this has been really interesting reading. LFC you are good!
I agree that black can make you look bigger. I find patterns also hide a multitude of lumps and bumps and can make you look slimmer. I also like structure in my clothes, rather than floaty things, I found good underwear can make such a difference.
I think you need to work out what cuts suit you. And what colours, I'm autumn colours, so plums, browns, khaki, olive, burnt orange, dark red's really work with my skin/hair tone.
I worked with a variety of woman who are plus sized. I am bottom heavy carrying my weight on my hips and thighs, another colleague has all her weight spread evenly, boobs, belly, hips and thighs, and another was all up heavy up top, boobs and belly. We never wear the same things, but you can see that we used similar techniques in our styling to make our statements.
DH believes I look much slimmer in my work/smart outfits. I'm taking a career break and looking after DD, it's a waste to wear my nice clothes around her as she'd just smear boogers [or worse] in them. So I am wearing comfy/casual and it just isn't me. No matter how well groomed I am casual wear seems to just bulk me out.
new names I ignore labels as I vary in size in so many shops. Evans are a plus sized store yet I have to wear a 26, they are tight in the thigh and big at the waist. Yet I buy south jeans in debenhams that are a 20 and they fit beautifully. Typically I can be anywhere in the range of 16-18-20-22, with some extremes.
My favourite dress is a red herring dress, bought off eBay a few years ago as the price was high, it's a purple, khaki and brown big flower print, sounds unattractive but it really isn't. It's easy to accessorise. It's a false wrap dress, it has an underlayer that hugs my hips and tum and hides the worst of the lumpy bumpy's. I normally hate dresses, but this one is fantastic, hits below the knee and is just fab.
Debenhams free shopping service really is worth trying, their stylists have a keen eye and will suggest things that you would never, ever have picked out. There is no pressure to buy, in fact was told to go and mull it over and they'll reserve them for 5 days.
You don't need a huge wardrobe full of stuff, it's about co-ordinating items, so that you can mix and match. Accessories can really make an outfit, it's worth having nice ones.