Just heard from Deidre Wengen, that trendy fashion retailer Forever 21 will be expanding thier line in May, to include a plus size range. The plus size options will includes items in sizes XL, 1X and 2X.

Although it’s great news to hear that Forever 21 will be expanding it’s line of clothing, it would be even better news if they were to expand their range to sizes over 2X! Ah well, baby steps I guess. Better then nada.

Fashion Week has grown into a prestigious event recognized worldwide for its success in presenting stunning couture fashion shows in upscale venues. For the first time in history, a partnership of independent fashion designers, retailers, event producers, models and plus industry businesses, will join forces to bring the fashion week experience to the curvy consumer. Full Figured Fashion Week (FFFWeek) will proudly launch in New York City, June 25-27, 2009.

In America alone, there are 40 million women over size 14, spending $25 billion a year on clothing, or a quarter of all clothing sales, according to American Demographics. So, why isn’t there a Fashion Week event dedicated to showcasing fashions available to the curvy consumer? There wasn’t…until NOW!

Produced by DeVoe Signature Events, a special events and management company, specializing in events for plus size consumers for over 10 years, the organizers of FFFWeek are very excited about creating an event that will not only showcase plus size designs, talented designers, retailers, local boutiques and “real size” models, but it is hoped that the event will also increase economic development in the area of plus size fashion design, clothing merchandising and plus modeling.

The ancillary events for FFFWeek will create even more networking opportunities for designers, boutiques and businesses as this highly anticipated three-day fashion extravaganza will debut before an audience of over 1500+ plus size fashion enthusiasts, style mavens, models, boutiques, vendors and the media, while providing an inaugural showcase of talented designers, models, stylists and plus industry businesses that specialize in the needs of the plus size consumer.

The grand finale event, which will be held at 6:00 PM on Saturday, June 27th at The Cathedral, one of New York’s most preeminent and fashionable venues, will feature the collections of high-end plus size fashion boutiques, retail stores and local and out of state independent designers.

Sponsors for this inaugural event include, Plus Model Magazine, The Voluptuous Woman Company, Diva’s Unlimited Inc., IPNY Travel and a number of other businesses devoted to the advancement of plus size fashion and consumer product marketing.

Sponsors, Designers, Models and Vendors interested in participating in the event should visit http://www.fffweek.com/registration.html and download the applicable forms.

For press/media inquiries send email to: .

We always talk about clothes here on the Scoop, but we never actually talked about the care of clothing.

Well, today I’d like to introduce you to Snuggle Creme, a new product on the marketing, that will add two luxurious aromas to laundry time while softening your clothes.

Currently you can get $2 off Snuggle Creme. Simply click here to get to know the details!

MiB Collection by Making it Big, Inc. (www.makingitbig.com), a multi-channel retailer of quality plus size women’s clothing sizes 2X to 8X / 22W to 48W, announced today that in celebration of earth day they will be conducting a fun networking and social event for their customers while fund raising for a Santa Rosa homeless women’s day shelter. The event will take place at the MiB Cotati Showroom and Outlet location on Saturday April 25, 2009. MiB will be holding this Spring Closet Clean out your Clutter/Plus Size Women’s Clothing Swap/Clothing Drive for Santa Rosa non-profit The Living Room. MiB looks forward to this upcoming opportunity to fund raise and provide garments for local Plus Size women. Recognizing these troubling economic times, Making it Big recently examined methods to increase their community involvement to help women in greatest need. At the same time as MiB was evaluating their philanthropic opportunities, volunteers from the The Living Room, and longtime customers of MiB, dropped in to shop and requested some needed garments for local Plus Size homeless women. MiB was happy to assist these homeless women in finding functional garments of fit and style, which they so desperately needed. MiB has donated countless garments in the past to The Living Room and other non-profit groups and was inspired to create this clothing swap event from this encounter of good will.

For over 25 years, Making it Big has provided its loyal customers with a line of fashionable high quality Plus Size clothing that fits great and lasts and lasts. Displaying a unique understanding of the fashion needs of Plus and Super Plus Size women, MiB offers a wide selection of Plus Size fashion styles. MiB covers the essentials from the much loved tried and true “MiB Basics”, Venus professional line, t-shirts to relaxed fit jeans, plus many other necessities for the Plus Size woman’s wardrobe. MiB offers sizing designed specifically for “real” Plus Size women equivalent to traditional sizes 2X to 8X or 22W to 48W. In an industry that considers a size 10 or 12 “Plus Size” and chooses smaller models even when offering larger sizes, MiB is celebrated by Plus Size women.

Making it Big author Sally Smith wrote about Spring Cleaning in the recent article The Spring Cleaning Challenge: Getting Rid of All Kinds of Clutter, “Our lives are filled with all types of clutter – physical, emotional and mental. Getting rid of clutter – regardless of what kind – is ultimately a process of letting go. Although letting go is difficult for most people, for plus-size women it is often complicated by the layers of negative messages we’ve internalized about our self-worth. So, I’d like to issue a spring cleaning challenge – to myself and to you: to let go of at least some emotional, mental, and physical clutter by cleaning out the bedroom closet and dresser drawers. In the process, we’ll be able to connect with other people, help plus-size women in need, and give ourselves a treat.”

MiB sees the importance for Plus Size women to have fun opportunities, which women of smaller size frequently have an opportunity to experience. In addition, MiB believes in the importance of helping local women during these challenging economic times. MiB hopes you too can join their efforts helping Sonoma County homeless women Saturday April 25, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The press and public are invited to attend. For further information please contact .

I’ve just been informed that Daron Ofir Casting are nit casting for curvy, beautiful, and confident women ages 21 to 32 for the new romance and dating prime time reality series on FOX. To submit yourself and for more information, visit http://www.moretolovecasting.com/.

I love learning about new plus size focused initiatives coming up, and this one ladies is count to be big.

As many of you have heard FOX is attempting to produce a reality dating show entitled More to Love. This is a truly ground breaking event which gives all plus size ladies the chance to really make their mark, and help break down even more barriers and stereotypes which infest the media today.

To help give FOX direct input from the plus size community the Plus Size Marketing Group have set up the Plus Size Movement, which I invite you to check out and join today. They have also designed a short survey for plus size women to fill out, which results will be sent directly to FOX and the casting directory of More to Love.

Watch this space for upcoming updates about More to Love!

Joanne Brokaw noted in her blog post last Friday, that a brand new and very unique new label within the Gospel music industry was just launched, which is targeted exclusively to plus size women.

Sherrie Keys, a Gospel singer, has launched Chubby Girl Records, a label which celebrates and embraces gifted Gospel recording artists who just happen to be ‘pleasantly plump’. Founder Keys believes that gospel music marketing offers a compelling and unique opportunity to positively influence the way plus size women view their own bodies.

Besides the new label launch, Chubby Girl Records is also designing a clothing line targeing also the plus size market.

It will be very interesting to watch how this new label develops, and I cannot wait to have a look at the label’s first fashion collection as well. I’ll definitely keep you ladies updated when more news is out.