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Fashion

This TV Host Dresses For Her Teenage Self

‘I want to show people that there is fun in fashion if you’re fat.’
TV host Ann Pornel photogtaphed in a park wearing a leaf-print orange wide-leg suit and holding a silk orange croissant bag. (Photo: Christie Vuong)

“When I was growing up, there weren’t many plus-size clothing options available besides boring black basics that blended into the background,” recalls Toronto-based actor and comedian Ann Pornel. Through experimentation and with the help of professional stylists (a perk of her gig as a co-host of The Great Canadian Baking Show), she honed in on the essence of her style: vibrant, energetic and fun.

“I feel like I’m cosplaying as my teenage self right now, wearing everything I couldn’t find before,” Pornel laughs. She's drawn to bright colours, bold patterns and luscious textures, like this wide-leg suit from American plus-size brand Eloquii, which she paired with L’Intervalle shoes and a silky croissant bag from the Room Shop. “I want to show people that there is fun in fashion if you’re fat.”

Chatelaine sat down with Pornel to chat about her signature colourful style, dressing up for her teenage self and the current state of plus-size fashion.

TV host Ann Pornel photogtaphed in a park wearing a leaf-print orange wide-leg suit and faux fur pink jacket and holding a silk orange croissant bag. (Photo: Christie Vuong)

How would you describe your style?

Loud? Or bright, vibrant, energetic and fun. I would say that my style muse is Barbie, for sure.

How did your style evolve over time? Have you always gravitated towards bright colours?

The way I dressed growing up was indicative of what was available to plus-size women at the time. For so long, there were very few options, and what was available was either stretchy, black or solid colours that blended into the background. There’s still a long way to go, but over the last few years, there's been a real boom in sizing expansion—especially for my size range—so I've finally had the opportunity to play around with clothing and find out what I like.

The way I dress now is absolutely informed by the fact that, for so long, I was mostly restricted to clothing that kind of melted into the background. Now, I just want bright colours, bold patterns and luscious textures. I feel like I’m cosplaying as my teenage self right now, wearing everything I couldn’t find before.

Aside from Barbie, who is your style icon?

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Lizzo is the embodiment of big girl joy. I look to her a lot for inspiration. And it's not just what she wears, but how she wears it—with confidence.

What do you look for when you shop?

Bright colours! I love neonif there was a palette called neon pastel, I would happily wear nothing else. When it comes to silhouettes, I love pieces of clothing that have a bit of structure to them, and anything that highlights my hourglass figure. I love trying different silhouettes too, because I've never had the confidence to try them out before. As I discover what I like and what inspires me, I realize that I’m also really drawn to fun, baggy clothes—it’s okay for clothes to be a little bit shapeless.

Being an actor and TV host, I have the opportunity to work with fashion stylists and I also take a lot of my cues from what they select for me. I'm not interested in what's cool and trendy anymoreI'm more interested in what looks good on me and what brings me joy, and that’s something I’ve learned from the stylists I work with. 

You work on stage and on TV. How does it influence your personal style?

I've noticed more and more that my show outfits are becoming my regular outfits. People often ask me why I’m so dressed up. Because, why not? I’m just wearing what I want to wear!

Oh, and I always wear a good bra, and a pair of shorts underneath skirts and dresses so I don’t accidentally flash the audience.

TV host Ann Pornel photogtaphed in a park wearing patterned pink and orange pants, a pink leather jacket, a lime green knit and holding a structured red bag. (Photo: Christie Vuong)

What are some of your favourite plus-size-friendly brands?

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I used to shop a lot at fast fashion places like Forever 21, Fashion Nova or Shein, because that's where I knew I could find clothing in my size. In many ways, fast fashion pioneered size inclusivity, because it just gives you so many options that were not available to fat people before. The ecological impact of these thousands of styles that are churned out every day is absolutely terrible, but it’s amazing to have options as a plus-size person. It’s an entry point into fashion for so many people that have never been able to play with clothes. I'm trying to avoid fast fashion now because now I'm in a position where I don't have to [buy], and I've figured out my personal style so I don't have to experiment as much.

That being said, I love Eloquii—that’s where a lot of my wardrobe also comes from. It's a plus-size online brand. Otherwise, I like to shop local as much as possible. I didn’t know this before I started working with stylists, but there are so many Canadian designers that make beautiful clothing for every body type and size, like Hilary MacMillan and Lesley Hampton.

What is it about fashion that inspires you?

I want to show people that there is fun in fashion if you’re fat. Clothing has the ability to tell other people who you are, if you want it to. Good style informs how others see you. And when I wear colour, it brightens everyone’s day. People will tell me, “It's so nice to see you, I love what you're wearing!”

So many people are so afraid to wear colour. I'm constantly being told by people that they can’t pull off colour or that they wish they could wear patterns. Of course you can! I hope I can inspire people to dress the way they’ve always wished they could.

A good outfit feels like I'm expressing myself exactly as I see myself, and it brings me a great deal of joy that I can do that now. I like to wear outfits that make me feel like I'm the baddest baddie you ever did see. I choose my clothing based on how good I feel and how good I want to feel. Sometimes, I'll throw on leggings and a T-shirt. But if I'm feeling amazing or want to feel amazing, I want my outfit to reflect that. I want my outfit to lift me up, because I know that it can.

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Another thing that I've been loving recently is discovering how fashion and cultural identity come together so beautifully. I adore Vinta Gallery, an ethical Canadian label that designs Filipino-inspired styles, specifically butterfly sleeves. I feel like a queen when I wear these pieces.

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