The State of the Curvy Community

Last week I attended a panel discussion on “the state of the curvy community”, at Full Figured Fashion Week in New York. The panel discussion, which involved a lot of audience participation, raised many interesting questions for me. Having worked in the “plus size” industry now for several years, I found the fledgling event (only in it’s second year) promising. The panelists ranged from plus size designers to comedians and bloggers/ performance artists and even a fabulously eloquent curvy life coach.

To give you a little background information, I recently picked up on this event through plus size model Emme. I was lucky enough to get in touch with this plus fashion icon through a mutual acquaintance in order to discuss this very topic, body Image and the curvy community. We chatted for a bit when she mentioned the event, I knew instantly I had to make time to attend.

The overreaching topic that came up again and again throughout the night was the war raging between self-acceptance and the diet culture that we live in today. On one side is women who feel they have worked hard to gain confidence and self-awareness; on the other is a movement against the trend towards obesity in our country.

Blogger after blogger stood up and recounted the negative feedback they have had from either side, a nasty battle of wills pushing from both perspectives. Some angry readers feel that promoting curvy fashion, praising plus models, and celebrating self-acceptance at any size, condones and even promotes an unhealthy lifestyle. In stark contrast are women in the curvy community who see betrayal in plus role models who choose to work with trainers and promote healthy eating.

My opinion and I think the ultimate consensus of the panel is this. Weight is not the issue. The issue instead is a balance of mental and physical health; this may lie in different places for different people. After all we only have one life to live and it is ours to do with as we please. Punishing women by not supplying fashionable and flattering clothing will not lead to a healthier lifestyle. Conversely seeing the pursuit of health as betrayal is no better.


In short, here are my key takeaways from this thought-provoking and empowering event:

- Live in the now.

- Always try to accept yourself for who you are today.

- A diet will not fix your life.

- Health is not about a size it is about choices.

- What you see is not always what is there.

Sneak a Peek

Our new website is set to launch in the next two weeks!! I am so excited I thought I would put together a little sneak preview. Here are a few screen shots of the new site and some of it's best features.


We used an amateur model for the site, but I think the images came out really well. Brooke was a great sport when we tucked pulled and brushed everything into place. We used a local house for the setting. My favorite shots are outside in the park that borders the property.





The site will have some great features including a share button where you can link to your favorite items, give customer reviews or even tweet them. You will also be able to shop by designer, inseam (petite & tall) and Fresh Ayer looks.









Did you miss our last event? Local customers will benefit from event listings and updates along with more thorough directions, links to google maps and much, much more!!

Pamper Your Way Into A Better Body Image

I don’t know about you but I love a good massage. Like many curvy women because of my chest and all the time spent on my feet, I carry a lot of tension in my back. In an effort to handle my stress, I have recently taken up Yoga and asked everyone in my family for spa gift cards. One of the best things about massage is that it makes you aware of your body: you begin to understand why things hurt and where. All of these Zen efforts seem to be paying off. I am less stressed and feeling good!

At first I was not "at home" in a spa -- I didn’t know where I was going or what to do. Disrobing in a locker room and sitting in the supposedly relaxing group waiting room did not make me feel all that relaxed. "Are you supposed bring an extra towel in the sauna room? Should I wear my underwear? Is the masseuse secretly judging my body?" These were very scary questions. After my first massage, I felt vaguely uncomfortable and anxious.

Thank god I am stubborn and my back really hurt or I may never have given it a second try. These days I find myself looking forward to all of the great shower products in the locker room, the relaxing steam, and even closing my eyes and drinking citrus water in the waiting area. The truth is that feeling comfortable around a masseuse can do wonders for your self-esteem. What I have started to see is that every woman has flaws. Every woman feels uncomfortable being pretty naked around a stranger, and I don’t look that much worse laying on that table than any other client. I think that if you give it a try you might just feel the same way -- and you may get to know your body just a little bit better in the process!

I’m Hungry for everything Crystal Renn

I have been a big fan of Crystal Renn from the moment I saw her and for those of you who haven’t already read Hungry I highly recommend it. The book, written last year, is one of the best behind the scenes accounts of the modeling industry that I have come across. She starts off chronicling her journey from childhood including the moment she was spotted by a traveling model scout, who declare that in order to be the next big thing she had to loose 10 inches from her waist. This is the moment in the book when you can see how her desire to be beautiful, successful and to get out of her home town lead her into a crippling eating disorder.

Throughout the rest of the book Crystal and Marjorie Ingall (the writer), recount her struggles in New York. The constant feedback to be thinner, the grueling demands of her agency and the general unhappiness that followed. Ironically it was only when Crystal’s body started to reject the severe eating disorder, she began to gain weight and her struggling career began to end that she was able to gain success. Finally embracing her true body she was able to become the most highly regarded plus model in the industry.

Not only is this book interesting for all things fashion, but it is also a touching account of one woman’s struggle to accept herself. Think the Devil Wears Prada meets In Her Shoes, read it!

For more from crystal check out the links below


Crystal's YouTube Book Video
Crystal Renn on Hungry
Crystal's Facebook Page
Crystal on this months cover of Glamour Magazine

Jeggings: Are skinny jeans only for skinny girls?

“ Are skinny jeans only for skinny girls?”


I say no! Like any trend (with maybe the exception of the tube top), jeggings can be interpreted for the curvy girl figure.

What is a jegging you may ask? A jegging is basically a knit denim legging. A nice jegging should button in the front with a true five-pocket design. I recommend a dark wash.

Denim leggings and slim fit jeans are great when worn with oversized tunics and flats. It is key to balance out the figure-hugging bottom with an oversized top. Another great way to style this look is to pair it with boots. Tuck the bottom of the jegging into the boot. The clunky shoe will also help to balance you out.

As a rule jeggings are better on women with apple shaped, straight or hourglass figures. They tend to emphasize thighs and hips, so women with more pear shaped bodies may want to give the look some extra thought. Pear shaped women should look for longer a-line tunics or skip the look altogether. If you have an apple shape or straight body take more risk and show off the booty hugging aspect of this style with a shorter top!

Need wide calf boots? Check out these Liz recommended links

http://www.widewidths.com
http://www.zappos.com
Denim Leggings by Svoboda Jeans - now available at Fresh Ayer coming soon to freshayer.com!

Plus Sized vs. Generously Sized

Many women wonder how I came up with the tag line “generously sized apparel” and why?

I knew from the moment Fresh Ayer was just a twinkle in my eye that there was nothing useful, fashionable or flattering about the term “plus size” and I knew that I had to find a better way to let women know the sizes that Fresh Ayer carried.

Plus size is a term that generally refers to sizes 16 and above (14 if you are lucky). The most common sizes in the U.S. are 10, 12, 14 & 16, so right off the bat I knew that starting our sizing at a 14/16 made no business sense at all. I also knew that first and foremost I wanted Fresh Ayer to be about style, service and fit rather than about the sizes we carried. Why do so many people do things just because that is the way they have always been done? I was not about to exclude women, who often struggle to find their size in boutiques, just because they were a bit smaller.

I have found that there is a big gap in sizing between conventional sized stores’ L/XL and the 1X, often available only in department stores and the Lane Bryant’s of the world. Many women are more slender on top then on bottom or vice versa and find themselves running between the “plus size” department and the missy size department only to leave with nothing. I wanted to bring their worlds together in one fun, woman friendly shopping environment.

The term “generously sized” was actually my mother’s idea. While shopping at the beach one summer she came across one rack in a boutique with a sign above it that said, “generously sized”. It always stuck with her. “What a pleasant way to point out the sizing”, she said. Why are we “generously sized”? Now you know!

Spring Fashion 1

These three styles by Margarita are fun and lightweight for spring.

Some women size 12 and above are tentative about adding bold prints to their wardrobe but a nice print can brighten up your look and help you hide unwanted figure flaws at the same time. These three pieces are great examples (excuse the slender models…it can’t be helped)!

It is always a good idea to look for a print that can be worn with lots of colors. The “paradise” print skirt combines a neutral (white), with turquoise and orange both popular colors this season. This way you can mix and match it with many pieces in your wardrobe. Prints can distract the eye from figure flaws concealing with pattern changes and color contrasts. The blue tank dress is great for women with a slender upper body because it showcases your neckline and flows over you hips and thighs while the purple cap sleeve dress is good for “apple” shaped women because it hides your tummy, highlighting slender legs and arms.