Finding an outfit for a special occasion can be challenging for any woman, but finding flattering and fashionable plus size occasion wear brings added complexity. However, with some planning and strategic shopping, curvy women can create showstopping that looks perfect for any formal event, cocktail party, or wedding.
Understanding Your Style
Before delving into specific occasion wear pieces, take time to analyze your unique style and body characteristics. This lays the foundation for choosing options that truly fit and flatter your shape:
Consider the following:
- Body shape: Determine if you have an hourglass, pear, apple, or other silhouette based on your shoulders, bust, waist, and hips. This guides dress and accessory choices.
- Personal style: Decide if your preferences lean classic, romantic, bold, minimalist, or trendy. This influences colors, patterns, and styling details.
- Comfort level: Factor in how at ease you feel showing skin or wearing restrictive outfits, given the event’s formality. Opulence isn’t required for confidence.
Choosing the Right Dress Silhouette for the Occasion
Once you understand your style and body shape, you can explore different dress styles tailored to the occasion. Click here for some plus size occasion wear for various events:
Formal Events
Floor-length gowns in chiffon, satin, or tulle make timeless formalwear options. Consider an A-line silhouette with an empire waist for ample bust support or a flowing skirt to balance hips. Add a stole to highlight bare shoulders elegantly.
Semi-Formal Events
Try a midi dress hitting just below the knees – the hem shows some skin while remaining office-appropriate. Look for wrap dresses, shirtdress silhouettes, or festive prints. The stretch in ponte knit fabrics allows movement and comfort during mingling.
Cocktail Parties and Evening Events
Cocktail parties call for elevated glamour. A figure-hugging sheath dress makes a sexy style statement. Or, opt for a sleeveless fit-and-flare dress with jewel neckline to highlight your décolletage with a touch of whimsy. Dramatic focal points like ruffles, asymmetric hems, or vibrant patterns command attention.
Daytime Events
Don’t overlook a well-tailored jumpsuit or coordinating separates like a crop top with a full midi skirt for garden parties, baby showers, or other daylight soirees. These modern looks keep you cool while still looking pulled-together and polished. Pick accessories in metallic sheens or layered necklaces to complement the sleek vibe.
Beyond the Dress: Completing Your Look
While the dress undoubtedly takes center stage for occasion wear, the small touches, from shoes to jewelry, make a big impact too. Choose accessories aligning with your personal flair:
Shoes
Stilettos or wedges extending your silhouette should be reserved for cocktails and formal affairs. Daytime or corporate events may call for stylish flats, kitten heels, or block-heel sandals that prevent sinking in grass or slipping on dance floors. Metallic leather or rhinestone-encrusted pairs add glitz.
Jewelry
Big statement earrings, a tennis bracelet, and an eye-catching cocktail ring amp up the after-dark allure. Multi-strand pearls, pendant necklaces, and stackable bangles impart timeless sophistication for office or religious celebrations. Colorful gemstones deliver punchy pops of personality, too.
Bags
Whether you choose a rhinestone-studded clutch, embroidered minaudière, or beaded evening bag, keep special occasion accessories petite in scale compared to everyday totes. This slims your frame visually. Inside slip pockets, safely secure lipstick, cards, and keys.
Shawls and Wraps
Toast chilly ballrooms or outdoor summer weddings by draping a pashmina-style shawl made of fine cashmere, lace, or chiffon atop sleeveless styles. Light top layers allow flexibility as you transition indoors and outdoors. Similarly, faux fur stoles lend old Hollywood allure come dusk.
Tips for Finding Flattering Plus Size Occasion Wear
Beyond style, fit reigns supreme when seeking confidence for momentous events. Follow these guidelines to accentuate curves in all the right ways:
Focus on Fit
No matter how eye-catching the dress, improper fit sabotages the look. Seek stretch fabrics that contour without clinging uncomfortably. Custom tailoring tweaks any imperfections, too. Order true-to-size charts and preview brand reviews around inclusive measuring.
Embrace Empire Waistlines
An empire waist hitting just below the bust draws eyes upwards, away from the stomach and hips, for a flattering effect. Flowy A-line skirts starting above the natural waist build a statuesque silhouette. Pair with a supportive bustier or strapless bra to prevent wardrobe malfunctions.
Play with Proportions
Illusion touches like sheer chest panels, thigh-high slits, and plunging necklines subtly bare smaller areas of skin to balance curves elsewhere. Tank tops and crop tops under blazers build sexy dimensions. Statement sleeves or asymmetric hems lend flirty directionality, breaking up your shape artfully.
Use Color and Prints Boldly
While many women stick to black, assuming slimming appeal, rich wines, emerald green, and sapphire blue actually appear more luxurious against warmer complexions. Geometric patterns and floral prints also camouflage problem zones better than solids. Keep hair and makeup relatively simple to avoid overpowering statements.
Accessorize Strategically
Avoid bulky jewelry competing for attention with ornate dresses. Let either the outfit or accessories stand out. Scarves and wraps disguise upper arms gracefully. Sheer tights create streamlined legs. Neutral platform wedges mimic heels while still being comfortable for all-day wear.
Finding the Perfect Plus Size Occasion Wear
While mainstream brands historically lacked size diversity, today’s market brims with extended size options both in stores and online. Shop multiple sources to compile looks suiting both body and budget:
Online Retailers
E-commerce sites offer extensive plus size occasion wear in sleek silhouettes and whimsical prints unavailable elsewhere. Reliable size chart data reduces guesswork, too. Many also allow free returns for peace of mind.
Department Stores
Once limited to muted offerings, major chains now cater to on-trend tastes thanks to conscious inclusion initiatives. They boast a myriad of stylish plus-size dresses blending classics with must-have details like cold shoulders and high-low hems. In-store try-ons confirm ideal match.
Tailors and Seamstresses
Independent tailors expertly tweak waistbands, shorten hemlines, and insert panels for those craving true customization, guaranteeing a made-to-measure fit. Some even create one-of-a-kind designs aligning with your vision. Experience guarantees precision adjustments flattering your figure.
Fashion Blogs and Influencers
Everyday women of all sizes now model occasion wear as bloggers and social media influencers. Following body-positive mavens showing real outfits on non-samples inspires current trends, styling advice and where to access hard-to-find extended sizes. Instagram shoppable tags deliver looks straight to your door.
Conclusion
Searching for perfect plus size special occasion outfits undoubtedly takes a bit more effort. However, curvy women can express their personal style for any event by better understanding unique body shapes through personalized analysis, strategically selecting figure-flattering silhouettes and prints, and accessorizing thoughtfully. Confidence emanates from embracing natural beauty unapologetically. With so many brands expanding size ranges alongside influencers showcasing fierce curves, options keep growing to support just that.
