Releasing Your Chicken Wings, Pt.1

One topic that seems to ring true for many of my fellow curvy and fabulous divas in the summer is the dread of releasing our voluptuous upper arms or as I like to call them—the chicken wings— from the cage. If you are like me, I know that many of you are not fond of that extra skin that keeps jiggling and wiggling long after you stopped waiving. While I feel a little self-conscious about letting my wings flap from time to time, it gets much too hot in the DC Metro area to keep my wings in the cage. Here are a few do’s and don’ts for letting your arms loose for the summer.

DO

1. Love your arms NOW. While we all press toward the mark of the prize of Michelle Obama’s biceps, it’s OK if we are not there yet. In the meantime, focus on loving the arms that you have right NOW. Be grateful for all that your arms do for you every day, whether it’s picking up your child or browsing through clothing racks when you are nowhere near payday. Love your arms NOW!


2. Start small. If you aren’t comfortable with fully exposing your arms now, start small with a cap sleeve, quarter sleeve, or ruffle sleeve. These extra few inches will help you feel a little more covered and keep you cool.


3. Choose wider straps. When you are ready to let your wings loose, look for sleeveless tops with wider straps. The wider straps will help your body to look more proportioned and balanced.


4. Invest in a good strapless bra. Nothing says tacky like visible bra straps. A good strapless bra will help the “girls” stay high and lifted up and make your sleeveless tops look even better.


5. Moisturize! After you find the cute top to cap off your newfound confidence, show your arms off with a beautiful rich moisturizer. Two of my current favorites are Carol’s Daughter Shea Souffle in Almond Cookie (Absolute HEAVEN in a jar!) and Berry Butter.com’s Shea Butter in Cranberry Passion (Smells just like an island breeze). For a fun night on the town, add a little body glitter on for a more luminuous glow.

DON'T

1. Select straps that are too thin. For my curvy and fab divas who are a D cup and above (self included), thin straps are NOT a good look for us. Thin straps will make your breasts look like they are hanging from a leash and make your “cups” overflow.


2. Wear bear arms in the office. While most offices have relaxed dress codes in the summer, be sure that you have a nice summer-weight sweater or wrap to cover your bare arms in the office.


3. Go without a bra. If your sleeveless top is too sheer or too tight to wear with a bra, it needs to stay on the rack or only be worn for private audiences.


4. Let the wild kingdom emerge from your underarms. Don’t ruin your beautiful outfit by allowing the hair under your arms to get too wild. Take a few moments to ensure that you have the wild kingdom under control.

When you do venture out with your new sleeveless top, don’t spend the day pinching at your arms or trying to squeeze them at your sides. Get comfortable with the beautiful arms God gave you. Where ever you are in your journey to let your chicken wings loose, remember that the most beautiful part of any outfit is how good you feel about yourself.

Until next time,
Stay curvy and fabulous!

Up Next: Releasing Your Chicken Wings, Pt. 2