As a fat girl, leopard print (or any print for that matter) was a pattern I stayed far away from. The print was loud, too attention-grabbing for my liking (sorry, ya’ll), and overall too scary to risk leaving the house in such a print. Overall, I thought it wasn’t for me, nor people who looked like me or had a body similar to mine.
Those feelings of inadequacy raced through my mind when I saw thinner women wearing literally anything in my office and black was the only color I knew was acceptable in a wardrobe. They also shaped the way I thought fashion “oughta” be, until I understood how fashion really worked.
Leopard Print Can Go With Everything
I mean it is black and brown after all. I like to think of fashion the same way you would the food pyramid. There, you’ve got your proteins, carbs, greens, etc. Once the individual pieces are present, you have a look the same way you have a well-balanced meal. The best part of the meal, in my opinion, is the protein, and in the case of fashion that’s where leopard print fits.
Don’t get me wrong, you can do whatever you want with leopard print. By all means, push yourself to put prints on prints on prints, fam. My particular way of rocking leopard is to make it the main attraction of the outfit while every other piece acts as the foundation of the look.
The balance between color and texture was something I didn’t have a grasp on when I actually gave a damn about what I wore. However, Instagram put me in check to appreciate fashion. All the while, other plus size influencers gave me the courage to explore putting bold prints like
As Eleanor Roosevelt said; “Do something every day that scares you,” and while you don’t have to overcome your fear of attempting Rihanna’s chaps tomorrow, start with a bold print, like
