Long time, no chat, my friends! I’ve been having a tough time getting my thoughts down into the blog lately, but tonight I had a surge of #feelings, so I knew it was time to check back in. I wanted to share all the things that have me feeling happy and fortunate and overall just plain good lately. And trust me, there are a LOT of updates, so you’re gonna want to keep reading. 😉 Enjoy! xx
The 5 Posts I’m Most Proud of from 5 Years of Blogging
Happy New Year! I hope you all had the perfect Eve, followed by the best Day you could have had in the 15 degree weather Philadelphia provided us with. My plans of an Eagles tailgate and spending the entire day at the Mummers Parade were quickly shattered, but I still was v lucky to spend my days surrounded by my best buddies and so many carbohydrates.
As we embrace 2018 and I continue into my 6th year blogging about my little Philadelphia life, I thought I’d share five posts that I, truthfully, am really proud of. There are posts that just poured out onto the page, and others I spent a whole lot of time on. Posts that have sentiments that mean a lot to me, and others that are about pizza. Whether you’re new to Her Philly or have been reading all along, check out why these five posts mean so much to me, and let me know which speaks to you the most.
Things I Love on the Internet Right Now
Here we are, you guys, I’ve finally given in. The ‘ol link round up post has made its way to Her Philly. All the bloggers are doing it, and for that reason I’ve always thought, why do I too need to publish out links I’m into (even more than I normally do on Twitter)? After a good hard think (and getting some common sense knocked into me at the last PHLBloggers talk), I decided to give these babies a go. Truthfully, I’m not too bad at writing a stream of insane consciousness down, plus I love reading link round ups from other bloggers, so it just might be a good fit for me.
Before I posted this, I racked my brain for original titles to call this series, and really, I got nothing RN. So, it’s currently “Things I Love on the Internet Right Now,” (I also started this off with “Things I Like on the Internet,” but let’s be real, my feelings are normally way more extreme than “like”) but I’m open to suggestions. Happy to hear your feedback on amount of content you’re into in these types of posts, too. I hope you enjoy. xx
{Having A Moment} Jumpsuits & Compliments
It’s been a while since my last Having a Moment themed post, so before we embark on this busy holiday week, I wanted to share this little feel good moment of my week.
I am very easily influenced by fashion trends. I frequently become obsessed with a certain trendy style, like crop tops or high waisted bikinis (and overalls, but my search is still on for my perfect pair), even if it’s not “meant” for a body like mine. What I think is different about me is that when the trend is over, and after I’ve fallen in love with how that style looks on my petite, curvy ol’ body, I add it to part of my wardrobe forever. And that’s why I’ve continued the affair with my summer love, the jumpsuit, far into the fall (and beyond).
{Having A Moment} Finding Curvy Confidence
We interrupt your regularly scheduled Philly programming for a quick look inside the mind of me. I am having a moment right now. I have been spending the morning cleaning out my closets in anticipation of new fall goodies. I brushed my hair, put on my brightest lipstick and jumped into my favorite skinny jeans. I have been trying on literally every single item, then sorting it – sell, donate, keep. Halfway through, I pulled out a Forever21 top I purchased the winter of my senior year of college. I have worn the top, a loose, black crop top with the word LOVE across the chest, many times, each with a long, black tank top underneath. The thought of even a hint of my stomach being revealed to a passerby on the street used to make me cringe. But something has been happening to me lately. Something amazing.
Today, I tried on the LOVE top with a tank underneath. Standard. But as I looked in the mirror, I thought, this is a freaking crop top, damn it. I took off the tank top. In nothing but my crop top & skinny jeans, bright lipstick & long hair, I stared at myself in the mirror. I turned around. I posed. I loved it. Above the top of my high-rise jeans, my stomach peeked through. Is this possible? Do I look hot? Yes, it is possible. My curves, my body, I. Am. Hot. And then, I started crying. Happy, HAPPY tears. This confidence that I have found the past few months and years, has literally been . . . life changing. And I owe it to one thing: my job.
When I started my 9-5 job two years ago, I knew nothing about the industry I was getting involved in. The world of “plus size fashion,” as it is referred to, starts at a size 12. My size. The size of average woman in the United States. And yet, this entire world, which literally changed me, is so hidden. Before I started diving head first into the blogs and magazines of the plus size world, I literally had no idea women like this – confident, beautiful, and curvaceous – existed. Let alone, existed for me to be inspired by on a monthly, weekly, even daily basis. These images, images of gorgeous, curvy women, sharing the pictures they took with their Bay Area boudoir photographer to show just how stunning they are. And their stories, stories about wearing a body con dress, buying wide calf boots, their relationships, have literally helped me to start my own revolution. Hell, I bought a freaking BIKINI this year. Do you know the last time I wore a bikini? 9th grade. And here I am, 24, single, and confident as hell, and I owe it all to these AMAZING role models that I luckily get to work with every day.
So, I’ve decided to share a few of my favorite inspirational images. I want these images out there. I want another young, Philly college girl to discover this world while she still has time to enjoy her sexy, curvy, youthful body. I want her to put on a dress without tights underneath or skip the cardigan and let her bare arms out, and say, why the hell haven’t I tried this sooner? Here are some of my favorite women, looking so stylish & rocking their curves:
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A few weekends ago, I was at Seacrets (Ocean City, MD) with about 20 of my friends for my BFF Mandy’s birthday. Each of my gorgeous, beautiful girlfriends wore a tiny bikini, and I was clearly the largest girl in our group. But as we ran around all day long, eight hours to be exact, in and out of the water, dancing and jumping to the music, enjoying each other’s company, I did not give my size, or the fact that I was in my bathing suit in front of hundreds of people, a second thought. I heard girls complaining that they “felt fat” and hated X, Y, & Z about their appearance . . . and it felt so liberating to not have a care in the world about what anyone else thought of my body. I was just happy.
Every day is not perfect. But for the most part, I am so grateful for my new-found adult confidence. If you are looking to join this high I’m on, I encourage you to check out the fabulous women above, and beyond! Trust me, seeing is believing – and you CAN be the sexy, powerful, rule breaking woman you have inside of you. Thanks for reading. xx
This post is part of the October 2013 DailyVenusDiva ‘Thrive In Your Curves’ blog carnival.