Its Your Body Shape That Counts – Not Your Size

In this article we look at the common notion that size is  everything. Of course, as fuller figured women, we know  that whilst the tabloids and movies seem to be constantly  convinced that women come in one size, that size being  “THIN”, we know what more than half of American women are  a size 14 or above. And a size 14 is the first in the size  for the plus size range.  So, are we saying in a  roundabout way that more than half the women in America  are a plus size?  Well, yes, I guess we are.

But more than our size, it is our bodyshape that dictates  the styles of clothing that will fit us the best and  therefore flattering our figure so as to show off our good  points.

Whether you are a woman from America, Canada, Australia,  the United Kingdom or anywhere else, you will have  observed the strange phenomenon whereby a size 18 skirt,  lets assume this is in the US, bought from one  manufacturer is fits you completely different to a size 18  skirt bought from another shop – even though both are more  or less the same style of skirt.

Why is this?

Because our clothes sizes at the moment are basedon  measurements taken from the sometime around the 1950s.

And, given our current lifestyle these days compared to 50  years ago where there was no junk food and people were  more active and therefore much more fitter and slimmer  than they are today, the sizes from that era don’t really  apply to the women of today.  We are much bigger than our  counterparts were in the 1950s.  Remember Elizabeth Taylor  or Ava Gardner and their hourglass figures?  Marilyn  Monroe was considered big and she was only a size 14!

Since we have had no proper sizings commissioned by the  government or other body, many designers and manufacturers  have made concessions to the basic sizings and you’ll  notice that a size 14 of today is a lot bigger than a size  14 was back in 1950.

In fact surveys carried out by the mail order company J.D  Williams and another similar survey carried out in Germany  with regards to sizing confirmed that only a small  proportion (about 10%) of the population were comfortable  in the standard sizes. In other words, the basic sizes  that we are used to, can only comfortably accomodate a  smaller portion of the population. The rest of us will  find that something doesn’t quite fit “right”, even though  we have bought an item of clothing in what we believe is  the right size for us.

These surveys also found that today’s women have, compared  to existing standard sizes:

• a flatter bottom

• fuller upper arms

• larger upper hips

• larger, lower breasts

• a thicker waist

• a more rounded tummy

Smart Winter Coats in Plus Sizes

Sometimes, going shopping to look for smart coats for the fuller figure can seem like a rather thankless task. Especially when all you see in front are huge and rather shapeless items of clothing that look quite ugly.

Thankfully, this is not the case when it comes to shopping online for plus size coats and formal clothing in larger sizes.

If you shop with retailers who clearly know their target market, the fuller figured women, then you know you are going to see quality plus size clothing at good prices. You will find fashionable plus size winter outfits for the larger sized woman.

Where to Buy Smart Plus Size Coats

Places such as Silhouettes.com where you can save Up to $40 on Winter Coats or Avenue.com were you can Shop Plus Size Coats lead the way in smarter clothing for the larger woman. The tailoring and fit of their range of winter plus size coats and jackets is exceptional and more geared towards the smarter more executive woman at work. These 2 retailers won’t compromise their fashion sense or quality when it comes to plus size clothing.

Remember also, that you are more than just your size. Whether you are a size 16, or 22 or 30. You also have a body shape and when you shop for a nice, smart fitting plus size coat – it also has to fit your BODY SHAPE properly too.

What’s Your Body Shape?

You might be a little confused by this, because up until now, all you have been hearing people talk about is your size. But, you also have a type of body shape, and this also applies to women who are, for want of a better word, regular sized.  You see, you might have a low waist or a high waist, you might have huge hips and narrow and tiny shoulders. You might be the same size from shoulder to hips to bust. All of these constitute different body shapes.
So, if you only go by your “size” and select a coat or another item of clothing, you could still end up with something that is not right for you.

And you already probably have done this without knowing about it. Have you ever bought an item of clothing that is the correct “size” but you have tried it on, or even bought it only to be bothered by something that you can’t quite place your finger on, except that you know is doesn’t look quite right.  This is what we are talking about here.  Your body shape.

As mentioned earlier in this articles, there are lots of different body shapes and once we take the time to know what one we are, we get better at choosing the right type of clothing for us.

Where to Shop for 2011 Plus Size Prom Dresses?

2011 prom dresses explode with color and with so many prom dress collections from so many designers, many ladies  are going to have hard time finding only one prom dress for their big night.
For plus size prom, head on over to Sydney’s Closet and look through one of the largest collection of fashionable plus size prom dresses from sizes 14 to 44. All dresses are ready to ship and will be delivered to straight to your door.  The hardest part is browsing online to narror your choice down to one particular outfit.

Many look to the Golden Globes, which normally take place in January to get inspiration from the designer dresses and ballgowns worn by the leading ladies of Hollywood.  ballgowns to get a little bit of inspiration on what they might want to wear to prom night.

The season from January to May seems to be quite a busy one for plus size retailers that specialise in plus size prom and wedding dresses.  With prom night in March and the late spring to summer months being so popular for weddings, it seems that the plus size designers are nose to the grind for the first half of the year.

Depending on whether you are looking for a plus size formal wedding gown to wear to the church or perhaps some thing more casual, if you are having a beach wedding, Sydnye’s closest has outfits  for both.

Not only that, they also have a huge selection of plus size mother of the bride and plus size mother of the groom special occasion dresses, so your mom and prospective mom-in-law can find their special occasion dresses easily as well.

Smart Suits for Bigger Women

Big women looking to buy smart suits might find themselves spoilt for choice especially if they browse through the collection of formal career suits and special occasions suits at the premier internet retailers such as Womensuits.com

Gracefully designed with the larger woman in mind, the designers of these plus size women’s suits know exactly how to tailor their garments so that they will fit the fuller figured woman like a dream.

If you are fed up of blouses gaping at your bust, or skirts riding up because they are too tight, or waistbands dipping on your skirts and trousers, not to mention that common bandit of them all, being unable to fasten zips at the waist, then you will probably have been a victim of buying suits that were badly designed for the ample figured woman.

All you want is to find a smart work suit or church suit that will fit well and look elegant. That doesn’t seem to be too tall an order does it?

You will find that Womensuits.com have been around since 1998 designing clothes for many larger sized women and they have thousands of satisfied customers.

Check out a few of their sample worksuits below and browse the full range of the clothing collection too:

Women’s Skirt Suits

Women’s Dresses

Buying Plus Size Prom Dresses – Tips & Advice

Every girl dreams about her prom.  Who will ask her? How will he ask her? And, most importantly, what will she wear?

Females will sit for hours discussing hem lengths and hairstyles, trying to imagine how beautiful they will look on that magical night.  But getting ready for a prom takes a lot of hard work and imagination.

Finding the best plus size prom dresses or prom gown is not an easy task.  There are hundreds of stores and thousands of styles.  What’s a girl to do?  Follow these tips and you will have the perfect prom dress to wear on your perfect prom night:

Making a Plan For A Wonderful Prom

When searching for the perfect prom dress, organization is the key.  Begin looking at dresses far in advance of the prom.  If you don’t have a date yet, think positive!  Some lucky guy will certainly ask you and you want to be ready when he does.

Pick up copies of the latest fashion magazines and see what dresses catch your eye.  Look at celebrity photos to check out what’s current in Hollywood.  As you pass a magazine stand, stop and look at the covers.  Is there a dress that jumps out at you?  Buy the magazine and file away the photo, or go home and draw out a copy of what you saw.

February/March time is generally Oscar time, when anyone who is anyone in Hollywood will be strutting their stuff on the red carpet.
The Hollywood Oscars ceremony attracts a global audience most of whom are just as interested in what the women celebrities are wearing as they are in who has actually won any awards!

So, watching the Oscars ceremony on TV or buying the magazines or newspapers thereafter, will provide you some brilliant ideas on high glamour dressing up.

Points to think about when getting ready for your Prom Night include:

• Look at the dress fabrics, colors and styles

• Look at the way the celebrities have fashioned their hair and done their make-up

• What sort of jewelry are they wearing?

• Pay attention to their shoes and wraps/stoles/shawls

Step into stores, not to buy, but to look.  Try on lots of different prom dresses, from short to long, from silky to lacy.  See what works and what doesn’t work.  Some styles will make you look terrific, while others will fall flat.  Make note of colors that make your skin glow and styles that accentuate your positives.  Check out major department stores and small boutiques to get a good idea of what’s available.

Trying on dresses also helps to determine your size.  Since there is no standardization in the fashion industry, a Macy’s size 12 might be a Kohl’s size 10.  Keep track of what sizes fit at each store, and add that information to your growing prom file.

As you try on prom dresses you will begin to see what styles and colors work best for you.  This will save you time when you are ready to actually start shopping.  And don’t make the major mistake of thinking that you will slim down to a smaller size.  Be realistic.  You want your beautiful prom dress to really fit on your beautiful night.

Designers often offer catalogs with choices that are not carried by stores.  Ask boutique owners if they have any catalogs, and add them to your growing prom dress selection collection.  Another great place to look is fabric stores.  If you want something that no one else will have, getting a dress created just for you will do the trick.  Even if you plan to buy off the rack, looking at fabrics will help you figure out your likes and dislikes.  Take a friend along and hold up fabrics to your skin so she can tell you what makes you look really great.

Don’t forget the biggest prom dress photo gallery in the world – the internet.  Spend a lot of time checking out prom dress sites and perusing fashions on the web.

So, to recap:

• Get inspiration from Oscar night or any other Red Carpet events

• Buy magazines, check billboard hoardings to see what celebrities are wearing

• Visit stores and try on clothes to get a feel for what works best for you

• Get catalogs from major Prom dress designers and manufacturers

• Look online

What’s Hot and What’s Not When Dressing For Prom Night
There’s nothing worse than showing up in yesterday’s fashion.  Keep on your toes and look for trends that will make you the belle of the ball.

What Colors Look Good on You?
One of your most important choices in a prom dress will be the color.  Do you want something muted or flashy, something striking or understated?  Look at the favorite pieces that hang in your closet.  Which ones draw the most compliments?  Which ones make you always feel great when you put them on?  Look for those same colors in your prom dress.

Black and white are always classic choices.  Black is slimming and always a bit mysterious.  It says that people may not know the real you.  A hint of mystery is great for any girl!  Black can drain the color from some people, so try on a black dress in different kinds of light (dim, shiny, etc) so you don’t fade out on the dance floor.

White says innocence and loveliness, but not everyone can wear white. If you find that stark white is not right for you, choose one of the sister colors like ecru or champagne.  It may give your skin that special glow that will set you apart at the prom.

A favorite choice for prom night is a prom dress in deep, colorful tones.  Think of brilliant coral that lines the beach, or robin’s egg blue.  Choose a color that matches your eyes or brings out your great tan.  Wearing a bright, brilliant color makes a statement.  You know who you are and where you are going.

Don’t be afraid to wear bold, beautiful colors.  Everyone will be talking about how wonderful you look.

Another great choice in a prom dress is the entire spectrum of sherbet colors.  Pale yellow, hazy pink and sweet lavender will make any girl look special.  Find gauzy tones that work with your skin color, and then find an eye shadow that picks up a hint of the color.

When choosing a prom dress style remember that you will be the one wearing the dress, not a Hollywood celebrity.  If the style is not you, you won’t be comfortable.

Consider Your Body Shape Carefully
Look at your body realistically and pick a style that accentuates the positive and minimizes the negative.  Brighter colors on top take the eye away from a less than perfect bottom, and if you’ve got too much on the top, steer away from empire waists and bold patterns that accentuate your chest.

There are as many styles as there are prom dresses.  Slim and chic is always popular, but a one-piece prom dress is not right for every girl.  If you prefer a broken line, look at great separates that work well together.  A coordinating top can set off a slinky skirt in a way that a one piece dress could never do.  And if you have great legs, show them off.  A very popular prom dress style is mid-calf rather than floor-length.  If you have it, flaunt it!

A strapless gown will make you feel like a movie star when you glide into the prom, but you need to have nice shoulders to pull it off.  Short prom dresses are very popular, especially ones that make a statement with asymmetrical hems or small trains.

Don’t forget Cinderella dresses – what seems like miles of fabric in a bouffant skirt, with beads and jewels added for glamour.  What little girl doesn’t want to be Cinderella for just one night!

Accessories To Complement Your Prom Dress
Pay special attention to accessories.  They can make the difference between fabulous and flat.  Choose lingerie that works with the dress.  If you’re going strapless, pick a bra with strong underwire and a slight push-up so you will get the cleavage you want.  A clingy satin prom dress calls out for a one-piece shaper that will look invisible.

Jewelry, shoes, scarves, and hair decorations all need to be selected with care.  Pearls look best close to the neck, and never wear necklaces that dip down into your cleavage.  If you plan on wearing your hair up, dangly earrings that sparkle around your neck are terrific.  For those with long hairdos, pick out dramatic studs that make a statement about who you are.

As for shoes, remember that you will be dancing.  What looks great at the store may hurt your feet all night.  Find something stylish and comfortable.  You won’t regret it.  Another tip for those with larger feet: an open toe or heel will cut the line of your foot, making it appear smaller.

Where to Buy Your Perfect Prom Dress
Once you’ve spent hours of your life narrowing down your choices and deciding what color and style is right for you, it’s time to shop.  You’ll be looking for the highest quality at the lowest price, not an easy combination to find.

Almost every clothing store carries a selection of dresses that would look great at a prom.  The larger retailers like Macys or Nordstrom carry a huge selection, but you always take the chance that you could bump into someone at the prom who is wearing the identical dress.  Some stores actually keep track of prom dress sales, so you can check to see if anyone from your school has selected the dress you want to buy.

Small boutiques don’t have as much selection, but what they have is often one of a kind.  You’ll be able to find special colors or fabrics that aren’t in the fashion lines carried by the big box stores.  Local designers often place their dresses in small shops, so you will be assured of having something that is unique.

Whilst it might not pop into your mind at first, thrift stores and second-hand shops are a great resource.  Thousand dollar gowns that have been worn only once can be snatched up for pennies on the dollar, and these types of stores have wonderful accessories that can turn your prom dress into something really special.

Last, but not least, is the great shopping mall in the sky – the internet.  Wonderful prom dresses are only a click away.

You will find incredible choices, from designer gowns to discounted fashions.  There is something for everyone on the World Wide Web.  Internet shopping is especially good for plus size prom dresses.

Many stores still carry only the standard sizes, but plus size girls want to look fabulous too.  The web gives them access to hundreds of sites that cater to the curvier teen, and some even have virtual fitting rooms where a model sized just like you can show you how the dress will fit.

Here is a list of some of the best prom dress stores online. These dresses are breathtakingly beautiful, utterly stylish and range in pricing from discount to $1000s of dollars. Take a look at some of these dresses and you will get a feel for the sort of dress you would like to wear on your Prom Night:

Sydney’s Closet

eDressMeProm

Bluegala Prom Dresses

Once the prom is over and you’ve happily pasted the pictures of your perfect prom dress into your scrapbook, think about doing something really terrific.  There are girls all over the world who can’t afford to buy their perfect dress, and organizations have sprung up to help them.  From the Fairy Godmothers of Flagstaff to the Glass Slipper Project in Illinois, a donation of your dress and accessories can help make another girl’s dream come true.  Check out the internet for drop-off sites near you.

Here is a list of some of the places where you can donate your Prom dress and accessories and play fairy godmother to another girl who dreams of going to the ball:

http://www.donatemydress.org/

http://www.glassslipperproject.org/

In any case, the tips in this post should help you get started towards planning for your truly magnificent prom night.

You can be the belle of the ball and look and feel a million dollars in a beautiful prom dress that fits perfectly and makes you look great too!

Plus size prom, think of the clothing, the fabulous plus size prom dresses, the shoes, the hair styles, makeup, the jewelry, the handbag and any other accessories – if there are any left out!

Plus size prom refers to all things to do with looking for a beautiful outfit to wear to your Prom Night. Being plus size means you have more curves and a fuller figure and you need to find the type of outfit that will do you justice and bring out your best features.

If you have a large bust, don’t accentuate that further by wearing a dress that shows off your cleavage because this is what will be most prominent.

In this situation you would choose a dress that covers your chest modestly and perhaps accentuates another area of your body – perhaps your legs? Or your arms?

You bring focus to other areas by targetting them with specific items of clothing or jewelry.
For instance, wearing big earrings will make people notice your face and ears more, a super sophisicated hairstyle will bring more attention to your face than your body. This is a good one to bear in mind if you want people to stop looking at your chest.

Long black gloves, such as those worn by Audrey Hepburn in the ultra fashionable “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, will look good, if you can carry them off and make people notice those first, over anything else.

Looking The Perfect Plus Size Bride

Impression Bridal Gowns Style 6159

Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your  life and you want everything to be perfect and you want  to look the most beautiful on this special day too.

If you are a plus size bride, it can be a little  daunting especially when you look at the selection of  plus size wedding gowns that are available for the  fuller figured bride. You might even find that not only  are the selections of plus size designer wedding dress  or casual plus size wedding dresses little short of  mediocre, but they don’t even have the size that you  are looking for. There are so many places you can shop at online, The Bridal Boutique at Kiyonna.com and PlusSizeBridal.com to name just a few.

Thank goodness you are a bride now and not ten or so  years ago!  There is a LOT more choice now for fuller  figured brides and even a great selection of  beautifully tailored dresses for the plus size  bridesmaid. Thank goodness for the internet. Not only  are more and more retailers and designers of plus size  clothing for women going online, but they have far more  choice and lots of sizes available.

If you have been disappointed with shopping for your  wedding dresses at the department stores, you are SURE  to find the right wedding dress for you.

Even if you are looking for something very specific to  fit in with the theme and tone of your wedding, you  will find the perfect wedding dress.  You might be  having a beach wedding and need are shopping around for  plus size beach wedding dresses, sure, no problem. By  shopping around online and comparing the different  styles of outfits from different designers, you’ll be  able to the exact type of beach wedding dress you are  looking for.

If you are after a plus size vintage wedding dress  because you really like vintage clothing for its old  style elegance or want to go through a collection of
plus size summer wedding dresses because your wedding  is taking place during the nice hot sunny days, then  you can narrow the focus of what you are looking for  and find the perfect dress for your big day.

Plus Size Maternity Clothing

The wonderful feelings most often associated with being motherhood can be dampened for many plus size women, when they see the poor choice of plus size maternity clothing available in stores across the country.

It seems that retailers and designers lose sight of the fact that every woman, no matter what her size, wants to look and feel good about herself and her body when she is pregnant.

Thankfully, we now have the internet and the wonderful world of online shopping which offers up a completely different shopping experience. This is more true when you cannot find the items you are looking for so easily offline.  You can be assured that hard to find clothing, such as maternity clothes for larger women, are easier to locate online.

What to Look For In Plus Size Clothing

Naturally you want a combination of comfortable clothing as well as stylish and fashionable as well. After all, you’re only having a baby. It’s not as if you have lost all sense of fashion and sensibility.

With plus size woman, your size is already bigger but you’ll find your breasts and waist and stomach putting on more weight as you progress through your pregnancy. Although, large women as a group tend to gain less weight in their pregnancy and more often than not, can get by in their regular items of clothing. In fact, you might find that buying clothes that are a size or two bigger might be the only thing you need to do.

If you are on the lower scale of the plus size range, such as size 16 – 22, then you might need to buy plus size maternity clothing because you will gain weight and grow in size like average-sized women.

If you are in the middle range of the scale, say in the size 24 and upwards region, you will probably be able to get away with buying your usual clothes one or two sizes bigger. This is becuase women at this weight will tend not to put on a lot of weight or experience such a significant change in the size of the body.

If you want to read more about maternity clothing for women based on plus sizes, you can read all about it here.

When looking for plus size maternity clothes, the emphasis should be on comfort and you will find a great choice of casual wear clothing available to choose from.

Separates such as leggings, drawstring pants and pants with an elasticated waist are very comfortable to wear.
Pregnancy tops, loose and comfortable are a great accompaniment to pants and leggings. Specifically, “baby doll” or “trapeze” style tops work better for larger size moms-to-be.

Regarding sleepwear and active wear, there isn’t a need to buy specific maternity clothing for these activities, especially if you are on a budget and prefer to save your money to spend on the baby. T-shirts in men’s large sizes are a wonderful alternative and very comfortable to wear.
If you want to shop around for plus size active wear specifically, then look at Junonia who offer a great selection of maternity tees and casual tops and pants at reasonable prices.