Curvy Women 2.0 The Little Known Shopping Secrets For Curvy Women F R E E R E P O R T
It s pretty interesting to assume that most women love clothes shopping. A study was done in the UK in 2011 and they found that actually 44% of women dread the thought of clothes shopping and 47% of mums with children under the age of 5 said they struggle to find clothes that are both fashionable and flattering. When you re curvy or a plus size it can be a tricky affair not to feel alienated as not all the shops stock clothes above size 16 (UK) and the selection of clothes can be dreadful and limited. On top of that, the prices also tend to be higher. So coming back home empty handed feeling deflated and that you wasted your day is something I hear a lot from my clients. Reference Size Guide CLOTHING - SINGLE SIZE CONVERSION UK 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 EUROPEAN 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 US 1 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 AUSTRALIA 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 Saying that a lot has changed in the last 10 years with plus size models, new specialist shops and shops creating a new range of clothing to accommodate a real need in the market. Statistically the market is gigantic. Eurostat study results shown that in the UK in 2008, over 20% women were obese and over 30% were overweight. In the US, around 37% of women are obese and 30% overweight. The Australian Health Survey results in 2011-2012 has shown an increase in the recent years and 27.5% of women are obese and 28.2% are overweight. It s no surprise that blogs and vlogs are flourishing year on year giving women information on new shops to check out as well as trend ideas and more confidence. MY SHOPPING TIPS First of all, the advice I give to all my clients, no matter the size, is you should only buy the item if you love it otherwise you will hardly wear it or worse you won t feel
confident in it. Secondly, when you want to buy an item, think can I wear it with 3 other garments I already have? If the answer is yes then go for it! You may want to plan where you want to go beforehand or perhaps arrange a free collection in store so you can try the clothes you have selected and give the ones that don t fit back. BEFORE YOU GO SHOPPING: Make sure you are in the mood for it! You are wearing some comfortable clothing & shoes you feel good in. You wear some make up (as shop lighting can be awful) Prepare a list of what I call gaps in your wardrobe or items that you actually need in order to create a complete look or outfit. If you shop for a specific occasion you may want to bring the pair of shoes you had in mind to wear so you get the look straight away saving you time but also ensure no mistakes are done especially if it s an expensive outfit! #1 RIGHT UNDERWEAR Wearing the right bra size can give you an instant boob lift and a defined silhouette especially if you stand yourself nice and tall. Knickers or panties, ensure you choose the right one for your outfit. You don t want this detail to let your outfit down so make sure you choose the no VPL ones.
Don t forget wearing a body gives you a magic support. They are brilliant at holding everything together so it s a good investment to make you feel and look good. #2 BUY THE RIGHT SIZE Clothe sizes seem to vary from one shop to another which can be very frustrating at times especially during when you re not familiar with the shop and the only available size is your usual size but it doesn t fit. The worst thing you can do is buy your usual size by pride despite the fact that it s too small. It doesn t mean you have put on weight, it s just the shop choosing their own size standards. The clothes won t look right on you and that won t flatter your body shape, it will however, make you more conscious of the bits you don t like. Make sure if fits properly and that you feel comfortable. #3 SIMPLE STYLES Prints, florals, patterns tend to enlarge your look so my advice is to stay away from them unless the garment has some clever tricks that work for you as shown below. If you do love prints you can always buy them for your accessories, scarves, handbags and even shoes if you re not small as this will shorten you. Create some structure in your outfits with blazers or jackets as they make an outfit ultra-smart even with jeans!
#4 COLOURS Black can be slimming but it doesn t suit every one s skin colour tone so it s great to bring some colours or white where you want to attract the attention to. I recommend all my clients have their Colour Analysis done first so they know the best colours to suit their skin, hair and eyes. Don t be afraid to wear nice colourful tops/blouses or neutrals to show off your face. Monochrome outfits are also great and contrary to what people think, work really nicely for curvy women. HERE ARE SOME GREAT EXAMPLES: #5 STAY AWAY FROM TOO TIGHT OR TOO BAGGY It sounds obvious but a lot of women try to hide behind their clothes. Wearing oversize clothes won t make you slimmer. If you buy something that looks like a tent chances are that would make you look like one! Instead get some fluid clothes that accentuate your natural curves without being too baggy or tight (Jersey for tops and Elastane for trousers are great fabrics to work with).
If you wear something too tight, it has the opposite effect of making you look smaller, it makes you look like you are ready to burst! #6 BUY CLASSIC OR BASICS PIECES It s a great idea to invest in basics or classic pieces that don t go out of fashion in your wardrobe because they re simply stylish. I m talking here about a great pair of jeans, blazer, some great black trousers, a little black dress, a nice white shirt It simplifies shopping, but also allow to progressively create a Capsule wardrobe. All you have to do to keep your wardrobe fresh and trendy is to get some accessories, handbags and shoes #7 LOOK AT YOUR BODY SHAPE It sounds cliché but we look at our body every day, staring at all our imperfections & flaws but we rarely look at the assets, nor the proper full shape of it. If you start looking in the mirror and see if you can start to create a balance Look with your outfit that would be good, including shoes, accessories, your hair etc Another challenge is to write 3 body parts you like. You ll be amazed at how many size 10 cannot even do that! I m not joking either!.
To conclude, I personally think that when it comes to shopping it is better if you aim at buying the best quality you can afford over quantity as the clothes would last you much longer. If you start shopping for quality basics or classic pieces in lovely colors combined with great accessories that reflect who you truly are, you will definitely start enjoying shopping again. Beauty, by way of fashion, has to do with confidence, with flattering silhouettes, with patterns, with proper fit for body type, and with an abundance of self-love! I truly hope you re going to love the new fresh version of yourself. beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. -coco chanel
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