As plus size women, our bodies come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Just because we fall into the category of “plus” doesn’t mean we all look the same. Many of us use fruits and shapes to describe our figure. For example, apple-shaped women have strong shoulder and torso areas and a full upper waist, bust and upper back. Their body closely resembles that of an apple.
Once you identify which shape or fruit your body most closely resembles—here is a thorough guide that can help you determine your body shape—you may be wondering which styles, fits and cuts look best on your body. Before we jump into this style guide for apple-shaped bodies, it’s important to remember that no matter what shape or size you are, you can wear anything your heart desires as long as you feel confident.
And with that being said, this won’t be your average apple-shaped style guide—as most of them assume that you want to minimize and hide parts of your body. We’re here to help you find a style that highlights you as a whole and boosts your confidence. Below you’ll find dresses for apple-shaped bodies that help you embrace all aspects of your perfectly shaped figure! We also created a more general plus size style guide that will help you know how to dress for your body type!
Highlight My Waist
If you want to create an hourglass silhouette and highlight your waist, prioritize dresses that either cinch at the waist or a piece that has more volume toward the bottom.
Tie-Waist–Dresses that have a tie-waist are the perfect option for anyone looking to highlight their midsection or create an hourglass shape. These dainty dresses are perfect if you are apple-shaped and want to create more of an emphasis at the center of your body.
Wrap Dresses–Similar to the tie-waist, the plus size wrap dress also creates emphasis at the waist while accentuating all of your other fabulous features.
Empire Waist–If you’re looking to show off your midsection, choose a dress with an empire waist that starts just below your bust and flows with volume as you get to the bottom of the dress. These dresses also create an hourglass silhouette, if that’s what you’d like to achieve!
Show Off My Legs
We love a good leg moment! If your goal is to elongate your figure, opt for a mini dress. Even better, find a mini dress that incorporates any of the waist-accentuating features we discussed above!
Mini with Sleeves–Many apple-shaped women suggest that they would like to highlight their legs rather than their upper bodies. If that’s the case for you, try a dark-colored mini dress with sleeves. The dark color and sleeves will put all of the attention on your legs!
Asymmetrical–Asymmetrical dresses look so good on apple-shaped bodies. They guide the eye from the high point of the dress’s hemline all the way down to the bottom, which elongates your figure. Try a maxi dress with a high slit for a look you’ll want to wear more than once a week!
A Shoulder Moment
Let’s face the facts: Apple-shaped women have the greatest shoulders, and they should definitely show them off. And you’re in luck, because at Chic Soul, we have a variety of plus size off the shoulder dresses that not only incorporate all of the style tips above, but they will also look stunning on you!
Party on Top, Maxi on Bottom–We love a good off the shoulder maxi dress for our apple-shaped fashionistas. These dresses elongate your figure while highlighting your gorgeous shoulders. If mini dresses aren’t your thing, the maxi is where it’s at!
Legs and Shoulders Front and Center–If you combine the powers of a mini dress that has an off the shoulder fit, you get pure, apple-shaped magic. A mini dress that cinches at the waist and includes an off the shoulder fit is perfect for an apple-shaped figure.
We created this style guide to inspire you when getting dressed in the morning. But we also want you to know, regardless of your body shape, you look fabulous in anything you feel confident in. Trust yourself and tap into your own personal style to make anything you wear come to life or inspire you when getting dressed in the morning. Throw on your favorite outfit and dance to your favorite song before you walk out the door in the morning for a boost of confidence that will bring any outfit to life!
