Great Style at Every Size

As a truck-stop waitress, it's safe to say I get asked some pretty random, if not disturbing at times, questions.

From the ever-popular, "Are you on the menu?" (Ummm yeah sir, gonna go vomit, will be right back to take your order), to the even weirder, "Have you ever heard of dog jaw?" (What does that even mean?), at the end of the day, I'm never at a loss for stories to tell my friends.

However the most common, and thankfully more normal, question that I get is, "Are you working here to pay for college?" My answer is usually the same: "No, I'm working here to pay for my shopping addiction." Of course, I'm only kidding (well, for the most part). But in truth, I am lucky to have a job that not only pays the few bills that I have (thanks Mom and Dad!), but also allows me to put a little aside to save, go out when I want to, and partake in one of my favorite hobbies...shopping.

Although I do enjoy "getting my fash on" (ha, get it? ok, lame joke), everyone knows that isn't always the easiest for those of us who are...ahem...thicker then the rest. Many stores only carry trendy clothes in smaller sizes, leaving the rest of us to choose from frump, frumpier and frumpiest. As a result, many bigger women seem to "give up" on their appearance all together. Of course, I'm not putting every overweight women into this category (umm, hellllo!). Still though, many women "settle" for whatever they feel makes them less invisible. Whether it be walking through campus, going to the store, even taking public transportation, I can't tell you how many girls my age I see dressing like women 20, even 30 years older than they are. Maybe they don't have the time, confidence, or even money to put in the effort. Maybe they just don't care. But all of them should know that there are options out there. It is possible to look good and feel good about yourself at the same time.

Despite being on a college student's budget, I've become a master of putting together great outfits at even greater prices. Such great prices, in fact, that my stepmom would be proud. And when it comes to me spending money, she's rarely proud. It's all a matter of knowing where to shop, and what works best with your body, complexion, and hair color.

What works best for me? I'd say my personal style is a mix of feminine, chic and classic pieces, all of which can be interchanged amongst other items in my closet. I'm on a college student's budget, therefore I only buy items that can be adapted to each season, i.e. a sleeveless dress that can be paired with a cardigan for fall, or sweater for winter. My favorite colors are darker greys, and I do own plenty of them, as I've found them to really compliment my blond hair color and dark eyes.

I'm addicted to wearing dresses over leggings and dark skinny jeans. All of my dresses I've gotten for less than $30 on http://www.forever21.com/. Classy and functional, this is my
go-to look for not only day, but going out at night as well, as the dresses can easily be taken up a notch with black tights and heels. Sure, ordering online is always a risk, as far as fit goes. I've had plenty of no-fits, which in turn resulted in plenty of returns. However, being that the nearest Forever 21 isn't exactly in close proximity to my university, it's a risk I'm willing to take. I've had plenty of successes, such as the one pictured, which happens to be a favorite of mine. One hint that I've found though? Make sure that the dresses are over 33" long. That way they are flowy and comfortable enough, without you feeling the constant need to tug on your top. BTW...Forever 21 will be debuting their new plus size line, Faith 21 on May 1! Who's excited? This girl right here!

All of my leggings, I've picked up at Walmart and Target for under $8. My favorite are the Danskin ones (which can be seen in my first post), as these ones are thick enough to keep you warm and also can be pulled up for somewhat of a tummy control.

I always told myself that when I lost 30 lbs, I'd buy myself a pair of skinny jeans. However, one day at the end of last summer, I caved and bought some anyway. The result? One of the best fashion decisions I've ever made. Why should you have to wait until you're thinner to do something? Why should we constantly be looking towards the future? You are beautiful the way you are now, and if a pair of pants can make you feel better about yourself, then you should damn well work them. Prior to last summer, I had never even considered wearing skinny jeans, let alone trying them on. After all, skinny jeans are for skinny people, right? Wrong. My skinny jeans are the most comfortable and flattering jeans I've ever owned. The dark, almost black, color works to slenderize less than tiny legs and the ankle fit puts the focus on your shoes as well, rather than just your legs. No, I've never studied fashion. No, I've never worked in fashion. These are just amateur observations made by an everyday skinny jean devotee. No, not every pair of skinny jeans is flattering. The darker the better. The stretchier the better. I swear by my 4 (yes I'll admit it) pairs of Xhilaration jeans that I got from Target. Not only are they comfortable, but versatile as well (can ya tell I'm big on versatility?). During the day, I'll often wear them with my Chuck Taylors or black flats. At night, I wear them with heels. Another advantage of dark color is that it can be easily dressed up. And the best part?? Only $20 at Target!

No, that's not the greatest picture of my jeans...bad lighting combined with my lack of touch-up skills . But you get the idea.

Many times, all it takes is a few key accessories to pick up an outfit. Some that I rely on?

Pashminas- so inexpensive, yet they ad a touch of polish to anything. Oddly enough, if they're worn right, I've found them to be pretty slenderizing as well. I'm pretty conservative when it comes to color, so I only own the basic black, ivory, and one black and grey pashmina. They have a million colors out there, however these three go with any outfit and any color scheme. One of my biggest things is owning pieces that I can mix and match.

Cardigans- I love the old grandpa-style ones. Everyday I wear them over sleeveless dresses and shirts to camouflage my less-than-toned arms. My favorites? Grey ones from Target and H&M. Grey really goes with almost anything.

Black Ballerina Flats- so simple, yet so classic. Whether wearing them with jeans or leggings, they make any outfit more girly and feminine.

Here's one of my favorite outfits I've created. And pretty inexpensive to boot! I found the dress on the clearance rack for $19 at Target, the cardigan for about $20 at H&M, the boots for $30 at Forever 21, and the scarf for only 4 euros from a street vendor in Italy.

Some recent finds?

This great shirt, which I bought at the Gap the other day for $18. I couldn't resist...next to grey, purple is my favorite color.

Love these pants...chic and classic enough to wear for upcoming (hopefully...) interviews, and on sale for $36! Also from Gap.
Contrary to what media outlets, people in your life, even passerby tell you, it is possible to look good at any size. The key is knowing what works for your body. Not everything that works for me will work for someone else, and vice versa. However, the one rule that stays the same for everyone is that you can't wear something that you feel uncomfortable in. If you feel uncomfortable, what's the point of wearing it? Last but not least, when you find something that works for you, stick with it. It's always best to go with classic, rather than trendy pieces. There's plenty of options out there that will make you feel feminine, comfortable and confident in yourself. Why settle for less than you deserve? Experimenting is the key to knowing.

A Brief History of Me.

If yo-yo dieting were a sport, I'd take the cake (pun intended). I've been on diets practically my entire life. As a kid, I wasn't obese, just a little bit bigger than all of my friends. I was the first one to reach my growth spurt, therefore I was the tallest out of my peers until everyone else caught up, and/or surpassed me (I've since leveled out at 5"5). I was always active too...I think I've tried every sport/dance class/activity at least once. My problem was always with food.

For as long as I can remember, my mother has suffered from eating disorders. Anorexia, Bulimia, you name it. I think it started sometime around college for her. Being the daughter of my grandfather...one of the most critical and, at times, unpleasant voices to be around...she felt the constant need to be perfect. My parents split when I was about 4, mostly due to my mother's mounting problems, including an increasing alcohol habit.

I've always been close with my mother. Despite her problems, I know that she loves me more than she loves herself. However, she hasn't always been the easiest person to be around. My dad couldn't take it anymore. The constant criticism, nagging, anxiety, denial of any problem whatsoever. You can't blame someone for wanting to get out of that. The bad started to overshadow any good.

Despite the divorce though, my dad has continued to be the best dad I could ever ask for. After the divorce, he moved about 5 hours away for a job, but every month, he flew me down to see him for the weekend. That's where my love of flying and (oddly enough) airports came from. I began flying by myself when I was about 7. My mom, or grandparents, would take me to the airport and watch me get on the plane (the good old days when you could get through security sans ticket). The pilot or flight attendant would come and get me for boarding, show me around the cockpit, take me to my seat. I met a lot of interesting people that way, one of which was a middle aged mother who I became pen pals with for a few years...she would send me different gifts and pictures for holidays and such. Anyway, after the flight landed, I'd wait until everyone de-boarded, then the flight attendant would come and get me. As I walked down the steps of the plane and onto the tarmac, I could see my family waiting for me in the window. After awhile it became routine. I loved it.

My dad re-married when I was about 7 as well, and I was lucky enough to inherit my stepmother, stepsister, and stepbrother. None of which I consider step. I consider my stepmother a real mother, as she has been there for me throughout my entire life. And my siblings are blood siblings without all the fighting and rivalry (well, for the most part). My dad sure picked em well. I couldn't tell you why, but as a kid, and even still today, my dad has always been sort of a hero to me. Between him and my stepmom, they were always the stable parents. The normal family life that every kids wants. Even to this day, I value my dad's opinion probably more than anyone else's.

Like I said before though, despite her problems, I've always been close with my mother. I've lived with her my entire life. We've had our fair share of ups and downs...trust me, plenty of downs...but through it all, we've remained intact. My mother loves with her whole heart and wants nothing more than everyone around her to be happy and content, even if that means she is not. To this day, I feel that she's still trying to make up for the mistakes she made while I was growing up.

Throughout my entire existence, I've known my mother to have issues with food. When I was a kid, she would take me out to different all-you-can-eat buffets and restaurants, sometimes multiple nights a week. As a kid, I just thought that she was treating us to dinner, nothing more. I ignored how many times she consecutively went to the bathroom throughout the meal. I ignored coming home to hear her throwing up in the bathroom. I ignored pitchers of vomit in the kitchen sink. To anyone, that would sound like an obvious and at times disgusting problem. But when you're a kid, and that's what you're used to seeing, it almost becomes natural, or you become oblivious. They don't educate you on eating disorders in elementary school. At least not in the early 90's. I just thought my mom was sick, or had to go to the bathroom, nothing more. She would take us to these restaurants and encourage me to eat with her, as if she had an allie, or maybe trying to convince herself that it was normal. Either way, I was just happy to be going out, rather than staying in. It wasn't until 6th or 7th grade that I realized what was going on. By then, I had heard the terms anorexia and bulimia, so I was pretty mortified when I heard the rumor at school that "Rebecca's mom is bulimic". I guess that's when I really accepted it.

Throughout this entire time, my mother was also heavy into a drinking problem. Although, once again, I didn't realize it was a problem. Thinking back, it was like 2 knives at once. Many times, on the way home from dinner, we would stop at the beer distributor so she could get her cases. I remember it like it was yesterday. Milwaukee Best. Sierra Nevada. You name it. Even when she started getting mean, I didn't associate it with the alcohol. My mother had a great job as an 8th grade English teacher at one of the best public schools in western Pennsylvania. She was beautiful and had plenty of friends. On weekends, she sang in a well-known blues band made up of other teachers, playing at fairs and festivals in the area. She surely couldn't have an alcohol and eating problem, right? Wrong. When my mother drank, she was mean. Not physical, just verbally mean. Insults were thrown around like candy at a parade. Mean insults. Mostly about my weight, calling me a "fat cow", and "worthless", among other, worse things, that I've seemingly blocked out. My mother was verbally abusive, however it was only when she drank. When she didn't drink, she was caring, doting, and everything you would want in a mother. Alcohol was the third person in our relationship. She would yell at me and call me names about my weight, yet the next night we would be at a buffet, with her telling me to eat more and get our money's worth. It was like a bad cycle.

I don't blame my mother for all of my eating problems, but I do blame her for some. Sure, I'm responsible for what goes into my mouth, and I'm responsible for having self-control, however it's a scientific fact that the habits you learn as a child stick with you for life. And those habits have proven hard to break.

I don't have a thyroid problem or anything like that. I know what the problem is. The problem is me. I know that I can successfully lose weight. I've done it plenty of times. My problem is sticking with it. Sticking with it after the initial 20-30 pounds are dropped. Sticking with it after I screw up one day. Sticking with it after I screw up one weekend. Just sticking with it. Period.

But enough is enough. It's time to overcome the past and begin fresh. Maybe my mom couldn't do it (although she is notably doing a hundred percent better than before), but I can. I'm still young and there's a lot that I want to do.

So, in honor of starting fresh, I had my "Last Supper" today. That is, last supper in terms of junk. I'm a waitress on the side, and last night was a horrible, with a capital H, night at work. The combination of stress and not eating all night from not getting a break (too busy in conjunction with the dishwasher walking out) resulted in me taking home a gargantuan slice of our chocolate layer cake. Now, this thing is massive. So massive that I ate half last night, and had to finish the other half today. I didn't want to waste the thing, as we're in a recession, and I didn't want to throw away any of the $4 that I spent on that ridiculous thing.

So, I finished it off this morning. And you know what? I feel sick now. Was it worth it? Not at all. I could have had one bite and that would have satisfied me. I guess your eyes can be bigger than your stomach at times.

Yup, this is the assailant. Don't say I didn't warn you.

So, I ask, how is it possible to put the past behind you and start fresh on your own? It's easy for someone on the outside to say "You have to want it." But those of us actually in the situation know the truth. We do want it, more than anyone could ever know. Sometimes it just feels so hopeless. And people telling you that you don't want it enough just makes it worse. No one is inside your head. Everyone is different. Everyone has a different thought process, and no one person in particular knows how difficult it can be for one person. Rather than getting frustrated, we need to support one another. When a person is mentally ready, everything will come together and they will be strong enough to overcome it. I guess time will tell if this time will be the charm.

And here I am.

In the words of The Office's Michael Scott (whom I'm obsessed with), "Welcome Welcome welcome welcome welcome welcome!"

This is my first attempt at blogging, so bare with me while I get the hang of it.

Any good relationship begins with some getting to know each other, right? So here goes nothing.

The vital stats:

-22 yr. old near-college-grad, B.A. in Communications Media- Broadcast/ PR and Advertising.

-Loves? Good family and good friends. Travel. Different Cultures. Fashion. Randomness. My car. Excessively quoting The Office, Forrest Gump, and Napolean Dynamite. Picking names for my future bassett hound. Tom Petty. The Eagles. Jimmy Buffett and Parrotheads. Flying. Airports. Red wine. Black tea. Black flats. Big dogs. Puppies.

I'm sure more will come out later, as we get to know each other. What brings me here, you ask? I've been in a continuous battle with my weight for some 15 of my 22 years of life thus far. When you think about it, that's an awful long time to be unhappy with one's self. I mean seriously... a lot can happen in 15 years! That's almost 4 presidential terms, nearly 8 Olympics, 1.5 censuses, and countless other milestones in one's everyday life.

When I say "unhappy" with myself, I guess I should clarify. With the exception of my weight, I'm extremely happy with myself. Unfortunately, it's a given that how you look dictates how you feel in general. All the good in the world, including ones self, can easily be overshadowed by one negative.

So, that brings me to where I am today. In less than 2 weeks, I'll be graduating college and, debatabely, entering adulthood. I have the world at my feet. It's the end of an era, in more ways than one. I'm sick of my weight being the one thing that holds me back from everything I want to do in life. So, what better time to kick it to the curb for good?