How to dress like you

Not every curvy girl wants to wear a prom dress, even if people say it suits her. Alison explains how she uses colour charts and layers to go for a plus size style that doesn’t fit into a tribe but does actually suit her, inside and out.

I am big. So the high street doesn’t know how to deal with me (either tent or Gapesque tops). I have developed a style that suits me and I don’t look like anyone else (and hey, if you belong to a tribe, great! But don’t forget there will always be a select few you will look like!)

Evans is good for tailoring and jeans (and if you are big avoid, I repeat, AVOID elasticated waists). M&S do good sized T-shirts and jumpers and New Look do cheaper jeans (don’t last as long but fit well) and other high street stores have little gems tucked in between the beige rags and floral curtains.

In the end vintage often is a non-starter (for me) due to poor sizes and charity rarely has much either (I give all my old clothes to charity so not sure why)! How I work it, is layering, mixing the colours and accessorize.

Being arty, I have learned about contrasting colour. We all know our primary colours, but what about secondary?

They are orange, purple and green. Their contrast or opposite is the primary that wasn’t used to mix it. So the contrast to orange is blue and so on. It looks good as the colours vibrate.

I have a blue stripy jumper I wear over a light orange long top with orange sweetie jewellery. It is eccentric fun and flattering. The bright is being bright and the blue cools it down. And layers are flattering as well as being a bit casual, laid back and well me! I also wear my clashing bright cerise pink trainers with yellow laces. The dark blue jeans split up the colours but the pink clashes just enough to make a statement.

I also love brown and blue or even brown and black both require big and/ or bright accessories. I often will wear the orange or green jewellery with purple or if I’m going a bit Goth (black on black on black) I go for texture and different lengths in both cloths and necklaces. I prefer either no make-up, make-up or the big eyes, nude lips (or vice versa) rule.

But you can break this rule or more or all: it is about making your own rules. Learning what suits you. I keep hearing how prom dresses suit me and I have had them, worn them… but I’m never comfortable. For all I like my make-up, perfume and jewellery I am not a girly girl. So I fake a waist using layers, I create interest clashing colour patterns and contrasts and most importantly I am comfortable, relaxed and feel good.