Laura Walsh on Plus Size Fashion: “My Body Was Never the Problem. The Rules Were.”

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1. Your content often challenges the idea that plus-size women should follow certain fashion rules. Have you always dressed the way you wanted, or did it take time to feel comfortable wearing what you truly love?

Absolutely not! I wish I could say I’ve always had this attitude, but it’s definitely something that’s come with time.

Like so many plus-size women, I spent years believing there were things I simply shouldn’t wear. Certain styles, certain colours, anything too fitted, too short or showing too much skin. Apparently, when you’re a bigger woman, there’s an entire imaginary rulebook you’re supposed to follow.

The funny thing is, nobody actually hands you this rulebook. You just absorb it from society, the media and other people’s opinions.

These days, I’m a UK size 24 woman who wears whatever she fancies. Short dresses, bikinis, lingerie, leopard print. If I like it, I’m wearing it.

I think the biggest change was realising that I didn’t need to wait until I was smaller to start enjoying fashion.

My body was never the problem. The rules were.

2. You share a wonderful variety of outfits, from everyday casual looks to elegant dresses and bold statement pieces. How would you describe your personal style, and what makes an outfit feel like you?

I’d describe my style as a little bit of everything, with absolutely no consistency whatsoever!

I love a beautiful dress, anything leopard print, blues and whites, a good pair of boots and an outfit that makes me feel fabulous. I’m very much a dress girl. You’ll rarely catch me in trousers!

Some days I want to look elegant and put together, other days I want something oversized and comfortable, and occasionally I want to look like I’ve got somewhere terribly important to be, even if I’m only going for coffee.

I’ve never really understood the idea that you have to stick to one particular aesthetic. Where’s the fun in that?

For me, an outfit feels right when I put it on and immediately feel like myself. Not because it’s flattering by somebody else’s standards, but because I genuinely love wearing it.

And if it involves leopard print, there’s a fairly good chance I’m buying it.

3. One of your posts features the question, “Who made the rules?” What fashion or beauty rule would you most like to see disappear, and why do you think these expectations still affect plus-size women?

The idea that bigger women should dress to hide their bodies.

Honestly, hide them from what? The general public? Are we supposed to be some sort of national emergency?

We’re constantly told to wear things that are slimming, flattering or designed to disguise certain areas. Hide your tummy, cover your arms, don’t draw attention to your thighs.

But what if I don’t want to hide any of those things?

I think these expectations are so deeply ingrained because society has spent decades teaching women that being smaller is somehow better. And when you’re plus-size, people seem to think your clothing should be an apology for your body.

I’d love to see the word ‘flattering’ stop being used as a polite way of saying ‘makes you look thinner’.

I don’t get dressed to look smaller. I get dressed because I like clothes.

4. Your content about loving your body feels personal and honest. What has your own body image journey been like, and what has helped you build a healthier relationship with yourself?

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about body confidence is that you wake up one morning, decide you love yourself and never have another insecure thought.

It really doesn’t work like that.

I’ve had my own struggles with body image, and there have absolutely been times when I’ve been far more critical of myself than I ever would be of another woman.

But something I’ve learned is that you don’t have to absolutely adore every inch of your body, every single day, to treat yourself with kindness and respect.

I have PCOS, and my body hasn’t always been particularly easy to navigate. But it’s still my body, and I refuse to spend my entire life fighting with it.

Sharing photographs of myself, particularly in swimwear and lingerie, has been part of that journey. Not because I’m looking for validation, but because I genuinely believe women deserve to see bodies that look like theirs being represented without shame.

I still have days when I don’t feel amazing. I’m human.

The difference now is that I don’t allow those days to dictate how I live my life.

You don’t have to love your body every minute of every day. But you do have to remember that you’re worthy of living your life in it.

5. Shopping for clothes can be frustrating when sizing, availability, and fit vary so much between brands. What has your experience been like, and what changes would make shopping more enjoyable and inclusive for plus-size women?

Oh, where do I start?!

I’m generally a UK size 24, but depending on the brand, the fabric, the cut and apparently which way the wind is blowing, I can be anything from a 22 to a 28.

It’s ridiculous!

One of the reasons I share so many try-ons is because I know how frustrating shopping can be when you’re plus-size. I want women to see what clothes actually look like on a body like mine, not just on a perfectly posed model with everything pinned into place.

And I think brands need to understand that inclusivity is about more than simply adding a few extra sizes to an existing collection.

We want the same fashionable, exciting, sexy, colourful clothes that everybody else gets. Not just oversized black tunics and something that looks suspiciously like your nan’s curtains.

I’d love to see more consistent sizing, better representation across different body shapes and genuinely inclusive ranges that don’t stop at a size 24.

Plus-size women love fashion. We spend money on fashion. We deserve choices.

6. You speak openly about unsolicited opinions and comments about people’s bodies. Why do you think some people feel entitled to comment on someone else’s weight or appearance, and how do you handle those situations?

This is something I feel incredibly strongly about because I’ve experienced some truly vile online abuse.

I think there’s a strange sense of entitlement that comes with social media. People see a photograph of a bigger woman looking happy and confident, and for some reason, they believe that gives them permission to comment on her body.

I’ve had people tell me I shouldn’t wear bikinis, shouldn’t post lingerie photographs and shouldn’t be showing my body online.

And my response is usually, who exactly asked you?

I think what really bothers some people is seeing a plus-size woman who isn’t ashamed of herself. Someone who isn’t desperately trying to shrink, hide or apologise for taking up space.

I use humour and sarcasm quite a lot when responding because sometimes the comments are so ridiculous that they’re practically writing the jokes themselves.

But there’s a serious side to it too.

Just because somebody puts themselves on social media doesn’t mean they’ve consented to being abused.

There’s a huge difference between having an opinion and deliberately trying to humiliate another human being.

I won’t pretend it never gets to me, because I’m human. But I refuse to allow somebody else’s cruelty to determine how I feel about myself. And if someone thinks I’m going to stop wearing bikinis because Susan from the internet doesn’t approve, they’re going to be terribly disappointed.

7. Your posts mix humor with more serious conversations about body image and social expectations. How important is humor to you when discussing difficult topics, and does it help you connect with your audience?

Humour is a massive part of who I am.

I’m naturally quite loud, bubbly and sarcastic, and I don’t think I’d know how to be serious all the time even if I tried.

I think humour makes difficult conversations feel more approachable. Body image, bullying, self-esteem and societal expectations are important subjects, but that doesn’t mean every conversation has to feel heavy.

Sometimes a sarcastic response to a ridiculous comment gets people talking far more than a long, serious explanation ever could.

And I think that’s why people connect with my content. I’m not trying to be some perfectly polished influencer who has all the answers.

I’m just a normal woman who loves clothes, coffee, a good cocktail and occasionally telling somebody on the internet exactly where they can put their unsolicited opinion.

But underneath the humour, there’s always a message.

You can laugh, be silly, enjoy fashion and still stand up for something that matters.

8. Your profile also gives followers glimpses of your everyday life, from family moments to trips and time spent enjoying yourself. How important is it for you to show that life, style, and happiness are about so much more than appearance or clothing size?

It’s incredibly important to me because being plus-size is just one tiny part of who I am.

Yes, I’m a size 24 woman. But I’m also a hotel manager with a demanding full-time career, a content creator, a dog mum to my gorgeous Milo, a lover of travel, beautiful sunsets, good food, coffee and the occasional Aperol Spritz.

I love escaping to the Welsh coast, spending time with people I love and making memories.

And none of those things have anything to do with the number on the label inside my dress.

I think sometimes society portrays plus-size women as though our entire existence revolves around our weight. As if we’re either supposed to be trying to lose it or talking about accepting it.

But we’re just living our lives!

I want women following me to see that you don’t have to put your happiness on hold until you reach a certain size.

Book the holiday. Wear the swimsuit. Go for cocktails. Take the photographs. Make the memories.

Life is far too short to spend it waiting for a smaller version of yourself to start enjoying it.

9. As someone who shares plus-size fashion and body-confidence content with a large audience, what kind of representation do you think is still missing from the fashion industry and mainstream media?

I think we’re making progress, but there’s still such a long way to go.

For a start, I’d love to see more genuinely plus-size bodies represented. Not just women who are slightly curvier than the traditional model, but women who are size 22, 24, 26, 28 and beyond.

Women with visible tummies, bigger arms, cellulite, stretch marks and bodies that aren’t perfectly proportioned according to somebody else’s beauty standards.

And I’d love to see that representation without it always having to be a statement about body positivity.

Why can’t a size 24 woman simply model a beautiful dress because she looks fabulous in it?

Why does her body always have to be the story?

I’d also love brands to stop treating plus-size fashion as an afterthought. We want beautiful clothes, great fits, exciting campaigns and the same opportunities as everybody else.

True inclusivity isn’t putting one bigger woman in a campaign and congratulating yourself. It’s making sure women of all sizes are consistently seen, included and catered for.

10. Finally, what would you say to a woman who has clothes she absolutely loves but is afraid to wear them because she worries about being judged? What do you hope your content helps women realize about themselves?

I’d tell her to put the bloody outfit on!

Seriously, though, I know it’s not always that simple.

When you’ve spent years being told your body isn’t good enough, it takes courage to wear something that makes you feel visible.

But here’s the thing. People are going to have opinions regardless of what you wear.

You could cover yourself from head to toe and somebody, somewhere, would still find something to criticise.

So why spend your life dressing for people who aren’t the ones living it?

Wear the dress. Buy the bikini. Put on the lingerie. Take the photograph.

And if you’re nervous, start small. Wear it around the house, wear it somewhere you feel comfortable, build yourself up.

Confidence isn’t always something you have before you do something. Sometimes it’s something you gain because you were brave enough to do it.

If there’s one thing I hope women take away from my content, it’s that they don’t need permission to exist exactly as they are.

You don’t owe the world a smaller body, a more flattering outfit or an explanation for being happy in your own skin.

And please, don’t save your favourite clothes for a version of yourself that doesn’t exist yet.

Wear them now. You deserve to enjoy them.

Follow Laura Walsh

Want more plus-size fashion inspiration, honest conversations about body confidence, and a refreshing reminder that style has no size limit?

Follow Laura Walsh on Instagram @perks_of_being_laura to discover her latest outfits, fashion try-ons, everyday adventures, and unapologetically authentic take on life.

Laura’s message is simple: wear what you love, enjoy the body you have, and never let somebody else’s rules decide how fabulous you can feel!

Interview conducted by PLUSMERMAIDS.