With over one in five people in the Western world considered to be overweight, designers have been forced to start styling clothes for larger sizes (size 28). Fashionable large size clothes are becoming more available but there is still have a long way to go!

Due largely to influence lead by the media and catwalk fashion, the High Street mainly caters for sizes 10 to 16 maximum. Larger size women have hardly been considered at all. Fashion experts Trinny and Susannah, in a recent TV programme, attempted to find stylish clothing for larger size ladies. They looked at High Street stores, such as Gap, Debenhams, and Marks and Spencer’s, but found it almost impossible to find trendy, fashionable outfits for women in size 18 plus. Any clothing they found tended to be baggy, smock style tops in drab colours and frumpy styles. There was nowhere near the range of stylish, reasonably priced clothing which could be chosen by their slimmer sisters.

The main High Street store catering especially for larger sized women is Evans, who retail clothes in sizes up to 32. Their winter season range features smart, stylish trousers, skirts and tops which flatter the larger figure. They stock everything from work wear to classic, stylish outfits which would look great for the evenings. Marks and Spencer and Debenhams stock fashionable clothes in larger sizes, but don’t seem to stock enough outfits and they are soon bought from the rails.

Mail order catalogues, such as Littlewoods and Freemans also have large ranges of clothing for plus size ladies. And larger clothing can be bought online from retailers such as Fiftyplus, Marisota and Simply Be.

As people are increasing in weight larger size clothing is becoming more fashionable. More and more women are choosing to have breast augmentation to increase the size of their breasts. It’s important though to consider which type of clothing suits your particular figure. Starting with correctly fitted bra and underwear, it’s best to try on several different outfits to see which look good. Take a friend who will give honest opinions. Smartly tailored trousers with a neatly fitted shirt or top will always appear more stylish and fashionable than clinging leggings and smocky tent top.

When choosing a dress remember that horizontal stripes are more slimming than vertical, which can widen the larger figure. Never wear tightly fitting belts at the waist, a fitted shirt is much more stylish and flattering. Brighter colours can look great but it’s important to wear contrasting accessories.

Although ultra-thin models and celebrities, such as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Keira Knightley are still dominating the pages of Vogue, Cosmopolitan and other glossy magazines, larger ladies are beginning to get a look in. Wearing the right clothes, size 28 women can be seen to be both fashionable and smart.

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed a lot of people wearing Petticoats recently? I know they will never go entirely out of fashion but, as I have been hopping on and off the underground, I cannot help but see that frills are very much the in thing.

Normally made of silk, satin or even synthetic fibres, the Petticoat is an undergarment worn underneath the skirt or dress.

I did some research into Petticoats and it seems that what was once a mans undershirt, somehow transformed into a ladies undergarment; the name deriving from the French ‘Petit cote’.  Becoming an underskirt, it was highly fashionable in the 1840’s, with heavy warm winter fabrics and softer linen, cotton and muslin versions for summer. It’s popularity waned in the 20th century, despite brief moments of popularity…largely thanks to both Ralph Lauren and Vivienne Westwood.

Petticoats are now normally worn for occasions such as costume parties, weddings and other formal occasions. I looked to get one of my own and found that Bridal petticoats were massively popular… as are vintage petticoats. I just love the beautiful Burlesque Petticoats too!

It is said that the biggest day of a woman’s life is her wedding day. You’ve got the dress, you’ve decided on the hair and make-up and you want to be a beautiful dazzling bride, the kind that adorns bridal magazines, a princess. Bridal jewellery is a must for any bride who wants to shine on her big day. But how much should one spend? Weddings are expensive enough, so there is no point in spending a fortune on bridal jewellery as well. After all, how often are you going to wear that diamond tiara after the wedding?

It is far better to save any money that might have been spent on expensive jewellery to put towards essentials for the couple’s first home together or to save for the future. Brides can still look great without spending a lot of money. You might even be able to get your jewellery for free. Maybe you can borrow jewellery from a friend who has recently married? Or perhaps you can wear your grandmother’s necklace? Remember the old saying, “Something borrowed, something blue…”? If you do, you might even get away with spending nothing on your wedding jewellery!

Otherwise, simple costume jewellery such as a diamante chocker will still add a perfect finishing touch to your wedding outfit without breaking the bank. You will probably want to buy your bridesmaids or flower girls gifts as a thank you for helping you on your special day. This does not have to be expensive either. A silver bracelet in a presentation box and tied with ribbon will delight any bridesmaid as long as it is given with love. How much you spend depends more on your budget rather than your dream, so you need to work out just how much you can spend. Remember when budgeting for the wedding to budget for the jewels as well.

The rule of thumb for the ring is usually a month’s salary, it is something that is going to be worn for the rest of your life, all going well, so you don’t want to regret skimping on it. But that said one could always upgrade when they are more financially solvent. I would spend what my budget would allow and a little bit more, I don’t mind getting into a little bit of debt, but I wouldn’t want to still be paying for my wedding diamonds on my golden wedding anniversary!

Pearls and costume jewellery always look good, but take into account how you are wearing your hair and makeup and what your dress looks like. Mixing and matching costume jewellery with the real deal would be the best thing. A lot of imitation pearls look just like the real thing and it is highly unlikely that anyone will be grabbing them from your neck to try and tell if they are fakes, I doubt anyone will even ask. You can spend a small fortune on wedding jewellery, and you can do it very easily. A more difficult trick is to manage to look like you’re wearing a million pounds without spending it!

Vogues Top 5 beach scents:

1. Avon Tahitian Holiday - Sounds lovely doesn’t it? With scents of the Tahitian tiare flower and coconut oils. Another new perfume that uses the tiare flower is Mariah Carey’s debut fragrance ‘M’ which smells delightful. I have a bottle myself and have received many compliments.

2. Carol’s Daughter Ocean - with hints of watermelon, cucumber, lavender and hyacinth.

3.  Comptoir Sud Pacifique Aqua Motu - according to Vogue it is a “blend of marine notes mixed with lily of the valley, warm sand, and kelp has been the company’s best-selling eau de toilette in Europe since its release in 1995.” P.S it is very difficult to find in the USA!

4. Bobby Brown Beach - sand jasmine, sea spray, and mandarin. The smell definitely reminds me of the beach, reminds me of nice smelling suntan lotion!

5.  And lastly, CB I Hate Perfume At the Beach 1966. No really, the perfume is actually called that. “The vintage sunscreen is the prime note that along with hints of wet sand, seashell, driftwood, and something called-boardwalk” says Vogue.com