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Baton Rouge plus-size boutique owner talks style and body image

April Perkins, owner of Baton Rouge-based plus-size boutique April Mae, wearing a fringe top ($20), purple skirt ($20.50) and emerald bib ($45) from her shop. Photos by Stephanie Landry

Boutiques are plentiful in Baton Rouge, but plus-size ones are a rarity.

April Perkins combined her passions for fashion, business and body acceptance to establish exactly that—a plus-size boutique called April Mae.

“It was a niche I saw,” Perkins says. “It’s hard to find really fashionable plus-size clothes, and being a plus-size girl, I decided to fill that niche.”

By February 2014, her online-only boutique was up and running.

Managing the business can be difficult at times, she says. But despite the challenges of spreading awareness about an online-only clothing store, she’s happy with the growth April Mae has had.

“It took a while, but now I’ve shipped as far as Michigan. And I don’t plan on stopping there,” Perkins says.

In addition to the online shop, she sells merchandise at pop-up events and festivals. She hopes to eventually open a brick-and-mortar shop in Baton Rouge and design her own brand of clothes and accessories to sell in other boutiques. She’s already started working toward that goal, making April Mae T-shirts.

Perkins’ personal style transfers over to the merchandise she sells in April Mae, she says, describing it as “classic girly, but with an edge.” She likes to keep fun, bright items in stock, including peplum and bubble dresses, petal skirts and fringed and studded tops. The clothes boast bright colors and eye-catching patterns.

The majority of the clothing at April Mae is casual, everyday wear, but Perkins emphasizes versatility in her wardrobe.

“There are pieces you can wear every day, but you can also wear them out at night. Some of the clothes on the site you can wear to work, too,” she says.

Perkins also sells handbags, jewelry and accessories through the site that are just as bold as the clothes.

The 26-year-old describes herself as soft-spoken, but she says her clothes do the talking for her.

“Fashion is my outlet,” she says. “I express myself through my clothes, and I encourage other girls to do so, too.”

But Perkins isn’t just trying to make a fashion statement through April Mae—she’s trying to create a sense of positive body image.

“The biggest problem is that a lot of women don’t know how to or are afraid to dress their bodies,” Perkins says. “I want my customers to see that fashion is fun. It’s fun to dress your body in clothes you love.” aprilmaeboutique.com


APRIL’S STYLE TIPS

How to dress any body type

225 April Perkins. Stephanie Landry. 7/30/2015.

April’s wearing: AM T-shirt ($25) and white harem pant ($25). All available at April Mae. “These harem pants are so fun and versatile. I love to wear them with heels but they are adorable with flat sandals,” April says.

Style tip #1

Stick with the silhouette that works best for you. The trapeze and triangle silhouettes work well on curvy ladies.

Style tip #2

Wear the right undergarments. You can determine if someone has the correct undergarments on by the way their clothes fit. Certain undergarments provide support and/or comfort which are needed for those textiles and styles that may not be so supportive for a curvy figure.


225 April Perkins. Stephanie Landry. 7/30/2015.

April is wearing black tank ($12), black pants with faux leather tux stripe ($25.50), gold/silver layered necklace ($28) and fringe cardigan ($35). All available at April Mae. “This look is all about the cardigan. I like to pair pieces I love with a blank canvas (all white, gray or black). So, I decided to wear all black with the cardi,” she says.

Style tip #3

Find a great tailor. We all know how difficult it is to find that perfect-fit jean. You may find the right style and color, but the fit might not be perfect. Don’t pass it up just because it has a small flaw. A tailor can cater any garment to fit you perfectly.

Style tip #4

Highlight and mute. Choose a focal point in your look and keep everything else simple. This can be done when choosing a body part to feature, when incorporating bold colors or when adding accessories.


225 April Perkins. Stephanie Landry. 7/30/2015.

April’s wearing a white blouse ($35) and black pants with faux leather tux stripe ($25.50). All available at April Mae. “These faux leather tux stripe pants are perfect for a casual/evening look. They are very comfortable and easy to style,” she says.

Style tip #5

Have confidence. Believe in your style and everyone else will, too.