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Let's get real here. The bikini is not a clothing item that can be carried off by everybody. Neither are strappy tops, shorts, mini skirts or skimpy dresses, but according to the fashion 'experts' these are all summertime wardrobe essentials.

But what do you do if you're not a size 4-6? What if you can't even pull a gypsy top over your head? Some of the fashion magazines have got it so wrong it is unbelievable. In the UK, the average size for a woman is 16. That happens to be my size. Does that mean that as an average size woman, summer fashions do not apply to me? It certainly seems that way and it makes me spit.

Every woman deserves the right to advice on how to look good no matter what size thay are or what time of year it is. It is especially important for the summer months when in the hot weather, covering up with thick sweaters is not always an option.

Women no matter what their size go on holidays, go on day trips, barbecues, all manner of activities in the summer. We want to know how to look good and feel confident! So a shout out to fashion journalists everywhere: please give us some decent fashion advice on what to wear in the summer - what are the best swimsuits for bigger women? What can we wear that flatters our shape but still keeps us cool? How can we still look feminine without revealing too much of our 'wobbly bits'?

I love reading fashion magazines, but often feel as though I am looking at a work of fantasy fiction: the articles and fashion items covered will never apply to me, and any thoughts of attempting such looks are sadly resigned to my daydreams.

There are those magazines that do offer bigger women fashion tips, but to be honest, I'd rather take fashion advice from my kid brother. Just because I'm bigger doesn't mean I want to look like a frump, or wear things that would be more suitable for a geriatric.

I personally have a lot of confidence in the fashion choices I make - I like to think that I know what suits my shape, and I feel good in the clothes that I wear. However, I feel that there are those women out there that rely on fashion aficionados for advice and are being let down. So lets have a bit more realism in fashion journalism please - cater for the masses, not just the minority that can work the denim hot pants look. The summertime should be for everyone to enjoy and summer fashion trends should be accessible for fat and thin alike.

Learn more about this author, Elisabeth Knapp.
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