Spring plus-size fashion

Plus sized fashion has come a long way in the past few years, gone are the days where larger women (and men) had a small selection in the corner of department stores…

Plus sized fashion has come a long way in the past few years, gone are the days where larger women (and men) had a small selection in the corner of department stores.

The fashion world opened up for me when I discovered the fat-o-sphere and started following fat-sion blogs that inspired me to experiment more with clothes. Living in New Zealand can have its downside when it comes to plus-size clothes. Although the selection is better than it was, we still don’t have the vast array of plus size options the UK and US do. Thankfully online shopping opens up a whole range of shops that would otherwise not be available to us.

Before I discovered the wonderful world of online shopping I had bought many pieces from the vintage section of Trademe. While I am still partial to a vintage frock I also like to play around with different prints and styles that aren’t available to me in mainstream shops.

I’m a firm believer that being big doesn’t mean you should hide away in black clothes. I do have black items in my wardrobe but I don’t shy away from things that big women ‘shouldn’t’ wear. Horizontal stripes, big bold prints and short sleeved tops all feature in my wardrobe. The bottom line for me is I don’t follow fashion conventions; I choose clothes that fit me well, are fun and that catch my eye. Sometimes this can be a struggle – I’m an 18 New Zealand sizing and most chain outlets don’t stock up to my size so online retailers like ASOS has become my go-to for basics.

Spring is one of my favourite times of year, it feels like a reward after making it through winter. And I’m not a huge summer person so I relish the sunny but crisp spring days. It’s also the perfect time to spruce up the wardrobe and there are some great looks out this season. I’m loving bold prints at the moment and continue my love affair with florals. I suspect my collection of floral print dresses may increase this season.

Online retailer Boohoo have recently added a few pieces that go up to a UK 18 so they are worth having a look at, online at www.boohoo.co.nz

Pictured: Boohoo Polly Wrap Detail Sleeveless Dress $50 at Boohoo.co.nz

What drew me to this particular dress is its retro and feminine feel. Buying online is always a bit of a risk. You have to imagine what a item might look like on your body because most retailers don’t use models that are anywhere near plus sized. And some retailers don’t take into consideration the nuances of different body shapes. This dress felt great as soon as I put it on. I like that the neckline is just plunging enough to look nice and that I don’t have to wear a singlet underneath for modesty! It feels fun and a little flirty with the soft pleats and swing skirt. I wore it with Garage leggings from The Warehouse, and polkadot peeptoes from Rubi shoes by Cotton On.

All jewellery is by Diva, available online at diva.co.nz The Diva Black and White Enamel Chain Necklace retails for $29.99 and is bang on trend with monochrome looks this season. The Blue Enamel Chain Necklace, also $29.99, adds a colour pop to any look (pictured below.)

These black and white print peg leg pants are my second pair from ASOS (the first pair I got are floral and I have named them my happy pants because it’s very hard to be in a bad mood when you are wearing floral pants) – they are super comfortable. I wear them to work paired with flats and a black 3/4 sleeve top or casually on the weekend with an oversize t-shirt.

One of my favourite items in City Chic’s Bold Impact range are these floral skinny jeans

and I’m somewhat taken with the City Chic confetti waist jacket

New Zealand fashion brand Chocolat (www.chocolat-nz.com) have some beautiful items in their spring collection. I think it’s important to support local designers. You are often paying more for New Zealand made but it’s good to have one or two well-made pieces that last longer than fast fashion.

Chocolat’s ‘Meadow’ dress is my standout favourite (up to size 24)