Regardless of size or shape, every woman deserves to look and feel fabulous! The fashion industry is finally producing chic, wholesale plus size clothing, so let’s learn how to dress a curvy body to its best advantage. The following plus size fashion tips will help you find and create the most flattering looks for your plus size figure.
1) Embrace Your Body
The single most important curvy style tip is to embrace and appreciate your body as it is. It's the hard-working body that serves you all day, every day of your life. So treat it with the love and respect it deserves. Drink lots of water, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and exercise appropriately to remain healthy and happy. Then, stand up straight and carry your curves with confidence. Good posture and a confident smile are the best style tips for curvy women to look their very best!
2) Invest in Quality Underwear
Before we address fashion for curvy ladies, you need a good foundation. Invest in quality panties, bras, and shapewear. These garments aren't meant to cover you but to support your body and smooth your curves. Go into a store that provides good bra-fitting services, and take the time and spend the money to get it right. Everything else you wear will look better with good, well-fitting undergarments.
3) Fit, Don't Hide
The first thing to learn about how to dress a plus size figure is that a good fit is the goal. Don't mistake baggy, oversized clothes for disguising any figure flaws. Instead, shapeless, ill-fitting clothing simply adds bulk to your frame. It does you no favors whatsoever. Instead, look for clothes that fit your body well. If you see underwear lines, then either the fabric is too clingy, or the size is too small.
4) Understand Your Body Shape
An essential style tip for plus size women is to learn about your body shape. This refers to the proportions of your bust, waist, and hips relative to each other. Get a cloth tape measure, and record your measurements at the widest part of your bust, narrowest part of your waist, and the widest part of your hips. Write these down, naming the hop measurement the "low hip." Next, measure around your hips starting 7 inches below your belly button to get your "high hip" measurement. Now, plus those measurements into this body shape calculator to learn the body shape you are dressing. This will tell you whether you have an apple shape, a pear, hourglass, or rectangle. These labels are simply tools to help you find the clothes that best flatter your plus size figure. Don't get hung up on the numbers or the labels.
5) Try on Multiple Sizes & Tailor the Fit
You are not your size — it's just a number. Different brands and different cuts within a brand may vary a bit in the way they fit you. So grab a size up and a size down and try them to get the right fit for your body. Find a tailor you like and get your clothes adjusted to perfect the fit. The right fit makes all the difference between frumpy and fabulous!
6) Embrace Bold Colors and Prints
A crucial plus size fashion tip is to make strategic use of color. While wearing the same color from head to toe is slimming, you can use color and print to create a more balanced look to your figure. If you are a pear shape, wearing a bright color or print on top balances out the wider bottom half, giving the illusion of an hourglass figure. The reverse is true for an apple shape. Also, use color and prints to draw attention to great legs or your beautiful decolletage. Remember, you don't want to hide; you want to stand out for all the right reasons.
7) Accessorize
It's expensive trying to keep up with all the changes in fashion. One great way to dress for plus size and always look your best is to focus on great quality basics. Find the colors, fabrics, and styles that look best on you and invest in lasting quality. Then, use your accessories to make each outfit sing or to incorporate the latest trends. Rather than splurging on a suit in the season's hottest color, choose one in a gorgeous shade that flatters you. Then, add a pashmina, belt, or handbag to shine in even the latest trends. And use accessories to make a basic outfit something special. Turn basic jeans and a t-shirt up to 11 with the addition of a great pair of heels, dangling earrings, and an evening bag.
8) Learn the Classics
When learning how to dress a curvy body, two classic styles are universally flattering on every body type. First, a pencil skirt that stops just below the knee. It elongates your curves, balances your proportions, and makes your legs look fantastic. Similarly, a wrap dress is always a flattering choice for every body shape. It enhances your bust, nips in your waist, and slims your hips.
9) Show Off the Shoes
Always continue the line of your outfit right through to the soles of your shoes. This lengthens your lines, making you look taller and slimmer. If you genuinely prefer one shoe style for every outfit, make it a neutral shade to make your legs look their longest. Avoid ankle straps, which can make your legs look shorter.
10) Choose Fashion Bloggers for Inspiration
For plus size fashion tips and advice, find fashion bloggers who are your size and shape. They're an excellent source of style inspiration, from how to wear the latest fashion to combining colors, patterns, and accessories. Don't follow some size 2 model; find someone who is really rocking the same curves you have.
Follow these plus size fashion tips to discover the looks you’ll love to wear!
