6 Workwear Tips For Plus-Size Women
Want to step up your workwear game but don’t know what sort of colours, prints and fabrics work for your curvy body type? Then you’ll be glad to know that Sophia Hung, founder of The Amber Loft, a local fashion brand that caters to petite plus-size women, has some useful tips. Scroll the gallery to check them out.
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Image: The Amber Loft
1. Choose colour tones that work for you
“Black may make you look smaller in size, but there are many other colours you can go for. Figure out your skin undertone, whether it’s cool, warm or neutral, and you’ll be able to find out what sort of dark colours that work well for you. For example, olive green tones work well on girls with yellow undertones, while dark purple tones work well on girls with cool undertones. In general, darker tones complement most Asian girls as we are typically dark-haired and dark-eyed.”
Try Megan Shift Dress, $69.
2. Learn how to pick prints
“Choose prints that are to scale with your body size. A literal rule of thumb is that the pattern should be no smaller than your thumb, and no larger than your palm. This will ensure that the print is not too small, which will make you look ‘overly large’, and not too big, which might just overwhelm your frame.”
Try Chelsea Shift Dress, $69.
3. Don't always go for stretchy
“Salespeople will usually try to sell you a dress that’s stretchable, but the only stretchable items you should be wearing at work are pantyhoses or winter tights. Clothes that are a little stretchy are all right, but extremely stretchy dresses mean that the fabric will probably be stretched thinly over your curvy parts, which might be unsightly. Instead, got for a well-fitted article of clothing as it’ll make you more polished and demonstrate your attention to detail.”
4. Wear the right fabrics
“Lightweight fabrics such as chiffon aren’t your best friend. Go for heavier fabrics as they provide better coverage over any lumps and bumps and give a neater, more streamlined appearance.”
Try Piper Dress, $69.
5. Be open to wearing dresses
“Wearing a well-fitted dress can make you look slimmer and taller as compared to wearing a separate top and bottom. This is because a dress appears as one continuous flow from top to bottom and your body doesn’t look ‘cut’ into two with a horizontal break at the waist.”
Try Cocoon Dress, $69.
6. Accentuate your assets by accessorising appropriately
“You can also try to highlight the slimmest parts of your body. For example, if you have thin wrists, you can accentuate them by wearing bracelets or a watch. If you have collarbones, you can try wearing scoop neck tops and delicate necklaces. And if you have a small waist relative to your bust and hips, wear a belt. Plus-size women are often stuck in a rut trying to hide what they don’t like about their body but they tend to forget about their assets.”
Try Miro Blouson Jacket, $45.