Top Ten: The New Blue

Wearing denim doesn’t have to mean wearing jeans, and this season there are loads of alternatives to the plethora of skinnies, jeggings and boyfriend jeans that are still filling the rails everywhere from M&S to Mango. I know lots of you – like me – have trouble finding jeans that fit, so save yourself the nightmare shopping trip! Shirts, jackets, dresses, skirts – this Spring, the alternatives are endless.

So I’ve put together some suggestions of jean-free ways to wear the fabric. If you’re really brave, you could tackle the double denim trend (yes it’s back!) and team a jacket or shirt with your favourite jeans or jeggings. I prefer to play it safe, though…

ASOS to launch plus size range – ASOS Curve

The wonderful girls from ASOS broke the brilliant news on Twitter today that ASOS – the folks responsible for the fab (non plus-size) items above) will soon be branching out into the plus size market with new called ASOS Curve. It’ll cater for sizes 20 – 26 and they’re currently looking for fit models, so if you’re a Big Girl who fits the criteria, you could be one step away from ensuring an almost custom-made collection…

Great winter coats for Big Girls

As winter rears its ugly, frosty and freezing cold head, it’s time to wrap up warm with a gorgeous winter coat. To help you find the perfect one, I’ve scoured the high street and some specialist online stores for the most flattering, unusual and comfortable styles. From sharp military styles to classic belted trenches, hopefully there’s something to suit (and to fit) everyone…

Shop by body shape at Joy of Clothes

In general, brands and shops tend to organise clothes based on occasion or style (unless we’re talking H&M, in which case there’s more of an irritating jumble sale approach) but I’m sure many of us would appreciate more attention to what suits certain shapes. Imagine walking into a shop and having a whole section devoted to pear-shapes, hourglass figures or apple shapes, alongside the tall and petite section.

Then rub your hands together with glee when you discover that it now exists – online at least! Some friends of Big Girls Browse have created the perfect solution for shopping by shape…

Dress yourself slimmer: Top 10 ways to look thinner

Being comfortable with your curves is all well and good, but the truth is most Big Girls would kill to look a few pounds slimmer. Whether it’s your tum, bum, boobs or thighs that you struggle to conceal, I’ve got the lowdown on how to do it. Throw away those shapeless sacks and unflattering outfits and work with what you’ve got instead. Keep reading for Big Girl’s top ten ways to look slimmer…

From Beth Ditto to Big Girl – trying the Evans range on for size!

At the blogger’s preview of Beth Ditto for Evans I got the chance to see the pieces from the collection up close and there were loads that caught my eye. However, I decided if I was going to give this collection a go, I may as well go for one of the stand-out, ‘famous’ pieces. The body-con domino print dress was the item Beth herself chose to wear to the launch party, and I loved that the super-fitted shape and bold print were so unusual for a plus size range. Beth’s known for sticking two fingers up to convention so I decided to do the same. Keeping away from the pieces that were more ‘me’ (like the strapless stained glass dress) I put in an order for the domino dress. And I must say, it was a novelty to be ordering the smallest size for once!

Beth Ditto at Evans – buy it tomorrow!

Gossip singer Beth Ditto launches her highly anticipated range of clothing for plus size retailer Evans tomorrow. The range will be available online, but we’ve just heard about some exciting extra stuff that’ll be happening at the Marble Arch flagship store if you’re in London. In a move that mimics the hysteria of Beth’s mate Kate Moss’s launch at Topshop, those generous folks at Arcadia will be offering up prizes, gifts with purchase and refreshments for people in the queue at 9am…

Boob-friendly dresses from Bravissimo

Bravissimo has long been the secret haunt of girls with D+ boobs. Stocking all the big brands that cater to larger ladies (Freya, Panache, Kalyani, Masquerade etc) and providing a measuring service that’s second to none, I know ladies who’ll sing the praises of this shop ’til kingdom come. They can lift and support even the biggest boobs and sell pretty, not frumpy designs. And following that success, they’ve turned their hand to cup-sized clothing…

PZI Jeans – stylish denim cut for curvy women

If, like loads of other women, you have trouble finding jeans to hug your curves, you’ll love PZI Jeans. They’re created with curvaceous women in mind, and have a bigger waist-to-hip ratio, so you can avoid that annoying gape at the waist, while flattering a bigger bum or hips.

What’s even more surprising is that PZI haven’t just stuck to the tried-and-tested bootcut styles that many similar brands rely on. They make all kinds of jeans, even skinnies. Throwing the rulebook out the window, this is a brand that realises pulling off skinny jeans isn’t down to shape, it’s about confidence in your curves.

Simply Be channel Lanvin

Bohemian, Homespun, Mexican…they’re just three of the trends that UK plus-size specialists Simply Be are pushing this season to their size 14 – 32 customers. Eschewing the usual elasticated waists, sack-like shapes and oversize t-shirts of most plus sized mail order catalogues, the brand has a more trend-lead approach that’ll have larger ladies in the UK giving their skinnier counterparts a run for their money in the fashion stakes.