Fashion Ideas for Full Figures

By choosing the right options, a full-figured woman can look great in her clothes.

If you are a full-figured woman, dress yourself beautifully in the body you have now. Don't cover up in baggy sweats, waiting to lose that last 20 pounds. There are tricks that can make every body look great in clothes. The key is to dress for balance and proportion. By doing this, full-figured women can often pull off an hourglass shape that other women can only dream of.

Curvy and Petite

Don't put a great garment back on the rack just because it needs alterations.

Curvy and petite is one of the harder body types to dress. You may need to have clothes altered to find the perfect fit. Choose a jacket with a longer lapel to elongate the body. Make sure it has buttons that close under the bust, and the length should never go lower than the hip. Fit jeans and trousers to your hip and then let them fall straight down from there. That de-emphasizes your curves and make your legs look longer. Stay away from turtlenecks; they can make you look shorter.

Curvy and Average Height

An hourglass figure can make you look bigger if it is not dressed correctly. For an average-height woman, wear a jacket that closely mimics the line of your body, with a flare at the hip. Make sure it buttons just under your chest. Add a pencil skirt to accent your curves. Keep your jeans in a darker wash with a long, straight line. A trouser cut works best; don't go too low. Curvy girls can end up with a muffin top from wearing jeans with too low a rise.

Curvy and Tall

Jackets should button just under the bustline

This is the easiest full-figure to dress. A paneled skirt with a flared bottom de-emphasizes a large thigh, while accenting a curvy hip. Add a short, boxy blazer, making sure it has buttons that close just under the bust. You can even add a thin belt on top of the jacket to draw the eye to a small waistline. A wrap dress is perfect for a tall curvy girl; it hits your curves in all the right places and the wrap tie emphasizes the smallest part of you. Try one with a V-neck to balance a larger chest.

More in the MIddle

A V-neck blouse with a large collar draws the eye to the face.

Steer away from low-rise jeans if you have a little extra in the middle. They appear to shorten the leg and make the middle look wider. Buy pants that sit on your real waistline and choose ones with a wide straight leg. Wear blouses that hit at the top of the hip and have a V-neck. A large collar frames the face, and dangly earring and a fabulous hairdo keep eyes looking up. Avoid sweaters that cling and have a thick ribbing at your waistline. Wear solids on the top and prints on the bottom.

Extra Curvy All Over

A pointed-toe shoe visually thins and elongates the leg.

Stay away from ruffles and clothes with lots of volume. They add weight to your clothes, and in turn, to you. Use stiffer fabrics that have structure built in. Leather is a great option. Keep your jackets no longer than the hip; a boxy style works best. Trousers and jeans should have a wide leg as opposed to a boot cut. A boot cut will make your thighs look bigger and your legs shorter. Pleated pants are never a wise option. Pointy-toed shoes always elongate the leg.

Bigger on the Bottom

An A-line skirt floats away from the body.

A-line skirts that fall away from the hips and thighs are perfect if you carry more weight in your lower half. Wear bright colors on the top and darker colors on the bottom to draw the eye upward. Jackets should fall at the top of the hip and have a strong shoulder line. You can even wear a small shoulder pad for more balance. Wear blouses and jackets with larger lapels and collars to balance out the body's proportion. Pointy-toed shoes will make your legs look longer and leaner.

References

• "Dress Your Best"; Clinton Kelly, et al.; 2005