.Brands I love: Yours Clothing.

I recently discovered the amazing UK based company Yours Clothing  (I know..I live under a rock!) and fell in love! They have such a huge selection of clothing in sizes ranging from 14-36, and I think it's awesome that they cater to the larger sizes often forgotten about by other brands.

Here I'm wearing the Pink and black rose balconette bra in 44DD.. which fit amazingly! & the the matching undies in a 22/24

 I'm also wearing their Black Georgette Longline Waterfall Kimono in a size 22 which made me feel instantly sexier. It's sheer, so lightweight enough to wear it on warmer days, and good for ladies that maybe are comfortable showing their arms.

I tied the whole outfit together with a corset from Orchard Corset.

My second outfit was a little bit more appropriate for going out in public haha

I chose the Black and White Polka Dot Sleeveless Crepe Dress in a 22 and paired it with shoes from Simpy Be.

This dress fit true to size and was very lightweight and comfortable. Plus anyone that knows me, understands my love for black and polka dots!

All in all, I was very happy with my selections and customer service from Yours Clothing, and if you haven't checked them out yet, I highly recommend them!

xx,

.EveryBODY is Flawless.

When Gabi & Nadia first approached me with the idea of recreating Beyoncé’s “flawless” video, I was filled with a mix of emotions. The song and the video is amazing of course (almost everything Bey does is!) so of course part of me was excited to be included in the project. Three very different plus size women recreating and reinterpreting such a positive, empowering piece.

But I was also hesitant. How would it be received? How would other people view it? I know even the original was slated by some for being too self congratulatory. Those people had missed the feminist undertones that made it such an anthem. She was putting a metaphoric middle finger up to the haters, the internet trolls, the bullies. Something I definitely identify with. But could I do any justice to the original? Did I have anything to add to it? I can’t even dance!

So I drew on the strength and fearless spirit of not just Bey herself, but the two other fabulous women involved. We spent 12 hours shooting this video, unrehearsed, and I think it's obvious how much fun we had! So here we are. Three diverse plus size bloggers/models/feminists coming together with one common goal: To show that we are not competitors, and we are all doing on own thing in the SAME community and that everyone should be celebrated. This is OUR way of giving an 'eff you' to the critics that say we promote obesity, that we have no place in the fashion industry or that just because we are a certain size means we are fundamentally flawed. 

No, FUCK THAT. We all have flaws, it’s part of being human but we are so much more. And so we decided to come together and spread that message to you - and to everyone else. As women, we spend so much time ripping each other apart, when the reality is we are stronger together than we are divided. We all want the same thing: to be valued, appreciated, respected.  

Stop the hate- come together and hold your heads high ladies- 

             Watch the video here:

#everyBODYisflawless from gabifresh on Vimeo.

Wardrobe provided by: Rent The Runway, Bauble Bar, Hips and Curves,

OVC, SimplyBe, Carmakoma, ASOS, & Eclectic Eccentricity.

xx,

.OOTD- I'm no saint.

                                  

Being fashionable and plus size is often a challenge, and you have to get creative with clothing, and most importantly, not to read the size on the labels. Not for self preservation, but because it doesn't matter what brand something is or size, if it looks like it will fit- try it! 

With that said, I recently fell in love with All Saints, and after years of wishing I could wear their clothing (that isn't plus size AT ALL), I finally had a chance to when my friend gifted me some of their tops. To my surprise not only did it fit, it was was comfortable and in my opinion..I looked good! Plus I love a good a-symmetrical top. 

Again, going with what I said about not reading labels previously, the vest is a large from the straight size of Forever 21 that I patched, studded and made it into my own rocker vest. I paired it with some leggings from Torrid and, last but not least, what rocker outfit is complete without leather boots?! My boots are from Simply Be and I'm in love! Casual rocker look for a gloomy and perfect LA day.

(Hair and color by Jonathon at Stile Salon in Beverly Hills )

xx,

.It's okay to be fat. No, really.

I'm often asked, "Since you are a role model, why not promote healthy living?" I will only say this once: Your size is not an indicator of health. It's a fact. Besides, it's not my place to tell women they need to lose weight or what to do with their bodies. We have enough people in our society and media that push the message down our throats that we aren't good enough if we are overweight, or "curvy".

We are constantly told that the true key to happiness is limited to the size you wear. Frankly, that's the real problem here.  What we need is more people saying it's okay to be your size, to love your body, regardless. There also needs to be more diversity of sizes, and honestly races, showing what the majority of women look like. If I sound like a broken record, it's because I am.

Brands I love: Domino Dollhouse!

 

Sunglasses & necklace are Domino Dollhouse

Since everyone always asks me "Where do you shop?" I'm going to start doing reviews on my favorite brands- Starting with Domino Dollhouse! Yes, I happen to model for them, but that's not why I love them. For the longest time I craved fun fashion in MY size (22 US), and when Domino Dollhouse launched, all of my dreams became a reality. Not only do they have one of a kind, fun prints and designs, but it's all made in America. They do carry other brands, so make sure to check the site out when ordering :) Another thing I love is that their clothing is true plus size clothing, not junior plus, so you know that what you are ordering will be true to size.