How to pick a plus size formal dress?

Picture yourself look fabulous in a plus size formal dress. Achieving that perfect look has not come easy though. Picking the right plus size dress is an important step in making yourself look beautiful. Just like regular size dresses, not all plus size dresses are designed to be equal.

Why would a plus size formal dress look great on your friend but less astounding on you? The reason is simple. You need to match your body type to the type of plus size dress that would be suitable for you.

If you are heavier at the bottom than your torso then you are likely to be pear shaped. This just means that you need to draw attention to your upper body. Plus size formal dresses with A-line cuts that gradually increase in width from your waist downwards helps to hide your larger lower body. At the top, go for empire cut plus size dresses that help to widen the width of your shoulders and thus balance out your lower body. You may even put on a belt to accentuate your waist.

Things to avoid in plus size formal dressing are bottoms are skirts that are tight at the hips. If you are putting on a jacket, don’t let it go too long until your hips. This will only make your hips look larger. Also, avoid oversized dresses or you may end up looking even larger.

Conversely, apple-shaped women have a heavier upper body, with heavier breasts and broader shoulders. With slimmer hips and legs, shorter A-line skirts would work well to show off those legs.

On the upper body, V-neck plus size dresses to show off some of that cleavage. Avoid plus size formal dresses with wide collars. Dresses that are flat at the front help to camouflage the larger torso. Also, if you have a rounder middle, it’s best that you select plus size formal dresses with folds in the middle to hide that section.

In addition, avoid picking a dress that maybe too tight at the top. The right mix of colors is also important. For plus size formal dressing, get one with monochromatic colors or pick darker colors for the upper body.

Finally, if you are equally heavy at both lower and upper body that you have a straight body type. You’d want to pick plus size formal dresses that will elongate your height. To do this, pick long flowing dresses. For the upper body, choose wide collars that show off your collarbone as this will make your neck look longer.

Shopping for Cheap Plus Size Dresses

Buying plus size women’s clothing doesn’t mean that you have to spend top dollar. In fact, you can purchase cheap plus size clothing right from the Internet.

The first site anyone would visit when looking for bargains would of course be ebay.com. In one of my previous posts, I explored cheap plus size designer dresses you can find online. However, if you are buying clothing that’s being auctioned, you’d have to compete with others on your bid price. In the end, you may be paying more that you normally would for cheap plus size clothing.

In this case, your next option is to scour through shopping sites such as www.smartbargains.com, www.shopping.com or www.nextag.com. You can find cheap plus size tops, bottoms and dresses all at clearance prices. A clear picture of the product can be viewed from these sites, along with a description of each. In addition, a returns policy gives you ample time for returns should the product fail to meet expectations.

At Smartbargains.com, you’ll also find that many cheap plus size women’s apparel are designer brands with a huge discount. At times, discounts for quality apparel could go as high as 70%. For example, this red Anne Klein suit is only going for $99 at Smartbargains.com, while the Nine West floral top (shown at the top) is going for only $49.99.

Overstock.com is another great site for cheap plus size clothing. Here you can find brands such as Nine West, Calvin Klein and DKNY selling at clearance discounts of 50 – 60%.

Specialty stores such as Catherine’s, Just for Curves, Just My Size and Fashion Bug offer great bargains at marked down prices especially during the end of a season. For instance, this floral retro plus size dress is selling only at $31.95 at Just for Curves.


Essentially, if you are seeking for plus size designer labels at a bargain, then shopping sites are the way to go. On the other hand, specialty stores gives you value for money when it comes to cheap plus size dressing. Also, with their focus on plus sizes, you have a great inventory pool to choose your cheap plus size apparel from.

How to select a cheap plus size dress?

Being a plus size does not mean that you can’t really wear anything other than a sack. The reality is that you can look great in any cheap plus size dress as long as you know how to. After all, you have more curves that you can accentuate, as compared to a size 0.

Now, let’s get to the basics of plus size dressing. First, you’ve got to know what shape you are. If you are heavier at the top, this means you are apple shaped. Therefore, your plus size dress should NOT focus on the top part of your body, but instead, draw attention to the lower body. A-line dresses are great as they balance out the heavier top, by gradually increasing in width as it flows down.

Being apple shaped also means you have a larger bust to show. With this, you can opt for low cut V-neck lines and even a sleeveless top.

Pear shape plus sizes with heavier bottoms should put on dresses that focus on their top. Empire dresses are great for you, as the attention is drawn to the top of the dress. Also, the heavier bottom is camouflaged. You’ll also need to widen the look on your shoulders by getting wide-necked tops.

If you are cone shaped, slightly heavy at the top and smaller at the bottom, then you’ll just need to dress-up to look proportionate. Again, A-line plus size dresses are great for you or full skirts. Avoid jackets or tops with broad shoulders, or puffy sleeves or even drop shoulder tops. As rule of thumb, cone shape plus sizes should choose dress to draw attention to the middle and lower part of the body. A belt or a sash should do the trick.

Finally, avoid putting on a cheap plus size dress that’s baggy and oversized. This helps to add even more weight to your overall look, and thus make you look even bigger than you actually are! Ultimately, plus size dressing requires good judgment on the dress you select for that stunning impression. Check out my next post Shopping for Cheap Plus Size Dresses to obtain some ideas on plus size shopping labels.

Cheap plus size designer dresses

In our world today, being plus size doesn’t really mean that you’ll have trouble finding the clothes you need. While you first need to learn the ropes of dressing right for plus sizes, the next step is to know where to look for the best deals for cheap plus size designer dresses.

The Internet is a treasure trove of links, online shops, auction sites, off season outlets and wholesalers that let you pick the best deals on plus size dresses. For instance, Cherished Woman features brands like Donna Rico, Abby Z and Anna Scholz with an online discount. Many of these are medium length floral prints that are both comfortable and gorgeous.

Another popular online plus size dress site is Lane Bryant. With designs and sizes made especially for plus sizes, Lane Bryant apparel helps you look and feel comfortable. The soft fabric tones are easy to mix and match, in addition to working well in creating that feminine look. Otherwise, their jacket and blazer collection is just what a plus size woman needs to look good at work. With prices starting from US$ 9.99 for bargain items, Lane Bryant cheap plus size designer dresses are truly affordable.

If you are seeking for formal plus size dresses at a bargain, Smart Bargains is the site to visit. Check out brands such as Anne Klein, Nine West, Liberte and Calvin Klein at great discounts!

Other stores that offer a bang for your buck would be Plus Size Designer Fashion. As apparel types are categorized according to needs, it’s easy for you to quickly find what you need. For instance, you can get brands like Newport, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger at low, low prices.

Now, if you want plus size designs by the experts, you should also check out plus size designer collections from Eileen Fisher. While the designs are gorgeous, Eileen Fisher apparel borders on the high side in terms of price.

Finally, UK site Sosienna features cheap plus size designer brands such as Monif C., Karen Kane or Anna Scholz at half the usual retail price. Plus size categories are divided into intuitive categories for easy searching.