Got Some Chicago Mail order 1935 today!
Showing posts with label stout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stout. Show all posts
Fashion Dos and Don'ts for the Plump Girl
I picked up this amazing fashion book online the other day and I just had to share some of it with all my lovely stout readers. It dates from 1943.
A PDF version is available for sale in my etsy store.
A PDF version is available for sale in my etsy store.
Catalog Sunday
Stout Woman Revolution: This pattern isn't my size!
Truth be told, one reason I gave up on a lot of modern patterns was the way they were sized. Not only did they have monstrous ease built in to often accommodate lazy grading, but modern proportions can be a headache to a stout figure.
A lot of what determines a good fit for us is where you carry your extra weight. Do you have it in your front, in the back, even all over? Are you pear shape, hourglass, top heavy" Is it in your arms, chest, or thighs? Sheesh!
Fat People on Television.
I don't watch much television. I gave mine up about five years ago when I took part in a TV turnoff week. It was great and I've in essence been commercial free from here on out. Add to that most shows are on DVD within 3 months of their season finale, and I'm a happy camper.
There are a handful of shows that I am able to catch online from time to time, and these have peaked my interest for a few main reasons. The first being the main characters are fat. The second being the women who are the main characters are fat, the third being the shows have prominent characters of color. I find all of the above interesting, because they are rarities.
The three recent shows that I want to chat about have aired or are still on the air. I mean I could go back into the history of body image and television but I don't know that much and frankly, I'm most interested in contemporary views of fat people on TV. American TV in particular. Yeah...
I'm going to chat about three that I really like: Huge, Mike & Molly, and a US import from across the pond, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
It's based on a book (sorry I didn't read it) about a group of teens at a fat camp. The show, which aired on ABC Family of all places was rich, dynamic and just so well acted, so like with any good show on American TV, no one watches it and it gets canceled. Truth be told, I think the show got canceled because people were uncomfortable seeing fat teenagers with their shirts off.
I loved how they were so unapologetic about that. Showing the bodies of these teens over and over until we were comfortable with them, and in a way they were comfortable with themselves. I mean it's a summer camp. That means bathing suits and swimming and sunscreen and the like. But they are also teenagers, and that means cliques and rivalries and animosities and on and on. It wasn't just a teen show wrapped up in a fat camp, it was a show about people where for a few brief months, they all were in a place where they all looked the same, but still carried all those stigmas of the outside world with them.
You had the rebel loner, Will, who really did hate herself but was too proud to say so, the amazingly broken camp director, Dr. Rand (played by Gina Torres) who the show followed the most. I mean she made it, she's skinny, on the outside, but man there are some issues that woman had that you know she will never get over. The character I thought was interesting was the 'pretty' fat girl, Amber. She could 'pass'. She wasn't fat enough to be ostracized by regular kids, but she was overweight, and hated herself for it, yet all the other fat kids deemed her the prettiest girl there and everyone wanted to be her friend.
Rarely am I emotionally attached to a show. Rarely can I actually relate to so many characters. It was just so good, but I think ahead of it's time.
I didn't care too much for the pilot on it's own because every other word out of the character's mouths were fat jokes, but once they got past that and the show hit it's stride, you see beyond what they look like, which is what you would do with anything you like. It's about a cop and a school teacher falling in love after meeting at an overeaters anonymous meeting. I mean its not a drama, it's a situation comedy, like Roseanne was, but the gimmick of this show is their weight, which I find weird.
It's like weight is becoming the new minority in American TV. You know how you would see a random black/asian/hispanic person in a TV show and just wonder how they got there? It's like "We need a new hook...fat people!"
By the by, I find it utterly refreshing that Mike & Molly has two black characters from different parts of the world in the cast. *Finally* a show is saying, 'Yes there are different kinds of black people all over the world.'
Not since Roseanne has there been a fat male and FEMALE lead in a TV series. Heavy men, sure, from the Honeymooners to King of Queens to just about any other sitcom you can name, the hot wife with the lumpy hubby are standard tv fodder. But to see a lovely woman who isnt a supermodel paired up with a hot dude? Never happen. Or never will last.
But there is a huge problem I'm seeing with this surge of shows that you didn't see with other overweight characters in TV shows. All of the characters in these shows, all of them have eating disorders. Really? All fat people are food addicts in America? They all need meetings and therapy and support groups? None of them can control themselves? I think that's a big issue, and pretty offensive. Don't get me wrong, I really like the two shows I've mentioned, but just like America loves to do, highlight the extreme, all we get to see are fat people who need therapy for their eating. That's kind of sad.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency isn't really about the size of the main character Precious Ramotswe (played by Jill Scott). Based on a series of books, its about her being a cunning, smart, and independent woman solving crimes. But you port that over to an American audience where you hear characters constantly say, 'fat', 'fatty', 'big', 'traditional build' in tandem with being attractive, and it probably short circuits people's brains!
Not in American TV. Because here in our television shows weight as a problem to overcome, but in this show, its just a part of the culture. No, not everyone is going to be skinny. Some people just like to eat and it does not mean they have a problem with food. So its amazingly wonderful to see the character Jill Scott plays (who herself has had some weight issues in her own American career) be such a dynamic strong and attractive character in this show.
I hope I am making since with this because I have been wanting to do this post for a long time. I can't really think of much else to add so I'll just leave this out in the aether. How do you feel about the way overweight/fat people are being highlighted in American TV? Any other TV shows (US or from another country) that have non skinny characters that you like?
There are a handful of shows that I am able to catch online from time to time, and these have peaked my interest for a few main reasons. The first being the main characters are fat. The second being the women who are the main characters are fat, the third being the shows have prominent characters of color. I find all of the above interesting, because they are rarities.
The three recent shows that I want to chat about have aired or are still on the air. I mean I could go back into the history of body image and television but I don't know that much and frankly, I'm most interested in contemporary views of fat people on TV. American TV in particular. Yeah...
I'm going to chat about three that I really like: Huge, Mike & Molly, and a US import from across the pond, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
Huge was fantastic.
I loved how they were so unapologetic about that. Showing the bodies of these teens over and over until we were comfortable with them, and in a way they were comfortable with themselves. I mean it's a summer camp. That means bathing suits and swimming and sunscreen and the like. But they are also teenagers, and that means cliques and rivalries and animosities and on and on. It wasn't just a teen show wrapped up in a fat camp, it was a show about people where for a few brief months, they all were in a place where they all looked the same, but still carried all those stigmas of the outside world with them.
You had the rebel loner, Will, who really did hate herself but was too proud to say so, the amazingly broken camp director, Dr. Rand (played by Gina Torres) who the show followed the most. I mean she made it, she's skinny, on the outside, but man there are some issues that woman had that you know she will never get over. The character I thought was interesting was the 'pretty' fat girl, Amber. She could 'pass'. She wasn't fat enough to be ostracized by regular kids, but she was overweight, and hated herself for it, yet all the other fat kids deemed her the prettiest girl there and everyone wanted to be her friend.
Rarely am I emotionally attached to a show. Rarely can I actually relate to so many characters. It was just so good, but I think ahead of it's time.
A current show I'm really liking is Mike & Molly.
I didn't care too much for the pilot on it's own because every other word out of the character's mouths were fat jokes, but once they got past that and the show hit it's stride, you see beyond what they look like, which is what you would do with anything you like. It's about a cop and a school teacher falling in love after meeting at an overeaters anonymous meeting. I mean its not a drama, it's a situation comedy, like Roseanne was, but the gimmick of this show is their weight, which I find weird.
It's like weight is becoming the new minority in American TV. You know how you would see a random black/asian/hispanic person in a TV show and just wonder how they got there? It's like "We need a new hook...fat people!"
By the by, I find it utterly refreshing that Mike & Molly has two black characters from different parts of the world in the cast. *Finally* a show is saying, 'Yes there are different kinds of black people all over the world.'
It seems that American television just can't get enough of the fat people lately. From reality shows of people loosing weight, one of the biggest (pun intended) ones just launched by A&E, Heavy
(**side note, I actually know the cover model for that show, we met at a friend's wedding**) to situation comedies where the weight seems to be the focus of the sitcom, fat people are hot right now.
Not since Roseanne has there been a fat male and FEMALE lead in a TV series. Heavy men, sure, from the Honeymooners to King of Queens to just about any other sitcom you can name, the hot wife with the lumpy hubby are standard tv fodder. But to see a lovely woman who isnt a supermodel paired up with a hot dude? Never happen. Or never will last.
But there is a huge problem I'm seeing with this surge of shows that you didn't see with other overweight characters in TV shows. All of the characters in these shows, all of them have eating disorders. Really? All fat people are food addicts in America? They all need meetings and therapy and support groups? None of them can control themselves? I think that's a big issue, and pretty offensive. Don't get me wrong, I really like the two shows I've mentioned, but just like America loves to do, highlight the extreme, all we get to see are fat people who need therapy for their eating. That's kind of sad.
It's a culture shock going from television that says fat people are a spectacle and need help because there is something wrong with them, to a show set in Africa where a fat person is just that, and there is nothing wrong with it.
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency isn't really about the size of the main character Precious Ramotswe (played by Jill Scott). Based on a series of books, its about her being a cunning, smart, and independent woman solving crimes. But you port that over to an American audience where you hear characters constantly say, 'fat', 'fatty', 'big', 'traditional build' in tandem with being attractive, and it probably short circuits people's brains!You can't be a fat beautiful woman character. You can't be the competition against a skinny woman. You can't be pursued by amazingly attractive men. You can't be comfortable in what you look like and not be thin.
Not in American TV. Because here in our television shows weight as a problem to overcome, but in this show, its just a part of the culture. No, not everyone is going to be skinny. Some people just like to eat and it does not mean they have a problem with food. So its amazingly wonderful to see the character Jill Scott plays (who herself has had some weight issues in her own American career) be such a dynamic strong and attractive character in this show.I guess this is where I send a shout out to Jennifer Hudson. Sweetie, you are not going to stay that size. You just won't.
I hope I am making since with this because I have been wanting to do this post for a long time. I can't really think of much else to add so I'll just leave this out in the aether. How do you feel about the way overweight/fat people are being highlighted in American TV? Any other TV shows (US or from another country) that have non skinny characters that you like?
I would love for this to generate some discussion because I would adore dialog on this.
Etsy Updates! Patterns Galore!
Hi everyone! I've just sorted through a bounty full of new patterns and listed them in my store! All decades and all sizes. Over the week, I plan on listing more and even some from my personal collection.
Here are a small section of the ones Ive listed.
Suits suits suits!
A cute two piece blouse and skirt set from the 50s.
And the best for last. For the stout ladies, some lovely dresses.
Check out some of my listings.
Thanks and yay sewing!
Stout Woman Revolution: Choosing the right sleeve.
Long sleeve. Cap sleeve. Kimono sleeve. Drop shoulder sleeve. Flutter sleeve. Short sleeve. Cuffed sleeve. Two piece sleeve. Fitted sleeve. Sleeveless.
Oh, what to choose.
It's no secret the love I have for sleeves.
I select sleeves for garments based on my confidence level. I'm a plain type of sleeve gal for most outfits. Either a basic design for day dresses, bracelet length for winter dresses. I used to lack the confidence in displaying my arms and made all my sleeve lengths at least past the elbow. But then I got brave, and started doing shorter sleeves and, well, the earth did not explode after all.
I just don't think my arms are my strongest asset. There is nothing wrong with that, but oh, how I do so envy the larger ladies who can work a flutter sleeve.
*Gasp*
So feminine and frilly and wonderfully womanly. Delicious. Or, her more practical cousin, the cap sleeve. Squeeee! In a contrasting fabric from the garment's bodice? Be still my heart. Or, for the stout woman who can do it with pride, sleeveless. I worship you.But, as I've said many times before, I'm about making what you have work the best it can, and for me, I feel the most confident with sleeves that cover most of my forearm.
It is a personal choice.
How daring do you feel? How safe do you wan to be? Even with all the decisions of fabric and choosing which notions to use, sleeves are often something that most just take at face value. But then there are some outfits where the sleeve is the *best* part.
If there are some tips I can give with sleeve selection it would be these:
1) Choose a sleeve based on the seasonal design of the garment.
If it's a sporty number, chances are you don't want to do a full length cuffed sleeve.
2) If supplementing a sleeve, do a mock up first.
New sleeves have to be adjusted to the bodice of the design you are using. Subtle alterations from the opening to how far the shoulder length needs to be extended should be looked at. I've ruined many a garment by not planning ahead.
3) Don't overpower the design of the outfit.
If you choose a fantastic sleeve, make sure the outfit plays with it, not against it. Too many design elements can harm your overall intent for the garment.
4) Play with fabrics.
Two tone your design, or use a different fabric to use up left over material. Buttons, bows, cuffs. Yay!
Thats it for now.
Happy Sewing!!
Stout Woman Revolution: The Shirtwaist dress.
I'm particular about what I think looks best on the stout woman. Princess seamed dresses get a no in my book. Its not that the dresses are ugly, far from it, its that particular style overwhelmingly isn't the most flattering for a larger shape. That style is meant to fit close to the body, gliding along the curves of a woman.
Most larger versions of that type of dress all have to be 'watered down' in a way in order to smooth over our lumps. Then what's the point? The style of the dress looses its purpose, and you are just stuck in a sack.
Hey, Im always the first to say even if its made in your size does not mean you should wear it. I don't find equality in silly things like that. I champion wear what looks best on you so you then will feel your best. Hate me if you want.
I covered a lot of this when I did the do's and don'ts of how to flatter your stout figure. I championed the shirt waist, why, because its the most versatile, not just for a larger figure, but in general, one shirtwaist can go miles.
No, they are not boring. You have more button, accent, and fabric choices with a shirt waist. Its an iconic staple of not just the stout, but the whole vintage look.
There are soooooo many different types as well! Ruffles, shawl collars, square necklines, multi panel bodices, buttons, sash fronts, notched or band collars, etc. So many choices!
When I see a lonely little shirtwaist next to an elaborate bodice dress, I snap it up. I know Ill get more mileage out of that one pattern, than that 'fancy' dress. Unless that fancy dress pattern is super cute, then why brake up the set. *wink wink*
Hey, Im always the first to say even if its made in your size does not mean you should wear it. I don't find equality in silly things like that. I champion wear what looks best on you so you then will feel your best. Hate me if you want.
*There is something particulary charming about the 4721, I cant figure out just what yet.
I covered a lot of this when I did the do's and don'ts of how to flatter your stout figure. I championed the shirt waist, why, because its the most versatile, not just for a larger figure, but in general, one shirtwaist can go miles.
*The 30's 1683 is one of my favorites in my collection.
*That 1550 I've made more times than I can count.
No, they are not boring. You have more button, accent, and fabric choices with a shirt waist. Its an iconic staple of not just the stout, but the whole vintage look.
There are soooooo many different types as well! Ruffles, shawl collars, square necklines, multi panel bodices, buttons, sash fronts, notched or band collars, etc. So many choices!
When I see a lonely little shirtwaist next to an elaborate bodice dress, I snap it up. I know Ill get more mileage out of that one pattern, than that 'fancy' dress. Unless that fancy dress pattern is super cute, then why brake up the set. *wink wink*
Don't underestimate the power of the shirtwaist!
Catalog Sunday
This Sunday its stout woman's jimjams from Lane Bryant.
Lane Bryant 30-31
Lane Bryant 1932
Lane Bryant 1935-1936
Lane Bryant 1942
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