Styling tips

The Styling tips section of The Body Optimist helps you choose clothes that show off your body shape and feel good to wear, in every size. Cuts, lengths, colors, fabrics, fitting and care: we share concrete methods, with no list of forbidden pieces and no guilt-tripping rules.

What you'll find in the Styling tips section

• Body shape: understanding your proportions to choose a cut, without trying to fit into a box.
• Fit and sizing: checking that a garment fits well and converting a size from one country to another.
• Colors and patterns: playing with shades, stripes or prints depending on the effect you want.
• Everyday comfort: thigh chafing, boots for wide calves, shoes that hurt, itchy sweaters.
• Closet and care: organizing your wardrobe, decluttering, preventing pilling, saving tights with a run.

How can you tell if a garment really fits?

A garment fits when it follows your body without constraining it, whatever size the label says. In the fitting room, a few checks are enough:

• The shoulder seams sit at the edge of your shoulders, not before or past them.
• Shirt buttons don't gape, and the fabric doesn't form tight, star-shaped pull lines.
• You can raise your arms, sit and walk without the piece riding up or squeezing.
• The waistband of your pants doesn't dig into your skin or gap at the back when you sit.

Pear, apple, hourglass: should you go by body shape types?

Body shape types describe the proportions between your shoulders, waist and hips: pear (or A) for hips wider than the shoulders, inverted triangle (or V) for the reverse, rectangle (or H) for shoulders and hips in line with a less defined waist, hourglass (or X) for a defined waist, and apple (or O) for a figure that's rounder through the middle. They're a tool for understanding what a cut does, not a verdict: many bodies fall between two types, and nothing obliges you to “balance out” proportions you like.

Advice without the rules

For years, body shape advice was used to tell plus-size women what to “avoid.” We do the opposite: we explain what a cut, a color or a fabric does, then leave the choice to you. Bodycon dresses, white pants and short skirts aren't reserved for any size, and showing off your figure doesn't mean correcting it.

Articles to start with

• Why clothes you see online can fit very differently in real life.
• The colors and patterns that flatter curvy figures.
• The clothes that lengthen a petite frame.
• A method to organize your closet and stop hesitating every morning.
• The urge to finally wear what you really like.

Frequently asked questions

How do you dress to show off a curvy figure?

Showing off a curvy figure starts with wearing clothes in your real size, neither too tight nor too loose, in fabrics that drape well. Defining your waist with a belt or a wrap cut, wearing colors you love near your face and paying attention to finishing touches are often enough to create a confident look. No piece is off-limits.

How do you stop thigh chafing in a dress?

There are several options: anti-chafing bands in fabric or lace worn at the top of the thighs, lightweight slip shorts under your dress, or anti-chafe sticks and balms applied directly to the skin. Choose breathable fabrics and test your solution before a long day on your feet.

How do you convert US, UK and European clothing sizes?

Size charts differ from one country to another: a French size 40 generally corresponds to a UK 12 and a US 8. These equivalents are only a guide, since every brand uses its own measurements. The safest approach is to compare your measurements with the store's size chart, then check our US, French and UK size guide.

Keep exploring: our Fashion trends, the whole Women's fashion section and our Body positive articles.