4 life lessons learned from Plus Size Fashion and the Community

To say that I have grown as a full time blogger is the understatement of my life right now. The beauty in that is I am still growing, still learning, and still stumbling over life and it’s little roadblocks- but with all this comes life lessons that I had to pause and think about! 

4 life lessons learned from Plus Size Fashion and the Community

I mean things and people come into your life for a reason, season, or lifetime with lessons and nuggets of wisdom, tears, and joy! Without being all mushy (cause I am the queen of mush), maybe because I am NOW on the better side of 30? Maybe. 

But anyways, I wanted to revisit this, update this and share with you over the three and a half years, what I have learned about myself from plus size fashion and the community:

I have my own mental fashion boxes and rules for me 

Interestingly enough, I have my favorites, my tried and trues, and my fall backs in my own fashion situation. I love a good maxi, I hate fuss, I love quality fabric, HOWEVER I am at a place where I am open to trying new things, new outfits, and new looks to expand my own fashion horizon. Pants, Blouses, skirts, and heels. 

While I am out in the blogosphere and the internet perusing the newest and latest in fashion, I am always drawn to my favorites- consciously I am challenging myself to step out of the box! I SWEAR. I even bought pink cropped pants (no pic yet- but I bought them and wore them!), snakeskin pants, leather shirts… you get the idea! I usually hide my legs, but thanks to a few of yall who harped at me on Facebook- I will show more leg! LOL 

I am redefining my box and stepping out of it slowly!

I am stronger than I thought I could ever be 

Being a full time blogger is a scary endeavor. I did not have the advantage of working steadily while building up my blog. It was more like job one day and no job the next. Knowing that I wanted to do this and that I lived, breathed, and slept The Curvy Fashionista. There were days where I questioned myself, my motives, and my path. Here I am with a Masters in Marketing and venturing out and bills needed to be paid. Car, rent, insurance, internet, food, cell phone- yeah…. There were moments I wanted to go just one day, week, or month, without crying. 

Looking back, I smile. Seeing how I have grown and trust in myself more is truly a blessing! 

I am never satisfied 

Hehehe. This can be both good and bad; however it is a double edge sword here. See personally, as a Virgo, I am constantly trying to push myself further, improve upon, challenge myself to do and be better… ALWAYS. I hit personal milestones and I am on to the next one. Black Enterprise, Glamour, Ricki Lake? I am already thinking ahead to my next personal goal. I need to sometimes just take time out to smell the roses… 

In fashion, I yearn for plus size fashion to be better than yesterday; to provide more options, silhouettes, cuts, and innovations. The fashion community to be more inclusive, the plus size community to demand more, more plus size fashion. As the seasons change, so should we! Pocket Rocket had such an amazing post about this!

Paying it forward is real 

Nothing feels better than being able to help someone just for the hell of it. I have been quite blessed to have had some amazing women and men around me who have helped me along the way with my endeavors. Selflessly, they have given a hand, an ear, or a referral just because. These actions have not gone unnoticed. 

This is why I try to be as accessible, open, and engaging when someone DM’s me, tweets, emails, or asks for my help! I see this as a way to keep happiness and joy within the world! Honestly! Maybe it’s a bit of the Girl Scout in me, the optimist, or the sign of service- Virgo, but it takes nothing to be nice and help when you can- you never know what impact it can have on someone! 

Thank you my fairy blog mothers, sisters, aunties, within the plus size AND blog community!

These are only a few lessons that I have learned, but some of the most noteworthy ones that I know transcend life AND fashion for me!!!

Q. What lessons have you learned along the way in the most interesting of places? Can you relate to some of these life lessons?