Barbie Is A Yoga Teacher; We’re Still Not Feeling Empowered

1 day ago by Briana Rognlin

A Yoga Teacher Barbie has popped up in Target’s “I Can Be…” line of the blonde Mattel mascot, and much as we love yoga AND empowering young girls through physical activity and sports, we’re not crazy about this active role model. On the one hand, doing yoga sets a great example for young girls (especially compared to the alternative “I Can Be… Bride” set we spotted on Target’s website). On the other hand, Barbie has a lot adjustments to make before she can be a body positive, empowering role model for young girls.

We’ll set aside the fact that yoga Barbie comes with a tiny dog instead of, say, a mat, strap or block. (And while her pastel-hued pajamas aren’t to my tastes, I’ll even commend them for not putting her in a trendy lulu-inspired outfit.) But she’s still sporting a bust-waist-hip proportion that’sphysically impossible for real-life womento attain, let alone maintain an active lifestyle with.

This is far from the first time Mattel has tried to make Barbie more than a pretty face (and big boobs and a tiny waist and dainty little feet)—earlier this year, the “I Can Be…” line made apresidential Barbie that developed significant fanfare amongst moms, and the line has happily expanded to include athletic Barbies lately. But even here, there’s a disturbing trend beyond the unattainable proportions they all share: Even the sports they play seem somewhat, well…girly. So far, it looks like Barbie is into yoga, tennis, gymanistics, and track…but what about aggressive contact sports like soccer, rugby, and basketball?

Putting Barbie into running shoes (or yoga socks) is a step in the right direction, but if Mattel really wants to empower young girls (and sell dolls to hordes of parents who want to provide better examples for their kids), they need to give her a body-positive makeover and let her play a wider range of sports.

Curves Rock Fashion Weekend Announces Plus Size Super Model/Actress & Baltimore Native, Liris Crosse

Curves Rock Fashion Weekend is excited to announce the addition of plus-size model/actress and Baltimore native, Liris Crosse, as its host during the three-day event, July 27th- 29th at the BWI Hilton Hotel.

Liris Crosse

PRLog (Press Release) - Jun 07, 2012 -
Curves Rock Fashion Weekend is excited to announce the addition of plus-size model/actress and Baltimore native, Liris Crosse, as its host during the three-day event, July 27th- 29th at the BWI Hilton Hotel. Liris is known for her beauty, curves, and ability to balance her dominance on the runway with her warm and friendly personality. During her 16 year career, she has made it her mission to highlight the disparity of plus size models in the fashion industry and serves as the catalyst of awareness for plus size representation in all fashion outlets. Her drive and passion for this calling has led to her to numerous appearances on BET’s Rip the Runway, gracing the magazine pages of Seventeen, Glamour, Vibe and the fashion bible, Vogue, as well as featuring in campaigns for plus-size clothing companies Lane Bryant and Ashley Stewart.  As an actress she has appeared on projects such as HBO’s The Wire  and Universal Pictures The Best Man. Liris is currently signed to Dorothy Combs Models agency out of Miami, is the face of JimmyJazz.com plus section, and can be currently be seen as the campaign model for Qristyl Frazier’s Nirvana line.

The pairing of Curves Rock Fashion Weekend and Liris is befitting because each share a love for the “curvy community” and their hometown. Each desire to “cater to the fashionably undeserved” (size 10 and up) and spotlight the Baltimore/DC area as the first ever to offer a fashion and health platform equal to its “standard model” counterpart.  Along with her impressive resume, Liris adds an outreach to more than 35,000 on her social media networks. She joins PLUS Model radio host and Hollywood actress, Chenise Lewis and fellow “Rip the Runway” model, Christina Mendez as host for Curves Rock Fashion Weekend.

Liris will facilitate the Plus Model 101 seminar and participate in the panel discussion on Saturday, July 28th. Later that evening, she will serve as mistress of ceremony for the Fashion Statement finale runway show.

Liris, as well as Curves Rock Fashion Weekend organizers, Tykesha Reed and Chanell Jones are available for interviews. Media passes are also available to media interested in covering the event. Please contact Christy Stewart to schedule interviews and receive media passes.

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/11895031/1

In Case You Forgot, Plus Size Models Aren’t Allowed To Wear Clothes

The Fatkini revolution, will you take part?

Vogue Curvy has described it as a political act; some don’t like the term but wholeheartedly agree with this ‘phenomenon’. What am I talking about? Fatkini. Now,Fatkini is not a plus size bikini but girls who are taking back the right to wear a bikini proudly without feeling like they need to cover up. Fatkini girls want to show their bodies as they are, the bodies of happy, confident people.

Society expects fat girls to cover up on the beach or by the pool. Well not anymore. Fatkini girls are shedding the layers to wear their cutest bikinis and taking photos to post on sites such as such asfatkini tumblr.

One site, Fatkini Riot has a great manifesto clearly outlining the reasons why one should reject society’s expectations of a larger woman on the beach or by the pool:

We claim our bodily autonomy. We keep our naughty bits covered, but that’s about it. So you have a belly. Stretch marks. A funny mole. A scar. So you’ve had kids. So you’re a straight-up fatty, like me. You’ll never be any younger or more gorgeous than you are right now, today, in this very moment. Embrace it.

Well known plus size bloggers are getting behind this movement. Gabi Fresh is inspiring many girls to get out their bikini this summer. She writes:

I truly encourage you guys to get to the beach (or a pool) this summer–don’t let body shame keep you from having a good time! I don’t expect everyone to feel comfortable in a two piece, but hopefully I can inspire some of you to take the plunge. I can’t tell you how freeing it is to just have fun without worrying about what other people think.

Fatkini Girls

Other plus size bloggers are in full support of the Fatkini ideals but err on the side of caution. Queen Sized Flava does not believe everyone can where a bikini. She feels a bikini must fit correctly and that girls should go to the gym to firm up their thighs and butts in order to look their best in a bikini.

WILL CHANGES IN THE MODELING INDUSTRY INSPIRE THE PLUS SIZE MODELING INDUSTRY?

Will Changes In The Modeling Industry Inspire The Plus Size Modeling Industry?… Conde Nast International (publisher ofVOGUE Magazine) recently released a statement which includes healthy guidelines and a ban on the use of underage models. In addition, they are asking designers to re-think the use of small sample sizes. I wish they would have made it a little more mandatory than a request but something is better than nothing at all I guess. This is a great attempt at change, but will it change anything in the modeling industry? Who really holds the power on what we see?

From a magazine perspective I’m not sure what this is going to do. Designers in mainstream fashion are extremely sensitive about their creative process and I’m wondering if there is going to be a special council who will be watching to see if all 19Vogue’s are working within the new pact.

More importantly, I’m wondering if and how the plus size industry will be affected. In one week alonePLUS Model Magazine  received 6 phone calls from brands/designers asking for our advice on where to find size 16 and 18 professional models. Ashley Stewart recently booked another size 16plus size beauty Allison McGevna and paired her up with Fluvia Lacerda, who we know is a very curvy size 16/18. With all this being said, when we look at the modeling board at MSA, now under new direction – the models on the fashion board went from size 12 – 18 to 4 to 14.  This makes me ask, who is holding the strings in the plus size industry? The modeling agencies or the fashion client?

There is a huge shift happening in our industry and I’m hoping this new pact will trickle some pressure for our industry to finally see the error of it’s ways.

Source

The pact:

1. We will not knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder. We will work with models who, in our view, are healthy and help to promote a healthy body image.

2. We will ask agents not to knowingly send us underage girls and casting directors to check IDs when casting shoots, shows and campaigns.

3. We will help to structure mentoring programs where more mature models are able to give advice and guidance to younger girls, and we will help to raise industry-wide awareness through education, as has been integral to the Council of Fashion Designers of America Health Initiative.

4. We will encourage producers to create healthy backstage working conditions, including healthy food options and a respect for privacy. We will encourage casting agents not to keep models unreasonably late.

5. We encourage designers to consider the consequences of unrealistically small sample sizes of their clothing, which limits the range of women who can be photographed in their clothes, and encourages the use of extremely thin models.

6. We will be ambassadors for the message of healthy body image.

BIG BROOKLYN STYLE: PLUS-SIZE FASHION SERIES COMING TO TLC

Plus-size women are finally about to get a show dedicated solely to full-figured fashion with TLC’s new reality series, Big Brooklyn Style.

Set inside Lee Lee’s Valise, the show will follow husband and wife business owners Lisa and Jim Dolan, as they revolutionize plus-size style right inside their Carroll Gardens boutique.

In each episode, we’ll see the couple work with three different customers in an intimate and emotional shopping experience to revamp their look inside and out. We’ll also get an up close view of Lisa’s distinctive clothing line.

Considering the average woman in America is a size 14 now, we say this show is a long time coming—we’d also love to see a reality series based in Monif C.’s New York boutique as well. So far, the network has ordered eight half-hour episodes of Big Brooklyn Style which will begin airing May 29 at 10 pm.

Plus Size Lingerie: Elomi Spring 2012 Collection- The Beautiful Betty

Be on trend with polka dots this spring! The Betty plunge bra is one of Elomi’s bestselling shapes as the low centre front offers a plunging look without the push up, which makes this bra a perfectly pretty and practical everyday bra. The Betty bra also has a side support panel for forward projection, great uplift and separation offering comfort and support. When wearing Betty you know that you are going to feel good from the inside out. The vibrant red base with white polka dot pattern is sure to put a smile on your face as the satin stitched rose embroidery oozes femininity.

CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW

Lingerie line and Curvy Fashion Show announced during NY Fashion Week

The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week runways were heel-to-toe full of slim, svelte people.  So were the dressing rooms, backstage areas and audiences. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find plus size models flaunting clothing from the numerous designers featured during New York’s fashion week. However, fabulous, full-figured fashionistas can put on their big girl panties and be proud.  Amid all the buzz of Fashion Week, lingerie maker Bare Necessities launched a new line called Bare Plus which caters to the sexy, big goddess.  So while thin, waifs were strutting down the runaways of fashion week, another crowded catwalk had full-figured women strutting around in exotic animal prints, sexy satins and lovely lace.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Lingerie line and Curvy Fashion Show announced during NY Fashion Week – Wichita Plus-Size Fashion | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/plus-size-fashion-in-wichita/lingerie-line-and-curvy-fashion-show-announced-during-ny-fashion-week#ixzz1mrsKBal8

 CLICK HERE TO SHOP BARE NECESSITIES

Surge in sales of ‘Adele’ Plus-sized mannequins

High Street shops are buying “Adele-sized mannequins” as chains increasingly market clothes at curvier women.

The Busty Girl’s Ultimate Styling Guide

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Ulla Popken integrates MarketLive tool for Facebook store

MarketLive Inc announced that plus-size women’s apparel cataloger, Ulla Popken, has launched a new Facebook store that is fully integrated with its MarketLive eCommerce platform.

MarketLive partnered with Ulla Popken to develop the new Facebook store which is powered by MarketLive’s Social Store for Facebook, and enables merchants to create fully functional Facebook stores through their existing MarketLive platform and administration console.

CLICK HERE TO SHOP ULLA POPKEN TODAY