A Letter from the Editor-In-Chief, Marie Denee: 15 Years of Plus Dimension Vogue with TCF

Fifteen years. 15 Occasions. 3,590+ Articles. 850,000+ followers, followers, and subscribers from the US, Italy, and the UK to Australia, Canada, Brazil, Japan, and China. This 12 months’s birthday (Christmas to be precise) marks an anniversary that I by no means dreamed of reaching– marking 15 years (and counting) of The Curvy Fashionista bringing you the newest in plus measurement vogue information, model, and assets! 

I believed for some time about which course I needed to go along with this reflection on the previous 15 years. Not solely have the plus measurement neighborhood and the style business grown, developed, and reworked through the years, however TCF and I’ve grown, developed, and reworked. Do I vogue a “better of,” “high moments,” or a “what I’d wish to see from plus measurement vogue” strategy? Might that probably seize all the pieces I’ve to say?

This 12 months, particularly after the final two years, has been so impactful and transformational for me personally and professionally that it doesn’t make any sense to create a listicle. I’d fairly share a mirrored image of this progress and the thrill I’ve about what’s to come back… from the lens of a founder, an Editor-in-Chief, and a member of this neighborhood.

Reintroducing The Curvy Fashionista

So, the place do I start? Let’s first begin with the place I’m– as a result of this 12 months has been actually a blessing in disguise– one I wish to seek advice from as my Phoenix elevating from the ashes. This has been a 12 months of therapeutic. A 12 months of transition. A 12 months of training. A 12 months of basis. And better of all, a 12 months that has birthed a renewed pleasure and vigor that I missed! 

I have to admit… it was not till final 12 months that I really realized what (and the worth of) what I had constructed. After a failed enterprise deal that eviscerated and deflated any sense of self, I’ve been on a transformational journey that has helped me notice my price, discover my confidence, and supply readability on what I used to be constructing and why. 

It’s been a journey that’s begged me to ask myself, “How am I exhibiting up for me?!” How may I present up for my enterprise if I didn’t present up for myself? My neighborhood? My family and friends? 

Now that I’ve readability, permit me to reintroduce myself:

Hiya! My identify is Marie Denee, and I’m the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Curvy Fashionista. This reintroduction, getting extra private than I ever have, is my means of exhibiting up for you. For TCF. For many who assist make TCF what it’s and will probably be. As a result of darling… this acutely aware confidence I’ve discovered? This self-awareness? This therapeutic? This drive and ambition? I’m sooooo geeked for what’s to come back. 

For my fellow entrepreneurs, you’ll perceive me after I say, “If you end up good, your corporation is nice” and vice versa! BUT! What occurs while you utterly neglect your self? I didn’t even notice that I had been pouring a lot of what I had and knew into TCF that I did not take care of an important thing- ME. And I didn’t notice how vital I used to be within the equation that’s my enterprise. 

I let disappointments, heartbreaks, misplaced friendships, errors, and the worry of rejection, acceptance, or each dim my gentle. I fell all the way in which again. I made myself small. Together with the despair that led to my remedy journey, I used to be carrying the residue from childhood traumas that I believed I had handled. It was there I spotted the necessity for the neighborhood– the neighborhood I had spoken about a lot. It was the impetus for launching our TCFStyle Lounge. I wanted that. I wanted YOU. However as a result of I fell to this point again, I didn’t know HOW to indicate up. 

It was with final 12 months’s divine realignment and repositioning that I really realized, questioned, and truly noticed the numerous errors and classes that I wanted to deal with and the way TCF was in its good place to develop and scale to increased heights. Divine timing. 

When the Scholar is Prepared, The Lesson Seems

I wrote a mirrored image on the BOMESI Accelerator Program, and shared how my new mentor helped appropriate my mindset and strategy to TCF and the enterprise of publishing. It was mind-blowing and eye-opening! It confirmed me a complete new world. 

You see – after I began TCF, I had no concept that this journey would deliver me right here! Running a blog was not a proper profession that you may make a residing from. There was no marketing strategy. No technique or group to make it work. It was all natural progress and many leaps of religion. 

After a number of cool campaigns (Evans, Chevrolet, Marina Rinaldi, Nordstrom, and Hole) and awards (The Root 100, Ebony Future50, and the FIIAs, amongst a number of others), I knew the place I needed to go, however I had no identify for it or roadmap for methods to get there. 

I’m chuckling to myself as I write this in hindsight realizing how hilarious it was not figuring out what I used to be constructing or what business I used to be actually aligning with. And I didn’t have the acutely aware confidence to make all of it occur. Even nonetheless – my large furry audacious purpose of TCF sitting subsequent to WhoWhatWear, The Zoe Report, or Refinery29 was by no means a matter of if I may do it, however how. 

And it felt just like the spirit answered my query. 

People say when the scholar is prepared the lesson will present itself, proper? Nicely, this 12 months has proven that to be so true for me! Because of the BOMESI Accelerator and different divinely aligned people, I’ve a transparent course of the place I need and have to go, the instruments that I want, and the ecosystem wanted to help me and my imaginative and prescient. Shifting ahead, one of many methods I’m honoring all that TCF is and may be is by not figuring out as a weblog, however as a vogue digital media writer.

For the “how”, that is the place the New Voices 2023 Madam CJ Walker PACE Bootcamp comes into play in terms of my private degree up as a enterprise proprietor and founder. 

My private journey has been loads of realizing and acknowledging my errors, studying from them, however NOT beating myself up about it (which is hilariously onerous to do as a Virgo with a Cap moon IYKYK). It additionally means studying methods to ask for assist and never judging myself for momentarily forgetting that I’m not a Superwoman. It additionally means studying methods to acknowledge, obtain, acknowledge, and have fun myself– interval. 

What to Anticipate in 2024 from The Curvy Fashionista

Whereas we make this transition, there will probably be small adjustments right here and there as we tinker with the brand new instruments and assets at our disposal. You’ll be able to anticipate to see new subjects, deeper dives, and new faces on our platforms. Now, I need to share how I see TCF rising and what you may anticipate from me. 

This new chapter is all about managed progress, leaning into the novelty, and being intentional. Previously, TCF grew hella quick in sure areas- solely to must contract when it didn’t work or after I had no concept what I used to be doing. So, now? It’s all about training, technique, planning, and audacity. 

Since I’m extra conscious of the enterprise of publishing, I now know and see the place now we have alternatives for progress. I need the interviews, the in-depth reporting, the introduction of subjects that we love, however by no means understood methods to roll it out– which brings me to Micah. 

Our Managing Editor, Micah Gause (please welcome her, y’all) is such a breath of recent air of course, group, and technique to the crew. Her content material technique expertise, resourcefulness, and sweetness background, paired along with her being a plus measurement particular person residing on the East Coast deliver an attractive stability and course to our content material! 

As I learn to defer all issues content material to her, I will probably be engaged on driving the imaginative and prescient of the model. Occasions, partnerships, and this *new & shiny* column. You will notice extra of ME in new methods. Now that I’m again residence in Southern California, I’ll ensure to indicate up in ways in which problem my previous Most cancers rising hermit consolation. 

However that is the place I want your assist. 

As I work on exhibiting up for me and TCF, may I’ve your help right here? As I be taught to ask for assist, I believe my first step is asking you to assist maintain me accountable. If I slide again into being quiet otherwise you need to problem me to indicate up extra, please don’t be shy… tag me in! 

I’d additionally love your help within the feedback. Sharing our content material on social. Subscribe to our e-newsletter. Reply to our newsletters in case you have a problem, query, or want some recommendation! If you’re on X (previously generally known as Twitter), cease by and say hello to me @mariedenee! That’s the place I’m THE most lively! 

I truthfully wouldn’t be capable of develop with TCF if it had not been for every certainly one of you studying all through the years. So, for that, I thanks. Thanks for each means you’ve proven up for me, even after I didn’t know, couldn’t, or was afraid to indicate up for myself. 

I hope that you’re prepared for what’s to come back as a result of I do know that I *lastly* am. Thanks so rattling a lot. Right here’s to fifteen years, and searching ahead to fifteen+ extra!