How To Build A Plus Size Wardrobe From Scratch
Posted by Jen Anderson on
Usually we add a few pieces to our wardrobe each season. But there are some instances where you really do have nothing to work with. Maybe...
- your weight has changed,
- you're changing careers,
- you're moving to a company with a different dress code than you're used to,
- you've retired,
- you've relocated to a different climate,
- you've had it with your current wardrobe, and have decided to shake things up.
It's a daunting task, but you can take it as slowly as you need to. Like a lot of things, this is a matter of putting a bunch of effort into figuring it out, and then it gets a lot easier.
Figure Out Your Body Shape
Women's bodies come in different shapes, so not every style is going to be your new best friend. Your body can be a combination of the standard shapes. It's possible that you've spent your whole life hearing that you need to dress to hide your shape, conceal or mitigate certain body parts, or to make yourself look smaller than you actually are. Forget all of that because it's nonsense that doesn't work and makes you feel like garbage.
Think of it as going with styles that give your body the room it needs to breathe and move, without smothering yourself in excess fabric.
I've created The Ultimate Plus Size Guide To Dressing For Your Body Shape that should help you figure this out.
Think About Who You Need To Be
What are the main activities you'll be doing on a daily basis? A new therapist might need soothing colors, while a new teacher might need fun prints. If you're leaving on a world tour, are you going to be super casual or stylish casual? Do you want to look competent and formidable? Or quirky?
These things are going to drive a lot of your choices.
Start With Undies
All clothes look better on you if you're wearing the right undies. Especially bras. For more on that, here's What You Need To Know About Plus Size Bra Shopping.
Create A Capsule Wardrobe
Don't worry - this is just to get started. When you're starting from scratch, you don't have the luxury of being a maximalist. Yet. You want pieces that you can mix and match, so that every piece of clothing has at least one thing it goes with.
Most likely you'll need some neutral colors, like black and navy. Most other shades go well with one of both of these, so you can add colors to your capsule.
Don't neglect prints at this point. If you've got your neutrals, you'll have something to wear with your new prints. Thanks to the way Vikki Vi Classics are released, you actually can build an entire capsule wardrobe by browsing New Arrivals. If you're new around here, we have a set of versatile styles that are always available in black, and then we regularly release some of these styles in different colors and prints.
Often, you'll see a few prints in black and ivory, or navy and whatever. If we have royal blue solids, we'll probably have some prints that go with that exact shade of blue. We do that on purpose to make things easier for you.
If you ever want some advice on which pieces to order, call us at 818-223-8853 and we'll be happy to help you.
Don't Forget Shoes!
Start with one versatile pair of shoes and then build from there.
You're A Person Who Shops Now
You never really finish building your wardrobe. I know you're exhausted by this point, so you can switch to low key shopping. Sign up to get emails so you know when we get new pieces in, and when we have sales. Once a week or so, spend a few minutes scrolling through New Arrivals instead of social media. If you always have an eye out for clothes you like, you don't have to make another big shopping effort.