Dressing Well

Personal submission by Leigh

inding fashionable, comfortable clothing is something that most people take for granted.  Unfortunately, large women are faced with what seems to be a rather limited selection of dresses, suits and trousers in, predictably, navy, black or brown.  The challenge then is attempting to find blouses and accessories which compliment and yet provide contrast to yet another dark outfit. 

 Some retailers have made half-hearted attempts to provide us with color and have found fabrics with huge flowers and prints in gaudy brilliant colors.  Other retailers have tried to supply us with style and provided us with smaller fashions cut larger with little regard to the cut an ample body requires.  This lack of planning has given us dresses and skirts with incorrect cut and we are seen with hemlines that are shorter in the front or the back depending on where we are carrying our weight.  Simply enlarging a smaller pattern has provided us with trousers that are tight across the lower stomach and several inches too short as our hips take up fabric meant for length.

 These fashion horrors are not entirely the fault of the store buyers.  They can only choose stock for their stores from the supply available.  Some fashion producers have realized the tremendous amount of money at the disposal of the plus size community and are beginning to design for our various body types.  It is well worth the search to locate a shop with a range of styles, colors and sizes.  If the buying public refuses to purchase the fashion horrors the message will be sent that we will not be pacified by whatever they want to supply. 

 When shopping for new clothes, try to take someone with you whose fashion sense you appreciate and who you know will give you their honest opinion.  Plan for plenty of time and refuse to be rushed when choosing and trying on clothes.  Wear the style of undergarment you will wear with the clothing for which you are shopping.  Move around, sit, bend and stretch while wearing the clothes.  Ask your ‘advisor’ how the article looks on you as you move  around.  If a blouse or skirt creeps up in the dressing room it will certainly do the same every time you wear it.  If trousers are baggy in the seat or tight across your tummy, the fit will not improve once you take them home.

 Pay attention to the fabric and how it moves and feels next to your skin.  Fabrics of rayon or rayon blends drape nicely and have the kind of movement that works well with larger body types.  Fabrics that are stiff or coarse may not relax or soften over time.

 Ignore the size tag and go for a good fit that helps you look and feel your best.  Trying to squeeze into ‘your’ size when the fabric doesn’t lay correctly or is too snug will only accentuate the negative rather than the positive. 

 Every now and then all of us get into a fashion rut.  Take the time to sample new colors and styles.  Try bold jewel tone colors, pastels, prints, dresses, skirts, and dignified suits.  Have your ‘advisor’ or the store clerk give you an opinion on how these colors and styles work for you.  Don’t be shy to try new styles or colors!

If possible, when shopping for clothes, wear or bring with you the shoes you intend to wear with the new outfit.  If you don’t already have the shoes, wear your new clothes when you shop for new shoes to go with them.  Doing this will help you to see how hemlines hang. 

 The appropriate footwear is a very important part of your finished look.  Shoes of the wrong size or style for your foot will prevent you from relaxing and feeling comfortable.  Shoes that are the wrong color or style for your outfit will detract from your overall appearance.  If uncertain about a style or color, ask the sales clerk for advice.  One personal rule concerning footwear that I wish to share is this: before purchasing any footwear, I try to ensure that they are completely comfortable.  If not, not matter how stylish, I know I will simply not get any use out of them.  It’s well worth your time and money to put effort into comfortable, stylish footwear.

 Jewelry is the final touch to any outfit.  Avoid choosing items that are too delicate as they can disappear on a large frame.  Instead, feel free to experiment with chunky bracelets, large pins and bulkier necklaces.  One note of caution:  too much jewelry can actually detract from your overall look.  Wearing earrings, a necklace, a bracelet and a couple of rings work much better than wearing rings on every finger, several bracelets, a pin, a necklace and earrings. 

 As a final note, a fun thing to do is to assemble different outfits and have a fashion show of sorts with someone whose taste you trust.  This second opinion can help to alert you to any flaws in your look.  Others may also provide suggestions for clothing or accessory combinations which you yourself may not have previously considered but which may  work well together.  With total confidence in your appearance you can then go out and WOW the world.

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