As a curvy, finding the perfect style can sometimes feel like an impossible task. But actually, the fashion key is all about knowing how to dress your body type and finding the right pieces that make you feel good.
No clue what to do? No worries, this complete guide will help you to find the chic secrets.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything about plus-size fashion, and offer some style tips, outfit ideas, and more.
You could jump to the part you prefer:
- What is Considered Plus Size?
- 5 General Style Tips
- Style Ideas for Different Curvy Body Types (Women & Men)
- Nigh-out Wearing Ideas For Curvy
- Wedding Wearing Ideas For Curvy
- Fall Outfits Ideas For Curvy
What is Plus-Size?
Before we dive into the different style ideas, let’s talk about the size.
In the United States, plus-size is usually considered to be Sizes 14 and up. However, some brands/retailers may have different size charts, so check the sizing guides before ordering.
General Curvy Style Tips
There are 5 general and basic tips:
Colors and Prints
Darker colors like navy, deep plum, and charcoal can be incredibly flattering because they create a slimming effect.
Those hues draw attention away from areas you may not want to emphasize.
But it doesn’t mean you should completely exclude bright colors from your wardrobe.
Actually, plus-size also could fit bright colors like Coral, Lilac, Yellow
Tailoring
Good tailoring will ensure that your clothing fits you perfectly, and enhances your silhouette by accentuating your natural curves and providing a polished, put-together look.
So investing in a well-fitted wearing item is a worthy thing.
Fabrics
High-quality fabrics with a bit of stretch, such as cotton blends with elastane or ponte knits.
Contribute to good shape retention, these fabrics gently hug your curves so you will not feel limited.
Accessories
Accessories can be your secret weapons for drawing attention to your favorite features.
For instance, belt will cinch you waist; earrings can draw the eye upward and highlight your face; necklaces add visual interest to your outfits.
So just wear an accessory to guide the focus you want to emphasize.
Proportion
As mentioned before, harmony is the ultimate goal of style. So how to balance when dressing for your curvy body type is very important.
For example: you have an “hourglass” shaped curvy body, and if you’re wearing a flowy, voluminous top, you should balance it with slimmer, well-tailored bottoms.
Conversely, if you wear a flared skirt or wide-leg pants, then pair them with a more fitted top to create an hourglass silhouette.
All in all, balancing proportions will enhance your overall look and help create a harmonious appearance.
Specific Style Tips
Understanding your body shape can help you choose styles that flatter your figure and accentuates your best features. How to measure it? You could know your curvy body type first.
After knowing your body type, let’s talk about some specific style tips:
For Plus-size Ladies
People always emphasize style flattering, but we think that “harmonious” is more important.
So how to make yourself look more harmonious by outfitting? Here are our suggestions:
Strawberry
Strawberry-shaped curvy ladies usually have broad shoulders, full busts, and slender legs.
- Tailoring: looking for clothing that fits your waist, which can balance your silhouette for your shape. Draping/ruching around the waistline could enhance your curves.
- Color: preferring dark tones such as black, navy, and deep jewel could be particularly flattering. Or considering incorporating pops of bright colors or bold prints in areas you want to highlight(the upper body or legs) But you must avoid overly light/pastel colors on your upper body, cause they may make your shoulders wider.
- Patterns: vertical or diagonal stripes will create the illusion of a longer and leaner body shape, but horizontal stripes would make you appear wider. Large patterns overwhelms your frame and make you look larger, so choose smaller or medium-sized patterns.
- Accessories and Footwear: belts or statement necklaces cinch in at the waist will enhance your curves. But avoid shoes like ankle straps or overly chunky details around ankle, as they may shorten your legs.
Your Style Items:
- Fit-and-Flare Dress
- Structured Blazer
- Wrap Top
- Chain Belt
Spoon
Spoon-shaped curvy ladies have smaller upper bodies and fuller lower sides.
- Tailoring: wearing clothing skims over your hips and thighs, and avoiding anything too tight or clingy in lower side. Choosing clothing with a looser fit around the waist, this will help you more flattering and harmonious.
- Color: using darker colors on the lower parts. Experiment with brighter colors or lighter tones on the upper body to draw attention upwards and balance out your broader hips and thighs. And monochromatic look is perfect on you, cause it creates a sleek and elongating effect.
- Patterns: small patterns are perfect enough (florals or geometric prints) to balance your proportions. Busy or overly large patterns is not ok, as they can overwhelm your frame and make you look larger. Vertical stripes or patterns that create vertical lines, as they can create a lengthening effect and draw the eye upwards.
- Accessories: you should draw attention upwards, such as earrings, a necklace, or a scarf. Those items can balance out the broader hips and thighs and add visual interests to your looks.
Your Style Items:
- A-Line Skirt
- Peplum Top
- Bootcut Pants
Pear
Pear-shaped curvy girls have fuller lower bodies, so you could balance the volume by emphasizing the upper side.
- Tailoring: wearings should fit well in the waist and hips and skims over the thighs, so avoiding too tight or clingy in those parts. Different from spoon-shaped, do not emphasizing your waist, but you slender calf is worth showing.
- Color: choosing darker colors on the lower body (black, navy, or dark denim) to create a slimming effect and draw attention away from the hips and thighs. Using brighter colors or lighter tones on the upper body to draw attention upwards and balance out the broader hips and thighs.
- Patterns: avoiding patterns that are too busy or overly large on your hips and thighs, as they can make those areas appear larger.
- Accessories and Footwear: Spoon and pear are so similar, so just referring what we suggested to spoon-shaped girls.
Your Style Items:
- Fit and Flare Dress
- Bootcut Jeans
- Wrap Dress
Hourglass
The hourglass-shaped body has a well-defined waist and full bust and hips. It’s considered a charming and feminine body type, so showing your curves in all the right places.
- Tailoring: Wearing clothing with darts or seams to highlight your natural waist, as they can create a tailored and polished look. Avoiding baggy wearings, which will hide your curves and make you appear boxy.
- Color: you can wear all colors, so just choosing suit your skin and personal style. But you could consider belts, sashes, or accessories in a contrasting color to highlight your waist.
- Patterns: dense patterns will distract from your curves, so choosing patterns complement your curves or follow the contours of your body, such as medium-sized prints.
- Accessories and Footwear: emphasizing your waist with a statement belt or sash, which will further highlight your hourglass figure. Choosing footwear with a balanced and proportional heel height, which will enhance your posture and overall silhouette. Considering pumps, sandals, or boots with a moderate heel height that is comfortable for you.
Your Style Items:
- Wrap Dress
- Pencil Skirt
- Fitted Blazer
Mango
Mango girls have round bellies, so you could try to visually weaken the “prominent” part.
- Tailoring: Structured items with lossen waist and bust design will balance your proportional outfits. Consider clothing with darts or seams that accentuate your curves to create a tailored and polished appearance.
- Colors: darker colors for areas you want to minimize (like belly) and brighter colors for highlight(like bust and shoulders).
- Patterns: Vertical stripes will elongate your body, and some patterns that draw the eye upwards also creates a lengthening effect. But avoid busy smaller prints, cuz they may add more “visual weight”.
- Accessories and Footwear: Cuz you may need accessories to make attentions on your upper body, so necklaces, earrings, or scarves are best. Sometimes, heels or wedges could enhance your posture and overall silhouette.
Your Style Items:
- V-Neckline Dress
- Pleated Skirt
For Plus-Size Men
Curvy Inverted Triangle
Cuz you have broad shoulders and a narrower lower body, you could try to balance the lower side volume.
For the tops, wear jackets or blazers that cinch at the waist.
For the pants, wear straight-leg pants/jeans.
The light-colored shirts and dark-colored pants will make you look harmonious.
Curvy Pear
For those with fuller lower body men, the key point is highlighting your upper body.
Structured jackets/blazers that fit well at the shoulders can help add volume to your upper body, and dark-colored straight-leg pants/jeans will help to create a streamlined look, which could balance out your proportions.
FBC (Fat By Circumstance)
FBC guys usually have to sit for a long time, so they have more fat on the mid and lower body.
Taking into consideration FBC men’s occupation, we suggest you invest in tailored shirts and blazers that fit well around your upper body.
Consider incorporating dark-colored clothing into your wardrobe, such as dark jeans, trousers, and blazers, to make you look more balanced.
But for shirts, jackets, and ties, you could try vertical patterns to style your outfits.
Curvy Triangle
Because of your narrower shoulders and broader hips and thighs, triangle guys could try adding volume to your upper body with structured jackets or blazers.
For a harmonious look, light-colored tops and dark-color pants help a lot.
To “visually” strong, bold, and bright-colored printed tops will be helpful.
Curvy Oval
You have a round upper body, so emphasize your arms with fitted tops and jackets, and choose pants that are loose in the thigh and calf.
To elongate your neck, choose tops with V-neckline items.
Conclusion
Sometimes, fashion outfits will help people to build self-confidence, but plus-size are regarded as outsiders watching fashion due to the narrow mainstream aesthetics.
But in fact, if curvy friends find the right style, they are chic and shining!
WooPlus always advocates that “Know yourself equals love yourself“, and we believe confidence is the most fashionable thing!(especially for plus-size people)
So after reading this article, we hope you’ll be inspired, explore, and find your style!
Although you may hear unkind words, WooPlus is always on your side.
FAQs
Plus-size People Wearing Ideas for a Night-out?
There are many choices that can make you glam on a night event. Here are my suggestions:
- A black dress with jewelry and heels
- A flowy maxi dress with wedges
Plus-size People Wearing Ideas for Weddings?
If you’re attending a wedding, dress and suit are always the best choice:
- A maxi dress with a flattering neckline and flowy skirt
- A fit-and-flare dress with a belted waist and feminine details like lace or ruffles
And before choosing your outfit, consider the wedding dress code and color scheme.
Plus-size People Outfit Ideas in Fall
How do plus-size people style in fall? I suggest to wear:
1. Cozy Casual Look:
- Oversized Sweater: Start with an oversized, chunky knit sweater in a warm, autumnal color like rust, olive green, or mustard.
- Dark Denim Jeans: Pair your sweater with dark wash, high-rise jeans. Dark denim adds a touch of sophistication and elongates your legs.
2. Layered Fall Ensemble:
- Long Cardigan: Begin with a long, open-front cardigan in a soft, neutral hue such as camel or gray.
- Tunic Top: Wear a longer tunic-style top underneath the cardigan.
- Leggings: Pair your tunic with comfortable, stretchy leggings.
3. Chic Workwear Outfit:
- Wrap Dress but more business: Select a wor-style dress in a fall-appropriate print or solid color.
- Belted Waist: Add a belt to cinch the waist.
- Blazer: If your workplace requires it, layer a structured blazer over your dress for a professional finish.
