Oh my sweeties! I have had one hell of a week, and it ain’t over yet! I know I haven’t been very posty lately, and I do apologize for that, but with all of the madness that is running your own business while also dealing with random maladies, well, it just happens.

I was doing my usual reading of various blogs in the fat-o-sphere and came across this list of the top 40 fat fashion blogs when I had a sudden realization: I may have fallen out of love with FATshion!

Please, don’t feel sorry for me. It happens to the best of us. Things do tend to wax and wane, yes? I just don’t know. I think it may have started when I went to Big Moves Bay Area’s Cupcake & Muffintops 2.0 last month. I was at first overwhelmed with what to look at and try on and buy and then mega-underwhelmed when a pile of bottoms (mostly denim & capris) did not fit. I did buy some tops, but left with the weight of disappointment on my shoulders.

Next was the “Kaden” boots from Target that were posted on LiveJournal’s Fatshionista community with the promise of affordability and fit for larger calves…alas, it simply wasn’t so (unless you wear a size 11). And finally, when I went back to Target the next day to try on this Converse One Star dress (I was so bummed by the boots that I left without perusing the plus clothes) and it didn’t fit either. Maybe that is when I fell out of love with fatshion.

Or perhaps it is entirely due to the fact that I no longer have any sort of personal income with which to buy anything over $10. I had to save my tips for an entire week for the Cupcake & Muffintops 2.0 last month. All $29 of it were spent there, too. Glad I went. I had an incredible dark chocolate cupcake and got to talk to so many lovely fats. But damn. When you look forward to something long enough I guess it just builds up in your mind until it cannot possibly live up to whatever it is you think it should be. Like those damned boots!

I hate to sound bitter, but I have wanted some knee-high boots to wear with dresses for over two years now. And with all of my internet resources, wisdom and secrets I’ve still come up short. And damn, those boots would have looked amazing in that Converse dress, yo! Ha-ha! Of course it all plays into my fantasy of creating the ultimate grunge (to me at least) outfit. I suppose in the truest sense of it though, the heart of grunge, was to made due with what’s available or cheap or handy and not about buying brand names and whatnot. And certainly the things I had wanted to buy were/are cheap.

There is another reason: My current closet/wardrobe situation. It’s a nightmare! I have a pile of things I want to sell, donate and reorganize but never find the time/inspiration/motivation to even tackle it. I know, I know…little steps. Commit to one small task at a time, thus less guilt to harbor. But you gotta know by now, I just don’t do things the easy way. And we have so much less space for things than we used to. With fall & winter on their way I am looking forward to digging out the cardis and sweaters and layers! Oh how I love layers! But I also live in CA and that means those are probably a bit far off for now.

How do you organize your clothes? By season? By occasion (formal/casual/etc)? I have a friend who organizes all of her clothes by color! She even has hangers that match each item! I can’t get behind that because it would drive me insane. But I am open to your creative suggestions or advice! Please, help me fall back in love with fatshion, even if it’s just my own wardrobe!

Thanks for reading.  =0)

*Listening to Presidents of the USA “Everybody wants to be naked & famous” and loving it!

I was so moved by a post on the fat heffalump blog that I had to share it with you. So please check it out here! It’s 6 minutes of pure flabulosity! Also, hit up Marilyn Wann’s “Fat! So?” site here! because it has butts & tons of good info, too!

You read that right! Today is Tank Top Tuesday! Weather you call it a vest or a wife pleaser (there shall be no violence here), I want your pics! This will be the first in a weekly offering of fatties with heads and arms wearing TANK TOPS! I just had such a great experience the last time I went out sleeveless that I thought this would be a fun way to keep that positivity flowing and also to hopefully help normalize fat arms!

That’s me, death fat and all, in an Old Navy Tank from about two years ago. I love the top, but so rarely wear it because the color doesn’t go with much. But I do have a gorgeous cardi that will go nicely when the weather cools down again.

Submit your photo by first commenting with your email address (just the first part/username, so I don’t spam you) then emailing me: notblueatall@notblueatall.com with the attachment and if you have a blog, please submit the web address so I can give you & it some mad props and any info you’d like me to include in the post. Please submit only one photo at a time. If I receive many I may do a special post or just post date them for the next several Tuesdays. If you have any questions, please leave a comment. I hope this becomes a very fun and continuing adventure for all of us. And guys!!! That means, you, too!  =0)

First thing’s first! The blogs!!! I had the unbelievable pleasure of meeting two great ladies yesterday. And guess what? They both have blogs full of fattitude!

Please give some love to:
awellroundedventure.com  &  bargainfatshionista.blogspot.com

And I love a good Q & A so I took the liberty of snagging this one from bargainfatshionista.blogspot.com

1. If you didn’t have to work or go to school, how would you choose to spend your time?

I would love to travel, but that would mean being away from my husband (he doesn’t like to travel) and our companion animals. I may take a trip or two on my own or with friends and then try to settle a bit before going back to any type of routine. I guess in the end though, I would really like to help the fat/size/body acceptance community & movement along as best I can. It means a lot to me as it has helped me so very much in my own life. I am not sure what that would look like, but I just want everyone in the world to know that they are worth every ounce of effort and energy in the journey to positive self acceptance. It seems so simple, but we all know it’s not. I have thought about possibly starting some sort of outreach program, but I’d have to do a lot of research first. Ha-ha!

2. Do you have a lucky piece of clothing? (e.g. lucky socks)

Hmmm, I’m not sure I have anything “lucky” at the moment. I definitely have a bunch of favorite items that I wear endlessly. Like the carrot-leaf-pearl necklace my very good friend bought me when I opened my cafe, I wear it nearly every day. And my growing collection of big wooden laser-cut earrings. Guess nothing lucky though.

3. What is your least favorite food?

Least? Wow! Oh! I know! Eggplant, yellow mustard and lima beans. I know, silly stuff to hate so much, but you know, I keep trying them and realizing that yes, I do hate them. Ha-ha!

4. What is one thing you absolutely must do before you die?

Oh I like this one! I must sing in a band at least for on live gig. It’s been a dream since High School or earlier and now I am just determined to do it. Even if I have to do everything myself, hire musicians and do it that way. I would of course prefer to meet awesome people and go the old school route, but it just needs to happen, so I won’t be too picky!

5. Should fashion be taken seriously?

Yes, but not too seriously! I am certainly not for starting an actual fashion police. I think it’s fabulous when items are mis-matched to a ridiculour or over-the-top way. But I tend to find glamor in things much less than what most would consider glamorous. I love fashion, but I also don’t live for it. I just enjoy finding my own style and staying true to me and right now that means comfort is the priority.

6. What triggered your decision to begin loving and accepting your body?

I was sick of hearing it’s not okay to be fat, that it’s a disease or something to be fought in a war. That combined with being surrounded by office gals on weight watchers and such and hearing them compete in how little they ate each day. It makes me sick! I knew I was ready to get off of the hamster wheel, but wasn’t sure how until I discovered FA (Fat Acceptance) through a BUST magazine article on the U.K. Chubsters ( a fatty gang). I never looked back!

7. What are you passionate about?

Life! It sounds cliche, but it’s the truth. I find that with every passing year there is more to love in the world. The more I learn and grow and see the more I realize that life is full of excitement and mystery and fabulous nature and beyond. Okay, so I’m a hippie at heart! Ha-ha! You caught me!
8. Have you ever considered quitting blogging? If so, why?

I have and I have also stopped for awhile. Mostly because I lose steam or inspiration. I’m an artist in many things and I follow my inspirations where they lead me. I am at their whim, so to speak. So, when one well dries up I move on to the next. I may be post crazy one month and then post very little the next. I find it’s just a natural flux, but it also allows me room to breath and experience other forms of art as well.

Wow! So, last night I was the guest on www.blogtalkradio.com/soulfulblend and what an amazing experience! The gracious and lovely ladies Adrienne & Rachel were so kind and sweet…I am still aglow from their compliments and love!

If you couldn’t tune in, well, you missed out! What else can I say? Ha-ha! No, I’ll recap for ya! I’m just cool like that. But it was so much fun and we discussed some pretty serious stuff, so I do think you should give it a listen, but no pressure. Ha!

Big Fat Summer Challenge: Originally posted on www.Tabayag.com
We discussed how hard it can be for a fatty to bare arms! Show her legs! And be okay with her paleness and beyond! From sleeveless to strapless, it was an amazing journey. You can read my final post here.

I was asked to tell my story and how I got where I am today. It was a bit bizarre to have someone tell me that I have this amazing and happy life. I mean, wow! But I am very blessed and grateful and I am happy and I think I have an amazing life. You can read my story here.

We talked about being in the moment and what that means and how to achieve it. I tried really hard to not be my usual long-winded self, so I boiled it down to two things: No time to worry, for me at least, when I have to make some busy mom her latte! And staying humble. That is something that seems a bit lost in modern society.

We talked about fat thrift shopping. I explained that I had sworn off of it since going into the larger plus sizing but had given it another chance after reading “Lessons From The Fat-O-Sphere” by Marianne Kirby & Kate Harding. And I found an amazing dress that fit like a glove. Lesson learned: Don’t look at the size on the tags! That dress is a 22/24 that I never would have even touched otherwise.

You guys! Sizing differs greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Of course this lead to different retailers sizing standards, too. Fun! Or not…From the Avenue to LB to Torrid, we discuss our experiences and gripes about being in the upper sizing range of plus size retailers who are supposedly catering to us, yet leave out those of us over a size 26!

We talked about Mad Men star Christina Hendricks not being able to find a dress for big events due to her U.K. 14 size. And I stand by what I said about it being a good thing as it brings attention to the reality of being a fat gal, star or no. And how bigger gals tend to fall into the over sexualized trappings that can happen.

We discussed the impact and how much we love “Drop Dead Diva” and “Huge.” Wish we had more time to discuss these, but we were already way over our allotted time, I think.

And the coolest of the cool: we came up with a fat-club/gang sign of our own (inspired by the U.K. Chubsters! <3) by holding your hands in a heart over your fat belly! BELLY LOVE! WOOT! (It’s actually harder than it looks!)

I will surely be tuning into future episodes and who knows? Perhaps they’ll invite me to be a guest again! You know I have a lot to say, about anything! Ha-ha!

Please support & follow these amazing ladies:
On Twitter: @ohyesfashion On Facebook: RURealIAmPlus

Thanks again ladies, you rock my socks! =0)