Just As Beautiful May 08

JUST AS

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

MAY 2008 Issue 16

Anna Scholz Credit Crunch

Holiday

Amy Lamé

Exclusive

On Fashion

Following Dreams “Weight-Loss Surgery Killed My Lover”

Personal Makeover Staying In Control BBW News

a

3. Amy Lamé Exclusive 4. Health 7. Following Dreams 9. BBW NEWS 12. Fashion Anna Scholz Exclusive 23. Lifestyle 28. True Story

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Art Director: Jason James

Just As Beautiful 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)

Amy Lamé Over the past few years, Amy Lamé has become a very recognisable face in the British media. From her radio programme on the BBC, to her countless television appearances (The Wright Stuff, Loose Women, Celebrity Fit Club, Celebrity Poker, The One Show, Richard and Judy, Celebrity Big Brother's Big Mouth to name just a few), Amy is constantly busy, and enjoying it too. When asked how best describe herself, she said: “Writer, broadcaster, performer and all round chubby glamour puss. That encapsulates everything.” Although originally from the USA, she has been living in London for well over a decade. “I came over here 15 years ago when I was a youngster really. I had just turned 21 and had finished university. I worked in the USA for six months then came over here on a work permit and never went back. “I became a UK citizen last year; I took my test, past and got my passport and everything,” she says happily. But does she really like it here? “I love it. My whole life is here now. You know, when you're young you travel around and think, 'where might I settle?' I had never been to London before I came here. I was in London for half a day and for some reason I just got it into my head that London was the place for me. I just

felt very drawn to being here. It's vibrant and culturally diverse. You can be who you want to be in London, and that's what really appealed to me,” she said. According to Amy, when it comes to issues relating to size and weight, there is only a slight difference in

considered larger than normal, there is quite a political edge to being fat in America. People in America are 'joiners' by nature; they are more about clubs and associations. For example, if you were a chubby crotchet player there would probably be a subgroup for you. Americans are really into that. It's a bit like finding your place in society and claiming your space (because there is more space in America). “However, the flip side of that is that if there is any criticism at all about being fat people tend to ignore it, often at the expense of health. Here [in the UK] it is more laisser-faire. In this country we tend to wag fingers at fat people, whereas in the States I think it's the fat people wagging their fingers at everyone else,” she said with a chuckle.”

the way size (or self) acceptance is seen in the USA and UK. “First of all there are more fat people in America than there are here. I think that because of the 'size' (no pun intended) of the country, and of the sheer population that are

In the UK, one of the criticisms against obesity campaigns and mainstream media is the reliance on stereotypes and hard-hitting points of view. “Being plus-size you have to be open minded and objective about things,” says Amy. “Being severely overweight can be unhealthy, just like being really skinny or eating an extremely bad diet can be unhealthy. What I think the problem in this country is that people don't understand that you can actually be larger and healthy at the same time. I think that that's

How To Lose Your Mind -

Not Weight By Callie Carling

T

he devilish imp that likes to chatter on about “lose weight and make yourself so much happier” made a surprise appearance a few weeks ago. Much as I delight in smothering his voice with love and laughter, he chatters so loudly at times that even I succumb to his flights of fancy. Common-sense flies out of the window at the speed of light. It all started when a dear friend had lost an amazing amount of weight by taking a new prescribed drug called Rimonabant (prescribed under the 'Acomplia' in the UK); she was ecstatic, having finally found something which had helped her to lose weight and decrease her levels of insulin by truly incredible amounts.

My GP had mentioned Rimonabant in passing way back last summer, knowing that I am very much against prescribed medication. Still, I like to find out about different types of medication which have recently passed NICE's scrutiny (National Institute for Clinic Excellence) and surprise, surprise! As I fall into the category of 'so obese that every

single minor health issue is your fault', I was able to take advantage of this particular drug if I felt it worth a try. With so many months having passed and yes, spurred on by my friend's astounding change in both her physical and emotional wellbeing, I found myself leaving my GP's surgery clutching a prescription for one month's supply of Acomplia in my sticky mitts. The imp had won! Despite my loathing of pumping chemicals into my body, the very idea that maybe Acomplia was the elixir of life, my panacea – the remedy to cure all ills, was just too enticing to resist. My doctor had given me strict instructions. Any hint of anxiety, stop taking them immediately. What I had chosen to forget – apart from my personal rule of avoiding prescribed drugs unless vital -was that this type of drug had hit the headlines in 2007 and for all the wrong reasons. Drug regulators in the United States had taken the decision to disapprove this particular anti-obesity drug for sale because of concerns regarding increased risks of suicide. Another well-known side effect is that of increased chest infections. In November 2007, The Lancet – a prominent medical journal – reported a study undertaken at the University of Copenhagen. Their results showed that from 4,000 patients in four separate clinical trials, those taking this particular drug were 40% more likely to suffer

from anxiety and depression than those taking a placebo. A rather alarming figure but one I had chosen to discount in a moment of temporary insanity. Lo and behold, within a week the whole family had noticed a distinct change in my usually-sunny nature. By week three, it was apparent that I had to come off them before I ended up in serious trouble. No good to man nor beast, I was plagued by such anxieties and deeply-troubled thoughts that I was slipping back into depression; a place I had long since left behind. However, there had been no other side-effects. No sign of nausea, cramping, unusual bowel movements or rashes, high blood pressure, dryness of mouth or indigestion, all issues that that I had discovered while taking Xenical (Orlistat) and Reductil (Sibutramine) over previous years. It has taken me over six weeks to plough through the darkness and back into the sunshine of my world where I am happy and well. Since re-visiting that place of darkness, I am convinced that nothing in this world will ever make me try any such anti-obesity prescribed 'solutions' again. So, for me, it is back to receiving massages and continuing with Vianesse daily (to maintain a healthy balance) and FatGrabbers (which works in a similar fashion to Orlistat, by using natural herbs in a gentle way) when the Indian restaurant in our local village beckons. My friend? Oh, she is making great

headway and sticking with the treatment because it works for her, despite a few bumps along the way. That's the trick -if it works for you, great! If it doesn't, well, you know there is a whole world of wonderful treatments and natural delights out there which - even if they don't work for you, as an individual - are still great fun to test out! You are beautiful, no matter what.

physical discomfort. However, my recent experiences were a stark reminder that it is not the right path for me. Vianesse and FatGrabbers a r e a v a i l a b l e v i a www.holisticfeathers.co.uk; sign up to our newsletter for great offers throughout the year. Callie Carling is the Founder of www.holisticfeathers.co.uk

I have just got to get rid of this compulsion to use myself as a guinea-pig. Ideas, anyone?! Note: this is my personal experience; I fully support any person's decision to try ANY option open and available to them if they feel unhappy with their weight or body shape, or suffer emotional or

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]

what the focus should be on -not how much do you weigh. When I did Celebrity Fit Club that was my main goal. I wanted to be healthy and if I lose weight as a result of it, then fantastic. But my main goal is to get healthy, eat right, and exercise and to quit smoking; all of those things that I knew were killing me. I lost three stone on the show. I've kept the weight off and I quit smoking after the show -I just totally turned my life around. “I'm still the same person, I'm still plussize – I'm a size 18 and wouldn't be considered 'normal' size by any stretch of the imagination, but I am happy the way that I am. That should be the main focus, to be healthy. There are some terrible people out there that perpetuate the belief of fat women as being lazy and greedy. The same goes for big men too. For example the 'fat' guy who can never get a girlfriend, or

everything in between! It's the sort of music you can jump up and down, sing and drink beer to. It's not a druggie or techno kind of thing – totally the opposite.”

the 'fat' girl should be grateful for any attention that she's given. Such cliché. We need to abolish that.” Despite a gruelling schedule, Amy still finds time to do things she loves most: “I love drinking wine and crocheting. I also run a club night, so I'm quite use to jumping up and down to indie pop music. The club is called Duckie and it's a prop and performance nightclub that I've been running for 13 years at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern every Saturday night between 9pm to 2am. We put on some crazy shows and I am the host. It's a gay club, but everybody's welcome. We have loads of chubby guys that come down there. It is a very relaxed party atmosphere.” As for the music played at the club she says: “We play everything from Tom Jones to Grace Jones and

So, what does Amy think the best part about running a club night is? “Meeting people really. I've met so many fantastic people over the past 13 years. And also having the space to perform every week. I do my own shows and introduce the other performers. It gives me an enormous amount of creative freedom and I'm grateful for that really. “I'm still doing my radio show on BBC London 94.9 [from 3pm-5pm daily] in the afternoons with Danny Baker.

Despite being very busy Amy has started an interesting new project aimed at spreading peace throughout the world: “My latest project is: www.pompominternational.com It's about making pom pom's for peace across the world.” To find out more about Amy visit her website: www.amylame.com

I'm following my

Dreams film, Eight Women, at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre in London's Kentish Town, where she plays the part of Pierette. Just As Beautiful Magazine caught up with Jenny to find out a bit more about the upcoming actress and things outside of her busy schedule. Describing her fashion sense she said: “I like timeless classics, but I also like to follow trends and funk things up to fit

Jenny Mortier is arguably one of the curviest performers in the UK's burlesque and theatre scene. Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, she is of Belgian and Welsh parentage. Now living in London, she studied theatre performance for three years at Kensington and Chelsea College. Jenny was also a London finalist in Evans' Plus Size Model of the Year competition in 2001. She is currently starring in the stage version of the Francois Ozon

“I turned down a job offer for the hit TV show, The Sopraonos, commercial because they wanted me to play an exotic dancer”

with my unique style. I spend a huge amount of time thinking about and coordinating outfits. I always buy clothes to emphasize my curves and enhance my positive assets. My attitude is if I like it I WILL wear it! I'm often very

disappointed when I see something I adore only to find they don't have it in a size 18. At my biggest I was a dress size 26 and found it extremely hard to find nice clothes and hated shopping in plus-size stores because they are so limited in their collections and use horrible fabrics. “My weight eventually stabilised at size 22 and I think

Wii bit of trouble

for Nintendo By Kaye Lewis

It seems the new Wii Fit game from Nintendo which launched last month has caused controversy for the gaming giant. Players enter their height and use the electronic 'balance board' for the game to calculate BMI, giving such ratings as fat, obese etc. However, this BMI measurement system is better suited to adults and has triggered significant concerns for parents of impressionable younger players branded 'fat' by the game, who are already fighting to keep their children healthy in light of the media onslaught promoting the 'size zero' ideal. Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum recently called for a warning to be issued with the game and commented: "A child's BMI can change every month and it is perfectly possible for a child to be stocky yet still very fit". Nintendo have refused to issue such a warning but a spokesperson conceded: "Wii Fit is capable of measuring the BMI for people aged between 2 and 20 but the resulting figures may not be entirely accurate for younger age groups due to varying levels of development".

A BBW nude painting went up for auction at Christie's New York on 13 May 2008 and set a new world auction record for a painting by a living artist, when the hammer fell at US$33.6 million (including auction house commission) for a very fortunate anonymous bidder (later revealed to be the billionaire Roman Abramovich). 85 year old UK artist Lucien Freud was the creator of the life-size masterpiece finished in 1995, entitled 'Benefits Supervisor Sleeping'. The naked civil servant in question is 20-stone Susan

Tilley who posed for the famous artist in the early 1990s. When questioned about his choice of model, Freud spoke of his "predilection towards people of unusual or strange proportions". As for Susan Tilley, affectionately called "Big Sue", he said he was "very aware of all kinds of spectacular things to do with her size, like amazing craters and things one's never seen before".

An article in the Daily Mail this week tells us that fast food is bad for us – no surprises there, but the boffins at the Hampshire Scientific Service sampled 150 takeaway meals across the south to find the worst offenders, as illustrated. So it's official, doner kebabs are not our friends, and made far less appealing (even after eight pints) when findings shows that an average doner kebab contains the equivalent of a full wine glass of cooking oil. Nutritionists say just two of these greasy takeaway meals a week could cause a heart attack within ten years. Will this horrifying news have people running home after a night out on the tiles to fire up their woks for a low calorie, low cholesterol, and nutritious tofu stirfry? I doubt it! The best advice given by dieticians/nutritionists across the land usually includes the phrase 'everything in moderation', and who's going to argue with that? But there are times when only junk will do - whatever size you are. Surely the definition of fast food is that it's something we grab on the run when we don't have the time or access to facilities to prepare our own meals? This throws up some interesting questions... Has fast food become the norm in the 21st century? When was the last time you had a meal that was prepared completely from scratch? Are supermarket ready meals or easy options (prepared meat and vegetables) regarded as fast food? Is the prevalence of such products down to can't cook, or won't cook? Well, I'd be devastated if KFC ever went out of business (thankfully, that's not likely), but I'm fully aware that these occasional treats should be just that – sure they taste great, but represent poor nutritional value. Like most of the population I probably eat more junk food than I should, but the imagery of drinking a wine glass of cooking oil with each meal is enough to make me think twice...or maybe just downsize.

What’s ON

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14 June – Biggie's Nightclub, London www.lovingitlarge.co.uk Britannia Basement Bar 20 Monument Street London EC3R 8AJ Tel: 079 1435 5605 9pm-3am / £10 on the door or £ 7.50 online JUNE OFFER – Pays £10.00 on the door or just £7.50 when you book online. Come make the most of the summer

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ANNA SCHOLZ “Society can be quite unforgiving, but I find that the people I meet and the customers I know are confident and look after themselves.”

A

nna Scholz is one of the biggest and most successful plus-size designers in the world. Not only do people commend her work, she also has a list of celebrity clients that many would give their right arm for. Despite her success, Anna is still focused and has no intentions of slowing down. But just how has Anna managed to acquire the most high-profile of clients and stay ahead of the rest of the design pack? In our exclusive interview she opens up and at Just As Beautiful Magazine, we now see why Anna Scholz is in a league of her own. “I've been running my business for over 12 years and during that time I have had quite a lot of press coverage,” she points out. A lot of the stylists that have to dress celebrities come to us by themselves. We endorse or brand and have good deals for celebrities, but we do not usually give stuff away for free. “We recently had Adele wearing one of our coats, which was pictured in the Guardian newspaper. Also, Alison Moyet will be doing a European, UK and USA tour and it's quite important for us to dress her up nicely for her tour dates.” On her ever increasing popularity as designer to the stars Anna said: “It has just kind of happened over the years. We are known for doing glamorous sizes up to 28. When people are bigger than the normal size and they can't find anything to wear, they have to come to us.”

Going back to her early years when big breaks were coming through and things began to look brighter and more exciting, she said: “At the beginning, when I started my label, I had a big American company called Lane Bryant come over and I did a oneyear deal with them for a special collection. T h e y invited myself a n d t h e team over t o

New York for a very big fashion show that t h e y organised. T h e y b o o k e d limousines to take us around, we had Chaka Khan singing at the show and Shirley McLain was there too. It was very exciting for me at the time because I was also one of the judges for America's nationwide search for the face of Lane Bryant. It was like a complete whirlwind for five days!

“Now, when we do customer events I get quite excited. I was in Harrods for a day's consumer event we held in collaboration with You magazine. There were tickets sold for the event and it was really nice to meet some of my customers. We were also the top-selling brand in Harrods that day! It was very good for us because we had a great turnover and good feedback from our customers. It is quite nice to meet the end consumer and have them be complimentary.” With such an upmarket clientele, what made Anna agree to a deal with Simply Be? “It's fine because I can design for all sorts of levels and it is exciting as well because it is a different challenge. Simply Be allow me to design beddings, swimwear and nightwear, which I hadn't done before, so that created a new challenge for me. Also, I wanted to make my collection, which is obviously high-end designer more available to the mass market by

of got stuck! I came here and fell in love with it. I love the freedom and creativity that London still has.” But it wasn't always this easy for Anna. In fact, like most businesses she has had to grow over time and by putting out breathtaking collections. “If I had known how long it would take and how difficult it is, I probably would never have set up. But we've been going for 12 years now and for the past two years, we have been doing very well financially. I would say it took about six years to get to a bigger footing and another couple of years before we kind did things internationally. I'd say between six and eight years. “It took a while to convince the stores to offer the customer a more modern, younger and fashionable product. We still come up a bit of resistance from the more old fashion stores. The traditional plussize boutiques are very unwilling to offer their customers anything that's younger, more sexy. People have said to me 'it's too sexy, it's too low cut.' My reply is does that mean that you are looking for something old fashioned, unsexy and dowdy? developing a diffusion collection, which can be bought by a much broader range of customers. The Simply Be collection is obviously a fraction of our premium label – price-wise therefore more people can afford it and it will reach a much wider audience.” Speaking on the stereotypes heaped towards plus-size women she said: “It is very difficult to generalise. There are thin women and there are thin women and there are plus-size women and there are plus-size women. If a plus-size woman is confident, well-dressed and looks after herself, then I think society can be accepting. But I think that if people don't look after themselves their weight becomes an easy target. If someone is thin and doesn't look after themselves, people tend to over look it, whereas if it is a plus-size woman people would say that 'she's given up on herself', or 'she doesn't look after herself'. “Society can be quite unforgiving, but I find that the people I meet and the customers I

know are confident and look after themselves.” Like many people that find themselves in London, Anna never left here to settle anywhere else once she graduated. “I came to London because I wanted to study fashion at St Martin's. I also use to do some plus-size modelling when I was younger; I was discovered as a plus model at the age of 18 and did quite a lot of it for about three or four years. I always wanted to do plus-size fashion because at 13years-old, I was already six-foot tall and a size 16. I couldn't fit into anything, neither did I like any of the type of clothes that were available because to me they looked really old and frumpy. I'm talking about the 80's here; there was really nothing available so I started making my own clothes early on. “I looked for colleges throughout Europe including Paris and Milan, but everybody kept saying that St Martins was the best fashion school in Europe, so I decided to come to London and study here - and kind

“There are so many 'does and don'ts' that I work really hard to convince them. Now, there are a whole new range of shops opening that are ready to sell plus-sizes, and that's quite exciting to see.” To find out more about (or to buy) Anna Scholz's renowned designs, visit: www.annascholz.com

ANNA SCHOLZ

ANNA SCHOLZ

ANNA SCHOLZ www.annascholz.com

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Alternative Fashion Week 2008 Last month Alternative Fashion Week 2008 showcased some new talent to look out for. Some students at Colchester School of Art & Design were given a brief, partly written by the lead singer of the band Gossip, Beth Ditto. The brief was to create an outfit that wasn't a remake of the same cookie cutter look, something with bold colours and that would make a fashion statement. “Along side this we were to gather further inspiration from our Queen's both Elizabeth I and II and the garments were to be made for size 20 and above,” said 19-year-old Amy Sewell who took part. “When I got the brief I began looking into Queen Elizabeth II, which is when I visited the Crown Jewels, at the Tower Of London…I chose my colour's story from the range of bold, stretchy fabrics given to us to construct outfits and also from the crown jewels, which is where the purple comes in. The dress is made of many sections; many filled with different screen print designs and others painted in many colours to create an impact of colour. “The leggings have been made from leopard skin fabric and then printed with a repeat of a crown in metallic blue foil,” Amy says of her and her team's designs.

Here are some pictures from Alternative Fashion Week

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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

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Employing clothes to work for me By Nile Graham

What colours suit me? Most of us have certain colour groups that suit us best. For those of you who have watched any of the styling shows on TV, you may have heard the stylist go on about what colours and shade(s) of colours best suit the person's skin type. What they mean by this is that, for example, a person with very pale skin and blue eyes and blonde hair would more than likely appear too severe in colours such as black and washed out in white. It's not that they cannot wear these colours at all, but take care to use them as accents as opposed to the main piece of clothing. Someone with a warm skin tone (i.e., more red hue to their skin as opposed to yellow which tends to be cooler) can take quite strong colours called 'brights' like pillar box red and orange and strong green for example. There are cool/brights that have more blue mixed in to come up with their tone and muted colours which tend to be in-between

cool brights and pastels. Confused? That's why people like me have to be trained! It's not easy and to try and give you all you need I would have to train you too! What I can say is vital to both my training and what I can pass on is to use your eyes. Experiment with scarves etc in the shop and see whether certain colours show off your eyes and facial features. If they do, then you're on the right track. I supply my clients with personalised colour cards/swatches and body proportions so they can go out and shop with confidence; but they still have to use their eyes to negotiate which is the closest to their optimum shade. Fabric: Touch everything! How does it feel/look/hang? How does it sit on you and what does it do for you? Will a bigger or smaller size make a difference? Just because it fits or is in fashion doesn't make it in fashion for you! Ask a friend for an honest answer. Tell them what you're trying to do.

Buttons may need moving and sleeves shortening etc, so don't discard a purchase on something small…but don't make do. Make friends with the dry cleaners. Some don't charge much to alter things, and some things you can do for yourself. Pattern: I would say that this is the area that produces the most anxiety for me and my clients and I'm guessing for you also. There's a fine line between wearing a pattern with taste and style…and doing a 'Pat Butcher'. Florals, bright and bold prints and what is being termed “jungle prints”, are once again making themselves heard this spring/summer. But don't despair. A simple rule when you are larger is to stick to simple prints whose dominant colour/print is the darker of the outfit's detail. Don't go, for example for big swirls that accentuate your bust or stomach area in ways that add bulk to you. Even prints on softer fabric can add

a bulky look because of the way the eye perceives it. You may be able to add a print border to a plain top or skirt updating your look without a g r e a t d e a l o f effort…remember alterations

can revamp a faltering favourite top or bottom. I hope this sure fire diet has a more lasting and satisfying effect on your life than any you've tried to date.

NG

For one to one consultations please contact me via Just As Beautiful magazine at [email protected]. Please title your email Sure Fire Diet.

Happy dieting!!

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”

The

Credit Crunch

holiday...

By Sarah Clark

Are you sick of reading about the credit crunch? If your spending power has been curbed by relentless talk about a housing crash, credit freeze and high inflation, take a holiday from the negative equity and pamper yourself on a budget... OK, so this year you've had to tighten your belt and the first thing to go is the trip abroad. By the law of averages, we've got to start having some good weather in the UK soon, and weather forecasters – usually as fond of doom-mongering as economic forecasters – are predicting a warmer than average summer if we dodge the thunderstorms. So, get out your sun tan lotion and party on in this country instead. A good holiday should always involve a spa visit, but what can you do if the budget doesn't stretch to a couple of nights at Champneys? Well, investigate your handbag, dust off your Nectar card, and see if you can redeem some of those points you'd forgotten about with a 'Zen and Spa Smartbox' which gives you a choice of more than 80 spa therapies and techniques to choose from. You might fancy a relaxing float at Floatworks, or a trip to Titanic Spa in Yorkshire, or choose from any of the other participating spas and pampering palaces. All you need is 18,300 Nectar points. If you can't quite stretch to that, if you've got 500 points saved up you could use them for a free day pass at a Cannons Health Club instead?

http://www.nectar.com/ If you want a longer break, but without the longer time it's going to take to pay off the associated overdraft, click onto LateRooms. If you've got the time off from work but haven't got anything booked yet, take a chance and investigate the rock bottom hotel prices across the UK, for weekend getaways or cosy country retreats – a bargain weekend getaway booked through LateRooms can cost less than a shopping blow out or an expensive dinner, and be much more satisfying. http://www.laterooms.com/

Book an apartment by the sea in Brighton and you can book fabulous girlie treats at the same time. If you've ever fancied learning burlesque or lap dancing, wiggle your way onto one of their in-house courses...you can order hangover therapy, a yoga and Pilates urban retreat...or my favourite – bare bottomed butlers! Rent an apartment that sleeps up to ten people for just £695*, midweek and then add your own extras – for example, the Burlesque lessons are £325 for a group of up to ten. *Check website for prices and availability, based on 'Coach House' which sleeps ten, for three nights in June 2008. http://www.crowngardens.co.uk/

If you fancy a trip to the seaside, Brighton could be the place for a Crown Jewels beauty package that will make you feel like you've spent a week in St Tropez...

If you'd rather chill out in the comfort of your own home, you'll still need to get 'beach ready' – so prepare yourself with Veet in shower cream, the new and less inconvenient way to get super smooth pins. I don't know about you, but I find the fact that you can't use most hair removal creams in the shower is really irritating – especially if, like me, you forget and end up with sore legs. With Veet, all you have to do is

apply the cream to dry legs (or wherever you're defuzzing) wait a few minutes and then massage it off under the shower with the handy sponge. It's just £5.99 for 150ml, so ideal for cash strapped beauty queens. So, now you're defuzzed, and with skin exfoliated and smooth, you can add a fake tan – or just go for pale and interesting. Simple Self Tanning Lotion is derived from sunflower, and contains vitamin E and chamomile to soothe your skin. Like all Simple products, it doesn't have nasty additives in it. So if you want the sun-kissed look before you hit the back garden, but don't want to pay salon prices for it, at £4.49 for the lotion, mousse or spray you can afford to splash out on a tan before you even step out of the back door. Of course, if you're going to be sitting in the sun, you need sun protection too.

Simple Face Protection Lotion (SPF 30) won't break the bank at £7.25, and the Sun Protect Lotion for the body is just as affordable, and well worth it, at £7.99. Simple sun care products are specially formulated for maximum protection for sun

intolerant skin, as well as giving all the usual sun protection. Now you're ready to face the neighbours, what can you do to make your afternoon sun session feel like a proper holiday? Well, most of us can't stretch to a water feature convincing enough to pass for a beach holiday, but close your eyes and you can imagine... If you've got any Nectar points left, treat yourself to a book to read while chilling out in the garden. You can choose from hundreds of thousands of top titles, from as little as 1850 points. If you don't have a Nectar card, sign up to Borders Online to get 20% off your favourite reads, and e-mails with all the latest offers.

RRP £3.99 for a multipack of four. Lollies - available from Harvey Nichols and EAT from May 2008.

http://www.bordersstores.co. uk/borders_email/ Add some pizzazz with a summer treat that does you good! Slurp on a Licketysip ice lolly. Just like sip: the original skin drink, LicketySip iced lollies are 100% natural, flavoured and sweetened with fruit extracts. In keeping with the sip brand's holistic beauty ethos, the lollies contain skin-friendly ingredients like soothing rose petal extract – sourced via an organic farm in Herefordshire – and antioxidants vitamin C and selenium. If you're thirsty, sip: the original skin drink -a delicately flavoured still water packed with beauty boosting natural ingredients.

With all these ideas – you can laugh in the face of anyone who dares tell you they can't afford a holiday this year. Credit crunch? What credit crunch?! Sarah Clark runs www.relentlessly-positive.com a website dedicated to encouraging a more positive outlook on life.

that is my natural size which my body wants to be when I am not dieting. I'm a size 18 at the moment, but that's because I've been so busy with rehearsals and all that dancing that I sometimes don't have time to eat. At size 18 I have a lot more freedom in where I shop and I'm quite enjoying discovering market stalls and vintage shops for the first time. I never bother going into shops

old. I used to only apply for plus-size roles hence I didn't get much work. Recently I saw a posting for a sexy, amorous, attractive, free character on a casting call website and I thought that sounds a lot like me. I nearly didn't apply because I always worry that I'm too big for the part. But luckily I did and I got it. Now I just apply for everything and hope for the best.

turned down a job offer for the hit TV show, The Sopraonos, commercial because they wanted me to play an exotic dancer. Then I saw good time Mamma Jo Jo on a program about being naked in public and I thought 'what a fantastic example of a full figured woman being totally at ease with her body?' Inspired by her, I enrolled for the Burlesque Factory dance class.

“My next dream role would be to play the famous Burlesque dancer, Tempest Storm. I think she is a very good example of a confident sexy curvy woman. Some people say I look like her. So, who knows what the future holds?”

“Of course I was nervous as I was the biggest person in the class, but Gerard (our teacher) was really great and made everyone feel really at ease. He even showed us that we looked better in stockings than he did! From the first time I picked up the feather boa I loved it and wish I'd had the guts to do it sooner. I'm also doing a burlesque set in Eight Women.

like Zara or Selfridges though, because I just know I could never squeeze into any of their collections, which I resent a lot. I did some fit modelling work for BHS nightwear, so it's quite nice to know that whenever you buy a nighty from BHS it will be a perfect fit.” In the world of acting Jenny has had a number of roles that have been memorable to her, some more so than others. “I had the most fun playing a witch in the Scottish Play at college. I love building characters and I love letting the physicality take over. It's really nice to be someone else for a short space of time, so I have the most fun playing characters which are very different from me. “Being plus-size also gives me the versatility to have a very wide stage age. I could convincingly play a 22- yearold and also up to a 60-year-

So what made her get into burlesque? As Jenny puts it: “I learned burlesque because I used to belly-dance as a hobby and I included it on my acting C.V. A lot of agents and directors got it confused with exotic dancing and I kept getting sent to castings for voluptuous strippers. But I've always had a phobia about being naked in public, so I

“Now I truly do believe that you can be beautiful at ANY SIZE. My evidence is the audience's reaction when I do a set. I just want to say to all the people out there who are worried about their size, that they shouldn't let it hold them back. Follow your dreams and do what you really want to do in life. Don't lose opportunities like I did because of fears and self doubt. Everyone has a unique beauty. If it's a lovely smile, shiny hair, a gentle soul or friendly warmth, make the most of what you have and learn to love it.” Jenny Mortier is currently starring in the theatre production of Eight Women which runs from the 27th May to the 15th June 2008 at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre in Kentish Town, London.

Different By Julia Thomas

I

was appalled last August to see the case of Sophie Lancaster who was walking through Stubbylee park in Rossendale, Lancashire, with her boyfriend Robert Maltby only to be set upon by five youths. They walked past a group of youths who then followed them and without provocation attacked Robert who was knocked unconscious. Sophie then held him trying to protect him only to have her head kicked and then jumped upon by the youths. The youths boasted of the attack while other young bystanders called an ambulance and helped the couple. Robert was in a coma for two weeks and slowly recovered while Sophie, who was on life support, didn't and her family agreed for the life support to be switched off. Five boys between the ages of 15 and 17 were charged with the attack, two of whom were found guilty of murder and the other three guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent. The cause of this terrible attack? Sophie and Robert were Goths and dressed as Goths, no other reason. I think that this case stood out so much to me because the only reason this young girl had her life taken from her was that she was different. Why is being different so much of a target and why do a few morons find these differences the catalyst to be so nasty? Being a Big Beautiful Woman (BBW) the vast

majority of my life I have come across this mentality too many times to remember; thankfully not anywhere near the extent of the previously mentioned attack. But it's the same principal. You are different, whether it is by being obese, skinny, ginger or even exceptionally beautiful, therefore the few yobs find that an excuse to treat you with contempt, anger and even violence. A few of the incidents that I have come across are fairly minor but they still hurt. I was walking along with my then husband and my little girl in a pushchair and we passed by a small group of lads who laughed at me saying loudly: “Look at the state of that” (me). On another occasion I was walking with a large friend only to be taunted by comments of “you need Slimfast”. Very talented that was - they must have used up at least three brain cells to come up with that one. And there you see it; the joking to counter the taunting! Oh I wish I could come up with some of the retorts I think of a couple of minutes after the incident. I am lucky that I have never had any kind of physical taunting but I know there are large people (probably more men than women) who have been prodded or poked just because they are large. What is it that makes these people hit out at you verbally or physically? Why do they feel compelled to comment on

someone they see that is out of normal parameters? Why do they think they are so perfect as to comment on someone else's differences or flaws? I really wish I could come up with an answer because it's something that has driven me crazy over the years. Why do groups of lads have that 'lovely' little burst of sniggering when I walk past? Is it that one of the group might think to themselves 'she looks nice' only to check that thought before one of their Neanderthal peers telepathically reads their thoughts and turns their bigotry on them for daring to like something a little different? In the case of being a BBW, one thing I can tell the younger girls is that it thankfully gets better as you get older. Not completely, but on the whole your same aged peers have realised that if they like someone different, that's fine and their mates have to live with it. We had a youth club re-union a few years back now and a couple of us larger ladies were told (by the now little-more grown up) men that they did secretly find us very attractive, but were afraid of what their mates would say if they let that out of the bag when they were younger. Why? I guess they were afraid of being the one who is 'different'.

julia Thomas is the owner of leading website:

www.curvychicks.co.uk

Weight Loss Surgery

Killed My Lover This is a very sad but true story. As a magazine, Just As Beautiful, cannot make moral or medical judgements, but we do hope you learn from this. It is narrated by a man from Sweden, who feels robbed of love by the downside of weight loss surgery and circumstance.

A

bout 2 weeks after 9/11 I sat browsing for bigger women on Yahoo. I had my own business, but not very much to do those days. Occasionally I ran over a picture of a beautiful brunette. One day, I finally plucked the courage sent her an email and hoped for the best – a positive reaction. The next day she replied and sounded very eager in her reply. I think we caught each other just a couple of minutes after I replied to her and our chat began. It was very intense from the beginning.

company in her town. As time went on, I understood that she must have been quite a prosperous realtor in the USA. She had an incredible charm, a very natural beauty, and was honest. That made people trust her. She sold an average of 2 houses a week, with 6% profit, plus her contracted salary - so she obviously earned lots of money. We talked a lot about our families. She was divorced, had 2 sons, one 15 and one 25 and married. Her ex found it difficult to accept the divorce and kept living with her even after some 5-6 years. He had an apartment in town though, - but was hardly ever there.

She wanted me to come over immediately - but I had to admit I was 'very married' and couldn't leave just like that. In time, my business took a down turn and things got bad. So bad I could hardly afford a one-way ticket. I told her about this during one of our correspondences. “That's no problem she answered: "I will pay your ticket." I wondered if she really knew what a ticket from my little town in Sweden to Texas would cost. -"It's no problem she replied. I'm rich!"

She was born an only child from a very poor family. Her dad came home broke and drunk every Friday. Her mum, who as very big too, earned some money by cleaning houses for richer people. Sally also had a very close relationship to her grandmother till she passed away in the 70's I believe. And Sally's mother passed away in the early 90's.

Since this was the very first time I had been talking to a 500 lb woman that wasn't on disability, I wondered how she got all her money. It turned out that she worked as a realtor for a

Sally's best friend was Sarah – also a very big woman. Sarah gave birth to a little girl just a few months before I met Sally online. One evening in the Easter week of

2002 Sally was baby-sitting Sarah's child. It was natural, because Sally was her godmother and adored her very much. The babysitting came to an end when a police officer arrived and told that Sally that Sarah was killed in a car crash. Sarah's hubby, Joey, had both his legs broken, as well as an arm. To me, hearing it was a shocking experience, and Sally was quiet on the net for several days. Sally told me that she wanted to take care of the child, as there was no one else capable at that point in time. She even stayed at home for two weeks bonding with the child before arranging for any day care. That was how sweet she was. She also decided to work part-time only, but still managed to sell just as many houses as before. After a year, Joey recovered and wanted his child back….

To be continued….

www.goutfree.co.uk

THE PLUS-SIZE SPORTS AND DANCE INITIATIVE www.plussizesportsdance.co.uk This is a British initiative to get more people who are considered overweight or obese to exercise in environments where they are comfortable; among people that they can identify with. In other words, if you feel too shy to take off your clothes for swimming lessons or any other sporting activity, but really want to get involved in sports with like-minded people, look no further. For further information send an email to:

[email protected]