Fat Chic blogger Diana Rajchel at Versaille in Paris, France
Welcome new visitors that found me through the November 2011 People Style Watch. What a fabulous mention, so thank you, thank you, thank you Gabi!
You’re coming in at quite the dynamic time for me. Last year certainly had its accomplishments – a mention in the New York Times, along with visits to Lane Bryant headquarters and Just My Size at their Hanesbrands offices in New York City filled up 2010. While this year has been slower on the plus-size fashion blogging, November arrives with this wonderful mention, a book contract not related to my Fat Chic work, and the usual mountain of stuff I really will get to doing while making people wonder if I ever sleep (I do.)
This year, I slowed down a lot because while plus-size fashion is my passion, it’s not a monogamous deal. I’m a person of many interests, and if you talk to me about shoes, sooner or later I’m going to bring up fair trade, child labor, or something else that will frustrate the daylights out of the harried publicist just trying to squeeze a sound byte out of me. It’s not that I’ve got something to prove – I’m still alive, so I’m assuming I’m smart enough. It’s just this compulsive thing that comes up because I like to take my time and really dig into the things that interest me. Fashion is both terrible and uplifting, sometimes in the same day, in the same designer. I just can’t ignore something troubling because something beautiful is in front of me. While I visit denial from time to time, it’s just not my best color.
Fashion – and thus Fat Chic – is also about much more than looking pretty or making sure that people want to look at you – it’s about sending a message. When you plan your outfit for the day, you think about who sees you – at least, most people do. When you choose your clothing, most of the time, you choose it based on what you would like someone else’s perception of you to be. Whether or not you succeed is not really in your control, but clothing gives you your best shot at it.
This is why, although I’m rolling out some changes so I can do things like pay the gas bill, I lean towards curatorial content over advertorial content. I want this place to serve people who are extroverts that want great clothes, and I also want the people who just want to dress so no one bothers them both to feel welcome here, like this blog has something for you AND your neighbor, even when you literally or metaphorically wear different shoe sizes.
The Catalog Project
So, with that welcome, I’d like to give a brief tour for new and old readers.
I’m aware most of you from People Style Watch are here because of the Fat Chic Catalog Project. This is an ongoing project, since businesses opening and closing is an ongoing thing. The page has preset searches, and you can often find things through liberal use of Ctrl + F and typing in the word for what you seek. You can also use the search bar next to the date at the top of the page to search for anything within Fat Chic Catalog.
Fat Chic Clothing Search
Also, allow me to turn your attention to Fat Chic Clothing Search. Fellow bloggers, you can install this as a widget in your own blog, too. EVERYONE in search of plus size clothing can use it – I have over 1200 active retailers with plus size offerings listed on it. If you check the Guide to Fat Chic, it has some tips to get your Google-fu going so you can get the most out of it. Otherwise, the Catalog Project page has pre-set searches set for you.
Fat Chic Sales Roundup
New to everyone is the Fat Chic Sales roundup. This is a semi-monthly/monthly mailing I send out with sales and notices from plus size retailers. You can sign up by entering your email in the box on the right of the screen. It’s super easy to subscribe or unsubscribe. Mailings will start in the middle of November.
New Comments System
I have changed the comment system to Disqus, and I’m hoping that its accessibility issues will not be too troublesome. This means no more captchas, and easy logins with Twitter, Facebook, Google Id and Open Id. All comments are still moderated – I don’t give trolls any chance whatsoever, and spam is always a problem.
I still have an eye towards making Fat Chic the most usable blog possible for readers, and while most of these posts may well be for my own entertainment, it should give you some fast and handy ways to find what you want, and in your size.