First off those curvy looking body-con dresses which I at least am frequently drawn to are very hard to make work. Because they’re not really designed for curvy girls unless they’re in a lined stretch fabric with a lot of spandex.
Also if you’re curvy you’ll have bits you want to accentuate and parts of you that you don’t, and the fact that every dress you look at will have been photographed on a tall thin willowy model doesn’t help in the slightest.
Here’s what to look for when buying a dress online (or off) which will make it much less likely you’ll have to send it back.
Styles that work very well on a curvy girl
Wrap dresses, either side tie wrap or fixed wrap. Diane von Furstenberg always has silk jersey wrap dresses in her collection which wrap and tie to fit perfectly. Her stretch crepe dresses also have strategically placed ruching for a flattering fit.
Fit and flare dresses provided the flare isn’t too much. Favourite dresses for detailing and fit are those by Sandro which you’ll find at Selfridges.
Dresses with ruching – master of this is Lauren Ralph Lauren with his matte jersey dresses ruched to fit and flatter.
And always go for dresses with stretch in the fabric as it will help it fit everywhere, not to mention making your dress more comfortable to wear.
On the subject of length. Remember that the dresses you see here will all have been photographed on a tall model. Frequently 5’9” or possibly more. This means that the dress will be a totally different length on you unless you match that kind of height.
If you’re short and curvy look at mini dresses – they will most likely be a perfect just above the knee length on you. Also be careful of dresses with ruffles and lace at the hem. They will far more difficult to alter should you need to.
Every short girl, curvy or otherwise, needs a good alterations person unless you can do it yourself. Wearing a dress that is the wrong length for you can make everything look frumpy when what you want is glamorous and chic.
