Master Plus-Size Dressing: Take the Style Quiz!
Dive into plus size dressing tips - ace the style quiz now!
This plus size style quiz helps you spot what flatters your shape, match outfits to events, and build looks with pieces you already own. Play for fun and pick up tips you can use today, then see personal styling advice and try our fashion IQ quiz .
Study Outcomes
- Identify Your Style Strengths -
Learn to recognize the silhouettes, patterns, and colors that enhance your curves and highlight your best features.
- Understand Core Plus Size Dressing Tips -
Grasp fundamental principles of how to dress plus size, from fabric choices to proportion balancing, for a flattering look every time.
- Apply Expert Styling Hacks -
Put top plus size dressing tips into practice by combining pieces and accessories that elevate your everyday outfits.
- Analyze Common Fashion Myths -
Challenge misconceptions about plus size fashion and discover which advice truly works versus what holds you back.
- Design Confident Outfits -
Use insights from our plus size style guide to create cohesive, stylish ensembles that boost your confidence and personal flair.
Cheat Sheet
- Know Your Body Proportions -
Understanding whether your measurements follow an hourglass, apple, pear, or rectangle shape helps you select garments that accentuate your best features for plus-size silhouettes. According to the Fashion Institute of Technology's curriculum, measuring shoulder, bust, waist, and hip ratios can guide you to styles that create harmony (e.g., carrying bust and hip measurements within 10% of each other suggests an hourglass silhouette). Remember the mnemonic "S-B-W-H" to quickly take four key measurements before shopping.
- Leverage Vertical Lines and Streamlined Silhouettes -
Vertical stripes, seams, and tapered cuts elongate the figure for plus-size frames and create a sleek, balanced look - a technique endorsed by research in the International Journal of Fashion Design. For example, a longline blazer with a single-button closure draws the eye up and down, adding visual height. Keep prints scaled to your proportions - opt for thinner stripes no wider than 1 inch for the most flattering effect.
- Define Your Waist for Balanced Proportions -
Creating or emphasizing a waistline using belts or tailored seams adheres to the "Rule of Thirds" taught at Parsons, guiding the eye to the narrowest part of your plus-size frame. By dividing your outfit into three visual sections (upper, mid, lower), you highlight curves and avoid a boxy silhouette. A lightweight belt at the natural waist or a peplum hem can serve as a practical style hack.
- Choose Fabrics That Drape Gracefully -
Opt for medium-weight fabrics with fluid drape - such as viscose blends or soft ponte knit - that skim plus-size curves without clinging, a tip supported by Cornell University's fiber science department. Avoid stiff materials that create unwanted volume and instead select textiles that follow your silhouette for a smooth, flattering effect. Use the memory phrase "D.R.A.P.E.": Drape, Relaxed, Avoid Cling, Proper Fall, Elegance.
- Master Strategic Layering and Tailoring -
Layering pieces of varying lengths (e.g., a long cardigan over a fitted top) builds depth without bulk and is a core principle taught at London College of Fashion for plus-size wardrobes. Always tailor key items - like blazers and trousers - to your proportions for a custom fit that prevents slouchiness or boxiness. Apply the 80/20 rule: 80% of your core wardrobe should be fit-focused classics, while 20% can incorporate trend-driven elements.