Plus-Sized Fashion Inspiration That Matters

The best place to start when you want to start addressing fashion challenges (and this is regardless of your body type) is to look for inspiration from those who have gone through similar situations. If you’re a tactile person, head for that stack of old magazines just gathering dust and start cutting out looks and outfits that appeal to you. If you are happy with a purely visual way of doing things, jump onto the internet and start following bloggers, pasting inspiration from Pinterest or just browse around for a good idea of what is going on in the world of fashion. 

Will I have to wear dark colours going forward? 

Absolutely not! Women’s plus size clothing is not about hiding away, it’s about picking options that are complementary and flattering to your own build and colouring. Your complexion and your hair colour all form part of the overall colour scheme that is suitable for your body. Jewel shades work well with dark and red hair, while blondes look great in pastels. 

There are no rules

The rules for shopping for the plus-sized body were outdated years ago. Wear the horizontal stripes if you want to, and don’t feel like you have to wear only black! Shorts? Go for it. If you buy clothing in a flattering cut and colour, it’s yours for the taking!

Let’s talk about the stripes. Stripes on a plus-sized body are FINE. If you want to be careful, look for smaller, denser stripes, as wide stripes can have an enlarging effect. Vertical stripes do have the capacity to elongate your overall appearance, which in itself has a slimming effect, but vertical stripes can also be quite startling to look at for many people, so carefully consider what kind of look you want to create before committing to something quite as specific. 

You already look great

You might not believe this at first, but please believe me when I say that your body is already perfect. You do not need to lose weight to look fantastic – if you dress for the body you have NOW, and not the body you want to have or used to have, you can’t go wrong. The trick is to know and understand your body, which will, in turn, help you to understand how to dress for it, by knowing what works for it. You do NOT need to lose weight before you can look gorgeous!

All sizes are not equal

One of the most irritating things about online shopping is the lack of consistency in sizing. The best way to bypass any variations in sizing systems is to measure yourself and to always have your accurate sizing handy. 

Measure your waist, hips, thighs, and chest, and keep those measurements safe. That way, you can always compare to the sizing chart of whatever store you want to buy from. Don’t get hung up on the numbers either – a 36 for one brand can be a 30 or a 38 in another – while it’s confusing, it’s them, and not you! 

This is a collaborative post.