Just As Beautiful - Aug 08

The UK’s first free Lifestyle Magazine dedicated to the plus-size woman

AUGUST 2008 Issue 19

What NOT To Wear

a BIG Business

What makes a Woman?

Eternal Summer

Ms Plus NY “I was shot and left for dead!”

‘Britain's Next Plus Model’!! Do you have what it takes to be the definitive plus-size face of the UK?

Are you a model that has never been given a chance because the industry thinks you are too big?

Do you know anyone that looks stunning and deserves to be recognised as a high-end model?

If the answer is yes, then you would be happy to know that Just As Beautiful Magazine (The UK's First Free Lifestyle Magazine Dedicated To The Plus-Size Woman) is looking to give a lucky plus-size fashionable lady a break into the glamorous world of modelling! If you have what it takes to be 'Britain's Next Plus Model', send an email with 2 good pictures of yourself to [email protected], putting 'Britain's Next Plus Model' in the subject header to request for an application form.

You must be at least a size 20 and over 18 years of age!! Deadline; 30th September, 2008

Look out for details in Just As Beautiful Magazine. To subscribe for your free monthly copies email:

[email protected]

'Britain's Next Plus Model'!!

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4. Nile Graham: What makes a Woman a Woman 7. Big Business 8. Miss Plus New York Exclusive 12. Manners Please!! 15. Fashion 19. Hair Tips with Anita Cox 20. Book Review: Fat Chance 23. Eternal Summer

FOR YOUR FREE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION OF JUST AS BEAUTIFUL MAGAZINE SEND AN EMAIL TO:

Art Director: Jason James

Just As Beautiful

[email protected]

L.B.C.P.

24-26 Arcadia Avenue Finchley London N3 2JU Tel: 020 8453 7185 (office) 07043 020 287 (field) Fax: 0870 131 9838 e-mail: [email protected] Web: www.justasbeautiful.co.uk Just As Beautiful Magazine is published by London Business Communications & Publishing (LBCP)

WHAT MAKES A WOMAN

A WOMAN? By Nile Graham

Hello readers,

F

or those of you who were expecting a follow up article regarding the weight loss surgery debate – apologies. I would like to give those of you who still haven't sent in your views a bit more time to do so. Therefore the concluding article on this issue will appear in next month's issue. Women have many responses to the question of what makes a woman 'a woman'. We know from various bodies that it is not simply biological. To be a woman and feel like a woman is much more than the body you were born into. I'm reminded of Aretha Franklin's song “Natural Woman” [1]. She speaks of how a particular love makes her feel the wholeness of her female self. It's a subject well explored in the works of Shakespeare and other writers of love, courtship and unbridled passion. Indeed, many of us were tuned in religiously to each and every episode of “Sex And The City”[2] liberated by their uncompromising conversations about how they, as single women in the big apple, related to their environment and the men within it. Like many, I was often doubled over with laughter at the comparisons I was able to make between them over there, and me over here in

London. Somehow it helped me to embrace some of the issues relating to the relationship between my femininity and the demands of being an independent career woman in the metropolis. Often, as is usual in life, it begged of me more questions than it provided answers! And, just like thousands of women all over the country and beyond, when I heard the film which would seek to tie up all the loose ends etc was due to hit our shores, I whipped up into a frenzy as to how this would be possible without turning into a Walt Disney all lived happily ever after bluhhhhrrr!!!(I wanted Carey and Big to get together actually and I did shed a tear and gasp at all the bits the film set me up to respond to – unashamedly!!). I just didn't want the female strength of their identity to be diluted, and thankfully it wasn't. For transgender individuals the mindset plays a huge role, and drives many to risk their lives in pursuit of matching how they look on the outside to how they think and feel - so they can “finally be normal” [3].

Without a doubt, our appearance can definitely make us feel more or less of a woman. “When I'm this size, I feel depressed. I don't feel sexy I don't feel feminine. I just feel like I'll always be alone”, said Tina, a size 30 woman from a plus-size women's support group. She continued: “When I've done my hair and treated myself to something nice to wear, I feel confident and alive. I get men stopping me on the street and commenting on how beautiful I look and how they like my size” [4] Tina was more typical than not of the women I've worked with of size and/or women struggling to gain control of their lives with regard to eating disorders, drug and alcohol issues and survivors of physical, mental and sexual abuse. Our 'womanhood' can be interrupted by events that were out of our control. Last year I supported a friend who had to have a mastectomy, reconstructive and breast reduction surgery when lumps in one of her breast were found to be precancerous. Suddenly she was faced with facing her mortality; scars and a greatly reduced bust size which, for her large frame was very noticeable. I remember her going through several weeks of post

surgery, wondering whether she'd ever feel “like a real woman ever again”. I'm happy to say one year on and not only has she been cleared by the hospital, she has also learned to embrace her new smaller cup size and get her sexy groove back!!! Yay to the resilience of the we…who are woman! I was driven to write this in all honesty from a very negative incident that recently happened to me that brought home to me that as plussize women we are not always treated with the feminine respect that appears bestowed much easier to our smaller sized sisters. In short, I was physically attacked by a man and another man flew to the aggressor's girlfriend's side as she showed shock at her partner's

behaviour and completely ignored the victim…ME!!! Don't worry, he didn't manage to hit me as others in the room provided a human shield. It was the lack of support I was shown post incident and the language that was used by the man in charge of the project that made me see that even in this day and age there are those that will see my size first and judge my physical and emotional abilities and vulnerabilities by that.

from us – but we can give it away if we allow others to define what it is – be that shiny magazines, ignorant small minded men (and for every one of them there are the lovely ones often hiding in the wings!) and unfortunately, those who are very close to us. Ladies, write to me with your thoughts and feelings about what makes you feel like a woman or what makes you struggle to be in touch with your femininity!

Don't worry folks, I do not intend to leave it there as I would never want someone else to go through that…I am pursuing the matter. But during the journey of writing this article I have once again realised that our femininity cannot be taken away

Now, get out there and strut your beautiful stuff!

NG

References [1] Natural Woman (Motown) [2] Sex and the City (Paramount comedy channel) [3] Sex change hospital (series on the Discovery Home and Health channel) [4] Tina – name has been changed, but I thank you for giving your permission to use both quotes

Nile Graham is a life coach and personal development expert and can be reached by sending an email to her at: [email protected]

Just As Beautiful Magazine Awards & Britain’s Next Plus Model

Coming Soon!! for futher info or to apply TEL: 020

8453 7185 07043 020 287 or

email: [email protected]

Relax, you're in good hands… 124 Anerley Road, Anerley London SE20 8DL Tel: 020 8659 8702 Mob: 0793 04 966 04

Plus size bridal, bridesmaids, Evening and Prom. Prices start from: £595.00. Book a styling consultation and design your own dress!

[email protected] www.ouiido.com

Try as many dress as you want in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

www.voluptuousbrides.net

By appointment. Closes at 8pm on Thurs.

BIG BUSINESS MAKING HIGH QUALITY MADE-TO-MEASURE FANCY DRESS COSTUMES FOR CURVY LADIES EASILY AVAILABE

W

hen Birmingham couple Paul Boston and Nicole Eaton decided to set up a shop on Ebay catering for made-tomeasure plus-size costumes, little did they know how much of a stir they would create. Unsatisfied by low quality and badly fitting fancy dress costumes, they decided to start selling theirs – the difference being that their costumes are cheaper, higher in quality and made in the UK. The result was the birth of www.frisky69.com. Despite being based in the UK, Paul says that they have customers all over the world. “We are a rapidly growing family business and have been trading for three years as a web based business. We started off selling adult products similar to those sold by Ann Summers, until we noticed that our best selling products seemed to be the few costumes that we stocked. We started looking into the costume/fancy dress industry a bit further and started to sell some different costumes to see if they would be as popular. All of the costumes were doing well but we were getting lots of enquiries regarding larger sizes as we only sold costumes from size 8-16. What our customers want our customers get, so we did our research and found a UK based company who specialised in hand made plus size fancy dress costumes.” According to Paul, they “have had a great response to the range of plus

size fancy dress that we have. Our customer feed back has been very positive showing that our customers are extremely happy with the quality of our costumes, along with the service that they have received. We have had customer comments such as “fab fab fab now I can't wait for the fancy dress I usually dred other plus size costumes. Fab fab”. The costumes we sell offer our customers style and comfort. The costume in turn helps them feel confident about going to a fancy dress party and having a great time.

“The plus size industry is a rapidly growing one. The demand for plus size clothing has increased significantly over the past few years and retailers are finally making fashionable and stylish clothes to fit and flatter the fuller figure. Our fancy dress costumes are made to meet the growing demands of the plus size industry offering a high quality costume that will fit and flatter any body shape.”

What separates Frisky69.com from others is that the plus-size costumes that offered are all hand made here in the UK. “They are great quality and range in size from 1840+. The costumes are made to order and although we sell the range in specific sizes they can be made to your measurements, longer or shorter if required and they can also be altered to add extra features. The costume can basically be made exactly as you want it and will be delivered to your door. The great thing about these costumes is they are made for real people, a fabulous costume that will fit and flatter your figure. There are costumes to suit all occasions be it a fancy dress party or just for a fun and frisky night in! Our range of costumes can be posted worldwide. The costumes are great value for money and you are guaranteed to turn heads in your fabulous fancy dress outfit that has been made to fit you. We also sell a range of accessories to c om p l i m ent a nd f i ni s h y our costume and offer a high standard of customer service with a dedicated member of our team on hand to answer any queries and assist you to help you find exactly what you want,” says Paul. “We are continually adding new costumes and new ranges to our plus size collection. Keep an eye out for our festive costumes for Halloween and Christmas. In future

EXCLUSIVE!! SHE WAS SHOT IN THE FACE AND LEFT FOR DEAD BY AN ABUSIVE PARTNER BUT IS NOW A REIGNING BEAUTY QUEEN…

MEET ISABEL GARCIA THE PLUS-SIZE QUEEN OF NEW YORK!! very long time I struggled with myself because of the abuse that was inflicted on me at his hands. I was dealing with depression and very low self esteem. I thought very little of myself. I felt worthless, unloved and useless. I felt like the world was going to end and I had no purpose in life. I was everything he said I was -fat, ugly, stupid, unwanted, worthless and, in his famous words, 'I would never amount to anything'. This was what was drilled into my head the entire time I was being abused. One day (I remember it well) I stood in front of a mirror and took a good look at myself and said 'I Love Me! I am beautiful, I am smart, I am loved, I am Me!' My whole life changed that day. I took control of my life and started taking steps to a whole new and improved 'love myself' belief, which has empowered me,” she passionately reveals.

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sabel Garcia is the current Ms New York Plus America 2008 and Ms New York American Beauties Plus 2009. She is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn. As Ms New York American Beauties Plus she has chosen domestic violence as her platform because of her personal and compelling story of survival, and the prevalence of the problem worldwide. When she was 23-yearsold, her boyfriend shot her in the face with a .38 magnum handgun during an argument and left her to die. Prior to this incident he repeatedly abused her.

Life began to change for Isabel as she recovered from her physical injuries and gained the emotional strength to tell her story. As part of a universal ministry, she has travelled around the world telling her story of survival to hundreds of women in El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba and Israel. “Before I became s New York Plus America 2008 and Ms New York American Beauties Plus 2009 I had struggled a lot with my life. I had been abused by my ex-boyfriend to the point in which he shot me in the face and left me to die. For a

Isabel's motto is now, "be proud of who you are", and this is something she communicates to audiences of women: "No matter if you are a size 2 or 20, we are all beautiful and you need to love yourself first then everything else will fall into place." Her message to battered women is: "Stay strong and don't dismiss your dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope. To be without hope is to be without purpose." Her professional experience includes working in a non-profit organisation serving youth and low-income families, and special education. “I had always dreamed of being in a pageant, but, as we all know, society has its own perceptions on what a beauty queen should look like. So I thought this was just a dream that would never become a reality. One day when I arrived from work I was doing some online surfing and typed in plus-size pageants in the search engine. Much to my surprise, there it was -a plus-size beauty pageant! I could not believe

my eyes. I read the entire site and decided 'this is it'. Just what I was hoping for. Could my dream actually become a reality? And the answer was yes. I now have two tittles; me, the plus-size girl, the one that was too big to be considered a 'Beauty Queen'.” Isabel is also an enthusiastic supporter, promoter and Spokeswoman of the One in Three© campaign. She is helping to spread the word about the important work the organization is doing globally to raise awareness of violence against women and the trauma women suffer when domestic violence is part of their lives. She is also an international spokesperson for the Voices Love Music tour for victims of Abuse and 1Voice2gether, “which helps others find their 'beautiful wonder' within - to break the silence!” Feeling quite elated she said: “This experience has changed my life tremendously in so many different ways. I have been featured in

several magazines as well as on television and radio. I have done modelling, photo shoots, promotions and runway. I have been invited to many special events and have judged beauty pageants and travelled extensively and have also become a Spokeswoman for several domestic violence organizations. My story has also been published in a book and I have met many celebrities as well. I just recently had the honour of being the August Calendar Girl for a 2009 print calendar.” Despite currently working towards a Degree in Special Education, Isabel Garcia is also the Regional Director for X'Change Modelling's New York Tristate Chapter. X'Change Modelling is a non profit social empowerment movement with a global ambition to change the world's perception of the plus-size woman (and men) in modelling and media by making a difference. X'Change models are individuals taking an individual stance apart from their associates. “We are an

organization encouraging positive body image, character, competence, and charisma for the plus-size woman. It was created in 2007 by Myisha Hill in Chicago, IL, with the determination to change the world's view on the plus-size image,” she said. Thus X'Change Modelling was born and currently has over five state directors carrying on the X'Change mission and models in areas including Illinois, Indiana, New York, California, Florida, North Carolina, Atlanta, Maryland, Boston, and is continually growing. “We are currently seeking more women to carry on the X'Change Mission in other states and around the world,” Isabel points out. “I intend to use my titles towards size acceptance and self-love. We are all the same regardless of what we look like on the out side. I say this all the time; we are all the same we are all one race and that is the Human Race. I will be giving workshops on loving yourself and being healthy as well as looking your best. I will also be going to different schools, after school programs and women's programs speaking to our young ladies and women on this same issue. We, as plus-size women a can accomplish anything we set our hearts and minds to. We are beautiful, intelligent, strong, creative, productive and confident. It is magazines like Just As Beautiful, that cater to the plus-size woman that show that curvier women are beautiful, intelligent and capable of accomplishing anything any one else can.” As a final word to readers, Isabel says: “Believe in yourself. Be proud of who you are, whether you are a size 2 or 22. Always remember we are all beautiful and unique in our own way and that is what makes each and everyone of us special. You need to love yourself first then everything else will fall into place. Stay strong! Don't dismiss your dreams because to be without dreams is to be without hope and to be without hope is to be without purpose. We can do anything we set our minds to.”

Manners Please!! By Julia Thomas

Time to pull up a soapbox and let rip (I think)!

I

the milker” on the farm. If they were then that would be a big cause for concern!

get fed up with the assumption that people of a larger stature than the usual are lazy, smelly or have no self control. (I have come across this over the last, well, let's say few decades). You are perceived as having no self control because you obviously sit and eat chocolate and cakes for breakfast, lunch and, of course, dinner. It is also assumed that you are obviously smelly as you puff and pant and sweat a little more than your slender counterpart. Of course you have no access to grooming facilities like a shower, soap and water, or come to think of it, deodorant. How silly? But the one thing that really gets my goat is the fat = lazy equation. I think its time we were noticed for leaving a good impression on someone.

We saw all we wanted to see and went to the bus stop to get back to the car. We queued for a while which is fine -as it was very busy by then. We got on the bus nearly last which meant standing but never mind, it was better than walking so far in the sweltering heat (in Scotland that's above 68f!). Just after us the driver helped an elderly lady on board (she was very frail and very old) we were standing there expecting someone to stand up and let her have a seat but nothing happened. The only person who offered her a seat was another lady who was at least 8 months pregnant.

At the weekend my partner and I (hmm, I sound like the queen there) went to a country show up in a big park in Glasgow. The layout of the park meant that there was a courtesy mini-bus to transport you from one end to the other. We arrived fairly early and got on the bus to where they were shoeing shire horses and demonstrating how to bath a shaggy coo (that's Highland Cow in English), which I had to see as I love the hairy beasts. Bless, it isn't an easy job. It involves a gallon of shampoo, pressure hose, gallon of conditioner and a cow hairdryer! Of course this is to show Highland Cows in the show ring; they aren't that meticulous with “Daisy

This shamed the lady next to her into giving up her seat. Then an elderly man got on, he had a hearing aid and was also very fragile looking and not one person offered him a seat. The pregnant lady tried but he wouldn't have that. I said loudly to my partner 'I can't believe someone isn't standing up for him'. Obviously everyone around us was deaf as well as nobody batted an eyelid. We said several other things as well and nobody offered him a seat. I was disgusted as there was a middle aged woman one side of us sitting with a child of about 8 and a man the other side with another child of around 11 years old who

could quite easily have stood as well, even if they had sat on their guardians lap. I was so angry about this; it wasn't as if it was a long trip and it wasn't as if the people sitting down were youths. They were all middle aged or children whose parents should have known better. Now, I'm large (obviously) and I'm also disabled but in a way you cannot see. It just involves a lot of pain and was I sitting, I would have given up my seat for either of these elderly people who quite possibly fought for our freedom to enjoy a lovely day out in a free country.

Even if they didn't, common good manners should have been involved for someone obviously frail and elderly. I know it's a tenuous link, but I'm pretty sure these 'normal' sized people would be the first to be pointing the finger at us 'lazy' plussized people (when they just sat on their backsides ignoring good manners and chivalry and a little sprinkling of decency). The next day I was in a leading plussize retailer's shop when the lady in front of me queried a price for a damaged item. It had been reduced for the damage but subsequently the un-damaged goods had been put down to that price in the sale. The assistant asked her boss and they took off another couple of pounds. The customer did not even say thank you, she just paid and left.

What has happened to our society? I am really hoping these are isolated incidents and not the way we are going in this country. Come on everyone, lets all cry out for an increase in basic good manners. Let us be noticed for being kind, courteous and larger than life in a positive way. Let us face it. We are noticed so turn that into something

positive. It can make someone's day if you hold a door open for them, or offer them a seat on a bus and the best thing is that it doesn't cost a penny. I believe in “pay it forward”, the more we are polite and helpful and smile at someone, the more they are likely to “pay it forward” to someone else and before long someone very sad and

lonely can have their faith restored in others with just a smile and a thank you.

julia Thomas is the owner of leading website:

www.curvychicks.co.uk

a FOR YOUR FREE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION TO JUST AS BEAUTIFUL MAGAZINE SEND AN EMAIL TO: [email protected] TEL: 020 8453 7185 or 07043 020 287

www.justasbeautiful.co.uk “The UK’s First Free Lifestyle Magazine Dedicated To The Plus-Size Woman”

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Size and Style with Lisa Marie and Jennygirl

In our quest to open up about our experiences in size and style and what is important to us as USA big girls it occurs to us that we probably aren't all that different. We all must share similar struggles in dealing with fat bias, figuring out what looks good on our curves and being bombarded with the images of what we are supposed to look like. You can't turn on the television or open up a newspaper here in the USA, without hearing about the great Obesity epidemic in America. Every day it seems there is a new advancement in the war on Fat! Whether it be a new wonder drug that keeps your body from absorbing the fat in what you eat, or keeps you full so you don't eat at all or the ever popular weight loss surgery that is all the rage. Subway sandwich shops make fun of fast food restaurants by having actors drive up and order thunder thighs and flabby arms with a side of blubber and a double chin. Now I know as silly as that sounds, it's bound to mess with our self-esteem a little bit to be the fodder of advertising jokes. It's not like big girls don't look in the mirror and have a hard enough time accepting who they are, without images like these. We read today that over 64% of Americans are now overweight? Does that mean that shopping is getting easier for us big girls out there? We'd like to tell you that our shopping experience has now become one of joy and ease but alas, we would be lying to you. There are thousands of designers out

there and very few of them have bothered to notice that the size of their customers is increasing. Of the ones that do offer plus sizes, we noticed some very blatant no no's for the plus size consumer to watch out for. Just because a designer makes it in our size, please remember to think for yourself. Not everything looks cute on our curves no matter how much we wish it did. Oh and if you are shopping online, and the skinny model they are showing their styles on, looks fat in that outfit, chances are it won't look great on us either. A bad design will look bad on any size! Here are our top 5 “What Not to Wear” guidelines for your next shopping trip. Prints are very popular this season. Avoid small prints and opt instead for larger prints as the smaller ones tend to make you look larger than you are and do not flatter you at all.

Oversized shirts and dresses do not hide your fat! Buy clothing that fits and accentuates your curves. You are only adding the illusion of extra weight when you wear loose-fitting clothing

Pay a little extra for better fabric and dresses that are lined. They drape nicely and don't show off all the lumps and bumps we big girls have.

If you are pear shaped (carry more weight in your bottom half) don't wear crop tops as they just make you look out of proportion. If you are bigger on top, the same rule applies in reverse. Actually, crop tops are never a good idea on big girls…we can't find one instance where a crop top can flatter the figure.

We can't stress the importance of buying and wearing a great bra! One of our favorites is the Cacique cleavage enhancer. If you need a larger size around just add a bra extender, available at most fabric stores. The important thing is that you are supported and comfortable. Extenders are a wonderful and necessary accessory. To illustrate the need for the right bra, we've used ourselves to show you the difference. As you can see, the perfect bra makes all the difference!

Photos courtesy of Club Bounce, Igigi and Hourglass Fashions.

Instant Hair Tricks

to Slim Your Face Most hair stylists will tell you that a good starting point to a face-slimming hair style is to give your hair a svelte look. How do you do that? Here are a few tips from celebrity stylist Anita Cox that will help minimise fuller face shapes:

texturizing or layers around your crown area to add height. If your hair is naturally thin or fine use a great volume enhancing shampoo to add fullness. Add a root lift solution or volumizing gel to the roots and use a brush to lift as your blow dry. Remember to direct the airflow from the ends to the roots for even more volume. If you prefer you can use a small barrel curling iron right at the roots for added texture. Up dos add instant height. Consider pulling your hair into a high ponytail or braid anchored at your crown. Pull out a few tendrils on either side of your face to add a subtle slenderizing.

Don'ts Just as clothes with horizontal strips add the elusion of weight, hairstyles with blunt edges can make your face look much wider than it really is. Avoid styles or cuts that have any type of strong lines that will make your face look larger than it really is. Avoid hair that is either too long or too short. Avoid big hair, lots of curls, wedge styles or super short cuts. The Square and Pear shapes are also not suited for super short cuts that will highlight the jaw or the chin. Do’s Add slenderizing vertical lines to your hair through well placed highlights or lowlights. A talented colourist can also add wonderful depth to your overall face with multi dimensional colour. Adding height automatically fullness of any instant length. Ask

at the roots minimizes the face by adding your stylist to add

A shoulder skimming shag style with texturized bangs is excellent for reducing facial width. Blow dry hair forward with a large round brush to smooth and curl hair under. Set with a good hair spray. The best length for faces that need slenderizing is between the jawline and the shoulders. This length elongates your face and neck creating a much slimmer appearance. Fringes can be flattering if worn to enhance the eyes. Select fringes that have an uneven edge. Try angled fringes or fringes that have wispy lengths. Round faces benefit from long straight lines added around the face. A chin-length bob with minimum layering is a great option. Angled bobs with sides that taper softly below the cheeks are also a wonderful selection. This look can create the illusion of higher, more angular cheekbones. By introducing a horizontal line, side-parted fringes that sweep across the forehead also help break up a face's roundness. A key to slenderizing round faces is to minimize the volume of hair that is at the sides and ear area. If a hairstyle is selected that falls above the jaw it is best to wear an off-centre part to interrupt roundness. A longer jaw length or longer style can benefit from a centre part. The Square & Pear shapes do well with chin length bobs. A bob with fullness at the chin will balance a pointed chin prevalent with heart shapes. ·A square face benefits from a chin length bob that ends in a soft flip or gentle wave. Adding emphasis to the cheekbones and the middle section of the face helps a lot. Fringes are a great solution. Wearing your hair at least 2 inches below your jaw line will also help a lot.

For more information visit: www.anitacox.co.uk; Anita Cox 40 Battersea Rise, London SW11 1EE; Telephone: 0208 225 8888

Fat Chance

Heaven is a Plus Size World A big spoonful of deliciously wicked satire and a rallying cry for every woman who's ever been a few pounds overweight. Fat Chance reclaims the right to be happy with the way your body looks and humorously bites back at the 'skinny insanity' currently gripping the western world - the fashion and advertising industries, high society and Hollywood. It's about extreme... on both sides, 'perfect weight' is just a state of mind. Healthy feminine curves are sexy – and should be enjoyed!

Sad, lonely Sharon Plunkett is a size eighteen. The man of her dreams is not interested, and her skinny friend Debbie only uses her to look good. But all that changes when Sharon magically finds herself in a fantastic, reversed world – where it's suddenly 'in' to be fat, and 'out' to be slim! Feted and adored for her curvaceous body and stunning looks, she goes from supermodel to Hollywood babe in a matter of months. Fat Chance by Lyndsay Russell, published by Oldcastle Books is available online at Amazon and all leading bookshops

FRISKY

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MADE-TO-MEASURE PLUS-SIZE FANCY DRESS COSTUMES!! Ever wanted a fancy dress but could not find your size? Problem solved! High Quality; Affordable; Quick Delivery. We also accept payments over the phone. Visit www.frisky69.com; Tel: +44 (0) 7929 866 190; email: [email protected]

Relax, you're in good hands… 124 Anerley Road, Anerley London SE20 8DL Tel: 020 8659 8702 Mob: 0793 04 966 04

Plus size bridal, bridesmaids, Evening and Prom. Prices start from: £595.00. Book a styling consultation and design your own dress!

[email protected] www.ouiido.com

Try as many dress as you want in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

www.voluptuousbrides.net

By appointment. Closes at 8pm on Thurs.

SizeNet Europe's leading website for Size & Self acceptance

www.sizenet.com we provide the information so you can make your own decisions about your life

News fashion health diets surgery ballet Katie Price Lingerie mens wear drugs health care hospitals weight loss shopping books jewelery Beth Ditto self acceptance attitude Make you own choices size 0 models Lo Rider discrimination schools

Be informed

Eternal

Summer By Callie Carling

Yes. It is definitely that time of year again. More traffic on the road in the early mornings, children back to school, people looking weary and jaded as they head off to work. Have you forgotten all about your holiday as soon as you get back to work? I used to know the feeling … It is so easy in our household to tell when we have had a magical holiday. Not because of the rosy glow on our cheeks, or the noticeable absence of stress and tension in our bodies, or even favouring a slower, more relaxed walking gait than usual. The classic giveaway sign is that it takes me forever and a day to unpack our suitcases, falling over them in the hallway rather than tidying them away. So! The dirty washing gets stuffed into the washing machine as soon as the kettle is switched on for a cup of tea. So! The holiday souvenirs are unwrapped for lucky family and friends (or not so lucky, depending on where we have travelled!). So why oh why do the suitcases still hold remnants of not-oft-used bits and bobs, left untouched over the next few days as we jump over the landing where they are stacked untidily? Common-sense tells me to pack it all away immediately. There is a peace of mind in knowing that the home is serenely clean; allowing us to relax and slowly fall back into the swing of our daily routine. More time to squirm with embarrassment over the holiday photographs, to swap tales of adventure with friends and family.

Yet if we have had a holiday which, in some way, didn't tug at our heart strings I find it frighteningly easy to up-end the suitcases on the kitchen floor, packing it all away in less than ten minutes. Out of sight, out of mind – just like the holiday itself. For those special holidays, memories seem to be trapped in our suitcase along with half a tonne

designed to lift your heart and soul, free from the restrictions of daily life and giving you a gold-plated opportunity to spend quality time with those closest to you. Are you stuck in the mindset that all you deserve is two pleasure-filled weeks a year to let your hair down and relax? Do you find yourself feeling that as soon as you come back from holiday you feel just as stressed as before you went on holiday – or more stressed because you have to play catch-up at work and at home? You can make it different; all you need to do is change your way of thinking. So here are my Top Five Tips for keeping that magical-holiday feeling, learnt the hard way! Quick, cheap and simple ways to keep the freefall at bay as we return to everyday life:-

1)

of sand. Hah! At least we have figured out why the warning siren went off as we loaded our luggage onto the conveyor belt at check-in (all that excess weight in sand)! My reluctance to totally unpack and tidy away those bits and bobs, and happy memories, is all linked to escapism. Escaping humdrum routine, everyday stresses to live a slightly-nomadic existence with a pruned wardrobe and experiencing a total change of lifestyle alongside new experiences. All of which are

Take some time to figure out what you loved the most about that magical-holiday – and keep it going at home in a simplified way. It really is as easy as it sounds to keep that holiday feeling all year round. Maybe you liked the relaxed evenings the best? Then schedule one evening (at least) - no need to go out for dinner, just make a simple dinner with minimal cooking and cleaning, enlisting help to make it a shared, fun experience. Why not have an evening of chitter-chatter with a favourite CD playing in the background which brings back

memories of your magical-holiday, catching up with each other's news and talk of shared dreams. Relax. Breathe. Go with the flow and consciously listen.

2)

TV off. I am all in favour of keeping the television off permanently but it is such a focal point, that to do away with it completely would be a step too far for most of us. Why not try a couple of evenings a week where you can find new things to do instead. Go out for a walk, try out a new hobby, make time for yourself or maybe just maybe! - talk to your partner. You will feel more alive. You will feel more relaxed too … and hopefully discover new interests to keep you occupied and fully-charged until your next magical holiday.

3)

Pick up a book which re-ignites the holiday magic in you. Just take a couple of moments to make a list of all the feelings that you felt on that magical holiday and pick out those which really resonate loudly within you … take your top 5 feelings and dig around in your local library to discover books which allow you to reach in and re-live those feelings.

If one of the most inspiring, magical moments of your holiday is vividly recalling the scent of huge lemons plucked from Mediterranean trees, then dig out some great cookery books which incorporate the history of an area or of a family, telling you a tale as you plunge through the pages. You could rustle up new

gastronomic delights while your memory sinks back into that luscious, ripe lemon smell … and by attaching the memory of something so wonderful to an everyday task, you will find yourself relax each time you perform it! Aromas are the most magical of all holiday memories and can pick you up and put you straight back into that magical memory instantly.

4)

Body beautiful. My friend is busy panicking about our beach break in 10 weeks' time, hoping to banish cellulite in two days. I have been kind to myself - busy with the dry skin-brushing, busy with the natural oils to keep my skin toned in excellent condition all year round; I am only worried about remembering to pack my sarongs and pink flip-flops. At size 24, I figure it isn't worth worrying too much over a patch of cellulite when the dimples are overshadowed by a voluptuous cleavage.

Who says we can only treat ourselves once a year, on holiday? Pampering really does not mean spending vast amounts of cash on pretty jars or booking yourself into a day spa. So you feel your budget each month won't stretch to squirreling money away for a holiday AND a facial each month? That's fine! Speak to us and discover what you can do for yourself at home, have a pamper party or pyjama party and keep the magical holiday feeling going even 'through the chilly, windswept

winter months when our hair becomes totally unmanageable and our skin resembles chipped marble if we forget to treat ourselves – with love, respect and time.

5)

Plan, plan, plan. There is nothing so great as planning for another magical holiday. The nights will soon start to draw in and there is something almost illicit in surrounding yourselves on the sofa with a pile of magazines and brochures to gather inspiration. Use your top 5 feelings (from your list in Top Tip No. 3) to get a feel for the next life adventure, your next magical holiday.

Life is for living - so free your imagination, unpack your suitcase and enjoy the feeling of living in the present. That is what today is – a present for you, to enjoy and savour every precious moment. Remember, “There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.” ~Celia Thaxter

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