How to Dress a Plus Size Body – Great Resources for Great Tricks

So now we are into getting our plus size capsule wardrobe put together. We have decided what we need to buy, and where we are going to buy it. We’ve gone over a few tricks that will make us look more put-together, and more at ease with our fuller figures. Well, ladies (and gents) I want to let you in on where I got my information, and what led me to want to help other women learn how to dress a plus size body.

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What Not To Wear

When I first started watching “What Not To Wear” on TLC back in 2007-ish, I was a frumpy dumpy jeans and t-shirt wearing fat chick that had no self-esteem and no confidence whatsoever. I HATED going out in public because I KNEW people were looking at me and judging me. I never wore make-up, and the only reason I used a hair dryer was because most of the year I lived in a below-0 climate, and I didn’t want to freeze to death with wet hair.

I guess what drew me to “What Not To Wear” was that I always liked “before” and “after” pictures, so I just started watching for that aspect. I didn’t think any of it could apply to me. I thought that I would dress nice and buy nice clothes and wear makeup when I lost the weight.

However, as I watched, week by week, a lot of what Stacy London and Clinton Kelly had to say started to hit home for me. They said there were ways to dress that camouflaged the parts of my body that I didn’t like. They said to wear the nice clothes and makeup NOW, because who knew when that weight would come off? (They would ask a contestant how long he or she had been carrying their weight, and the contestant would say something like 10 years. I thought to myself, hey, I’ve been carrying my weight for at least 10 years. Maybe I should listen! And I did!)

I started applying what Stacy and Clinton said (channeling my inner Stacy) as one of the contestants said, and I found THEY WERE RIGHT! I do have a waist! I do look much better AND FEEL BETTER with my hair and my makeup done! I felt like a miracle happened to me.

I began to get compliments at work. My boss (a lady named Doreen) one time asked me for my help on a complex problem, which I figured out. And she said, “See, you’re not just a pretty face!” I always remember that comment. She said I was pretty! That never EVER happened before.

Another time, of course I had dressed and knew what I looked like in my own full length mirror at home. But later that day, I was down town getting the mail, and I saw myself reflected in the tall windows of the post office, and I thought to myself, Hey, that lady looks really nice! Then I realized that lady was me! I looked AND FELT like a million bucks! And I have tried to dress ever since to get that same feeling. It’s been a wonderful journey from frump-a-dump to a million bucks, and I hope to help you all get there too.

===>Buy Season 1 of What Not To Wear by clicking here now!<===

===>Buy Best of What Not To Wear box set by clicking here now!<===

===>Buy What Not To Wear Specials by clicking here now!<===

===>Buy What Not To Wear Mom Makeovers by clicking here now!<===

How to Dress a Plus Size Body

How To Never Look Fat Again

In the midst of my “What Not To Wear” days, I was watching a morning show (can’t remember which one now) and they did an interview or discussed a book about never looking fat again. Here again they were going to do “before” and “after” pictures, my favorite thing to look at, so it caught my attention. They discussed this book, “How To Never Look Fat Again”, and had models demonstrate the concepts. As I watched, I found my self thinking, “Hey, that’s what they say on What Not To Wear!”

I went right to Amazon and bought the book, which is a New York Best Seller, by the way. It’s pretty awesome. There are more tricks and techniques to try, plus they demonstrate using pictures of stars and popular people we all know (Michelle Obama) to show the concepts. I really like the “high fat vs. no fat” pictures, plus the looks for all seasons, including how to look thin in a winter jacket! It’s a great book and I encourage anyone looking for tips on how to dress a plus size body to get it and keep it handy when looking to fill your plus size closet.

===>Buy How to Never Look Fat Again book by clicking here now!<===

Oh No She Didn’t

When “What Not To Wear” went off the air a few years back, I found myself cut loose on a sea alone without Clinton and Stacy to tell me what not to wear. I watched reruns of the show until I had them almost memorized, but had nothing to guide me once I got tired of that. Lucky I had just started getting into shopping at Amazon. There, I came across Clinton Kelly’s book, “Oh No She Didn’t”. I downloaded this one to my Kindle Fire. In this book are hundreds of fashion mistakes, which Clinton tells you how to avoid. Another of my very favorite guides in how to dress a plus size body.

===>Buy Oh No She Didn’t book by clicking here now!<===

The Truth About Style

“The Truth About Style” is Stacy London’s New York Times Best Seller about what TO wear. The cool thing about Stace is that she understands the emotional core issues that led to NOT dressing your best. I guess that’s why “What Not To Wear” hooked me, because the whole reason I dressed poorly was my emotional issues. I am so glad that Stacy London addressed that in the show, and it looks like she addresses that in her book. I have not read this book yet, because, you know, LIFE. But it is on my reading list. I trust Stacy enough to know (and I trust Amazon’s 4.5 star reviews) that this will be a good read for all of us plus size girls.

===>Buy The Truth About Style book by clicking here now!<===

So this is where I started….

Check out the books and videos. Not only are they entertaining, but they are comprehensive guided to how to dress a plus size body. If you have any suggestions or comments, please leave them below, as all of us are looking for more ideas on how to dress a plus size body. Hopefully we can all help each other to go from frump-a-dump to a million bucks!

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10 Comments

  1. Dhayours

    Thanks for sharing this information and educative post. I think I’m interested in “how to, never look fat again” I’m fat before but after taking some measures I think I look normal now so this will really enhance me in maintaining my body. I must commend you for taking your time to share this information.

    • Rhonda

      Thank you for reading and sharing your comments.  Yes, the How to Never Look Fat Again is a great book for anyone, any size.  It would help even the skinniest person with some tricks to look her best.  Thanks again for your comments!  RhondaLeigh

  2. Strahinja

    Hello and thank you for this informative article. I am going to share it with my sister. She is slightly overweight but enjoys high fashion and she always looks amazing. For some time, she started feeling bad about her looks and the fact that she is not able to fit her favorite clothes the she could half a year ago.

    You do have some great insights and after reading your article I can tell she is going to love it as well. So happy I found your website.

    Best regards,

    Strahinja

    • Rhonda

      Hello and thank you for your comment!  And yes, please share this with your sister.  More people gain weight than lose it, and your sister doesn’t need to feel badly about it.  Tell her to ditch those clothes that are too small now, and get some great new ones!  Many years ago, I was a size 14. Now I am a size 28.  I doubt I can ever go back, God knows I tried!  We have to move on and be happy with the body we have now.  Sending love and hugs to your sister, and thanks again for reading and commenting!  RhondaLeigh  

  3. Jon

    I am glad you found a solution so that you can look good in a dress that you like. I know a lot of women that would love to read the book dress with style by stacy so that they can look good in various clothing. Is this your favorite book on how to dress and if so are there any other books that stand out as also good information?

    • Rhonda

      There are a bunch of books I like. Plus + edited by Bethany Rutter, The Curvy Girls Style Handbook by Suze Solari.  The Art of Dressing Curves by Susan Moses, just to name a few.  There’s hundreds of books on this subject, and I plan to read as many as possible and report on them here.  Thanks for your comment, Jon!  RhondaLeigh   

  4. Josie

    Hi Rhonda,

    I really enjoyed reading about the self development journey you went on as you learnedmore about yourself and the emotional issues you were carrying at the same time as learningto dress for your strengths! I have luckily never been overweight per se, but I’ve spent a lot of time working in the racing industry trying to become a jockey, so even though I’ve technically never been overweight (by way of health ideals), I do know what it’s like to look at yourself in the mirror and only see fat and self judgements!! Rightly, or wrongly, or thoughts and feelings can genuinely interfere with us going out with our friends, or going to work, or even just to the supermarket and feeling confident. I love that you are now helping other women to feel more empowered to feel good in what they wear.

    Thanks for sharing such a beautifully authentic post!

    • Rhonda

      Josie, thank you so much for your insights!  This is the point I am trying to get across.  Perhaps I need to aim this at ALL women (and men!).  If we can’t look in the mirror and find beauty in ourselves, how on earth can we go out and function as a human being?  Poor self esteem GETS IN THE WAY of every aspect of life.  Well, thanks again for your comment, and thanks for reading!  RhondaLeigh

  5. Jane Edwin

    Getting fashion approved clothing for plus-sized someone that flatters their figure, feels great & will be worn for years to come is easy, if the person has self-appreciation of one’s self. 

    The saying :beauty comes from within, when applied helps with building the person’s self esteem. 

    A plus-sized person can stand out as the most beautiful, if one’s self esteem never reduces. 

    • Rhonda

      Thanks for your comment, Jane.  I agree with what you are saying, that a person’s self esteem is key in feeling beautiful.  Unfortunately, so many large women have such low self esteem.  I intend to change that.  I want women to understand your point, that beauty within is what counts, and once you feel that, you can feel beautiful on the outside too.  Thanks for the great point!  RhondaLeigh

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