The year is almost out! Where has the time gone? Normally when November comes around my family and I start thinking about the holidays. We start thinking about how we are going to decorate the house the tree, and all the trimmings. We think about color themes and we start room by room, getting this in order. By the time Thanksgiving Day weekend arrives, it is on and poppin.  It is a big weekend. We start decorating the house, we put the tree up, and try to get something under the tree. This year has been hard on the family, with loss of loved ones, financial and health challenges.  It is easy to begin not to want to celebrate the holiday with all that life has thrown at us this year. I reached a point that I couldn’t settle any more, in order for me to live, I had to move on, and let some things go.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I I love Christmas, and spending time with family. Your girl Curvanna, loves to watch Hallmark movies, they romanticize the holidays.  It is a great distraction from everyday life.  As I began to watch some of the movies, I noticed that it didn’t do for me what it had in the past.  The feelings and thoughts of oh, I want that for myself, or I wish I had this or that wasn’t there. I had an uh ha, moment, your girl Curvanna has matured! I had a moment of clarity.  What type of reflections do you have as you enter this holiday season? It is commonly reported that this time of year depression is high as well as the suicide rate. What are some of the ways that you try to deal with these feeling as they arise? Have you had to help someone during this time of year, because they struggle? Curvanna is in the struggle with you.I had to look inside myself and do some internal cleaning out. I realize as I started this journey, that I had to clean out my existing closet in order to let new things in. The light bulb came on for me when I realized that I was ready to let some things go. This journey helped me put somethings into perspective. Accepting my curvy body meant accepting myself. I had to like my hourglass shape, which help me feel more confident in the clothes that I wear and the things I recently purchased. My self-esteem went through the roof one day, when I stopped to look in the mirror and see my own reflections. I saw, the beautiful, God given body that was me, Curvanna! Curvy, brown, sassy, shapely, round, hourglass, rounded hips, and a smile to boot.  I saw something that I hadn’t noticed before, I like how my shape, which said to my inner self, I like me. The voices didn’t rush in, with the negative noise, I discovered my own voice. The process of the journey is making my voice stronger and stronger every day. I know sometimes you may look at yourself and not like this or that, but I say to you, if you don’t like it all, take whatever piece of it you can and build on that.  The journey for me has just started, but this post marks a pebble in the sand, and will be a time I can reflect on. I have met new friends and I am enjoying the process. So if you don’t hear from me as often, take some and reflect upon my post, and I hope that it makes you smile. Look out you may discover your own curves and realize they too, make the world go around.
Stay positive no negativity allowed. Curvann’a journey continues……look out, you don’t know where, she just might pop up.

Make a Statement:

I have seen this expression on many sites that I often frequent for shopping.  Especially when there are special seasons like the one we are in. The advertisement shows many women dressed in their holiday finest, and they proposed to you that you can make the same statement. They show many shapely, curvy plus size women looking great. They give the appearance, that they promote self-esteem in these outfits as they are looking fabulous.   I am an online shopper who puts everything in the shopping cart and most of the time I won’t purchase anything. Unless it catches me right at that impulse moment.
When you see this phrase, what does it mean to you? We can ask ourselves what it means to make a statement and what do we want to say? I reflect upon starting my journey, I wanted to break out the dull, drab clothes I saw for most, curvy women and nontraditional size women. I think that so many other shapely women, like myself want to make a statement as well. We make statements all the time without saying a word.

Sometimes I am in a meeting at work, and I get asked, “Curvanna” what is your opinion on this matter. I make a statement, then what I say shows glimpse of who I am, or who I want people to think I am.  I have already made a statement when I came in the door. The questions then becomes what have I said to others by my presence? Every day we speak to the world by the way we talk, what we wear, our gestures. What are you radiating to the world, this is something to think about.
What are the statements that we make about ourselves? Do we show who we really are, or do we hide? Is it easier to pretend to be someone else, or should we begin to show who we really are? It takes a lot of energy to continue a façade. It is like wearing a mask.  Why do we have to hide as beautiful women? What type of statement do you want to make? Do I want to show that I am flashy, or a flower child?
What does your community think that of you? We are the only ones that can answer this question.

There is a song, by Kierra Sheard, Flaws, produced by Aaron W. Lindsay, and some of the lyric are….
Sometimes I get a little unsure, A lot insecure, Sometimes I know I might say some words
That might cause some hurt, Sometimes I get in my own way, I’m way too much to put up with
But you put up with it all….
Chorus
You love, you love my flaws
Think they make me beautiful
You don’t see them as flaws at all
That’s why
That’s why that’s why I love you
Cause you are, you are the one who
The one who loves my flaws

I love being on the journey and discovering that there are many like me, just with different names. Some of us want to make a statement and we do it in our one way, bold and loud or soft and sweet. However you do it. Do it, like the golden arches use to say, “Have it your way”! Do it your way!

Photo by Dennis Magati on Pexels.com

Once in a while before I get dressed, I take a look at myself in the mirror. It isn’t often, and sometimes, just when the mood hits me, I close the blinds, shut the doors and take a good look. Often I can see all of my frame, my “birthday suit”. I see the darkened spots, the scars of childhood, and scrapes from the playground, and whatever has tattered this body. I see more lumps than I remember, I know I carry more, in places I can’t hide. The see the roundness of my hips, and the sway in my back. I see the shape of woman, and I like her a little more. I used to see all my imperfections, covered it up in black, and hoped that the world wouldn’t bother me as I use to hide in the background. I have tried many diets, and have yo-yoed for many years. I gained and lost. Isn’t it funny how we are our own worst critics? Don’t you beat yourself up, with such comments, I wish I was a certain size, that I had longer legs, bigger lips, the list can go on forever.  Saying to yourself, I wish I could change this and that. What is it that you see when you stare into the mirror? The mirror, is showing me what has been there all along, ME! Being on this journey, I have met more ladies like myself, trying to accept their natural curves.  This doesn’t mean perfection, it means acceptance. Acceptance of a truth, that my flaws are mine, which makes them beautiful. Beautiful to me, and beautiful to be.
We should embrace what we have, and learn to love it. If we learn to really love our bodies and acceptance all of who we are, that gives us power. The power to embrace and the power to change. I know that there is power in what we speak. If we change what we speak, the power of change is in our words. Can we change our words to match the journey of acceptance? The journey has lead me to you, and to discover, a different me. I have decided to change my words and accept me, my God-given curvy self. In the words of the beloved Maya Angelou, “I am a woman, Phenomenally, Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” That is me; compassionate, curvy, giving, loyal, hourglass shaped, silly, big eyes, big smile, loving, and accepting… all of me. I hope you know that you are phenomenal as well.

My journey has led me to a guess contributor this week. Enjoy the story and journey!  

Acceptance: 
Hi everyone! I am very pleased to be writing for “Curvanna” this week, as it is a blog I regularly follow.  My journey in losing weight is still very early on, and that is why I believe my input could be beneficial for people who are looking to start a new healthy lifestyle.  I started being healthier in June of 2018 and so far, I have lost nineteen pounds.  To some this may seem like a lot and to others it may seem like not enough.  I chose to start losing weight because I wanted to feel more energy.  The two main contributors to my weight loss has been going vegetarian and drinking only water.  I have about one glass of orange juice a day but aside from this- I switched to only drinking water.  Becoming vegetarian has significantly improved my health, I have far more energy.  My body image has succeeded tremendously, and I am becoming happier with the way my body looks each day. The greatest lesson I have learned from the process so far is to not get caught up in the numbers to a point of obsession.  It takes our bodies a long time to grow and stretch to the point it is before we start, and it is going to take time to shrink back down.  Remember that it is okay to make mistakes along the way, and that treating yourself to a snack is not going to be the end of the world.
Acceptance, is a daily journey!

I found this article “7 Perfect Office –Ready Pieces for Curvy Girls, by Caroline Pirozzolo.
It give some great tips, for dressing for the office. I struggle every morning, asking myself, what to wear? I confess, my closet runneth over, and I still feel like I don’t have much to choose from. Do you ever feel like you don’t have the right top, to go with the right bottom, or the outfit you bought last week, you don’t like anymore? The struggle is real. I am coming to understand, that it comes from a deeper place, and my closet is a reflection of my internal thoughts. While I don’t have time to have an analysis done in the morning or the night before, this article has some basic guidelines that may help:
1) A work appropriate LBD – (little black dress) …..Hurley says it’s also the perfect piece for curvy girls looking for a more streamlined silhouette, especially through the midsection.
2) A well-tailored blazer. While we love a more oversize shape for off-duty looks, for the office, invest in a shape that has a more tailored waist and ends at the widest part of your hips, which looks more dressed up for the office.
3) A perfectly cut pencil skirt. For work, it’s totally worth it to invest in a basic go-to pencil skirt in a quality fabric. Hurley says the key is to look for crisp fabrics that aren’t as stretchy or form-fitting as the pencil skirts you might wear for a night out, and to pay particular attention to the length.
4) A patterned dress. “A patterned dress can be fun and young, and V-necks in particular are flattering,” Hurley says. “Then, make a solid-color blazer be the piece that will create the ‘V’ that will be flattering to curvy shapes.”
Find the rest of the article listed below: it is a great read, Thank you Ms. Pirozzolo,
https://www.hercampus.com/career/job-advice/7-perfect-office-ready-pieces-curvy-girls 

Something out of the box!

It has been an interesting month. I was tired of all the commercials regarding the mid-term elections? Every other commercial was about the midterm’s elections. My family isn’t one to sit around and talk about Politics, but I knew that this election was important. This is not a commentary on the elections, but I noticed that many women ran for political office. So, as I am trying to break out of my shell , so I took notice to what the candidates were wearing. Most of the ladies wore dresses, and they seemed very comfortable in their presentation.
It is nice knowing that women are breaking the glass ceiling in politics, there are over 100 women are going to Capitol Hill. This inspired me to think of fashion and politics. It will be interesting to see if what the ladies are wearing. Curvanna is checking out the new political landscape and these are just a few articles that I wanted to share with you.
This articles is a good read” 7 WAYS FASHION JOINED THE POLITICAL CONVERSATION IN 2017, Whitney Bauck . Dec, 22, 2017 

• Fashion and politics have always been intertwined, as has been made evident in everything from the history of the bob haircut to the path that led to women wearing jeans. But there are certain eras wherein that connection becomes much more in-your-face than others, and 2017 was definitely one such period. It was a year that saw one of the largest organized protests in American history, horrifying sexual assault claims that upended the longstanding power structures of culturally significant men, geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Russia and North Korea and scientists saying that climate change will kill us all even sooner than we thought. Considering all of that, it’s no surprise that those in the fashion industry were inclined to think about more than “just pretty dresses” this year…………. https://fashionista.com/2017/12/fashion-politics-protests-statements-issues-2017

Another Good Read  

• How fashion is getting out the vote, _FASHIONISTA  Nov 5, 2018 https://fashionista.com/2018/11/fashion-industry-midterm-elections-voter-turnoutThis election cycle, brands and designers are stepping up their efforts to get out the vote. Leading the charge to the polls is Patagonia Inc., which announced that it will close for business on Election Day so that every one of its U.S.-based employees can vote. Levi’s showed its dedication to increasing voter turnout by selling a T-shirt through Time to Vote that benefits Rock The Vote. Meanwhile, other companies are providing free transportation to the polls. {WWD} CoverGirl is going cruelty-free CoverGirl has received Leaping Bunny certification by Cruelty Free International, which means it has eliminated animal testing from every step if its production process. The Coty Inc.-owned beauty giant is now the biggest cosmetics brand to achieve this certification, a move that is increasingly demanded by consumers who want to spare the environment. This is first step in a larger, long-term partnership between the animal protection and advocacy group and Coty, which has committed to obtaining Leaping Bunny certification on at least one other Coty brand by 2020. {WWD} 

One Size Fits All
My sister called me and asked me to go shopping with her, she needed a coat. We went out shopping, and since I have been on this journey I have been more in tune with my emotions. I went to pick up some trouser socks and all they had was One Size Fits All, or One Size Fits Most. I was so upset, but it wasn’t as if I hadn’t seen this before in most clothing stores. You know the store that you go to in the mall with your smaller friends ad can it apply to hourglass shaped women? How do you feel when you see his in the store? I lamented over this a minute, and we continued shopping. She didn’t find a coat, and I didn’t buy anything either, I think I was still processing the one size fits most. We did go to the plus size section but she didn’t find anything she liked in her size. I noticed a few articles of clothing that I didn’t see that label in this section. I did notice that most of the coats that had style and color were not in this section. This was more frustrating to me than before. How do you feel when you go shopping and you see this theme happening? I am tired of the one size fits label. It isn’t true. One size does not fits most. We are all individuals with different shapes and curves. Do you ever get that feeling when you think you are over something but you realize that you are still processing your feelings? The feelings you thought you had tucked away, start rising up again.

To all my curvy girls out there, what do you think when you see that label, in stores where you frequent?  Does it invoke feelings of anger or disappointment? The designers and manufactures keep doing this again and again to us.  I am happy to take my business elsewhere. Which I hear, the plus size industry is millions of dollars left for other business, mostly entrepreneurs who are trying to address this issue. The one size fits all is a lazy way out of not making clothes that fit a certain size woman.

Curvanna is going to cut up this tag,” One Size Fits Most” and embrace other means of shopping and looking for designers who don’t mind creating fashion for the person, who does not fit into the one size fits most category. My mother always told me that I was special, so to all my curvy friends, I want you to know you are special and however you choose to express yourself in fashion, you are not “ A one size fits all girl! One Size Fits All, I don’t think so !

Photo by Free Nature Stock on Pexels.com

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Image from the Dove Real Beauty campaign. Photo: Dove

This ad campaign was created by Dove to show many female body imagines other than the mainstream imagines that are regularly shown. This collective body of curvy woman highlights the beauty of women shapes across the board. This collage of women with every shape and size some would say that they can see their shapes in the photo. The ad says that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. I remember when I saw this commercial and was taken back by the images I saw. There were more women that look like me than not, which got my attention, it was a good marketing strategy that caught me as a consumer. I do not use the product myself, but I would have tried it for the ad itself. Would this ad campaign impact you as a consumer? What does it to the rest of the world about body image, whether, plus size, average or anywhere in between?

Our bodies come in many shapes and sizes. The message is simple, beauty comes in many different colors and shapes; it is in the eye of the beholder. The point of the ad campaign is how you take care of it that brings out its beauty and preserves it. Once we can get pass the message of the mainstream definition of beauty, we will be happier in the body we were born with and appreciate its own beauty and every curve.

Thanks for joining me!Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

The Journey Begins

I had an office function to go, so I decided to go out with the group.  While we were out, we discussed the new office set up and the recent change with the sitting in the new office environment.  I am in a new cubicle, void of any sunlight, but surrounded by very nice people. I decided to make my space my own. I took the things, such as card, and plants that made me happy, and this would help me settle in my new surroundings. While we were out as a group, various conversations were going on, and someone commented that my space was very colorful. I thought that was interesting, I never would describe myself as colorful. I tend to happy an optimistic, but never colorful.
The conversation went further, as I noted I see myself as a plain Jane. It was called out to me, that I had purple nail polish, and purple glitter on my ring finger, my coat was lavender accented with a pink and purple scarf. I thought of that conversation many times, as I began to say to myself, Curvanna, maybe you are coming out of your shell in ways you did not expect. Maybe I am beginning to embrace myself in baby steps. For many years all I wore was black, on accented with black, now that I am on this journey, I am realizing self-acceptance, happens in baby steps. The journey of my self-expression starts with my first truth, I love color and I like to wear it. Embracing colors of the season, as I discover, what else my journey will uncover, I hope to see you soon.