Another amazing year of plus size fashion is coming to an end. It’s time to take a look at some of the personal style plus size bloggers whose strong looks made this 2017 standout! In past years, we have seen breakout bloggers land major campaign collaborations.
This year wasn’t about brands making major leaps in partnerships. Rather, bloggers are taking things into their own hands to share their personal style and their stories on social media.
2017 wasn’t just about what style bloggers were wearing, though they certainly brought LOOKS.
It was also about their message and what they had to say.
We saw a range of diverse voices battling cancer with makeup, sharing their coming out stories, fighting online trolls and even strutting in New York Fashion Week.
This year, personal style bloggers and Instagrammers showed that the plus size community has something to say.
The Plus Size Bloggers & Influencers of 2017
Troy Solomon, @ABearNamedTroy
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXTkPS1gTAG/
If it seems like Troy Solomon was everywhere in 2017, he kinda was.
From partnerships with ELOQUII and ASOS, this blogger helped put big & tall babes on the map this year. He was named one of Buzzfeed’s most stylish people at NYFW.
And back in August, Torrid shared a photo of Solomon on social media that sparked a major discussion about plus size clothing and gender.
Solomon told MIC, “…I know that a lot of what I do and what I put out into the social media realm can be considered controversial for a lot of people. I tend to blur the line between gender roles and how they are reflected in fashion. This is still a relatively new concept, but a very important one.”
Body positivity that is inclusive of all genders is very important, indeed.
Ashley Marie, @glamghoul
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcpYvPJDkSQ/?taken-by=glamghoul
This San Diego-based Instagrammer has absolutely exploded in growth.
Since she started sharing her fashion journey only six months ago, her following has nearly tripled since she hit 20K at the end of August. She approaches fashion as a creative outlet and doesn’t like to define her style in any one genre or mood.
This difference makes her style relatable to everyone from boho babes to alternative chicks.
Through her images, she also shares her self love journey and aims to help normalize models with tattoos.
Amanda Ramirez, @comptonsveryown
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt48NqHg2pZ/
In early 2017, Amanda Ramirez’s story spread throughout the internet. This plus size makeup artist was battling cancer with a full beat.
Ramirez opened up her life to her Instagram followers letting us in on her poetry, OOTDs, and daily makeup routine before chemotherapy treatments.
Makeup has been an integral part of her self love journey.
When she was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, makeup helped her continue to spread a positive message to her followers.
She told NBC News, “I want to humanize cancer —it’s so easy for people to kind of villainize it and not take it for what it is — it’s just a sickness. It really doesn’t have the power to make you feel a certain way unless you let it.”
Gia Natalia Narvaez, @sassytruth_
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcggaHZH5nT/?taken-by=thesassytruth_
Gia Natalia Narvaez is sharing her truth as a transgender fat babe on Instagram and her growing YouTube channel.
Whether she’s slaying in swimwear or stunning in a high-slit dress, Narvaez’s style is sweet and unapologetically sassy at the same time. When she’s not sharing hauls or OOTDs, she’s sharing her story. Her post for National Coming Out Day garnered 7,000+ likes and nearly 200 comments.
In the caption, Narvaez writes this powerful message, “Coming out isn’t always easy, and times will certainly be rough. But living your truth is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. And at the end of the day you have to ask yourself if you’re living your life to please others or if you’re living your life for yourself. Always believe in yourself, stand in your truth, remember your worth, and remember that tomorrow will be a brighter day.”
La’shaunae, @luhshawnay
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3u8O8cp1Rl/
Instagrammer and model La’shaunae has had a busy year. When one of her photos was turned into a cruel meme back in March, model Reece King came to her defense. King helped turn the negative situation into a flood of positive comments.
La’shaunae was even turned into a cute cartoon.
Her platform continued to grow as people took note of her trendy style. In September, she walked for Whatever 21 during New York Fashion Week.
This was to break the boundaries of plus size models shown on fashion’s biggest platform.
P.S. Kaguya, @p.s.kaguya
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4gaetYpG9r/
P.S. Kaguya started sharing her self love journey in early 2017. She now uses her popular Instagram account to representing for the unconventional plus size and curvy Asian babes. They are a special group who don’t see themselves shown in most mainstream fashion.
Incorporating lingerie alongside outerwear, Kaguya’s bold style landed her the opportunity to walk through Times Square in her underwear.
This was done as part of Khrystyana and Paige Noel’s #theREALcatwalk alongside models such Denise Mercedes and Jovanna Marie.
Sassy, @sassy_latte
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4iOvMxF4lD/
With stunning selfies and flawless OOTDs, the Instagram account of self-taught MUA Sassy may appear aesthetically beautiful.
But this is the account of an activist with something to say.
With a political approach to the platform, Sassy discusses mental health, equality, social justice, and body politics. She does so in most of her captions helping to educate her followers on everything.
This could go from gun violence and net neutrality to how to make body positivity more inclusive to marginalized bodies.
Sassy describes her role as an activist to “regularly facilitate and engage in critical & intersectional conversations regarding feminist issues”. It’s certainly a nice shift to see outfit inspiration alongside the educational conversations that she continues over on her Patreon.
Fashion is more than just a form of self expression.
It can be a catalyst for social change.
With 2017’s breakout plus size bloggers and Instagrammers showing us the personal is as political as ever, there’s no telling what kind of important conversations that 2018 will bring.
