My Top 5 Fashion Items For Surviving Life With Flair! {My desert island picks}

 A good stretch dress can take you anywhere! The right dress will look fabulous wandering the markets, running errands or out to dinner. It needs to fit snugly in the bust and waist and can be a simply shift style, wrap around or something more flared like the Tiramisu. I think something knee length with short or 3/4 sleeves is most versatile. These sort of dresses are everywhere but I love birdsnest or eBay store Hibiscus & Sparrow. For plus sizes, I think the basic dresses from Igigi or Kyionna are worth the cash. Of course you could always sew one…

 From the petite to the plentiful a good bra is crazy important. For most people but especially those who are curvier, we are smallest just under the bust. A good bra will lift your girls up, revealing that under bust area and visually slimming you down. Don’t let at bad bra waste your waist! Plus a good bra provides the best line under clothes and is much more comfortable. Most women are wearing the wrong size. I know because I want to chase you down in the supermarket and beg you to please, please get a bra fitted!!! It’s a FREE service people!

A metallic can be considered a neutral. Far more versatile than heavy black, a metallic shoe looks casual when you’re in the supermarket and add some classy sparkle in the evening. I suggest a flat sandal or ballet flat that you can team with your stretch dresses. I have a pair of gold sandals I adore, Mummy Ask prefers silver and has both sandals and ballet flats. Metallics are always around in stores but don’t forget to check out eBay if there’s not much of a selection in the shops.

I have a rainbow of cardigans! A cardigan can extend the wear of summery tops and dresses, be layered in the cooler months and can be used as an accessory to pull an outfit together. A colour pop cardi is a great way to add colour to your wardrobe – clash it, contrast it, match it. Be wary of buying too big. I wear a size or two down so it’s cupping my chest Nigella style, I generally can’t button them up (well perhaps a button or two to tightly cinch it). You don’t want your waist swamped! So, now you have a great dress (and foundation), a colour pop cardi and a stylish metallic shoe. It’s coming together! I buy cardis everywhere but Target tends to have a wide selection and cheap prices.

Jeans are such a staple and you want to look and feel fabulous in them. Before you go shopping, think about shape and style. Check out the woman of many jeans post for more tips. I never thought I’d be wearing high waist skinny legs but they are my fave! (See me in them in this post) I tend to favour dark denim without fade lines etc as it’s slimming and always classy. I’m sure you know how versatile jeans are but think of how nice a simple tank, your colour pop cardi and your metallic shoes would look with jeans? I’m a fan of Jeans West for sizes up to 20 and City Chic for bigger sizes. Crossroads also does some very jeans looking jeggings in a good range of sizes.