Who says fat girls can’t wear cute clothes? We can, it’s just a matter of finding them, which can be quite a challenge. I’ve had some luck with Dress Barn for Women and Old Navy online (no plus sizes in the stores as far as I’m aware, still). Last month I was out of town and needed an outfit for a college reunion event. I headed over to Dress Barn and was pleasantly surprised to find a few pieces I liked that fit well. On a whim I grabbed a pair of black leggings, expecting to feel something like a sausage being squeezed into its casing. Surprisingly, I did not. I bought the leggings, along with a few other items, with the idea that I can wear them around the house during the cooler winter months.

Fast forward to now. The cooler weather has begun and I’m in the leggings. Yes, they’re great for lounging around the house with a giant t-shirt, but they have so much more potential than that.  I’ve discovered that they look great with a long sweater and my cool ankle boots with the buckles the are usually hidden under jeans.  Sometimes I even pull on a short black skirt over my leggings. That look takes me back to my college years, but I don’t think it looks too young for me now, as long as I don’t put a giant bow on my head and layer 23 black rubber bracelets up each arm. The leggings also look really good with a long coral peasant top and a pair of ballet flats. Finally, the cute v-neck swing style t-shirt and a pair of sneakers makes a sporty casual outfit. Woo hoo! I’m getting way more wear out of these than I anticipated.

The keys for me (and I would think for most fat girls) are as follows:

1. Make sure your leggings fit properly. Too tight and they may try to roll down, too loose and you’ll look wrinkly and weird. Either way you won’t look right and you’ll be uncomfortable.

2. Don’t wear leggings if you have giant legs. I’m fat, but I carry the majority of my weight around my belly. My legs, while not tiny, are shapely and not particularly jiggly.

3. Wear a long top. Yes, cover your entire butt. Even if you have a cute butt. Leave it to your jeans to show it off, not your leggings. They are meant to let your legs pop out from under your top, not expose every curve you have. Girly bits are not meant to be paraded around in public. If your top isn’t up to the challenge, go put on some real pants. Nobody wants to see that much of you, even if you aren’t fat.

4. As an alternative to wearing a long top, wear a short skirt. This will still cover up the butt and girly bits, and make the leggings look cute.