Meet Sarah Sapora, founder of the Body + Love Workshop, certified Kundalini yoga instructor, and plus size clothing blogger since before it was cool. Read on to learn more about this incredible plus-size fashion and wellness leader.
I’m a native New Yorker. I was born and raised in Gramercy Park, but my family is from Brooklyn, so I kind of consider that to be my home. I moved out to the West Coast in 2003 and now live in Las Vegas. I prefer the pace of living, the sky, the sunshine, the mountains—not the subway or tall buildings.
I used to feel pressure to partake in style like a ‘fashion blogger’ does. I don’t feel that way anymore. Now, my style is mine. It’s an expression of who I am.
Personal Style
I’ve never really had any style icons. If you were plus size when I was growing up, we didn’t have anyone to look up to. Sure, I totally wanted to dress like Brenda on 90210: I wanted to wear crushed velvet bodysuits and jeans. But, truthfully, I can’t remember thinking that much about style. I spent most of my years dressing in whatever I could get that would fit me. I remember, during my freshman year of college, going through sorority rush in men’s jeans and a men’s sweater vest from J.Crew. I so badly wanted to blend in with the other students, but trendy plus-size clothing just wasn’t available at that time. I didn’t start to think more about style until my 30s, when I started to work in plus size fashion. These days, I draw inspiration from clean and bohemian fashionistas—like Linda Ronstadt or Carly Simon.
At my age, I’m comfortable sticking to what works for me and makes me feel beautiful. For dressing up, I like a clean bodycon dress that hits below the knee, with ankle-strap sandals and a bunch of bracelets or statement earrings. I also like sundresses and cowboy boots, jeans and cowboy boots, and slouchy, feminine T-shirts. I’ll add a denim shirt to almost any look. I keep things simple. I used to feel pressure to partake in style like a “fashion blogger” does—to always have the new looks, try trends, etc. I don’t feel that way anymore. Now, my style is mine. It’s an expression of who I am. It’s okay to not be obsessed with being trendy and glamorous.
How Times Have Changed
The first way that I would say is options. For everything. And although we do have a lot more room to grow and improve, the number of bloggers wearing plus-size fashion, outlets talking about plus-related issues—it’s dramatically changed since I entered the industry eight years ago. We still have a long, long way to go. But the amount of representation, visibility, and companies that are willing to serve us has dramatically changed. Now being plus is part of the mainstream conversation.
Every single person has their own body journey. We all deserve to figure out what self-love means to us.
Getting Certified While Plus
Getting certified in Kundalini yoga was amazingly empowering. Kundalini yoga differs from other forms of yoga in that the focus is not on athleticism, but on the meditation, breath, and movement. I believe Kundalini to be the single most body-friendly form of yoga—it’s so welcoming!
I was the only plus-size person in my teacher training. I used this as an opportunity to educate my more athletic classmates on how they can become more size inclusive. What modifications can larger bodies take advantage of? What language can we use that is more welcoming? Kundalini can truly serve EVERY body. I 100% feel a sense of duty to rise up and use my space as a thought leader and influencer to connect with women and show them how they can use this tool to further their self-love journey.
My followers on social media have loved my journey, but the industry has been a bit quieter. Look, every single person has their own body journey. We all deserve to figure out what self-love means to us. I have noticed a separation between the plus-size wellness community and the fashion community. It’s totally ok! The more perspectives and voices we can amplify, the better.
The Body + Love Workshop
I started the Body + Love Workshop because I believe the personal growth and wellness industry does a terrible job of connecting with plus-size bodies. At every event I would go to, I would be surrounded by slender, young, athletic women. There’s nothing wrong with that, but women of all shapes and sizes have the desire to self-improve. The workshop is my way of creating a safe space and community for women of different sizes, ages, and shapes to come together and RISE UP.
For anyone who has ever felt they were “too fat” or “too old” or “too broken” to create a greater life and truly LOVE who they are—I hold safe spaces for them. We are all more powerful than we can even imagine! With the Body + Love Workshop, people can connect, dig deeper, and learn tools to help them create a greater life, fueled by self-love.
