How To Wear Leggings For Plus Size Women
Knowing how to wear plus size leggings is not a difficult task - it isn’t any more difficult than it is for any other sized women. There are always some key ideas to bear in mind when pulling together a look, none more so when tackling leggings - a true wardrobe staple.
From what tops to wear to underwear, our eight tips for styling women's plus size legging outfits can be as easy and effortless as slipping into a dress.
Body Shape Table Of Contents:
1) Wear Plus Size Leggings with Good Underwear
The power of wearing good underwear is fundamental to looking pulled together and crucial to how to wear leggings for plus size women. Wearing underwear that support your booty and can’t be seen through the material of your pants will be one of those things that only you as the wearer will know about if you get it right. If you don’t get these right, however, it is plain for so many others to see.
2) Style a Pulled Together Plus Size Legging Outfit Look
Just because leggings are super comfortable and you can wear them for relaxing in your home, doesn’t mean that when you step out the door that anything goes. Polished plus size legging outfits are easy when you ensure that all other items you are wearing are also in good condition.
3) Draw the Eye to One Part of Your Body at a Time
When pulling together a plus size outfit based around wearing leggings, remember that to be most flattering and elegant that you need to draw attention to only one of your assets at a time. Any more than that can look slutty. If your leggings are brightly colored, this means that your top half should be more demure. However, if you are wearing a classic black pair of plus size leggings, use the opportunity to wear a top that enhances a fantastic bosom or accentuates a small waist.
4) Add a Jacket To Any Leggings Outfit for Plus Size Women
Outerwear is the first thing that we show off to the outside world. Yet it is an often overlooked item when we decide what we are wearing for the day. This is almost never more the case than when wearing leggings as leggings can so easily look the messy side of casual. If you want to look pulled together, it pays to spend two minutes thinking about what coat you will wear to further develop your look into a stylish statement.
5) Avoid Baggy Tops With Leggings Outfits for Curvy Figures
When we wear leggings, we tend to wear a loose flowing shirt on our top half that covers our front and booty. Plus size ladies need to be careful to the extent of how baggy they wear their tops however as they can actually add bulk. We wrongly believe that even though we are hiding our figures, we are creating a plus size outfit with leggings that is flattering. This isn’t the case - it adds pounds where there are none.
6) Buy Well-Made Plus Size Leggings In Quality Material
Well-made leggings are a key item in any wardrobe - plus size or not. They can be one of the most flattering pairs of pants we own as women. But, if we buy a pair that is of poor quality, they can look dreadful. A well-made pair will cinch you in and give support where needed as well as show off your beautiful shapely curves. A cheap pair of leggings will sag within the first wash and add jiggle which would otherwise be disguised. If you find a pair that you like and suits you, as ever, buy as many pairs in as many colors as you can afford. Leggings are a great basic and brilliant building block to any outfit - having ones that you can rely on time and time again can be so helpful when getting ready in the morning.
7) Understand What Your Plus Size Leggings Outfit Shows Off
Although incredibly comfortable, flattering and useful, leggings come with one huge drawback - they can create a horrid eyesore at your front in between your groin. This is one of the biggest fashion crimes that anyone can commit, so be extra aware of any unflattering bunching or sagging in places where there shouldn't be bunching or sagging. To guard against this, wear long plus size tops - flowing or not - that cover the pelvic area as well as your butt.
8) Dress According to Your Body Shape.
When wearing an item of clothing as revealing as leggings are, dress to you figures silhouette. This means knowing whether you are an apple, rectangle, pear, inverted triangle or hourglass as they all need differing approaches to pulling together a stylish yet flattering look. For instance, tops, t-shirts and tanks that suit an apple shaped lady will not bring out the best in a woman that has a rectangular shaped figure.
Bearing this in mind, find your body shape below and follow our corresponding advice for how to dress your figure to its best advantage when wearing leggings.
Plus Size Body Shape # 1: Hourglass
The Hourglass figure is much lusted over by women around the world thanks to its classic feminine shape made famous by many a Hollywood pin up. To bring some glamour to those womanly curves when wearing leggings, remember that your waist is your smallest part so wear a top that either has a built in belt or one that is complemented well by one you already have in your wardrobe. If you need to wear a warmer layer, ensure that it too has a nipped in waist to accentuate your hourglass silhouette even further. As you have a fabulous bosom, do show it off on occasion by wearing a long top with a deep V or wear a button down shirt with a few buttons undone around your neck and chest. When wearing tops in such a way, adhere to the above recommendations by wearing darker colored leggings so attention is only brought to one body part.
Plus Size Body Shape # 2: Pear
When you have a pear shaped body, your hips are wider than your shoulders. This often leads pear shaped ladies to feeling self conscious about a large booty. However, a large booty is becoming more and more in vogue. Plus, it is easy to dress and display to its best when wearing leggings, by highlighting a small waist, perky chest and narrow shoulders. A short fit and flare dress or tunic is the perfect way to do this as well as being a savvy way of getting more wear out of your pretty plus size floral dresses in the cooler winter months. Empire line tunics are also a good option due to fitting just under your bust line - plus they are very comfortable.
Brighter colored tops will be a good way to balance out pear shaped bodies for those women who are really awkward with regards to the size of the bottom half. Heels will always add super flattering extra height too. In terms of accessories and purses, eye catching necklaces and statement earrings are a stylish way of drawing attention to your top half as well as dressing up an otherwise relaxed leggings look. Stay clear of messenger bags, however, they will simply add extra weight at your widest part.
Plus Size Body Shape # 3: Inverted Triangle
Women with a body shape akin to an inverted triangle have shoulders that are wider than their hips. This consequently means that their legs are one of their most attractive parts along with a fabulous chest. Leggings are therefore an inverted triangle lady’s best friend. They show off legs to their best and focus attention on the slimmest part of the body. Inverted triangle women can therefore get away with wearing brightly colored leggings and jeggings. They’re a fantastic playful way of bringing interest to your wardrobe.
For your top half, find collarless button downs to minimize the look of the shoulder width. Stick to neutral colors too - white looks great against brights in the Summer, while navy and black look glamorous in the colder months. Fitted jackets will smarten up this legging based look as well, if needed. Keep the outfit fresh and suitable for your body type, however, steer clear of shoulder pads.
Plus Size Body Shape # 4: Rectangle
Rectangular ladies have waists the same width as their shoulders and hips. To create a flattering look while wearing leggings, women with rectangle shaped bodies should consider tops with structure or ruffles as their best friend. In doing so, you will help create the illusion of a waist and curves. Another easy way to do this, is to add a belt to dresses that cinches you in at your middle. There is a wide array of belts on the market at the moment - the wider they are, the better, in terms of creating a narrow waist.
Other ways to do so, is wear tops and dresses with a peplum hem, with bows at the middle, or has color blocks that are darker around the center. Wrap tops and wraparound tunics are also the perfect answer to creating a waist. They’re also incredibly comfortable, so keep an eye out for these in the shops. Messenger purses are a good find for this body type when worn over the shoulders and across the middle. They add width at the hips as well as drawing a diagonal line across the body which is very flattering. They also look great with leggings and are very in keeping with the overall relaxed look of these comfortable pants. Statement jewelry around the neck is also a good option for broadening out the shoulders and chest area.
Plus Size Body Shape # 5: Apple
Apple shaped ladies are similar to those who have a rectangular shaped body as they have to work at creating the illusion of a waist. Minimizing the midsection is easy to do when wearing leggings by simply focusing attention on shoulders and highlighting your legs. Leggings already highlight a great pair of legs by showing off their feminine shape, but ones that finish just above the ankle further enhance this. Pants that finish just above the ankle are also a great opportunity to wear an amazing pair of shoes - heels or not.
Empire lines are a really useful shape for apple shapes as they not only fit closely to the narrow part of the body under the bust, but they skim over a wider waist. Plus size ladies look great in prints too, which can look brilliant next to block colored leggings. Remember that larger prints look better than smaller ones and that if the print includes stripes, vertical ones are best for elongating the female silhouette. Regardless of pattern, however, tops need to be well fitting which means steering clear of clingy materials that only draw the eye’s attention to any bulges that you would otherwise want to diminish. If you need a warmer layer, try a swing shaped coat which will further exaggerate the work done by an empire line top.
Most importantly, when wondering how to wear leggings for plus size women, remember that by embracing your womanly curves, you will be starting on the right foot when it comes to pulling together a stylish look. Clothes look their best when worn by confident wearers - plus size or not. Simply because you are plus size, does not mean that form fitting clothes like leggings are off limits to you. In fact, they will be one of the most flattering items of clothing in your wardrobe that you will turn to time and time again. Clothes are available to all that draw out the best bits and diminish the parts that we are more self conscious about. A plus size woman’s curves are, most definitely, one of her most beautiful features - don’t hide them under billowy tops and loose trousers. Show them off with the pride they deserve.
