My 2010 Top Ten Plus Size Wishlist Revisited- A look back

A look back at my top ten wishes for the plus size community’s progress for the year

At the beginning of the year, I drafted a list of 10 things that I wanted, yearned, wished, crossed my fingers for, to see happen with the Plus Size Fashion Community. This year has been quite an eventful one! How did we do? What strides have been or haven’t been made? Let’s take a look! My ten items I wished for are numbered and in bold are my observations from this past year.

1. TYRA BANKS– We NEED a Plus Size Version of America’s Next Top Model! We knocked the petites, birthed a winner already- I think it is time for you to step out on a little plus sized faith and bring us our time to shine! Now, while we did not have “America’s Next Top Model” en plus sizes, she did do a “Fiercely Real” model competition. It’s all in the baby steps I suppose. The winner, Sheridan Watson, sure did take the crown! I still think we are overdue for this special episode… who knows? Half a check!
2. Attention show producers, We NEED a reality show that CELEBRATES and HIGHLIGHTS plus size women loving themselves, living healthy, being Fashionistas, confidently dating, and fashionably dressing our plus sized frames! Not all of us are sad, depressed, or rocking tents to hide our curves! As of today, there aren’t any shows on, HOWEVER there is a VH1 casting of a plus size version of Sex and the City in Los Angeles… There are quite a few studios looking for different angles. Who knows? We may just get a fair representation on the television screen- at least a girl can wish –yes? Half a check?
3. Glamour or LUCKY, let’s have a plus size column fashioned by a certain someone who is knowledgeable about the fashion options out there, unapologetic about her curves, and loves to share news and advice about plus size fashion! (*hint *hint *wink *wink= ME) (Hey, this is my wish list!) Marie Claire has Ashley Falcon, Jones Magazine brought on Dana Storm and Vogue Italy has Vogue Curvy, yet no other publication has a column for the fashionably plus sized woman… I think as plus size fashion is consistent in its attention from bloggers, writers, and media- some may take the step to seeing fashion from a plus perspective! Half a check!
   
4. Designers like Svoboda and Jibri to WALK in NY or LA Fashion Week! I know you can do it! I know you can rep for the Curvy Girls!!!! This September, we saw One Stop Plus showcase during New York Fashion Week! While they were not on the schedule, this still was a monumental step for plus size fashion- a first. NOW, we need to get a designer on the schedule!!! SK Wilbur showed during NYFW as well! Now we need to get them ON the MBFW runway or at least over at Mac & Milk! Check!
5. Full Figured Fashion Week to be bigger than ever! With coverage from the mainstream fashion mags and newspapers, seeing that we MEAN business! Full Figured Fashion Week™ landed on the front cover of the New York Times, in Glamour, Essence.com, and landed in Los Angeles- Check!
6. Okay. Bravo- since you have lost Project Runway and are looking for a fierce replacement, how about a fashion designing show catered to the size 12+ woman? Kind of like Project Runway but from an ultimate Plus Perspective? What do you think? Still Waiting….
7. I need a mainstream straight sized designer to be bold in a plus size range offering more than amazing cottons and jerseys! So (as I tap my chin) Marc by Marc Jacobs? Vera Wang? Proenza Schuller? Anyone? And not just for a special red carpet event. Well… Marc Jacobs announced his toying with the idea of plus, Saks introduced plus sizes into their Designer Collections, Elie Tahari extended his collection into plus size, Norma Kamali debuted a plus size collection for Wal- Mart, and Bloomingdales impressed with an online highly stylized plus sized department. Check!
   
8. Target- your Go International section rarely frequents a size 13- how about letting the plus sized, fashion forward, Tar Jay Shoppers getting in on the designer collaborations? Funnily enough, Afrobella, StyleIt, and myself started  a petition to Target for their inclusion of plus size fashions within their designer collections! 1776 Signatures and counting!
9. No more token Issues of the Plus Size woman how about the substantial and consistent integration of true plus size models? WELL. We have had out share of plus size models featured throughout the fashion magazines- more international ones  (enough for me to write an open letter to the US Mags). It is to note that our fellow plus size bloggers have been making progress in this realm as well! With fashion features, spreads, and guest blogging, plus size fashion bloggers have been knocking and some magazines have answered (have you read my Seventeen guest post?) Check?
10. That plus size women learn to love their body- learn your plus sized curves, love your plus sized curves, and thrive in your curves! (Even if you are a plus size woman with no curves!) Still hotly debated, challenged questioned, shamed, ignored, and championed we have quite a ways to go… but know that we are moving forward. Campaigns from the Girl Scouts, Real Bodies Unite,  Ben Barry Agency, PLUS Model Magazine, Daily Venus Divas, and mounds of others lead the way to bring you sources of inspiration and motivation to help you find your beauty! Half a Check!

So now that we have reviewed our wish list from the top of the year, there are quite a lot of happenings that can NOT go unnoticed. However, we will count those down in a few weeks! What do you think about our progress this year?