This morning Robert noticed that the price tags on my brand new sweater were visible through the knit. Too lazy to take the sweater off, I turned my back to him “Can you just tear it off?” I asked. He reached down the back of my top, carefully ripped the price tag and extra button off and handed it to me.

It wasn’t until an hour later that I realized I’d given him access to my clothing size without a second thought. For some of you this might sound like nothing, but for me its a huge deal. Not only because I let him see what size I wore, but because I’ve always had a very strange relationship with clothing tags.

You see up until the past year or so, none of my clothes had tags on them. I’m not talking about the price tags, everyone takes those off. I’m talking about the tag with a number on it that identifies what size dress/pants/sweater you have. For as long as I can remember I would rush home after a shopping trip, grab the scissors and cut the sizes off of everything I bought. The numbers 18… 20 … or 24 had no place in my closet (even if they applied to me) so I cut the numbers off as a way of pretending that I wasn’t that size.

Silly, I know… but it’s what I did.

Denial feels really good sometimes.

So fast forward to this morning… with Robert removing my forgotten price tag. As I went to throw it away, I had to pause and acknowledge how far I’ve come in accepting myself as a Plus Size Princess. Not only did I purchase the sweater last night and skip my size cutting ritual, but I let the guy I’m dating remove the tag for me… letting him see the size that I am right now.

I’m proud of myself.

Do any of YOU do weird things with your clothes?

I used to be terrified that wrap dresses would accentuate my “lumps” instead of my curves… I’m realizing that’s not the case. This dress is slate blue with a pink sash, and… pockets!

p.s. I took my braids out and I’m rocking my natural hair for the winter, I’m new to the natural hair game and this was my first updo!

Dress: c/o Igigi, available here. Bag: Jessica Simpson, old. Shoes: Avenue, old. Fishnets: Spanx/Lane Bryant available here.

Photos by: Zanography

It’s that time of year again where you help me choose an outfit for my office holiday party.

Last year, I did the survey on twitter and the dress you suggested I wear was a huge hit, so let’s do it again! This year, I’m building my outfit around a vintage bag and sexy/comfy shoes. I’ve narrowed my choices down to these three dresses and these two coats from SimplyBe.com (the names and descriptions are below). Other than the faux fur coat, which would be a total splurge, everything I’m looking at is under $100.

So, chime in and tell me…. which pieces would you choose for an office holiday party?

Australian retailer Crossroads is putting their spin on plus size dresses. Offering trendy styles in bright colors, they’ve got some cute pieces that would work for a night on the town, a daytime date or a special occasion. Crossroads offers plus size dresses in the same styles that they make for their smaller/straight sizes.

The range goes up to an XXL or dress size 22, so I’d recommend taking a look at their size chart and the cut of the dresses you like before purchasing, but once again its nice to know we’ve got more options. Below are some of the stand out dresses from their site… check them out at crossroads.com.au

Did you know that’s it’s estimated that around 80% of women are wearing a bra that’s the wrong size for them? No matter if you’re a size 14 or 24, an 8 or a 10, finding a bra that fits you properly is crucial not only for comfort but for the well-being of your boobs!

This is true if you’re wearing a bra that’s too tight – this is no time to try and squeeze yourself into a smaller size; it’s all about finding the size that fits. The same can be said if you’re wearing a bra that’s too big – it will feel plain uncomfortable and can dramatically impact the way you stand and look in your clothes.

Here are some top tips to bear in mind when finding your perfect bra match:

Don’t pad when going for a fitting.

When you’re going for a bra fitting, don’t wear a bra with padding or gel pads. This won’t result in a true measurement of your boobs and you’ll end up with a bra that’s not the right fit. Cue discomfort from the wire digging in at your sides or lose cups that won’t support your chest.

A fit is not definitive

As a general rule, not all bra fittings will give you your definitive bra size. After all, if you know you’ve recently lost weight, or had a baby, your bra size is likely to change. Most of the time though, they’ll act as a great guidance tool to finding your perfect fit.

Shake it up

Don’t stick to one shape of bra; there are all sorts of different styles that will shape your boobs differently, some much better than others. Try a balconette bra to enhance your shape and cleavage, or a demicup, which is similar to the balconette but offers more support and covers up more boob. Perhaps you’d prefer a sheer style bra? This style, made of translucent material, might not be the most appropriate for the office (try a T-shirt bra for that!), but would make a gorgeous bra for a special evening in.

The importance of finding a bra that fits you properly shouldn’t be overlooked, so even if you think you’re wearing the right size bra, it’s definitely worth checking – you might be surprised.

I love a cute cozy sweater, but I often struggle to find interesting pieces that aren’t too bulky (no need to feel bigger than I already am!). I was very impressed to find out that a regular reader and commenter on TBGB is also a designer of plus size wraps, sweaters, shrugs and more.

Ms. Karen Mirabilis of mirabilisfashions.com is designing fabulous statement pieces for PSP that will keep us warm this winter. I am pretty much obsessed with this piece:

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Sometimes we focus on the large label brands, but I think its important to give independent plus size designers our support. Congrats Karen on your talents, your site and your pieces… Hopefully there will be some winter/holiday gifts purchased from mirabilisfashions this year!

For more info visit www.mirabilisfashions.com

Or check out her banner on the right side of this site —>

There’s a quote I see all the time that says “The best accessory a girl can own is confidence”

*eye roll*

Confidence is not something I’ve ever owned… at best I rent it like high-end jewels for the Oscars.

I’ve had people mention my confidence as something they admire about me. Every time I hear that I feel like I’m making it look too easy. Maybe because I live with that little voice in my head that nags me about my back fat, my inner thighs rubbing together, my round stomach… the list goes on and on.

Maybe the difference is that although I beat myself up over things I make the best of what I have and I try really hard not let my insecurities hold me back. I’ve learned what looks good on me (and what doesn’t), I’ve learned what my current limits are but I’m not afraid to try and press past them. I’ve learned from experience that every time I tell that little voice in my head to “kick rocks” so that I can take a chance, I’m pleasantly surprised at the results. But that doesn’t mean its any easier the next time… when it comes to confidence, I feel like I’m starting from scratch each morning.

I’ve had people ask me how they can become confident… the short answer is, its complicated.

We talk about confidence like it’s this black and white thing that you do or don’t have, but it’s so much more than that in my opinion. For me, confidence is a journey not a destination. Confidence isn’t something that you acquire and never lose its something that you have to work to keep. And it’s not easy.

How are YOU doing on your confidence journey?

Sometimes I forget that I’ve never dated anyone as long as I’ve dated Robert. Going on a few dates with lots of guys has given me a many experiences (both good and bad) but there’s a lot of new territory that comes with dating the same person for an extended period of time and that’s what I’m navigating these days.

One of Robert’s old coworkers got married recently and he invited me to go with him. Instead of buying a whole new outfit, I wore one of my favorite dresses from LucieLu (I reviewed it a while back here), I purchased some beige heels from Avenue on sale and beige hair accessories from Old Navy, I think I spent like $25 total:

Anyway, It wasn’t until halfway through the night that I realized I’d never been invited to a wedding as someone’s date before. It was kind of a big deal for me. It made me feel… like a “grown up” a little bit! It also became a little bit of a milestone, relationship-wise… it made me feel like Robert and I are in a good place.

As I’ve mentioned before, because Robert and I are in the “slow and steady” lane, its easy for me to look at other relationships zipping by and get ansy. But at the wedding I made sure to just enjoy where he and I are, there were a lot of older couples at our table who had the stresses of life/kids/babysitters/putting gas in the car on their shoulders. Robert and I spent the night laughing, dancing and enjoying each other. Going to the wedding with him was a reminder to just rock out with what we’ve got going and keep looking out for new “firsts”.