Firstly, I know the picture is the wrong way round! I have tried everything but the stubborn thing just wont flip!
Having studied pattern cutting I’m hugely into texture, fabric and proportion. Sometimes it isn’t simply the layering of pieces that creates the look but considering the fabrics your putting together and the volume that can alter a look and turn something from drab to fab. Ensuring that the volume of a look is balanced is absolutely key to creating a great shape as opposed to anything too boxy. In the look I wore today I’ve teamed a selection of texture, colour and volume all in one! Let me talk you through the look.
NEOPRENE: Right now I am obsessed with Neoprene / Scuba fabric. This is really hard to get hold of in plus size, but it has stretch in it, so check out River Island for pieces up to an 18 (although a 20 may also be ok in the 18). Evans had scuba fabric in the cut too. I find it pretty forgiving! This dress in particular is great for creating an hourglass shape as the panels down the body and the fit and flare skirt skims and curves in all the right places!
Next I layered a piece of KNITWEAR: for this look I really wanted something to stop at my waist and to sit above where the skirt starts to flare. The reason I did this was to draw attention to my waist, to create an hour glass look, as by drawing the eye in, before the skirt flares, I’m creating an hourglass. The knitwear I chose had shoulder pads in – you can grab these at any haberdashery, and they are great for again creating a balance of volume. By opting for shoulder pads I balance out the bottom of the skirt and again make my waist look even smaller as I’m accentuating the hourglass.
Now I’ll let you into a little secret! I have this sweater in yellow too, and in yellow I went for a size closer to my own as I wear it casually with skirts where I want the line of it to fall a little longer, but for this look I really wanted it short. The sweater has tones of stretch in it, so I went for a size 10 as it still fits but it is much shorter! So remember just because you would regularly take a certain size, feel free to play to get the proportion you want! Just like if you want something oversized, size up!
Jewellery I love big statement necklaces and there is no where better than Freedom at Topshop. Remember, just because you can’t buy the frocks there doesn’t mean you shouldn’t indulge in some bling. This perspex piece is great for the colour block trend that’s huge right now but will also look great with a tropical print look too.