Womens Plus Size Dresses

You can find womens plus size dresses in a variety of gorgeous styles, from prints to colors, and chic embellishments like pleats and ruchings.

Courtesy of Kiyonna

Your best dress styles fit you perfectly, showing off your best assets as well as skimming over those areas you don't want to draw attention to. On this page you'll find the latest plus dress styles - giving you ideas and inspiration on how to update your closet.

But before we go shopping let's take a look at my fashion tips on what to look for in a dress that flatters your body figure:

Your Best Dress Styles

The best plus size dresses that look flattering on full figure women are nipped at the waist - such as a wrap or belted dress. You'll also look great in a maxi dress as it skims over a round belly and curvy hips, but it has to be snug below your bust to make you look trimmer. There are several other dress styles that look fabulous on you, depending on the shape of your body.

Here are other details to look for when buying womens plus size dresses, that disguise problem areas such as stomach, waist and hips:

Ruchings around the waist disguises a round stomach
Vertical pleats on the bottom elongate your lower bottom and make hips and legs look leaner
Waist cinch to define or create a slim torso
V-neck to create a lean upper body
Kimono sleeves to disguise heavy arms

There are plenty of online stores that specialize in womens plus size dresses so you don't have to search high and low to find affordable and stylish dresses for your shape! Kiyonna (trendy), IGIGI (trendy) and Silhouettes (classy and slightly modest) are three examples of great plus size stores, just to mention a few. Their selection is a joy to look at, and I am not even a plus size myself!

How to Buy Womens Plus Size Dresses

Dress your body shape

Leopard casual plus size dress
Courtesy of Macy's

Full-figure women come in all shapes and sizes - so you all have different needs for what look best on your body shape.

Like for example, if you have a Pear shape then you'll look best in strapless tops and dresses to widen your narrow shoulders to help balance out your hips. Or if you're an Apple, you'll have to look for fashion dresses that add some volume around the hips to make your full torso smaller.

Dressing your body shape is super-important to help balance out any prominent body parts you may have. This is especially must for plus size gals with a heavy bottom, because wide hips and thighs can shorten your style and make you look wider.

Be bold!

Don't be afraid to dress trendy by wearing prints and bold colors. But your full body frame requires you to strategically work with the correct prints, colors and styling techniques.

You can never go wrong with vertical details and prints. Colors on the other hand highlight the area you place it on - so make sure you know which parts of your body shape needs this highlighting.

Have in mind that color-blocking (eg. black top, white bottom) tends to chop off your length, which is not the best move if you're a petite plus size. However, a light-colored top that stops above your hips helps raise your body figure.

Make sure the print and detail is scaled to your body size

Have fun with hosiery

An effortless way to look chic in plus size dresses, is to pair them hosiery. They help disguise razor bumps, ingrown hair, scars marks and make your legs look luscious. Given the right hosiery it can also lengthen your legs and make you look leaner.

For a trendy look pair black opaque tights with a basic wrap dress with long sleeves and a pair of platform pumps. Click here to learn more about how to buy and wear fashion hosiery

How to wear light colors

Light colors can maximize the size of your frame but you can easily fix that by adding a long pendant necklace to elongate your figure and/or an open vest in a dark neutral. Color-blocking tend to shorten the body figure, so add heels to compensate for that.

Select the right length

Plus size wrap dress
Courtesy of Kiyonna

Calf length dresses in general look best on slim legs and a taller figure. This is because the hemline highlights your calves (which are the heaviest part of the lower legs), making them look wider - and it also tends to overwhelm petites.

You can also counter the stubby-effect by adding high heels and look for a dress with a fitted skirt. The bottom should sit snugly around your hips to maintain a streamlined silhouette that we're aiming for.

Your best womens plus size dresses hit at the knee or shorter. Shorter hemlines show more legs and help you look trimmer.

More fashion advice on Plus Size Fashion & Dresses:

Shortcut banner to womens dresses shopping and styling tips

Shop Womens Plus Size Dresses Online

Shopping tip for international readers: Expensive worldwide shipping? US store doesn't ship to your country? Save up to 50% off retail price in your home country and gain access to the goodies. Try a mail forwarding service!