Choose your best plus-size dress style

A great wardrobe starts with a well-stocked closet that fits. You will always look amazing in clothes that are made from durable materials and designed to fit your body, regardless of your size or skin color.

However, many women feel uncomfortable in the clothes that they wear, especially dresses. Look fabulous by dressing according to your body type and highlighting the areas that make you feel great about yourself. This guide will help you find the perfect plus-size dress for your curvy body.

Click here to find the best way to measure your body to fit a dress.

Choosing between different dress styles

There are many silhouette options for plus size dresses. Each silhouette emphasizes or de-emphasizes a particular feature. We’ll show you how to choose the right dress for your body and shape.

Quick Tip: Use this guide as a quick reference to determine your body type!

Let’s work together to find the right dress for you!

A-line dresses

The silhouette of the A-line dress gives off an illusion of an hourglass shape. The A-line dress has a fitted top, torso and flared waist. This style is flattering for all body types, but especially for plus-size women.

Plus-size A-line dresses for full-figured women should be made from stronger fabrics like cotton, rayon, and denim. They are better than clingy, silky options like satin and silk. The dress’s flattering features are made possible by the stiffer fabrics, which retain its shape.

You might also like this article about the best contouring dresses for the full-figured body type.

Empire Dresses

These dresses are designed to be worn just below the bust, not at your natural waistline. This allows you to emphasize your upper body and not your lower. This style works well for women who have a triangle, rectangular, or oval body type. It draws attention upwards while drapes nicely over the areas below the bust. There are many lengths of empire-waist dresses, including mini and short tunics as well as breezy, floral-printed maxis that touch the ground, much like a maxi.

Peplum dresses

Over the years, you’ve probably seen many versions of dresses with ruffles at the waist. This style is known as “peplum” and it’s perfect for creating a curvy figure. Peplum dresses have a similar structure to bodycon dresses, but the added ruffle wraps around the natural waist and flares out for a few more inches. The waist appears smaller than the hips and shoulders. Peplum dresses can be worn by people with oval or rectangle-shaped bodies who wish to balance their waist and the rest of their body. This dress is slimming for plus-size women.

Straight dresses

Straight dresses are easy to wear and comfortable. They’re great for casual-cool women. This dress falls straight from the shoulders and doesn’t have a built-in waistline. Straight dresses work well for women whose shoulders are the same width or larger than their waists. They can come in many materials, such as knit sweater dresses.

Corset dresses

Corset dresses are reminiscent of garments from the 17th and18th centuries. They have a panel that hugges the torso. Although these “corsets” can be boned or shaped in order to highlight the waist, they often have a laced back. The corset or lace is structured so that the panel pushes up at the bust, creates an hourglass shape, and the lace cinches in at waist. This dress style enhances your body’s shape and is suitable for all body types, but it is especially flattering for plus-sizes.

Dresses that are off-the-shoulder

Off-the-shoulder dresses are designed to highlight your decolletage. They have sleeves that wrap around the shoulders and not go across from front to rear. This adds weight to your upper body, making off the-shoulder dresses ideal for women with narrow shoulders. For women with a rectangular body, an off-the shoulder dress with an A line silhouette creates an hourglass figure.

For more tips and ideas, check out our lookbook.

Empire

An empire waist is one that is pulled just below the bust and not at your natural waistline. This is a great choice for women who have a triangular, rectangular or oval body type.

You don’t have to settle on the perfect silhouette just yet. It’s not enough to find flattering colors and match your outfit to the occasion when choosing the perfect plus-size dress.

Color

Have you ever wondered why everyone likes black? Because dark colors make it difficult to see the best parts of your body. Black is a neutral color that doesn’t clash well with your skin’s undertones.

This doesn’t mean that plus-size women shouldn’t experiment with color. Brightening up your dress can help you show off your best assets.

For an interesting effect, you can mix and match dark and light. For example, if you are an apple shape and love yellow, you might wear a thin, violet belt with a light-colored A-line gown. Because the belt is slim and dark in color, it deflates the waist and makes the torso look longer.

Learn more about color and how it can be used to flatter your body.

Occasion

For some occasions, casual dresses can be great. However, formal events require you to look your best.

Because beaches are so relaxed, flowing empire-waist dresses with sheer sleeves are perfectly acceptable. This silhouette is used in many swimsuit covers, so that all body types can be covered.

Empire-waist dresses, however, are too casual to wear for business meetings. You’ll need something more structured, such as an A-line or peplum.

You’ll soon realize that finding the right dress is not as difficult as you think.