Do It For The Plot

Shopping is the only sport I need.

I have always considered myself a fashionable girlie, if you will. Even back in the day when Know Style, Charlotte Russe, and Rue 21 dominated the mall scenes. For me, it started way back when during shopping days with my babysitter. She was a senior in high school and I was in the 3rd or 4th grade, but she was super nice and would let me hang out with her when she went shopping with her friends on the weekends. My mom didn’t even need a babysitter some of those times, but they had already taken me in as their little sister, so I tagged along anytime I got the chance… DUH! (Best babysitter ever.)

We’d shop all day, get our nails and toes done, then get cute and go out to eat. Literally STILL me. But the first time she took me into Bebe, I was mesmerized! The sales girls in those bedazzled white tees immediately gave IT girl. Oh, I knew then that the lifestyle they were marketing was absolutely what I wanted for myself when I got older. It wasn’t up for any debates. That’s the official day this lifestyle chose me.

Obviously, I still went through the awkward years and had to grow into my looks. Actually, I feel like I’m just now officially graduating out of those years and entering my prime stage lol. But like I mentioned earlier, I always thought I had a little edge with fashion. I don’t have a zero-misses record, and I’ll be the first to admit that those Know Style club outfit days can be a little scary to look back on, but over the years my style has continued to mature into something I’m more and more proud of as I continue to evolve.

Shopping in general has evolved so much since the first time I fell in love with all things glam. I’m so glad the Y2K era spun the block so I could experience some of those looks as an adult. But nowadays, shopping is mostly online and weirdly difficult for people no matter their size.

I always thought it was way harder for curvier girls like myself, but my smaller friends also frequently complain about how hard it is to find things that fit them well. (I’ve always been super hippy thanks to the women on my dad’s side of the family. But they all have flatter chests and can make something shake. Meanwhile, I inherited the big boobs from the women on my mom’s side of the family. But they all have flatter butts so again, something you can work with when you only have one “difficult” area. Since I came out a hybrid mix of both sides (a blessing and a curse depending on how you look at it), I’ve had a unique experience figuring out what works for me.)

Not to mention, I only grew to around 5’3″ like the majority of women on both sides of my family. I’m learning to be completely comfortable and appreciative of my body and how I was made, but like I said, it hasn’t been the easiest journey.

So I’ll share a few things I’ve figured out over the years that might help ya. Forever a girl’s girl, ya know.

First things first: self-love.
I know, I know rolls eyes… what a cliché thing to say, and I’ll try not to take you down the deep end of my woo woo/spirituality side just yet lol, but it’s true. We can all look in the mirror and see “problem areas” or things we’d like to work on physically, but you really have to be thankful that you have a body that’s literally sustaining you and being one of the key factors in you living your life.

Name your body type.
Next thing is figuring out your body type and what styles flatter you best. You won’t catch me in those shorts I had on in Tulum again because I’ve accepted the fact that I have those “childbearing hips” that will always be there, no matter how many hours I spend on the StairMaster. When my aunt told me that years ago, I thought she was being a mega bitch at the time, but really she was just trying to save me from some self-inflicted pain. So now, even though I think it’s so cute when girls wear those little ruffle shorts and jerseys, you won’t find me in one because I know that’s not my look. Everything isn’t meant to work for every… body. And that’s okay. Be real with yourself. Don’t sit too long in the negatives or the positives. Let’s say it together, peeps: It’s all about balance.

Find your doobblerganger.
Now you’ve come to accept how you were made and what styles look good on you. Half the battle is already won. The next thing I suggest is finding people online who post shopping hauls for people with similar body types as you. Since most shopping is online now, this will save you a lot of time (and shipping fees). It might take a little bit, but we’re all on our phones most of the time anyway, so you might as well do something that’ll save you time (and heartache) in the long run.

Locate the sewing machine.
People have recently started asking me where I shop, and they always look a little puzzled when I say the same places as everyone else. Maybe a small part of them thinks I’m gatekeeping, but truthfully, I’m not. Most of the clothes I order are from Pretty Little Thing, Fashion Nova, Zara, and ASOS, with the occasional piece coming from raids in my mom’s vintage closet lol.

The difference is: I take my things to my OG alterations lady. I’ve had to get my pants and school uniforms altered since elementary school (ya know, big hips/butt, almost zero torso). Of course, during college and early adulthood, I was too cheap to keep doing it once I was funding it myself, but it makes a world of difference. I would recommend my lady, but she’s quite the little thug wrapped up in a sweet elder Asian grandma body, so I would need her permission first. I’m still quite scared of her honestly, but she does me right every time lol.

Lose the fear.
My last piece of advice (for now) is: don’t be afraid to try new things. I used to be so afraid of wearing mesh/sheer outfits because omg, what do you do about your undergarments?! Until my friends bullied me one night into wearing a dress with a sheer cut down the side. (I was so nervous I clinched my oversized clutch at my side all night lol.) Fast forward to now, and I just wore an entire red sheer outfit to my last concert and it was chef’s kiss!

So experiment! Sometimes you’ll get it wrong, but eventually you’ll get it right and figure out your own style. No more worrying about the next girl having on that same two-piece set you copped from Shein because you styled yours differently, got it altered, and added your own little twist to it. Period.

That’s basically the story of how I became a fashion girlie and continue to elevate my look. This whole time no one realized That’s So Raven was actually a docu-series based on me, Rae G. lol.

If you decide to try some of the things I mentioned, let me know how it goes! And don’t be shy about tagging or sending me pics of your outfits. My friends and I do it all the time. It’s literally my version of picking fantasy football teams.

Remember some of the best stories are still unwritten so live boldly, embrace the unexpected, and make sure your life story is worth the MF plot!