Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. That is why it’s not about what size you wear. It’s about how you wear your size.

While we scroll through our Instagram feed or Pinterest pins, we often see inspiring subjects such as fitness models or celebrities wearing cute clothes we want to wear. So, we ask ourselves, why can’t my body look like that? Or why can’t I wear that?

First, we have to be realistic and remember genetics plays a part in fashion, and second, who says there aren’t cute clothes for all body types?

They say the color black makes you look thinner. However, are you going to wear black for the rest of your life? You’ll want to branch out to different colors and patterns.

Therefore, if you don’t know what compliments your plus-size body, here is a list of body shapes and what you can wear to feel confident in your skin.

ALL BODY SHAPES

You might’ve heard that the A-line dress is the best dress that works for all body types – it’s true. However, there are a lot more other styles to keep in mind.

For instance, a shirt dress with a belt, if you own a dress that makes your body look boxy and unflattering, adding a belt to that dress will hug the waist and flare out the hips, plus hide the lower part of your tummy.

OVAL SHAPE

Do you fall under the oval body type? If you do, target the bust by choosing wrapped tops or dresses. It will give the illusion of a smaller waist and bigger bust. However, keep in mind that anything that shows off your shoulders and collarbone is flattering as well.

Do you want the illusion of an inverted triangle body? Look for a dress with puffy sleeves or padded shoulders. The trick to this, it will help your upper body look wider and your bottom half slimmer.

If you fall under the oval body type and yourself conscious about your stomach, oversize dresses can help take attention off in the midsection.

INVERTED TRIANGLE SHAPE

Speaking of an inverted triangle body, look for dresses, and tops with a V-neck or scooped neck. It will give balance to your body shape, but make sure to wear flare clothing from the waist down. It will make your body look like an hourglass.

HOURGLASS or EIGHT FIGURE SHAPE

If you fall under this category, you’re in luck. Having an hourglass figure is the ideal body that everyone wants. There are perks to having an hourglass shape. Make sure not to wear baggy bottoms and high neckline tops or dresses. Shapeless cuts can make your curves unflattering. Therefore, focus on accentuating your blessed features.

The figure-eight shape also falls under hourglass since both body types do well with outfits that hug the waist. For example, a belt, a bow tied around the waist, or tucking a shirt in a pencil skirt improves a curvy image.

 

DIAMOND SHAPE

The diamond-shaped body is known to have a few similarities to an oval body type. For instance, they both carry the most weight on the hips, thighs, bust, and midsection.

Therefore, buy tops and dresses that show off your arms to avoid attention in your midsection. As for your bottom half, wear A-line skirts to show off your calves or high-waisted pants to give the illusion of longer legs.

RECTANGULAR SHAPE

Believe it or not, having a rectangular body is not bad at all. If you want to give the illusion of having curves, choose dresses or tops that flare out. It will look as if you have wide hips and a tiny waist.

Anything with ruffles or loose sleeves will complement the shoulders to address the upper body area. The bright side to a rectangle body shape means wearing a maxi dress will always look good on you, especially if you wear a light jacket.

TRIANGLE SHAPE

The difference between an inverted triangle and a triangle-shaped figure is working on the opposite part of the body. The good thing is you can play with colors and prints. For example, you can wear a printed blouse to avoid the hips and balance the body by wearing flare bottoms. However, make sure you’re tall enough since most bell-bottoms run long.

There’s no such thing as a perfect body, but there are outfits that bring out the best in you.

A few years back, Victoria’s Secret was known for promoting skinny models, which made us wonder, “Are we supposed to look like that?” The famous brand became realistic about their target audience and the average size of women. According to The List, the lingerie store introduced its first size 14 female model in 2019.

A model had to be skinny back in the early 2000s. However, society has become more conscious about being inclusive which plus-sized models and clothing options are here to stay.