Fashion for plus sized women has come a long way since the dark ages. More companies are meeting the demand for sizes over 12, but are you stifling your own fashion sense by donning black material day after day because you want it to slim you down?

Even though there is a lot more plus sized clothing, in all colors, to choose from today, you may find yourself still choosing black, because you feel it's more figure-friendly than brighter colors.

Black is usually the top picked color when it comes to women and fashion if they are going for the "skinny" look. Everyone knows that black makes you appear to be more slender but there are more colors out there that offer the same affect.

Makers of large size garments are now concentrating on designs which highlight the parts of your body you feel most happy about, your long legs perhaps or your voluptuous cleavage. Color is secondary; first consider what cut is both stylish enough and flattering enough to make you want to be seen.

You can camouflage your problems areas with printed fabrics. And many clothing lines offer well-fitting clothes for plus sizes whether you're looking for sportswear, casual separates, evening wear, or even swimsuits!

Check out the different online plus sized stores or catalogs and you'll find a very diverse selection of clothes to suit your needs. You can find clothes for teens, pregnant women and businesswomen.

Accessories such as scarves and jewelry can brighten an outfit and draw attention away from your problem areas. You might be wondering then if you should toss all of your black outfits that you currently have on standby for those days that you feel particularly uncomfortable with your appearance.

You certainly don't have to, but you should add other clothes to your closet that come in all sorts of styles and colors. The next time you go to your closet to pick out an outfit, the only problem you'll have is in deciding which one of the beautiful outfits you want to wear to bring out the color of your eyes or showcase your long legs.

It can be easy to feel depressed when, for instance, somebody gives you a garish yellow sweater as a Christmas gift, or if a sales associate shows you a leopard print miniskirt and asks you to try it on. Don't fall into this trap.

Andrea writes about Plus Size Clothing. Visit us for plus size deals on Plus Size Maternity Clothes at http://plus-size.discountsonline.com