One of the biggest trends this fall is mesh-anything. Whether its mesh, lace, or slashed up cotton, clearly lots of skin will be shown in the coming months. I am an avid fan of this because while we love fall because it allows us to add layer upon layer, sometimes its fun to show a bit of skin in those colder months. And who doesn’t love that?

Below are some of my favorite pieces featuring this trend. I am totally in love with the idea of a lace dress. I’ve added that to my Evans’ wishlist so hopefully, maybe it will appear on their site soon!

ASOS Long Sleeve Ladder Dress | ASOS Slash Back Dress

Dorothy Perkins Ladder Jumper | ASOS Slash Dress

Evans Animal Mesh Dress | Torrid Black & Neon Yellow Slashed Tee

Dorothy Perkins Cutabout Leggins (Have them. LOVE them.) | Dorothy Perkins Lace Leggings

ASOS Lace Dress | eDressMe 3/4 Sleeve Scalloped Boudoir Lace Dress

Faith21 Lace Leggings | Torrid Black Lace Bow-Back Dress

MissPhit Lace Diva | Nordstroms JS Boutique Beaded Mesh Jersey

I have my eye on that Nordstroms dress. If you shorten it a few inches and pair it with a leather bomber jacket, it could be amazing. Are you guys feeling this mesh trend?

Next up: the Boyfriend trend!

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that Carmakoma was having a massive sale to make way for their new Fall 2009 collection. Well ladies, the time has come! Much like their earlier collections, the color palette is made up mostly black, but there are also pops of colors like purple, gray, pink and metallic gray. The aesthetic is very much a mix of masculine and feminine and just the fall 2009 Boyfriend trend (to be profiled later in the week), there’s many pieces that can worn slouchy to give off that effortless vibe. Also, there is a coat with a high collar that I am dying for!

I’ve selected a few pieces from the lookbook to showcase below. What do you think of this collection?

Check out the rest of the lookbook at here! Also there are lots of other goodies on the site like behind-the-scenes videos and more!

The second installment of the fall 2009 trend alerts comes in the form of strong shoulders. Recently seen on everyone from Victoria Beckham to Rihanna to Kim Kardashian, this structured trend is taking over the fashion world. A new and evolved version of the 80s shoulderpads, strong shoulders gives a powerful feel to even the most basic shirts. Below are a few pieces you can add to give your fall wardrobe a totally new feeling.

People may feel that because many of the pieces go up to a UK20/22 that they cannot wear it if they are larger than those sizes. I beg to differ, I have lots of UK20/22 items in my closet and I am a US 22/24. Many, if not all, of these items are made up of jersey and we all know that jersey stretches. Do not be fooled by the size that is on the tag, try things on because they just may fit.

ASOS Jersey Shoulder Pad Dress | ASOS Swirly Print Shoulder Detail Bodycon Dress

ASOS Drop Armhole Shoulder Pad Tee | ASOS Shoulder Fin Top

ASOS Drape Sleeve Scoop Top | ASOS Shoulder Pad Top

Topshop Cosmic Shoulder Dress | Dorothy Perkins Silver Power Sleeve Dress

Dorothy Perkins Cobalt Power Tube Dress | Dorothy Perkins Blue Embellished Dress

Next trend up, Mesh/See-through…

Everyone knows that my favorite season is Fall, when the weather is comfortably cool and the fashions are layered. So in preparation for Fall’s arrival, I’m planning to highlight 10 or so of the hottest trends this Fall and showcase their plus-size equivalent. Most know that I’m not too much of a trendy dresser. My aesthetic rarely changes throughout the year, I just tend to to refresh my wardrobe each season with certain pieces and a few new shoes/accessories. However, it seems like the biggest trends of the season go hand-in-hand with my personal style/aesthetic so I am super excited.

In this installment, the focus is on everything studded/chained! I love anything studded because it instantly adds an edge to any outfit and when paired with something more whimsical and feminine, the contrast is quite interesting. This fall, studs were seemingly put on any and everything from shoes and belts to necklaces, rings, blazers, skirts and jeans. See how you can easily incorporate this trend into your wardrobe with the below items, broken down into sections.

- Shoes

Topshop once again is at the front of pack with the release of their fall line of shoes, full of rock-infused platform heels and boots with buckles, cutouts and studs galore.

Free People also has a couple cute pairs featuring studs.

Aldo Melkonian Boots | Topshop Studded Flats

Frye Chelsea Studded Oxford | Steve Madden Marvel Studded Peeptoe Shoe Boot

For those of us that are more budget-conscious, there are two alternatives. One is the Fall 2009 Payless collaborations. Abaete has some really cute chained ankle boots that I’m excited to see in person.

Christian Siriano (of Project Runway fame) also has a collaboration with Payless this fall. From what I hear, the shoes below are not the ones that will be in stores. The ones in store will have a much lower heel and some of the studs and chains will not be there. Either way, both these collections are right on-trend and the best part is that all the shoes are under $50!

The second option is to DIY it. Adding studs to a pair of shoes or a jacket that you already own is a very inexpensive way get the same look. The best place to get them is Studs and Spikes. Earlier this year, I ordered from them to re-create the studded Balmain blazer, part of which you can see below. It was an easy process that only required the studs, an x-acto knife and a sleeveless vest/blazer I picked up in Torrid’s clearance for $14. Cheap and chic!

- Jewelry

New Look Studded Bangle | Topshop Flat Studded Bangle | Beth Ditto for Evans Studded Bag | Topshop Studded Lattice Bag

ASOS Studded Fingerless Gloves | Urban Outfitters Leather Studded Bracelet

There you have it, folks! Various ways to incorporate this trend into your fall wardrobe.

Next trend: Strong shoulders! Stay tuned…

I’ve been meaning to post about the fall collection of Alloy for a while. I routinely flipped through the catalog one day but found myself making a mental list of things I wanted to buy. That was never really the case with Alloy because, in my opinion, most of the cute clothing stops at XL. So while going through catalog, I saw some things that by no means were mind-blowing but I felt like would be amazing additions in my fall wardrobe.

I’ve posted before about my annoyance that Alloy seems to make small clothes in bigger sizes without taking into account the difference in body proportions from straight size to plus size. Another thing about Alloy is that their target audience are teens and young adults which means the clothing is cut narrower than regular women’s clothing. For me, as a pear-shape, their ultra-low rise jeans do nothing for me. I usually stick to skirts, dresses and tops. However, everyone is shaped different and what may not work for me may be magic for you. They currently go up to a juniors’ size 25 so if you’re so inclined to make a purchase, be sure to check their size chart beforehand.

I’ve noticed that lately I’m more and more attracted to pieces that have a structured and/or military feeling. It may just be my subconscious homage to Michael Jackson, who knows? Here are a few of my favorites from the fall collection.

ps. I’m posting a few past outfits of mine that feature some Alloy pieces so that will give you a better sense of fit on an actual fat body. FYI, I’m 5’11, 18/20 on top, 22/24 on bottom and LOVE short skirts!

(yellow high waist bow skirt)

(yellow high waist bow skirt, white ruffle top)

(black high waist bow skirt)