Yep, that’s my little Puggyman, checkin’ out the the piggies I just received from Amanda of FatWaitress & LoveYourBodyDetroit! One is for moi! The other I get to decorate and send back to her for some serious fat activism for Love Your Body Day! Yay!

So adorable and fun! Purple tu-tu? Yes, please! I don’t yet know how I will be decorating my pig, but I’m excited for the challenge and opportunity to do so! I will of course take plenty o’ pictures when it’s completed to share here with you lovelies! Any suggestions on decorating it?

Woo Hoo! It’s back! I love it! Okay, this week’s Tank Top Tuesday submission comes from my beloved WithoutScene of BFB.com fame as well as her own BadAssFatAss & FinessingTheFuckYou! 

I often like to dress very brightly and this was one of those days. I’d never worn these items together before, but found myself inspired to hodgepodge something really colorful together: an old Fashion Bug skirt, a LB camisole, and a cloth I got at a reggae festival years and years ago that is supposed to be used as a headwrap (and of course, my bright blue sports bra). I like to re-purpose items in my wardrobe. Headbands as necklaces, necklaces as bracelets, skirts as shirts, belts as headbands, hair clips as broaches, and most famously among my friends, a camisole as an underskirt–adjust the straps to fit over your hips and wear one under a short skirt (try it out before you wear it out, to make sure it stays up–I happen to have hips that keep it up). To really be innovative with your wardrobe you have to force yourself to work with what you have and get caught up in the whimsy; inhibition is the enemy of innovation. More often than not, you will stand out in a good way. The people with an eye for quirky fashion sense will appreciate you, and if not, what you wear is none of their business anyway.

Talk about breaking the old fashion “rules!” Colors!!! Glorious colors! And that bag is to die for, am I right?! Just goes to show ya that you can be fabulous, fatshionable, and authentically you while still being a rad fatty baring your arms! I love it!

Also, y’all have to see the awesome sauce that is our facebook pictures: “Dueling Smirks”

I am taking submissions from anyone who wants to exercise their right to Bare Arms for future Tank Top Tuesday posts! Email your pics here: notblueatall@notblueatall.com, please include the name you’d like included in the post, a blog or etsy shop you wanna plug, your thoughts on bare arms or other fatty philosophies. It does not have to be in a tank top, so long as your arms are bare. Have fun with it!

Also, feel free to still treat comments as TMI topic/discussion/venting area! Feel free to ask TMI questions or just vent/rant about your own stuff. I love it! We all do! =0)

The other day I took my mother in law to the outlet mall nearby (she’d never been, lived here 30 years). I was desperately wanting to hit up the Lane Bryant (LB) outlet so I could get a steal on some bras or whatever! Funny thing, we walked into the entrance right next to the LB outlet! Woo! We were both pretty excited to see what deals were in store for us as we’re both pro bargain huntresses!

This particular LB outlet had one side entirely Cacique. Sweet! We dove right in…only it was more expensive than even their website! What?! We asked the sales person and she basically agreed that it was weird, but left it at that.  So we headed over to the LB outlet side and began our hunting. Only, the bargains were nil! Seriously! Everything was around $50 and their sales only gave you about $5 off of that.  I was surprised at some of the styles there, but it is an outlet so I let that go fairly quickly. But the prices? Let’s put it this way, I walked out empty handed. I went in fully intending to blow quite a wad of cash, but just wasn’t inspired and was downright offended at some of the pricing on that stuff ($30 for a cami?! In an outlet?!).

And I think this latest experience sealed the deal for me. I no longer want to give my money to Lane Bryant. They don’t understand their customers and don’t even try to! Their prices go up, quality goes way down (enough with the fucking polyester! WE DON’T WANT IT!!!) and their “sales” suck! And don’t get me started on their damned coupons and “real women” dollars. UGH!!! *HeadDesk5,000*

Look, Lane Bryant, I get it! You have a huge share of this “niche” market (pishaw!) and you wanna take advantage of that. Go for it! But don’t expect your longtime and formerly loyal customers to stick around while you screw ’em over at every turn! Why would you even consider keeping your normal pricing in an outlet with rejected goods/styles? Did you not know we were in some sort of apocalipto-economy right now? Oh you didn’t? You were too busy counting your millions? Oh, I’ll just leave you to that then…NOT!!! Your wares suck! The fit of your clothing is all wongo now. I used to be able to just walk in and buy whatever in a size 26/28 and know it would fit. Now? That is a joke! Now I have to try on every single damned thing and hope it fits because sometimes it does and more often it doesn’t and it’s never in the same ways!

So, Lane Bryant, as I am about to re-enter the workforce and have money to spend on clothing again, guess who isn’t going to spend it in your shops or on your websites? Moi! I will gladly seek out indie designers, thrift store options or even try my hand at sewing my own garments before setting foot inside one of your stores again! Got it?! Good! Now buck up or fuck off!

Thanks.

There is so much awesomeness going around right now that I thought I’d share some of my faves with you! Woo!

First off, can I just say how much I fucking love LOVE! love Virgie Tovar?! She is amazing and incredible and is doing a video series, “Virgie Tovar’s Guide to Fat Girl Living” and they are flabulous!!! Here’s episode one to whet your appetite (believe me, you won’t be able to stop!):

Dr.Pattie Thomas & PDA Nation want to hear Your Story (and for more resources, links, etc http://revolutionsresources.blogspot.com/):

Please consider submitting your own story through video or text (you can comment on the videos on YouTube).

Amanda Levitt of FatWaitress & Love Your Body Detroit just opened a fabulous fat positive Etsy shop to raise funds for more fat activism: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LYBDetroit
Do check it out, buy something for yourself (like the fat rights tool kit!!! OMZ!!!)

And a bit of not so greatness, but I hope we can have an impact before it comes out…I first heard about this from Marilyn Wann and wanted to share it with you: Please go to the Amazon pages (US and UK) and post a comment responding to the godawful children’s book, “Maggie Goes on a Diet.”
I was personally shocked that the story itself is about a 14 year old going on a diet, but the targeted age for readers is 4-8 years old. Yikes!!! I hope that you will read the discussion and consider adding your own voice! <3

So the big news I was waiting on was a possible buyer for my cafe. And after many offers, much back and forth and high hopes, I have sold the cafe as of Monday, August 8th. It is such a relief, as some of you may know, to no longer have the stress of everyday small business ownership. I will be training the new owner today and hopefully that is all. He wants me to stay through Saturday, but I just really want to move on, ya know? The cafe gave me so much these last two years. It’s given me a new perspective, lots of new friends and the chance to challenge myself everyday and watch what I can do with sheer determination!

Now the big question on everyone’s lips: What are ya gonna do now? And my answer: I don’t know, dude! Ha-ha!

Honestly? I just wanna find a nice job with a decent, but  more importantly, steady paycheck. The cafe wasn’t a dream of mine, but a project I felt compelled to complete. That behind me, I feel more free to follow whatever dreams do pop up or come to mind. I have lots of ideas, many of them fat related, but for now money and stability are on my brain. My husband wants to move up to the Santa Cruz mountains and I am seriously considering that as a possibility now. To be surrounded by redwood trees? Hmm, that doesn’t sound so bad at all!

I would like to thank you all for your support. I know I’ve had some mini breakdowns and y’all have helped me through that so much! Thank you to those who were able to come visit me at the cafe and to those who wanted to. Thank you all! <3

It is bittersweet of course. I truly surprised myself by accomplishing exactly what I set out to do. I hadn’t done any of that or anything like that before. It just goes to show what can happen when you are passionate and willing to step outside of your comfort zone. But I could not have done it had I not discovered and embraced fat acceptance/liberation wholly and completely! It gave me the confidence to trust in myself and the support of so many wonderful people all over the world. And they say fat is bad? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Seems  it’s done nothing but good for me, but hey, I could be the exception.

Thanks again! *Hugs*