A Fat Person’s Guide to Building an Eclectic Wardrobe

A Fat Person’s Guide to Building an Eclectic Wardrobe

Art
Kim Salac
Media Staff

Preface
As someone who hasn’t had the option of shopping in any brick and mortar store since the 9th grade, I never thought I would ever be able to accumulate enough clothes in my size to have any kind of style—let alone a distinct style that was my own. It took easily over a decade to figure out how to shop for my body, involving countless hours of just trying to find a pair of jeans that went over my hips and even longer trying to find a pair I liked. I’m sure many people of varying sizes have similar insecurities around style, but something about the ostracization of trying to find your style while also being fat adds a layer of frustration to every decision. This is the system I’ve developed over more than a decade, catered to my own experience. At the end of the day, everyone deserves to have clothing that makes them feel good.

This is the system I’ve developed over more than a decade, catered to my own experience. At the end of the day, everyone deserves to have clothing that makes them feel good.

 

A Note on Sustainability and Affordability
When you buy an item of clothing, in almost all cases you aren’t paying for the fabric and resources—at least not mostly. The vast majority of any price tag goes to labor expenses, meaning the fast fashion prices most people are accustomed to directly correlate with sweatshop labor and poor working conditions. To be clear, everyone deserves clothing that fits them properly. For many low income Americans, fast fashion truly is the only option, and it’s far from my place to judge anyone for providing for themselves and their families the only way they can. That being said, I can’t in good conscience recommend those shops. On top of that, since plus-size clothing is so hard to find in-stores, it is almost always up-charged for no reason other than artificial scarcity and high demand. For that reason, I will be emphasizing thrifting and altering old clothes whenever possible, and any online shops I do recommend will be sustainably run, ethically sourced small businesses, even if they are more expensive.

Part 1: Basics
By now I’m sure you’ve heard every fashion blog, editorial, and first year fashion student lecture on the importance of basics, but few take the time to explain the buzzword. Simply put, basics are the building blocks that provide a base for easy matching, especially for those who are just starting out in fashion. However, contrary to myth, basics are not one size fits all. If basics serve as foundational pieces, it's only natural to pick pieces that represent the foundation of your own unique style, rather than someone else’s.

Explore what shapes you already gravitate towards and make note of what’s most comfortable.

 

To find out what that looks like for you, start with a color palette. Looking at your wardrobe, consider which pieces you wear most often. For example, I’ve always leaned towards red and black, so I start there. You can also pick 2-3 other colors that complement your main colors. For me, that’s green, brown, and sometimes yellow, but you can go as bright or as neutral as you’d like. Picking a basic color palette ensures that all your clothes match well together and makes picking an outfit in the morning much simpler. Once you have a color palette, look at silhouette. Once again, an easy way to tell what silhouettes flatter you is to look at what you already wear and to look for patterns in where you like for an item to fit tight (versus loose), sleeve or inseam length preference, things like that. Are you a tight crop top person? Long flowy cardigans? Sleek, long sleeve turtlenecks? The options are infinite. Explore what shapes you already gravitate towards and make note of what’s most comfortable.

Once you have an idea of which colors and fits fall within your comfort zone, pick out a few tops and bottoms that fit that description. The key is to pick simple pieces that are easy to mix and match and are every-day-wearable. Of course, you can build and add more basics over time, and eventually add more niche statement pieces.These are the pieces that will be easiest to find in a bigger size range, or for affordable prices in thrift stores, and provide the best opportunity to build your style without committing to expensive, riskier items.

outfit with black shirt and black jeans and floral shirt over top
sunglasses - local shop in miami, black jeans - thrifted, hawaiian shirt - thrifted, graphic t-shirt - Minga London, belt - Tunnel Vision, tooth necklace - amystreetangel on etsy, chain necklace - thrifted

Some Helpful Links:

how to take measurements

fashion dictionary

detailed guide to fit styles

Part 2: Accessorize
Accessories can be the next step in testing new styles, while adding character and personality to your basics. Jewelry, fashion belts, scarves, and patterned tights are all relatively cheap, with plenty of niche options on Etsy and other online shops that make it easy to find whatever hyper-specific option you're looking for. You can even use fabric scraps to tie into your hair or around belt loops for pops of color. This will elevate your basics with little to no effort or major investment. Best of all, accessories are (for the most part) one-size fits all, and one of the few things plus-size people can find in brick and mortar stores. In my experience, you can never have too many accessories.

outfit with red long sleeve, ripped light wash denim jeans, and black boots
Red mock neck - thrifted, jeans - American Eagle, belt - Tunnel Vision, snakeskin patterned tights - Savage x Fenty, scrunchie - kitch, scarf - weverse shop, spell book bag - Spirit Halloween, heeled boots - gifted, spike necklace - local shop in miami, tooth necklace - amystreetangel on etsy, bone necklace - Tunnel Vision, pendant choker - thrifted

Brands to Try:

amystreetangel on Etsy

Savage x Fenty for patterned tights

Lesser of 2 Evils

Igirl

Foxblood


Part 3: DIY

This step is a optional, but especially for those of us who have issues finding affordable ready-to-wear pieces–in our size–in places like thrift stores, customization is a fun and involved way to make the pieces you're looking for by yourself. Making patches by painting fabric scraps with simple designs and sewing or safety pinning them to jeans or a jacket; painting the fabric directly; cropping a shirt or skirt to be shorter; cutting a neckline to a different shape; buying spikes and studs online to add to jackets; all of these are easy ways to give an old piece new life without need for sewing experience. Of course, if you’re interested in higher-level adjustments, there are lots of online tutorials on proper sewing and embroidery. Yet again, this is an easy way to test new styles without committing to expensive pieces.

outfit with black jacket with red patch, red longsleeve, a black skirt, and red fishnet stockings
Heart earrings - thrifted, chain necklace - thrifted, lock necklace - Tunnel Vision, red top - Target (cropped, neckline cut wide), black skirt - thrifted (cropped and distressed), red fishnets - Savage x Fenty, Jacket - thrifted (DIY patches, painted, distressed)

cloth patch tutorial

diy distressed clothing

Coolirpa on Youtube - sewing tutorials

Part 4: Statement Pieces and Finishing Touches
The most exciting, yet risky, element to building a wardrobe is investing in statement pieces. While they get less wear, these bright, eccentric styles pack more of a punch, especially when paired with basics or other statement pieces. These are the pieces that will be hardest to find in larger sizes, whether in thrift stores or online. Since they’re so hard to find and are usually more expensive, it’s important to put a lot of thought into what you want, so as to not waste money on something you’ll only wear once. Keep in mind which colors and silhouettes you already know you like, and if you are interested in new colors or styles, try dipping your toes in with accessories or DIY elements before splurging on something new. This is also a good time to think about trying new shoes and jackets, which are more expensive than most standard basics.

Before purchasing online, be sure to take your measurements properly, and compare to the site’s size chart. For more expensive shops, it’s not uncommon for them to have flash sales on holidays or weekends, so don’t be shy to sign up for email lists and hold off on getting the most expensive pieces until you see a sale.

outfit with camo shirt, orange camisole on top, and brown skirt
Green mesh top - Minga London, orange corset - Tunnel Vision, brown maxi skirt - Minga London, bandana - thrifted, spike necklace - local shop in miami, tooth necklace - amystreetangel on etsy
outfit with red over coat, white shirt with black graphics, and jeans with eyes on them and black boots
Graphic mesh top - Minga London, underbust corset - Corset Story, belt - thrifted, painted jeans - Minga London, boots - Dr. Marten, eye bracelet - amystreetangel on etsy, cuff - Tunnel Vision, beaded bracelet - gifted, “gross” pendant necklace - Tunnel Vision, bone necklace - Tunnel Vision, tarot card earrings - thrifted, butterfly earrings - Tunnel Vision

Plus-size Friendly Brands to Try:

Tunnel Vision       Tripp NYC       Awkward Adult       Solovair Boots       Love Too True       Lucy and Yak       Hell Bunny       Isolated Heroes