In honor of Black History Month, we partnered with Marie Denee to shine a light on the women of color that have shaped the plus-size fashion industry for the better. This post is the final installment in our Because Of Her series.
Written by Marie Denee
We have covered so much this month, discussing the women of color who have paved the way for today’s plus-size fashion industry and community. But next, let’s look ahead at the women of color that are the influencers to watch. These women are blazing their own paths, creating their own lanes, and marching to the beat of their own drums!
As the landscape for blogging has evolved and changed, so has the way in which bloggers build their own community and platforms. It has been inspiring to watch the wave of plus-size fashion bloggers create their own magic, but there are so many more to come. In this post, we will shine a light on nine bloggers and influencers of color to watch and support.
While the original plus-size bloggers of color have done so much work for us, there’s still work to be done. Some of the most recognizable originals are women like Gabi Gregg of Gabifresh, Tanisha Awasthi from Girl With Curves, Rochelle Johnson of Beauticurve, Alissa Wilson of Stylish Curves, Chante Burkett of Everything Curvy and Chic, Chastity Garner-Valentine of GarnerStyle, and CeCe Olisa, and even myself with my blog The Curvy Fashionista. But be sure to take time to check out some of these newer faces who are already slaying!
While there are many more plus-size bloggers out there creating amazing content, representing for all of us curvy girls, the women mentioned above have been making inspirational moves that have me blown away. One thing is for sure: each of these women are challenging the norm and paving their own way. Some have even used their blog as a springboard to do much more, like Kelly Augustine who launched her own boutique or Maui Bigelow who is producing her own event Lifestyled Awards. Others like Nikki of NikkiFreeStyle, Nicole of Curves On A Budget, and Kristine of TrendyCruvy have fronted campaigns. Some have taken to modeling and YouTube, like Shaina Tucker of Thick Girl’s Closet. Hayet Rida is the US Nike Ambassador for plus sizes! Amarachi is killing the business game in New Orleans, while Assa is showing us how it’s done in Canada.
These women are inspirations to me and certainly are on the rise. As we close out Black History Month, I challenge you to check out these bloggers, follow them on social, and show them a little love. I promise—you will walk away inspired and motivated to blaze your own trail.
