The types of clothes that best fit a curvy figure are, simply, the ones that make the wearer feel fabulous. It’s a hard niche to define since there are as many body shapes as there are people. But here we’ve compiled some general fashion rules that work particularly well to help you find a style that makes you look your best and feel your most confident.
High-Quality Clothing
Low-quality polyester clothing always clings and bunches up in the worst possible place for all bodies. But a sturdy cotton piece will hold its shape properly, making sure you get the benefits of the style of clothing. For instance, a classic combination for curvy figures is an A-line skirt with a tucked-in, airy blouse. But it’s hard to see that when the blouse just falls flat.
It’s important to find clothes that drape properly for your body, but that doesn’t mean that any kind of draping is good. Get clothes that are soft without falling limp, and you’ll stay comfortable and keep looking good in anything from loose jumpsuits to bodycon dresses. Even with basics like a t-shirt, choose plus-size clothing that’s high quality and it’ll look fashionable.
Keep It Proportional
If you have a particular part of your body that you’re proud of, it’s tempting to draw all attention there. That’s going to make this advice sound counter-intuitive, but we promise it works: add ruffles, colors, and other detailing to the other half of your figure. It doesn’t draw away from a beautiful bust or full hips, it evens out your body so the overall effect is more proportional.
When you have a body part that you love, you naturally show it off. That means you don’t need to do anything extra for it in your daily outfits. Instead, add those frills to spots you want to hide. It covers a smaller chest or thinner thighs with something fashionable and ensures that the beholder’s eye takes in your whole figure, not just one part of it.
Dark Colors Are King (Or Queen)
Many people advocate for wearing black and other dark colors because they make you look thinner. But that’s only part of the truth, and it’s not what makes them great. If it were, there would be no black clothing for size 2s. Instead, there’s plenty, and it makes them look fantastic, too!
The beautiful thing that dark colors do is make your body look smoother. Everybody has bumps somewhere that they don’t love, and black will cover them so you can put the focus elsewhere. Don’t use it to minimize your body. Use it strategically to draw focus where you want it, like your hips or your cleavage.
Emphasize Your Silhouette
When someone first sees you, they don’t notice the detailing in your outfit. That comes later. The first impression is of your overall shape. That’s where a voluptuous figure excels — there’s so much to show off. Don’t hide it away with big clothes that cover everything — emphasize it instead for a look that is confident and gorgeous!
There are several options that achieve this particularly well for pretty much all body shapes. The most obvious is wrap dresses, which look good on absolutely everybody. A bodycon dress is all about silhouettes. And a loose kimono with a slip underneath is just about as sexy as it gets.
Tailored And Structured
Have you ever heard “if you don’t make choices, choices will be made for you”? Something very similar is true of clothes – if you don’t create a shape, the shapes will be made for you! Don’t rely on long, flowy clothing to “hide” anything. Use pieces like structured jackets and tailored tops to highlight what you love most about yourself.
They naturally shape themselves around you and make it as easy as possible to focus on your favorite features. Their shape also means that they naturally hide your least favorite areas, but do so in a more stylish way than simply covering them with fabric. Basically, they make you look sleek and cool while still highlighting the best parts of having a full figure.
Tasteful Accessorizing
An outfit is not just about your torso, midriff, and legs, and there are more features you can highlight than just your bust, waist, hips, or bottom. But it’s hard to go beyond those basics if you ignore accessorizing. Hats will bring anyone else’s eyes up to yours, for instance, and if you get the right one for your head shape, they can also flatter your entire face.
Particularly if you tend to lean on dark clothing, accessorizing with colorful jewelry or scarves will draw the eye. Whether it’s your face, your neckline, or even your wrist, having the right accessories can up your outfit game beyond the most basic level. Just be sure not to overdo it and clutter up the outfit instead! One or two great pieces are all you need.
Comfort And Confidence
Ultimately, these are more “guidelines” than “rules” because the best outfit on anybody is the one they feel most comfortable wearing. Even if you have the “right” outfit for your body shape, if you don’t feel confident in it, that will come through. Conversely, if you feel good and exude joy, you could literally be wearing a potato sack and still be beautiful!
So get whatever clothing brings you joy, even if it’s just the basic jeans and a t-shirt outfit or formalwear all day every day. Break every rule in the book! Clothes are meant to be fun and playful, and as long as you enjoy what you’re wearing, so will everyone who sees you.
Many stores limit themselves by having a narrow range of plus-size offerings, and that’s a failing on their part. The number of options for outfits that look good on plus-size women is limitless. With these guidelines, you can create some stunning ones that will show those retailers just how wrong they are with clothes that perfectly fit your figure.
Author:
Tess DiNapoli
