Stream 3: A Proposition

I was talking with Ashley recently about plus size fashion and how frustrating it can be for me to go shop for new clothes.  Pretty much my entire wardrobe comes from Lane Bryant.  This isn't inherently a good or bad thing-but obviously it severely limits my style, choices, and affordable options.

I would enjoy looking through and shopping at a Torrid or Forever 21 (F21) Plus, but those don't really exist in Vermont.  Also, Torrid is in about the same price range as Lane Bryant, which means my family (mom and gram, specifically) buy pretty much all my clothes for me.  We're always in the store together so I can still get the clothes I pick out, but I can't wait to be financially independent and able to afford to buy my own clothes.

Smaller women have so many more options on where to shop.  This allows them the freedom to create their own sense of style, dress how they want to be perceived on any particular day, and have the flexibility in price ranges.  Not so with plus size women.  Bodies come in many different shapes and sizes.  Why should those of us who are bigger be left out of the fashion world because smaller women are more readily accepted as be beauty standard in society?

As it stands, unless you want to dress in bulky unflattering sweats purchased from your local drug store or wear skin tight clothing 2-3 sizes too small, you better have the money to afford the $50-$100 price range for a typical, average piece of clothing.  See?  Things can get pretty desperate.

So--I propose a revolution.  Plus size women and designers, gear up and take Fashion Week by storm next year.  Let's team up with some other INCREDIBLE designers and find or INVENT new cuts that make us look smokin'.  A-line, empire or high-waisted dresses do not always fit plus size women the way that they are intended to flatter smaller bodies and frames.  Let's get creative, think outside the box, and make something incredible for the plus size ladies.

Let's not be defined by our limitations.  Let's dress the way we want, the way that brings out our inner beauty, our inner strength.  Let's make plus size clothing and fashion affordable.  And lastly, let's remember that every body is beautiful.  Every woman deserves the chance to showcase all the beauty that her body holds.

From my brain to yours,

Megan

Stream 2: My Little Ottoman

As I sit and think about heading off to grad school this fall, I inevitably find myself thinking about what my everyday life will be like.

What is my room going to look like?  How am I going to decorate?  What will I store in my perfect little ottoman now that I no longer have to hide my alcohol from campus security?  (The dorm I will be living in is a 21+ dorm, so it is okay to drink privately in your room with the door closed).

An ottoman is such a perfect furniture piece.  It functions as a stool, a seat, a footrest, and as storage (if you have a hollow one with a removable top).  I will be living in a single in Babcock at UNH in the fall, which means I won't have a lot of space.  I'll need to maximize storage whenever possible.  Lofting the bed to move other furniture pieces underneath is only the beginning of creative storage.  Knowing how to maximize your vertical space is key.

For example, purchasing vertical hanging boxes for your closet space can help you get your shoes off the floor, store those extra bulky winter sweaters, or keep some extra office supplies in an organized, out-of-the-way place.

Additionally, a standing plastic tower that fits under the bed is perfect for organizing and storing medicines, undergarments, or extra make up and jewelry so these items don't clutter the larger drawers in the dresser that is assigned to you by the college or university.

As wonderful and clever as these other pieces are, nothing beats my little ottoman.  It can be a great hiding place as it simply looks like decor or functional extra college kid seating.  While I'm not sure what I want to store in it next year as of yet, here are a few ideas of mine:

• Snacks
• Extra notebooks/stationary/office supplies (frees up clutter on the desk)!
• Handbags I'm not currently using
• Shoes
• Extra sheets/pillow cases/out-of-season scarves
• Decorations for each season/holiday to keep my room festive
• Scented goods for the room/air fresheners

How do you creatively store things when living in such close quarters?  Where are your best hiding places?

From my brain to yours,

Megan