The Trick To Plus Size Outfits You'll Love
Posted by Jen Anderson on
One thing I hear a lot is, "I don't wear that style because it's not slimming." Which...OK.
But is that really what we want?
Back when I was a techie, a big part of my job was talking to clients to find out what they wanted - which often differed from what they were asking for. We'd go into a meeting thinking that we were going to be solving one problem and walk out knowing that we'd actually be addressing a completely different problem.
For years, we were taught that dressing for our body shape meant trying to make our bodies look different than they are. We expected our clothes to make us look thinner and taller than we are, and got disappointing results.
What if we addressed a different problem?
Instead of putting together an outfit that will (allegedly) make our hips look narrower, what if we put together an outfit that makes us look intelligent? Or trustworthy? Or pretty? Or confident?
Our clothes would still need to fit properly to achieve any of these goals, but they don't have to make us look like we're shaped differently.
Let's take a look at some of our more voluminous styles and their place in our wardrobes.
Handkerchief Hem Tunic
That hem leaves plenty of room for hips and tummies. The style is designed to have a lot of drape and movement. It's a great casual look that's still polished and put together. Now look at that photo. Does the model look like she has a big booty?
Nope. Because it's obvious that the tunic is larger than her body. It fits her more closely at the shoulders, which is the most important aspect of fit.
You want to wear this tunic with Slim Leg Pants or Pull On Pants. Wide leg pants with this aren't a great idea - it's just too much volume.
2 Pocket Swing Tunic
This tunic is shorter than the handkerchief hem tunic, but it still offers plenty of room for our middles. And it has pockets!
Pair this baby with Slim Leg Pants or Pull On Pants. Or try it with a Straight Maxi Skirt.
In a cheaply-made cotton knit, these two tops would quickly start looking pilly, saggy, and sloppy. But our jersey knit holds onto its good looks, so it's obvious that the relaxed fit is intentional and not a fashion disaster.
Whisper Tops
These sheer tops are one size fits all, so there's a lot of room. They're not fitted at the shoulders, but the style still doesn't look messy or ill fitting. I love these tops because they're so eye catching and I'm so over trying to hide. Since they're sheer, you wear them over something closer fitting and it's obvious that all that volume isn't your body.
Sometimes Bigger Is Better
The real problem with so-called slimming outfits is that they tend to leave us feeling bad about ourselves. We spend all day worrying that the illusion isn't working. Instead of relaxing and enjoying ourselves (or focusing on work or whatever else we're doing), we're thinking about how we look.
But when we pick outfits that make us look good, we can forget about our clothes and live our lives. That's what comfortable confidence is all about.