How about a styling tip?

As part of my styling class, I had to style an editorial shoot to be done in San Francisco. Sadly, for many reasons, I didn't go to California, but I did ship my look there.

In order to prevent scuffing shoes and sets, stylists will often put tape on the bottoms of the shoes, especially if they're meant to be returned. Like the ones I sent in. I got them back today, peeled off the tape, and had a mild stroke at all of the tape residue left behind. I was worried that I couldn't return them, so I scoured the interwebs for tips. Nail polish remover didn't work, unless they meant the stuff with acetone in it, which usually doesn't play nice with porous materials. A cleaning wipe didn't work. I wasn't about to pour olive oil on them, but that did give me an idea: coconut oil!

Coconut oil exists as a solid until warmed up. Since I was concerned about the mess that olive oil would make, coconut oil seemed like the right solution. So I grabbed my jar of coconut oil, a butter knife, and a rag. I spread the oil onto the soles of the shoes, left it set for a few minutes, then worked it off with the rag. I then wiped off the excess oil residue with a cleaning wipe, and presto! No more tape residue. And I was able to return the shoes no problem.

One shoe with coconut oil, the other without.

Both shoes residue-free!

Now, ordinarily, the shoes won't be taped for two weeks in boxes, trucks, and two different states like they were for this project. But this is still a useful tip nonetheless, because several factors may require it. Coconut oil will now be a staple in my styling kit. It was worth it, though. I'd better get a good grade on this!

The shoes are the only part of the look that wasn't made by me or my husband.

So I never got around to doing Plus Styling, Pt. 2...

...mostly because the assignment took a bit of an unexpected turn. Plus I don't have a lot of "plus" clothing.

But here's the final outcome of that project.

Plus Styling, Pt. 1

Over the last several years, I've had a serious issue with weight gain, and putting it off. I've recently come to terms with the fact that, until I can get back to a healthier weight, I can't dress the way I used to when I was around 150. Plus sized clothing has always been quite possibly the most unflattering clothing I have ever seen. So I've started poking around in maternity. Now, Maurices has some cute clothing for plus women, and I've seen a thing or two in the windows at Lane Bryant that I would probably wear, but let's face it: bigger women are often stuck wearing clothing that makes them look old and/or dumpy. In order to find clothes that look good on our figures, we have to be willing to drop down a considerable amount of money on bespoke clothing. Then you get the plus women who dress like skinny teens. Hey, if you're that comfortable with yourself, all the more power to you, but you still look like doughy shit.

I've always been a bit on the thicker side. I was a 32C by the time I turned 13. I've always had wide hips and a big ass. A black girl in boot camp with me told me I had an ass that would make most of her friends jealous. Seriously. Black girls are jealous of my rear end. Okay. So buying clothes that fit me and didn't look like crap has always been a challenge. Being a whole lot bigger has increased that challenge.

Well, I like a challenge. So, as part of my degree (oh, yeah, I'm working towards a degree in fashion design), I'm doing a styling class this semester. Not only will it help me as a designer when it comes to dressing models, but it will help me pretty much dress myself, too. As I complete each stage of my first project for the class, I will post the photos here, as well.

The first part of the project was to take one garment and style it on its own. I took a peasant-style knit maxi skirt I bought at Maurices in Spring 2012, and created twelve looks using only this skirt and some safety pins. Some were not entirely flattering on my figure, but would probably work well on women with smaller frames.

Look 1 was simply the skirt in its natural position.

Look 2 was made by rolling the hemline up and securing it with a safety pin.

Look 3 is the same as 2, except both sides.

Looks 4 and 8 (I failed somewhere) are much like 2 and 3.

Wow, I really did number these out of order, didn't I?

Look 5 was done by wearing the skirt like a strapless dress, and using a safety pin to create a sweetheart top.

Look 6 is taking the rather useless ties on the waistband, and turning them into halter straps.

Look 7 is seriously just wearing the skirt around the bust instead of the hips.

Look 9 was actually the last one I did. The waistband became the hem, and using safety pins, I half-assed draped the body of the skirt.

For Look 10, I created an open and drapey single sleeve.

Look 11 is a baggy strapless sweetheart.

And Look 12.

I think that given more to work with, some of these could look pretty killer, even on my frame. Some of these will be revisited in the later phases of the project that allow for additional garments and accessories. 

So, what do you think? If better planned out, are these styles that could work well for fuller figured women? I would definitely love to hear your input!

Till next time.

Veterans Network Northwest Fundraiser

Several years ago, my friend Matheau started up a page on Facebook to serve as a networking tool for military veterans, families, and supporters in general. Last year, he set me up as co-conspirat--excuse me, admin. A little backstory: Matheau is an Army veteran with combat-related disabilities thanks to an IED in Iraq in 2008. Ironically while I was twiddling my thumbs in Navy boot camp waiting on them to officially say I was too nuts to serve. My husband is a Navy veteran with service-connected disabilities. So we know firsthand the challenges military veterans face. We've fought with the VA, the Army, the Navy, and even organizations that claim to help vets, but ultimately only serve a select few. Here in Oregon, reliable resources for veterans are hard to find. There is a meager VA presence in the Eugene/Springfield area, with major facilities in Roseburg (Southern Oregon) and Portland (Northern Oregon). The charities and groups that the VA works with in Oregon are usually underfunded, and have to pick and choose who they help. If you don't meet very specific guidelines to benefit from their limited funding, you are essentially SOL. And sadly, the VA is frequently incapable of properly doing their jobs--claims backlog, anyone? Matheau is fighting with the VA over, well, everything. The VA told me and my husband that our records were lost. When I brought the Navy in, our records miraculously reappeared, with my husband on the fast-track to getting his disability claim processed. And don't get me started on the politicians in DC using veterans as pawns in budgetary and legislative battles.

Only a small percentage of Americans ever get to wear a military uniform. Legitimately, not one purchased in a thrift or surplus store. You know the saying about the blank check? Yeah, it's pretty much true. When we take our oath of service, we are basically saying that we are willing to die for the United States. We pray to whatever (if any) deity we believe in that we never have to make the ultimate sacrifice. In the end, most of us sacrifice parts of our physical and mental well-being. With the war in Iraq over, and Afghanistan winding down, we now have thousands of combat veterans who will be leaving the military. Troop support does not end when our enlistment/commission is over. There are approximately 400,000 veterans who are waiting for their claims to be processed. That is approximately 400,000 households who face homelessness, hunger, debt, uncertainty. The shutdown in the fall, and the threat of making cuts to retirement benefits only add to the stress that veterans endure. A number of those waiting in the backlog queue will end up being denied. Still others won't be able to get their education benefits for one reason or another. The fact of the matter is this: Congress is perfectly happy to spend money on the military, but only care about veterans when we can help their political agenda.

Are we just another group that wants to help? Yeah, probably. I won't deny that. All we really want to do is help veterans where the government has failed them. We want to help veterans with application fees, transportation, medical costs, food, clothing, shelter...you name it, we will more than likely want to help in that arena. To that end, Matheau and I have decided to take Veterans Network Northwest a step further. We are aiming to turn it into a nonprofit charity that aims to help veterans. I've set up a GoFundMe page, but nothing's really happened. So, with the help of a couple of friends, I'm attempting to organize a benefit. This will likely happen in early May/late June in Springfield. I am looking for bands who are willing to play, as well as vendors who would be willing to sell and contribute a negotiable percentage of their sales, and sponsors. I don't have too many specifics at this point, as we're still trying to pull enough of it together before we pitch it to the potential venue. If this is something you would be interested in participating in, you can contact me via email at stallingsja@gmail.com, or you can reach me and Matheau through the VNNW Facebook page.

Damn you, food, why can't I quit you...?!

Being bigger is becoming the new American way of life. Some want the country to be healthier (an example is First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! program). Some want the healthy living advocates to mind their own business (like the opposition to Mrs. Obama's program).

For me, That ends today. Blaming my weight issues on my decision to quit smoking, chronic depression, and chronic pain is just denying that *I* made the decision to use food and illness as excuses. I want to play with my nephew without getting winded. I want to be able to wear some of my favorite clothes again. Above all, I just want to be healthier. Until these last several years, the biggest I'd ever gotten was about 168 (my weight when I joined the Navy in 2007). The scale this morning read 205. I just can't justify blaming not smoking, whacked-out hormone levels, et cetera, et cetera. I'm done making excuses. Seeing some of Tyler and Henry's updates on their journey has made me wonder that if these two can get up each day and work towards losing several hundred pounds each, then what's my excuse for continuing to sit on my own fat ass, complain about how big it's gotten, but still do nothing about it? My goal is a lot easier to achieve than theirs, and yet they are WAY ahead of me. Even Cindy and Justine's journeys couldn't keep the fire under my ever-expanding ass lit. Even formerly  "fat" celebrities like Kelly Osbourne failed to inspire me enough to actually do something and stick with it.

So why now? Almost four years of complaining and half-assing, and now I finally have that fire lit. And it boils down to a clothing purchase: I bought a damned maternity top. Why? Because plus size clothes suck, and maternity clothes are more flattering. It doesn't help that certain clothes I already own and wear make me look pregnant, so I figured, "What the hell, why not?" Then I got home from Target, and it hit me:

Buying one top made me realize how much I've grown to dislike clothes shopping for myself, an activity I'd previously enjoyed very much. Then I thought about the closet full of hundreds of dollars worth of clothes that I'd spent hours contemplating in the stores, sometimes going back multiple times before making a purchase. Then there's all the shoes I can no longer wear because the extra weight widened my feet. And a drawer full of lingerie that I don't even want to see myself in, let alone subject my husband to. And the four bathing suits? Yup, they aren't getting any use, either. Evening/cocktail dresses? Good thing I don't do anything that fancy. Ah, the tote of costumes. There's a reason I don't head out to too many costumed events, either. They're just sitting in a stuffed tote, collecting spiders. And I think some of it may still have playa dust from Burning Man 2010. And, perhaps the saddest outfit in my closet: my wedding dress. Sure, it's just a semi-matching skirt and top from Hot Topic, but there's a certain sentimentality in it. Lots of women will go back and see if their dress still fits. Mine, sadly, will likely stay stuffed in a box in the closet.

I just turned 30 in September. For some women, this is the dreaded number (until 40 creeps closer). For me, it's just a reminder that I've lacked the motivation and confidence to actually succeed at anything in my life. I'm determined to plow away at my design degree, and, at some point, finish the last bit I need for my business degree. I want to succeed at my business, revitalize my stagnant marriage, and lead a healthier lifestyle. And I'm hoping that coming out and admitting not only to myself, to but everyone, that I love food and sitting on my ass a little too much will help keep the fire burning that was lit by an orange and wine maternity top. And, with a little luck (and a lot of hard work), I can look less like 2013 me, and more like 2007 me (except a few years older, of course).

(See what I meant about certain things making me look pregnant?)

Never thought I'd try a @wilw recipe...

...but here I am.

I'm currently in the recovering stages of a nasty sinus battle (damn these Willamette Valley allergies!), but earlier this week, I was wanting homemade soup that had nothing to do with chicken. So, I asked Google to tell me what soups would go great with with the sinus headache of the century and Snotagra Falls. The first thing that popped up was this blog entry from Wil Wheaton:

Recipe time: Wil's Sinusitis Can Suck It Vegetable Soup

I thought, "Why not?" But I was too miserable to drag myself to the grocery store, so I'm only now making it now that I can intermittently breathe through my nose again. But, true to my usual form, I made changes (Wil's in Italic):

• 3 cups tomato juice--I used V8
• 1 can chopped tomatoes, or 4 chopped fresh tomatoes (save as much of the juice as you can)--I used a can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 4 or 5 carrots--I used about 12 organic baby carrots
• 3 or 4 medium potatoes (I used the red, gold, and purple medley)--I used 2 huge potatoes
• 1 medium zucchini--the zucchini and squash at the store was pretty pitiful, so I bought frozen
• 1 medium yellow squash--see above
• 4 or 5 stalks of celery (I used celery hearts)--I used 4
• 1 medium yellow onion--the onion I got was pretty big, so I only used half
• 4 large cloves of garlic--I used 2 teaspoons of pre-minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (Soy or Tamari sauce also works)--I used organic soy sauce

Heat a bit of olive oil in a stock pot or large (~4qt) sauce pan. --I used grapeseed oil.-- ... Add the potatoes and stir. About a minute later, pour in the tomato juice and water, and turn the heat to maximum. Add all the veggies and spices. Stir like a boss. If the veggies aren't covered, you can add a little more tomato juice. --I put everything else in my crock pot, and added the garlic/carrot/onion when it was done. If I could cook everything in that pot, I would.--

Now, anyone who knows me well enough knows that I *LOVE* meat. I briefly considered added chopped beef to this, but ultimately decided against it. Though I may eat it with a turkey sandwich.

**********

Two hours in CP--taste test. Was kinda bland. Added a little more salt and pepper, another tablespoon of soy sauce, and a couple shakes of Worchestershire sauce. A little better. Potatoes still firm, so still has some cook time.

**********

Sprinkled in cayenne powder without really paying attention to how much I was putting in (you know, red on red). Went to my in-laws' for a few hours, had a small bowl when I got back. Sinuses were temporarily cleared, and my mouth felt like I was eating lava. Tasted pretty good until I lost feeling in my mouth thanks to the carelessness of my sprinkling. 

Final verdict: Definitely a "season-to-taste" recipe. Considering Wil is a beer connoisseur, I can't imagine he has no sense of taste, but everyone's taste buds are different. I like a lot of flavor, but I don't like my mouth tingling for hours (definitely my own damn fault). I will file this away for later to try again without the torturous amount of cayenne, but as long as you season responsibly, this is a pretty good recipe.

I'm off to watch the Star Trek TNG episodes "Justice" and "Naked Now" so I can laugh the pain away with Mr. Wheaton in spirit.

I'm gonna soap box for a minute re: the coverage of the Steubenville rape case.

First off, no one "asks" to be raped. That's a fucking cop out, and they know it. Slut shaming and blaming rape victims is reprehensible, and there's a special ring of hell for rapists and their sympathizers.

As for the media feeling sorry for these two "kids" with promising futures? If they cared that much about their futures, they would've kept their dicks in their pants. That simple. They took advantage of this girl's inebriation. And then her name gets published and aired in the news? Way to go there, media. Add to this girl's pain, you cold-hearted assholes. What about HER future?

So, now you're asking why I'm posting this here. Because I make sexy clothes. If any girl wearing one of my designs was raped and people blamed her clothes, I'd sure as hell take offense. But even more importantly, I've been there. Twice. Once as a child, once as an adult. In my case, I fought hard to take my life back, especially since the one of the fuckbags is still out there and will never see a courtroom or jail cell for what he did to me. I do what I do because I believe in strong, beautiful, sexy women who shouldn't be afraid to show it. This girl will have a harder time recovering because--not only were her rapists painted as victims and her name outed--but because some of these disgusting viewpoints CAME FROM WOMEN. We need to be lifting each other up, not putting each other down. Healing will be slow, but with enough support, it will happen.

I'm not saying I'm completely fine, by the way. I've been carrying this cross for most of my 29 years. I have trust issues, I'm so shy it's ridiculous, I'm not a big fan of people, and I hate being touched by strangers. What a great industry I chose to be in, eh? I'll be honest: it helps me. My first burlesque performance terrified me (see below). As you can see from some of the pictures from Full Steam Eugene, so did my first runway show, so I thought back to my burlesque days. If that wasn't evident. (Again, see below.) I watched a few major Fashion Week videos to get over that before EFW '12. If not for my husband of five years challenging me to put myself beyond my comfort zone, I don't think I could do this. The feedback from everyone else helps a lot, too!

Way too much physical flair for the catwalk.

 I don't walk all theatrical anymore, I promise.

Hiding the terror. Oh, and about 50 lbs smaller.

Moral of the story: CNN and everyone else who are lamenting the rapists instead of the rapee are dicks. Plain and simple. The healing process is hard enough. This kind of behavior is counterproductive to societal progress and to the continued healing of rape victims EVERYWHERE. I'm lucky enough to have found outlets, but there are so many who aren't so fortunate. It's time to stop stigmatizing rape victims. The ones who made them that way are the ones to be stigmatized. As with so many other issues, it's time to stop playing this figurative tug-of-war that leans too far in the wrong and regressive direction. And I wish all the best for this young woman who had a little too much fun and paid for it in one of the worst ways.

Now, I'm gonna go put together a hot little number for a fierce model who'd likely make a potential rapist very sorry they even had the thought.