Plus Size Sale Shopping Made Easy!

As a girl in her twenties who works for a fashion company, it may not surprise you to learn that I take great pleasure in shopping for clothes, jewellery and accessories whenever I have the opportunity – and the money! Having spent several stressful Saturdays on the lead up to Christmas battling with swarms of shoppers frantically searching for perfect gifts for their loved ones however, the novelty has well and truly worn off by January.

Unfortunately, January is perhaps the best time in the whole year to bag yourself a bargain in the New Year sales. The non-too-distant memory of Christmas shopping however tends to haunt my mind preventing me from heading out to do battle with the hundreds of other brave shoppers. I do inevitably visit the shops at least once by the end of January but by that time the ‘New Year Sale’ is more like a ‘Jumble Sale’ and most purchases are made purely because of the saving I’m making not because I am really that keen on the particular garment!

In recent years, there has been an alternative... online shopping. Same great deal, same choice of clothing but no crowded shopping centre-induced headache! Although this cures many problems with sale shopping, it does cause a few more. For example, many stores start their January sale on Boxing Day morning meaning that the keenest of bargain hunters are at their computer, fingers poised to add as much reduced stock to their basket as possible before most of us have even finished sleeping off the Christmas Day over-indulgences!

Well, I am pleased to tell you that here at Yours Clothing not only have we decided to launch our sale this week, but we will continue to replenish our sale stock and have further reductions on our plus size clothing all the way into the new year and beyond! Furthermore, with our great ‘shop by size’ facility you can ensure that every item you fall in love with is definitely available in your size! What could be simpler? Gorgeous plus-size fashion at a reduced price, delivered to your door without even so much of a hint of stressful sale shopping. I know where I’ll be looking for my new year bargains!

Your Essential Guide to Christmas Style!

With only four weeks until Christmas we’re all beginning to make our festive celebratory plans and think about what we can revive from our tired wardrobe in order to ensure we look our best no matter where we may end up. If like me you haven’t updated your wardrobe since the mince pies first emerged last December then follow these simple tips to look at your best without blowing your present-buying budget.

Top Festive Style Tips:

1. Add some sparkle!

As we all know, Christmas is full of colour, light and shimmer. Why not embrace the occasion and mirror this season of glamour and fun in your outfit?! By no means am I suggesting that we all wrap tinsel around our necks or don some novelty jewellery, but by choosing styles which incorporate a hint of sparkle, spirits are automatically lifted and the party season suddenly becomes alive! For curvy ladies in particular, a little bit of glitter in the right places goes a long way to show off enviable curves and reflect a vivacious personality. If glitter just isn’t your thing, then try some foil detailing. Take a look at this gorgeous foil detail top for example. The tunic style is flattering and versatile. The wearer can choose to team it up with leggings, jeans or a skirt while the subtle sequins and foil swirls add just enough Christmas glamour.

2. Be comfortable

It’s all very well embracing Christmas glamour but if you’re rushing to and from parties and running last minute errands then it’s important to be comfortable! There are many ways to look chic while being relaxed. Dark boot-cut jeans are always a good option for plus-sized figures. They create a balanced silhouette and can be jazzed up with endless styles of Christmas tops. If you’re event calls for a smarter look however, there’s still no need to compromise on comfort. This black figure 8 dress for example has all the ingredients for flattering, eye-catching outfit while the stretchy jersey material offers flexibility and endless comfort.

3. Layer Up!

With the weather getting increasingly wintery but party venues and relatives’ homes feeling warm and festive, keeping a constant body temperature is always going to be a struggle. The answer? Layer up. This season, Christmas dresses and party tops are spoilt for choice with the amount of cute cardigans and shrugs that are hitting the high street. A perfect way to keep the chill off yet easy to shed when the disco starts! Besides shrugs and extra layers, scarves, hats and gloves are a must when enjoying the festive season.

So now all you have to do is take these hints and convert them into your very own style. Take a look at the ‘Yours’ website for great plus size party wear that will keep you festive and fabulous and all at incredible value!

Plus Size Sense for Present Buying!

How many times have you received a Christmas or birthday gift which was obviously bought for you with thought and care but just wasn’t your taste? How many times have you wandered the shopping centre on a cold winter’s day desperately trying to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones? I suspect that the answer to both these questions is ‘more than once!’ It’s becoming increasingly difficult as the choice of gifts becomes greater and people’s tastes change from season to season. Forgive me for speculating but I am speaking from experience! As a girl, I love to receive a piece of fashionable clothing or accessory from my friends but more often than not, the item isn’t something I would have chosen. Not wanting to cause offence, we are all likely to accept the gift graciously and wear the item once or twice then condemn it to a lifetime of gathering dust at the back of a wardrobe.

In the present climate of watching our finances and trying to buy sensibly, would it not be wiser to purchase our friends and family gift vouchers for their favourite stores for them to choose the perfect item themselves? Well now you can! If your friends love Yours or if you think they might like an introduction to our latest plus size clothing and accessory collection, then why not spend your money wisely, save your legs and head aching during tedious shopping trips and buy your loved ones gift vouchers. For the first time ever, you can now purchase both in-store and on-line vouchers from www.yoursclothing.co.uk so however you and your friends like to shop, there’s an option for you!

Luscious Lingerie for Plus-Size Lovelies

From a young age I have always been taught the importance of taking pride in wearing pretty underwear and how it makes you feel instantly brighter and more confident. As an awkward fourteen year old, it seemed a little far-fetched, one of many charming myths passed down from mother to daughter, but in time I began to realise that such a mantra is, in fact, absolute truth. Contrary to popular belief, wearing sensual lingerie should not necessarily be for the purpose of seducing loved ones. To feel that you have made the effort to embrace your femininity with the first and most intimate layer you adorn is a satisfying feeling. Furthermore, knowing that you look great underneath the outfit you have chosen to face the world with is a lovely secret to enjoy all day long!

While this theory of wearing matching underwear, indulging in lace and satin and gazing into your lingerie draw with girly delight daily is a nice thought, in theory is it really achievable? With frivolous underwear ranges, we are often faced with excessive prices and as all plus-sized women will no doubt agree that finding feminine yet comfortable styles in larger sizes is often a challenging task. Well ladies, this season, we at YOURS are proud and excited to offer you the most beautiful range of specialist plus-sized lingerie and all at unbeatable value. In sizes from 38D to 46G and 14 to 32, there’s sure to be a style to set your pulse rating and re-ignite that feminine thrill that comes with treating yourself to such gorgeous garments. So now there’s no excuse not to embrace your curves and feel sexy and confident all day long. Who knows, maybe you’ll enjoy making the effort to such an extent that you’ll pass it down to the young women in your family too?!

Clothing Created to Celebrate Curves!

During the past decade or so, while us women have been keen to assert ourselves as independent and strong, fashion has predictably followed suit. Sharp tailoring and power dressing has dominated much of our work wear while casual outfits have been largely based on slouchy trousers and motif T-shirts. Though these styles continue to be popular, I’m pleased to say that this season they are joined by trends which shun masculine influences in favour of all things feminine. At last us curvy girls can embrace our womanly shape with pride and style and help lead this revolution of femininity. Shape, colour and detail are all experiencing somewhat of a womanly comeback for autumn/winter and into spring.

Low cut, ‘skinny’ jeans are less prominent in today’s fashion climate. High waisted, boot-cut trousers which comfortably hug the hips and create an hourglass silhouette are the trousers of choice. The same with skirts; the black skirt pictured left for example offers comfort and style rather than the recent trend of wearing skirts low on the hips, emphasising our widest part! Tops too are beginning to make a return to their feminine roots. Blouses in soft sheer fabrics are everywhere this season while ‘batwing’ sleeves and halter-necks add extra softness and a flattering shape.

Besides shape, colour has also fallen under this feminine spell. Purple is the big colour story this season. From lilacs to violets to mauves to lavenders, these pretty shades automatically offer a way to embrace our womanly shape and enhance any skin tone. Teamed with black or grey, purple is a must for every wardrobe and it looks as if it’s around to stay into next season too! If you’re not a fan of purple, try a splash of red or pink. Again, these tones compliment most skin tones and brighten up any look.

For even more ways to make the most of your womanly curves, look out for some gorgeous detailing this season including lace panels, bead and sequin embellishments and the ultimate feminine feature; frills! The texture and detail of our outfits is what will really make the difference leading up to Christmas. Check out all the products shown here and hundreds of more at http://www.yoursclothing.co.uk . I don’t know about you, but with so many wonderful ways to enjoy our femininity through fashion in the coming months, I’m feeling eternally grateful to be a woman!

Making the Look Yours…On Location!

A few weeks ago I offered readers a chance to learn a little more about the internet operation at Yours Clothing HQ. This week, I thought it would give you all another sneaky peek at what goes on behind the scenes. This time, not in the offices of Yours, but on location!

Every now and then we take our two fantastic models Michelle and Amy out and about to capture some shots of our hot new plus size fashion being worn in the ‘real world’. While these shoots are crucial in our marketing process to offer our customers some outfit inspiration and a sense of how the clothes will look in a natural setting, we also have tremendous fun and a few escapades along the way. Here are a few examples from this week’s shoot.

As some of you may have seen, the new photograph on our homepage shows the two girls on railway platform, just one of the settings we chose to promote this season’s plus size clothing collections. What you do not see through this great shot however, is the way in which we managed to capture it. We couldn’t seem to find the correct way into the station so the four of us (Michelle, Amy, our photographer Marzena and I) rather inelegantly clambered over a four foot metal fence in order to pose in the perfect spot. Having managed to reach the platform, we then rather frustratingly saw that the actual entrance to the station was a mere fifty yards further along the fence! Nevertheless, the pictures were well worth our acrobatics and show off our gorgeous purple check ladies shirts which will be hitting the internet soon!

One major uncontrollable issue which we often face on these shoots is the weather. On this occasion, it was the old British classic, a rather hasty bout of heavy rain. While this isn’t so much of a problem when you have nearby cover or are on an indoor shoot, when you’re in the middle of a park with valuable camera equipment and perfectly quaffed models who understandably fear the dreaded frizzy hair syndrome, its far from ideal. As this picture shows, the only option was to cover up as much as possible and make a frantic dash to the car!

Having dried off and freshened up, it was back to work with the next set of photos being taken in front of the beautiful lake in our local park. Luckily the rain had subsided but the wind had picked up and not only did we have climate issues to face, but it seemed that we had caused quite a stir amongst the feathered creatures of the lake! Geese, ducks, swans and Canadian geese became increasingly interested in what we were up to and decided to come and investigate. While Amy and I were less than welcoming and took the decision to flee at top speed, Michelle and Marzena held their nerve and successfully scared the fowl off. Crisis averted, we successfully captured some more great shots of our favourite plus size clothing from the Yours Autumn/Winter collection.

So, next time you see some promotional shots on our website or in-store, bare in mind that at times the picture may not paint a thousand words but believe me, the stories are plentiful!

Plus-Size Success!

In the past decade or so, us women have firmly proven that we are as capable and talented as our male colleagues in practically any occupation we choose. Women all over the world are now respected heads of state, soldiers, politicians, surgeons and more besides. While diligence and dedication are key to a successful career, I strongly believe that image and appearance also help to create a good impression in the workplace. However it can sometimes be a difficult task to hit the right balance between smart work wear and a fashionable look. Just because we are working and need to uphold a certain amount of credibility, why should we not also embrace our love of fashion?! Combining hot season trends with practical, versatile pieces which can be worn again and again is a great compromise.

Here at Yours, we offer both these genres of clothing to our plus-size customers and also, through this blog, some ideas of how best to create some great looks. So, here are my top tips for a fail-safe work wardrobe:

1. Invest in a pair of classic black boot-cut trousers.
A pair of well-fitting black ladies trousers in a flattering boot-cut is a fantastic wardrobe staple. They instantly smarten up your look and can be teamed with almost any style of top.

2. Don’t be afraid of colour!
As we established last week, bold colours are everywhere this season. There’s no reason why you can’t wear vivid shades just because you are in the workplace. If you are not used to dressing in block colours, keep your base black or grey and add a bright cardigan.

3. Keep it feminine.
Many women tend to ‘power-dress’ at work but this can often lead to a masculine look. Just a subtle frill or a flower print can maintain pretty style while still looking smart.

4. Layer Up
Air conditioning units play havoc with your body temperature in an office environment. By layering up, you are able to sustain a comfortable state and add or shed layers when necessary.

5. Be comfortable!
There’s no need to dress in restrictive clothing to look good. Elasticated waist bands and loose fitting tops can make all the difference when wearing an outfit all day long.

So, now you have a few ideas, why not visit the Yours website and check out our fantastic new range of work wear. Whether you need trousers, shirts, skirts or tops, your options are plentiful. Plus our prices, as ever, ensure incredible value.

The Bold and the Beautiful

With the weather turning increasingly dreary, I have some good news for all you plus size fashion lovers…colour is back this season and it’s brighter and bolder than ever! While last winter we were all dressing in taupe and ecru, this year we can banish the dull cardigans and non-descript jumpers in favour of warm, intense hues. I don’t know about you, but there is nothing that lifts my spirits more than livening up a pair of jeans or black trousers with a splash of colour. Not only does colour lift the complexion and add warmth to your look, it also shows that the wearer is not afraid to use daring shades to reflect their personality. In fact, Queen Elizabeth herself once commented that:

"Dress gives one the outward sign from which people in general can, and often do, judge upon the inward state of mind and feelings."

I have to agree! It is very rare that you see the Queen without a hint of colour and rightly so, it’s an instant mood lifter.

Now, I bet you’re wandering what colours we can all look forward to enjoying this season. Well, my hot tips are most definitely purples and reds. These colours are very kind to most skin and hair tones and will pretty much go with most wardrobe staples. Plus, with the new collection at Yours plus size women are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding their perfect shade. Check out our latest plus size clothing today and next time you decide to do a spot of retail therapy, ask yourself; ‘what is my inward state of mind at the moment and how best can I show this off to the world?’ After all, if the Queen herself follows this mantra, who are we to argue?!

The Rise of the Plus Size Model

With London Fashion Week starting next week, once again all eyes will turn to the capital’s catwalks. Besides the most cutting edge styles that the world’s top designers have to offer we will all also inevitably assess the shape and health of the models who adorn each beautiful garment. While in recent years the ‘size zero’ phenomenon led to fashion houses regularly employing underweight models, I am pleased to say that the industry has at last woken up to the implications that this has had on the physical and mental health on not only the models themselves, but all girls across the country. The turnaround began when ‘The Model Health Inquiry’ was established by the British Fashion Council (BFC) on March 23, 2007, in response to concerns about the health of the ever decreasing size of some models.

This action taken by the BFC was supported by many of the most prestigious design houses in the world. Jean Paul Gaultier started the backlash at Paris Fashion Week by employing a size 20 model to strut down the runway in a selection of his sexiest underwear. When asked the reason for this, a spokesperson for the designer commented that "Jean-Paul wanted to show beauty can be universal…he thinks all women are beautiful and aims to challenge society's beauty stereotypes". From this moment onwards, the Plus Size Model industry has experienced something of a boom and the future is looking bright for curvaceous models. Just this week, ‘Look’ magazine dedicated their centre fold feature on the way in which five girls purposefully changed their body shapes in order to become curvier, sexier and more marketable.

Having researched this matter, I was intrigued to learn a little more about the Plus Size Model industry and how it differs from that of ‘standard’ sized models. So, who better to ask than our very own model Michelle! Not only is Michelle the face of Yours Clothing, she also runs her own modeling agency and so has experienced the industry from both sides. The point Michelle emphasised the most, was the difference in attitude between standard model agencies and specialist plus-size ones. She pointed out that Plus-size agencies tend to be friendlier and not so preoccupied with the body weight of their clients. “When I was younger, I tried to slim down enough to make it in mainstream modeling but it wasn’t right for my body shape”, she commented, “I was just told to lose more weight rather than that I was the wrong shape. Now I am a plus-size model, agencies don’t comment on any small fluctuations in my size, they just check that I’m healthy and happy. Fitness is far more important than weight”.

From Michelle’s observations and the article in Look magazine, the common factor seemed to be that the plus size models were all relaxed and content to be promoting plus size fashion and plus size clothing for women with curves rather than struggling to be an unnatural, unhealthy size. This is an outlook that we should all adopt when we buy fashion. Let’s stop worrying what size our label says and start concentrating on our health and happiness while also representing beautiful, fashionable plus size women all over the world.

Plus-Size Style, From Yours HQ to Your Computer - Part 2

Last week I began to tell you all a little bit about what goes on at Yours HQ within our website team. Having explained the design, planning and photography process, I now come to the dispatching and customer service aspects. Perhaps the most crucial part of the online process, especially from the customer’s point of view, is making sure that the correct items arrive to your door in good time and with as few complications as possible.

Claudia is the girl in the know when it comes to all parts of the online ordering process. Having worked at Yours Clothing for over three years, what Claudia doesn’t know about our stock and the details of how the whole operation works, isn’t worth knowing. When an order comes in, Claudia and her team organize the acquisition of each garment and arrange the secure payment and notification for each customer. Next, the garments are wrapped and packed ready to be handed over to our delivery service and sent to your front door.

From then on, your queries, questions and comments are in the care of our customer service department. We all try to get involved with customer interaction as we are keen believers in listening to feedback and trying to provide a personal service. The main man in this area however is David. Some of you may have spoken with David on the phone or had some email interaction with him. If you ever have any issues with our service online or in store, David is more than happy to help out and answer your questions. Similarly, if you have any suggestions regarding the future of our company, please let us know! We love to hear from you!

Having explained a bit about the internet department and who fits into what role over these past two weeks, I guess I should give you a brief overview of where I come in to it all too! Obviously I am in charge of writing this blog every week in order to provide you with some extra interaction and hopefully some interesting plus size fashion tips. The blog runs along side the weekly newsletter which gives you a first look of key fashion trends in the plus size clothing industry and what Yours has to offer each week. I also update the product titles and descriptions to provide an overview of each garment whenever a new item is ready to be put onto our website. As with our customer service team, I too am always interested in your comments so please get in touch.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes glimpse into Yours HQ. Over the coming months I hope to introduce you to more members of our team and continue to update you with company news and forthcoming events and promotions.

Plus-Size Style, From Yours HQ to Your Computer - Part 1

Over the past year Yours Clothing has been constantly expanding and evolving in order to bring plus-size fashion right to your finger tips through our great website. While it may seem as if our new ranges appear magically onto our site every week, it actually takes a lot of planning, co-ordinating and hard work by our fantastic internet team. In order for you to put a few names and faces to the people who make all this possible, over the next two weeks I am going to give you all a sneaky peek into how it all works!

Before we even start photographing the clothes for the website, we have to gather together our new lines from the warehouse and create up-to-date outfits to show off our garments at their very best. This involves meeting with the buyers and discussing what’s hot in fashion and the looks we want to promote. Usually myself and our talented photographer Marzena will decide on these outfits before each fashion shoot. When we’re all ready to go Michelle, our regular model who no doubt you’ll all recognise, comes into our photographic studio and we accessorise and perfect the looks before taking the crucial shots.

While this is perhaps the most visual aspect of our website production, the work certainly does not end there. Marzena then takes dozens of further pictures of each garment so that we can offer you clear and precise pictures of the shape, material and details of each and every piece of plus size clothing. These are then sharpened and edited for maximum clarity before being added to the site.

After adding stock, we try to promote the website and our new items through the weekly newsletter (which you can sign up to on our homepage) and through these blogs. To further display our best selling lines, we often take our models ‘on location’ in order to take some promotional photographs in natural settings.

Having put in all this work planning and maximising the aesthetics of our products, we eagerly await the online orders to come in. It’s always rewarding when we see that certain items are as popular as we suspect they might be during the website development process. Once your orders are processed, we turn our attention to ensuring swift delivery and great customer service. I’ll be divulging more about this aspect of the process and the team members who make it all possible next week in part 2 of this behind-the-scenes blog….

Plus-Size Revolution!

As regular readers of the Yours blog will know, I have often championed Trinny and Susannah as well as Gok Wan to be great advocates for the plus size lady. Last week, the two ‘fashionistas’ excelled themselves in taking the plight of plus size women in the fashion world to an even higher level. Their ITV show ‘Trinny and Susannah Undress the Nation” was entirely dedicated to women of size 16 and above who find shopping for fashion not only a struggle but also a disheartening experience.

To fully understand how difficult it can be to find the right balance between flattering and fashionable when shopping for plus-size clothes, the pair donned body suits in order to become a size 20 and then hit the shops with two women also of this size. It was apparent that neither Trinny nor Susannah realised just how little choice there is on the high-street for the forty-five percent of British women who wear a size 16 or above. This revelation encouraged them to tackle the issue head on and invite representatives from major high-street fashion retailers to a catwalk show of the best, and more importantly the worst of what the high-street has to offer. The models the duo employed were all real plus-size women who were clearly tired of feeling excluded. As one lady commented, when it comes to the fashion world she felt as if she was “on the outside looking in”. Having proven that there was a real need for improvement, designers from the London College of Fashion were asked to use the plus-size models in order to produce a collection of flattering plus- size fashion to present to the high-street retailers.

Throughout the hour long show, several points seemed to reoccur. Perhaps the most shocking, is that very few high-street retailers actually stock more than a handful of lines in a size 16 and above and in some cases, even a size 14 is hard to come by! Those who do offer plus-size clothing should certainly not feel smug however. It seems that it is deemed quite acceptable in the fashion world to ‘grade-up’ a size ten top in order to cater for a fuller figure. As Trinny and Susannah proved using their plus size volunteers, this is simply not acceptable. Garments such as a high-neck ruffle mini dress are offered to customers in sizes 8 to 20 in the exact same form! Surely as market leaders these high-street stores should realise that a size 20 lady would not suit this kind of dress?! Excuses such as budget restrictions and lack of demand were used to defend these retailers. Considering forty-five percent of the country is a size 16 or above there is clearly not a lack of demand. Another key issue which was brought up by the women interviewed throughout, was that plus-size clothing is rarely fashionable and more often than not, ‘tent’ shaped tops dominate the choice they are given. I’m pleased to say that having been named and shamed and introduced to alternative designs of plus-size tops specifically produced for the fuller figure, the retailers conceded that more attention should be paid to this under-represented market.

From this very interesting and positive show, I came to thinking how we at Yours approach the issue of designing fashion led products for the plus-size figure. As I mentioned, Trinny and Susannah were particularly concerned that retailers ‘grade up’ their smaller sizes in order to offer clothing to their plus-size customers. That is something that we at Yours are firmly against. As our sizes start at a 14-16, we exclusively design our clothes for fuller figures. As for the issue of ‘tented tops’ and a lack of fashion-led design in the plus-size market, being plus-size specialists we know what suits our customer and our design team ensure that they keep their eye on all up and coming fashion trends to produce our fashionable range of plus-size clothing. We use this combined knowledge to offer the customer stylish and up to date fashion designed specifically with their shape in mind. So, in conclusion, while Trinny and Susannah are right to point out the problems plus-size women face when shopping for fashion, we are pleased to see that the issues they brought up in their show are issues which we at Yours have worked hard to address for many years. As a result, we continue to offer plus-size women a confidence-boosting pleasurable shopping experience and up-to-date fashion all year round.

Dream Denim…No Matter Your Shape!

Whether it’s a night out with the girls, a hot date at a restaurant or even a cosy night on the sofa, a well-fitting pair of jeans is the answer to so many of our wardrobe dilemmas. Therefore, when purchasing the most versatile piece of all our clothing, it is vital that you know what to look for and choose the right pair for your shape. This can sometimes be an overwhelming task with so many styles and brands to choose from. Well, you need not worry any longer, if it’s plus-size jeans you’re looking for, just follow our simple guide and you’ll be slipping into the perfect pair in no time!

The principle rule for buying jeans is the same for every woman: Whatever size you may be, think SHAPE not size. Most of us fall into one of four body shape categories; pear, apple, hour-glass and straight. Once you’ve decided on which of these you are, simply apply our top tips for pain-free denim shopping.

Pear

It is estimated that 70% of us fall under this body-shape banner. If you carry most of your weight on your lower body (hips, bottom, thighs) and have a smaller top half then you do too!

-To balance out your curves, always opt for boot cut jeans.

-Dark colours are the most flattering so steer clear of stonewashed or ‘distressed’ denim and add colour with your tops and accessories.

-By wearing your jeans slightly lower on the waist or even on your hips you will make your bottom appear smaller.

-Look for large, flat pockets on the back of the jeans rather than bulky pockets or too many buttons.

Pear Shape’s ideal jeans….

Apple

Do you carry most of your weight on your tummy and have fewer issues with your lower half? Then you’re an Apple shape. Apples can find it hard to find to find jeans that fit on the waist and show off their slim legs. So remember….

-Make sure that your jeans fit around your tummy rather than below or above it.

-If you’re lucky enough to have slim legs then make the most of them with lighter shades of denim.

-Embroidery or embellishments on the leg of the jeans will draw the eye to your slimmest parts.

-Look for some stretch in your denim for comfort on the waist band and a proper fit on your legs.

Apple Shape’s ideal jeans….

Hour-Glass

Hour-glass shapes have a well balanced silhouette with a similar width of hips and bust and defined waist. If you’re lucky enough to be this traditional womanly shape, then you will want to show it off.

-Wear your jeans on your waist with a dynamic belt to accentuate your narrowest part.

-As with the pear shape, boot cut or flare jeans keep your shape balanced and flatter your hips and thighs.

-Darker colours are a good option as they slim the thigh and hip area. Wear a vibrant top and draw attention to your curves.

Hour Glass’ ideal jeans….

Ruler

A Ruler body shape means that you have a similar body width up and down your body and may lack feminine curves. You probably don’t have much definition on the waist so this is the area to concentrate on to create a sexy shape.

-To add some curves to your legs and hips, try a ‘slouch’ fitting pair which will give the illusion of some definition.

-To create a waist, keep the waist band of the jeans fairly loose so you are able to wear a well fitting top.

-Avoid any jeans with stretch in them, looser fabrics will disguise any parts of your body that you are not confident with.

-Wear a lighter denim shade if you are confident with your legs and keep vibrant colours to your top half.

-Add some bright accessories for a touch of femininity.

Rulers’ ideal jeans….

Hassle Free Plus Size Swimwear Shopping….Yes it does Exist!

As our summers become booked up with events at home and the winters seem to be getting longer and drearier, more and more of us are choosing to book holidays at the end of the season or even during the winter months. While holiday deals are available all year round however, swimwear becomes rather hard to get hold of after the mid-summer sales. It seems that many high street stores fail to realise that women need to be able to purchase swimwear at all times of the year which is stylish, comfortable and most importantly, especially for plus-size women, supportive and flattering.

Aside from the difficulty of locating swimwear whenever you need to, as all us girls know swimwear shopping is possibly the only kind of shopping that we all dread. If after trawling the rails you are lucky enough to find the elusive perfect swimwear, then ensues the real nuisance. The ritual of having to completely undress and struggle for enough peg space for all your clothes while checking that the curtain of the changing room is not gaping open, only to realise that you need a different size anyway is frustrating to say the least. Of course in situations such as this, when you do actually need an assistant to pop out and fetch you an alternative bikini top, they’re inevitably elsewhere meaning that you have to pull all your clothes back on, gather up your bags, traipse back into the store and find the correct size, only to have to go through the whole process all over again. Surely this isn’t anybody’s idea of retail therapy?!

I guess this experience is at least eased a little if you are the enviable kind of girl who is perpetually tanned, slender and looks good in the skimpiest of swimming costumes. When the majority of us go through this however, the harsh lighting and inescapable full-length mirrors on every wall dampen our spirits, not what we want just before our holiday! What’s more, by mid-July it seems that the prettiest garments have all been snapped up in the sales so finding a suitable costume for your winter-sun getaway in your size and to your taste is near on impossible.

Well you’ll be pleased to know that there is an alternative. When it comes to plus-size swimwear, YOURS can take the headache out of endless searching for that perfect look. Not only do we offer the latest looks in swimwear fashion, it’s all incredible value for money and available online throughout the year for you to order and try on in the comfort of your own home.

Click here to see our great new range which not only contains swimwear but also matching accessories to take you from the beach to the bar in total comfort and style.

Plus-Size Value!

As the dreaded ‘credit crunch’ continues to occupy the thoughts of millions of us across the country, this week I have been considering my recent fashion purchases. Like most girls, I tend to follow my heart when I see something I just have to have but now I am beginning to realise that we can all look great and enjoy good quality with a little bit of savvy spending and by turning our attention to great value stores such as ‘Yours’.

It seems that I am not alone in trying to save a few pennies when treating myself to a new outfit. Look at the Channel 4 program ‘Gok’s Fashion Fix’ for example. The premise of the show is that fashion enthusiast Gok challenges himself to find four complete outfits from the high street for under £800 pounds in total. This includes accessories, shoes and the embellishments he so cleverly uses to titivate his chosen designs. Meanwhile, four experts in designer clothing splash out over £10,000 on four similar look which inevitably look drab in comparison. While the catwalk element of the show often leads to fairly unwearable outfits, I love the fact that he proves all women can look up-to-date and fashionable on a budget.

Trinny and Suzannah, ITV’s answer to Gok, also concentrated on shopping on a budget this week when they re-educated women how to dress not only for their body shape but also how to source good quality, good value pieces that will last longer than one season. The lessons I took from both these shows was that fashion can be creative and fun without breaking the bank and that it is important to mix wardrobe staples with fresh fashion pieces.

This is a theory which we at Yours Clothing strongly align ourselves to. We too aim to provide a mixture of classic, trans-seasonal garments and also some high fashion articles all at outstanding value. I believe that there are four or five items every woman should have in her wardrobe. And, guess what…For women looking for plus size clothing and fashion, no-one has a better choice of these essentials than ‘Yours’!

Here are my top wardrobe staples that can be worn hundreds of ways:

1. Ribbed Bootleg Trouser

The classic black, bootleg trouser, an absolute must for any woman. These are smart, go with anything and with a great bootleg cut, very flattering on all figures. Not only that, they’re easy to care for and the elasticated waist band means that they’re ultra comfortable.

2.White Deep Sleeve Wide Rib Shrug

This gorgeous shrug is incredibly useful all year round. In a choice of black or white, it gives just enough coverage to keep the chill off and hides the troublesome top-of-the-arm area while not interfering with your outfit underneath.

3.Slouch Wide-Leg Jeans

These jeans offer more than just versatility and a classic touch of denim; with their slouchy fit and wide-leg style, they’re comfortable and bang on trend this year. Dress them up with heels, dress them down with flip-flops, the possibilities are endless!

4.White Ruche Front Round Collar Blouse

Not only does this blouse automatically add a touch of professionalism to any pair of trousers or skirt, but it also is right in-line with the coming season’s blouse craze and the silver thread makes it that little bit extra special.

5.Cerise Cap Sleeve Gauging V Neck Top

This top comes in four great colours, has a flattering V neck and capped sleeves and can be worn under any jacket or cardigan. Plus, it’s 100% cotton so is easy to care for and soft on the skin.

Plus Size Underwear…at Plus Size Prices? No Thanks!

Here at yours clothing we’re committed to keeping our fashion not only up-to-date but also fairly priced so you can imagine our dismay regarding the following story…

The bosses at Marks & Spencer have recently been forced to defend a policy of charging up to £2 extra on some of their bras that are bigger than a size DD. The High Street retailer has defended this policy claiming that the added cost was "standard industry practice". They added that in their experience they found most customers are “happy” to pay a small premium for the specialist work needed to make larger sizes of their bras.

Despite this explanation, the policy has sparked a nation-wide protest with over 6000 people joining the ‘Busts 4 Justice’ protest group on the Facebook website which was set up by disgruntled customer Beckie Williams. She argues that it is unfair that smaller bras are cheaper, because this logic does not apply to all garments. I have to admit that I am totally in agreement with Beckie; it seems more than a little unfair that fuller-figure women are forced to pay more for their clothes, especially the essentials such as underwear.

So, having looked into this story and deciding that we must raise the awareness of Beckie’s cause among all women, of all shapers and sizes, I managed to speak to Beckie and ask her a few questions. Here’s what was said:

Q: When and how did you realise that Marks & Spencer were charging extra for larger sized bras and did you manage to speak to a spokesperson from the company?

A: “M&S have been charging the extra £2 for a long time now, and I've been moaning about it for ages. I wrote to them back in October and they said 'bigger bras cost more to make.' I wrote back immediately to ask why they didn't apply the same policy to their other products, and they didn't reply.”

Q: Over 6000 members have joined your ‘Facebook’ group now. Are you surprised by the level response and what have you learnt from it?

A: “Aside from the M&S issue, our group has allowed women to talk about this issue in a way that they've never been able to before. It's so positive - so many brilliant women sharing their experiences and explaining exactly what they want from retailers. All the retailers have to do is step up. I know there are a lot of women in our group with larger back sizes who feel completely under-represented on the high street. I hadn't even thought about that before starting this group - it's been such an education. Some can't afford specialist retailer prices so I'm sure your company will be a welcome relief for such an everyday necessity.”

Q: Would you mind taking a look at the 'Yours' underwear range and commenting on the designs and value for money? We love nothing more than feedback from people who are passionate about fashion!

A: Of course! I think the girls will love the hot pink and black lace bras (Pictured). There's really a gap in the market for fun, sexy plus size bras for bigger ladies. After all, they want fashionable bras as much as smaller women - why has it been the exception rather than the norm to provide it to them?

As Beckie has rightly said, retailers now need to “step-up” and recognize the need of plus size women and women with a larger bust for good quality, attractive underwear at affordable prices. I truly believe that this is exactly what we at ‘Yours Clothing’ offer. Our bra sizes range from 38C to 46G…and our prices are certainly not dependent on the size of garment!

Check out our great range now!

Fashion Imitating Life

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the ‘Yours Clothing’ weblog. Here at yours we’re committed to keeping up to date with what’s hot in fashion and that’s where I come in….my name’s Harriet and from here on in, I will be updating this blog every week giving you up-to-date fashion news, views and a chance to have your say! This week I’ve been investigating how the media is influencing the direction of fashion, and in particular the long-overdue increase in plus-size recognition!

For many years plus-size fashion seemed to begin and end with unimaginative manufacturers producing shapeless garments which were clearly aimed at customers who wanted to hide their true shape and blend in to the background instead of celebrating their curves or making any kind of fashion statement. Plus size clothing was largely functional, fairly plain and let’s face it, pretty dull! I believe however that we are now entering something of a plus-size revolution. Women are tired of feeling under pressure to conform to the ‘size zero’ ideals we see plastered across the cover of dozens of weekly magazines. We are all beginning to become more confident in our own skin and we see this reflected not only in the fashion industry but also in the media with pop music and television also promoting the fuller figure.

Mika for example, the ‘Brit Award’ winning singer-songwriter soared into the UK top ten singles chart in July 2007 with his hit single ‘Big Girl (You are Beautiful)’ which celebrated girls with “curves in all the right places”. He claims that he was influenced by growing up and seeing the discrimination suffered by his mother who was a fuller-figured woman. Another prime example is that of Beth Ditto, the lead-singer of American based band, ‘The Gossip’. In November 2006, NME magazine voted Beth the coolest person in rock in their annual ‘Cool List’. One year later it was the ‘Sexiest Woman of the Year’ that Beth was nominated for at the NME awards. It begs the question whether a woman with Beth’s figure would have been nominated in such a category five years ago or whether our attitudes to what’s sexy and what’s cool is changing. I for one feel that it’s the latter.

Perhaps the greatest proof of this change in attitude is the story of Chloe Marshall, who this year has become the first plus-size candidate to reach the finals of ‘Miss England’. In March, Chloe triumphed over seven other girls to be crowned Miss Surrey 2008 and this week she will represent all fuller-figured girls across the country in the national finals. We’re sure you’ll join in us in wishing her the very best of luck!

So, the music industry is beginning to realize that promoting a healthy body image and not conforming to the typical ‘pop star’ figure is in fact what music fans want and the judges of the country’s largest beauty pageant have recognized the same. It doesn’t end there however…television producers have similarly started to give more air time to fashion, make-over and body image programs that do not try and change the shape of their real-life models but rather their attitudes as to what is attractive. Channel 4 have allowed their fashion expert Gok Wan to show women “How to Look Good Naked” by boosting their confidence and showing them how to dress for their body shape. Similarly ITV’s Trinny and Susannah “Undress the Nation” in order to prove that we are not all shaped in the same way nor should we be. They also tackle the issue of plus size fashion and the lack of high-street retailers who produce stylish, modern outfits.

That is until now! Having taken on board the influences that surround us in the media every day, we at ‘Yours Clothing’ have listened to you and we have created affordable, fashion led products which join in in celebrating real, curvy women with a strong sense of style and a desire to keep up with high-street trends. Every week, as well as discussing the latest fashion news, I will be selecting a few items which I feel demonstrate our brand and also reflect what’s big in fashion right now!

So, this week my Favorite Fashion Fixes are:

1. Floral Short-Sleeve Halter-Neck Top
This gorgeous pink and white flower-patterned top comes complete with a built in halter-neck vest with matching beads to add a real touch of summer style without compromising on comfort or adding any extra layers which maintains a smooth silhouette. Furthermore, at just £15 I think it’s a bargain! An absolute holiday must-have.

2.Cropped Denim Jacket
While we continue to struggle with what to wear in the showery weather, this denim jacket offers the perfect solution, with a flattering cropped shape and ¾ length sleeves, its not to bulky or heavy and easy to slip on when the sun goes in. I love the cute military style buttons on the shoulders too…right on trend this season!

3.Red Gypsy Top
This top combines this season’s must-have style of ruffles with a really flattering neck-line, it skims the top of the shoulders while still covering the sometimes troublesome top of the arm area. In this hot vibrant colour it’s sure to get you noticed but for the more demur customer, it also comes in classic black and crisp white.

Article by Harriet