Dressing Your Plus Size Body Type

It's been about 20 years now since the beginning of the plus size clothing boom. It was long overdue. I can remember well the dresses my mother made for her Big Beautuful customers who were so grateful to have something stylish and unique made especially for them instead of having to settle for the MuMus and caftans sold at most plus size stores back then .

Now that we have so much freedom of choice, with it comes the need to be more discriminating. Remember just because they make it in a 5x doesn't mean its going to look good on a 5x , Being plus sized and well dressed is all about being honest and making intelligent choices.

Wear the best quality clothing that you can afford. It's not only about status, but better Quality clothing also last and look good longer. If you can afford them, fine wools, silks linen and cottons are great staples in neutral and classic colors. When experimenting with color and pattern save it for tops and inexpensive accessories.

I'm glad to see us big girls finally growing in confidence and having fun with fashion. Time marches on but there are still some -for lack of a better phrase- "Basic Rules of Fashion" that don't change.

Rule #1 NEATNESS COUNTS -Pull yourself together- Especially when You're a Big Girl

True It's not fair, but it's funny you never hear the expression "A skinny slob"

Rule #2 SIZE DOES MATTER -Wear your size (not your number). Especially When You're a Big Girl..

Tight is never right, not only is it an eyesore but it's usually uncomfortable. Set yourself free!

Rule #3 EVERYTHING IS NOT FOR EVERYBODY- Be honest, be selective- Especially When Your a Big Girl

Again, just because they make it in a 5x doesn't mean it's gonna look good on a 5x. When in doubt check with that sister or girlfriend you trust to tell you the truth, not what they think you want to hear.

I remember how I envied my size 6 girlfriends who looked so hip and trendy going to the mall in a simple t-shirt and leggings. I on the other hand, would have looked like I should have been at home doing laundry. I always had a full length mirror, I caught on quickly. what looks cute and funky on a size 4 can actually look dowdy or even clown-ish on a size 14.

We have been the redhead step children of fashion for so long, that many of us are still overly anxious to just be accepted or fit In; but just striving to be a big girl version of whatever they're showing in Glamour, or Vogue Is not creative. Fashion is art. It's all about shape, line, proportion, color and texture. If you haven't found your own style yet, work at it.

Designers really think in two dimensions length and width, which is why they prefer two dimensional (thin) models who can easily make their fantasies come to life. Embrace that you are different, a real live flesh and blood 3D woman. Choose your wardrobe and develop your own style accordingly. Your style may have little to do with what's current or trendy but will always be one that speaks of self confidence, shows off your personality ,and your very best physical features.

Some of the most well dressed women don't always have a lot of clothes but they are long on style. They have a distinct look to their wardrobe it may be artsy and dramatic or elegant and conservative but you always get the feeling they know what works for them,

That's The key too a good presentation finding out what works for you , and understanding that your goal is to emphasize your figure's assests and downplay it's flaws by creating visual balance.

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There are five basic plus size body types..

" The Hourglass

" The Rectangle

" The Apple

" The Pear

" The Diamond

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The Hourglass- is the classic curvy woman. Her hip and bust measurements are about equal and she has a very well defined smaller waist . This is the American "ideal", the shape all others are striving to achieve through manipulation of line and color etc. The goal of the hour glass figure is to draw attention to her small waist.

. The Rectangle body type is straight up and down with very little curves. The bust, waist and hip measurements are all very similar, or at least appear to be. She is often has a short waist with well shaped legs. Her goal is to visually elongate her torso and create the illusion of curves especially at the waistline, and of course draw attention to her great legs.

. The Apple body type is top heavy. She usually has broad shoulders a fleshy back and ample bustline, and protruding tummy with thin thighs and often long shapely legs. Her goal also is to elongate the look of her body draw attention away from her torso to her face and lovely legs.. If you happened to be an apple, do not, I repeat do not curse your broad shoulders. It is those broad shoulders that make your clothes hang so well.

. The Pear body type is bottom Heavy . She usually has a relatively small upper body with narrow shoulders `a small bust and waist.with wide fleshy hips and thighs. Her goal is to bring visual balance to her body by emphasizing her upper half and creating the illusion of broader shoulders and a fuller bust all the while showing off her small waist.

. The Diamond body type is slim at both the shoulders and lower body. She has a wide mid section and often wide flat hips with thin legs. Her goal is to draw attention away from her middle to visually broaden her shoulders and draw attention to her face , neckline and nicely shaped arms and hands.

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keep in mind all of these are generalizations most or at least many of us will be a combination of these especially when you consider how we look in profile which adds another dimension to our figures. For instance you could be pear shaped with wide flat hips or one with la lot of "junk in your trunk" a full rounder hip.

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Anything to emphasize your waist and show off your gorgeous curves but they should "skim" not hug your body

Hourglass women, again are the ideal curvy women but they often have problems getting bottoms to fit both their waist and hips. Jeans for instance may fit the hips beautifully but leave wide gaps at the waistline. To all Big beautifull ladies I say: don't be too proud to wear elastic simple, comfortable, and versatile. Elastic is your friend!. It's good for both a sure and comfortable fit and it's also easier to put on a garment that has elastic at the waist. I have often seen good quality bottoms with elastic on both sides or sometimes at the back ; and since your objectives is to show off your dainty waistlines you can always find a marvelous belt to cover the elastic waistbands if they really offend you. or even better, find a good tailor or seamstress to alter your clothes.

Because of their curves Hourglass ladies sometimes have the challenge of looking too sexy at the office. For business attire stay away from clingy knits and form fitting outfits that draw attention to you body. Go for more traditional tailored shirts and blouses and wear woven fabrics which will tastefully stand away from your body. But please don't try to hide your lovely curves in anything too baggy. Nightime is when you get to shine. All the glamourous form fitting wrap dresses and movie star bling was designed with the hour glass ladies in mind. Just remember a Big and Beautuful hour glass woman should always buy the best possible shapewear for a smooth and flawless fit and that your objective is not to have you clothes hug your curves but to lightly skim over your body.

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Soft fabric and pleating helps to soften the lines of the rectangle

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The rectangle body is probably the easiest to dress because of it's sameness or balance. They rarely have a challenge with fit. Attract attention to your face using deep Vs and scooped necklines that will elongate your torso. Add shoulder pads which will give the illusion of having a smaller waist. find dresses and tops with graceful curved seams, ruching and bold circular or curvy prints that will feminize your shape. If you can stand it, this body type will really benefit from high control shapewar that creates curves at the waist line. Dresses with flirty flared bottoms and peplums will also help create a more feminine curvy look. Remember not to cut your self in half by wearing tops and bottoms of the same length. Its long top over short skirt or short top over long skirt or slacks.

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Tips For an Apple Body

A raised waistline or no waistline is best for camouflaging the Apple body's middle. Dramatic full sleeves and horizontal details at hip level add visual width to the Apple body's narrow hipline.

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Wear dramatic long tops, tunics or duster jackets. Make sure that everything fits comfortably and neatly over your bust with no gaps or pulling. If you have a realatively flat middle experiment with belts that fit low on the hips. No shoulder pads for this figure type ever. wear darker colors on top and like the rectangle figure type, nice deep v and scoop necklines. Raglan and dolman sleeves will soften the shoulder line but don't bother with spaghetti straps Or strapless styles they will only emphasize your top heaviness. This body type looks fabulous in swing and trapeze dresses and tops with bell sleeves that create width at hip level. A trapeze style jacket with a short pencil skirt can be a great business look. trumpet skirts also are a nice balance for the large upper body. A good bra is of the utmost importance with an apple body type. And remeber you should always conspire to show off your great legs

. . .BTW: In order to avoid the "muffin top" Apple bodies and others with a thick waist should avoid wearing tops tucked in. You can further minimize bulk at the waistline by removing belt loops from pants and sewing pleats and pockets closed so that they stay flat.

Tips For a Pear Body

Pear Shaped bodies look great in things that wrap, tie and or flare at the bottom. They will accommodate their hips and show off their small waistlines beautifully

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If you have a pear shape you should generally wear dark colors on the bottom. Don't wear a blouse, vest or jacket that stops at exactly hip level. Aim for mid thigh or experiment with short waist length tops if you're not too self conscious about your Hips. Show off you waistline with wide belts and wear blouses with lots of interest like square, cowl or bateau necklines or if you're the romantic type poet shirts or blouses with ruffled collars or broad stripes and bold geometric prints if your more dramatic. All will take the focus away from your bottom. Shoulder pads will work wonders for giving the illusion of an equal top and bottom . but be sure to use the kind built into a camisole or that attach to a braThose that are built into a garment will often sag on your natural shoulder line. Wide leg pants will camouflage wide hips Stay away from tapered pants, leggings and clingy skirts. and absolutely no pencil skirts or skinny jeans. You can wear Strapless dresses and camisoles well . and like the hour glass you look great in a wrap dress too. for a pear shaped body however the skirt should be A-line or flared at the hem.

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Tips For the Diamond Body

Diamond Bodies look good in styles that de- emphasize their mid section and help to create the illusion of broader shoulders.

Try Loose fitting flowing tops especially empire styles that fit close under the bra line . Bateau necklines, deep v necklines, those that are wider than average , and even horizontal stripes between the bust and shoulder line will add visual width and balance. like the pear type shoulder pads work well for diamonds too. Be sure to use those that will attached to a bra or inside a camisole to avoid droopy shoulders . Try dresses with a tent or trapeze silhouette. Those with cap sleeves are ideal . Again the sleeves will visually widen the shoulder line and the flow of a trapeze dress will camouflage the diamond middle. Never wear tight fitting pants especially pencil jeans or leggings instead look for pants that flare from the hips or knee. A-line or flare skirts that fall at mid calf will also add length and balance to the diamond silhouette

Finally the Perfect Fit!

Sometimes you find something you really love that fits perfectly and you wish that you could duplicate it in another length, color or fabric or maybe you just want another one. Well that's another reason to find a good seamstress. There is something the garment industry calls a "ruboff". A ruboff is made by meticulously tracing an existing garment. Each section of the garment is traced exactly onto muslin and made into a pattern. There's no guess work or measuring involved whatsoever, and a rub off will capture all the subtle details of the fit, even the way the garment has adjusted to your body. Any good seamtress worth her salt should be able to master the technique in a short time. If she's really creative she should also be able to make variations of the same garment for different occasions . it's all about finding that great fit.

Remember the Tips are not rules but guidelines; Half the fun of fashion is experimentation and discovery If you wear something not on the list and feel exceptionally comfortable and and elegant or better still get rave reviews, go for it! just remember first and foremost neatness counts.

The All Purpose Outfit

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while on the subject of neatness and fit, I would like to take the opportunity to extol the virtues of a trapeze or "tent" dress. Depending on what fashion pages you read the tent dress is so-oo "out" they say it's time plus size clothes fit closer to the body. Now this is true, but there's nothing like a simple loose fitting dress to get you over on those days when you're feeling fluffier than usual or you're just not up to the care and feeding of a more complex ensemble. If I have to wear anything that requires more than one trip to the ladies room to maintain, I want to have it on for only a short while. I miss the days when a trip to the ladies room was an excuse to cruise; now it's just a trip to the ladies room.

Besides finding a good fit, for Me the biggest challenge of Being plus sized Is staying neat and comfortable; especially for events like a wedding , when you know it will be a long day. When I'm wearing something fitted things are eventually riding up or slipping out because my wretched rolls are yearning to breathe free, and I might perspire which creates wrinkles especially in the warm weather. There's just nothing like a cool uncomplicated tent dress. My little -ah- I mean basic black dress is a tent. It's wonderfully versatile and has served me well. Its also been a great excuse to collect pretty jewelry and other accessories. this style dress will work for most every plus size figure type especially those with great legs. I say more power to the tent dress!

next, Choosing Accessories