'I'm a plus-sized fashion influencer and these are the 7 wardrobe "rules" I live by.'

When Jo Bartley started a fashion page on Instagram more than a decade ago, she was looking to "connect" with other women who had a body like hers, for both community and fashion inspiration.

When she realised there were many other people doing what she is doing now — plus-size fashion blogging — Jo was instantly hooked.

"I remember typing 'young, fat fashion' into a search engine and coming across other plus-size blog," she tells Mamamia. "I knew instantly I wanted to be part of that community."

Watch: How to improve your daughter's body image. Post continues below. 

She created her Instagram account, icurvy, more than 13 years ago, and has built a community of 96,000 women who are tuning in every day to see what exactly she's wearing.

The pressure of living in a larger body that gets hundreds of thousands of eyes on it every day isn't nearly as intense as you might think — not for Jo, anyway. After all, her initial mission to connect with others hasn't changed at all.

"I've been a few sizes larger than I am right now and a few sizes smaller than I am right now, and I can connect and share unique challenges of being in a body that is underrepresented in media and underserved by the fashion industry," she says.

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Jo doesn't have a defined style — "If I like it, I wear it," she says. But if she had to choose? "Polished, tailored and feminine."

As for what she wants other plus-size women to know when it comes to dressing, the fashion creator has seven tips that can help everyone feel beautiful no matter what they're wearing.

1. Don't feel pressured to jump on every fashion trend.

It's important we prioritise our own style choices over external opinions, emphasises Jo. Why? Because doing so will bring you much more confidence than outside voices ever could.

"I care a lot less about what other people think these days, which means I dress a lot more for me," she says.

"If there's a trend I like, I'll give it a go. But I also don't feel pressure to jump on every new style that hits the market. I'm much more sure of myself, and happy to stick to things that make me feel good, and work for my lifestyle."

2. Have a couple of go-to outfits.

This is an easy way to make dressing quick and easy.

"My go-to is a matching set," she says. "One hundred per cent put together with zero per cent thinking."

On the days where the fashion blogger has to dress up, she still keeps it simple... but in a smart-casual way. "I love a suit. I wear them most days for my corporate job, and there's just something empowering about wearing a great suit," she adds.

Jo Bartley says a suit is one of her go-to outfits. Image: Instagram @icurvy.

3. Silence the negative self-talk.

It's hard, but it's worth it, says Jo.

"I started by actively monitoring the things I would say when I looked in the mirror, and silencing negative self-talk," she explains. "I didn't need to stare into the mirror and love everything — but if I wouldn't stand for someone saying those things about my best friend, then I would do myself the same kindness and just not say them to myself either. 

"It's not that radical, but it made a huge difference to the way I felt about myself and my relationship with my reflection in the mirror," she explains.

Negative self-talk isn't uncommon — and it's something we as a society have unfortunately become very good at.

"I think we have developed a terrible culture in Australia of women bonding with each other by being self-deprecating about their bodies. Now that I don't do that — and I'm very lucky to have a gorgeous group of friends who also don't engage in negative self talk — it's really jarring and dishearteningly common amongst other women in my life."

4. Remember, no one cares as much as you do about how you look!

"I realised that no-one is paying as much attention to you as you think they are, so if you like it, wear it," says Jo, adding that confidence isn't just for people who are in smaller bodies.

"It's a little backhanded when people 'admire my confidence' when I wear certain outfits, because it means they have mentally compiled a list of my 'flaws' and admire the fact that I'm wearing the outfit anyway," she says. 

"Realistically, I don't stand in the mirror cataloguing all the things that are 'wrong' with my body. I focus on what I like — and that's not even about my body. It could be the print, the colour, the shape of a clothing item, the way it makes me feel, a memory it brings up for me...

"Honestly, my size is the least interesting thing about me, and if that's something some stranger wants to focus on, it says a lot more about them than me."

"I realised that no-one is paying as much attention to you as you think they are, so if you like it, wear it," says Jo Bartley. Image: Instagram @icurvy.

5. Forget trends — if you like it, wear it. 

It's one of Jo's most important rules. 

"I don't subscribe to fashion rules. There are certain trends I'm loving — slip dresses and suiting are a firm fave of mine," she says, adding that women deserve to wear what they like. 

"I want women like me to know that they have options. I want to make it easier for women to know where to shop, and how it will fit them. I want to create content that opens doors to women feeling confident in their clothing and dressing in a way that makes them feel great."

Life is short, so why not play with fashion? Put on the tight dress. The highest of heels. The sleeveless top. The 'too-much-boob' blouse. If you feel good, and you like it, that's a good enough reason to put it on.

6. Find your favourite brands and online creators.

If you want fashion inspo, Jo suggests challenging yourself by looking at online creators whose personal style doesn't necessarily look like yours — inspiration comes from anywhere! 

"Follow diverse bodies on Instagram," Jo says. "Follow people that have really different styles. Make your social media a constant source of style inspiration that you can draw from."

As for brands, Jo has more than a few to recommend. "I think all brands that serve plus-size customers have a really important place in the market in terms of accessibility, availability and style. I don't play favourites because I'm all about showcasing options, so this list won't be short — but here's just a sampling of brands I've recently shared."

• Love Your Wardrobe (12-24)
• Adrift (XS-4X)
• Proud Poppy (6-30)
• Taking Shape (12-30)
• Une Piece (6-24)
• Saffron Road (S-3X)
• Suzanne Grae (6-24)
• Styling You The Label (6-20)
• Khòlò (6-26)
• Bohemian Traders (2XS-4XL)
• Bamboo Body (XS-4XL)
• Big W (6-26)
• Frankie and Co (6-22)
• Nala (6-24)
• Motto (10-20)
• Vagary (10-28)
• Lullaby Club (6-22)
• Eloquii (12-32)
• Dani Marie (14-30)
• Maiocchi (6-22)
• Jacqui E Curve (16-24)
• Portmans Curve (16-24)
• Just Jeans Curve (16-24)
• GOLDEN the Label (10-32)
• Karen Millen Curve (18-24)
• You & All (16-24)
• Forever New Curve (16-24)
• Orange Sherbet (6-24)
• Ecclestone (16-26)

7. Create a capsule wardrobe you can come back to time and time again.

While it's good to experiment and branch out, Jo says it can also be helpful to have those few 'old faithful' pieces you can go back to time and time again. With the colder months approaching, the creator likes to have a few thicker outer layers on hand.

"Trenches were huge last season and I can't wait to wear mine again," she says. "I'm also always a sucker for a matching set, and knitwear sets are my faves to wear in winter."

For those looking to build their wardrobe out, Jo says to "get the staples right" first.

"When you do that, you'll unlock so many more outfits from your wardrobe," she explains. "A great pair of jeans, a pair of tailored pants, a white tee, a striped tee and a blazer. From there you can mix in seasonal statement pieces for a wardrobe that's timeless but also on-trend."

For more from Jo Bartley, follow her on Instagram here. 

Feature Image: Supplied.