They Aren't All Frumpy!

Every woman wants to look beautiful – whether she’s toothpick-thin or fabulously curvy. But despite the growing numbers of plus size women, most designers seem to put together designs that only look good on size 2 supermodels. Fortunately, a growing number of designers are creating dresses exclusively for the plus sized set. Now, if you have certain problem areas that you want to camouflage, you can pick a style and design that will help you look beautiful, no matter what size the tag reads.

Waist Flattering Styles

Many women seem to think the best way to hide problem areas in the waist is to wear loose fitting dresses. However, the best option for disguising an unsightly bulge is actually to wear a belted dress. Large dresses look like tents on wide-waisted women, while form fitting dresses with belts create lines that divide your figure and take the emphasis off your waist. You can also choose styles that draw the eyes to other assets that you’re proud of. For example, wearing a V-neck style dress can emphasize the bust and lead the eye away from your mid-section. You could also wear a necked dress to accent your bust and draw attention away from the waist.

Bust Accentuating Designs

Whether you’re happy with your bust size or want to disguise it, there are several dress styles to choose from. If you want to accentuate your bust, consider a dress that has a fitted bust area or one with a belt immediately below the bust. Choosing a style that has a belted line directly beneath the bust will make this area stand out. Baby doll dresses and empire-line dresses are two examples of this bust-flattering style.

On the other hand, if you want to take the focus off your bust, or if your bust area is smaller than you like, there are plenty of ways to hide this area. Rather than looking for dresses that have a lot of detail in the bust area, try to find a dress that has an embellished waist and bottom. For example, choose a solid-colored top and a lace skirt or a layered skirt. You can also go for one solid color, such as white, as long as the skirt of the dress is embellished with appliqués or sequins.

Hip Hiding Styles

If your hips are your problem area, there are ways to hide them. First, never choose a snug, form-fitting design. You need to hide your hips by forcing the attention elsewhere. A-line dresses are the perfect style for hiding your hips and forcing the eye down the frame. You can also choose a gathered waist style that flows over the hips and hides them. In addition, you could try a strapless dress with has a long, tailored jacket that extends over the hips. Finally, layered dress styles are excellent for hiding a number of flaws.

As you can see, there are a number of different dress styles that can help to disguise or hide problem areas. In addition, many designers offer lines dedicated specifically to plus sized women that focus on hiding hips or accentuating the bust. Depending on what’s available in your area, you may even be able to find an entire store dedicated to plus size fashion.