I hate shoe shopping most days. I live in Crocs flip-flops in the summer, and sneakers or Crocs through the winter. Then snow comes….a lot of snow. I have some older boots that “get me by”, but then the occasional dinner out during winter comes along and I’m perplexed. My husband can tolerate my Croc flip-flops (Athens) – but for dinner – Crocs clogs don’t scream out – sexy or dinner ready.

I’ve attempted buying boots, wide calf boots, shoes, whatever I can find. I have wide feet, so there’s my first issue, but my second issue is a high instep. Shoes press down on the top of my feet and finding flexible boots that aren’t uncomfortable suck.

I resorted to finding some black leather slip on shoes from the men’s department. Do you know how degrading that is? I was desperate to find a pair that looked good and were comfortable. So the guy at the shoe store comes up to me, and asks if I need help or what was I looking for. I’m a painfully nice person, like go out of my way to be nice sometimes, but this poor fella, I was short and to the point, NO – I’m fine. I was so embarrassed to have to say I was there looking at men’s shoes for me! My stupid fat and wide feet weren’t fitting comfortably in the women’s winter shoes…

Alas, I bought a pair. They’re okay, they look like nice leather boots when they are under my pant leg, but I know they’re men’s shoes.

I learned about a store called Valley Wide in Lehigh Valley, so I’m going to give them a go this week or next and see if I can wrangle up some actual women’s shoes that fit me well and don’t make me feel totally awkward. Wish me luck!

If you are a full-figured bride to be who plans on a more causal ceremony, an informal plus size wedding dress will surely fit your needs. If you are either planning a beach wedding or a backyard one, these casual wedding dresses for brides with fuller figures will do the trick, except if you are planning to skydive while taking your vows.

Why an Informal Nuptial?

Why not? Large and formal weddings are much more expensive and they need a lot of time to plan and execute effectively. It can take almost a full year to plan a big, expensive wedding! On the contrary, a casual wedding will decrease the stress. And it will also be much less expensive and less time-consuming. Informal weddings will make everyone involved feel more relaxed and joyful.

Benefits from informal wedding dresses:

Informal plus size wedding dresses are much cheaper. If you are on a budget by chance, these plus size casual dresses will be your best bet, for sure.

You can wear the dress again if you choose to do this! A causal plus size wedding dress can cost less, while still classically embellishing it for a stunning effect. Most full figured casual wedding dresses are made so they could be worn to other similar events without arousing curiosity or screaming “wedding dress”.

More options! Truly there are a lot of options from which to choose, including non-traditional colors and shorter lengths. This allows you to wear your dream dress to more places. Besides bridal shops, you can also go to your favorite local department stores, consignment stores or antique shops. Picture that- how a retro or vintage wedding dress helps you exude a nostalgic appeal while still matching up your wedding theme.

Much faster shopping! Many informal wedding dresses come “ready to wear”. That means, not having to wait 10 or more weeks for a bridal shop to get your order into the shop! Even if you order a custom made informal plus size wedding dress online, it will only take about one month, more or less.

An informal wedding dress for full figured brides will feel more comfortable. You can wear it all day, and what you feel and look like in this dress naturally matters a lot, but cast those worries aside because with casual plus size wedding dress styles they are generally styled in a simply stunning look, fitting comfortably on the curvy body.

Shopping Online:

Most online dress stores carry a frequently updated collection of informal plus size wedding dresses offered at very nice prices. For instance, at Micweddingdresses.com you can customize an informal plus size wedding dress at about $200 more or less. The style and color choices are at your fingertips! You can even get a perfectly fitted casual wedding gown in a month as long as you tell your exact measurements. The considerate customer service at Micweddingdresses.com even includes the fast shipping or the fast order in case you need an urgent order for your dream dress!

The finishing touches found on the dress from Micweddingdresses.com are fabulously delicate and beautiful. The highlights are beading, ruching, corset, lace and other witty detailing for an impressive ensemble look.

To summarize: Do you want to stay comfortably beautiful on your special day? Do you want to have a memorable wedding day, enjoyed by everyone? Have you ever thought of a wedding dress that charms the crowd and fits perfectly on you but cost a little? Well, you will meet all your needs with an informal plus size wedding dress. This dress has been proved not too difficult to find at a price you can afford. ( Micweddingdreses.com offers you all). You will like the way you look and feel when wearing this dress. Pay a visit at Micweddingdresses.com and contact the friendly Customer Service to find a style that is keeping with your wedding. The Custom service and Shipping will both be free!!

Sometimes when I look at self in the mirror, I focus only on my face. I make sure my hair and make-up look just so, and then maybe add a necklace, but I choose not to pay attention to “other bits” of me sometimes. I see it – you can’t not. It’s just sometimes my day to day good mood thing sort of relies on my denial of my size.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not dressing inappropriately for my size – I just try not to glare at how large my arms or hips are.

There are times that you can’t help but see your largeness. Sometimes it’s overwhelming…and just slaps you clear across the face. We can get oblivious to numbers on a scale if we hear the number enough, but show me a photograph and I have to stare at it…Am I really THAT big? Holy cow, I am.

Now, here’s a funny little thing. A picture where I’m standing there alone, I look big – and I see how heavy I’ve gotten, but take my picture next to a friend or family member, and I can’t help but realize I take up twice as much space. Really??!! Yes, crazy, right.

I have a wedding picture with an entire family – and every one else is “person” size, then you get to me, smack in the middle of the picture and I’m almost “two people”. I don’t feel like two people when I look in the mirror at home, but in a picture, I stare — I can’t help but see it.

I took a picture with my sister in Epcot (Florida/Disney) this past year…I’m twice as wide as she is. Yet, when I stand next to her talking, having fun at Epcot, I don’t feel twice as wide. Then I see the picture and I’m horrified, embarrassed, just ashamed that my body is this shape.

I’m trying – really I am. I ran three half marathons this year, have 4 on schedule for next year. Yes, I said RUN, not walk. My body has a really hard time letting go of weight. I worked one on one with a personal trainer for a year and didn’t lose any weight. I ate clean, I’ve done it all – my metabolic panel is a mess. I work with my internist bi-weekly – I’m giving it a go, but my body isn’t changing a lot. My body fat has dropped a lot with running, but my size and shape didn’t change a ton. It’s frustrating…and I tend to forget – until I see those damn pictures.

Dear goodness, the holiday is upon us. It’s time to go shopping for your sweetie and you’re not sure what to get her? If she’s plus size, here are some ideas that will keep you out of hot water.

What about a great purse? No need to worry about size here….it won’t go back because it’s too small, and you won’t get THAT look because you thought she was THAT large either if you get the wrong size clothing.

Here are a couple of great purses:

A classic tote purse in a pretty brown leather than can be used year round – classic style!

I personally have this purse in multiple colors – it’s perfect for traveling or a weekend!

Again, going for a classic style with a slight twist on color. It’s these types of bags that you can use over and over and through out the different seasons:

Another option if you’re thinking jewelry is a nice watch. Many bracelets don’t fit my wrist comfortably, but a nice watch has an adjustable band. Keep that in mind when shopping for your girl. Also with necklaces, opt for a longer chain – as it may not lay where she likes if the chain is too short. Here are a couple of watches worth checking out. Click on any picture for more information.

I am a runner. I take on half marathons and I’m proud of that fact. In fact, I have another one scheduled in a few weeks and one in February as well. I have been running for 1 year and scheduled FIVE half marathons! That’s a lot! I’m over 200 pounds and when people see a big girl out there running and finishing a race it helps other people feel like if “SHE” can do it, so can I. I’ve completed 3 half marathons so far, and a few weeks ago I had my first race I didn’t finish. I’d been having medical issues all day (bloodsugars unstable, overheating, etc) and knew my nutrition and hydration were not where they should be. I’d been waking with shakes the night before…and I knew I might be in trouble.

I’m not ashamed of not finishing..that’s not my issue. My biggest issue was someone who MIGHT NOT KNOW ME might just assume it’s because I’m fat. The fat girl tried and didn’t make it…what a shame. They have no concept of what my body went through and what it took to even get to that start line for a 10pm race, and that I had to be there 2.5 hours early….or what hydration and nutrition means when you’re taking on 13 miles…or any of that stuff….they’d just see a fat girl getting picked up.

They might not have known that it was I who chose to stop because my body wasn’t cooling down properly and I’ve run enough to understand that my body would be in trouble…and I seeked out the medics and the sweeper van….but to a stranger standing on the sidelines, it was a fat girl being picked up by a sweeper van. They didn’t see nurses icing me down to bring my core temperature down…they just saw a fat girl not making it.

That frustrates me. Why do I care what a stranger might think? Do they really need to know I’ve completed 3 other races and I know what I’m doing? It’s nobody’s business but my own, but being a fat girl, it’s like I want this explanation splayed across my back so that other people go, — she’s a runner, she had a rough night — instead of — look, the fat girl got picked up.

I have another half marathon coming up in October and then one again in November. When people first hear that I run, it’s kind of funny. Wow, good for you! I don’t look like a runner….in fact, when I run – I often wonder if i look like a runner. I have a small little shuffle and just keep going, but I joke that it’s more like I’m rolling along.

It’s okay – I joke to make it more comfortable.

Wow, she runs? Really? Come on…yeah, I do. Get over yourself, I propel my body forward, running – not skipping, not walking, not sliding, running albeit slow.

Anyway, as I stuff my body into my running clothes I look like a sausage overstuffed in a casing because many of these running apparel companies don’t target my size. I’ve tried some clothing “made for my size” and working out….yeah, not the same. Give me real wicking properties, not a shirt that makes me sweat more putting it on.

I picked up a shirt off of eBay because I wanted to try the Junonia workout clothes, but not pay $70 bucks for the right to find a shirt in my size. Thank goodness I only paid like $4 for it…the material is heavy as crap and not super great at wicking. I’d rather be shoved tight in a good wicking shirt that does the job and doesn’t leave me in a bigger pool of sweat….

So for now, this girl will roll down the road in her too tight shirt because it’s the one that WORKS better for me. Maybe not for everybody….but for me. Wicking my ass….geez, the thing is like putting a quilt on, and I almost paid $70 bucks for the thing. Do yourself a favor, hit the men’s department of Target or something if you aren’t finding your size in women’s and get something cheaper that actually works. C9 is made by Champion and is at Target at a decent price. You can pick up a shirt for $10 to see if it works for you….don’t waste your time paying an arm and a leg for something that may not work.

Another place to check out is Marshall’s and Target. I was able to find a Nike DryFit in XL that I can squish into that works well…and I didn’t pay a fortune because it wasn’t a popular color I guess. I can live with an orange shirt at half the price since I’m just going to sweat in it.

Wick away my sweat baby, because I’m still running.

Does fat girl complex stay with you even if you lose weight? I think that if you’ve been overweight for a long enough period of time, that it stays with you for awhile. I know that as my body is slowly changing shape – it’s taking longer for my mind to catch up. I’m not talking about suddenly dropping 100 pounds, but even things like losing 30 pounds or so….are there different layers of how fat you feel?

Fat girl complex is that point in your mind where everything you do is based on your size. “Will they not like me because I’m fat?”, “Will I fit in the seat on the airplane?”, “I have to be smarter, better, stronger at this or that, so they don’t notice I’m fat”…..oh yeah…the games we play with ourselves and the things we over achieve on because we’re fat, and want to prove we can — even if we are fat.

I’m not sure about everyone else, but for me it’s been an interesting journey. I was at a hotel a few weeks ago that had a full length mirror. I don’t have a full length mirror at my house, but see myself time to time in fitting rooms in stores. The thing is, at a store, we’re trying on clothing and seeing how it looks on us, and we’re all ready in this self-loathing, oh I’m so fat mode. This shirt makes me look fat — or ummm, could it be I’m putting a shirt on a frame that carries more than 200 pounds? Okay, so that’s besides the point….haaaa

Anyway, I’m in the hotel and I can’t help but study my body in the mirror. Geez, I think I’m starting to be a little smaller than I used to be. I’m not talking small, I’m talking “smaller than I was”. I looked at my hips, my waist, my shoulders — and I was more narrow. Is it an illusion? Then I turned sideways….BINGO! There’s the body I know and loathe at moments. Carrying extra weight, looking pregnant though my kids are almost grown — so I turned back and looked at myself from the front…and yes I saw it – I smiled, and I was right. I was more narrow in this direction — just not in the other yet. I’ll get there eventually if I keep at it…and if I don’t, maybe I’ll at least learn more about myself during the journey.

Either way, I’m moving my body – eating better, and my clothes are fitting a little better….and for a moment I was able to look in the mirror and see the start of a body I could appreciate a little more. These legs have carried me through three half marathons, countless miles of training, and my body is appreciating the healthier foods I’m feeding it – the smaller portions are more than enough, and I’m doing okay. I’m still going to be in plus sizes for quite a while. I thought the weight would drop off quicker, but even at a slow pace, I’m getting healthier — and in my 40′s, I’m all for that.

I’ve been going through my clothes lately – sorting things. I buy new clothes and I know I should get rid of some of my older stuff….my size has changed, and I’m donating my larger sizes. As I’m buying new clothes, I am tending to go towards “nicer” shirts, a bit dressier – maybe more blouse like than my traditional jersey material shirts.

Am I trying to dress nicer, or am I trying to be perceived as dressing nicer? I feel nice when I take care of myself, but it started me thinking – who am I really dressing for? When I look in the mirror – am I happier seeing myself in one style of clothing over another?

Do I want my husband to notice? My friends, my family?

I’ve always claimed I dressed for comfort, but many times I bought clothes to hide my expanding figure. Now as I’m getting smaller, do I like the dressier materials? Do I prefer to be seen as “taking better care” of myself? The funny thing is that while I do like those clothes time to time, it’s truly those comfortable clothes I go back to time and time again…

When I run to Target and it’s just me – I reach for comfort. I reach for the shirt that feels the best on my body. It’s not about “how I look”….but when I go to lunch with the girls, I put extra thought in and think – “Maybe I should wear this instead”….because maybe I want to be perceived as someone who dresses a different way.

I really tossed this around in my mind this weekend, and decided that since I’m in my 40′s, I’m going to stop dressing for others, and dress for me. Colors I love, styles I love, materials I love – and comfort, which I love. It’s who I am….I do like sweatshirts and soft t-shirts – and I guess I’m just not going to “outgrow” that.

….so here I’ll be in all my glory, sweatshirt, sneakers, natural make-up — and just being me.

I’m sorry but it burns my ass that I have to pay more (sometimes a lot more) because I am plus-size. I was looking for some plus size running gear – and while I found a few places that carry it, they are charging an arm and a leg for some of their items.

Let’s face it, it’s a small market, so they can charge what they want – but come on – $60 for a tank top? All the stores aren’t like that, but most that I found are….and it bites.

Often times I find myself just going to the men’s department at Target or something and buying up a size in their C9 stuff. It’s not “cut for me” and my curves, but it fits and it costs under $20. It will work for now.

I’ve ALMOST bought this stupid $60 tank 5x now, but I stop myself…sure I’d use it a lot, and it would “fit” me as a shirt should — but you know what? It’s the point that you’re charging me this much for a TANK TOP. No thank you — I’ll work around it for now. Keep your overpriced pieces and I’ll go find something else.

Ladies looking for cheaper options? Walmart has some Danskin stuff in bigger sizes, Just My Size has some (champion/brand stuff), Target has some C9 stuff in larger sizes…check the men’s department…check TJ Maxx and Marshall’s for some discounts….and when you’re ready to fit into a smaller size, then go by a regular priced running shirt.

Until then, the pretty $60 tank top place can bite my round arse.

Sometimes I feel like some kind of phony…going in the dressing room with a smaller size. How foolish of me to even try…and yet it’s starting to fit. I should be elated, and jump for joy. My weight loss efforts are making ground – but instead I look at myself in the mirror and wonder if it will still fit when I get home. My head plays games with me…and sometimes I still want the bigger sizes.

I tried on a blouse and almost bought the 2x. I used to wear a 3x, but now need a 1x. The 2x was a little loose, and I like that loose feeling – it hides me like a security blanket, but when I put on the 1x, it fit like it was supposed to. It looked better….and yet my brain wanted the 2x. Will the 1x cling, will everyone know I bought the wrong size. The problem is, the 2x was the wrong size….I stood there looking in the mirror at my self, my body….and chose the 1x for fit.

My lower body has is still between a 1x and a 2x based on the brand or cut of an item. My stomach will be the deciding factor on pants I might buy. I put on a dress…dare I pick up a 20…I’ve always been between a 22-24, and let’s be honest, I’d creeped to the 26 size on some items…then I picked up a size 18 too…just in case. Why? I know it won’t fit…but i put the dress on, and my body is between those two sizes…..

Running and my lower calories are slowly changing my body….my brain is a few steps behind. Sometimes I get excited to see the smaller size, other times I stand there and feel like a fake, a phony – and think I’m a fool to buy that size…just get the bigger one, “just in case”….it’s a process….something I need to go through – to heal my mind. I’m getting there….to a healthier body and mind.