Q I love long, flowy dresses and oversized shirts. But with my big and tall frame, I'd look like I'm wearing a sack. What can I do?

A Heaven forbid that you should sit out a trend just because you're not a size 0. Big girls like Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah (check her out in this month's US edition of Glamour magazine where she looks resplendent in a dramatic flowing gown) don't let a couple of kilos deter them.

This season's favoured silhouettes, tailored with nuances of volume, are great for larger figures.

Darts give this Yves Saint Laurent A-line shift dress structure and form. The result is a swingy dress that doesn't look like a tent.

A cleverly placed bow on this marc Jacobs dress draws attention to the bustline. The muted tone-on-tone tartan print means that even bigger girls can pull this off.

Two important things to note:

- Be figure-conscious

Just because it's voluminous doesn't mean it's forgiving on all less-than-perfect figures. You want to hide your flaws, not your feminine curves. So don't wear volume all over - it only makes you look like Shamu the whale.

Think structure and darts, defined waistlines or shoulders, and keep volume contained to either hemlines or sleeves. This would combine the poetry of dramatic clothes and the elegant minimalism of a tailored silhouette.

For example, if your boobs are an asset, show them off with an empire-cut dress with billowing sleeves. If you have an hour-glass figure, emphasise that with a belted trapeze coat. And if you're wearing a big, loose top, keep bottoms skinny, and vice versa.

- Skip busy prints for solids

Excess fabric and busy motifs equate to one huge fashion mistake. Let the Sienna Millers keep their boho style and sylph-like flowy dresses.

You'll look more pulled together in solids - and they don't have to be in standard black or grey.

Go for jewelled shades like ruby, fuchsia or sapphire. If you must indulge in print, don't do a busy print, and think tone on tone, like a broader, spaced highland tartan.