Candice Huffine for Claire France

Take a look at this supercool spring 2012 lookbook from Canadian plus size retailer Claire France! Candice Huffine, who has been featured in V Magazine and Vogue Italia, is the gorgeous model. She is one of the hottest plus-size girls at the moment, and on these pictures, you can clearly see why!

Elena Mirò spring 2012

Italian brand Elena Mirò is famous for showing size diversity on the runway. I love the hourglass-shaped dresses from the spring 2012 collection, but would personally feel much more comfortable in the colourful A-line dress (bottom left). It is really nice to see curvaceous models on the runway, though. Is this the shape of things to come?

Christina Hendricks does Cosmo

The voluptuous and sexy Christina Hendricks graced the February 2012 cover of British Cosmopolitan. She has the perfect hour-glass figure, and says of her pin-up image:
“It’s incredibly flattering and surprising, and I didn’t think for a second when I started Mad Men that people would talk about me as being sexy or a pin up. My husband has a good laugh about it, of course.”

Marina Rinaldi spring 2012

I must admit - I have a weak spot for Marina Rinaldi. The luxuriuos Italian brand, owned by Max Mara, has that certain something: The fitting, the details, the quality is superb. I was overcome with joy when I found a Marina Rinaldi Sport shirt on sale the other day, at 70 % off! Here you have some bright and colourful images from the brand new spring collection. Enjoy!

The Crystal Renn swimsuit edition

The former plus-size goddess Crystal Renn is featured in the Sports Illustrated 2012 Swimsuit Edition! The model opened up to PEOPLE about her experience posing for the swimsuit issue.

“There's a woman at SI who's made it a point to make sure that the models are healthy. They're not interested in who's the thinnest model of them all, they're about the girl. We all have different bodies. There's not one type that's idealized," she explained.

Now at a size six or eight, Renn told PEOPLE that she did not have a problem exposing her figure in a tiny string bikini. “I felt comfortable with my body,” she said, “I have found a place of stability when it comes to how to view my figure.”

New this spring: H&M+

This spring H&M's plus-size collection is renamed H&M+. It promises to deliver a selection of great basics, in sizes 44-54, which should see you through the season. If you're looking for the perfect sweater to go with skinny jeans, or spring's new pants in bright colours, this is the place to look!

Tara Lynn for ELLE France

Tara Lynn, I salute you! This is just amazing. For the second time this gorgeous plus-size model lands the cover of ELLE France. This time they call her "the body", which is very well deserved! Tara has shot to fame since she last appeared in the magazine, and has been modelling for H&M, by S. Oliver, Wacoal, La Redoute, Macy's and Nordstrom, to name but a few.

In her Elle France feature, she is shot by photographer Marcin Tyszka and styled by Nora Bordiah. On the cover shot, she is wearing a top by Lanvin, underwear by Wacoal, and Yves Saint Laurent heels.

New lingerie line: Bare Plus

Amid all the buzz of New York Fashion Week, lingerie maker Bare Necessitieslaunched a new line called Bare Plus which caters to the sexy, big goddesses. "The new American woman," says Jay Dunn, chief marketing officer for Bare Plus, “are no longer the minority. You would never know that by looking at media, advertising and entertainment, but they really are the majority."
It is now recognized that 60 percent of American women wear a size 14 or higher. This is exciting news. Not only will there be more options for larger women, but this will open up possibilities for other designers to step up and carry lines that fit the real woman. Bare Plus noted that they will also make available designs by Hanky Panky, Calvin Klein and DKNY. I'll keep you posted!

Join the curvy revolution!

Women come in all shapes and sizes. And luckily, it seems that the fashion industry is finally taking notice. The plus size part of the industry is booming, and well-known fashion designers are starting to provide high-end fashions to larger sized women. Prestigeous fashion magazines such as Vogue, ELLE and V magazine are also contributing to this trend, with beautiful and sophisticated fashion images, such as the above picture - photographed by Sølve Sundsbø. This is what I want to celebrate in my blog Curvy Style, and I hope you all want to come along for the ride!