Guest Bloggers Wanted!

Guest Bloggers Info & Agreement: 

A guest blogger should:

Be willing to bring their best efforts to their writing.

Be willing to announce their guest posts on their blog, if applicable, with a link back to their post on allthingsplus.blogspot.com.

Be willing to promote their guest posts to their followers on Facebook and Twitter or other social media outlets.

We’ll allow you one text link in the body of the article. And at the end of each guest post, there will be an opportunity to include a short bio with a picture and links to your website, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

We will only consider topics that can provide value to our readers. Educational and entertaining articles that pertain to plus size women, fitness, healthy lifestyles and healthy eating, fashion, relationships, sex, religion, are all examples of topics that our readers enjoy reading.  We will not accept self-promotional content or affiliate promotions.  All blog posts must be written in English and use proper spelling and grammar.

Not sure if your content is correct, email us at phatabulousmagazine@gmail.com.

There is no limit on the length of your content, however we find that the most effective and engaging articles are between 300 and 700 words.

Submit our Guest Blogger Form with the following information. We will respond within 7 business days.

Terms and Conditions

All Guest Bloggers agree to the following terms and conditions:

Phatabulous Magazine has the right to publish or re-publish submitted articles, or remove previously published articles, in whole or in part, at their sole discretion.

Phatabulous Magazine reserves the right to edit all posts submitted for consideration to our blog. If your post requires major changes, we will contact you and work together on edits. If your post needs minor edits, we reserve the right to make the minor changes without notifying you.

You, as a guest blogger, represent and warrant to Phatabulous Magazine  that each and every article you submit for publication online is your own original work and does not infringe upon the copyright or intellectual property rights of any other party.

Phatabulous Magazine will not compensate Guest Bloggers.  You will not receive any form of compensation from Phatabulous Magazine for any of your submitted articles that we agree to publish.

Guest Bloggers Needed

Do you have an article that you think would be of interest to our readers? If so, let us know – if we publish it, you’ll get some great exposure visitors while providing useful and valuable information to our community. Send all inquiries to phatabulousmagazine@gmail.com

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Positive vs. Negative

Positive vs. Negative



I haven't had much to say on this blog lately.  Most articles I'm reading these days that concern plus size women are not in a positive light.  I recently read an article by Margaret Bogenrief, and in it she was pointing out (nothing new really) how plus size women are as usual not catered to in the fashion world.  She mention a few retailers such as Lane Bryant who still do but shouldn't we have more options then the regular few.

Ok, the positive: Yes there are a lot of up and coming designers, boutiques, fashion shows, model opportunities, and fashion weeks.  So I guess I should (as a plus size woman) should be grateful.  But am I? Are you?

New Dove Campaign- My picture was on a billboard!

So, I'm friends with a lot of beautiful, smart, sexy, sassy, wonderful phatabulous ladies on Face Book, right, and all of a sudden I see a bunch of these Time-Square Billboard Ads for Dove soap and bath products with a lot of my FB friends pictures on them.  Now, at first I was like wow, a plus size woman on a billboard in Times-Square that's something to blog and brag about, but then I see more and more, so I immediately become curious.  Which basically means I googled it.  Turns out Dove is doing something very good for women all around the world.  They've purchased a billboard in Times Square that's basically a slide show, and all you have to do to be on it is go to their website dove.us and sign up and submit a pic.  I did this and the very next day: BOOM there goes my picture.  I screamed!

 I immediately started inboxing, calling, telling everyone  I think may be interested, you know all of the women I see posting beautiful cell phone pics (lol).  I say to them, this is your chance to actually get those bathroom pics (we've all done it) out their and you never know.  But to my surprise I get very little response back and the response I do get is so shocking to me.  "I don't think I wanna do that", and every excuse in the book, and I'm like, "are you serious""?

I don't get it, I just don't get it.  People talk a lot of talk, but when it's time to show up, their scared. 

Okay, so I'm done with my little rant.  Back to the fact that for maybe about 3-5 seconds my picture was on a billboard in Times-Square.  I am soooooo excited.  Yea me!

Thanks Dove for taking the time out to recognize natural beauty and for giving all of the women like me who would love to model or do something like that but just don't quite fit the bill.  Thank you for saying we are still beautiful anyway and actually doing something about it.

So, I ran across this video on you tube.  In it the announcer talks about a study that "proves" plus size models or "thicker women" cause low self-esteem among women.  This "study" doesn't bother me mainly because there are a lot of studies out here that can "prove" just about anything.  Everyone is different with different opinions, cultures, growing up in different communities and families that shape us.  So just because one college has come up with this study does not mean its true.

The problem I have with this video is the fact that the announcer stated that when models who are skinny are seen they are seen as skinny models and when models who are plus sized are viewed they are viewed as plus size models.  I have to disagree.  When I hear someone talk about "models" they are usually referring to models who are skinny.  When someone refers to a plus size model they usually say, "plus size model".

My question is why?

The plus size woman is doing the same thing the skinny woman is doing.  She's modeling a specific product for a specific company.  Why does she need a label about her size?

This doesn't really bother me when it happens, but I have noticed that it happens.  What bothered me about the video is that the announcer doesn't know what she's talking about.  I watched a few of their videos on the subject and I can honestly say that neither one of them have a complete understanding of the plus size community. 

Just my thoughts:)

OUT FITS OF THE DAY

I WAS BROWSING THROUGH YOU TUBE AND DISCOVERED SOMETHING I THOUGHT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

DIFFERENT WOMEN (NOT JUST PLUS SIZE) ARE COORDINATING SOME VERY FASHIONABLE ENSEMBLES AND POSTING THEM TO THEIR YOU TUBE PAGES. 

I REALLY LIKE THIS IDEA BECAUSE AS A PLUS SIZE WOMAN I AM SOMETIMES A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS BUT THESE LADIES ARE REALLY CROSSING BOUNDARIES AND THEY LOOK GOOD DOING IT!

Plus size models fight back!

I know this is probably old news to some but it still rocks!  People are starting to expose photographers and magazines for airbrushing models for their covers and pictures. 

In this short clip you will see plus size model Laura wells in Glamour magazine "flaws and all".  Is the world ready for the truth?  No one is perfect! 

The Full Figure Queen Pageant 2011

 Toccara Burgess, Brittany Williams, Shamika Adams, Tarsha Hagan-Watts, Charleen James, Kim Davis 

  

The Full Figure Queen Pageant is back for its 2nd year and it just keeps getting better and better.  Under the direction of Brenda “The Promoter” Murray, Jacksonville celebrated the full-figured woman in a very special way on September 11, 2011. 

Tarsha Hagan-Watts

The full figured queen pageant is an annual event that is meant to honor and showcase plus size men and women.  This year the pageant was held at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Jacksonville.   There were six contestants whose ages ranged from 18-35.    These group of women brought with them beauty, class, and talent that included dance, spoken word, and sign language. 
We were introduced to the Queens in there opening act.  They danced to music by Mary J. Blige, “Just Fine” with lyrics that read:
“So I like what I see when I’m looking at me when I’m walking pass a mirror…”  With every step that these ladies took one could easily tell that they embraced these words and expressed them through their dance.
If you are not familiar with the world of pageantry and you think all you need to win the crown is a puffy dress, heavy make-up, and a stiff hand wave then your sadly mistaken.



The Queens in their opening act

The Full Figured Queen Pageant like many others began well before pageant night, and there are many qualifications.   Contestants must undergo an extensive interview process, complete a 500 word essay, showcase their talent, and practice, practice, practice.  Judging begins the first day you walk in to register.  According to Brenda Murray, founder of the Full figured Queen pageant, “This pageant is committed to excellence in every area of all full-figured men and women.”  The contestants must learn an opening act routine, a runway routine for their casual, business and formal wear, perform their talent, and answer interview questions and all of this is done in front of a room full of people and several judges. 
But these ladies were definitely up to the challenge.  They walked the runway flawlessly and answered their interview question without breaking a sweat.


Ms. Full Figure Queen: Shamika Adams

In the end the crown for Ms. Full Figure Queen 2011 went to Shamika Adams, a native of Jacksonville, Fl. who is a certified HIV/aids testing counselor.  Shamika plans to use her time with the crown to give back to her community.  She wants to volunteer at several Jacksonville shelters, including the Clara White Mission and Beam (Beaches Emergency assisted Ministry).  She will also be making a special appearance at the 2012 MLK parade.    Adams also won”best essay” and “Ms. Photogenic”.  Second runner up went to Kim Davis and Miss Congeniality was won by Charleen James.  Every contestant received an honorable mention.


Brittany Williams in a suprise proposal

The night was filled with many special attractions and surprises.  One contestant, Brittany Williams received a special surprise when her boyfriend proposed to her during her formal attire walk. Each lady was to be accompanied by their special someone but Kimberly entered alone.  Her boyfriend was not in the proper attire to escort her but when she entered he rushed up to her, took her hand and knelt on one knee.  A mic was offered to him so the entire audience could share in their special moment. 

Other special attractions included, three dance numbers by the Dazzling Diamonds, a line dancing group with women ranging in age from 65 to 80.  The group is spear headed by Dr. Dawn McDermott.  There was also a special performance by Gregory, The gospel artist.  Mr. Gary Thomas of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Foundation made a special speech and also served as a judge.  Commentators included Dr. Drake of 92.5, First Lady Kimberly Mckissick of Bethel Baptist and Candace Smith creator of Phatabulous Magazine. 



Commentators: Dr. Drake of 92.5, First Lady Bethel Baptist Kimberly Mckissick, Candace Smith

Brenda "The Promoter" Murray

Tarsh Hagan-Watts strutting her stuff in her casual wear

The Queen-Shamika adams

The Dazzling Diamonds

Opera Singer-Mrs. Melissa Todd-Doehne

Kimberly Davis performing a monologue

"The Queen"Shamika adams performing Single Ladies

The 2010 Queen Monique Coles

One of the performances "Gregory the Gospel artist"



Mr. Gary Thomas with the MLK Memorial Foundation

Brenda “The Promoter” Murray is now registering youth for her next upcoming debut, “The Unique Teen King and Queen Pageant.  For more information on any of these events please contact her at:



Candace Smith



www.brendathepromoter.com or call 904-887-4165.