Ever since high school I developed this habit of avoiding shops that cater more to straight sizes, mostly because I figure since my size and shape is obviously not taken into account in the design of their offered pieces, I would only be wasting my time by looking there. Of course this mode of thinking is false, as evident from this outfit made up entirely of straight size pieces.

Back in late May I ventured into Forever 21 to do some shopping recon and my eye was immediately lead to this navy blue and cream bandana skirt. I scanned the racks for my size and I was not surprised to find that it wasn’t available in plus. Not to be defeated so easily, I found the skirt in a large (their largest offering of this piece) and went to try it on. I fell in love as you may have seen on Instagram:

The fabric is lightweight and airy, making it perfect for hot summer days.  I paired the skirt with a cap sleeve blouse, a straight size purchase from my early college days, that I found when I went through my closet a month ago.  Although the skirt does have a wide elastic band, the pop of brown of my braided belt emphasized the draping of the skirt to create a subtle hourglass silhouette for a more polished look.

This bandana print handkerchief skirt is an attention-grabber and I am still getting many compliments for it. So definitely keep your eyes open to the possibilities that hang on the straight size racks. You never know what you may find.

~Get the Look~

Faux Tortoiseshell Sunglasses | Torrid (similar, here and here)
White Cap-sleeve Blouse | Old Navy  (similar, here and here)
Smocked Bandana Print Skirt | Forever 21 ( same in different color, here)
Born Braided Sandals | Famous Footwear (similar here)

Style notes: The light accents of the skirt are more akin to white than the advertised cream. Moreover, there is a hint of sheerness to the skirt material as it is simulating the texture of an actual bandana, but the draping helps to keep you from revealing anything.