Quotes from Ashley Nell Tipton

I always travel with a fun skirt, a go-to dress you can dress up or down; walking heels & flats are a must.

I follow a lot of the plus-sized bloggers.

Be bold and wear things you like. If you want to wear a cropped top, do it!

Torrid was that company that I went to as a plus-sized kid. They're the ones that kind of got me out of my shell and gave me the confidence that I needed to experiment with my wardrobe, and they really inspired me to become a plus-size designer.

I want to offer plus-size women the opportunity to wear fun colors and to avoid the pitfalls of only wearing black because many curvy girls think it is the only color that is slimming.

When companies are jumping on the bandwagon to do plus size, they limit themselves.

I don't care what word you use: my job is to design clothing that is not out there for us.

I feel like there's not enough clothing out there to show our personality and just to be comfortable and to be fashion-forward and to be a trendsetter. There are a lot of clothes out there for the straight-size woman to be able to show that, but in the plus-size industry, I don't feel like it's there just yet.

I love to create clothing for the everyday woman. I get joy out of that because it's something that we need in this industry.

I feel like people in the industry are scared to take that chance because it's not easy to design plus-size clothing.

Me showing my emotions... it's not a sign of weakness; it's a sign of passion.

Bridal wear has always been a passion of mine.

I definitely want to go against the grain - break those rules and create clothing that is fun for women and shows their personality and just enjoy wearing it and being fashion-forward.

I originally thought I would be going into wedding dresses. I wanted to create gowns, especially for weddings. I liked the idea of dealing with just one color, and within that, you could design whatever you want.

I'm talented, I know what I want, and I believe in myself, and I'm true to myself.

I can believe in myself, and I feel like I'm such a strong and talented designer.

I'm a talented designer.

Weight loss surgery isn't going to make you lose weight; it's a tool to help you lose weight. Half of it is the surgery, and half of it is you eating what you're supposed to eat and exercising.

It's going to take baby steps to see a complete turnaround. But there's been such a positive outcome from seeing it at Fashion Week. Plus-size fashion shows are being more welcomed into Fashion Week, and having more plus-size women in major magazines.

It's a constant battle being a plus-size designer.

I was seven years old when my grandmother stated teaching me to sew, and she always encouraged me to be creative.

I always try to manipulate the eye when I'm dressing myself or someone else. I don't have an hourglass figure, so I'm always trying to give the illusion that I have one; bringing the eye to the waistline by adding a belt or having a heavier print at the bottom or at the top helps define your shape.

I like to design funky things, and I love to mix prints and patterns together.

A lot of my inspiration is what straight-size women wear - why is there a disconnect from what they wear and what we can wear?