If you haven’t heard of Chastity‘s blog, Garner Style, you’re in for a treat. It’s a go-to destination for the latest in curvy-girl fashion, and you’re bound to find a new clothes you’ll want to add to your wishlist. Plus, Chastity has awesome style, with her penchant for leopard print and a knack for rocking daring and sassy ensembles. So, if you love her looks, you’ll be just as smitten with her namesake dress, which boasts the same fabulous style as her blog. Be sure to peek at all of Chastity’s ModCloth faves and hear about how she’s fashioned herself into an online style guru.
What blogs do you read for inspiration?
I read Advanced Style and The Man Repeller. I love that The Man Repeller is geared to the non-sexual form of fashion. Advanced Style showcases people who, in our society, aren’t usually considered fashionable or beautiful. Advanced Style defies both of the notions. Beside that message being close to my heart, the style is amazing.
You’ve published a book — The Curvy Girl ‘s Guide to Style. Tell us a little bit about the book!
My book was an introductory style guide for the plus-size woman. It really touched just on the basics. The book speaks on shapewear, body types, staple pieces, and much more. It’s all done with the woman over a size 12 in mind. I am actually in the process of writing book two, which will be more of a visual style guide. I also keep up with my fellow fatshion bloggers including, The Curvy Fashionista, GabiFresh, From the Rez to the City, and Stylish Curves. I love to see their different takes on fashion.
When you ‘re not blogging, how do you spend your time? Do you blog full-time?
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of traveling. Other than that, I’m pretty much a homebody that enjoys spending time with my husband and my wonder dog, Sugar. I do blog full-time. Blogging has allowed me to develop my own career in fashion. I style individual clients and photo shoots, work as a buyer for indie boutiques, and lend myself to magazines and sites so that I can compose fashion editorials for them.
You’re a Southern girl through and through, originally from Georgia and now calling Texas home. Do you think living in the South impacts your style?
Yes! I love pearls. I have them in all sizes, lengths, and color variations. I didn’t even realize how Southern that was until my Northern bestie introduced me to her friends, saying, “This is my best friend, she’s so Southern, she wear pearls and everything.” In addition, people in the South are fearless when it comes to fashion. Good or bad, they are fearless. I draw from that fearlessness.
We’re in the heart of winter right now, but are there any trends for spring that you ‘re just dying to wear?
I heard that neon will be doing another round this year. I really want to get my hands on a neon hot pink dress. I hope to see peekaboo sheer tops done in plus sizes, too. Oh, and I am looking forward to white-and-black geometric print looks.
You ‘re always in the know when it comes to new clothing lines and boutique openings. What ‘s your best resource for learning what ‘s next?
Fortunately, I’ve been a blogger for some time now. Designers and boutiques reach out to me all the time; I think it’s because I am such a patron and supporter of the indie scene. When plus-size women talk with their wallets, we get more places wanting to cater to us. Also, as a full-time blogger, I also feel like it’s my job to know what’s on the horizon and to give my readers more options to choose from. I use social media as my research tool and generally tend to come across a lot of new lines that way.
You’re a self-proclaimed lover of leopard print. Any tips for styling leopard print?
Start off small. Try a leopard clutch or a pair of pumps. I know a lot of women have issues with how to “match” leopard in their outfit with other colors. I tell them to think of leopard like the color black and then bring in other colors that way. It can be worn with almost any jewel tone. You would be surprised how many things you can wear leopard with.
Speaking of which, Chastity showed us how she’d style up her striking leopard-accented namesake dress. How would you wear this bombshell-worthy piece?
Chastity styled up a sassy ensemble with the Garner Style Dress as the focal point. Accessories included: the Just the Way I Glam Heel, What I Amethyst Bag, Line and Dine Tights, Emerald Island Earrings, and the Rock the Mic Pin.
