Bonjour  lovelies, how are you all? Very, very, well I hope.  So, I’m thrilled to share another story for my favourite category on the Blog ‘Talk with the Beauties’. Before I go into details, let me tell you – I follow very few bloggers and she is probably my favourite of all the bloggers I follow.  She is Ragini Rao of ‘A Curious Fancy‘. I came across her blog a couple of years ago and I was incredibly impressed by her story. Ragini is a plus size fashion blogger and a vintage lover. I really adore her blog because I feel she is very honest about herself in terms of her style, who she is and how she feels about herself. I could relate to her blog for many reasons and thats why she was the first one to cross my mind when I  thought of starting this series. I asked her a few questions that made me curious and I was literally jumping with joy when she got back in touch. I hope  you enjoy this –

1. Can you tell me a little about what you do and what kind of things you enjoy the most? (these need not to be fashion related, about life in general)

Well, I blog full time or rather, as and when my health permits. I have severe pain issues from scoliosis that keeps me indoors a lot of the time. Which sounds a bit miserable, but I make the most of it with DIY projects and baking! I’m not very invested in monetizing the things I do because my life plan mostly involves raising a family with my fiance. And that might sound very un-feminist and backwards to most people, but it’s what works for me.

When it comes to things I enjoy the most, the first would be reading. I’ve been hooked on to eco-fiction and dystopian literature ever since I read Margaret Atwood’s Madaddam trilogy a few years ago – I guess science fiction in general is my thing. Honestly, most of my time is taken up with shooting and editing photos for my blog, writing up posts, and keeping up with my blog social media. Turns out that’s actually hella time consuming, especially if you have specific targets you set for yourself every day!

2. I have read about your PlusLondon meet and Leeds Fat Swap, it’s really incredible how these meets with like-minded people can lift you up, give you confidence and make you forget about all your issues. How did these meetups impact your life?

Ah, I remember those – such a long time ago! I’ve gone through so many life changes, ups and downs since then that it feels like a different lifetime altogether. It was hugely significant though, being in a positive space with other, likeminded fatties, and meeting people I’d only known over the internet or from their blogs! The plus fashion world has expanded significantly since then, especially in the west. Back when I lived in the UK, it was still in quite a fledgeling stage and the fashion community was quite small where everyone pretty knew everyone else. So I can only speak for my experiences back then – since I moved back to India in 2013, I’ve been quite divorced from the IRL side of fat community bonding.

3. When did you start loving yourself and got comfortable with your body? What was that life-changing experience?  

I’ve written more about this here 🙂

4. Do you like India? The people? How is/was living in Calcutta? How is it different from London as a fashion blogger?

Ahh, this is quite a complex question and one that I don’t really have an answer to! The most I can say is that there are different challenges to living in the UK as opposed to living in India, an entirely different set of problems. Neither is perfect by a long stretch, at least in my experience! (I lived in York by the way, which is in the North East of England and quite far from London!)

5. How do you feel about more and more plus size bloggers coming in? Any tips?

It’s wonderful to see the increasing numbers of plus size fashion bloggers in India. Visibility is so important, and the more people join in, the stronger our voice becomes. If I have anything to say to bloggers just stepping into the world of plus fashion blogging, it’d be this – create something new and unique that only you can! Instead of following in the footsteps of more established bloggers, try to find the look and voice that’s *you*. From a technical standpoint, I’d always advise focusing on photography. You don’t need a fancy camera or equipment, just go out with the camera you have and shoot whatever you can. Learn the limits of your equipment, learn how to frame and use natural light. Go scouting for locations! A fashion blogger is, after all, a fashion photographer too.

6. I adore your sense of style. I love your outfits – do you have any dos and don’ts when it comes to fashion?

Thank you! I don’t really have any fashion rules that I follow, except for this crucial one: wear the clothes that you want and not the clothes that others think you should wear. Looking different from everyone around you requires a lot of strength, especially if you’re new to the process, but it gets way easier with time.

Follow Ragini on Instagram 🙂