Summer Series: Boutique Buzz

One question that I have seen in more groups, message boards, etc. that I can count is "Where can I go to purchase plus size clothing outside of the major retailers (i.e. Lane Bryant, Ashley Stewart, etc.). Whether you consider yourself a fashionista or are just someone who doesn't want everyone to know where you got your outfit, one great place to grab some fashion finds are boutiques.

There are numerous online only boutiques. However, as I am sure most ladies can attest, knowing your size in a new designer/brand is difficult. As much as we might not want to shop at the major retailers, we go because we can try clothing on and figure out what size we are in what looks. A size 16 can vary not only from retailer to retailer, but more often than not, from clothing item to clothing item.

Therefore, Belle-Noir is on a quest to promote some of the great brick-and-mortar boutiques across the U.S. and abroad in our new column appropriately called "Boutique Buzz". The column will be a mix of shopping reviews (for the boutiques that we can visit) and Q&A sessions with boutique owners. What we hope is that you, our readers, will check some of these boutiques out and let us know what you think.

Are you a boutique owner looking for some press? Do you have a favorite brick-and-mortar boutique that you adore? Leave a comment & let us know who is out there! Especially if you are in the following cities:

• Atlanta
• Washington D.C.
• Boston
• Philadelphia

Look for our first Boutique Buzz review coming soon as part of Features Friday during our Summer Series!

Toast to the Weekend: Low Calorie Cocktails

Relationships: 3 Keys to Choosing the One

3 Keys to Choosing the One
By Yvonne Chase

Think you’re ready for a relationship? Great! Your chances of choosing the right partner greatly increase when you know yourself, look deeply at what really matters to you and learn all you can about potential partners. Before you dive in head first, make sure you have the following three key ingredients:

1. Prerequisites
Simply stated, a prerequisite is a must; it’s a deal breaker. The relationship will not work if this is not present. There is no room for compromise. For example, either you want a child or you don’t want a child. If you are dating someone who doesn’t want any children but you think you can convince this person to change his or her mind, quit while you are ahead and find someone who wants what you want.

Here’s how you test a prerequisite. Ask yourself, “If everything else was wonderful in my relationship but my partner didn’t want to ever have children, would the relationship work for me? If the answer is no, then it is a prerequisite. If the answer is yes, then it is probably a need that can be negotiated.

2. Needs
Needs are those things that you would like to see happen in your relationship in order for you to remain happy and fulfilled. For example, keeping appointments and communicating when you can’t. You probably wouldn’t leave the relationship if your partner did not keep his word to meet you after work for dinner and a movie however it would upset you if he continued to take you for granted by not calling. Since needs can be negotiated, there is room for compromise. A quick phone call from him and flexibility from you solves that problem.

3. Wants
A want is the icing on the cake -- those things that keep the relationship exciting like leaving little notes in the car or surprising your mate with a weekend getaway. Wants normally don’t have to be negotiated, and the relationship would still work for you if they were not present.

In order to make the best selection for you, your choices must be in alignment with your prerequisites, needs and wants. You must also be the partner that you are seeking. If you want someone that keeps his word, keep your word. If you want someone that’s honest and trustworthy, be honest and trustworthy. Whatever you want put it out there and it will come back to you. Lastly, it comes down to living a fulfilled single life. Available and happy singles tend to make better partners and better partner choices because you are not desperate to be in a relationship. You can take the time to learn all that you need to know about potential partners because for you a relationship is the desert in your life not the main course.

As you take the time figure out your Prerequisites, Needs and Wants, remember this piece of advice from H. Jackson Brown, author of Life’s Little Instruction Book: “Choose your life’s mate carefully. From this one decision will come ninety percent of all your happiness and/or misery.” Now, that’s something to think about.
____________________________________________________________________



Yvonne Chase is a dating and relationship coach based in Los Angeles, CA. She can be reached at http://www.availableandhappy.com/ or coachyvonne@availableandhappy.com.

The Scene: Events & Happenings

Good Food: Tropical Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette

Toast to the Weekend: Curvy Cocktails

Style File: Colorful Coral

It's Beautiful You Monday on Belle-Noir Mag and we are continuing on our tour of hot colors for Spring/Summer 2009! Last week, we showed you some of our favorite items in Yellow. This week we are taking a look at a shade that is popping up everywhere in fashion: coral.

One of my favorite trend-spotting sites, ShoppingTheTrend.com, has this to say about coral:

"Coral stands out as a terrific transitional color, as it looks amazing with black (for spring evenings when nights are cool) and when summer whites kick in you won't find a more flattering combination than coral and white. If you want to add just a splash, consider a pretty little cardigan or asymmetric tuffle top."

There are also plenty of accessories this season in coral, for those who aren't ready for wearing bright colors. But ladies, there is no reason to fear this spring time pinkish-orange shade. It looks good on almost every skin tone, and whether you are big and bold by wearing a dress, or just want to add a punch of color with a cute dangline earring, you won't go wrong this summer with this tropical punch.

Here are some of our favorite pieces, courtesy of shopstyle.com:

What do you think, ladies? Is coral a color you will be wearing this summer?

Belle-Noir Radio: Sunday 5/17/09 @ 3:00pmEST

With Summer only a few weeks away, what better time is there to kick start a new healthy living initative to get yourself in fit and fabulous shape?

Join us as we talk with Darius Williams of EverydayCookin.com, as he shares with us his tips on creating healthy & satsfying meals with his 7 Day Healthy Eating Challenge. We will also be talking to Trenia Parham of FatGirlWeightLoss.com as she helps us get to the root of what is really weighing us down.

Plus, you know we always have some Hot Topics in store for you! Full Figured Fashion Week, Belle-Noir's Summer Series, Divas in the City News, and more! You don't want to miss it!

The Scene: Full Figured Fashion Week Update

Style File: Not-So-Mellow Yellow

Weekly Motivation 05.10.09

Wise: Andrea Amador

Plus Size Women Can Love the Skin They're in - 50 Self Image Makeover Morsel Tips
By Andrea Amador

How many times have you sighed about the size of your thighs, moped about your muffin top or groaned about the junk in your trunk while trying desperately to avoid temptation and stick to your diet? If you're like 4 out of 5 women, you'd say that you hate some part of your body and being overweight is why you feel lousy. When you feel lousy, you eat more, when you eat more, you feel terrible about your body. It's a self perpetuating cycle.

As a professional coach, body image/self esteem expert and a curvy plus size gal, myself, I've learned that the answer is not dieting. Research now shows that up to 98% of all people who have lost weight on a diet, regain all the weight back, plus more, within 2-5 years. This is because diets don't teach you how to deal with your emotions. If you want to feel better about yourself, you don't have to change your body, you have to change the way you think about it.

How to embrace your curves in a skinny obsessed society
Food and weight obsession is the fall out that comes from living in a thin is beautiful, pluck and tuck, chop and drop, image-obsessed society. As a plus size woman, you're built with a wider frame and larger proportions. Despite the fact that up to 67% of women in the US wears a size 14, fashion still caters to thinness, making the larger woman feel fat and ugly.

If you want to end the war with your body once and for all and begin to make peace with food, you have to first start by learning to accept your body as it is, with all the fat, chunky, chubby, and wobbly bits intact. Wouldn't you agree it's high time that we widen the definition of beauty?

Here are 50 quick tips to get you started on the road to self acceptance to lovin' the skin you're in:

1. Pause and do some deep breathing.

2. Make the decision to say goodbye to dieting

3. Become aware of your internal dialog

4. Make a list of the buggin' you's in your life.

5. Seek out a great role model for body confidence

6. Look in the mirror and find things you like about yourself.

7. Develop a strengths based awareness. Know what makes you shine.

8. Spend time appreciating what you have and count your blessings.

9. Recognize your needs and know that they are important.

10. Assert yourself

11. Remind yourself often of your accomplishments.

12. Spend time with people who respect and value you as a person.

13. Appreciate your body for it's function.

14. Get rid of your scale

15. Wear clothes that really fit you

16. Buy some new lovely undergarments

17. Praise yourself - Focus on what you like about yourself

18. Watch body affirming television shows like Lifetime's "How to Look Good Naked"

19. Spend time alone to refuel your spirit.

20. Touch your body.

21. Get more sleep and take more breaks

22. Make a list of your favorite things.

23. Avoid all or nothing, black and white thinking.

24. Challenge yourself to speak up and say what's on your mind

25. Spend time laughing out loud

26. Ask yourself, "how do I feel about ...?"

27. Surround yourself with beauty

28. Listen to your body's wisdom

29. Avoid the body comparison game

30. Flaunt your individuality

31. Start each day with a smile

32. Ask yourself better questions

33. Forgive yourself

34. Make peace with your past

35. Plan something to look forward to each day

36. Accept your imperfections

37. Enjoy safe sex

38. Say "No" to others and "Yes" to yourself

39. Be sensitive to yourself when you're feeling down

40. Create opportunities to talk about what's bugging you

41. Avoid shame and guilt

42. Commit to being your own best friend

43. Don't make it personal. Recognize that people are only doing the best they can

44. Take 100% responsibility for your life

45. Spend time in nature

46. Learn how to meditate

47. Write down your goals.

48. See yourself from the eyes of one who loves you.

49. Don't take yourself too seriously.

50. Volunteer your time and give back to others

Now that you've got these 50 tips to get started, you'll soon notice that your perceptions will start to change. As you focus more on what you like about yourself, you'll find more to like. And that's the real secret to being a curvy and confident woman at any size.

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Andrea Amador, CEC, M.NLP is The Juicy Woman. As a certified professional coach and Body Image/Self Esteem expert, she teaches women who are emotional eaters how to overcome emotional eating, make peace with foods like french fries and pies and love their thighs at any size! Sign up to get her free Lovin' the Skin You're In Sampler: Self Image Makeover Morsels at http://www.thejuicywoman.com/

Article Source: Ezinearticles.com

Good Food: Comfort Food Made Healthy

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