plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire.

When I say ‘always the bridesmaid’ I actually mean ‘my first ever time being a bridesmaid and it was amazing’.


Over a year ago, one of my favourite people in the whole wide world asked me to me to be bridesmaid… my first reaction (I’ll be honest) was of panic… and so I declined! After all, getting a plus size bridesmaid dress is hardly a case of just popping into Bridal Dresses R U are getting one off of the shelf! Thankfully my amazing friend (Gemma for those who are wondering) saw straight through that, told me straight away she had someone who would make the dress and that she would be honoured if I would reconsider… I told her I would, and then some how – I ended up yesterday wearing the most amazing dress, tiara and sparkly silver shoes to watch her walk down the aisle!


I could talk for hours about the amazing day – the beautiful church, the vintage coaches, the pretty afternoon tea cakes, the speeches, the 5ive mega mix and so much more, but I won’t. Only to say that I loved every single second of being there and I was honoured to be a part of it!

In my usual vein fashion, I took lots of photos of myself yesterday and I love them. My make up was done by a make up artist on the morning and I was really happy with it! 

There is a saying that is something like ‘Don’t let the fear of striking out make you miss the game’ and how true! I could have easily have backed out of yesterday – Every other bridesmaid was about a size 10 and know I would have stuck out like a sore thumb! Giving my measurements over to have a dress made knowing that my measurements would have been bigger the other ladies dresses could have scared me enough to quit – but it didn’t and words can not say how glad I am of that! Being a bridesmaid for Gemma filled me with honour and joy and no amount of wobbles (no pun intended) about being there would have ruined that!

When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone to do something like that?


Debz 

Debz Louise

Debz Louise is a plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire. Behind many nationwide campaigns such as #WeaAreTheThey & winner of Best Blogger at the UK Plus Size Awards, she talkas about life as a plus-size 40-something woman in South Yorkshire.

www.wannabeprincess.co.uk

I know, I know – what a lovely, imaginative title – you lucky bunch! My creative juices are really flowing this morning, can you tell?


Anyway, I finally got around to wearing this lovely purple wrap dress that I got from ASOS for my birthday (thanks Gem!) and thought I should blog about it! – It’s also now only £15.00 in the sale – bargain!

I teamed it with leggings (obviously!) and then to leave the house I wore my New Look biker jacket and a pretty cake scarf which I also got for my birthday!

As always I am loving my accessories – I teamed this outfit up with my new Black Heart Creatives necklace (Thanks Leighanne) and a long, heart necklace from Primark!

I am notoriously bad for wrapping up warm for winter – I hate layers and wearing too many heavy clothes so generally I don’t wrap up at all! This is the first coat (jacket!) I have owned in years. That said, I do love the look and the fit of the jacket so I don’t see any reason why I wouldn’t carry on wearing it for winter – seeing as it’s freezing already, I think we’re in for a cold one!

Have you bought anything new for your winter wardrobe?


Debz xx

Debz Louise

Debz Louise is a plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire. Behind many nationwide campaigns such as #WeaAreTheThey & winner of Best Blogger at the UK Plus Size Awards, she talkas about life as a plus-size 40-something woman in South Yorkshire.

www.wannabeprincess.co.uk

Over the last few days, I have noticed more and more people talking about ‘#FatShamingWeek’ which seems to actually be becoming a thing on the likes on Instagram and Twitter. Thankfully the people i follow on social media are people who would never agree with something like this, but I couldn’t help be curious….. Yes, I clicked  the dreaded ‘#FatShamingWeek’ links a few days ago.


I am lucky in that I am not affected by these strangers on the internet being keyboard warriors about fat people. I am very happy in my skin and some people starting some kind of hate campaign online will have no bearing on me or my life. But I have to say, I was flabbergasted by the way some people spoke about fat people! Yes, PEOPLE! You’re talking about people just like you – who are brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, mums and dad. Who live their life and fight for survival, they just happen to do it in a bigger clothing size!

So. I clicked off and left it at that, unaffected really other than a little sadness. 


Then today I noticed something wonderful happening. The women on my social media were posting their posts with the #FatShamingWeek attached to them. Photos of women (and probably men, though I haven’t any on my feed) of all shapes and sizes claiming back the FatShamingWeek tag. Plus sized women posting photos of them out there LIVING LIFE! That’s right, while these keyboard warriors are starting a hate campaign these fat women are out there seeing friends, going to the beach, working hard, having children, getting married, falling in love and falling apart! All of it – they just happen to do it in a bigger clothing size.


The question is – does fat shaming work? Absolutely not! If we could be bullied into being smaller, thinner, LESS fat then there would be no teenagers crying themselves to sleep because they’re being bullied for their waist size, there would be no fat people walking with their heads held high into high street stores to buying clothing to fit their bodies! Fat shaming does not work and I don’t see how a Twitter and Instagram campaign will do anything other than show peoples real colours.


If I saw anyone commenting on Fat Shaming Week to say that it was right – I would delete them immediately  I would hope that anyone (fat or thin) or also saw this would do the same. We’re a nation that knows the very damaging affects of bullying, so why do we let it continue?


Please, please do not let yourself be affected by the hurtful words that have been said under some false pretence to shame you into having a healthier body. Do not let yourself be beaten down by people who have no bearing on your life and who will not shape your future. Live your life and fill it with loving people who don’t care about the size of your jeans. Ignore the haters, they’ll always be there. But while you move on and live life, they’ll still be there trying to think of the next twitter Hashtag they can think of to try and shame people into being ‘perfect’.

Cheers!


Debz xx

Debz Louise

Debz Louise is a plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire. Behind many nationwide campaigns such as #WeaAreTheThey & winner of Best Blogger at the UK Plus Size Awards, she talkas about life as a plus-size 40-something woman in South Yorkshire.

www.wannabeprincess.co.uk

This weekend I had to witness some wicked comments on Facebook which got me thinking! I won’t link to the page they were on, or reference them too much as I really do not want to give it anymore promotion than it needs.


On a BBW Facebook page, someone posted a photo of a lady in a BBW night club in a tight, short dress. The larger lady was showing some flesh, but radiated confidence. I should point out that the lady was NOT looking at the camera and as far as I can tell doesnt know the photo was taken, let alone posted by someone else on a Facebook group – which itself upset me!


However, it was actually the comments on this page that upset me the most! Ladies were SO quick to knock this other lady down. Comments about how trashy she looked, how her outfit was ‘so wrong’ and how she should have some self respect and wear something else. People were commenting that her outfit was inappropriate and that she should not go out in public like that, because it is not what people want to see!


My comments about how we dont dress for other people and how we should stand together as one fell on mostly deaf ears – and what a shame that is! Not only do I feel that we should all respect eachother anyway, but as a BBW group I found it upsetting that larger ladies would put down someone larger for wearing what they want. 


Yes, the dress with tight and short. Yes, she showed off some flesh. Yes, it might not be something would I would wear – but who cares what they lady wears! What she does with her life and what her clothing choices, make no difference to me and my day! This lady was at a BBW night club, not a shopping trip to Asda, so let her wear what she wants to I say!


And then today – I posted this photo on Instagram!

I know, a photo of me in a pretty dress is not unusual, so you wouldn’t think it would be such a big deal, but i think you’ll see from these screen grabs that not everyone agrees! (I would usually block out a name, but seeing as these comments were made on a public forum (Instagram) and can be seen my anyone (my Instagram isn’t private) I have chosen not to)

I have no problem at all with this lady and her life style choices, I don’t even care if she looks at me and thinks I am disgusting – but what scares me is how quick she is to comment on a photo of someone she doesn’t know just to try and bash them down?


The world is a big, bad scary place. The media tell us all the time that we’re not good enough, that we should lose a dress size in two weeks or that we should get a bikini body for summer. All of this is thrown in our faces almost unavoidably – and I don’t care, I am happy in my skin and I don’t want to change. But why do ladies like the one above feel that they can comment on me and my lifestyle? Even if she doesn’t understand me and my choices, I am just a stranger to her – what do I matter?

Debz xx

Debz Louise

Debz Louise is a plus-size blogger based in Yorkshire. Behind many nationwide campaigns such as #WeaAreTheThey & winner of Best Blogger at the UK Plus Size Awards, she talkas about life as a plus-size 40-something woman in South Yorkshire.

www.wannabeprincess.co.uk