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Fashion Tips for Plus Size Girls!

The Diva Radar sense some people need help in the fashion dept especially when it concerns over those girls that er..how do I put this across gently...are categorized under the plus size. Or, in simple layman's terms, 'big'. I know this is easy enough to drive many people away especially if they're already slim in the first place, but I'd say..hey, give ur friends a little bit of support here. We need ur help to see if we look good in this or that..coz sometimes, it's hard to be judgmental of ourselves if we tend to see an otherwise image of ourselves. It's a complicated thing lah...so we need support from friends!

But narh, I am not here to overly criticise peeps of that category like you should have lost weight in the beginning, so at the very least, you could fit in some decent clothes. That's plain mean! Meanwhile, if you are on the track of losing weight for the sake of health (And of coz, with some new clothes thrown in as well..) good for ya! As for now, let's see ya at ur present size yeah and think up of some fashion do's and dont's for people like us.

As we have the tendency to criticise ourselves too much and thus depriving ourselves from some good ol' fashion gettups out there, let's par that down a bit, yeah? Let's be a little bit thick-skinned for now. If not you won't be able to sniff out some good fashion wear and end up wearing the first piece we see, no matter how ill-fitting they can be or the colours are so...uhm.....dull and lifeless in the first place. Or even in outer space.

Okay, once we have earned ourselves a little bit of thick-skin syndrome, let's go shopping! Basically, there are no hard and fast rules lah...we should be able to decipher what kind of body shape we have..so we don't look ridiculously stupid in some top. And I guess this is applicable across the border, whether the person is fat or thin, slim or just a little plump, a little knowledge on how our body shape is like, helps to make shopping a bit easier as we can imagine ourselves if we can fit nicely into that top or bottom piece. If not, there's always the fitting room :)

Shopping Locations

Hey, doesn't mean we're big or plus size, we have to be contented with those shops that sell plus size clothes but at exorbitant prices just coz they need to use a little bit more of fabric. Phooey! If you think that nice plain top with just a dash of details has such a ridiculous price tag, do you really need it? Pls, don't think just coz u're plus something, you have to get hold of it, at any cost. That's pure bull. Unless of coz u think it deserves that price tag, I suggest u take ur butt somewhere else.

I am glad to clear that up. Hrm, let me see. Oklah the more common places, people of our sizes can think of, is usually those major dept stores like metro, isetan and robinsons. Okay, from my research, they do sell clothes of plus size since they are imported from UK where the women are generally bigger. And no, Kate Moss is not part of it. But, I tell ya, it's quite difficult to pick out clothes that are ahem...of a nice calibre? Yeah I know....they somehow lag behind in terms of design compared to US, but hey.....what the heck, there are those that are still quite wearable. If you are in ur thirties and working, some of them do look good for people of this age group. But for the twenties or late teens, a little bit difficult. Okay, I should say this more for Robinsons lah. Metro and Isetan, they're not really that bad...they do have a variety of clothes for different age groups.

So my tip on shopping on Robinsons? They have great cuts for skirts, whether long or short. But if you're buying on a non-sale period, you may have to be prepared to pay a little bit more...even over a simple skirt with no details. But i like their chiffon skirts..u know those long black skirts, in an A line shape with a little bit of light flair towards the end. They look soft and quite demure...so it also 'softens' the shape of the hips and muscly or pudgy legs. That's the kind of shape we girls should aim at. Not one which is figure hugging..because the last thing u want, is showing our bum around. And it's not so sheer also..and not so heavy...and so Chiffon or a bit of rayon mixed in the fabric, is a safe bet.

Anyway, how much more do we have to pay for it? In a non sale period they can fall around the price range of 40 plus to 70 plus and even more. But if you don't quite aim to wear it often and onlie during some special occasion, then I guess it's okay as long as it is below 100 dollars. Oh, but one thing I have to caution u is that, the material isn't very good so pls, be careful when u're ironing it. I learnt it the hard way.

And during a sales period, the prices are like slashed like crazy. I can even get a pair of pants at 19 dollars! Argh!!! And the skirts? Swiftly snapped up. So pls...apply a leave on the first day of sales once u get the 'wind' of an up and coming sales and get that bloody skirt! or top! or pants..wateva!

For Metro, erm..they do have a nice collection of tops lah, but yeah...AS YOU KNOW IT...they just have to price it higher than the clothes...'normal sized' people will buy. But not to worrie, remember my lesson on being thick skinned? Just rummage through lah the clothes the 'normal sized' people will usually rummage through. Sometimes, if we're lucky....we can get a top for less than twenty bucks..with no outlandish design ( 'oh biang' designs..) and it's simple enough to wear over any bottom, including jeans. But the Metro in Century Square in tampines and in Causeway Point in Woodlands have more variety so happy rummaging! And the best thing about it? There are no pesky sales people around..who are hovering over you like u dont deserve to wear those clothes. So yeah....have some freedom to urself. Oh and don't forget to look at the bottoms also pants. You'll be amazed to find the sizes they are in..for some people (God Bless them!) make some pants that plus size people can wear. And they're affordable too! Less than 50 bucks. Look out for some designer collections...and no by this, I don't mean prada gucci whateva..some designers primarily have collections in bigger sizes.

A little short behind Metro is Isetan such as in Parkway parade and also Seiyu In Bugis Junction. They do have clothes for Plus Size people but from what I see, they are for those who are not too much on the heavy side lah...like maybe those are just a tad bit pudgy onlie and can still wear a spaghetti top without much worrie.

Anyway, if you are a cheapo like me..who can't just thrive on dept stores and would rather go all out for budget stores, I have some in mind. Okay, for once, I recently discovered CK (no..not Calvin Klein) dept stores..and I know that may sound like a typical Metro but it's really not. They sell cheap clothings but of varied sizes that plus sized girls will find fulfilling just shopping there. You can get a pair of jeans for less than twenty! But don't go over the top lah...I guess if you can get at least a skirt (think soft fabric again!) and a pair of pants that are of neutral colour like (black, for eg..) that's good. Again, the skirts come in different sizes but they are varied but still, think in terms of an A line shaped skirt with a slight flare twds the bottom. Won't quite get wrong with that. Unless of coz, it's freakin tight on top but flares out midway through the skirt. So disproportionate. I suggest.......u get a size bigger. Then u see my point.

Oh yeah...remember that CK has a collection also meant for the ahem...'aunties'...so pls! choose carefully. I dont want u to get something so 'out there' that no one of our age group will ever wear...until a decade later.

By the way, CK...erm, u can try looking out for them in ur local neighbourhood coz they're sprouting everywhere it seems. If not, jz hop down to Chinatown or Tampines.

Other budget places, okay........they're not quite difficult to find at times. Like I said, it wouldn't hurt to go round ur local neighbourhood shops. Major neighbourhood areas..like Ang Mo Kio in the North, Hougang in North East, Tampines or Marine Parade in the East and Clementi or Jurong in the West, you may easily find clothes that are cheap enough yet varied in sizes too. As usual, look through their collections carefully and you may find a decent top among it and it will onlie cost you..gasp....5 bucks! Argh..! Then if your neighbourhood has a resident shopping malls..u know the type u usually see people wearing like..uhm..clothes they wear when they lounge at home..they do have shops that sell cheap tops and bottoms too...and sometimes, in plus size too. Like they really can go beyond XL.

And the people tending these shops, that sell sizes beyond XL, they are usually nice people lah. Ok, more specifically, friendly lah like ur typical neighbour..so you don't have to be so 'shy shy' when asking for a size bigger than XL. If you are so dejected in seeing something not of ur size, again..don't be shy and ask them if they have a so and so size. If you are not familiar with the sizings there, just blurt out the size u usually wear and they'd work their way around like what size suits u. And yes..for a decently cut jeans skirt, I can get it at less than twenty dollars. Voila! And their plain coloured tops can even get u for 3 for ten dollars..or one costs around 5 to 7 bucks...gasp!


Okay, so now u want places in the mall...not run by aunties..hrmph. Not to worrie! If you are still within the L and XL range, then it's no biggie lah. But what if you go slightly beyond that or even more? Pls, don't stick with the plain ol' men's shirt that is commonly sold by stores like Giordano or Hang ten. I wear that at home..not at work. Also not when with my friends. Pls....don't!

I can think of U2, Baleno, Dorothy Perkins....but hey, u can do better than me. They have nice tops of which some for less than 30 bucks..but their cuts are a bit bigger or wider especially for their bigger sizes. Doesn't mean u're plus sized too..u just had to get a top that may make you look bigger or even pregnant...to cover up any 'excess'. That's so wrong..Make sure it isn't ill fitting either..like it's so clingy to your every 'nooks and crannies' of ur body...that people just see flabs when you have that top on.

So my fashion tip? make sure it's not too big or too small...If there is a need..try on a few sizes and get the one that is more 'you'...make sure the top doesn't cling on to you or looks too big on you either. Make sure the fabric has some space allowance on ur body..because all u need is a little coverage..not too much of it or u'll end up looking bigger than intended. And oh, no size is universal. An XL sized top for this particular label..doesn't equate to the XL in the other label. So trying it on is really the key to get the perfect one. What I would do..is to allocate a day where you'll shop for one or two tops and wear a top that u can easily slip in and out when trying clothes on. Or wear a skirt..that u can easily slip in and out..if u intend to buy a bottom too.

More fashion tips? I have already included some in the write-ups but here are some more of it.

1. I've talked about being thick skinned. But I do want you to know too that doesn't mean in any fashion wear shop that u jz can't find something 'wearable', pls don't think it's the end of the world or something. If you like a particular design from there, maybe u can ask someone u know who has a tailor who can help you sew a similar design, to make one custom-made for ya! It's often cheaper and you can get cheap fabric too at Arab Street or Spotlight and have urself measured up and ur fabric sewed up too.

2. Oh, and pls don't wear micro mini skirts....or a micro top...if people seriously think you dont look nice in it. Coz honestly, sometimes...they can be so true. 'oh, my eyes!..' I know u're a confident gal for wearing them..(brave I must say too...) but often, it can be an eye sore rather than a fashion statement. So stick with something that suits u better instead of blindly following the fashion trends. Don't fool urself..pls.

3. Play up on those parts that u don't consider a flaw..like maybe......the upper part of ur body? If you think ur legs are the ones giving u the problem with its pudgy look, then u can wear a decent pair of pants..that are not too flare out but almost straight cut with a bit of spacing from the fabric to ur skin. And then! Wear a top in a nice bright yellow or maroon colour! It's really about emphasizing the parts that u like.

4. Talking about colours, pls don't tell me u can onlie wear black. Period. You can add in colours to ur wardrobe too..like a dash of purple, a bright yellow, a calm yellowish green, a comforting maroon colour as opposed to always being in black. And a little bit of details won't hurt too as long as it's not dominating lah..for e.g. plus size girls should perhaps aim for a top that don't have way too many designs, or big bold designs. It shouldn' t be filled up with way too many tiny designs too. it's all about balance, baby. If not..just a top in a single colour will do.

5. Accessorize! If you want to divert attention away from ur body shape, get nice accessories! Whether, in the form of cool designed bag in suede or with lace trimmings...whateva...and a pair of dangly earrings..(long and dangly..but not big round hoops..it makes u look 'rounder')..or a string of pearls, in maybe..purple colour? Nice! You get the 'fake' pearls for even less than 5 bucks..at an accessory shop like Jeans or SinMa....I want one! Oh, and it's the rage now..believe me.

6. Shoes...shoes...shoes..! Love shoes! and bags! Shoes...hey, don't get the ill fitting ones k even if it means everyone seems to be wearing that design. And don't be shy to request for the biggest size. Hey, shoes are like clothes..so don't be afraid to try out the designs...in ur size..to find one that will fit u nicely without looking like ur toes are all cramped up..and with one toe sticking out from that seriously suffocating looking strings attached to the heels..and soon to ur feet with its aftermath ..eurgh..

7. Get at least one shopping buddy who doesn't criticise you for your size...and don't snigger away if you have to try a top or bottom that looks way too big on her. You sometimes have to stop thinking that you are so embarassed about ur body infront of ur friend, whom u think is easier when it comes to choosing over clothes. Basically, if she's one who often see u more than other people, then better still..so they roughly knows what looks good on you what does not look good you. And pls don't be too sensitive too..if they say something quite honest like the last top you wore looked big on you..but this top doesn't, they're not being mean. Just genuinely honest. So yeah..time to ditch that last top coz we need the opinion of a second person at times.

Anyway, my most general rule will be................................................

Have a great personality! Put on a smile....maintain a nice fresh complexion. Be nice to people..and not bitchy 24 hours a day..basically, be you! trust me...people will go way past ur body shape and stop thinking of you in some ideal body shape or wat. And do aim to cut off a few inches off ur body here and there..like eating more healthy foods, cutting down on unhealthy snacks, and start to exercise every now and then. Losing a few kilos or inches...can do wonders I tell ya!..

Good luck!

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