Monday, October 24, 2011

The Frugal Fatshionista's guide to Halloween costumes.

1 comment :
I love the month of October and here's why.

  1. Pumpkins.
    I <3 them. I <3 to eat them. I <3 to smell them. I <3 decorating and carving them. Did I mention that I <3 to eat them? Cause I do.  A lot.
  2. The weather.
    For about 6 months out of every year, Austin is hot. I'm talking Hot-As-Balls. When October rolls around, the weather starts to become a bit more tolerable, which means  I can occasionally wear pants again and not worry about dying of heat exhaustion as I run to my next class which always ends up being on the absolute furthest corner of campus. It also means that I get to wear the occasional cardigan or colorful scarf. It's exciting, y'all!
  3. COSTUMES!
    I LOVE costumes. But, this deep seeded love only exists for homemade costumes. I value creativity and despise the inexplicable trend of sexy costumes. If I see you around town with little clothes on this Halloween, I will probably make fun of you behind your back (and to your face if I've had enough to drink) for looking ridiculous in your store-bought Sexy Nemo.
As I was saying, I love making costumes. I am a believer in the power of duck tape, hot glue and staplers.  They are MAGIC. (Notice that I do not mention a sewing machine since that contraption takes up too much space, too much time to set up /take down, and requires a skill that I have not yet acquired.)

Until recently, it was nearly impossible to find plus sized, store-bought costumes. If you were a fat woman searching for a costume, you had to settle for a stretchy poodle skirt, or the one-size-fits-most clown suit. Neither of those were creative or fun to me, so I got into the habit of just creating my own costumes. I find it very rewarding and it saves me a ton of money. (Spending $80 for a sexy Bee costume is insanity.)

Anyway, here are a couple of my favorite costumes that I've created over the years using mostly materials that I already had at home (or found at the $1 store) and lots, and lots of duck tape. If you're in need of some Halloween costume inspiration, I hope these can help!


Thursday, September 22, 2011

"F" words

1 comment :


Frugal.

  • I will just go ahead and put it out there: I am cheap. I might even be the cheapest person you will ever meet. I'm serious. Ask my husband.
  • I am frugal about everything in life. We subscribe to the Sunday paper just for the coupons. We stock up on food items when they are on super sale (Yey freezer!). We keep our eyes peeled for Groupon deals to our favorite places. We use our credit cards for every day purchases, pay them off instantly, and take advantage of the free cash-back/ points. In short, if there's a way to save money, we live by it.
  • Rather than brag about how much my material possessions cost, I like to brag about how little I spent.
  • When I go shopping for clothes I start at the clearance rack and work my way forward. If I happen to find something that I like that is not on sale, I won't buy it until it is. If I must have it, I will find a coupon first. If that item is not available in my size by the time it goes on sale, I live by the "it's just not meant to be" mantra and move on.
  • I will be the first to admit that my frugality is almost not even worth it sometimes. (This guy knows what I'm talking about.) But if you send me a coupon, and you have a sale, and you were already on my shopping list, I am ALL OVER THAT SHIT.
Fat.

  • That small, three-letter word used to make me cringe. It used to sting. "Fatty! Fatty! Two by four! Let Diana through the door!" was what my classmates used to chant and hearing that used to bring me to tears.
  • Not anymore! I've learned to use the word to describe myself, to take away its power. After all, I AM fat. It's a [big] part of who I am. There is no reason for me to fear that adjective.
  • There's no denying my fatness. No amount of myspace posing, gut-sucking, or Spanx will ever change that.
    My thighs have always touched.
    I have always had a double chin.
    I have shopped in the Women's Plus Size section since I was in 3rd grade.
    I didn't always fit in the desks at school.
    Even today, there are some desks that I can not fit in at my university. 
  • Rather than wish that I was something that I will never be, I have learned to love myself and all of the fat that comes with it.
Fashion.

  • I love it.
  • I like the challenge of finding something cute and affordable, that will not fall apart after the first wash, and that will still be relevant next season.
  • I spend entirely too much time reading fashion blogs and wishing I had one of my own...oh wait...
  • With all of that said, I welcome you to my blog.

*WARNING* 

I am not the sugar-coating kind of person. I mean, I love to eat all things sugar coated, but what I am trying to say is that I am one snarky, brutally honest bitch sometimes. If I think something looks really awful on you, I'm the friend who asks "are you really going to wear that?" I'm not the type to sit back quietly and let you leave the house looking like a mess.  Just ask my bestie, Danielle (Long story short: I put her frumpy butt on What Not to Wear). If you're looking for a blog that's all sunshine, roses and rainbows all of the time, you have come to the wrong place. This is a blog about fashion. You don't get a gold star just because you dressed yourself this morning.