What made me become an unlikely influencer

When plus-size mum Caroline Sigamoney couldn't see anyone like her on social media, she overcame her 'extreme' shyness to do something about it

- INTERVIEW BY MARGARET HUSSEY

In 2019, stay-at-home mum and wannabe influencer Caroline Sigamoney noticed there was no one on social media who looked like she did.

"I followed a few 40-plus influencers but I couldn't find anyone specifically for people like me, nearly 6ft and a size 18 at the time," says Caroline, 47.

"So I thought, 'I wonder if there is a space for me?'

Although apprehensive at first, she pushed herself to create her @fabfatand40plus account. "I am an extremely shy person," she says. "I couldn't speak or do stories and they weren't really the thing at the time. So I started tentatively doing a few posed pictures - and it grew and grew."

Six years on she has more than 200,000 followers, many of whom found her during the pandemic.

"Other people weren't getting dressed up, but I was," she says.

"It got to where everyone was waiting for my next picture of what I was wearing."

Her viral moment was a reel filmed in a changing room. "It just was me in a dress in Marks and Spencer, showing how a belt changed the look. That got one million views."

Caroline is part of a trend acknowledged by influencer marketing platform Kolsquare. Its latest report shows that Gen X - people born between 1966 and 1980 - are carving out new careers as midlife-influencers or 'midfluencers'.