Welcome Allison McGevna, 31, of Inside Allie’s World, who is joining us as our resident curvy-girl style blogger. She was featured in the December/January issue of PEOPLE StyleWatch and contributes her thoughts on finding the perfect outfit to the site each week. This week, she shares tips for breathing new life into a wardrobe essential. (And if her items are sold out, we’ve linked to similar styles below — happy shopping!)
Courtesy Allison McGevna
I’ve been really into layering lately, especially as I’ve been experimenting with different silhouettes. I used to be the body-con queen, but I’ve discovered how fun it is to mix things up a bit. I still rock bodycon silhouettes, but now I pair them with different shapes and layers. Layering is such a great way to work with your wardrobe staples. Because I’m curvy, tighter dresses often aren’t appropriate options for me to wear to work. They just look too sexy. So my goal here was to make this Stories… by Kelly Osbourne dress look like something I could wear to the office — using layers. I love this dress. The mixed print is great and can work across all seasons. I layered a lightweight gray sweater, also Stories… by Kelly Osbourne, over it which felt polished enough for any office, and totally downplayed the sexy-factor of the dress. The key here is lightweight layers — nothing too bulky. With layering, I always talk about defining your waist, and it’s especially important when you’re wearing knitwear. I added a skinny belt from Forever 21 (similar style), which felt delicate and refined (a thicker belt would have been too distracting).
RELATED: See even more wardrobe tips from Allison here!
My blazer is from City Chic — a blazer can really streamline any look. And I love shopping at City Chic. It’s a really fantastic plus brand that feels fashion-forward (which is sometimes a hard thing to find when you’re shopping for extended sizes). The fit of trendier pieces can be tricky for plus girls. A lot of plus lines sell their trendier pieces in the juniors department, which presents an issue when it comes to sizing. But not City Chic — their fit is spot-on and their pieces feel modern at the same time.
My Altuzarra for Target boots (similar style) over black tights give a flattering, lengthened look that feels seasonal and totally work-appropriate. My hat is from Miss Selfridge — the shape is on-trend and it’s perfect for hiding a bad hair day. The gloves are, admittedly, not practical for work — but they’re fun to wear on your commute! I’m wearing a statement necklace that blends into the white collar a bit — nothing too over the top. And my clutch is from Simply Be — it has a faux fur panel on the front and a leathery panel on the back. Plus brands like Simply Be and City Chic are great for more than just clothes — their accessories can make super stylish accents!
How do you transform your wardrobe staples? By layering? Remixing? Sound off below!
