Women are created in different shapes and sizes, and no matter what size you are, be it size 8 or size 22, make sure you celebrate your body. Some of us have natural curves, and many times, I see my fellow curvy sisters dressing inappropriately for their size. Here are a few tips that every curvy/plus size woman must bear in mind.

Wear clothes that are your true size: Clothes that are too big can actually make you look larger and sloppy. Clothes that are too small will make you look uncomfortable, and trust me; no one wants to see your undergarments. Don’t force yourself into certain types of clothing.

Trend thoughtfully: Every trend is not made for everybody. Make sure the clothes you choose compliment your curves and accentuate the positives.

Don’t underestimate your undergarments: Undergarments are so important for women with curves. Do not skimp on them. Invest in a high-quality, supportive bra that will do your girls justice. Also, a smoother bra will make any outfit look better.

Accessories make the outfit: Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Accessories make an outfit, so make sure you splurge on them. Jewelry, scarves, purses and — my favorite — shoes! Shoes can make an outfit too. Choose a bold look and you’ll be sure to make a statement. Just don’t make the mistake of piling on too many at once.

Wear the right makeup: Your face is the first thing a person notices; at least it will be if you wear the right makeup! After a certain age, makeup shouldn’t be optional. You don’t have to have a full face on daily, but please do put on powder, mascara and lip gloss.

Using Colour to Create Focal Points: What is a focal point? It’s the most obvious point on your body that your clothing and accessories draws your attention to. To figure out where your focal point is, stand in front of a full length mirror, close your eyes, then open them and see where your gaze is drawn to. You can use focal points to distract people from looking at parts of your body you’d rather others didn’t notice.

You can do it easily with colour – we often do this unknowingly – we wear a pair of black pants and a coloured top, which draws attention to our top half. You can also do it with coloured scarves and jewellery, coloured shoes or any other sort of design detail.

To draw attention to your face, wear darker neutral colours on your body, then choose a scarf or coloured jewellery to draw attention up. To distract from your stomach, keep your top and bottom in the same neutral colour, then wear coloured shoes and a scarf or necklace which picks up the colour in the shoe to draw attention to your face. Just make sure you put your focal points where you want others to look.