Embracing Your Curves: Women’s Plus Size Dresses Style Guide

Fashion can be tricky, regardless of your size. The whole idea is to flaunt all of your best features with all the right articles of clothing. Lately though, brands are (finally!) hopping onto the trend and becoming more inclusive by creating pieces that hug every curve and crevice of your body in exactly the right way. And lo and behold, you’re now able to create the ultimate closet for the modern woman. How exciting!

Sadly, however, this is oftentimes easier said than done. While the growth of the fashion industry a commendable act, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities – you’re suddenly faced with a myriad of options and it’s hard to make up your mind on which route to take. Luckily though, we’re here to ease you in on the process by giving you a few tips and tricks to create show-stopping looks on a daily basis.

What Are the Different Plus Size Dress Styles?

Not surprisingly, there are a bunch of silhouette styles you can play around here. Each one highlights certain features while de-emphasizing others. We’ll be offering you a chance to test the waters for a bit as we break down the basics of all the models. In this way, you’ll be able to understand what each comfortable women plus size dress brings to the table, or your closet in this case.

A-Line Dresses

This one subtly gives off the illusion of an hourglass shape. This is because A-line dresses have a fitted top section that closely wraps around your torso and chest, only to expand from the waist down in triangular motion. While this style looks stunning on all body shapes and sizes, it’s especially flattering on plus size women because it gives you a bit of an extra edge.

Pro tip – when shopping for A-line ladies plus size dresses, make sure they’re made of sturdier materials such as cotton, denim or polyester so that they can retain their original shape. All those delicate fabrics such as silk or cotton will cling to your body which won’t allow them to have the desired effect.

Corset Dresses

Continuing the hourglass trend are the body-hugging corset dresses. But don’t worry, they’re not as rigid or robust as they were back in the 17th century. Nowadays, they’re able to provide the necessary support without being uncomfortable or limiting your movement.

Basically, these kinds of dresses are specifically designed to emphasise your waist. You can easily adjust how tight they are by using the laces at the back. By doing this, the dress becomes cinched at the waist, raises your chest and accentuates the hips. Sheesh, did someone turn the heating on or is it just us?

Empire Dresses

This one is similar to the A-line dress with the only difference being in the placement of the tuck – an empire dress bunches up slightly above your natural waistline rather than below. For this reason, it’s the perfect choice with women with oval or rectangular body shapes since it directs most of the attention to your upper body while falling loosely around your hips.

Peplum Dresses

You’ve likely already seen this kind of dress at least once in your life. It’s one of those models that have ruffles around the waist that supposed to make it appear smaller in comparison to your shoulders and hips. This particular design is ideal for women plus size dresses because it strikes the right balance among the sizes of your shoulders, waist and hips.

Straight Dresses

Here you don’t necessarily have a built-in waistline since the fabric falls straight down from your shoulders. Normally, you wouldn’t immediately consider this as a women plus size dress but they actually look good on those of you that have wide shoulders. In other words, it’s the best match for women with rectangular or apple-shaped bodies.

Key Styling Tips

With the main styles of plus size dresses out of the way, it’s time to dive into a few final words of advice when it comes to upping your style game. Remember, there’s little to no risk of things going wrong if you actually know what you’re doing. We’ll make sure you stay on the right track.

Avoid Baggy Fits

You might be tempted to go for a larger fit because you think it’s what’s best for your body shape. Sure, that kind of clothing is definitely stylish and fashionable but you need to be very careful not to go overboard. Simply put – you can wear loose-fitting clothes but make sure they don’t look baggy. The latter isn’t a good look on anyone, regardless of their weight or shape.

Know Your Body Shape

Knowing the different types of dresses isn’t going to cut it if you really want to navigate the turbulent waters of fashion. If you want to pick a suitable match, you’ll have to figure out what your body shape is. Evidently, each dress has its own perks and downsides and it’s up to you to use those to your advantage.

Wear What Makes You Feel Comfortable

At the end of the day, you’ll be the one wearing whichever clothing item you decide to get so you should always go for things that are comfortable yet make you feel fierce and confident. Only then will you be able to let your full potential shine through in a stunning combination.