Here’s some food for thought as most of us are about to celebrate Thanksgiving and get ready for Christmas and any other end-of-the-year holiday we celebrate:

The average weight gain during the six-week span from Thanksgiving to New Year’s is just under one pound, according to a yearlong study of nearly 200 people published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Not the typical five to ten pound weight gain we always hear on the news and/or read in various articles.

Most still don’t want anyone, especially fatties, using this as an excuse to actually enjoy eating holiday meals with friends and loved ones, especially if we’re in public. But remember, we shouldn’t have to be miserable during the holidays because other people think we should, simply because we’re living life in a larger body.

The H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, has been hitting children and teenagers who are in fairly good health pretty hard. Surprisingly, the focus on the number of youngsters contracting the illness has not led to a real outbreak of reports (at least in my area) on how fat people, especially fat people who are considered “morbidly obese”, are prime targets just because of their weight.

This may be changing.

The link above is to a video of a CBS Early Show report which discusses a study of 268 obese and morbidly obese people hospitalized for H1N1. The study concluded that out of the total group, 58% of obese and 25% of morbidly obese (roughly 156 and 67 respectively) developed complications from the virus. The study does not list what these complications were, or how long it took to overcome these complications. Obese and morbidly obese people who contracted H1N1 but were not hospitalized apparently were never looked at.

With such a small number of people studied, it doesn’t make sense to automatically lump all fat people into the increased risk pool for H1N1. But as we’ve seen from the medical community, any ailment these days is caused by fatness, so why not stick H1N1 into the mix.

We know that increased weight is correlated with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and strokes, but we also know many fat and deathfat folks don’t develop these illnesses, nor is fat a direct cause.  It may be a correlation here as well that weight could factor in to someone contracting H1N1 and/or having a longer recovery period from the virus, but again, fat is not a direct cause of it.

Like the seasonal flu and lesser colds/viruses, they don’t target a specific group of people. Germs are everywhere, and eventually people will get sick, regardless of weight. I would hate to see the medical community yet again resorting to scare tactics and using small study samples to proclaim that an entire population might become sick because they’re too fat and deemed unhealthy. And even if some are unhealthy in other areas, there’s no real chance they’ll get this virus in the first place.

While browsing YouTube tonight, I searched for 80’s fashion and several runway collection videos from the 80’s popped up so I decided to watch a few.

Can you spot any current retro trends in any of these videos? The sweaters and oversized jewelry from the Bob Mackie video would be right at home in today’s 80’s fashion revival. I think Beth Ditto would be all over the first dress, especially if it was much shorter.  La Roux would probably go nuts over those loud printed jackets.

Also, it’s interesting to see that while the models were still thin back then, they were smiling, bouncy and more lively on the runway.  They don’t look like death warmed over.  And, unlike today, these shows didn’t shy away from using models of different ethnicities (and models that appear to be in their thirties as well) to sell their clothes.

Speaking of the 80’s fashion revival, I have been resisting it. As an 80’s kid, I didn’t need to start wearing clothes that resembled what I had drawers full of twenty years ago. But Saturday, I was in Dots at the Lancaster, PA outlets and ended up buying a gray and black striped long tunic that came with a black stretch snap belt. It screams 1986 and I look like I belong in a John Hughes movie, but it fit and only cost me $18. I can pair it with jeans, skirts, capris, dress it up or dress it down, and versatility is very important to me when it comes to clothing. I’ll have to get a picture of me wearing it and post it here one of these days.

A few costumes over the years:

Here’s me on Halloween, 1987. A family friend made this sorceress gown and I added purple sparkles. Unfortunately, I ended up spilling salad dressing on it after wearing it to a party for nursing home residents the day before.  (Yup, 12 years old and eating salad. Take that haters)!

I ended up working at the nursing home mentioned above in 2001 and this was a costume I wore on Halloween 2003.  With little time (and no talent) I wasn’t able to do a skull face, so I just applied some white and black makeup. More Hot Topic than Old Gothic, but it worked.

Technically this is not a Halloween costume but for a 70’s party my former activities department threw for the residents.  I’m adding it here because to be quite honest, I look pretty damn good!   The decals on the sweatshirt are just iron-ons from Michaels craft store.

I was unable to do the mummy face because my pumpkin was too short.  So I chose this skeleton coming out of the flames instead. This sucker was the hardest pattern I’ve ever carved and I had to do some adjustments so my little guy wouldn’t come loose. But all lit up it doesn’t look too bad.

And here’s me, about two hours ago. I had just come home from a day of shopping and stuck a witches’ hat on my head to get into the spirit. The shirt I’m wearing I bought from Roaman’s this summer.

I hope however you celebrated tonight, you had a spook-tacular time!

One of my favorite parts about Halloween is pumpkin carving.  A gifted artist I’m not, so I was thrilled when I did freehand carving, that it always managed to look decent.

But thanks to carving pattern books, I can achieve really cool results. To some, it may be cheating, but if you weren’t blessed with drawing ability, they’re a godsend. It still takes time and patience to carve the design, and when you’re done, you can’t help but be a proud pumpkin mama.

Here are some of my pumpkins from Halloweens past:

This was last year’s design, “Haunted Hal.”  The eyes are my favorite part and this was one of the easier patterns to do.

I call this one  “The Happy Vampire.”  He’s more cute than scary.

I carved this bat for Halloween 2007.

The Halloween Kitty prepares to greet trick-or-treaters.

I also carved a nifty spider that I didn’t take a picture of. This year, I’m doing a mummy face and I’ll be sure to snap a photo and show it to you all.

Happy Halloween Eve!

Inspired from NAAFA’s article:

When I was in my 20’s I enjoyed going clubbing. I always loved dance music, from the disco of the 70’s, to 80’s synth pop and now to today’s bass-driven beats.  I was never one for drinking and trying to flirt with guys, but when a man asked me to dance or saw me dancing and wanted to join me, I didn’t turn down the opportunity.

I also was never denied entrance to a club, despite being deathfat. But 10 years ago, fat people weren’t the public targets they are now.  I never heard of fat women being not allowed to go to a club until last year.

But sadly, it does happen, and this is why a handful of clubs, mostly in California, have opened that exclusively cater to fat people, providing a safe space for those who may be denied entrance  or ignored in mainstream clubs.

Some people may be turned off by the premise due to their belief it encourages chubby chasing and portraying fat women as sex objects. I am aware that Club Curves (which then had to change its name to Club Moxie due to legal problems with the chain of Curves gyms), one of the first clubs for fat women and men who have no problems dancing or talking to them, is now known as The Big Girl Club, focusing on a more urban clientele and a highly charged sexual atmosphere. The clubs mentioned in the NAAFA article seem to attract a more diverse clientele, from a mother of three to a man who lost weight, but still wants to hang with the fatties.

I think it’s great we have ladies like Lisa Marie Garbo and Kathleen Divine who want to provide places where fat men and women can have a good time without being the literal elephant in the room.  The next step is to show some of the mainstream clubs who don’t want us in their establishments that they need our money and our patronage just as bad as our fellow thinner clubbers.

Have any of you been treated badly or ignored at a mainstream club? Do you avoid clubs because of your size?  I’d like to hear your take on NAAFA’s story.

Dressing up

This is what I wore to my brother’s wedding today.  I bought it at Dress Barn in size 24.  It’s black with tan specks and has a gathered waist you can’t see too well in the picture.  I’m also wearing a black shaper underneath I found at the Avenue store in Delware, size 30/32 (wanted some extra stretchiness to tuck everything in), and a balconette bra from Lane Bryant.

Dressing down

For running errands and general everyday wear, this is the purple and black plaid cropped cardigan from Torrid, size 5 (26/28), paired with a plain black T-shirt I purchased at Lane Bryant outlet a couple summers ago, also in a size 26/28, and dark denim pedal pushers from Lane Bryant in size 28.  It’s getting too cool for the pedal pushers, so now I would wear this with jeans or a denim skirt.

Not quite the fatshionista just yet, but I’m getting there.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m ready to put the last few days of drama behind me and move on to talk about something a lot nicer and happier, so I’m moving my Friday Fatshion post up a day to discuss options for us fat gals when it comes to holiday parties.

It can be difficult for those of us who are size 28 and up to find a basic T-shirt and jeans, but when it comes to dressier attire, sometimes it’s like trying to find a diamond among a pile of cubic zirconia. Many retailers who actually provide semi-formal or formal clothing for us either assume we’re all over the age of 60 and look to The Golden Girls for style tips. It’s frump, frump and more frump.

Luckily the types of holiday parties I go to don’t require me to wear a gown, usually a skirt or jeans paired with a nice festive top. But if you are someone who has a formal or semi-formal holiday office party to attend, or will be getting all decked out for New Year’s Eve, here are some items you might want to take a look at:

The main colors that are associated with Christmas* are red and green, but dark purple and its various shades have established themselves as a hot color for the holidays. This is an eggplant dress from Igigi that slips right on over the head, which eliminates issues some of you, like me, may have with back or side zippers. If you’re also like me and just won’t do sleeveless and prefer to be a little modest while out partying, this has a high V-neckline for full coverage so you don’t have to worry about wide bra straps. The price is not bad for an Igigi dress, $118, and this is also a great dress for the office or for a nice dinner out. It goes up to a size 32.

For Twilight fans, and anyone that loves green, here is a replica of the dress that Bella wears in the upcoming New Moon movie, from Torrid. It goes up to a size 5 (26/28) and again, features a more modest neckline that can be worn with a bra. This was also featured at The Pretty Pear. Sells for $128.00, and makes for a beautiful homecoming or high school winter dance dress for teenage girls. Edward Cullen sold separately.

Roamans’ generally carries some fugly formal wear, but this copper ruffled gown isn’t too bad. I like that it has sleeves and it looks comfortable. The good part is that it goes up to a 34 W. The price is $149.99, currently on sale, and with a coupon you can get it for even cheaper.

Not a skirt or a dress person? Then here’s a tuxedo style jacket and pants from Ulla Popken. Each piece goes up to a size 34. The jacket is$89.00 and the pants are $79.00, however this can be worn for endless occasions, and can be paired with the satin blouse for $79.00,  or a camisole, a bustier, anything you want.

Finally, if you’re like me and you’re not going to any formal parties but still want something with a little glitz, here’s a cute sequin neck top from Fashion Bug for $24.99. It also comes in black and is available up to a size 26/28. This can be worn with jeans, a velvet skirt, dressy black or red pants, and the short sleeves also mean you can keep it in the closet all year long. The gathering at the bust flatters larger chests.

Whatever you decide to wear this holiday season, I’m sure you’ll look fantastic!

*As opposed to Hanukkah, whose main colors are blue and white, and Kwanzaa, who uses traditional African colors.

So Bianca (one of the Two Zaftig Chicks) made a post yesterday about how lucky she is to be white, blonde, not deathfat, living a comfortable life and not being ashamed about it. I’d say that’s pretty harmless, right?

Well, I was wrong. Marianne, who writes The Rotund, found it offensive and believes Bianca is being oppressive towards minorities and other disenfranchised groups, and now others have come out of the woodwork to also express their outrage.

I’m here to say that as a biracial deathfat woman, who is currently unemployed and wondering when steady income will start up again, Bianca’s post didn’t offend me or oppress me.

The Louisiana preacher who refuses to marry interracial couples because he doesn’t believe any future children they might have should exist? That’s being oppressive.

The Ku Klux Klan and other racist/separatist groups? They’ve made oppression their lifelong career.

A white, middle-class FA blogger who isn’t afraid to show her belly and simply says “Hey, I have a pretty good life and I’m happy about it?” Not oppressive.

Why should anyone of us be unhappy about the advantages we’ve been given in life, whether it’s out of our control or not? Why should someone who posts about these advantages be called a dick and douchebag?

If Marianne and other commenters/bloggers are so offended by what Bianca said, then why won’t they directly ask other POC or members of other oppressed groups their opinions?  Why do they need to speak for us when most of us are perfectly capable of speaking for ourselves?

More importantly, why is there this mindset that everyone who is involved in FA must be so radical and hardcore? Not everyone wants to read blogs where people are always angry and offended about everything, and I’ve had a few people in the community who have expressed to me on my blog that they are tired of being jumped on for having a different opinion, or are wary of coming to FA for the very same reasons.  This increasing intolerance of other people’s opinions won’t help FA to be more well-rounded, it will only hurt it, because others will believe we don’t want to hear from people who don’t share the same beliefs and values and don’t share the same experiences.  You cannot preach tolerance and acceptance when you are being intolerant and unacceptable of others who actually might have a different, non-trollish viewpoint to offer.

There are better things to get offended about.

In Maryland it’s raining and the temperatures outside are in the low 40’s so that means it’s time for sweaters.  Living ~400 lbs already blogged about sweaters for supersize ladies, so here are some more options:

Tunic sweaters with kimono sweaters and deep V-necks are very in right now and I like this style a lot. The shorter sleeve length works for those that still need to cover-up for some warmth but don’t get hit with colder temperatures, and the cut is usually generous. This one comes from JCPenney’s up to a size 3x and comes in gray, as well as teal, wine and black for $32.99.  It’s Cintra Wilson approved.

Here’s a hooded duster from Fashion Bug that comes in a variety of colors for $32.99.  I’ve always lauded FB for not shying away from offering items in a size 30/32 and like all their other clothing, this ranges from small to 30/32.

Also from Fashion Bug, here’s a pretty belted sweater for those that want something a little more form-fitted. Again, available in small to a size 30/32 in fresh cream and black for $29.99.

Lane Bryant offers this longer length cap sleeve cable cardigan in the 2 button open style that’s been popular for the last couple of years.  The most expensive out of the bunch, it retails for $64.50 and goes to a size 26/28. Lane Bryant Outlet, however, has a similar style with a collar on sale now for $31.25. My mom bought one for me, size 26/28 in a brick red color. If you have an outlet near you, go take a look as their clothing is not offered online.

Bottom pleated tops are hot for fall. Here’s one in a sweater version from CJ Banks (I have never bought from them before, but if anyone has, tell me if it’s worth it). This goes to a size 24/26 and available in bing cherry or black for $45.50. They’re offering buy one, get another for 50% off (as is Dress Barn) so this may be a good time to stock up.

Happy Shopping!