How to Dress to Balance a Full Hourglass Figure

Full-figure fashion has evolved into a multibillion-dollar business, and at long last, a woman of size can select stylish, well-made clothes tailored to her figure. Minimizing your fullness is easily accomplished through color blocking your clothes and understanding styles that balance your shape.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Silk Scarf
• Women's Casual Tops
• Women's Causal Pants
• Women's Dress Coats
• Women's Dress Pants
• Women's Dress Shirts
• Women's Dress Sweater
• Women's Shorts
• dresses and skirts

1. Seek to emphasize your waist without highlighting your curves by color blocking your outfits. Choose a dark bottom and a lighter top, with a belt that matches the pant or skirt.

2. Consider a loose blouse with an open collar or a loose-fitting v-neck on top. Tight shirts and all high-collar knits will enhance only the appearance of your bust.

3. Select tuxedo, shawl and v-neck collars. Look for tops that are cropped or end at the waist.

4. Wear bias-cut dresses with enough room to shift. These dresses will crease in at your natural waist, as long as the fabric is lightweight and drapes well. For daytime consider softly belted shirtdresses.

5. Think about flat-front, side-zip and pocketless pants, as they minimize your full hips and bottom.

6. Complement your figure with single- and double-breasted jackets that are slightly fitted or have princess seams.

7. Go monochromatic with a thin belt. Remember that dark colors such as brown, navy, charcoal and black are naturally slimming.

Tips & Warnings

• Lightweight velvet is a great evening fabric for your body type. It's elegant, drapes very well and has a natural give.
• Avoid stiff or heavy fabrics, as well as those with spandex or elastic.
• Avoid thick belts.

Who Can Help:

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[Saimon]

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on 9/10/2006 Ladies, stay away from pants with tight ankles. Tapered ankles with tiny back pockets that ride high in back make your butt look bigger than it actually is. Really big. Please. Don't do it.

And don't be afraid of skirts, my hips are huge. I once tried a skirt on and asked "does this make my hips look big" and the woman with me said "yes." And then she said "but that is because your hips are big hon" and then she hugged me. I laughed. She then said "You have beautiful hips, don't be ashamed."

Maybe she had a point.

Stay away from tapered pants.

on 11/22/2005 If you're "vertically challenged and horizontally gifted," resist the temptation toward those long skirts. They make you look stumpy and sawed-off. Keep skirts to knee length or just above (unless you have amazing legs, in which case you should go as short as you like, within reason!) to make the leg appear as long as possible. Always avoid the pencil skirts that are narrower at the knee than at the low hip, they make the bum look very wide. The short and plump woman's skirt should go straight down or flare out a bit. A flippy skirt in a light, pretty fabric (like chiffon), can create the illusion of a narrower hip and leg. An exaggerated A-line can make you look dumpy. Dirndls are for the skinny Minnies. Heavy fabrics, like tweeds, must be very structured and fit perfectly to avoid frumpiness.

Conversely, skip the short pants (for example, capris or clam diggers) if you're short. These do not lengthen the leg's appearance at all. If you wear your pants a touch long with a little bit of a heel, it will give a nice illusion of a slightly longer leg. Very wide-legged pants are to be avoided for the same reason as the long skirts. Summer shorts are best worn a couple of inches above the knee, with the same straight or slightly flaring silhouette you look for in a skirt (especially if you have heavy legs).

Hiding behind baggy clothes does not make you look any thinner or smaller, just the opposite (plus you look sloppy to boot). While you shouldn't wear clothing so tight that buttons are straining and every bump and roll is perfectly outlined, you should balance your looser garments on either top or bottom with a slightly snug garment on the other half. This is especially important if you have a good bust or bum. You want to show those off and keep the attention on the good stuff! I always say - "If they're looking at my bosom, they're not looking at my thighs!"

on 11/22/2005 I've found that A-line dresses complement fuller body shapes, giving the welcomed illusion of a cinched waist.

on 11/22/2005 The worst thing you can do is try to squeeze into an oldie. Realize that looser, larger clothing is more flattering than bulging seams!