Oversized Everything Makes Your Curves Disappear
The biggest trap curvy women fall into is reaching for baggy, oversized pieces thinking they’ll hide problem areas. It’s no surprise that the most common fashion mistake curvier women make is wearing baggy clothes. After all, they are easy to wear and seemingly cover up parts of the figure that you don’t want to draw attention to. But here’s the harsh truth – baggy clothes don’t do a thing in terms of defining or even visually slimming a curvy figure and is the chief cause behind a careless appearance.
Many plus-size individuals gravitate toward oversized clothing to hide their shape, thinking it provides comfort. However, overly baggy clothes can make you look shapeless and less polished. Instead of creating the slimming effect you’re after, you end up looking larger than you actually are. Simply put, oversized clothing can make you appear larger than you are.
Shapeless Dresses That Hang Like Potato Sacks
This includes baggy tops and dresses that have a sack-like appearance. Shapeless dresses are exactly how they sound. They hang loosely on the body where they hide the waistline and give the appearance of a less defined silhouette. These formless pieces are particularly damaging because they eliminate your natural waist – the most flattering part of a curvy figure.
Shapeless dresses also create a formless look especially when they hang straight from the shoulders in an unflattering shape. Wearing shapeless dresses makes you miss that important chance to highlight your well-defined waist and accentuate your curves. Think of it like covering a beautiful sculpture with a sheet – you’re hiding your best assets instead of celebrating them. It’s better to wear cinched styles that showcase your waist instead.
Clingy Fabrics That Highlight Every Detail
Soft materials like knits and jersey do not have structure, which is why these fabrics are mainly used for casual styles like tees. They also tend to drape and cling – particularly thin knits – depending on whether they are worn in a baggy or tighter fit. When fabric clings to your body, it shows every bump, line, and curve in an unflattering way.
This means they project a casual vibe, and can sometimes look sloppy and unflattering if not worn in the right style, cut and even colour. Of course really clingy clothes will have the opposite effect by enlarging your shape and calling attention to every single detail of your body. The solution lies in finding that sweet spot between too loose and too tight, choosing fabrics that skim rather than cling to your body.
Wide Horizontal Stripes That Add Visual Weight
The age-old rule about avoiding horizontal stripes isn’t entirely wrong, but it’s all about execution. Horizontal designs like broad stripes or wide chevron patterns make you look bigger than you are. Choose thin, vertical stripes instead for a toned look. The key word here is “broad” – thick horizontal stripes create the illusion of width.
Opt for medium or thin horizontal stripes rather than very wide ones. Wider stripes can exaggerate the width of your body, while medium and thin stripes offer a more balanced look. However, don’t completely dismiss stripes altogether. However, with the right styling tips and tricks, you can embrace this classic pattern and enhance your natural curves. The difference lies in choosing the right width and pairing them correctly.
Baggy Jeans That Transform Your Silhouette
Rather than accentuate your natural curves, baggy jeans lack structure and have a loose fit that will create an unbalanced appearance on your body. This is much worse when combined with oversized clothing as the final result is a shapeless form that is not flattering for your figure. Your legs and hips disappear into shapeless denim tubes that add bulk rather than definition.
Baggy jeans have no shape and structure, and this will be transferred automatically to your body. They drape loosely over your shape and transform you from having a feminine silhouette to a straight one. This style of jeans will also add unflattering bulkiness to the lower part of your body, making you look heavier and visually wider at the waist. Instead of baggy jeans, you should wear fitted jeans that flow naturally with your curves without being too tight on your body frame.
Loose Wide-Leg Pants That Overwhelm
The cut of the pants can make or break your look. The loose cut of wide-legged and palazzo pants can prevent chafing but visually, does nothing to score you fashion brownie points and may even cause you to appear shorter and – gasp – wider. When pants are too voluminous, they can swallow your lower half and make you appear stumpy.
Whereas a boot or straight leg that magically evens out the hip-thigh ratio is infinitely more flattering. The same applies to jeans – pick a darker colour or a figure-flattering gradated wash for a more pull-together finish. The goal is to find pants that complement your proportions rather than competing with them for attention.
Unstructured Tops Without Definition
Structure is crucial if you want to look pulled-together. In other words, go for tailored, fitted (but not tight-fitting) silhouettes when shopping for clothes – it will give your figure definition. Tops that lack any architectural elements or shaping details can make your torso appear larger and less defined than it actually is.
Think cuts that visually highlight or create straight lines, instead of emphasising your curves; and buy them in fabrics that skim your body, rather than hug it. Some styles that work well for curvy women are shift tops, and A-line or fit-flare dresses. Also look out for tailoring elements that further define your figure – such as darting details under the bust and dresses that are cut with a slightly nipped-in waist.
Heavy, Thick Fabrics That Add Bulk
Avoid wearing thicker fabrics as they make you appear even larger. Heavy materials like thick wool, bulky knits, and stiff denim create unnecessary volume that adds visual weight to your frame. These fabrics don’t drape well and can make you look boxy rather than curvy.
You should go for materials like cotton, linen, chiffon, denim, silk, or wool crepe that help conceal larger areas and accentuate the curves. Firstly, choose clothing in lightweight and breathable material, like linen or cotton, to keep you cool. The right fabric choice can be the difference between looking polished and put-together versus appearing overwhelmed by your clothes.
Outfits Without Waist Definition
Belts can be an invaluable fashion accessory, even if you are very curvaceous or have a belly. Remember how we said that oversized, baggy clothes tend not to be flattering on curvy figures? Well, you can make a billowy dress work for you by cinching it in at the waist with a belt. The newly invented waistline will define your waist and thus your overall silhouette.
Unshapely garments, shirts with a shorter length and straight cut, low rise jeans and skirts, and very bulky dresses do not define the waist to hip ratio. Without waist definition, your curves get lost and your proportions appear unbalanced. Even the most gorgeous outfit can fall flat if it doesn’t acknowledge your natural waist – the key to a flattering silhouette.
