The FFFWeek events started on Thursday June 25th with an amazing shopping soiree at Re/Dress boutique in Brooklyn. This event was to welcome all of the out of town guests while they enjoyed premium shopping. Together with Pockets and Purses with a Purposes Tracey V. Bell (Chairman and President, PPWAP) and Kim Coles (Global Spokesperson, PPWAP) customers shopped vintage plus size clothing and were given the opportunity to donate their lightly used purses and wallets for the foundation which later will be bundled with personal care products and counseling services for women/children in Domestic Violence Shelters.

Later that evening they had a designers showcase and networking event with a plus size fashion show which took place at Club Blvd. The fashion show featured fabulous new designs by Ashley Stewart and en.v. New York by designer Just Raymona. Unfortunately, due to our work schedule here at SWAK Designs our team had to miss out on Thursday’s events but by all the pictures out there, the event looks to have been a success for all involved.

The following day we spent the morning fitting some of our beautiful plus size models that were going to be wearing our fashions in the finale runway show. After that we made our debut at the FFFWeek Buyers Market. This sales event was put together to help connect the attending plus size fashion buyers and boutique owners with participating FFFWeek designers and suppliers. This was a great business networking opportunity for us as an on-line retailer and wholesaler. It helped open some new doors and create some great opportunities for us as well as meet some amazing buyers and boutique owners in the plus size industry.

These days, there are a wide range of brands to browse at when it comes to plus size swim suits and clothing. From maternity wear to juniors sizes, the plus size woman now has a variety of stores to choose from. However, summer time staples such as swim suits and shorts haven’t quite seen their day. Thanks to pioneering shops such as Lane Bryant, Avenue, and Torrid, there is a satisfyingly diverse range of styles to choose from.

Other than the sizing, you’ll want to factor length and style when deciding on your plus size shorts. Shorts that hit at mid-thigh or longer are the most flattering for plus size figures.  For more modest options, plus sized capris or cropped pants are an excellent in between compromise.

Truly flattering shorts are simple in style, with a flat front and no bulky embellishments.  Pleats generally do not work well with those who don’t have completely flat abs. Choosing two-pocket style shorts with a flat front, minimal design elements, and solid colors is always a classic look. A quality pair of shorts are the perfect pair for your favorite shirts and blouses in the summertime. Another fun option is to go with a plus size skirts. Once again, a longer skirt is the most flattering style.  Short skirts are not as flattering, so a skirt that hits at your knee or longer is your best option.

To prevent all of these issues, many people just go straight to their computers when they need to find a great pair of shoes. Most people find a brand that they like and stick with it. You know what size and width you wear in that brand so fitting is not an issue when you buy online. Many companies even have Sizing Charts to help you determine the size that you need to order as well. They will give you a measurement in inches and you can measure your foot to determine the best fit. This makes sizing so easy!

Another reason many women look for their shoes online is to save money! There are so many discounted shoes online and you can get up to 40% off the prices at at your local Department store.. Many online shoe retailers also do not charge sales tax and have deals on free shipping if you spend a specified amount on your purchase. There are seasonal sales as well. You can get additional savings if you purchase shoes during specific holidays or during after season clearance sales.As well as sizeable discounts, many online shoe retailers also offer free return shipping in case you are not happy with your order or if you need a different color or size.

If you are shopping for great womens shoes online, you are not alone. Women buy more shoes than men, simply because of the need to match styles and colors to different outfits. Men will never comprehend why women have so many pairs of shoes, but as a woman I can tell you that no matter how many pairs of shoes that I have it is never enough!

plus size dresses

If you are somewhat intimidated by the phrase “evening dresses” and are not sure what to look for, then don’t panic. There are a few tips that may help you out. First you need to figure out how formal the event will be, as black-tie affairs normally mean a long formal gown. For a cocktail event think something along the lines of a “little black dress.”

Once you have found out how formal the event is going to be you will be able to start considering the different styles and colors of dresses that are available. Of course, not every style or color works with all body types so you need to keep that in mind. Not all choices have to keep with the traditional designs of formal dresses either, if that style is not good for you. Cocktail dresses are considered by some to be the easiest to find as there seems to be a little more leeway than with formal events. Meaning, it is ok to wear something bright and vibrant or short and flirty.

swakdesigns

Welcome to Summer 2009 ladies! Finally my favorite season is here and in full effect. No more June Gloom! Soon it will be July and it’s all sunshine from there. I figured I would start out the season by going over some plus size fashion “must have” trends for your summer wardrobe by SWAKdesigns.com. These “must have” fashion trends are for every occasion, not just your summer vacation. They are for your everyday activities including work, rest, and play.

The Maxi: Plus size Maxi Dresses are everywhere this season and are a huge fashion trend for summer 2009. If you still think are thinking that you cannot wear a Maxi Dress, think again. With all of the different styles and pattern variations you are sure to find a Plus Size Maxi Dress that is right for your figure. Maxi Dresses were created for the plus size woman, this style works great to conceal any minor figure flaws you may want to hide. Flirty, romantic, and stylish, these dresses can be worn for every occasion this summer, from shopping with the girls to a romantic summer night out on the town. Check out the Melody Maxi Dress available in black, purple, coral, and electric blue.

Starting a girl out with her own collection of charms and a charm bracelet means a bit of thinking ahead. If you select a bracelet that is suitable for a young girl, at least with regards to size, it will have to be replaced as she grows and matures. The other aspect is to consider an Italian style charm bracelet that can easily changed by simply purchasing a larger base and allowing the girl to choose the charms she wants on the bracelet.

Another option is to start a young child off with an adult sized bracelet and allow her to help collect charms to wear when she turns a specific age such as 16. This is both a family project as well as something she will look forward to wearing for years, making that birthday incredible special.

Another consideration is that some young girls may want to simply wear the bracelet while they can and then retain it for later when she has her own family. In this way the bracelet and the charms become a gift of her past to her own children.

Athletic women won’t have any trouble finding the right shoe for their sport of choice. You might want to buy the adventure shoe as it is called if you are in the mood for adventure. This kind of athletic shoe is one that is easily used in many strenuous activities.

Womens running shoes are designed for optimum performance.There are athletic women’s shoes for all the major sports. Shoes come in styles for every sport you can name. Every different kind of shoe has its own unique features.

The golf shoes for instance, are available in most cases with soft cleats that may be utilized on many of the newer golf courses. Womens bowling shoes are designed to prevent slipping on the lane and control the amount of over slide. Some women’s shoes are even designed for water sports and let water drain out of soles.

There’s no arguing that designer purses are created from high quality fabrics with flawless construction. Unlike the ordinary bags found in the cheaper stores, top of the line designer products have strict quality control measures in place. A purse won’t be released for sale if it’s not absolutely perfect. This offers you much confidence that your purchase will last you for many years to come.

These bags are so sought-after but so exorbitantly priced for countless women. Consequently, various businesses have started catering to this consumer demographic by creating copies of the originals. Lots of these goods are visibly counterfeit as they contain features and markings that the genuine ones do not. However some of these faux handbags are in fact very good quality, and it can be difficult to tell the difference between them and the original. At the end of the day, though, regardless of how fine a faux handbag appears, it will never surpass the authentic designer purse.

This is why lots of women aren’t satisfied with a reproduction, and yearn for the real thing. The only obstacle is that they can’t always afford the costs that are charged in retail outlets that sell women’s purses. For these women, the answer is that there are stores where they can get true designer purses for a fraction of the regular price. At times you can even come across what you are looking for on the TV shopping networks for a pretty good deal. Here you are normally able to make payments over time so it’s not such a hit to your pocketbook all at once.

Although there are still many pieces of jewellery out there still solely for women such as silver bangles ( I am not sure any man is going to wear one of these) it is also important to note that many pieces of jewellery are made just for men ranging from rings to  the all important watch.

Even  silver necklaces are being worn by men nowadays just adding to the emphasis on how far jewellery has come for men over the past few years. There does seem to be a very good reason for this is simply that people are keeping with the times and the times as it seems at the moment is for men to wear some jewellery and it does in some cases actually work quite well.

Of course you do have to suspect something is seriously wrong when a man starts going through your jewellery to see what he likes but if this doesn’t happen you certainly do not have anything to worry about as it is the norm to wear things like silver necklaces, rings and  even a form of earring (stud)  now for men.

The major question here is how much is too much and what is the best jewellery to wear in these summer months? One of the first major rules of jewellery is that more than one necklace worn at a time is certainly a no go. There is quite a simple reason for this and that is that if you have more than one on at a time the attention is forced away just one necklace and put the focus into the two necklaces which isn’t really a good look at all.

It is also important to note that although diamond jewellery may be nice and expensive it sometimes isn’t the best thing to wear out on a daily basis, knowing what jewellery to wear and when is very important as some things are best kept for best and others can in fact be worn whenever you feel like it.

Although it can be argued that a ring is the most important item of jewellery it can also be said that some people wear too many of them. This is especially important for men as they tend to wear many a gold rings on their hands. This isn’t only a bad look but is a sure sign that perhaps you need to take some of these off as they look repulsive.