I’ve got curves. I have curves when I’m thin and I have curves (just bigger curves) when I’m fat. In fact, someone recently told me that I was rocking the Christina Hendricks vibe. While I was seriously flattered (I mean, she’s gorgeous), I think it was just in reference to my red hair and big boobs. Otherwise, we really don’t look all that alike…well maybe the fair skin and blue eyes too…although, let’s just say I don’t think this guy was spending too much time looking at my eyes… (a total curvy girl problem, right?) Anyway, between dressing myself and other curvy women for the past ten years, I’ve learned quite a few tricks when it comes to making a woman’s curves work for her. Here are just a few of my suggestions on how to rock your curvy body with style.
Curvy Girl Tip #1- Don’t Waste that Waist
When you have curves you have a waist. This body feature is the single most important part of a curvy girl’s body, period! By highlighting the waist, you not only balance the proportion of your body, but you look slimmer. When you bypass the waist area by not shaping it, your entire body looks as wide as your hips and bust area which, for curvy girls, can often be quite ample.
There are many ways to shape your waist. The obvious is to choose tops, jackets, and dresses that have waist definition. You can also look for seaming and side panels in the waist area which will create the illusion of an even slimmer midsection. Whatever you do, don’t ignore this area!
Curvy Girl Tip #2- Contain those Curves
The only way to describe what happens when a curvy girl doesn’t contain her curvier body parts in fabrics that aren’t substantial enough is to explain my “fat in a Ziploc bag” analogy: Imagine you stored fat in a Ziploc bag. That fat would be able to wiggle and jiggle any which way it wanted. Conversely, when you put fat in something like a Tupperware container, the fat is forced to take the shape of the container. The same is true for curvy body parts. Curvier body parts are often fleshier and less toned; they need structure. Choose fabrics for these body parts that can contain your body the way you want it to be shaped or else your curves will just jiggle and roam free.
Curvy Girl Tip #3- Avoid anything too high waisted
Whenever you shorten a body part it creates the illusion of being bigger and wider. Therefore, a curvier woman with a large chest should be wary of any style that is too high waisted. Women with large chests already have the appearance of a shortened waist or torso (even if she isn’t short-waisted.) By wearing a high waisted pair of pants or a skirt, and even a wide belt the look of the torso shortens even further and makes the bust look larger than it is. While there may be some appropriate times to rock a big chest full-on, in most cases, shortening the torso through high-waisted clothing just makes the bust area look disproportionately large. Instead, choose styles that fit at your natural waist, thinner belts, or styles that are either drop-waisted or have no waist definition, like a sheath dress, for example.
Curvy Girl Tip #4- Boots and Pencils
Boot-cut pants and pencil skirts were made for the curvier figure. Being slightly wider at the hem, this style, counterbalance a curvier bottom half and make the hips and thighs look balanced. A pencil skirt, with a slight taper at the hem, works with the natural curves of the body and makes curvy hips and thighs look more proportioned.
A common error is to gravitate too strongly to a skirt style like an A-line skirt. While this style isn’t a bad one, a curvy girl has to be very discerning when choosing one. It shouldn’t be too billowy or flowy (see the Ziploc analogy above), nor should the A-shape be too wide, unless you want to look like a bottom-heavy triangle. A slight camouflaging A-line is a structured fabric is fine. Because curvy girls often have heavier legs, an A-line shape that is too loose and diaphanous can make legs and hips look heavier, especially when wearing flat shoes.
Curvy Girl Tip #5- Go with the Flow
It’s important to embrace your curves. In my mind, I sometimes see myself as this lanky, sinewy woman, and then catch myself in a photo and realize that my body is more Amazonian than it is slender. I’ve said before on this blog that even at a size 4 (which I’m not at the moment), I’ve had a size D chest. It’s so easy to pine for what we don’t have yet, when we do that, we usually choose styles that don’t work for our body. It’s fine to appreciate an article of clothing that is gorgeous, just as long as you accept that the style is prettier to look at than to actually wear it.
Here is some great curvy girl looks.
Shape
A classic sheath dress is a great way to show off a curvy girl’s natural assets. This one is particularly lovely because the rushing further emphasizes the waist. In addition, the deeper v-neck can minimize the look of a fuller chest and the cap sleeves broaden the shoulders which is great if you have a bit more curve downstairs than you do upstairs. The tapered hem of the dress also enhances yet balances the curves. If you’re a curvy girl with heavier legs, tan heels are a great choice because the leg-lengthening nature of nude shoes elongates the legs and makes them look slimmer.
Diagonals Slim
There are so many great elements to an outfit like this that make it a flattering look for a curvier girl. First, the pencil skirt flatters, plus the defined waist of the blazer, add to that the pockets placed on the diagonal (diagonal lines slim) make the waist even more defined. Necklaces are fine if you have a large chest, but I usually recommend that they usually be finer and not so clunky, especially if they have to lay over a large bust line.
Drapey is okay, if…
Just because shaping the waist is important does not mean that you and your curvy body have to swear off drapier styles. In this case, a drapey cardigan is perfectly fine because the layering piece is slimmer and more fitted. I’d be hesitant to place an equally shapeless t-shirt underneath a drapey cardigan for fear of losing the slim waist area in the outfit. Secondly, the cardigan is in an easy knit that may be draped but still maintains some body-skimming shape.
Next, the boot cut jeans work with the curves while counterbalancing a fuller hip area. Lastly, notice that the t-shirt is a little longer. I don’t recommend t-shirts be any shorter than the pelvis bone on curvy women because, when they are, they tend to shorten the torso and make a full chest look bigger and boxier.
Break the rules by making informed choices
I put this last look together because I want to be clear about a few things. Dressing your body is all about empowering yourself to make an informed decision, not to give up certain looks entirely. If you know the rules you can learn how to work around them and bend them to work for you. Therefore, while I’m always reluctant to belt anyone who has a large chest, a way to make it work is to choose a thin belt or one that is a “self-belt” (a belt made in the same fabric and color as the body of the garment or a belt of the same color as what it is belted.
A belted tunic like the one found in this look is a great example of this. Skinny jeans may also be intimidating for someone with a curvier shape but, if they’re worn right, they can work. In this case, I chose a cropped white denim pair of jeans with a platform shoe to elongate the legs and make them look slimmer. The tapered shape of the tunic top creates a more balanced look and the wider neckline counterbalances a wider hip and thigh area making this summer skinny jeans outfit work for curves.
I have a question re: boot cut vs. straight leg jeans for girls with hips. On What Not to Wear they always say that if you have hips, you should get straight leg jeans that fall straight down from the widest part of your hip—what’s your thought on this?
I tend to agree with that but it’s not the only option. I tend to prefer a straight leg pair of tailored pants over a straight leg pair of jeans, personally. I’d sooner go with a boot cut jean over a straight leg jean only because I’d rather see the thigh area more contained.
I definitely have curves- hips, butt, and thighs and I love the way Lucky jeans fall on me. Particularly their curvy fit “Lola” in boot cut. Its the most flattering and comfortable I’ve found to date.
I LOVE the Lola Boot and totally agree with you! Have you tried Levi’s Curve ID jeans? They’re under $100 and fit great!
Is it just me, or does anyone else think the girls photographed above aren’t particularly “curvy”?
They just have fluff.
Lol the lady on the far left though… XD
My question is what is the most flattering length of dress and skirt and type of pants for some one with thick thighs AND very thick calves? Straight leg pants look like skinny jeans on me…
Hi! As far as skirt and dress lengths go, choose styles that end right above or below the knee or at the slimmest part of the calves. Have you tried boot cut for pants?
I have… But they tend to be too tight on top and squeeze me calves awkwardly! I usually do a trouser or wide leg pant. Just wanted to see if maybe there was an alternative that was escaping me!
Do you think a peplum dress would work on someone with curves?
They can, but it all depends on your hips and thighs. Sometimes peplums can make a curvy woman look hippy. As a curvy girl I tend to avoid them
Christmas do!! want a nice dress that flattens my curves but has to be long sleeved as I hate my arms can you help? im big busted a size 12-14 and 5″ 2?
i have broad upper body with slimmer bottom half but a thick waist …plz dress me
What about a curvy girl size 18..(wide) , but is um part of the itty bitty titty comity? *cough* barely an A cup *cough* How can you dress that?!
What I would do would build up and out your shoulders with stronger necklines and shoulders to bring the focus goes upwards towards your face and away from the lower half of your body. In addition, widening the shoulder line will counterbalance where you are bottom heavy. What I also suggest is to define your waist. Lastly, avoid halter tops or really soft shoulder lines which will just make you look like a human A-shape! I hope that helps!
Seconding the Levi’s Curve ID (also their 529 curvy fit) – jean shopping used to be totally miserable for me and I’m so grateful I finally have a go-to brand/style I can trust now!
So funny you should say this today. Just yesterday I was wearing my Levi’s skinny jeans and thinking, “God, they are so comfortable. Why don’t more women know how great Levi’s jeans are?” For the price and the fit they really can’t be beat! Glad you are enjoying them as well!
Now I just have to find a good go-to pair of dress pants for work… Any recommendations?
Gah, I’m definitely curvy… but with skinny arms and legs! I’ve given up on pants and jeans (if I get any that fit my hips/butt, they gape around my legs in a pretty unflattering way). Any tips for this sort of curvy girl (hourglass with slim limbs)?
Otherwise… sigh. Tryimg to come to terms with #5. Got an AA chiffon skirt that’s gorgeous (and final sale) that either poofs unbecomingly aroung my hips when the band sits at my waist, or makes me look pregnant if I raise it above my waist 🙁
I am a size 10-11 and I’m 5″4. I have size b1/2 cup bra (weird right?) and I have a big booty. But my problem is my hugs love handles…. dress me??
This would be a lot better if the clothing suggestions showed the clothes on curvy girls, not size 2-4 girls??
Finally, some sensible advice! You seem to know what you are talking about. Most sites say ‘curvy’ as an euphemism for obese, and it is not! It is not about the size, it is about the shape… I would be thankful if you suggested skirt styles for short curvy women with thicker calves as well…
Hi Fairy, have you trred pencil skirts that are hemmed to the narrower part of your calves? I find they hug my curves and make me look more balanced.
I’m 5 foot 3, 50, 115 pounds, 32DDD bra , 26 inch waist, and short torsoed. (About a size 6). Clothing style advice?
I have a posh Christmas do to attend, my bum is large, round tummy and very round hips, small bust. I am fed up with looking at dresses when I try them on I look and feel big and ugly can you suggest a good dress to buy in uk size 14/16.
If only you would use curvy girls as models instead of the long bony typical models with a big gap inside their legs. It makes it hard to visualize how these looks can do someone like me any good. A busty, muscular size 14.
I like your advice but please use curvy models. Thanks
I hear what you are saying and in an ideal world I’d be all over that. However, between writing this blog, running a consulting business and other business commitments, there is no way I could manage that. If I did I would probably only be able to get a blog post up every once and a while. Unfortunately, these visuals will have to suffice. Sorry I can’t be more illustrative to your needs.
Hi Bridgette! i’m having a wedding next month and i bought a maxi skirt that goes to the waist (before reading your article, of course!)…and I don’t know what to do now! I’m between going for a crop top (showing just a line of skin) or a bodysuite. Which one will make me look better? I’d love your advise!
Hi Ana, it’s really six and one half dozen. I think go with the one you feel most comfortable in.