I’m a size 18, these fashion brands helped me find my style again
photography and words by laura roscioli
“It’s been a joy discovering brands that make me feel like I’m not missing out on beautiful fashion just because of my size.”
This year has been a momentous one for me, fashion-wise. A few things have happened. My body has changed in a way that has felt pretty drastic. I’ve gone from a size 14 to a size 18 – and with that change, I lost my confidence and, for a little while, my personal style too.
But over the last few months it’s been coming back, largely thanks to a handful of fashion labels that have made getting dressed feel enjoyable again. They’ve reminded me that fashion is supposed to be fun and that the mainstream TikTok brands shouldn’t define what feels possible.
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It’s also been a moment of remembering the importance of celebrating the body I have, being grateful for it, and dressing with it instead of against it. As someone who spends a lot of time writing about how we can feel more connected to our bodies, I somehow lost touch with my own.
I don’t think we talk enough about how our changing bodies impact our relationship with fashion. How feeling shame around your body can shape the way you get dressed each morning. How it can push you towards ‘safe’ choices that help you blend in, rather than pieces that make you feel like yourself. These are the brands that helped me find my way back.
Ruby
I discovered New Zealand label Ruby earlier this year and have been building an obsession ever since. The brand creates beautifully considered pieces for a wide range of bodies, with many styles available up to a size 28, without compromising on design.
Their tailoring is what really won me over. Pictured above, I’m wearing the Carolyn pant and blazer in chocolate brown (one of my all-time favourite colours), with gorgeous statement button detailing.
As a curvy woman, these are quite genuinely the best-fitting tailored pants I’ve ever owned. There’s no gaping at the waist, no pulling across my hips or thighs, and they’re actually long enough for my 5’9″ frame. Finding trousers that fit both my waist and legs always felt like an impossible task, but Ruby has nailed both.
The other look that’s permanently on rotation in my wardrobe right now is the Matilda cardigan and Haze maxi skirt. I wear the skirt multiple times a week – it’s one of the first things going into my suitcase for Europe.
Truthfully, I’d always considered myself someone who just wasn’t a ‘knit person’. As someone with a larger bust, I’d spent years avoiding knitted cardigans and jumpers because they always seemed to add bulk in all the wrong places. The Matilda cardigan has a softly fitted shape that comes in at the waist, making it incredibly flattering, while the statement buttons, voluminous sleeves and dreamy colour palette make it feel far more elevated than your average knit.
Aulieude
This is the Delilah corset dress and yes, it’s just as comfortable as it is divine. Believe it or not, I have my period in this photo, which is usually the time when anything remotely fitted gets shoved to the back of my wardrobe. But because the corset sits higher on my waist, it doesn’t press on my bloating or period pain at all. I still got that gorgeous, cinched silhouette without feeling like I was being squeezed to death.
The puff sleeves are detachable, meaning you can wear it as a romantic puff-sleeve dress or a simple spaghetti-strap number. It also means that there’s a little gap around the underarms, which makes it incredibly breathable. It’s one of those tiny design details you don’t think about until you’re wearing it for hours.
For the last year or so, I’ve found myself reaching for oversized silhouettes because they felt easier as my curves expanded. Aulieude’s designs have encouraged me to lean back into hourglass dressing. I was worried this dress might make me look a little too fairy-pixie (absolutely no shade to the fairy-pixie girls), but instead I felt like I’d wandered straight out of a 1950s Italian film. Safe to say this one’s coming to Europe with me.
Saint Paradiso
Saint Paradiso is a Melbourne label best known for its beachwear and elevated loungewear. I’ve only discovered it recently, and I’m officially obsessed. I’m wearing the Stretch Flares and Mini Tee in Mocha, and I feel so damn good in it.
A year ago I probably would’ve walked straight past a matching set like this. Lately though, all I seem to crave is comfort. As my body has changed, so has what I want from my clothes. My thighs rub together more than they used to, waistbands seem to find new and exciting places to dig in, and I’ve become way less interested in suffering for a good outfit. This brand has become my remedy.
The fabric of this particular set is an almost velour-like knit that somehow feels cosy without making you overheat. I’ve worn it working from home, out on hot girl walks, to the airport, even to the pub with a leather jacket thrown over the top. It’s one of those rare outfits that somehow works for all of it.
De Gail
This lace set from De Gail is my favourite sexy night out outfit right now. I’d been looking for a sheer, lacy outfit like this for ages, but everything I’d tried either hugged my body in weird places, wasn’t quite long enough, or didn’t make me feel sexy. This one nailed it.
I’m going to be really honest for a second though… I put off shopping from this brand for months, because they’re very proudly a ‘curve’ brand. And honestly, up until quite recently, I still held a bit of shame around my changing body. Shopping from a dedicated curve label felt like admitting something I wasn’t ready to admit – my size is significantly changing, and I’ve been finding it harder to accept my body for where it is this year, in a world that feels increasingly thin.
I eventually found my bravery and I’m so glad I did. The pieces fit me incredibly well. It’s actually been a really lovely reminder of how important it is to find brands that design for your body type.
Hara the Label
Hara makes some of the softest basics I’ve ever worn. Its signature bamboo Lyocell fabric is unbelievably light and breathable, the kind that makes you forget you’re wearing anything. Its underwear and strapless bras have become staples in my wardrobe, but this Pia dress might be my favourite. It’s one of those rare dresses that feels as comfortable as loungewear, while still looking beautifully put together.
Liam Lingerie
Liam is Ruby’s lingerie label and it deserves a mention all of its own. The bralette I’m wearing underneath this top is, without question, the best bralette I’ve ever found for my E cups. It’s supportive, beautifully made and somehow still feels sexy, which is a combination I’ve struggled to find over the years.
The sheer top is also by Liam, and has become a wardrobe staple. I wear it with jeans, mini skirts, this lace Zara number… it elevates everything I pair it with. Like Ruby, Liam understands that having a bigger body or bigger boobs shouldn’t mean settling for the practical option. It’s been such a joy discovering brands that make me feel like I’m not missing out on beautiful fashion just because of my size.
Variety Hour
Variety Hour is known for its beautiful, bold patterns and, while this isn’t something I often go for, I absolutely love the fit of its clothes. I often find myself falling in love with pieces I never expected to. This Clover Mesh dress is one of them.
I keep coming back to this idea that my changing size has led me towards ‘safe’ choices: baggy silhouettes, black, and pieces that help me blend in a little more. But venturing into brands that really understand curves and do bold prints well, like Variety Hour, feels like I’m finding my way back to myself again. The brand goes up to a 3XL in most pieces, and I’ve currently got my eye on a few of its iconic matching skirt-and-top sets too.
For more curve-friendly fashion, try this.
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