Let’s get one thing straight: fashion rules were invented by someone else, not by you. And especially for plus size women, those rules were designed to keep us small, hidden, and constantly editing ourselves to fit someone else’s beauty ideal. And today, we are here to tell you, show you how, and to give permission (if you need it) to break plus size fashion rules all year long!
But here’s the thing: it’s 2025. We’re no longer begging for scraps. We have options. From size-inclusive indie brands to major retailers finally expanding their offerings, there are more resources than ever to help us explore our personal style and express it unapologetically.
Whether you’re shopping resale apps, browsing Dia & Co’s curated drops, customizing a look on Loud Bodies, or scrolling through TikTok or Pinterest for outfit inspo from plus size creators who actually look like you, the tools to discover what you love are literally at your fingertips.
So why now? Because we’re done playing small. Because visibility is rising, but only if we show up. Because your style is personal power, and there’s no better time than fall (aka the Super Bowl of fashion) to throw the old rules out the window and dress like you mean it.
Try things. Break the mold. Color outside the lines. Wear the damn crop top. Fall style should feel fun, freeing, and a little bit rebellious. (Yes, even if it’s in neon orange.)
Here are 7 plus size fashion rules that are finally ready to be broken, and exactly how to do it… with style, substance, and zero apologies.
Break Plus Size Fashion Rules Like a Pro: Your Fall Style Just Got Free
1. “Only dark colors are slimming… stick to black”
For decades, plus size style whisperers insisted you live in black, navy, or “muted safe neutrals.” But guess what? Science doesn’t have your back on that. A big study on color and patterns found that common beliefs about dark colors or horizontal stripes making you look slimmer lack conclusive empirical support. 
Did you hear that? But just in case you need a bit more convincing… black looks great on you, but it is not a requirement. Brighter hues, pastels, even bold prints, they’re your friends, not your frenemy. A coral sweater might make your skin radiate. A sunny mustard coat might turn heads. Use color as your personal signature, not as camouflage.
How to break it: Start with one non‑neutral piece… a berry sweater, a forest green dress, a lavender blouse. Let that be your anchor. Then build around it with pieces you already love.
2. “Avoid horizontal stripes & big prints at all cost”
Oh, horizontal stripes, you eternal scapegoat. People have been terrified of them for years, as if stripes carried magical widening powers. But truth: print, scale, and placement matter way more than the direction of stripes. A well-cut striped top can be super chic. A poorly cut solid can look sloppy.
Style expert Bridgette Raes breaks it down beautifully. She says what really matters is scale, not direction. In her breakdown of flattering prints, she calls scale one of the five key print components that actually shape how a piece looks on your body. A bold horizontal stripe in the right proportion can be just as chic as a vertical pinstripe.
And if you want receipts? Luella Fashion doesn’t mince words:
“This pearl of wisdom … was accepted as truth for generations, but when it was actually studied … it was shown not only to be false but actually the wrong way around.”
Yes, some outlets still cling to the old myth… Harper’s Bazaar Singapore insists horizontal stripes make you look wider, but honestly? We’re not dressing for their approval. We’re dressing for joy, self-expression, and full-on fashion moments. 
So, here’s the truth: prints aren’t the enemy… fear is.
Big florals, bold stripes, geometric drama? These are tools, not traps. It’s all about how you use them. Let one print lead the look and let the rest of your outfit support the vibe. And yes, you can mix stripes with florals. With leopard. With whatever you want. There are no print police here.
How to break it: Choose prints that feel powerful, not “permitted.” Look for scale and placement that work with your shape. Start with one bold piece: a striped tee, a large floral pant and build your look from there. Let your prints talk loud, proud, and fabulous.
3. “Never show your midriff or wear crop tops”
Cue the eye roll. This is one of the most controlling fashion rules ever invented for plus-size bodies. It whispers: parts of you are shameful, parts of you are off limits. But thing is… fashion (and bold women) are here to flip that script.
Take it from The Guardian, which recently wrote:
“The bare midriff as fashion statement … the conversation around whose bodies deserve celebrating has finally begun to substantially change.”
Or Vogue, which notes:
“The midriff trend is back … but the way that people are interpreting it … feels more inclusive.”
Translation? The midriff is no longer a territory reserved for just one body type. It’s being reclaimed, by people of ALL shapes, sizes, identities. That “rule” that once said, “no crop tops unless you have abs”? It’s softening, bending, cracking.
Then there’s this: plus size blogger Maui Bigelow didn’t just talk about the rule… she acted. In her essay “Crop Tops & Big Bellies: I Wear What I Want, Even at a Size 24”, she recalled a moment someone tried to adjust her outfit to “hide her belly.” Her response?
“Maybe you can’t show your belly, but I can show mine.”
Yes, queen. That line hits like a mic drop.
How to break it (with your own finesse):
- Try a cropped cardigan layered over a slip or midi dress.
- Pair high-waisted wide-leg pants with a shorter tee or bralette.
- Let a cropped knit peek from under a long blazer.
- Or go bold: full-blown crop top + statement outerwear.
Your midriff, side panel, whatever part people used to say you shouldn’t show, is yours to style, not hide. Let that part of you speak.
4. “Loose and flowy is always safer, skip fitted pieces”
The “tent therapy” approach (i.e. covering your body in shapeless swaths) has dominated plus size advice for too long. Yes, oversized and flowy styles have their place. But if you never lean into tailoring or structure, your silhouette gets lost entirely.
Balance is everything. Mix fitted and flowy. Let one piece do the “embrace your curves” work while the other softens the contrast.
How to break it: Pair a structured blazer or corset belt with a flowy skirt. Wear a bodycon under an oversized trench. Let one piece anchor the look so your silhouette isn’t swallowed.
5. “Belts make you look wider… never use one”
This one always feels personal, like someone is putting your waist off‑limits. But belts are magic. Especially when you find an amazingly fly plus size belt. They define, sculpt, accessorize, transform. And fashion’s noticing again: The Guardian says that adding a belt can “give a new life to winter coats by adding shape and contrasting textures.”
Vogue backs it:
“Belts … have the power to transform outfits with added texture and intrigue … waist‑cinching belts … offer high‑end appeal.”
StyleFixStudio gives the blueprint:
“A medium‑width belt … is perfect for defining your waist without overpowering your silhouette.”
“Wear a belt over a slightly loose garment … to create a curve.”
Translation? That “rule” was built to confuse you, not liberate you.
How to break it (with flair):
- Use a medium-width belt (not a razor-thin string, not a spaceship-wide sash) to define your waist without battling your silhouette.
- Place it at your natural waistline (or slightly above or below, depending on your shape) to play up your shape and proportions.
- Use it over looser layers: dresses, cardigans, trenches, not on body-hugging fabrics, and let the belt introduce shape.
- Choose belts that echo colors, textures, or prints in your outfit to make them feel intentional (not random).
- Try a statement or corset belt when you want drama. Let it be the accessory that talks while the rest of the outfit listens.
That’s it. Belts don’t make you wider… they make you more intentional, more you.
6. “Don’t show skin… keep it safe”
Let me invite you into a secret: confidence is the chicest form of coverage. Revealing a little shoulder, a bit of leg, a V-neck, that’s not reckless. That’s style.
The goal isn’t to show everything, but to play with proportion, surfaces, and suggestion. It’s about what feels powerful to you, not what someone else decided is “modest enough.”
How to break it: Go for a dress with a leg slit, or sleeveless jumpsuit, or shoulder cutout. Use sheer panels, mesh, or nude underlays to balance. Let your skin be part of your style.
7. “Stick to one‑size‑fits‑all ‘body proportion’ rules”
Apples, pears, hourglasses: as if someone invented you by measurement. Those rigid “body shape” boxes weren’t made for you… they were made to control how you dress. In reality, your body is not a math problem to be solved. It’s a canvas for your creative expression.
As Byrdie stylist Lakyn Carlton says:
“It keeps us from shopping for our mind and our heart. We’re more than our bodies.”
And Dr. Dawnn Karen echoes:
“I am an advocate for people dressing for their psyche, not for their body.”
Think about that: the rules want you to tailor your wardrobe around systems built for an ideal… not for you. A‑Zine nails it too:
“When you feel restricted by ‘rules’ for your body type, you lose your own sense of style”
Then look at the facts: design bias is baked in. Most women don’t have hourglass figures—yet so many garments are still built around that myth.
So, here’s your move: throw out the rulebook. Try looks outside your “assigned” category. Play with asymmetry, color blocking, volume, layering… see how your body responds not to someone else’s template, but to your own delight.
How to break it:
- Pick a silhouette you’ve been told is “not your shape.” Wear it anyway.
- Experiment with proportion shifts- oversize top + fitted bottom, or vice versa.
- Use color, contrast, and accessories to highlight what you want to show.
- Let your emotional response be your guide. If it feels powerful, that’s the right fit.
Your best fits will come from breaking rules, not obeying illusions.
Fall Edition: How to Start Breaking Rules When You Shop
- Make color your foundation. Start with one bold piece and build layering neutrals around it.
- Mix your prints. Don’t fear them, learn to harmonize them.
- Tailored meets cozy. Pair structured pieces (blazers, belts, trousers) with soft layers.
- Accent don’t conceal. Use belts, slits, cutouts as style tools, not apologies.
- Test the “forbidden.” Want a crop? Try it with high waist. Want to show a little leg? Do it with boots or layering.
- Shop from inclusive brands. Seek labels doing the work in patternmaking, inclusive sizing, true design for curves, not just the random addition.
- Reuse the runway. Learn from how plus models are styling looks on the floor. Their tweaks reveal so much.
A Little Pep Talk
You know what’s more powerful than following rules? Igniting your own style. These “rules” were drawn to fit someone else’s idea of beauty, not yours. They were invented to police, not empower.
So, break them. The bold or “gaudy” blazer you weren’t “supposed” to wear? Break it. The crop top you tucked away? Break it out. The belt that felt too bold? Break it in. The color that made your heart race? Break open your wardrobe for it.
Style is rebellion. Style is joy. Style is yours.
Which rule are you ready to break first this fall? (We are going with rule #1: color only for the shadows.)
