Body Positive

Curvy Girl Essentials

GIRL whether you’re a long-time reader of DTC’s blog OR it’s your first time paging through our 100+ posts of inspo, you’ve likely realized by now that we’re all about celebrating everyBODY!

BUT as a curvy girl myself (SheEO Rachel K Grim here!) I have a special space in my big heart for my fellow mid-size to plus-size ladies – ESPECIALLY in the hot summer months. An increase in temps means a decrease in clothes but occasionally as a curvy girl….well, that’s easier said than done! So to empower YOU to love the skin you’re in this summer & BEYOND, I’m sharing a few of my confidence boosting Curvy Girl Summer Essentials!

1. PICABOO – anti-chafe cream

FACT: I HATE being hot and GIRL, I’m ALWAYS hot (especially in NYC where the AC is hard to come by!) We all know hot leads to sweat, sweat leads to chafing, and chafing leads to a major blow of the ego. Thankfully our fellow curvy-queen Samanta Moise of La Parea Wellness created PICABOO – an anti-chaffing balm for under boobs, arms, thighs, or anywhere you need! In full transparency, she gifted me this life-changing product last spring (2021) but I have sweat through may pucks of it since! I particularly love PICABOO because it’s clean, calming ingredients create a barrier on top of the skin, allowing your skin to glide rather than rub, irritate, and chafe. And as a curvy girl with thick thighs who’ve fallen victim to chafing too many times, I mean it when I say this cream has changed my life (and made me SO much happier on long, sweaty walks around the city too!)

I personally reach for the PICABOO balm on repeat but recommend the Under Breast Deodorant and Soap set for summer too!

2. TrueKind – seamless undie shorts

& speaking of long, sweaty walks around the city…

The ONE thing that may be worse than chaffing, sweaty undies stuck in your bum! I know *CRINGE* but also…TELL ME I’M WRONG – it’s the worst! So when my friends at Truekind sent me their seamless stretch undie shorts for Summer 2022, my tune for the season completely changed. Not only are they super stretch (coming in 2 sizes: S-XL and 2XL-4XL) but they are breathable and cut to avoid chafing too! I personally love these seamless shorts under summer dresses and ordered EVERY color possible after loving the black pair they’d sent me so much. Talk about a sweaty summer bummer turned confidence booster!

Find a size + shade for you here!

3. cURVE LOVING Swimwear – Bravissimo

Though sweating and chaffing absolutely SUCK (sorry mom, no better way to say it) I’d argue finding comfortable, supportive, confidence boosting swimwear is the greatest challenge of all! At the kick off of 2022 I was introduced to Bravissimo – a UK based intimate and swimwear brand designed with bigger boobs in mind (for real – their tagline is “made for D cups & up!”) To be sure I had the *FULL* Bravissimo experience, they invited me to a complimentary bra fitting and have been setting me up with the BEST bras and swimwear since. Like seriously – the swimwear features underwire that doesn’t dig into my skin AND the intimates are quality! Plus, thanks to my fitting, they suggest styles tailored to MY SIZE + SHAPE like the Cancun One Piece Swimsuit, Montana Wire Bikini and (my favorite of the summer!) the Las Cabanas Bikini I wore for my shoot with NY Magazine!

If you’re local to New York I HIGHLY recommend setting up a complimentary bra fitting at Bravissimo OR trying their virtual fitting too (check out my virtual fitting here!) – I promise you won’t regret it!

But now I need to know…no, WE need to know YOU essentials to surviving curvy girl summer so we can ALL live our best lives this season and BEYOND! Comment your favorites below and connect with us @ditchtheclique on Instagram for more confidence boosting resources at your fingertips.

who is Rachel?

Rachel K. Grim is the Brooklyn New York based blogger, speaker, and empowerHER behind the event series and online community Ditch the Clique. In 2019 Rachel launched Ditch the Clique to empower REAL women of all ages, races, sizes, and careers with goal-getting resources to live the life they dream! When she’s not scheming new ways to grow the Ditch the Clique COMMUNITY, Rachel can be found eating and shopping her way through New York City, traveling abroad, or watching binge-worthy reality television (with a glass of prosecco in hand, of course)!

Follow Rachel @rachelkgrim

August 25, 2022August 24, 2022 by Ditch the Clique the blog

Lingerie for Curvy Bodies & Every Body

Ah, February…

It’s officially the month of LOVE & I LOVE IT!

And I know, that has the potential to be unpopular opinion. But WHY?

My theory is that, GIRL whether we like it or not, we allow the month of love (and heck, every other month of the year) to revolve around someone else and the validation we get from someone else choosing us.

But what about US? What about YOU?

What if you loved you & chose you regardless of celebrating the month of love solo or with a partner? What if you loved you and chose you EVERYDAY? After all, isn’t that what love is all about anyway?

Here at Ditch the Clique, we believe we can’t be good for ANYONE if we’re not good for ourselves first. And GIRL we want that same love for you too! So to inspire you to love you more this Valentine’s Day season and B E Y O N D, we’re sharing a few of our favorite confidence boosting brands who empower us to love the skin we’re in E V E R Y D A Y!

ADORE ME

If you’ve attended a Ditch the Clique event or follow along with me on Instagram (shameless plug HEHE) you’re likely familiar with my Adore Me obsession. With the tagline “do whatever you want in our lingerie” and housing colorfully creative underwear and sleep styles from xs to plus size, there truly is something for E V E R Y B O D Y!

BRAVISSIMO

Bravissimo is fuller bust brand & newer friend of Ditch the Clique, and we already can’t get enough of their curve loving styles. Designed for boobs size D – L, they house over 94 sizes and 25 brands for the “1 unique YOU!” My current favs include the Penelope and Enya styles ideal for vday and BEYOND!

Oh & NYC friends – stay tuned for the reopening of the SoHo Bravissimo shop coming soon!

CURVY KATE

Also designed with a fuller breast in mind (hello cup sizes D-K) Curvy Kate is ALL about empowering you with the knowledge to select the best shape and most comfortable fit to be BeYOUtiful! Sharing daily fit tips & the latest boob news, Curvy Kate is more than bras and swimwear but THE Instagram follow of 2022!

Looking for confidence boosting resources BEYOND bras? Explore Ditch the Clique’s upcoming LIVE events and join our 1:1 confidence coaching for community & accountability in pursuit of the life YOU dream!

who is Rachel?

Follow Rachel @rachelkgrim

February 3, 2022February 4, 2022 by Ditch the Clique the blog

The Comparison Trap

Recently I went to a concert with my friends (Jonas Brothers for the win!) As the sun went down, the air grew crisp and the sky cleared — it was the PERFECT night for a concert. We made our way to our seats, passing group after group of young women laughing and taking pictures, excitement in the air. If you’ve ever been to a concert, then you know some people go all out. Crop tops, everywhere you look.

I should have been swept up in the excitement, but instead, a part of my brain kept locking onto every woman I passed and thinking: I wish I looked as good as she does. Once I started, I couldn’t stop: in line for the bathroom, waiting to get drinks, even when we finally made it to our seats. I continued comparing myself to those around me to see how I measured up. Whose outfit was cuter? Who looked prettier? I told myself it was for “outfit inspiration” (good try, April) but we all know that’s not completely true. I tumbled down a hole of comparison.

January 13, 2022December 15, 2021 by Ditch the Clique the blog

Dressing for Summer When You’re Not Feeling Confident

I hate the summer.

Yeah, you read that right. I hate it. The inevitable sunburn, the heat, and the fashion that comes with it. I’ve never enjoyed wearing summer clothes. I’d much rather wear pants and sweaters than shorts and dresses. Part of that is personal preference, but if I’m REALLY honest it goes deeper than that.

Maybe you can relate: I like pants that hide the shape of my legs. I’m always nervous to wear bathing suits in public. And don’t even get me started on skirts.

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021 by Ditch the Clique the blog