Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
For dressing YOUR BODY!
LUS-SIZE model and a blogger for the Yammie Hearts and Curves blog, Oyama Botha is passionate about self-love and living life to the fullest.
In her blog she writes about radical self-love and the amazing things you can achieve when you are able to radically love yourself in the body you have. As a fullfigured woman, she understands the struggle to find perfectlyfitting pieces of clothing. She shares with us her style guide.
PBODY TYPE AWARENESS IS A THING Knowing what your body type is allows you to easily look for clothing items that will best suit your body type.
My body, for example is an hour glass figure, which implies my top and bottom are proportionately heavy. Therefore, when I shop for clothing items, I know I will not look for items that will not be flattering to an hour glass body type. For example, tulle/tutu skirts, for me, are usually very unflattering, while they always look great on pear shaped body types, who are heavy either on top or on the bottom parts of their bodies. COMFORTABLE CLOTHING IS BOMB There is nothing more painful than watching someone being very uncomfortable in the clothes they are wearing.
The right fit and cut is always essential, not only will comfortable clothing stop people from staring and feeling sorry for you but it will make a huge difference to your self-confidence because when something fits right, you automatically feel good and it will definitely show.
RECREATE AND CHALLENGE TRENDS Following trends is encouraged, however, most of the time people are not mindful that trends not only come and go but not every trend is suitable for all body types.
For example, with an hour glass body type; wearing bold stripes as a trend is totally acceptable, but in order to ensure the stripes look flattering on my body, I normally go for vertical stripes, as they blend in nicely with my body type.
UNDERGARMENTS MATTER A LOT Wearing the right undergarments can do so much for your selfconfidence, comfortability and change the entire look to an outfit.
For example, wearing an embroidered bra under a tight cotton T-shirt, is not a great idea, as the bra can show through the T-shirt, in a not so flattering way. Also, always be mindful of how a simple thing like the colour of the bra you wear can make a drastic change to your outfit.
CONFIDENCE!
My confidence is my driving force for every outfit I wear. I have found that there would be days where I would wear the exact same outfit again and not feel as good as I did the first time.
I would not like how it sits and it would be because I wasn’t feeling so confident wearing it the second time around. When you’re confident with your clothes, you automatically feel good and your outfit will totally vibe with you.
OYAMA’S TOP 2 STYLE INFLUENCERS ● @gabifresh – for her edgy, cute and trend-setter vibe!
● @naturallyfashionable – for her BOSS looks that scream "sexy and modest" at the same time
● Oyama’s blog: www. yammieheartsandcurves.blogspot. co.za. Instagram at @Oyamabotha FAREWELL TO FULLER-FIGURE RANGES The future of fashion has fewer labels. There will be a move away from a separate “plus size” range intended for anyone larger than a size 38. Instead, standard ranges will be extended to cater for a greater variety of body types.
REVEAL, NOT CONCEAL
In 2018, women are becoming increasingly body-confident, and their choice in clothing reflects this. For those who wear larger sizes, there is less demand for baggy
Plus-size model and blogger Oyama Botha shares her top style tips so you look your best, writes
blouses and trousers that hide the shape. Women will be embracing a more fitted silhouette that is designed to celebrate the body.
BIGGER AND BOLDER IS BETTER Colours are brighter and prints are bolder. South Africans are flaunting their dissent by donning beautiful neutrals and nudes, chunky stripes and exciting prints.
● Shop the looks at www. ackermans.co.za