How to Shop Asos: 5 Tips Fat Girls Need to Know

Asos is one of my favorite places to shop online. In fact, it's where I do most of my shopping for cute basics and chic statement pieces. I only learned of Asos a few years ago when a co-worker hipped me to it. I only wish that someone would have given me tips on how to shop at this amazing online store. So, I want to share with you some things that I've learned about Asos Curve over the years.

1. Size Down. 

A dress I got a few years back on Asos. It is one of my favorites!  

A dress I got a few years back on Asos. It is one of my favorites!  

It is my belief that Europeans believe that fat people in America are REALLY fat. As a result, their sizing is a bit off sometimes. I ALWAYS size down. Right now, I am between a 22 and a 24 US sizes but I have never ordered a size larger than a 20 from Asos. Well, I have but I learned my lesson rather quickly. It is best practice to take a look at the sizing guide and the measurements. 

2. Trial and Error.

Unfortunately, we can't always get the sizing right or we may over/underestimate our size. That's okay. Asos is trial and error and after a few swaps of shirts, dresses and jeans/pants, you'll get it. I promise.

This leather jacket is perfect. I wear it all through the fall season. It was pricey but worth the buy.  

This leather jacket is perfect. I wear it all through the fall season. It was pricey but worth the buy.  

Speaking of swapping - Asos does not have an exchange policy. Only a return. Therefore, if you're unsure of a size - and can afford to - it would be in your best interest to purchase more than one size and return what doesn't work. The return process is SUPER easy. Every order comes with a return form and label. You have 28 days to return something. Stick it in a box/bag and ship it back. I think the whole process took a little over a week for me. Obviously, if you can't afford to have funds tied up, this might not be the best option for you. You can read the entire return policy here.

3. Catch a Sale.

I don't think I can say this enough. Asos is expensive (for good reason, though). It is always best to catch a good sale. And they ALWAYS have good sales. Sometimes, you can catch a 70% off sale and you'll find things as cheap as $10-15. In most cases, they're cute basics are pretty cheap. Anything high-fashion is probably going to cost you closer to $100+.

4. The Rivington jeggings are phenomenal.

A pair of Rivington's I got recently. They are AMAZING.

A pair of Rivington's I got recently. They are AMAZING.

I am a chunky girl. Ya'll know. These thighs are dimple-y and huge. These hips don't lie. So shopping for denim is always a chore for me. I typically stick to Torrid for all of my denim needs, but honestly, Torrid is way too expensive for me when I just need a pair of comfy jeans. So, I decided to try out the Rivington jeggings at Asos. 

Ya'll. 

They are phenomenal. They're soft, stretchy, and CAH-YUTE! They don't stretch out too much as the day goes on. They are a perfect. I think that every plus size woman with big ole hips, thighs, and butts should have at least two pair in her wardrobe. They're typically pretty inexpensive too. I just got a pair for about $40. 

5. Plan ahead.

While Asos is pretty good about their standard shipping (which is free when you spend over $40), I always recommend giving yourself some wiggle room. If you need a dress for a Friday night, it's probably best to order it at least a week and a half in advance. Asos does have a history of "forgetting" to dispatch items. So, you don't want to be caught with your pants down (lol) waiting on them. 

I hope these things are helpful! I get a lot of questions about Asos when I first introduce it to folks. They are a great options when you know how to shop there. So, head on over and get you some pieces! Let me know how it goes!

TGwBH

That time Gabi, Jazzy, Dani and Chrissy broke my Internet.

I was all prepared to write something else today. In fact, I was supposed to post it yesterday, but time got the best of me.  

And then, something incredible came across my Instagram timeline. 

Ebony released this month's cover and GabiFresh, Jazmine Sullivan, Danielle Brooks and Chrisette Michele were on it. And not just on it. But they were slathered across the page in different flavors of brown and I'm sure that at the moment that picture was taken the room smelled like flowers and vanilla and maybe even a hint of coconut oil.  

And then my internet broke.  

I think it was just mine. No one else's. Immediately, I began to get text messages, IG and Facebook tags. This picture was literally all up and down my timeline. And I loved every single moment of it.  

Regardless of the #teamfit movement and the countless fat shaming bullies that come along with it, representation still matters to us fat girls. The body positive movement has sort of shifted this idea that only size 2 models are acceptable. But even in that, many times the "plus" models aren't even in double digits yet. There is still work to be done. 

Before I go on, I want to address something. I've started to see many arguments against the BPM that say that body positivity is just an excuse to be fat and that we should be okay with ourselves but not with our fat bodies.  

Let me woo-sah real quick before I go on... 

There is absolutely no reason for you not to love the fat body that you're in. Love the hell out of that body. Because loving your body runs much deeper than your rolls and stretch marks. It's about being patient and kind to yourself. And those things will lead you to a healthier lifestyle - physically, emotionally and mentally. 

Back to this GabiDaniJazzyChrissy mashup on my screen.  

This is big folks. Four beautifully curved women with thighs and booties and hips and melanin in their skin. I almost wished they released this in February. With the epic Black History Month we had it would have put the icing on the cake. But I'm okay with it being the cover for Women's History Month. 'Cause all this black girl magic on my screen...I just can't. 

When I see this picture, I think about the chunky 8th grader who is struggling with herself. Struggling to have the confidence to just be; no matter what shape or size she is. And then I picture her seeing this picture on the cover of a magazine at the grocery store and just in one look is empowered to have the confidence necessary to be herself - whatever that means to her.  

When Chrisette Michele posted the picture her caption said, "Our bodies occur to other people more than they occur to us and sometimes we have to stop and sit and talk about them. " If only that were true for everyone. She goes on to say that we should just celebrate beauty and not curves. Chrissy, baby, I'm not gonna agree with you there. We should celebrate the HELL out of curves. Especially, the ones on the front cover of Ebony magazine this month! 

TGwBH