DeVoe Signature Events and Bella Donna Designs in association with Na’arah International is proud to bring Charlotte, NC the Full Figured & Fabulous Runway Model Competition and Plus Size Fashion Show on Saturday, March 31, 2007.

The fashion show will include the the collections of Bella Donna Designs, Voluptuous Woman Company, Alisina & Co, Monif C Plus Sizes and the Scarlett Boutique.

This event will be held at the Blake Hotel located in beautiful downtown Charlotte, NC. Doors open at 6:00pm for exhibitor/vendor displays and shopping. Competition starts at 7:00pm. General admission $25.00 in advance, $35.00 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.dseventsinc.com/events.html.

The Voluptuous Woman Company will be featured with other designers in a fabulous fashion show and sample sale. A great event, definitely not to be missed if you are located in the area! Visit http://www.dseventsinc.com/home.html for more information.

Queen Latifah might not have been in the limelight among the nominees, at The 2007 Academy Awards, however she did rule the red carpet in her ever impeccable style.

The Queen ruled all the curves on the red carpet last night, wearing a body hugging Carmen Marc Valvo gown. Sticking to classic, chic and elegant black, Queen Latifah definitely chose a winner dress. The horizontal, silky lines helped accentuate the right curves, whilst the V-neckline gave the dress a sexy yet still sophisticated twist. The wide sash below the bust worked wonders I think, as giving her full figured body more definition. I liked how the Queen kept it simple with accessories. She chose a matching, chic little black purse, which had just a hint of sparkle. The look was topped off with stylish earrings, a great bracelet, and a very sexy hairstyle.

The Queen reigns yet again.

Besides being very happy that Whitaker walked away a winner last night at The Academy Awards, I saw even more happy to hear that our beloved Jennifer Hudson walked away with one of those little golden statuettes as well! Jennifer won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Effie White in ‘Dreamgirls‘. In the movie, Effie White is a talented singer whose weight leads her manager and lover to relegate her to a back-up role in her singing group.

I am so so happy for Jennifer! And besides her winning, she looked absolutely stunning last night in a brown Oscar de la Renta gown. The chosen shades of brown blended in greatly with Jennifer and her make up, hairstyle and accessories topped everything off. Jennifer’s gown fit her like a dream, and the jewels from Fresh Leighton definitely were the cherries on the cake!

Well done Jennifer, you have proven that curves can definitely go a long was, and are worth gold!

My hunch, or shall I say, my preference was right! Last night Forest Whitaker walked away with the little golden statue… The Oscar. Whitaker was names Best Actor in a leading role. I was rooting for Whitaker all the way! Although all the other men who were nominated are of course very talented, I was happy Whitaker walked away with the award as his performance as Idi Amin was impeccable.

I had previously watched several documentaries of Idi Amin, which also portrayed the actual man in various interviews and footage, and I thought Whitaker’s performance in ‘The Last King of Scotland‘ was spot on. Besides the movie being, of course, a very through provoking and soul shaking movie.

A little bit about the movie, ‘The Last King Of Scotland‘:

An idealistic Scottish doctor working in Uganda unexpectedly finds himself selected by the nation’s dictator, Idi Amin, to serve as his personal physician. As young Nicholas Garrigan succumbs to the seductive extravagances of palace life, he also becomes an eyewitness to the horrors and brutality of Amin’s regime.

Well done!

Without a doubt the eye of the world, or at least the media world and film buffs today, will be on The Academy Awards Ceremony… also known as The Oscars. A number of great films and artists are competing today, and I cannot wait to know for instance whether Forest Whitaker will walk away with the Best Actor in a Leading Role award, and whether Happy Feet will walk away with the Best Animated Feature Film award.

In the meantime I thought it would be a good idea to take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the best dressed curves that have graced the red carpet at The Oscars in the past few years.

Kathy Bates is one of my idols. She is am artist full of passion, grace and style. She wears her age with proud and sophistication, and she looks damn good! She was definitely look fabulous in this silk mousseline chiffon gown, designed by Eric Gaskins, which was paired up with a cranberry duchesse satin opera coat. Simply plus size and simply gorgeous.

Perhaps curvy might not necessarily be the first thing you think of when you mention Whoppi Goldberg. However in this rich and regal black ensemble the lady was rockin’ the show. A black satin gown, matched up with a velvet overcoat which was designed by Donna Karan, simply screamed out elegance and made Whoppi a curvy icon on the night.

A petite, but still very curvy, Imelda Staunton blew me away with her excellent performance in Vera Drake. That is one film I will remember for a very long time. I am sure this stunning dress will remain unforgettable to Imelda as well! She strutted her stuff on the red carpet wearing a teal design by John Bright.

After having taken a look at three of the most unforgettable and best dressed plus size women to have graced the red carpet on The Oscars night, I’m very eager to watch this year’s event unfold, as well as see what fashion will grace the red carpet this year!

As this People Magazine article reports, Kate Winslet is furious over the rumors a British magazine has been spreading, that she has been seeing a diet specialist. In fact Kate’s attorneys are already working on the proceedings necessary to sue the publication, Grazia. Furthermore Kate commented…

“I will continue to say what I feel about this issue of women being thin and emaciated. It’s just out of control,” she said Sunday. “I know I’m a role model to young women. It’s a role that I take very, very seriously and I would never want anyone to ever think I was a hypocrite in doing something like going to a diet doctor, for goodness sake. I mean, it’s really, really ridiculous.”

If only all role models, in the media, and anywhere really followed suit! It’s great that Kate Winslet is not bowing to the trend of super-skinny actresses, and holding on to her beliefs. Kate Winslet, we think you rock!

Belle-Noir.com, an online community that aims to:

promote the positive image of Big Beautiful Women of Color by featuring content (i.e. articles, poetry, photos, etc.) of an informative, entertaining, and inspiring nature, created specifically with the Big Beautiful Woman of Color in mind.

is currently holding a reader’s survey. They are planning some major changes for 2007, which we are all very excited about! In order to ensure the direction they take is indeed what their readers are looking for, Belle-Noir.com are holding a survey to gather all your thoughts and suggestions. The survey only takes around five minutes to complete, and one lucky person will win a $100 Gift Certificate from one of the following stores: Lane Bryant, IGIGI, Kiyonna or Avenue. The choice is yours. Help out Bell-Noir.com by filling our their survey. I already have!

I’m sure regular readers of this blog will be shocked by this post title, or better question! How dare I pose such a question? Well it’s the topic that is raising a lot of discussion over at Big Fat Deal. Anne’s post yesterday pointed to an article which appeared in the Daily Mail yesterday entitled “Why you can never be fat and happy“.

Her descriptions of the way fat people, although occupying a great deal of physical space, actually become ‘invisible’ - to the shop assistants who stare through them to the men who pretend you don’t exist - made me realise that the best thing I ever did to lose weight and keep it off was to stop beating myself up about it.

But there’s more…

It shouldn’t - but fat demeans you, even in your own eyes…I was already divorced, but it is at this stage that many people turn away from their partner, and turn instead to the fridge. Outside my family, the closest relationship I had was with a packet of Hobnobs.

When you’re fat, you dread getting dressed in the mornings because you hate all your fat clothes, and you dread going to bed at night feeling a failure because you’ve eaten a Malteser.

Although I have to admit that the article is quite realistic, in the sense that feeling and attitude do hit home. It’s what many overweight people experience and go through due to society’s stereotypes.

But that does not mean that one should succumb to these stereotypes and plainly rule out that fat people cannot be happy just because society decided this is so. It’s a matter of turning these thoughts around, and instead of succumbing, learning to love and accept yourself the way you are. Being fat and happy is possible. It is not an easy ride, it’s a constant struggle sometimes I admit, but I know and also know a lot of other plus size people who are happy about their body shape.

Also, in light of all the hot debates that have been going on about skinny models on the runway and role models for teenagers, to me it seems very unprofessional to publish an article with such a demeaning title.

One step forward. Three steps backwards.

What do you think?

Have you ever been watching the TV, see a celebrity wearing a gorgeous dress and wished you could wear something similar? Well now you can come very close to achieving that as Sydney’s Closet is carrying formal dresses and gowns which are practically identical to the ones seen worn on the red carpet by the likes of Queen Latifah and Julia Roberts.

Take a look at the picture above. Do you remember Queen Latifah wearing this flattering turquoise dress at the Golden Globes this year? Luckily Sydney’s Closet has a very similar dress in stock.

What’s even better is that, in light on the big Oscar’s Night coming up, Sydney’s Closet are taking $20 off any order over $100! Just use coupon code OSCAR07 at checkout and you’ll be set. This offer is valid on purchases made now through 4th March, 2007. Take a closer look at the celebrity dresses found at Sydney’s Closet today!

I have been blogging for almost a year now, and so far it has been a very rewarding and satisfying experience. Over this past year The Plus Size Clothing Scoop has, among other things, enabled me to meet a lot of like minded people in the curvy blogosphere.

Recently I had the pleasure to get to know the bloggers behind a fresh and brand new plus size focused blog: About Curves The Blog. A blog which has just been launched on Valentine’s Day, it groups up a team of bloggers, who plan on sharing their thoughts, experiences, rants and raves, always from a plus size perspective.

I have the pleasure, and honor, to have been chosen to be a part of the team of bloggers behind the About Curves Blog. Do read my posts over at About Curves, and ensure you bookmark this new and exciting blog!