Oh this feels like such a treat for a Wednesday! I so feel the comment about struggling to find plus sized items in 2004. I was a plus size tween then and it was right around the time I joined LJ but sadly never discovered the community Carmen mentions. The amount of ill-fitting jeans and matronly sweaters I suffered through...
Well, I upgraded to paid to say that I could tell that Carmen went to AU just from that one photo in a dorm. I am such a nerd. So happy to find a fellow AU grad. You do have amazing style too! Also puffed sleeves and Matthew's love for Anne. It's the best.
This was a great read. I also love inhabiting that medium femme space! Lots of room to play around without the time commitment of high femme (I refuse to ever blow dry my hair again).
the shirt tucking is so interesting to me bc in the 90s, I remember what we now call the loose tuck and the French tuck being very much a "put together" preppy-type style. I would have never, lol. but often was in situations where folks made me and so I pushed it with French tuck style or partly untucked as much as I could. the tight bodysuit style tuck was also around of course, but not with the same connotations or push from adults.
all of which to say I still don't really tuck anything in, even when I might actually like it that way. I do like the half tuck look in a button up (like in the last photo), and I've tried it in front of a mirror, but it has never lasted the day
So, I (appropriately for this newsletter) wear big undies that come up to my natural waist, and I started tucking into those rather than my pants, and I find that works really well for me? Like obviously this only works if your pants come up almost as high as your drawers, but worth a shot!
(And boy do I understand the childhood clothes/hair thing... probably why I grew out my hair and ended up owning a vintage shop a couple years after college!)
The 90s were a hard time being over a size 12. I remember going to store after store trying to find a prom dress in 1998 and coming up empty. My mom ended up making me a dress but even finding a pattern was tough.
I am Universal Standard's number 1 fan. I wish I had known about them from the beginning. I had a discount for linen clothes and picked up the gorgeous shorts and shirt you recommended. Thanks for this great article and amazing community.
This was just such an incredible piece! Loved this interview so much and related in many ways! Saving it in my inbox so I can follow my new fashion icon when I get back on IG!
Absolutely love this conversation with two icons!!
Oh this feels like such a treat for a Wednesday! I so feel the comment about struggling to find plus sized items in 2004. I was a plus size tween then and it was right around the time I joined LJ but sadly never discovered the community Carmen mentions. The amount of ill-fitting jeans and matronly sweaters I suffered through...
I love how Big Undies and Burnt Toast fill my mornings with so much joy.
Well, I upgraded to paid to say that I could tell that Carmen went to AU just from that one photo in a dorm. I am such a nerd. So happy to find a fellow AU grad. You do have amazing style too! Also puffed sleeves and Matthew's love for Anne. It's the best.
Lol, I love this and thank you for upgrading!
This was a great read. I also love inhabiting that medium femme space! Lots of room to play around without the time commitment of high femme (I refuse to ever blow dry my hair again).
I never mastered blow drying.
medium femme! yes
the shirt tucking is so interesting to me bc in the 90s, I remember what we now call the loose tuck and the French tuck being very much a "put together" preppy-type style. I would have never, lol. but often was in situations where folks made me and so I pushed it with French tuck style or partly untucked as much as I could. the tight bodysuit style tuck was also around of course, but not with the same connotations or push from adults.
all of which to say I still don't really tuck anything in, even when I might actually like it that way. I do like the half tuck look in a button up (like in the last photo), and I've tried it in front of a mirror, but it has never lasted the day
I agree! I’ve been trying to half tuck but I always pull it out, sometimes accidentally and sometimes on purpose.
So, I (appropriately for this newsletter) wear big undies that come up to my natural waist, and I started tucking into those rather than my pants, and I find that works really well for me? Like obviously this only works if your pants come up almost as high as your drawers, but worth a shot!
Same! Or the button of my jeans gets stuck flipped over and it ends up looking messy.
I love meeting new people here. Thanks to both of you for this delightful conversation.
This was an absolute delight. Thank you both!
(And boy do I understand the childhood clothes/hair thing... probably why I grew out my hair and ended up owning a vintage shop a couple years after college!)
The 90s were a hard time being over a size 12. I remember going to store after store trying to find a prom dress in 1998 and coming up empty. My mom ended up making me a dress but even finding a pattern was tough.
I am Universal Standard's number 1 fan. I wish I had known about them from the beginning. I had a discount for linen clothes and picked up the gorgeous shorts and shirt you recommended. Thanks for this great article and amazing community.
This was just such an incredible piece! Loved this interview so much and related in many ways! Saving it in my inbox so I can follow my new fashion icon when I get back on IG!