Shop With Style

You’ve got some great pieces in your wardrobe. You know you do. So then why is it that every time you open your closet, you either A) find you have absolutely nothing to wear, or B) stick to your same ol’ “safe” outfits. It might all come down to a very simple reason: you are not taking full advantage of color matching. Once you start looking at colors, and new ways to combine them, a world of possibilities with your existing wardrobe will open up before your eyes!

• Complimentary Colors – Unless you remember high school art class, you might need to get on Google for this. On the color wheel, a complimentary color is one that can be found directly across from your current color, and it is combo guaranteed to look fab. See? It’s science!
• Think Ombre — Admittedly, this is the easy way out, but it will work in a pinch. It might even get your color matching juices flowing! Just as ombre uses varying shades of the same color, try pairing differing hues of the same color in pastels, jewel tones, earth tones, etc.
• J. Crew Cheat Sheet – When in doubt, hit the catalogues! It works to find inspiration in almost anything… decorating, interior design, gardening…so why not fashion? J. Crew in particular is fantastic at coordinating items resulting in the most beautiful array of colors and patterns you’ve ever seen! It’s almost guaranteed that even if you don’t have the exact pieces J. Crew is using, you most likely have the colors. So look at how their experts are pairing the colors, and follow their lead.
• Look to Your Prints – Some of your favorite, most unlikely, most delightful color combinations might be hiding right in front of your eyes! Maybe it’s in your closet, or your accessory drawer, or maybe it’s something straight from a fashion mag or your favorite designer’s runway show. Prints! You know ‘em, you love ‘em…and they can unlock all kinds of winning color combinations for you. Also pay attention to the proportion in which each color is used. Make the most-used colors the inspiration for your big pieces, and let the lesser-used colors inspire you for small pieces and accessories.
• Black and White – It’s classic for a good reason: it works! Pairing black and white is not only striking, but it works on a scientific level, since these two colors are opposites on the color wheel. And they also combine to provide an epic base for adding a pop of color in shoes, belts, jewelry, bags, and other accessories (just do us a favor…don’t take it too far and go all Cruella Deville on us).

In this day and age, when everything in fashion and the media seems to be geared towards slim and skinny models, it can be difficult for curvy girls to find and style clothes that fit and flatter. Of course it’s easy to say that every woman’s shape is beautiful, but if that woman doesn’t feel beautiful, no outfit will work, no matter how much it costs. Luckily though, there are some tips and tricks you curvy girls can use that will amp up not only your outfits, but your confidence!

• Don’t try to hide your shape – You may think that the more covered you are, the more you can hide your shape, and therefore, the better you will look. But nope. In fact, it’s pretty much the opposite. Sure, if you are self-conscious about an area, you can keep it covered, but be careful not to hide away in too much fabric. That will do little more than make you look sloppy and, often times, even bigger than you actually are.
• Invest in undergarments – If you don’t already know, shapewear can smooth out a multitude of jiggly bits. But don’t try to squeeze into something three sizes too small for you thinking it will make you look skinnier. Not only will you be horribly uncomfortable, but you will only end up pushing the fat from one place to another, creating rolls you didn’t intend on. Instead, find shapewear that fits, smoothing out areas that are in need. And be sure to invest in a good bra too! That can make a tremendous difference in how your clothes actually look and fit. Imagine how much better you will look if your boobs aren’t down at your waist! But please don’t guess your size. Many stores offer free bra sizing, so take advantage of it!
• Try on, try on, try on – You may think you’re a certain size…but you almost certainly won’t be that size in every That’s why it’s important to try on everything. Don’t shy away from sizes because you think it’s too big, and don’t shy away from sizes thinking it’s too small and will never fit you. SIZE…IS…JUST…A…NUMBER.
• Dress your shape – Curvy girls come in all different shapes and sizes. Once you know what shape you are, you will know what pieces will flatter you the most. There are loads of shape guides online to use as a reference. Whether you’re a triangle, rectangle, pear, hourglass, inverted triangle, or oval, dressing to your shape is key to looking your best!
• Get a tailor – Let’s say you found a fab button-down top that actually fits around your boobs…no gaping around the buttons…but the rest of the top is waaaay too big. Your first instinct may be to put it back on the rack, but you’d be making a mistake and missing out on a great wardrobe staple piece. One of the things you will need to accept as a curvy girl is that a lot of clothing won’t fit you perfectly right off the rack. That’s no excuse for wearing ill-fitting clothes though! The answer is to take those important pieces to a tailor. It can make all the difference between looking sloppy and looking sensational!

Sure, that Aztec-print poncho looks fab…but is it going to keep you warm? And that faux-leather biker jacket would really add some edginess to your outfit…but will you end up shivering? Let’s face it, you may be more concerned with wow-factor than warmth, but clattering jaws and having your arms bundled around you does not make the best fashion statement. So wouldn’t it be smarter to be warm and stylish at the same time? We think so…and here’s how!

• Base layers – Ideally, these layers will not be seen, but will definitely be felt. As in warmth. Base layers will help to keep in your body heat, so they will never use 100% natural fibers like cotton (which does not retain heat). The best base layers will be thin and made from breathable Merino wool or synthetic fabric, but wool is better for extreme cold climates.
• Light outerwear – If you plan to be out walking more than inside sitting, you might be able to layer on a heavier sweater here…but if you will be going in and out of the warmth of the inside, you probably want to add a tank top and a lighter sweater (the tank can always be discreetly removed if necessary). It may seem strange to layer a tank over a long sleeved base layer, but the goal is to keep your core warm…and no one is going to see these under layers but you.
• Overcoat – We discussed the best coat shapes for your figure in a previous article (here), but in terms of warmth, this layer will be the one where you can make the most impact, both with style and If going more casual, look for parkas, quilted puffer jackets, thick ponchos, and duffel coats. If you’re after a dressier style, opt for pea coats, wrap coats, structured trench coats, and swing coats.
• Hat, gloves, scarf, socks – Here too, you can add loads of style while adding warmth. Hats are not only cute, but completely practical, since they help to keep your body heat from escaping from the top of your head. For a casual look, go for a slouchy beanie or floppy wide-brim, and for a sleeker, sophisticated look, try a structured fedora or cloche. Gloves are also a must in cold and windy climates…knits for casual looks, leather for dressier outfits. A scarf can add a pop of color or pattern while keeping you cozy too. And if you are wearing closed-toed shoes (and in very cold climates, you should be), be sure to wear thick, warm socks with boots.