Outfit of the Opening Glam Slam

Dear Fatshionistas:

I haven’t posted an OOTD* in maybe three years? But the fatshion event I was at last night was so inspirational I really needed to share. So consider this a dispatch about outfits and shopping and food and fat community.

It was the Opening Night Glam Slam for Re/Dress, the Plus Size Vintage and Resale Boutique. (During my funemployment I am a shopgirl there.)

I Femmeceed the floor show (burlesque greats World Famous *BOB*, Dirty Martini and Della Dare as well as World Class Belly Dancer Miasia performed).

While the show was amazing, the fatshion was out of this world. It was really a night about celebrating fat community and fashion at its glittery and magical collision. My besties and I decided that since we are very dedicated to reclaiming the patriotic colors of red, white and blue (now with 20% less irony, as Tara has said about the new administration) and we’ve all bought dresses in that aesthetic from Re/Dress we thought we would totally go all quintuplet.**

This is all of us with Deb, the owner of Re/Dress and the best boss I’ve had. She said at the end of the show to the audience “This is my gift to you, and I love you.”

L-R: Deb, wearing a Garo Sparo custom made corset and jacket, and Size Queen clothing bustle skirt (the designer, Bertha Pearl, was in attendance).

Zoe, Tara, myself (Bevin) in vintage finds from Re/Dress.
Muse in Stop Staring Lucille Ball Sailor wife realness
Julia in a Re/Dress vintage cheerleader dress that she borrowed from the ever-expanding collection of Tara.

This is me and Tara doing the classic Fatshionista OOTD pose in the giant mirror. My knee socks are from Torrid and shoes are old school TUK Mary Janes. Tara’s boots are Duo boots.

And because no fatshion post is complete for me without a little food added in (these curves don’t fill out themselves, you know) The World Famous *BOB* doing food performance art on our pink chaise.

And Darlinda, Just Darlinda, enjoying the remainder of the Meat Platter***, catered by local restaurant Tini Wine Bar.

Here’s Tranny Superstar Glenn Marla, modeling a dress that is a stunning purple suede situation. There were only two of them made, one went to Whitney Huston and the second was a sample for The Forgotten Woman, which was a fancy upscale boutique on the Upper East Side of Manhattan that closed some time ago. It has now made its way into the Re/Dress collection.

He is accompanied by one of our fabulous go-go dancers, Mr. Kate.

And here are the go-go dancers in a row, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Taueret (another co-worker at Re/Dress and the recently appointed Madam of Ferocity of the NYC Femme Family) and Mr. Kate. If you’ve never been to an event with Fat go-go dancers you NEED to do this. It will rock your world in all the best ways.

This is Miasia performing in one of her custom made belly dancing costumes. I love them all, but there’s a special place in Mama’s heart for leopard print.

*BOB* performed a number she has done for seven years, a typical sort of bump and grind burlesque song overlayed with lots of hateful things people have actually said to her over the years. “Are those things real?” “If you lost ten pounds I would love to design clothes for you.” “You have such a pretty face, why do you look so hard?” “I f— you from behind so I don’t have to see your face.” Among others. She said this was the first time in all of the times she’s performed it where the audience actually booed and hissed at the fat hatred.

Anyway, Fatshionistas. I was very proud to be part of such an amazing community building event, celebrating a store I feel really excited to experience on the regular.

xoxox,

Bevin Branlandingham

*Outfit of the Day
**Also, given the limited nature of plus size retail, it is not uncommon for us to buy the same exact outfits because you know, there are only a few retailers that make certain aesthetics in our sizes. Twinsies is a fun side effect of being fat femme besties.
***My favorite quote from last night was from a journalism student live blogging the event. “So apparently Target has plus-size tights in bright colors. I learned this from a girl by the meat platter. She’s got some cool style. She was wearing a yellow cardigan and hot pink tights.”