There are many shops who now specialise in providing fashion savvy women with directional clothing in their size. Many of our favourite high street stores, including on-trend and affordable shops like New Look, have joined the movement and now feature their own seasonal ranges of plus size clothing. It is a sad fact that the vast majority of the designs that we see floating down the runways are created with the tall, skinny model in mind. But with an increasing number of designers expanding their ranges to embrace our boobs, bums and hips, it seems that this is set to change. To help you to decide what’s hot and what’s not in the world of plus size fashion, we’ve compiled a quick list of our top fashion tips:

• The problem with many plus size pieces is that they seem to be designed to disguise and not to accentuate. Just because you’re a size 16 or over does not mean that you don’t have shape. In fact, it usually means that your shape is a lot more feminine that most. Don’t be afraid to accentuate your waist with an on-trend waist belt or to flatter your hips with a structured dress. Learning to dress your figure is as much about showing off the best bits as it is about down playing your least favourite areas.

• If you feel most comfortable sticking to your much loved black basics, then don’t be afraid to jazz them up with some colourful accessories. This season, the colour block trend is big news and a simple black dress can be given a new lease of life with a colourful pair of shoes, boxy bag and statement earrings.

• Don’t be afraid to splurge on your underwear. Good underwear is key to any woman’s style, regardless of her size or shape, simply because it gives you the right foundation to build upon. Getting a sufficiently supportive bra, some good quality shape-wear tights and a few seamless pairs of knickers can help you to create a smoother, sleeker silhouette and change the way that you feel about wearing more figure hugging clothing.