My name is Casey Donovan. I was crowned the winner of Australian Idol 2004 at the tender age of 16. I was a big girl then and I am a big girl now. I was shy and did not like being the centre of attention. At age 14 music started to become a big part of my life and my music style was very much like my fashion style – grunge. I was far from popular but as is the way with teenagers, I gravitated towards other kids who were ‘just like me’ and we became known as the “black cloud”.
Like a lot of teenagers, I lacked confidence, spent a lot of time on my own and focused on music. It was my creative outlet; whether it was mucking around with friends, singing into my hair brush in front of my mirror or on the odd occasion in front of a crowd. Music was a love that was quickly growing stronger to the point where my parents finally agreed to pay for me to go to the “Australian Institute of Music” to study full time and focus on my music – but there was a catch. My step dad Norm said that for me to go to this creative school I would have to first audition for Australian Idol. The Idol juggernaut had premiered in 2003 Australian screens and had rated in the millions.
I was mortified! Me – this grungy, large 16 years old girl appear on the biggest singing stage in Australia? I did not want to do it and was dragged along’ kicking, screaming and swearing but I did audition, certain that I would not get far. and ultimately certain I would never win!
And so it was that I had to accept the fact that I was now in the public eye and was going to be judged not just on my singing but on what I wore and how I looked.
I could no longer be the girl that wore baggy low cut jean shorts, heavy metal band T’s and of course the odd colour black and red converse high tops. During my time on Idol, the stylist would ask me what kind of clothes I liked and I said “boys clothes and anything that will fit me from Tree Of Life” (a hippie shop here in Australia) as that was not only what I was used to wearing but the only clothes that would fit.
My fashion sense back then was a little skater meets rock gothic punk with my added dreadlocks and black eyeliner – which really was not going to work on Idol!
I was a size 18/20 (Aus) back then so it shouldn’t have been as hard as it was to find clothes and styles that were fitting to my age – but it was. It was almost impossible.
Fashion was not on my side unless I wanted to look like a pastel coloured Pavlova on a summer’s day. Shopping for me was not fun. It was merely a chore that I had to do so that I wouldn’t walk around in my birthday suit.
But how things have changed! The last few years has seen the plus size market grow with great brands, great styles and fashion-forward items that are super trendy and look super hot on all us Big, Beautiful and Sexy girls.
I Love shopping now! I love wearing colour! I love all the accessories! I love stepping out the door and KNOWING I look amazing!
“Plus size” clothing has really evolved and has out Big, Beautiful and Sexy girls on the map. It’s about time the fashion world realised we have money to spend and we want to look a million bucks even if we are just going to the supermarket!
I am here to share my life with you all. From Plus Size Fashion to Sex, nothing is off limits. I want to help you to be happy and confident in your own skin, to look and feel great and to feel the positive vibes!
Have you had a similar experience to Casey? Tell us about how your fashion and confidence has evolved in the comments below!
