You might be familiar with my series on how to dress for your body type. I cover the apple, pear, inverted triangle, hour glass, and rectangle body shapes in that series.
Some of you may object “In those types, I don’t recognize myself. I’m a little more curvy than that.”
Others might argue “I am a plus-size woman. What should I dress, in your opinion? What would be relevant to me?”
Actually, I didn’t include that as a body type because it is a size issue.
If you’re plus size, you’re still an apple, a pear, or another type in terms of fashion design.
However, because there are so many of you who are interested in that topic, I’m going to try to address the question in the best way I can by showing you how to style and dress a curvy or plus-size body shape.
And just to make sure we’re on the same page, I consider plus size or curvy to be anything that looks like this:
Let’s see how it goes.
The following elements will be discussed in this article.
What causes you to be curvy? What are your body’s characteristics? Then I give you styling advice based on your body type.
Then I’d like to take a look at two celebrities, and we’ll discover how they do it from them and their stylists.
Finally, I’d like to make some recommendations for silhouettes and clothing styles that work well for you.
What Makes You a Curvy Woman?
Let’s start by discussing what makes you a curvy woman.
Because it depends, this is the most difficult part of the article.
Some females will state “My breast is a trouble zone for me. My breasts are too large for me. When I wear t-shirts, they tug on the side horizontally, which makes me feel uneasy.”
“My trouble zone is my waist,” others may tell you. “Definitely my hips,” say others. “Well, I despise my legs,” the other group will remark.
So, once you’ve said that you’re plus size, you’re still unsure what to do with the information.
The one thing you all have in common is that you have trouble finding clothes that genuinely fit you in stores.
As a fashion designer, I can tell you that most brands create patterns for a model size S with no curves, then scale the pattern up two by two until you get a size that fits you on paper but looks nothing like a real person.
You do, however, want your clothes to fit, right?
Even if you’re a plus-size or curvy girl, your proportions are distinct. Plus size is not a body type that is uniform.
So, how do you go about doing it?
How to Style a Curvy Body
What is the best way to style for your body type?
Let’s get started.
You must determine which part of your body you enjoy the most. That’s the zone you want to draw attention to, no matter where it is on your body: your arms, your waist, your legs, or your shoulders.
Find that zone, then draw attention to it by highlighting it and basing the rest of your clothing around it.
Examples of Celebrities
Let’s have a peek at some famous people to see how they do it.
Adele is the first one. She used to be curvy, but she was able to change her body in an incredible way.
Adele used to wear sleeve lengths that were at least below the elbow. Her clothes’ hems were always below the knee. There wasn’t an exception.
She didn’t display much cleavage and always had a defined waist.
When you look at her old images, you can tell which portions of her body she liked and which she didn’t.
This dress form, this silhouette, was quite flattering on her. It was, in fact, the ideal dress for her.
Wearing long sleeves is also a smart idea.
She looks fantastic in that attire. It makes your core, which includes your hips, waist, and torso, appear slimmer. That was a brilliant move on her part.
Amy Schumer is the second person I’d want to discuss because she has a unique personality.
She is, however, a plus-size woman who is more body positive and body-assured than Adele. That’s a big difference.
Her dresses are invariably short, usually mid-thigh or above the knee. She has a lot of cleavage. It appears to be a part of her body that she enjoys flaunting.
She isn’t afraid to display her shoulders and wears her arms bare on red carpets. She uses drapery and decorations, which is another clever method for your body type.
What to Wear If You Are Curvy?
Those were red carpet looks, so let’s move on to ready-to-wear. I’ll discuss the types of apparel that look great on your curvy figure.
The first method is to wear long sleeves. They might be huge and flowy all the way down, or they can merely flare out at the bottom. As you saw with Adele. That’s a brilliant strategy.
The alternative is to use drapery and decorations to draw attention away from your silhouette so that you can focus on the decorations. That’s how Amy Schumer does it.
Then, if you’re going to wear jeans or other pants made of rigid, non-stretch fabric (jeans are a good example), it doesn’t matter if they’re low-waist or high-waist, as long as they’re loose.
The waistline should not squeeze your belly; otherwise, you’ll be uncomfortable.
The empire waist is the next thing that works well for you. It starts at the top, on the breasts, and flares out towards the waist right below the breasts.
When it comes to the waist, make sure it’s long enough to hide the part of your belly that’s visible between the pants and the top.
Alternatively, you can go for a very cropped, just below the breasts, and very boxy shape, which will make your waist appear slimmer. That’s also a clever tactic.
Pants that are six-eighth or seven-eighth of the whole length should be avoided because we’re talking about cropped. I’d go with full length or very short.
However, something that is somewhat cropped can make your legs appear shorter. That is not only your issue; it is the case for everyone!
There’s one more thing to say regarding the waist.
If you’re self-conscious about your waist, another option is to wear a jacket, cardigan, or blazer over top that you can leave open and that is made of stiff fabric, since it will stand stiffly in front of you and make your waist appear slimmer. That is also true for all women.
The shoes that match the leggings or pants you’re wearing will visually lengthen your legs in terms of color. Another approach to make yourself appear taller is to wear high heels.
When you’re shopping for materials, you’ll notice that there are lightweight fabrics and heavier, stiffer fabrics. Choose tougher materials because they will not follow all of your body’s curves as closely. To put it another way, they will conceal your weaknesses.
Everything that you aren’t fully comfortable with will be hidden beneath the thick cloth.
If you’re shopping for a dress, choose one that’s fitted at the top and flares out at the natural waist, ending somewhere between mid-thigh and mid-calves. That’s how Adele does it. That would be ideal for a party. Alternatively, you can layer a cardigan on top.
One more suggestion.
If you’re unhappy with your ensemble and can’t find a remedy in clothing, consider accessories.
Use a bold necklace that hangs at the height you want to draw attention to. It will detract from the remainder of the ensemble. You can also add a purse, play with fancy shoes, and experiment with makeup.
You have a lot more options than just clothes to create the image you want.
Do you feel more prepared to take on your closet and create an outfit strategy?
