Since becoming more active in the plus-size fashion community I have been making an effort to beef up my wardrobe with some key pieces that can be used over and over again.

But as well all know, fashion in general is expensive these days, and plus-size fashion is even more ridiculously overpriced. And if you live outside of the US you can pretty much forget about finding anything of quality at a good price in your stores!

So I sure was excited when I found plus size retailer Sealed With A Kiss Designs (SWAK), an online shop with some cute designs, affordable prices and free shipping worldwide! Yippee!! I had read some reviews of their clothing in the fatshionista! community and they sounded ok.

I quickly placed an order for a few things I had had my eye on for a while, confident that what I would receive would be of sufficient size and quality for me. I even checked my measurements to make sure I picked the right size. Now, for the price range that SWAK sells, I wasn’t expecting beautifully handmade items in natural fibres… but I DID expect something more than what I ended up getting

Here is what I ordered, and my thoughts.

Alicia Shirt Dress ($49.60 CAD)

Looks pretty cute, eh? I love shirt dresses, they look fantastic on me. I wanted another one in a lighter colour and this fit the bill for colour and price.

Unfortunately it didn’t fit the most important thing–ME.

I ordered it a size up from what I normally wear because I was afraid of sizing issues. It is easy for me to take something in, but if it’s too small there is nothing to be done!

When I tried this on I was so surprised! The damn thing was too small! Even in the bust area where I am less endowed the buttons were gaping. Actually, along the entire button line it was gaping. The dress is mostly cheapo spandex so I expected it to give a little, but I looked like a khaki sausage wearing it. After trying it on I estimate that I would have been better served if I had ordered 3 SIZES LARGER than what I normally wear.

Why is the sizing so off on this dress that I would need to order 3 sizes larger than what I really am, just to get it to fit?

Not to mention that the fabric was very thin–I know that for a $40 dress you can’t expect TOO much, but I really thought it would be a bit less see-through, you know? The stitching was also a little bit loose and overall the dress felt cheap and low-quality.  I suppose if I were to lose another 20 lbs I might be able to wear this without inflicting pain on everyone who sees me.

I’m very disappointed.

Plus Size Stretch Leggings ($24.80 CAD)

I have a pair of leggings from Torrid that I love, so I thought I’d get another pair to wear with my skirts & dresses in the colder weather.

These… are ok. They’re basically thick tights with a seam and no feet. I was a little worried that they wouldn’t fit since they’re one size fits all, but I managed to get them on. They feel ok but I think I prefer my cotton-blend full leggings from Torrid more. These ones are a little too close to being tights for me to truly love them, but I think I will be able to use them.

Not a total loss, but I wish the site description was better.

Anastasia Interchangeable Wrap Dress ($80.61 CAD)

I have mixed feelings about this dress. I had originally wanted the Monif C Marilyn dress, but at over $200 I thought it was a little excessive for some shapeless jersey material. This SWAK dress seemed like a good alternative.

This is probably the best thing out of my whole order. I love the feeling of the fabric, it hangs well and doesn’t look too cheap (I was worried about that!) and I think with some practice I will be able to wrap it really well.

The drawbacks I encountered with this garment was the inferior workmanship. I found the skirt piece was cut irregularly, with a giant piece of uncut fabric actually hanging off the hem! I couldn’t believe it! I cut it off myself before I thought to take a photo. I was not impressed. I haven’t made sewing or cutting mistakes like that on my garments since I was a kid!

I also noticed that the stitching around the circle skirt and the straps was rather poorly done. I would have reinforced the stitching much more than what they had done. Already I have heard some threads tear as I lifted it over my head so I’ll have to be careful with it moving forward. At least I could probably sew it back together if it falls apart?

I’m debating whether I could make this for myself cheaper. I think I may take a gander at the costs of making one myself–if it’s cheaper then I’ll make some for me and my friends, but if it’s not cheaper then this is the one piece I think I might actually purchase again in different colours.

A Belt

I also purchased a stretch belt with some cute buckles in front. It’s no longer on the site so I can’t post a photo of it, but it was a BIG FAT FAIL.

The belt came as a one size fits all… but only if you’re “regular” size! I’m a 2x and I could hardly get the thing done up under my breasts (which is the smallest part of my abdomen) even with the stretchy material. I am so frustrated by this–I literally cannot wear it because it’s so tight it hurts. This is another example of SWAK’s wonky sizing. If you’re selling a plus-size belt, it should be able to fit larger than a 1x person, especially if it’s touted as one size fits all.

Overall Impressions

Shop at your own risk. Expect low-quality items and be wary of the cuts and styles you purchase. However, if you go in aware of these issues, you may be able to find some good deals if you don’t mind the quality too much!

Personally I would be willing to try them again if they had an awesome sale and introduced some better-quality pieces.

My heart is breaking!

I just found out that the Monif C bathing suit that I was dying to get has been sold out and they’re not making any more! I even went so far as to call New York to see if I could get one…

I can’t believe it!

I finally made the decision to shell out all that cash for it and they’re gone! Gone! Gone into the ether! I even got my aunt to agree to have it shipped to her place so I could buy the damn thing!

What am I going to do??? Will anyone else ever love it as much as I do???

I was actually planning on using that for one of my photo shoots coming up, paired with some sexy red lips, red pumps and big hair! It would have been fantastic!

I am SO SAD. I have no more words.

*cries*

Are you wondering what the deal is with these new-fangled clothing swap things?

Are you thinking of hosting or participating in one? Look no further! I have complied the answers to a few frequently asked questions about clothing swaps.

Behold,

Ginger’s Clothing Swap FAQ:

What IS a clothing swap?

Organized by a fashion community or group of friends. Everyone brings their gently used clothing, shoes and accessories they no longer want to the swap. Then the madness begins! You are free to choose and try on as many of the donated clothes as you like, and bring them home for free! The best swaps are when there are loads of clothes and ladies to try things on.

Is it really free?

Yes! A swap is an excellent way to get rid of your old things, and get some new-to-you duds at no cost. Perfect for anyone on a budget!

How much do I have to bring to a swap?

You should try and bring as much as possible to a swap, keeping in mind that your donations should be nice enough that someone else would actually want them.

It’s OK if you only have a few items though, someone may really like what you have brought! Ideally other women will bring large quantities to swap, so things usually even out in the end.

Check with the organizers first to determine whether you can attend a swap without bringing any items to donate.

What is the swapping process like?

Every swap and group will be different, but in general everyone pulls out their items to donate and quickly displays them to the group, then places them on a table or pile for someone to scoop up. If you see something you like you can grab it off the table or call dibs on it.

Part competitive free-for-all, part fashion show a swap is a really fun experience with the right group of ladies. If everyone remembers to be fair and gracious it will go swimmingly with a feeling of sisterhood and friendship all around.

What happens if two people want the same thing?

This part is a little tricky and can bring out the mean in people. Try and be on your best behaviour! Generally the person who indicates interest first (by touching the garment or calling dibs) will get to try it on. If they like it, they keep it. If not, the next person (second dibs) gets their chance with it. And so on.

If someone grabs something you like first, be sure to call second dibs, just in case they change their mind!

Is it really competitive?

Sometimes. Everyone is looking out for themselves, so there is a bit of competition and testing of wills in any clothing swap, particularly if you have two or more women with the same sense of style and size!

I would recommend calling dibs as fast as you can on pieces that are most likely to be a “win” for you. That is, garments that you have been searching for specifically (such as a Little Black Dress) or something that you know instantly will look gorgeous on you. You should know your shape, colours you look best in, and also clothing cuts you look best in before going into a swap. This will help you focus on winning the pieces best suited for you.

You may also consider tag-teaming with a friend. You can keep an eye out for things that your friend would look good in, and she will do the same for you. This can also help you bargain with other ladies when there is a hot item up for grabs.

What if there is still a bunch of clothes left over?

This is an easy fix. If you held your swap in a consignment or thrift store (both popular locations) the store will look through the remainders and take whatever they think will sell at their location. Anything that is left over after that step should be donated to a charity or women’s shelter.

It’s a win-win-win all around!

Is there any other swap etiquette that I should be aware of?

Most likely, yes. If you are ever unsure of a process or have any questions, you should contact the organizers of the swap and ask away! It is much better to ask and receive clarity than risk raising someone’s ire at the swap itself. Some ladies can be very aggressive!

Depending on the swap and group involved, there may be ground rules that you should be aware of and observe. If nothing specific is said, remember to employ common decency and fairness, but also remember that the whole point of a swap is for YOU to benefit, and to spiff up YOUR wardrobe! Don’t be afraid to dive in!

Ever been to a clothing swap?

I just went to my first one ever and had a great experience! I teamed up with some fellow GTA fatshionistas from the fatshionista (plus-size fashion) community and we organized a mid-winter swap on Sunday.

I think it went pretty well! We started with a brunch for the organizers beforehand, followed by the swap proper.

The normal fatshionista! swap location downtown Toronto was undergoing some changes, so this time it was held at a plus-size consignment shop in Vaughan. What a perfect place to hold one! They provided us with space to dump our stuff, beverages, mirrors and changerooms, plus we all received a discount on any of their inventory. In the end they also had first dibs on the leftover clothing. Anything that would sell they took, and the remainders were donated to a women’s shelter.

I didn’t have a ton of stuff to contribute, but a few of my tops and skirts were snapped up lickety split that day. It made me feel good to know that they were going to someone who would love and care for them the way I did!

Some women brought absolute MOUNDS of clothing to donate. It was truly spectacular.

Overall it was a really great experience. I met some new friends, got to parade around in all sorts of clothes and be paid compliments and of course no one can deny the thrill of the hunt! There’s nothing quite like finding an amazing dress or pair of jeans that fit you like a dream and are FREE!

I really lucked out at this particular swap, and I can’t wait for the next! I’ll be posting some photos of the things I got, but until then here is a list of what I came home with:

• 1 pair dark wash jeans that make my ass look great
• 4 gorgeous vintage dresses that highlighted all my assets. I finally understand why women love vintage so much! Vintage clothes really beautify the female form!
• 1 nice Nygard summer suit set, with skirt
• 1 denim skirt
• 3 Torrid vintage-inspired dresses
• A few miscellaneous tops

I’m really stoked about all the dresses I got. They’re ones that you can’t get in Canada and they look SO GOOD. I will totally be doing outfit posts

I was hoping to find some shoes as well, but most of the selection there was for the bigger sizes so I didn’t get anything. My mom actually came with me to this event and while she didn’t get quite as much as I did I know she got some nice things for her upcoming trip to Mexico. She came home with me for dinner after the swap and we modeled all of our new clothes for each other.

I’m really glad that I participated in this. It helped me clear out some of my older stuff (which I had been meaning to do) and I met some awesome gals while I was there. I will totally hang out with them again!

I love the idea of a swap… and I got out of this one without spending a dime! Can you believe that? I’m really pleased with myself. I’ve had the “shopping itch” for the past couple of weeks, but couldn’t justify spending any money right now (it’s been an expensive few months!) so this swap satisfied my urges while keeping me frugal!

I’ve been exposed to more fashion and I hope to keep incorporating more of it into my life, and I’ll also be doing some photo shoots in the spring with the photographer that came to our event. Yes, my friends! Ginger is going to be a model!

Vogue with me now!

LOL

it’s just to help her beef up her portfolio, but it will be a lot of fun for me! I get to dress up, get my hair and makeup done and pretend I’m someone else for the day.  Plus I’ll be helping create art

So, THAT is how I spent my Sunday! I still have to report on the rest of my activities, and do that dang shoe post *glares at Pear & Melanie* but keep your eyes peeled for a quick Clothing Swap FAQ!

I don’t know what’s gotten into me lately, but I REALLY want the following:

Morocco Snake print bathing suit by Monif C

Marilyn short convertible dress in fuschia, also by Monif C

Blueberry Babe hand-painted heels by Jellyfish

Black Diamond Platforms by Iron Fist

Flaunt dress (in any colour!) by Kiyonna

Fierce Leopard Dress also by Kiyonna

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about fashion lately which isn’t necessarily a good thing! Because then I end up with lust for so many items…

Thank goodness for 3-paycheque months!

This past week I just bought 2 new necklaces, both as a result of my silversmithing involvement!

I can’t remember if I mentioned it, but the studio I do my work at had a booth at an arts & crafts show this past weekend. They were pimping out their workshops and wanted to display the work of some advanced students, and they asked me for my stuff! Yay!

So I got some free studio time out of the deal, and I got to see my work displayed all professional-like. I stopped by the show and spoke with a professional smith that was manning the booth and she said that people kept trying to pick up my stuff and buy it! That just tickles me pink; that folks think my work is good enough to buy! The artist herself said that I should capitalize on my awesome skull pendants and produce more of them to sell. They’re a really hot motif right now and people love handmade things like that (hey, if I offered them, would you ever consider buying one? I’m trying to gauge interest…)

Anyway, since I had to pay to get into the show I figured I ought to look around. There was lots of cool artzy phartzy Queen West type stuff on offer with a rather high amount of knitted stuff and paperworks around. There were a few other jewelery makers there, and this particular piece caught my eye:

$50 later and it was mine! The small acorn is made from a pearl, while the large acorn is a glass pearl. The top of the large acorn is actually cast from a real acorn cap in brass, and then plated with gold. The little beads are Swarovski crystals.  The gal who made it doesn’t have a shop, but you can check out her blog here.

I don’t normally like brown tones in my things, but I really liked this one! And I like how it tinkles together when I move around

The next piece I got was actually made by Rickson. She happened to be the gal at MY booth at the show. Turns out we have a lot in common: we both LOVE LOVE LOVE kitties, and accessories, too! I had seen her cat pendant earlier at the studio and thought it looked fantastic.

So tonight while I was there, I bought it!

It comes in silver & brass and several sizes. I bought the tiniest brass one because I am trying to bring more gold tones into my accessories. It’s SO cute! And I love cats! Her stuff is definitely worth checking out if you’re interested, all her work is done through the casting process, rather than construction. It’s the same way I made the skull pendants. This set me back about $78 after taxes. Ouch!

I love my new things but I really think I should stop going to studios, stores and shows! Thank goodness all my Christmas shopping is done already!

You asked for it… here’s what I wore to the xmas party last night:

As you can see, I am not only short on mirrors in my apartment, but I also take horrible photos past 11pm! But this is all you’re gonna get since I don’t think I could wrangle myself into that outfit again any time soon!

The party went well, the food was nice and most people dressed up. I had a decent time, though the fact that I am an outsider (or possible an Outlier if I think positively) really shines at this kind of stuff. After a while I felt like I wasn’t even visible at the party, so I went home around 11.

It was a Tuesday anyway. Who books a holiday party on a Tuesday???

Hopefully I can get this post up on Fatshionista… let’s see if they approve it!

Also, thanks FB for editing the photo for me!

We have our staff xmas party later tonight, but I’ve been wearing most of my outfit since this morning.

I’m kind of regretting it.

While my outfit is cute and chic, it is a royal pain to get in and out of! I’ve been holding my pee like a mofo all day to try and limit my trips to the loo! It’s too much work! (and one of my brand new nylons has a hole already! *cries*)

So what am I wearing that is causing me so much grief? Well I’ll tell you.

I’m wearing a cute little black skirt with a (tasteful) lime-green silk top that I have belted with a wide black belt.

Ok, sounds harmless enough.

Unfortunately my body blubber has exponentially increased since last year, and nothing is sitting right! So out comes the shapewear.

I am wearing my panties, then my thigh-butt-tummy shapewear that I pull up to my boobs, then nylons over that, skirt over that, shirt over the skirt, and a belt around my middle to finish it off!

To get nekked I have to remove SIX pieces of clothing just to pee! What have I gotten myself into!?!?

Needless to say I will be eating and drinking lightly all evening.

If I can get a decent photo of the outfit tonight, perhaps I will post it. It’s not very Christmas-y, but at least its dressier than my normal jeans & t-shirt at work. Plus I brought out the serious bling to wear tonight.

Well, I’m off to apply my signature red lips (my avatar ain’t lyin’!). Toodles!

Today is so gross.

It’s cold.
It’s wet.
It’s snowing AND raining AND hailing
It’s windy
It’s slushy
It’s grey

Ugh. Not a very pleasant day at all! I don’t know what is up with the weather today! I was expecting some nice fluffy snow and instead I get soaked to my skivvies on the way to the subway this morning. Then the subway is too crowded so I wait 4 trains and then get on one which then halts because one ahead of it broke! Bah humbug!

So yeah. Not a totally happy camper. But you know what? My feet are still warm and dry.

I know. I can’t believe that in all the slush I had to walk through this morning sans wellingtons or umbrella that my tootsies would be warm and dry. But it’s the silver lining to my day, it seems.

What do I have to thank for this reprieve from chilly misery?

My cheap-ass Walmart boots!

(Not actually my leg, and my boots are black instead)

They’re totally plastic and kind of cheap-looking, but I’ll be damned if they didn’t keep out all the rain and slush! They’re almost as good as rain boots! I never would have expected this of them; all my experiences with Walmart brand ANYTHING usually end up with me chucking out whatever I bought because of some defect or the shit quality.

I guess as long as the glue holds they’ll keep the water out! I am so tempted to spray them with my leather protector too, to give them that extra oompf.

I want to send props out to the Fatshionista community and particularly socrepuscular (That is her leg up there) for posting about these babies. It’s not easy to find cute, inexpensive boots that actually fit plus sized calves, so these were quite the find. Fashionable, AND practical! The holy grail!

Well, it’s that time of year, folks!

The leaves have fallen, the cold weather is setting in and people’s thoughts are turning to the holiday season!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Yule/Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus or any other holiday during the winter season there’s a good chance you’re going to be doing some shopping! (38 days left as of this posting!)

Presents for others, presents for yourself! And food to fill all the hungry bellies of your friends and family all need to be carried home in some fashion.

Enter the My Bag! These are great reusable bags that are not only strong and durable, but also totally stylish and Canadian-made (Click here for my review!). They are the perfect way to help you get your holiday shopping and preparations done, and make a great gift, too!

The good people at Grey Gourmet have generously offered to provide a My Bag of the winners’ choice to four (4) lucky readers, and it’s easy to enter!

TO ENTER: Tell me which holiday you celebrate (if any) and what your plans are for the season!

For Extra Entries do one or all of the following:
(but leave a separate comment for each!)

• Subscribe to my RSS
• Blog about this giveaway, with a link back to me.
• Tweet the following (or something similar) and leave the link to your tweet in the comments
  “RT: @gingercorsair Win 1 of 4 My Bag reusable designer tote bags from GingerWontSnap.com! Enter now! http://bit.ly/1a4vWJ“

This contest is open to Canadian residents until November 30th, 2009. Winners will be chosen from the comments via random.org.