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Like finding a store that sells plus size clothing wasn’t hard enough. Women still need to find plus size clothes that suite their personal body shape. It’s no secret that we are all different and what may look great on one size 18 won’t look great on another size 18. Let’s look at the different body shapes and what women with those shapes should be looking for when buying plus size fashion.
Rectangle Shape
Women that have rectangle body shape tend to be very well proportioned. Hips, legs and arms all have great synergy with the frame of the body. Flared pants, V-neck tops and empire waist dresses are a great fit for this body shape.
Triangle Shape
A beautiful body shape that accentuates the lower half of the female body. In relativity to your hips and legs your upper body is a lot smaller and waistline is more defined. This creates a sought-after curvy silhouette that can be very fashionable. When shopping for plus size clothing look to find tops that show off your upper half like tops with a scoop or V-neckline. Wrap around dresses and A-line skirts are a must for this body shape.
Diamond Shape
Women with a diamond body shape have many beautiful assets to flaunt. Women with this body shape have near perfectly proportioned bust, hips and legs while having a fuller waist. You have lots of sexy plus size tops to choose from including scoops, cowls and V-neck tops. Flatter your mid-section with tops fitted around your bust and that flair around your waistline. Narrow pants bootleg pants work best with this body type.
Hourglass Shape
This voluptuous, curvy and proportionate body shape has a defined waistline, full bust and hips that creates an appealing feminine curvature. Asymmetric tops are always a great choice with this body shape. Pair your favorite asymmetric with a pencil skirt and use a belt to show off your waistline.
Oval Shape
Women with this beautiful body shape have a waistline fuller than their bust and hips. This body shape has a slender lower half while having perfectly proportionate face, neck and bust. Like other body shapes a sexy plus size top that shows off your neckline is your best bet. High slit pants and blouse style tops are also great choices.
Figure Eight
This body shape has perfectly inline shoulders and hips all the while accenting your silhouettes voluptuous cleavage. Your waistline is defined while adding to your curvy body shape. Your upper torso can accent with V-neck tops and softly draped necklines. Empire waist clothing is ideal to show off the gorgeous attributes of this body shape. A-line flared skirts and wide leg pants are a must for this body shape.
Inverted Triangle
A statue like body shape that is very well proportioned. This body shape is topped with broad shoulders and a defined waistline. You have narrow hips and longer legs that look great in many different styles. Wrap dresses and V-neck tops are a staple for this figure. Darker plus size tops are a great choice to balance your broad upper body. Pencil skirts, fitted tops and wrap dresses are all great options for this body type.
It may seem like the term plus size clothing has been around forever but that is not the case. The term first started being used in the 1920's in America. A company by the name of Lane Bryant widely popularized the term in their department store by advertising "Misses Plus Sizes" clothing which was strictly women's clothing offered in larger sizes marketed towards expecting mothers.
It was not to long after, that the company started promoting these larger articles of women's clothing as simply "plus sizes". By the 1930's plus size clothing for women had transcended Lane Bryant and started to be picked up by a variety of other department stores.
Originally these stores planned on just marketing toward pregnant women with their selection of "plus size" coats and dresses. The marketing was rather generic though and lacked the connection it needed for it’s target audience. That was until 1953 when a company by the name of Korell advertised in a local print ad clothing for "plus size women".
The major plus size fashion revolution occurred from 1977 – 1998 in the United States. The younger baby boomer generation were coming of age and for those two decades the plus size industry would prosper with exponential growth. Many fashion brands would take the forefront at this time including high end plus size clothing brands like Marina Rinaldi which were started in the 1980’s.
Fast forward to the 2000’s and plus size clothing is now bigger then ever. All the big brands have hopped on board catering to the bigger, curvy, natural figures of the typical North American women. Brands like Lane Bryant are still thriving till this day.
Although the market has been growing exponentially since the early 2000's the fashion in plus size fashion was still being ignored. A lot of the women's plus size clothing were in the form of shapeless kaftans like that of a bed sheet. That has all been coming to an end though.
The body-positive movement has been full force over the last decade and thanks to influencers and models like Ashley Graham plus size clothing has finally began to take shape (pun intended).
Still, brands have been all over the map with their strategy to market their plus size fashion. Some big brands have gone with a boutique feel, while other brands have dropped the term "plus size" altogether. Many plus size women prefer to do their shopping online but plus size department stores have been picking up momentum over the years with many big companies expanding their department stores across North America. Pioneers paved the way for Canadian companies like Precise Plus Size and many other smaller brands expanding into Canada and other eastern countries.
One thing that is for sure is that women who are a size 14 and above have a plethora of choices to choose from compared to the 1920's but there is still lots of work to be done.
Picture Credit: https://vintageoldbiddy.com/how-happy-can-a-chubby-girl-be/
Information Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plus-size_clothing
