Where did it all start?…at home. Where I got my first hand look at what it means to dress as a plus size woman. As a plus size woman, not having many options to shop was at an all time high in the 90s and early 2000s, but somehow my mama made it work. She showed me that outside of work and ministry, she was just a girl who wanted to look good. If that meant searching high and low in specialty stores like Lane Bryant & Ashley Stewart or finding pieces in lowkey boutiques, she made that happen.
As I got older, did I run away from the matching outfits or our signature purple sweatsuit? Absolutely — but to this day, she is still that girl in my eyes. My mama is one that loves to shine. That goes from jewelry to having rhinestones on her pants lol. She will find a way to be the brightest person in the room. You’ll notice her when she walks in, and her spirit, kindness, and anointing will leave a lasting impression. So if you think it stopped there, think again. She won’t let brands tell her “this is your only option.” Trust me, when she does find something she likes, more than likely it will be coming home with her. I don’t have to think too hard to know that’s where I get it from.
Rev always taught me to get the best out of life, and when it came to clothes, that was at the top of the list. Does she question some of my outfits today? Of course, but she understands she laid the foundation. On multiple occasions, you will even hear her say, “She’s me when I was younger.” She showed me how to thrift on Saturday mornings, or sometimes on Tuesdays (half off day). She pointed me in the right direction to understand what it means to be a plus size woman in this world. She gave me the confidence to be who I am today.
Can’t nobody tell me I don’t look good when I feel good. Their opinion doesn’t matter. “They may have something to say — people talk — but as long as you are happy with you, nothing they say matters. You’re full figured and fabulous…just like your mama.” That’s Rev. I’m so glad that God chose her to be mine.
I wouldn’t be who I am today if it wasn’t for her. So whenever you see me with my head held high, embracing everything that is me — it’s all her.
Love on your mama today. If she’s not here, honor her. Do something that she loved. If your relationship isn’t there, embrace the mother figures in your life. Be the woman that younger you would look up to. Be that. Walk in that so you can be that for someone else.
See you in the next one
Xoxo, Jonice 💋
Styles of a Curvy Girl 