Plus-Size New Year Resolutions We Can All Enjoy!

So we’re two weeks into 2009 and already Christmas seems like a distant memory as do the ‘New Year’ promises and resolutions we no doubt made to ourselves in our merry festive mood. We all do it, promise to give up a bad habit or cut back on all the things we enjoy in order to gain confidence or feel proud of the way we look or act throughout the coming year. The problem I’ve always found with resolutions however is that they’re not enjoyable! Unless you really want to and feel ready to make that change then inevitably they fall by the wayside by about this time of year!

There are better ways to give yourself a lift or alter your demeanour and they all come from the attitude we take and the effort we make when we present ourselves to the world every day. Perhaps the best example is the way in which we dress. As plus-size women will know, clothing can become less of a delight and more of a challenge when womanly curves fail to inspire clothing companies to design exciting fashion for shapely ladies. However now there is an affordable way in which we can dress stylishly and keep that resolution to take more pride in the way we look no matter our size:

Yours Clothing has made their own resolution this year; to continue to cater for the Plus-Size clothing market with even more value, choice and cutting-edge fashion. Whether you feel that your work-wardrobe needs a lift to push you into going for that promotion or if you’re planning a big night out soon or if you simply wish to add a new twist to your day-to-day image, look no further! Over the next few weeks these blogs will keep you in the know when it comes to this season’s hot trends and the pick of the best plus-size fashion buys.

With these hints, new lines being added to www.yoursclothing.co.uk every week and the spring collection arriving at the beginning of February, there’s never been a better time to make a resolution to update your look great and feel great in 2009.

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?!

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.

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.

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