Written on the 27th of October 2009 by Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist @ Jump the Q
As a Professional Image Consultant, I see a lot of different body shapes and sizes. I certainly have my share of women expressing concern with the fact that fashion retailers don’t accommodate plus sizes and they are sick of the unrealistic images of women portrayed in the media. The body image debate creates a them vs us attitude. When really the message should be - own who you are and your choices. Own Yourself!
Interestingly, you don't have to be a size 16 to have body shape issues. Petite sizes and average sizes have similar body image issues. Sophie Monk is one that immediately comes to mind. As she openly admits to the pressures of being different at school had an impact on her body image. No matter what your body shape or body image. When we are dressed correctly for our shape, we become more confident. Our self image improves as does our body image.
The plus size debate vs the size zero is controvesial at the best of times.
While we can not alter dramatically our proportions and often our body shape without surgery. We can change our size and our body image. For larger women,like myself if we are honest we are the size we are, largely as a result of our own choices in diet and exercise or lack of it. I myself am a size 14 bottom, size 16 top, so I can say that. I personally believe that whatever our shape or size we have to take responsibility for it and either change it or live with it. Larger women can look and feel great if they dress appropriately for their body shape. Women need to start owning who they are. Always comparing yourself to others is very sad and will lead to a miserable life where you are never going to be good enough, pretty enough, slim enough, smart enough - the list is endless.
Many larger women sabotage their own appearance by dressing poorly. Dare I say it. Well yes I do. Having said that there are equally slim women who sabotage their appearance. We usually see this where an older slim women continues to wear style for girls and young women just because they can still fit into it.
Dressing fundamentals including understanding your best personal colours and the styles that suit your body shape and that will flatter your figure. Professional image consultants start with you as the foundation and add layers, your profession, which industry you work in, your age, the environment and climate, your body shape and colouring and lastly, what will give you a contemporary, up to date look. So you are still you, just a more modern version.
Many women are reluctant to try on a larger size than what they normally wear even though it would look more slimming. Therefore we again sabotage our looks by not wearing correctly fitting garments. This is a huge issue in Australia. To create a new stylish and often slimmer look without a workout, it is necessary to highlight your assets, eyes, neck, wrists and camouflage the challenge areas. Camouflage allows the eye to run over a area without the eye stopping and drawing attention to that area, secondly the eye is drawn deliberately to another area by a well placed focal point or accessory.
Probably the issue is less about size and more about people not dressing the body that they have. We often say that ‘Fashion is what you adopt when you don’t know who you are’. Most women want to be in the latest fashion without first considering their fashion personality, lifestyle and whether the latest style actually suits their body shape. Maybe you’re a working mum or a time poor professional, clearly the ‘glamazonian’ look is not going to work in the office or at the school yard gate. In an effort to deliver an up to the minute look, the inexperienced may overlook the importance of dressing your fashion personality and accommodating your day to day reality.
When it doesn’t look flattering we go to the size zero debate or the fashion style is terrible. If an individual educated themselves on the styles which suited them and which fashion retailers catered to that body shape there would be less debate. In the 50’s – 70’s women learnt valuable design skills and understood what was flattering. This has been lost as a result of ready to wear clothing. When in the past we made everything ourselves. Interestingly, I believe many women are going back to sewing themselves.
One of my greatest frustrations is people failing to accept that we change. Our bodies change shape approximately six times during our life. Clearly if you gain weight and change your body shape, the style and stores you previously bought will not serve you now. Often larger women are unhappy with their existing body shape and size but are unwilling to venture into new store or try on different clothes which would suit them and make them look stylish whatever the size.
We often have clients say, we would never go into that store. Yet that store is catering to their demographic and body shape. It is sensible to point out that most fashion retailers have a demographic. Ie Portmans – young professional women 20-28 years old. Obviously or maybe not you wouldn’t continue to shop there til you die. Many of my clients become committed to a brand or store which like a bad relationship they should have moved on from years ago. Saba has great styles for plus size pear shaped women over 35 years so does Cooper St. Each fashion retailer generally designs to a certain body shape and age. David Lawrence best clients are tall long waisted while Sportscraft are rectangle and short waisted.
Shopping with a professional image consultant rather than a fashion stylist is very wise because they care less about the latest fashion and more about what will look good on you. Each season styles will suit a particular body shape. Often you may wait 2-3 years before styles which suit your body shape return. In that event its important to buy flattering styles when they are available and add latest fashion accessories and inexpensive trend items to stay up to date.
Dress for you. Dress for your body shape. Own yourself. Own your body image and be confident in who you are.
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