had a line to the effect that “Barney and Robin only ‘let themselves go’ a little bit, but we saw them like this…” so it was deliberately exaggerated for comic effect. I hate the phrase “let themselves go” a lot, and I didn’t find the scenes of Barney eating or all the jokes about all his food intake all that funny.

Not that the fat suit upset me all that much, especially in relation to the truly upsetting developments, but as I’ve said before, I consider it a cliche way to get cheap laughs. Are fat suits done yet?

Not your typical tee

2009-11-10T09:46:18-08:00

I’m clearly into sequins lately. When I spotted this sequin knit top at Lane Bryant, I snapped it up, tried it on, and brought it home. It is absolutely perfect for dressing up a pair of jeans without a lot of effort. The knit is soft and comfortable and the sequins are little squares instead of circles, so the overall effect is geometric and modern. Simple bangle bracelets and a generous helping of black eyeliner are just enough to complete the look. Love it!

Winner of $50 Kiyonna Gift Certificate

2009-11-10T05:29:59-08:00

Congratulations to The Asian Pear! Her comment was chosen using a highly scientific process to randomly generate a number through a complicated system of algorithms. OK! So I really just clicked the button on Random.org

Pear – has been contacted by e-mail. Her response to winning? “Oh my gosh really? ME?!?! Thank you! I’ve never won anything before. I am DEFINITELY getting the dress I had my eye on now.”

And please check out her blog – she just bought the cutest snow boots at Payless. I think I’m going to go try them on myself.

Thank you everyone for your participation. It was so much fun to see what everyone wanted. There will be more contests and giveaways every month so stay tuned.

CNN’s Candy Crowley sports slimmer figure

2009-11-10T07:12:32-08:00

If watching TV truly kills brain cells, I committed a neural holocaust during the presidential primary and election. If I wasn’t obsessively refreshing FiveThirtyEight for the latest state forecasts, I was glued to MSNBC or CNN’s television coverage of all things political. During my brief affair with David Gergen, Anderson Cooper and Rachel Maddow, I [...]

May be triggering: Precious movie trailer

2009-11-10T07:30:54-08:00

I’d be shocked if you haven’t heard the buzz about this movie. If you’ve seen it, by all means, share your thoughts here. I’m saving it for a time when I can handle the intensity – so it will likely be one of my infamous lagged reviews. Somehow, I think ten years from now, this movie will still be relevant. I do deliberately sidestep the politics of fat – just showing up is a political statement. And this story has way more to it than just bodies. If I have something to add to the conversation, I will. For now, when I’m able, I simply plan to give it a read and a listen.

This movie, FYI, is based on this book by Sapphire:

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Open thread

2009-11-10T06:43:06-08:00

Have at it, Shapelings. I’m using all my words for dissertating today and my co-bloggers are using theirs for their paid jobs. Fluffcation rules do not apply on this thread: feel free to talk about what you want and get as controversial as you feel, so long as you abide by the Comments Policy. Speaking of [...]

From Francesca’s Inbox: Tuesday Edition

2009-11-10T04:40:33-08:00

Vest and pencil skirt by SWAK Designs. Francesca is very pleased with the changes taking place there.

Igigi is having a “secret” showroom event in San Francisco (Mission Street) on Thursday evening from 4-8. If you would like to attend, you must write to them TODAY at rsvp@igigi.com with the names of everyone in your group. There will be a raffle, special prices on samples and irregulars, and a chance to try on Igigi items before buying, which of course is not normally possible with their online-only store.

Outside San Francisco: A reminder that Igigi is giving free shipping through Friday.

SWAK Designs has made incredible headway in their style this year, to the point that Francesca can actually recommend looking there for business-casual workwear. Francesca is very proud of them! Trashy to classy in one season! She hopes this is the beginning of a movement (certain Other Vendors should pay attention). Just remember to stay away from velour.

Also from SWAK: Free worldwide shipping on orders over $40. And, if you use code basic35 before the end of the day on Thursday, you’ll get 35% off any of their “basic” wear.

Old Navy’s outerwear sale ends on Thursday. office-appropriate blazer here. And what say you about this jacket? Francesca thinks it is a hate, but if she squints she can imagine that there is a small niche of people who will love it and look good in it. Like, 5 people. Five very interesting people (says Francesca with sincerity).

Bright fall colors by Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Claiborne

Torrid has taken 50% off clearance items. This could end any minute so time is of the essence. floral pencil skirt for $15. Uber goth-irony pajama pants for $9.50. Plaid Corset Top for $20. Also, at regular prices, many many jeans sold according to inseam length.

Kiyonna has new, pretty items in their sale section. (Just please stay away from the velour! Urgh!)

Jessica London is having an online-only sale on select items. (Meaning, you won’t get these prices in the physical stores).

Liz Claiborne has New Plus Size Arrivals. Francesca loves the bright colors when everyone else is wearing brown, navy and forest green. Remember that they provide free shipping on orders of $75 or more. Also, throughout November, if you shop in-store at any of these Liz Claiborne retail locations, you can get 20% off by printing and bringing this coupon.

Happy shopping! xoxo

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