Hi Darlings!
I say this all the time!! it does not matter if you are itty bitty or full and luscious like my doll Kelly, it is about confidence and feeling fabulous and Kelly ALWAYS oozes that.
I here it all the time, "It looks good on you but you are skinny" o_0 and I always say the same thing, Kelly has made most, if not all of my tutorials and always looks amazing in them so get out of that mindset that you are somehow restricted from wearing certain things because you are a plus size woman! The beauty of making it yourself is that you can make it as fitted or not fitted as you want ;-)
Kelly has been on a weight-loss journey and if you are familiar with her and her blog I am sure you have seen the change in her as I have and even with the changes she is undergoing she NEVER feels like she can't rock something and that INSPIRES ME! So the next time you think you cant wear a maxi because you are plus size, SCRATCH THAT THOUGHT and while I am at it please stop saying you can't wear maxi's because you are short, I am only 5' 4" and I could live in Maxi's, it is about proportions and wearing a little wedge or heel to add height.
Tutorial Available HERE Thanks Kelly!
Now on to another question I get asked frequently and I just answered on facebook yesterday and that is "UNDERPINNINGS" lol yes Ladies, let's talk about this.
Underpinnings- plural of un·der·pin·ning(Noun)
A solid foundation laid below ground level to support or strenghten a building.
The key to any outfit starts with what you are wearing underneath your clothing. I have seen so many women with VPL's (visible panty lines) and with a bit too much jiggle in their walk so I am going to tell you what I wear under my clothing ESPECIALLY under my form fitting garments
I know that they can feel like you are being suffocated from the inside out, lol but there are more comfortable things you can wear to help give smooth lines and support. I wear them because I don't like to feel my butt jiggle when I walk and yes my butt jiggles ladies. Let's keep it real! I may look all smooth and trim in my pics but that does not mean that I don't have areas I MUST work on to keep myself fit and certainly does not mean that I am so trim and fit that I dare leave my home wearing a fitted dress and not wear some support.
All you need is the RIGHT Bra, Seamless Panties and a good Shaper so here are the items I wear most often and why ;-)
WHY? I wear this brand in particular because they dont ride up and are great under my fitted skirts and dresses. They are also great under my leggings and maxi dresses. I have tried several brands and I always go back to these because even the pricier more frilly brands end up riding up and being very uncomfortable to wear.
WHY? This brand by SPANX is great and more affordable plus you can find it at Target but aside from that I like this particular one because it doesn't stop my circulation and make me feel like I am about to pass the hell out after having them on for 5 minutes! although sometimes you may need a bit more control depending on your body and what you are wearing this one is a more "relaxed" fit while still providing control and smooth finish ;-)
Now, I wish I could give you advice and product recommendations for bras but I belong to the itty bitty committee so I have NO clue what my busty babes need to help control your puppies so if my well endowed darlings could weigh in here that would be great and I will post an update with links.
Until then, Keep it tight, keep it right!
xoxo
Mimi G
Kelly... girl that skirt came out fabulous!! Makes me want to whip up a maxi!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Mimi for the under garment advice! I totally agree on the being short and wearing maxis too. I'm 5'2" and I could live in them as well. (^_^)
Great and inspiring post, Mimi! Kelly's skirt looks great - love the color :)
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I do prefer t-shirt bras. I like them seamless but they must have underwire support and a shaped cup. I can't wear the ones that are not shaped because my girls will be all over the place and that's not cute!
Thanks so much for the shaper advice. I'm going to look into both. The last ones I bought cut off all my circulation and I decided they weren't for me. As a well endowed woman the best advice I can give women is get fitted by a professional, and I don't mean at Victoria's Secret or the bra department at Macy's. I mean at a specialized bra shop, they usually carry sizes that the department stores don't. Once you find the bra that not only supports the ladies but is also comfortable you will never turn back. Also, wearing well fitting bra will lead to a better fitting garment, especially if you're a sewer.
ReplyDeleteFor fuller figured ladies with more up top, I first recommend getting fitted by a professional. No, the ladies of VS are not "professional fitters". If they come at you with a measuring tape to try to fit your girls, RUN! Places like Intimacy or (my personal favorite) Livi Rae Lingerie (you know, the ones from Double Divas) here in the Metro Atlanta area are great. If you don't have a specialty shop near you, try HerRoom.com and take their fit assessment. For me, personally, Elomi and Panache bras work great for every day wear. For special occasions, when I want to feel a little sexier, I wear Curvy Kate (the cups are cut kind of low, so shifting and popping out may occur for ladies with fuller breast tissue). Below are some helpful links!
ReplyDeletehttp://myintimacy.com
http://www.herroom.com
http://www.liviraelingerie.com (their online shop isn't up yet, but if you're in the area, visit them!)
- Didi
You're right Didi, VS ladies are not professional fitters!!! I took my daughter there when she was still in high school to have her fitted :( She has a hard time finding good fitting supportive bras, so the info you've provided will help her a lot!!! Do you have any info for sports bras?
DeleteThanks!!
I swear by the Elomi Engergie Sports bra. What's great about it is that it's cut like a regular bra, so it lifts, separates, but the cups are higher, so it covers you completely. It's made of moisture wicking material. It's comfortable enough to wear all day (which I have done when I know I'm going straight to the gym with not much time to change). Panache also has a great sports bra, but unfortunately it didn't come in my size :( If you go to HerRoom.com, they actually have videos of the "bounce test" so you know how supportive they'll be. I will say that the Enelle bra keeps EVERYTHING in, but it give me a uni-boob, which I hate...
DeleteHope that helps!!
Awesome post Mimi, Kelly is an inspiration for all of us. I've been told that silly rule about not being tall enough for maxi's...who makes up this stuff... It's all about colour, drape, fit, style, and proportion and if those components are balanced to your figure and your style personality you can look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteChristiana
sewamusing.blogspot.com
Kelly, you are working that skirt.
ReplyDeleteMIMI, you are a motivation for all women...you always keep it real & give uplift...it's like you are in some of us heads...I so needed this post..thank you :-)
Well done ladies :)
ReplyDeleteFabulous, Kelly!!!! thanks Mimi for sharing your insider secrets on being fabulous. While I wish that I was a club member of yours, I am a slender women with big boobs. Ewwww. I agree with Didi...get a professional fitting. I read somewhere that 75% of women are wearing the WRONG size bra! No stretch straps, and make sure that most of your breast is covered in fabric. The middle section of the bra should fit flush to your chest. A well fitting bra changes your silhouette...immediately!
ReplyDeleteAm only 5ft 1" and I look cool in my maxi from your tute and I didn't even have heels on. All to do with confidence. If you say you can't do this and that it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. If I like a bold print I waer it despite being small. Lifes too short.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great advice Mimi!
ReplyDeleteKelly - great job on the Maxi!!!
Thank you ladies, you guys are fantastic. To chime in on the "too short for a maxi" conversation. I too am 5'4", super busty and plus sized so according to the rules, I can't wear anything. But since my natural inclination when anyone says I can't do something is to prove to them that I can, I wear what I want as long as I think it looks good on me and maxi dresses are a Spring/Summer staple. The beautiful thing about sewing is that you make things flatter YOUR body. I too am a huge fan of proper underpinings and right now am having a love affair with the Cacique line of bras. I get them from LaneBryant.com since they don't sell my size in the store but I'm happy to find bras that lift and fit well in fun colors and prints. As Mimi mentioned, I am currently on a weight loss journey to get healthy, lower my blood pressure and to be a better role model for my baby girl. My weight has fluctuated over the years so I've learned to hang on to bras because as your weight changes so does your bra size.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the skirt Kelly! You look fabulous! From your pictures you look much much taller than 5'4". And I applaud you on your decision to get healthlier. Good luck on your journey and keep being fabulous!!!
Deletei am with SewTellMe although I am a smidgen taller than she.. My dilemma is different.. I am what is called a triangle shape. Broad shoulders and big boobs but my waist and legs are much smaller... RTW 26/28 and size 14 pants.. (see what I mean) so I am considering the proportion of things. I love long skirts and dresses. The dress has to either hit the floor or above my knee anything else makes me look dumpy. Also I also recommend a good bra fitting. Ironically the best bra I own came from The Avenue, it makes my boobs look perky! Lol.. Love you guys...
ReplyDeleteI love that you show all ladies are able to pull off the maxi. Thanks for the post and the undergarment info :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteGreat looking skirt Kelley, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMimi, bless you for posting the shaping advice. I think that's why I avoid form fitting items because I don't like the current ones that I have. I am definitely checking out your recommendations above.
Mimi, as always you give great advice and today you added some humor to it! I almost spit my tea out when you were talking about the spanx!!!! I'm going to have to invest in one because I automatically assumed you could tell that it was being worn. I'm part of the itty bitty club myself but my butt is huge and my tummy has a little pooch, so I need something to hold it in place til I get it right n tight, lol!!! Now I can go ahead and make that T-shirt maxi!
ReplyDeleteThanks again!!
I forgot to give Kelley her props too!!! You go Diva!!!!
ReplyDeleteKelly, to you my dear AWESOME JOB!!!! WORK IT GIRL!!!! And to you Mimi, great avdice about "underpinnings". At first glance I actually thought you were talking about a tailoring technique for lining specific garments. I am 5 ft and understand about the "maxi dress no no" for the vertically challenged until I purchased one. I LOVE IT and look forward to either purchasing and/or making more!! Had to do a really good search for one because most of the RTW maxis are so poorly made.(very thin fabrics with terrible construction) I found myself looking for the garments you listed because I HATE seeing ladies in these maxis showing off their unfortunate "underpinnings". Although there are "no peaks in this valley", a well fitted bra is a must. No matter the size ladies, they all bounce, jiggle, wiggle and stand at attention!! Please list more info on where to get fitted for bras. Hopefully I will find one here in town or near by.
ReplyDeleteTrena B.
ha ha MiMI you're such a hoot. I'm there with you on the "small committee" Also, are the boyshorts not sold in retail stores?!?! I wear other brands boy shorts but I'd love to try hanes. Kelly You look awesome per usual. Keep up the great work MiMi!!!!
ReplyDeleteUnderpinnings... you don't even want to know what I thought that was referring to. Smh at myself.
ReplyDeleteKelly is working that skirt!
Get it Kelly! Just Fabulous Doll!!! Thanks again Mimi for empowering us ladies!!! God Bless!
ReplyDeleteMiMi I love reading your blog. You are so inspiring and empwering... you have truely been blessed with a gift. Keep doibg what you're doing!
ReplyDelete