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mastheadEDITOR-IN-CHIEF \ Tiffany Kaelin Knight MANAGING EDITOR & CREATIVE DIRECTOR \ Courtney MinaEXECUTIVE FASHION EDITOR \ Bella StylesCELEB EDITOR-AT-LARGE \ Rosie Mercado LATIN AMERICA EDITOR-AT-LARGE \ Jennifer Barreto-LeyvaJR FASHION EDITOR \ Nicole AndersonEDITOR \ Mandy Allen

SKORCH TV PRESIDENT & DIR. OF PROGRAMMING \ Jovanna ReyesSKORCH TV HOSTS \ Shanda Freeman - Passion Jonesz - Rosie Mercado Dezzie - Nicole Zepeda - Jessica Lika - Jessica KaneSKORCH TV HOSTS - NUTRITION WITH MARGAUX \ Margaux JeanSKORCH RADIO HOST \ Trinia DotsonCO-FOUNDER \ Carrie Woomer

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COVER IMAGE CREDITS:Model: Rebecca FieldPhotographer: Marc Cartwright (marccartwright.com)MUA/Hair: Sophia Pickle (http://www.modelmayhem.com/1583367)Stylist: Tiffany Kaelin Knight (onthefatwalk.blogspot.com)Wardrobe: Igigi (igigi.com)Jewelry: Anne Marie Chagnon (annemariechagnon.com)

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Editorial CreditsModel: Nicole ZepedaHair: Yolanda NicoleMakeup: Gabrielle BowensAll clothing by Baby Phat-macys.com and babyphat.comNecklace by Enjeanious by Rean www.enjeaniousbyrean.comRing/Ring Bracelet by Enjeanious by Rean


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crosselirisby Bella Styles Executive Fashion Editor While attending the Curves Rock Fashion Weekend in Baltimore, I also set-up a photoshoot for Skorch with curvy model & actress Liris Crosse. Liris has done modeling campaigns for Lane Bryant, Ashley Stewart and more re-cently designer Qristyl Frazier. Her career has including being in vid-eos from 50 Cent, Jay-Z to Jennifer Lopez. But Liris is most recognized from her roles in the movies, “The Best Man” and “Baby Boy”. Liris, who is signed to Dorothy Combs Modeling Agency, has been blowing up the

plus-size modeling world here lately from being on the cover of magazines to modeling on BET’s “Rip the Runway”. So it was my honor to style her for this photoshoot. As I mentioned in my sneak-peak from the shoot, Liris and I have been planning to do a photoshoot togeth-er since the Myspace days of 2006. Now we did do a couple of projects togeth-er that included her teach-ing one of my Plus Acad-emy Virginia classes in 2010 and Liris was also my Curvy Girl of the Day also in 2010. We teamed up with DMV photog-rapher, Doug Swaim, of Never Forgotten Pho-tography and took some excellent shots of Liris.


crosseliris

For our first look I used all Ashley Stewart clothing and accessories to create an

“Egyptian Goddess” look. Now I must be honest, this didn’t start off as an

Egyptian theme. But the necklace clasp wouldn’t open up so we decided to just wear it as a headpiece which

turned out perfect to frame Liris’s face. Liris is wearing a teal embellished tank ($24.50) and black peplum skirt. The bracelets and clutch are by

Ashley Stewart also.

crosseliris


The next look was by Anna Scholz for Simply Be. It was a strapless blue-ish purple jumpsuit. Liris wore her own colorblocked shoes so I vibed off of those colors and used a pink belt and multi-color bracelet to accent the shoes. The mustard colored clutch was the exact same color as the base of the sandals. We

went for a Donna Summer’s kinda theme with this scene.

crosseliris


crosseliris

Lastly we shot in one of Liris’ own dresses by Asos. This was an ani-mal-print side cut-out dress and we kept it basic with nude colored shoes and a nude & animal print bracelet. The wind was blowing at just the right times during the shoot but you would’ve thought we had a wind ma-chine. We’ll call this scene “Liris’s

Walk On the Wildside”.

crosseliris


Editorial CreditsFashion Stylist: Bella StylesHair & MU: Liris CrossePhotography: Doug Swaim of Never Forgotten Photography Location: Hilton BWI Baltimore, MD

metropolitanstyleA style journey to Washington D.C., New York City and Philadelphia

Editorial CreditsModel-Gabrielle BowensHair-Yolanda NicoleMUA-Gabrielle BowensStylist-Lola DarlingPhotographer-Jovanna Reyes


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As a woman who also happens to be fat, there are a lot of up-setting things that can and have been said to me over the years, but I have to admit, there is one really gut-wrenching com-ment that never ceases to cause me anxiety and panic: “Hey girl, wanna go on a summer vay-cay??!?” Because, as a fat person, traveling on public transportation... well, it sucks. It sucks from the moment I real-ize that I have to buy a ticket to choosing a seat to checking-in to finally arriving at my desti-nation. And then, throughout

my trip- my wonderful, exciting, relaxing, trip- a part of me will start the worry-cycle again and will begin obsessing about that potentially tumultuous journey back. I worried about traveling when I was a size 18 and when I was a size 28. More than the, “Hey, I wonder if this sketchy, super cheap tour guide who has no references or even a website is a good idea to book for a wil-derness trek?” or the “Should I be concerned about fitting 4 really fat girls into a double bed?” I spend my trip thinking obsessively, “What do I do if the

plussizetravelingby Alison Zwecker

plussizetravelingseatbelt is too small?,” “What if the flight attendant tries to make me buy another seat?,” “What if the person next to me complains about my flab on his armrest?,” “What if everybody stares at me?,” “What if my ass hits someone in the head while I’m walking down the aisle and they are knocked unconscious and I get arrested for attempted manslaughter and the bed in jail can’t accommodate my weight and the whole thing falls out of the wall and my roommate lands on my head and I get a really

bad concussion and drift into a coma and never wake up?”

These are my general fat trav-elin’ fears, fears that I would guess most people have felt at one time or another, at least to some degree. So many fat-ties approach traveling like one might approach a firing squad. But you know what? I’m gonna say something rev-olutionary- IT SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY!

Continued Next Page -->


plussizetravelingby Alison Zwecker

We are human beings too. Just because the transportation industry has dictated the amount of space one person is supposed to take up doesn’t mean they are right! But, unfortunate-ly, at this point in history, the point in which jet packs and personalized rocketships have yet to be invented (boo!), we still have to deal with the way things are. The fatties of the world, however, shouldn’t feel as though we are some-how not entitled to travel on the same flight or bus or train as a skinny or medium-sized per-son. We are! We just have to ask for what we want and need on that ride, rather than expect that anyone will automatically give it to us.

So, as a human being who also happens to be very fat, I thought I would share some travel tips for y’all to kick-off the summer season. For me at least, being armed with a plan of attack is KEY to feeling more comfortable through-out the traveling process. That plan general-ly starts upon booking a trip and ends when I arrive back home after my return trip. The more comfortable we are with what we need, individually, the more comfortable we can feel taking that 18 hour flight to Thailand or even the Bolt Bus to Beantown for the weekend.

Before I start with the tips, I want to categorize seating and travel anxiety into two general buckets. The first travel-style bucket is of the assigned seat variety, with potential woes in-cluding, but not limited to, seat partners, arm-rests, flight attendant interaction, seat belts, and, particularly for my 6’2” body, legroom. The second type is the “free seating” miscel-lany, which may force the participant to line up at least an hour before the departure so that you can rush onto the train or bus or plane first to ensure that you get dibs on seats and, pref-erably, have two seats to yourself (or at least force your future seat partner to have to be the one to make the choice to sit with you, rather than the other way around). The second bucket still includes aforementioned assigned seating concerns (re: seat buddies/enemies, armrests, et al), but with the added shuffle and scurry as well as the fear of walking onto a vehicle in which there are only single seats available, and you pace the aisles as you try to pick your

seat, staring at your reluctant companions’ worried faces while they plaintively look up at you as if you are deciding which of them to sacrifice on the altar of the Amtrak gods

I could go on and on with tips and tricks that I have found over the years (from my days of plump adolescence to supersized adulthood, I might add), but I’m only going to mention a few here, for the sake of time and attempted brevity (and whether or not I can hold your attention for a few last seconds before you return to your game of Farmville. Is that even still a thing? Baa?). OK, here goes my not-at-all exhaustive list:

Booking: First and foremost, be honest with yourself about what you need in terms of personal space/room◦ Seat width: Not all airplane seats are created equally. Did you know that a Virgin Atlantic Airbus seat is nearly 3 inches wider than a Luftansa Airbus seat? For most people, 3 inches can mean 1 – 2 pants sizes. So that’s a pretty big difference. Check out http://www.seatguru.com/ before choosing your airline and consider spend-ing a little more/or rescheduling your travel times to give yourself that extra few inches.◦ Speaking of a extra inches, did you know about the Economy Plus option on United Airlines? For about $39 on domestic and $100 on international flights, you can have a seat with 5 extra inches of legroom (34 – 36 inches, on average). Other companies like Delta, Vir-gin America, Frontier’s, and Spirit are offering similar deals, if you are willing to shell out the dough. If you can pretty comfortably fit into an airplane seat but just hate that cramped feel-ing in your legs, this is a great option, but I should clarify that the seat width in these sec-tions is no different than standard economy. ◦ One seat or Two? Personally, I have a rather giant butt/hips AND I am 74” tall. Which means that, for the most part, I cannot fit into one seat on an airline, because even if I can somehow squeeze into a larger width seat, my knees will be pushed up against the seat in front of mine and will be bruised by even half-way through the flight. It’s often hard to admit that fact to yourself- that one seat is just not

plussizetraveling


possible- especially when you are forced to es-sentially tell an airline that you are two whole human beings and therefore deserve to pay for two people, rather than one. (Seriously, I’m all for paying for the space you take up, but what about letting me pay for 1.25 seats rather than a whole 2? eh?) But if you do decide that you need that ex-tra space, opt for an airline like Southwest or the recently acquired AirTran. I’m sure we’ve all heard the horror stories of how Southwest has treated fat passengers, but you should still take advan-tage of the ability to get a full refund of your 2nd seat as long as your flight is not fully booked. What’s more, if you need to travel domestically in Canada, pick Air Can-ada or West Jet, who have policies stating that fat pas-sengers can get 2 seats for the price of 1! Oh, Canada!◦ If possible, another suggestion might be to try to find a seat buddy. Maybe it’s a good friend who doesn’t mind being a little close to you for a few hours. Or maybe you and a fellow fatty traveler can team up and share three seats between the two of you to cut-down on costs! Either way, phoning a friend is a great way to ease anxiety about the whole seating issue. (Note: I’ve heard mixed reviews on the fatty seat buddy option, with some parties saying that airlines forced them to still get another seat just to make an extra buck, but others have said that they have done a two-fatty seat-share without incident. In my opinion, it’s at least worth a shot, if you have a spare friend and a steely glare if push comes to shove.)

Checking-in: the time you ar-rive at the airport/station until you are

at the door of your vehicle of choice◦ Another option for the ample-bottomed is to employ AirTran’s upgrade policy, which allows passengers to switch to a business class seat at check-in for an additional $49 - $129 (depending on flight length- additional costs

for connecting flights). This means going from an 18” to a 30/31” seat (that normally costs hundreds of dollars more), if you are willing to take the risk that business class may be sold out. ◦ If you aren’t feeling the upgrade (or aren’t flying AirTran), why not check-in with an agent rather than a kiosk and ask them if they can put you next to an empty seat. Be-

fore I took the two-seat plunge, many many a time I shimmied up to the desk and calmly and politely asked the agent if there was someone seated next to me and, if so, could I be moved to another seat? Often they put a hold on the seat next to me and prevented it from being

filled unless absolutely necessary. You can also ask the attendant at your gate if there are any available first or business class seats. Yes, there is a big chance that they will look at you side-eyed and say “umm no!” But you know what? Maybe they won’t. Maybe you will find that one special person who will give you a free upgrade. You never know! As my friend’s

dad says, “you don’t ask, you don’t get!” So, if you feel comfortable, just ASK. Sometimes it pays to rely on the kindness of strangers. Taking Your Seat: how to navigate the aisle, seat, and everything in-between◦ OK firstly, those aisles are pretty nar-

row. And if you’ve got a carryon too? Forgetaboutit! So I’ve learned a se-cret tip for how to help a fatty out and avoid the bumping butt-to-face or the seat passengers diving to hit the decks when they see you coming, as if your body will somehow explode on them and possibly infect them with fatness. What’s my secret? Just ASK someone at the desk if you can go on the plane early. You don’t need to explain why, just say “I would like to pre-board.” And smile! Chances are, they will say “sure, no problem!” The worst I’ve gotten is them saying that I could not pre-board, but I could go on during Zone 1, which boards first and is only executive gold-star super important business class peeps. If they tell try to tell you no, or ask why, you don’t need to say “IT’S BECAUSE I AM FAT!” just try, “I need extra time” or “I’d feel more comfortable taking my seat when the cabin is empty.” I’d guess that 90% of the time, you’ll get waved through. ◦ Don’t you love when you’re seated on an aisle row and, low and be-hold, the outside armrest goes up and you can dangle your spare butt/belly in the aisle rather than onto a stranger’s lap? But it’s so annoying when you try to lift that armrest and it won’t go up. Well boy do I have some news! A fellow fat travel confidant has informed me that ALL the armrests on Boeing-type airplanes should go up (cannot confirm

if this includes bulkhead and emergency exit, though), they are just often locked in place. So, while you’re doing your pre-board thing, why not ask the attendant if he or she wouldn’t mind unlocking the armrest on your aisle seat? ◦ Seat belts. Ugh. I spent far far too many years freaking out about which type of airline makes longer seat belts. On family trips


I might squish into a Delta belt on the way to Disney World, but be unable to make a USAir belt force itself closed on my return home. My parents would sit on either side of me, while I carefully tried to hide my unbuckled belt. Yep, I can’t tell you the number of times I faked having that belt buckled by placing the out-er half under a roll (to keep it in place), and putting my arm on my lap to cover the gap. Only once or twice did a flight attendant take a second look, or try to make me prove that I was buckled. But it was because of those em-barrassing moments that I learned about the seatbelt extender. Yes, that little extra section of belt that attendants use to do their “insert the metal buckle and tighten low around your waist” can actually be handed out pre-flight for those who need a little extra room in their seat belt. So after years of tucking and cover-ing, I just started walking up to the flight atten-dant on my way to my seat and asking for the extender directly. No one bats an eyelash and it takes only a millisecond for them to hand it to you, plus think of all the minutes you save yourself of worrying and squeezing and elbow-ing a neighbor, if not just being super unsafe and not buckling at all (not recommended!). If you’re into being uber prepared, you can also buy your own extender and bring it aboard so you don’t ever have to ask (though be care-ful, as not all extenders fit all airlines’ seats)!◦ Be prepared for a few possible scenar-ios that might pop up: crabby neighbor, rude flight attendant (who may challenge you to pur-chase another seat). How will you react? You might want to think of a few things you want to say if, like me, you get flustered/easy upset in stressful situations (introvert pride!). Every time I have to take the bus or train and do not have assigned seating, I wait in line thinking about what will happen if I walk on that ve-hicle and see only single seats available. For Amtrak it’s a little less stressy (cause the seats are much wider with pretty ample legroom), but still, I play out the scenario in my head: I tell myself that I will ask someone if I can sit down and, if the person tries to give me at-titude, I will say “maybe you want to move to another seat?” if they STILL give me attitude, I will say “hey, you’re either sharing with me

or you’re sharing with some skinny person of your choice, it’s up to you.” Of course, none of this has ever happened, but this is my men-tal escape route. Perhaps you want to pick one that is slightly less neurotic, but I’m still a big proponent for thinking about what you want to say should any complications arise.

Well, that’s pretty much it, in terms of quick tips. I’ve talked a lot about flight-related fatty travel, so I want to end by saying something that is universally applicable: DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT. What’s the worst that can happen? Someone says “no”? There is no shame in acknowledg-ing your needs. Just remember that you de-serve that seat just as much as the next person, and what’s more, you DESERVE to be treated well, and to have a safe, easy flight- after all, you are purchasing a service, the same as ev-eryone else. The transportation industry dic-tated standard seat size, not God (or scientific big bang explosions), so don’t let some other human being tell you that you are too big for anything. Arm yourself with your feelings of self-worth and the attitude that you should be traveling too! Even if you are nervous and a lil embarrassment creeps in (hey, it happens to us all, especially considering the circum-stances), just “fake it till you make it.” Ac-knowledge your size, be direct about what you need, be courteous, and be confident that you have every right to be on that trip too.

Traveling can be stressful, but I truly believe if you take a few additional (and pretty easy) steps, your experience can be much much bet-ter and, even more than that, you can save yourself all the worry and fear associated with it. Above all else, remember that the travel is only a small part of your journey, and think securely about the awesome summer vay-cay waiting for you on the other side of the gate.


by Tiffany Kaelin-KnightEditor-In-Chief

She can be seen in Ameri-can Pie Reunion and her more recent role is on Lifetimes The Client List. Showing her amazing sense of humor, you can also see Rebecca starring in R. Kelly’s Hip-opera Trapped in the Closet. I was impressed with how down to earth Rebecca was and how incredibly easy going she was to work with. Not only is this young starlet, beyond gor-geous, she is beyond sweet.

Rebeccafieldcovergirl

Rebeccafield


Skorch: Rebecca: what sort of things are you working on?Rebecca: The client list second season, new chapters of R. Kelly's TRAPPED IN THE CLOSET reprising my roll of Bridget shooting at the end of summer. And the DVD of AMERICAN REUNION was just released on July 10th.

Skorch: How long have you been acting?Rebecca: I started acting when I was a kid taking class in my small hometown and doing theater, did plays all through high school and then studied it in college. Did summer stock the-ater after college and then moved to LA to pursue it profes-sionally.


Skorch: When you aren’t acting, what types of things do you like to do to stay busy.Rebecca: Traveling, knitting, hiking, being with friends and family. The usual!!

Skorch: What advice can you give plus size women trying to make it in the main stream entertainment world? Rebecca: Just be yourself, get in where you fit in, and work hard. There have been so many positive changes in the industry with regard to plus size and people that are paving the way. If you’re talented and driven nothing else matters! And always be kind, not only is that the best way to be but you are all a team making magic together. No one person more important than the other.

Editorial Credits Model: Rebecca FieldPhotographer: Marc Cartwright (marccartwright.com)MUA/Hair: Sophia Pickle (http://www.modelmayhem.com/1583367)Stylist: Tiffany Kaelin Knight (onthefatwalk.blogspot.com)Wardrobe: Igigi (igigi.com)Jewelry: Anne Marie Chagnon (annemariechagnon.com)

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It’s that time of year where you just want to hop a plane and go to an exotic island. Well if you’re lucky enough to do just that then you’re gonna need some fly fash-ions to carry along with you. Here are a few of my pics to pack that will keep you trendy, in style and most of all Skorchin’ hotttt!!!!

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Vacation and pictures go together like milk and cookies so looking good is a must. But who wants to lug a huge case of makeup around airports, hotels, cruise ships, and wherever else you end up? Well, with these 3 amazing prod-ucts from Too Faced Cosmetics you can travel light and look lovely at the same time. Too Faced Glamour To Go Palette – Compact, convenient, and super cute, this small palette is filled with everything you could ever want to take on-the-go. 8 eyeshadows, a bronzer, a blush, and a sheer lipgloss make for an amaz-ingly versatile palette for you to create an array of looks. Go from day to play and everything in between!Too Faced Shadow Insurance Lemon Drop Primer – An eyeshadow primer is an absolute

necessity. Apply a thin layer of this yellow tint-ed primer to your eye area before eyeshadow and your makeup won’t crease, fade, or budge for the day. Plus, it helps eyeshadows show up clear and true!Too Faced Teddy Bear Hair Brush Set – With a powder brush, various eye brushes, and the most perfect angled liner brush, you can apply the gorgeous colors in your Glamour To Go Palette with ease. This portable set includes a makeup bag to neatly pack your brushes with enough room for your palette and primer. You can even include your favorite lipstick and eyeliner! Quick Tip: Be sure to bring a dark brown or black eyeliner to create a smoky eye for a night out! (Too Faced Perfect Eyes Eyeliner)

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Documents

excellent shots of liris

ashley stewart clothing

modeling campaigns

photoshoot togeth

nicole zepedahair

igigi igigi

egyptian goddess look

plussize modeling world