You know they're saying this winter may be the coldest one we'll face in while. The weather sure has been crazy of late. Summer was torture! I recall last winter a kind of "snow-mageddon" was experienced here in London. Not on the scale of some of the bad snow storms which take place further up North of the equator, but for London, it was enough that it almost stopped the city. We couldn't cope. Of course I battled my way through it, in it, to get to an interview and only managed to slip and fall moments before the entrance to the interview building. They hadn't got to gritting the roads and pavements near there yet and for someone like me, despite wearing what I thought were 'sensible' shoes, I couldn't balance and landed on my bottom! Thankfully no real damage just a few bruises to body and ego, and the once clean, dry and immaculate suit, was now muddy and wet. To top it off I also met with ridicule and disrespect form the interviewing company for braving the weather to come to the interview. Go figure?! But that's another story.
I am reminded of this today because once again in London the weather has become bitterly cold. I'm not joking. I mean it's pretty nasty. It's so cold it should have snowed already! But it never does. It gets colder and colder, and while it snows everywhere else in the country sometimes, it never quite does in London. This is why the amount of snow we had for those brief days last year was so shocking to us. Yesterday evening I even wore gloves but the cold got through. Mind you, I was wearing a pair of what I call my "Corner Shop Gloves" and they do pretty okay. But I knew it must have been cold if the cold was getting through. So cold. But no snow. It's a little weird.
"Corner Shop Gloves" Cute Leather Gloves
"Corner Shop Gloves" are sold everywhere else as well though, in high street stores too, but in almost every corner shop (small grocery store or shop) during the cold season (sometimes not lol) you will find a pair which is very affordable. Now I am very good at looking after my belongings. I rarely lose things but when it come to gloves it is inevitable that I will have lost one or both of a pair each time I venture out with them! This is costly if wearing expensively made gloves. So I stick to the above. My "Corner Shop Gloves". If money was no object and I could chose gloves I like the look of, I might go for a cute pair of leather gloves. I think they do the job of keeping the cold our pretty well, but I confess they frustrate me to wear! Oh my goodness do they! No matter the size, fitting or even if slightly bigger, I feel like my fingers cannot move in them! They are so restricting! In fact, in truth, I find all gloves a little like this in varying degrees. I am irritated that I can't use my phone easily, I can't grasp anything firmly, I can't, I can't, I can't! But I hate the cold so I wear them for as long as I can until I have to take them off to do something! That's probably when I lose them. I just want them off so I take them off without any thought to where I'm placing them. I wish sometimes that a fabric could be invented, which would be as thin as rubber gloves are, enabling better movement, but still have the warmth to keep the cold out. Wishes huh?.
Oh well. I guess you've got it by now that in my recommendations for winter apparel for the plus size, and there will be three of them, that for me my first essential is gloves. While it might seem obvious, the first is to make sure your hands and feet are taken care of in that great ongoing battle between us and the elements. Either stock up on all the "Corner Shop Gloves" you can afford and place them everywhere you can think of to be within easy reach. They're fairly less restrictive than gloves made with 'heavier' fabrics. Place a pair in your car, your home, your office, your coat pocket and a spare in your bag. Anywhere you are for a length of time. And I always go with darker colours like black. Goes with everything right? That way if you lose a pair you don't have to suffer the biting sting on your fingers for too long because you simply whip out another pair which is in reach after the briefest lament of the lost pair of course. Gloves, I may find them irksome to wear but when it's really cold out there it is better with than without. And if you prefer a very chic look and don't mind the slight restrain of digit mobility then go for that beautiful leather or faux leather look by all means! Add to that your matching scarf and hat accessories, a nice moody lippie and hat or beanie and you're doing okay. You can do that look up or down. Up to you. But in the winter? "Corner Shop Gloves" are everything! Over and above named brands to me!
And mobility is definitely everything when you're bigger right? It sure is for me. I may have been a little hesitant about wearing tights/leggings/jeggings etc. when they first came on the scene, I mean I've seen some things, but the minute I put them on myself....eventually...I was just amazed at them! I truly was. So freeing. I mean really freeing! I have heavy legs for some reason, yeah, what's that all about? Genes arrgh! And when I'm wearing jeans I need for them to be a little baggy so I don't feel restricted. Because I often do feel restricted in them There it is again. Restriction. Don't like it, don't want it, will never want it! Even for fashion. I want to look stylish but I need to be comfortable as well. Wow, so tights/leggings or jeggings or whatever, they are the total deal. When I don't have to be in formal wear these are for sure my 'go to' clothing essential. But in the winter, it's a sacrifice between comfort and weather. Some of these leggings are way too thin to cope with the cold. Great in the summer but you need two or three layers in the winter! So I may be a little late in the game with this, entirely possible, but in my internet browsing 'sesh' I came across these beautiful wonderful velvet lined tights. They were of course on Ali Express, so if you're not a fan, look away now, but no doubt this is now a thing and possibly they are everywhere. And like I said they may have been around for some time.... I'm just late to the game. Be that as it may I have now come across them and I am excited! Have ordered myself a pair. This makes a great second winter essential for sure! I've ordered one but if I like it and it feels as warm as it looks I will get a few if I can afford it.
The only issue I have is the sizes are all out of whack on the individual shops pages within Ali Express! But I checked my measurements against their measurement chart and think I have it right. I've looked and they only go up to size 6xl (could be any size really the measurements differ so much), but if this is still small for you, listen to me carefully, 'Digivolve' them up my Super-Sizers! "Don't Give Up at Size" is my new motto! It's a little costly and a little bit more effort but you can buy two pairs, split them down the middle on the sides of the leg, add the extra fabric in the same colour and voila! To truly 'digivolve' them, you could make them unique by making the extra panel patterned, custom print a saying, applique, whatever, just create! :) If you want me to do a post showing you what I mean comment below. And if you can't do this yourself find a creator/seamstress/someone with sewing skills to do it for you!
It's been a rather long post today. Had a lot to say I guess. These topics really mean something to me personally and so I guess I just want to share. I hope you don't mind and you're still reading at this point in the post lol! In my first month I wanted to commit to posting, if not everyday, at least as much as I can. Yes to build a community, but also to show you my commitment to you the readers as well. Bear with me. Anyway, I started off by sharing with you about my slippery slide sitch in last winters' London city streets, so my third and last winter essential has just got to be weather appropriate shoes. Nope, flat shoes with a 'rubber' bottom don't cut it. My weight bore down on them and turned them into skates! They were cute, classy, and pointy toed. Just right for my 'interview look' but they just were no match for the weather. I mean, what was the alternative? Could one really have worn now boots to an interview?! It doesn't bear thinking! Or does it.... I mean, I've been doing some research and I found that these days snow boots can be pretty cute. But I still wasn't sure I could find anything office appropriate. But I did find some. I realised the trick is to read the description and look for the term "anti-skid". It doesn't guarantee you won't "skate or free in the beautiful snow" and take an almighty tumble, but it gives you a better chance of not. Mmmhh... Let me know if you try this... Anyway, I'm going to do a deeper search to see just what snow boots are out there for my different looks for my different events. Certainly for an office job or interview, under a pair of tailored trousers or with warm leggings and a skirt, the boots below might work. They are "anti-skid" but you never know.... It really depends on how heavy you are and how 'slopey' the surface....
Oh well. I guess you've got it by now that in my recommendations for winter apparel for the plus size, and there will be three of them, that for me my first essential is gloves. While it might seem obvious, the first is to make sure your hands and feet are taken care of in that great ongoing battle between us and the elements. Either stock up on all the "Corner Shop Gloves" you can afford and place them everywhere you can think of to be within easy reach. They're fairly less restrictive than gloves made with 'heavier' fabrics. Place a pair in your car, your home, your office, your coat pocket and a spare in your bag. Anywhere you are for a length of time. And I always go with darker colours like black. Goes with everything right? That way if you lose a pair you don't have to suffer the biting sting on your fingers for too long because you simply whip out another pair which is in reach after the briefest lament of the lost pair of course. Gloves, I may find them irksome to wear but when it's really cold out there it is better with than without. And if you prefer a very chic look and don't mind the slight restrain of digit mobility then go for that beautiful leather or faux leather look by all means! Add to that your matching scarf and hat accessories, a nice moody lippie and hat or beanie and you're doing okay. You can do that look up or down. Up to you. But in the winter? "Corner Shop Gloves" are everything! Over and above named brands to me!
And mobility is definitely everything when you're bigger right? It sure is for me. I may have been a little hesitant about wearing tights/leggings/jeggings etc. when they first came on the scene, I mean I've seen some things, but the minute I put them on myself....eventually...I was just amazed at them! I truly was. So freeing. I mean really freeing! I have heavy legs for some reason, yeah, what's that all about? Genes arrgh! And when I'm wearing jeans I need for them to be a little baggy so I don't feel restricted. Because I often do feel restricted in them There it is again. Restriction. Don't like it, don't want it, will never want it! Even for fashion. I want to look stylish but I need to be comfortable as well. Wow, so tights/leggings or jeggings or whatever, they are the total deal. When I don't have to be in formal wear these are for sure my 'go to' clothing essential. But in the winter, it's a sacrifice between comfort and weather. Some of these leggings are way too thin to cope with the cold. Great in the summer but you need two or three layers in the winter! So I may be a little late in the game with this, entirely possible, but in my internet browsing 'sesh' I came across these beautiful wonderful velvet lined tights. They were of course on Ali Express, so if you're not a fan, look away now, but no doubt this is now a thing and possibly they are everywhere. And like I said they may have been around for some time.... I'm just late to the game. Be that as it may I have now come across them and I am excited! Have ordered myself a pair. This makes a great second winter essential for sure! I've ordered one but if I like it and it feels as warm as it looks I will get a few if I can afford it.
The only issue I have is the sizes are all out of whack on the individual shops pages within Ali Express! But I checked my measurements against their measurement chart and think I have it right. I've looked and they only go up to size 6xl (could be any size really the measurements differ so much), but if this is still small for you, listen to me carefully, 'Digivolve' them up my Super-Sizers! "Don't Give Up at Size" is my new motto! It's a little costly and a little bit more effort but you can buy two pairs, split them down the middle on the sides of the leg, add the extra fabric in the same colour and voila! To truly 'digivolve' them, you could make them unique by making the extra panel patterned, custom print a saying, applique, whatever, just create! :) If you want me to do a post showing you what I mean comment below. And if you can't do this yourself find a creator/seamstress/someone with sewing skills to do it for you!
It's been a rather long post today. Had a lot to say I guess. These topics really mean something to me personally and so I guess I just want to share. I hope you don't mind and you're still reading at this point in the post lol! In my first month I wanted to commit to posting, if not everyday, at least as much as I can. Yes to build a community, but also to show you my commitment to you the readers as well. Bear with me. Anyway, I started off by sharing with you about my slippery slide sitch in last winters' London city streets, so my third and last winter essential has just got to be weather appropriate shoes. Nope, flat shoes with a 'rubber' bottom don't cut it. My weight bore down on them and turned them into skates! They were cute, classy, and pointy toed. Just right for my 'interview look' but they just were no match for the weather. I mean, what was the alternative? Could one really have worn now boots to an interview?! It doesn't bear thinking! Or does it.... I mean, I've been doing some research and I found that these days snow boots can be pretty cute. But I still wasn't sure I could find anything office appropriate. But I did find some. I realised the trick is to read the description and look for the term "anti-skid". It doesn't guarantee you won't "skate or free in the beautiful snow" and take an almighty tumble, but it gives you a better chance of not. Mmmhh... Let me know if you try this... Anyway, I'm going to do a deeper search to see just what snow boots are out there for my different looks for my different events. Certainly for an office job or interview, under a pair of tailored trousers or with warm leggings and a skirt, the boots below might work. They are "anti-skid" but you never know.... It really depends on how heavy you are and how 'slopey' the surface....
What are your winter essentials? I sometimes feel that the weather is, again, another thing we plus size people tend to overlook. It isn't a simple matter of changing seasonal wardrobes I don't think. It's about doing so but taking care not to sacrifice our comfort to the max, just for a look. Some discomfort is to be expected when it comes to fashion, sure, no pain no gain right? But it takes it to a whole other level for us who are heavier. That pain is way overboard and I can't believe it should be to the point of unbearable pain. Life is too short friends. And it is to be enjoyed! Let's look cute, stylish and comfortable.
Ria xoxo
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