Features  

Life In A Plus Lane (A Series)

By Salisu Kafilat Olamide

30 August 2020   |   11:58 am

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It is a bright Monday morning, and Fatima spent the entire weekend prepping for this once-in-a-lifetime interview with one of the biggest oil companies. This was the last stage of the interview and she couldn’t be more prepared in her entire life except for one important part. “What will I wear?” She finally said to…

Curvy and pretty | Image: theurbanpluslady

It is a bright Monday morning, and Fatima spent the entire weekend prepping for this once-in-a-lifetime interview with one of the biggest oil companies. This was the last stage of the interview and she couldn’t be more prepared in her entire life except for one important part.

“What will I wear?” She finally said to herself after avoiding that thought all weekend. Almost instantly, she had a flashback of the first stage interview and the comment of the interviewers made, “you are the fattest person we have seen today.”

Traumatised again by that statement, staying in bed all day seemed like a better idea. After an almost lifelong indecisive charade of finding an outfit and running behind schedule, she finally settled for a Zara dress she bought a few years ago. The dress was tight enough to accentuate her curves, but she knew something drastic might happen- the dress was two sizes down.

Fatima’s long walk to the bus stop wasn’t a pleasant one. Even more worrisome was the near-impossibility of hopping on a bike causing her to sweat profusely and 30 mins behind schedule on a Monday morning from Iyana Ipaja to Chevron estate was highly detrimental.

The journey to Obalende was a long one as she couldn’t stop thinking and wondering what the other girls will show up wearing yet, also pondered on why that should be her problem on her way to get her dream job. Obalende is always chaotic; bus drivers always avoiding LASTMA officials by dropping off passengers at the edge of EKO bridge in the fastest pace possible, the struggle to alight, and walking down the bridge to board a Lekki-Ajah bus.

Fatima heard an uproar from the Agberos (street urchins) and as she walked past one of them, he shouted, “Aunty Orobo your cloth don tear!!!!”

Preparation and planning every detail is key to avoid chaos as procrastination helps absolutely no one.
As plus-size women, we are quick to give up on dreams and aspirations due to low self-esteem and intimidation.
The fear of this leads to us sizing down when shopping for clothes, which ultimately leaves us with a pile of unflattering clothes and clutter that gives us anxiety and sadness.

Plus Size Fashion Tips For A Job Interview
Finding professional interview clothes can be difficult if you’re a plus-sized man or woman. You may have to shop beyond mainstream stores for wardrobe selections — for instance, at online boutiques, thrift stores and shops that specialize in plus-size clothing. But the extra effort is worth it since ultimately you’re making a wise investment in the future of your career. Regardless of your size, choose stylish, well-fitting clothes, so you’ll look and feel your best in your interview.

• Plus-sized people should wear the same business attire as smaller candidates: suits and ties for men; suits, blouses, skirts and slacks for women — and formal shoes for both. Prove that you are just as professional as other candidates, and do whatever it takes to appear dressed-to-impress.
• Wear clothes that compliment your shape. Women who are wide on the bottom with a proportionally smaller waist and top do well in mid-calf pencil skirts or high-waist pants (with a blouse tucked in), for a slimming effect. Women who are bigger on the top than the bottom can try tailored blouses with slacks or flowing skirts, to give their body shape a more definite look.
• Long blouses or dresses cinched in the middle with a wide belt would accentuate both body types. For plus-sized men, a buttoned vest underneath a suit jacket can fashionably camouflage a large mid-section. For both sexes, fitted blazers are slimming as well. Try to accentuate what you like about your body. Don’t wear extremely loose-fitting clothes to cover up your size, as that will only make you appear larger than you are.
• When shopping for an interview outfit, choose pieces that fit your body; don’t choose based on specific number size. The most important thing is that your clothes fit comfortably and are not too tight or too loose. You should be able to button your buttons and zip your zippers, and sit and walk easily without your clothes scrunching or bunching or riding up.
• Balance is important for a successful interview outfit. Don’t wear all black because you’ll look like you’re in mourning — but don’t wear all bright colours either, because you’ll look like you’re going to an Easter luncheon just after the meeting. For the staple pieces of your outfit such as your pants, skirt and jacket, opt for more neutral colours, like navy, forest green, tan, white, burgundy or brown. Save flashes of bright colour for your accent pieces, like an electric blue shirt under a navy blue suit and vest, or a bright yellow blouse tucked into a khaki brown pencil skirt. Belts, ties, scarves, and pocket squares can also be used to add splashes of colours.

Always remember you are just as deserving as the next person.