Are you looking for some plus size trend options? Are you interested in hearing where the trends originate?

Maybe you want to try a trend, but you don’t want to break the bank for things you aren’t sure will stick around. Totally understandable. The options I’m showing should be super easy to weave into your current wardrobe.

Maybe you feel like trends are too finicky, and don’t last, so why try them? Also totally understandable. But, if that’s you, let’s talk about the history of these trends. You will see a lot of them have been around for years and continue to come in and out of style.

As a small added bonus, I also want to share brands, movies, or other pop culture references to spark some inspiration or reminders of the past trends. I think something you may also find fascinating, is a lot of these trends originate in the same era.

How Uniform

Think preppy vibes when you dress for this style. This style has been around for decades. In the 40s it was known as Ivy style, as the style started with college kids from Princeton, Harvard, and Yale or from students from prep schools. It became super popular in the 80s (Blane in Pretty in Pink, anyone?). Brands that may spark some inspiration would be Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Brooks Brothers.

Below are a few clothing items you can add to your wardrobe so you can replicate this style:

Halter Tank Top (Nordstrom)

Collard Halter Top (Elloquii, white)

Scarf Tank (Eloquii)

Gingham Mini Skirt (Target)

Mini Moments

The mini skirt came into popularity in the 60s. There apparently isn’t history of who actually created the miniskirt, but Mary Quant is the person who is credited with pioneering the movement for it. The “Mod Girl” look is probably the first thing that pops into your head when you think about the 1960s miniskirt. Because I wasn’t around in the 60s, I feel like the images that instantly pop into my head are of the Mean Girls walking down the hallway, and, of course, mini jean skirts and Ugg boots.

Below are a few items so you can have a mini moment.

Denim Mini Skirt (Nordstrom)

Black Mini Skirt (ASOS)

Mini Dress (Eloquii)

Halter Mini Dress (Nordstrom)

Cutouts

This is another trend from the 60s and from the “Mod Girls.” The trends started with cut outs usually placed on the back of the dress, or the around the mid section. Now, you will see cut outs all over. Most commonly on plus size clothing is the cold shoulder cut out, but we are going to ignore that and talk about cut outs that are cute.

Asymetrical Tank (Eloquii, yellow)

O-Ring Cut Out Dress (Fashion to Figure)

Cut Out Body Suit (Fashion to Figure)

Color Pop

This season, you may see some lingering neutral outfits, sets in creams and tans. And I don’t know if that will ever really go away now that it’s become such a staple in our lives. But, you will for sure being seeing a lot more color, and color mixing. I remember in about 2015, we started hearing people talk about color blocking a lot in reference to celebrities on the red carpet. This is similar to that. Think, bright purple wide leg pants paired with a tangerine structure tank top. And if you’re thinking, color has always been around, how can we talk about the history of pops of color? Well, here’s a little history about colorful clothing. Colorful garments weren’t easy to create, they took a lot of rare supplies and money, so that’s why you saw aristocrats and royalty wearing colorful dresses and suits, while people in lower classes wore browns and whites and tans. Fashion houses in the 40s/50s tried to have dedicated colors. Think Chanel’s Little Black Dress. In the 60s is when you really started seeing color mixing in fashion.

Blue Blazer (Eloquii)

Light Green Dress (Old Navy)

Orange Romper (Eloquii)

Lime Set (Eloquii)

Orange Bandeau Dress (ASOS)

Pink and Red Color Block Dress (ASOS)

Pink T-Shirt (Old Navy)

Casual Basics

When I think of casual basics, here are a few things that come to mind: Parisian fashion, Minimalism, Capsule Wardrobe, Staples. Historically thinking about casual basics, I think we probably have to think about silhouette. For example, losing the corset, the 20s flapper style, boxy dresses, the introduction of women wearing pants in the 30s, the loose styles in the 70s, the sweats of the 80s, and so on. When I think of it now, the pieces that represent this style trend are extremely versatile. Movies I think about is anything Julia Roberts wears in Notting Hill or Meg Ryan outfits from You’ve Got Mail. For a more modern example, look at anything Hilary Duff wears. In fact, I have a whole blog post on how to steal Hilary Duff’s style. Click the following link: Steal Hilary Duff’s Style.

Here are some items you can add to your wardrobe to emulate this style:

Pleated Shorts (Gap, 00-20)

Pleated Shorts (Target, 14-26)

Cropped White Button Down Shirt (Old Navy)

Striped Button Down Shirt (Old Navy)

Classic Brown Belt (ASOS)

Wide Leg Linen Pants (Old Navy)

90s Ultra High Rise Denim Jeans (Abercrombie)

Curve Love 90s Ultra High Rise Denim Jeans (Abercrombie)

Mom Jeans (Abercrombie)

Curve Mom Jeans (Abercrombie)

Sources

Here is the history of color in fashion and culture, Medium.com

The History of Preppy Style: From the College Quad to the Runway, wsj.com

The History of Preppy Style, busybeeskids.com

What’s the 80s Prep Look: How to Dress 80s Preppy, castawayclothing.com

How the Mini Skirt Made Fashion History, sammydvintage.com