The fashion industry has famously been very nit-picky about bodies and their types. It is often considered, as unconscious bias or even conscious and upfront at times, that people that are heavier are lazier and therefore not good at their jobs or certain things in general.
The fashion industry’s bias also reflects in the designs of clothes it makes and the sizes it produces, both for shows and mass production. For very long, very few designs were available for plus sized women, and even when they were, weren’t tailored as well or designed as well as the smaller sizes.
The double standards have long been present in the fashion industry, however, lately through the use of the internet, a movement calling out these double standards and shaming those that adhere to them has emerged, in an attempt to right the scales and balance them. This is called the plus-size movement, and it asks for more recognition for differing body types and more variety in terms of designs and styles.
What has helped is the fact that plus-size fashion shoppers make up almost 68% of the market and yet were unaccommodated so far, harming both their interest and those of fashion houses. With the rise in plus size fashion, it is also important to highlight accessories that can go along with it. With that being said, let’s take a look at some plus size fashion accessories.
- Belts – With belts, it is important to choose a size that works well for you. Different styles of belts exist, such as sashes, obi belts, wide buckle belts, chain belts, etc. Most of these belts should suit every plus-size woman, and would look good as either cinches on dresses, or with jeans. These belts can add glimmer and flatter the body type for plus size women.
- Necklaces – For plus size women, it is important to ensure necklaces are of the right height. Too often the necklaces are too small around the neck, and that can choke the neck or give the impression of a larger body. Experimenting with styles is a good idea, as well as with stones.
- Earrings – Using earrings to complete the look can make your outfit look gorgeous. The benefit of being plus size is that wearing big earrings can look good without overwhelming your outfit. You can wear pearl earrings as well, as that shine and gloss that completes the outfit can be shown through the use of pearl earrings, as well as a certain sparkle and character that they bring to the table.
- Bracelets and Watches – These items can add visual interest to an outfit, attracting and holding attention to your wrists, while complementing the outfit. The key here is to go big and choose big dials. That can also help you make a bold statement.
- Scarves – A fun accessory, a scarf is a godsend for when you want to add a dash of colour to your outfit without overwhelming it. The versatility of a scarf is unmatched, as a scarf can be worn in a variety of ways, and it looks festive. If the colour of your outfit is too dark, a light scarf can balance it out and vice-versa. A scarf can be used as a belt as well, though it’ll have to be a pretty big scarf to do so. It can also be tied around your neck, in the traditional way. It can also be worn as a belt, as a bracelet or as a headband.
- Purses – Purses should be big enough to hand at a decent length, without overshadowing your outfit. A medium-big bag can look good on you, although too big a bag would probably look clownish, while too small a bag would look disproportionate.
- Shoes – It is often said that shoes are 9/10th of an outfit. Wearing something that has a bit of support is always a good decision, like a chunky wedge. Sandals can go well with your outfit as well, but they need to have some sort of shape and look dressy for it to complement the outfit and not look out of place. Finally, with shoes, it is always better to prioritise function over form, so that you don’t end up with your feet hurting.
Image source – https://pixabay.com/photos/jewelry-bracelet-earrings-angels-881324/
