Fat girl summer - let's slay 💅

[Lwrenn]

So, for those of us who are chunky yet funky, what's the plan ladies?

Shall we give no fucks and wear nice comfy summery clothes or do we worry about keeping every inch of us covered head to toe in black until we sweat so hard we melt? What's the plan?

Currently a size 20/22 myself, unlikely to get down to a magical size 14 by July so I'm looking at the nice comfy looking linen pants, few maxi dresses, shorts because I'm a wee chubby pale rebel and to really go wild a jumpsuit or two.

Simply be has some lovely things at the moment including shoes, asos curve is looking alright and vinted is my best pal.

I'm 35 for a few more months and don't want to have another summer in my 30s hating my body, so this year I'm going to embrace it. Anyone with me?

cami top, cycling shorts and a light shirt over the top

That sounds a great combo!

Roman is good for long flowing style tops.

They're good for flattering dresses too.

I have gone for it and ordered a Manners Asri dress as I was chuffed they did petite, love cotton, love pockets, hate bras and have a hot holiday with extended family this yeat for which I really want to feel good! For a couple of years now I have been trying to stop buying okay clothes and only things I love and feel my best in and I am optimistic this dress fits that strategy. Hope it arrives quickly!

they generally arrive pretty quickly @Chewbecca

I wore my first Asri (in black) in Italy on 2 weeks holiday last year. I wore it on its own, with a cardigan (It was Easter so weather was all over the place), with a wrap, and with a tshirt over the top. Its super versitile and never looks crumpled so good to travel with. Pockets are deep enough to safely hold a phone & the fabric is heavy enough to not be too flappy or revealing in the wind, but also allows a breeze as the skirt is full.

I took 2 Asri (black & purple) on holiday to Croatia a couple of weeks ago - same combo of possibile ways to wear - super versitile (between you and me I got a bit drunk one night, slept in the dress and wore it again the next day😁) . I loved being able to cycle a bike in it, go to the beach, easily swap knickers for swimsuit at the beach (no change room required) and then effortessly change back into my dress after my swim and off to the bar for a post swim cocktail. All easy, all no bra, all relatively glamerous!

I WISH my budget stretched that far (Asri dress)
@HebburnPokemon I hear you - they are more than what I usually pay for dresses too. Though I am a fully paid up ML addict now so I do save up. The dresses make up for the cost with their versitility.

It might be worth siging up to her newsletter as she does do discount codes occassionally.

I did get a 10% discount by subscribing to the newsletter. Quality not quantity!

Oh and I went for 'all the pinks' 😁

I have this one - it arrived last week, the day after I ordered it I've worn it twice, with a red cardy as its been cool, and recieved many compliments.

Beautiful summer holiday dress - hope you enjoy it.

I bet you're all going to look fabulous! Wish I could see you all 🥰

I went for a walk earlier with dp and our baby and we I saw a woman who looked awesome, couldn't age/size her because I'm awful at both but she wasn't super young or slim, very curvy and maybe 30s/40s? She had a boho style co-ord (?) On, showed a bit of tummy and she looked absolutely stunning.
I wanted to ask her where it was from but nerves got the better of me, but she was very smiley so probably wouldn't have minded!
She looked like a wee vision of summer. If I see her out again I'm asking!

Probably a bit of a long shot, but I wonder if anyone can resonate with my issue.
As I've stated, I'm tired of covering up and dressing in baggy clothing, but I also want to be mindful about what flatters. My bugbear is not so much my size—I'm objectively not that big (size 12 and 5'10)—it's my shape; I'm so loose and flabby on my stomach. I don't know why; I've always had a 'pouch' there, even when stick-thin. I have yo-yo dieted over the years, but never to a significant extent. I'm quite muscular underneath the flab 😂

I have a stomach that looks like I've had weight loss surgery or something, or had multiple very large babies (I’ve had none).

If I wear high-rise pants or shorts, it gives me a 'bum belly.' If I wear a tight-fitting dress, I have an apron belly. If I wear Spanx, it just pushes the flabby skin over the top, giving me a flabby waist.

I find skater dresses do not flatter me. I have friends much bigger than me who look much better in a dress, as despite their stomach being larger, it’s more of a uniform, solid shape, as opposed to mine which is a lumpy, droopy mess.

I did take a picture but don't have the courage to post it, so I did a ultra realistic drawing instead of my body type. I evidently gave up when it came to the limbs and face.

Something I am going to start with is dressing from the tall section. I think part of the reason I feel I never look right and can't disguise the unflattering parts of me is because clothes don't fit quite right, and I'm trying to step away from my norm of buying flowy, skater style dresses, as I am learning these don’t flatter much either. The issue is I just don't know what the alternative is. I have two maxi dresses which I love which are light weight material, but more straight line instead of flowy, maybe thats the sweet spot?

I do want to lose weight, I have to as I am hopefully starting fertility treatment end of this year/beginning of next, and I need to get my BMI out of obese catagory (im about 7lbs away), but I think even if I was to acheive that, that still wont resolve my body image issue which I need to work on overcoming.

I hope you enjoy my art work

we have to change the tape in our heads and treat ourselves better no matter what goes on in the world around us.

I was wearing a jumpsuit I feel really comfortable in but when I was on public transport someone asked me if I was pregnant. I told her I wasn’t that I was just fat but that I would take her question as a compliment because I am in my sixties so pregnancy is a ship that sailed ages ago.

I think this thread has made me feel a bit more confident because instead of covering up I continued on my merry way asking myself what on earth is the problem with having a bit of a belly? Don’t get me wrong I am trying to lose weight but in the meantime I can love and myself as I am.

I did keep thinking today about how ridiculous it is that skinniness is revered so much. When you think about it it makes no sense whatsoever to be cherished just because of your size.

Yay, @BustyLee ! I love your response and your thought process.

It's so true, we should love our selves and our bodies at all stages. I find the more compassionate I am to myself, the more confident and more likely I am to lose some weight. Not that it matters if I don't.

And you're right. No one should be cherished for their looks. They are, after all, just the genes we are born with.

Whoop! Get those chub rub shorts out and those beautiful dresses on! 🙌🙌🙌

This thread is WONDERFUL: thank you, @Lwrenn 💐

Loved the art work! It's outstanding 😁

I wrote a reply to this and then my phone started kicking off and adding loads of letters, like someone was holding keys down on a keyboard and I lost my reply.

But I went on Pinterest to look at the types of clothes suggested for your body type, jumpsuits seemed very popular.
But also, I'm able to fasten up an 18 but they always make my stomach look like its been cut in two, would a 14 be massive on you? Or maybe wouldn't push the tummy as much?
Definitely though at such a lovely tall height I'd dress from the taller section, my very good friend is a wee bit taller than you and a size 10/12 but she definitely needs tall sizes or clothes don't sit that well on her, she looks bundled in them somehow.

Best of luck starting your fertility treatment, I hope it's a success 💐💐💐

@wateringcanface have you looked at Mollie Campsie on insta? Apparently she's a size 18, really doesn't look like it at all, but I suspect part of that is her height. Anyway, love her style. Maybe sizing up is the way to go, don't forget that no.one can see the size label, and if something fits well it draws less attention than something that's a little.on.the tight size.https://www.instagram.com/molliecampsie?igsh=cGZkcXMybXBjbDlt

@Seaside3 oh love Mollie Campsie.

@FatAndFiftySomething she also has a very calming voice, so is one of the only things I watch with sound!

I found this useful info on another thread:

If you're thinking of physical comfort in hot weather (rather than fashion, which is a subjective matter) -

Big knickers prevent irritation from low rise underwear rubbing directly on hot and damp section overhangs. If you get high waist (over the navel) antichafing shorts, they are more comfortable and protect the skin over a wider area. If you're prone to sweating, adding a pure cotton, unperfumed towel or liner also helps, as does trimming any hair.

Bras with thicker straps, wider back band (make sure you get a back size that doesn't slice into you, particularly if you normally wear underwired) and less scratchy lace reduce chafing there.

Using a long acting cream/stick antiperspirant on skin folds, upper thighs and the small of the back is easier on your skin.

Physical coverage is better sun protection than sunblock. You don't have to expose everything - and missing a bit with sunblock or running out because you're having to cover from neck to cleavage, upper back, shoulders and full arms every day is painful. Obviously, you still need sunblock, but at least it's at sustainable quantities, as you're covering face, neck, nape of neck, hands, not 1/3 of your body every morning.

Dresses are cooler than trousers or a skirt and top - the need for the waistline to be tighter on separates creates another area for heat/discomfort, whereas a dress doesn't do that.

Unless you're wearing supportive, comfortable sandals, you're going to need a way to reduce the sweat, slippage and friction on your feet - so thin socks or some kind of liner in your shoes is important. Using larger wound dressings at the first sign of a hotspot on your foot rather than plasters massively reduces the likelihood of blisters, cuts, swelling and a shedload of pain. Slip on synthetic shoes are not your friend in the summer.

Essentially, once you've taken care of your physical comfort at skin level, half the battle is won; all you need to is pull a dress over your head/step into it, put your footwear on and you're winning.

report back! 😻

I like that advice!
I'm glad I wouldn't be able to wear the manners dress because it's lovely and I can't afford it!
Apart from my large tummy (three c sections!) is trying to deal with my chest area.
When you have a mastectomy - and I had both boobs off - they remove all the breast tissue which makes the area not just flat but concave.
I chose not to have reconstruction, like about 70% of patients, so usually wear prostheses.
The problem is that you put them in your bra, the weight pulls it down, so if you wear something even a bit low cut, it really gapes.

While I'm happy for everyone to admire my mastectomy tattoo, it just doesn't look good!
So, I wear vests all the time under everything, which is fine today as it's 12 degrees, but not so good during our brief summer m!

(between you and me I got a bit drunk one night, slept in the dress and wore it again the next day😁)

Love it! Why the heck not!

It might be worth siging up to her newsletter as she does do discount codes occassionally.

Thanks for the tip! I'm presuming the clothing quality is excellent?

I'm objectively not that big (size 12 and 5'10)

I need to get my BMI out of obese catagory (im about 7lbs away)

:( BMI is suck a crock of shit

I was wearing a jumpsuit I feel really comfortable in but when I was on public transport someone asked me if I was pregnant.

Utterly rude. How did she respond?

I did keep thinking today about how ridiculous it is that skinniness is revered so much.

I try not to look into it, something about looking like a pubescent child? Reproductive value? Male gaze? Who the fuck cares.

weebarra Thanks for sharing your story. Not the same at all but, I have psoriasis down my left arm and my knees - it looks red and angry - and it really limits what I can wear, particularly in the summer. It's hard having a medical condition that does that.

This is honestly my favourite thread on mumsnet right now 😃

I found the kind of tops I meant on the peacocks site, I've included some pictures, maybe this style might be useful?

Also fair play for the tattoo, as lovely as they are not a chance in hell I'd have that level of patience in me 😂

Why the fuck there isn't some kind of specialist clothing range for women who've had a mastectomy/double is beyond me tbh. If you're remotely decent with sewing I'd alter stuff I liked or take it to a seamstress, see what could be altered to fit you more comfortably?