SANDRA - EXTRA CURVY (size 18 and over)

Great dress style is about making the most of your body shape and forgetting about your size – it’s all about proportions. Below are some helpful tips to keep in mind when choosing clothes. First, however, it is important you identify which body shape you are and combine the following suggestions to create a great look.

Focus: Enhance your shape by accentuating your best features, detract attention away from what you’d rather hide and give your body balance.

Hot tips:

  • Styles with softly shaped vertical panel lines will flatter and break up the width of the body
  • Designs which shape into the narrowest part of your body give the illusion of shape, often this is under the bustline – empire line styles are good for hiding rolls!
  • Tops with open necklines elongate your neck
  • ¾ length sleeves showcase slim wrists
  • Asymmetrical or curved hemlines on tops and skirts lenghten your body
  • Soft knit or drapey layers are a flattering look
  • Well tailored separates in fine quality fabrics give the body shape and structure without adding bulk – always choose jackets to fit your shoulders, not your torso
  • Longline softly tailored jackets worn open will visually slim the body
  • Clothing in drapey fabrics which skim along your curves without feeling skin tight will soften your look
  • Outfits which break up the body through mixing plain, patterned and textured fabrics give you a slimmer appearance
  • Darker colours on your lower half slim your body
  • For special occasions consider body shapers for support and smoothing body contours to improve the lines of an oufit

Crimes:

  • Shapeless, overly large ill-fitting clothes – they give the appearance of a tent and make you look bigger
  • The common mistake of wearing square styled tops to simply cover up – they will shorten your legs and exaggerate the width of your body
  • Dressing in bland non-descript outfits in an effort to look less noticeable makes you look and feel drab – dress with pride and personality!
  • Trousers which are tapered or are too short (this includes cropped styles) – they shorten your legline and widen your body
  • Bulky fabrics as these will add weight
  • Clothes which are too tight – they will magnify your lumps and bumps and make you look larger
  • Visibly tight underwear