Written by May Mel
Image by @preciousleexoxo
Shopping as a curvy girl, can be and is often a battle. As pear-shaped women; slimmer on top and heavier on the bottom, we often find ourselves either trying to force our hips into non stretchy materials like polyester or walking around with gapping waistbands; where the item fits our hips and thighs, but not our smaller waists. If you too know and feel our pain, here are 5 outfit secrets that should hopefully make shopping and dressing a little easier…
1) Know the difference between fitted and tight
While we are no longer hiding our curves in 2023, there is a difference between being squeezed into an outfit and an outfit fitting your body perfectly. It’s the difference between chic and cheap!
2) Tailor your pieces
Unless you live in stretchy or oversized items, most items for your bottom half come with a gapping waistband. Source and invest in a good tailor to have your clothes looking like they were made for you. Most dry cleaners and laundrettes offer this service, or you can simply search online.
3) Ignore clothing sizes
Being pear-shaped means being disproportionately shaped, so forget about sizing and focus on the fit. Focus on how an item fits you. How does this feel? Clothing sizes vary ridiculously from store to store, so don’t get hung up on the label.
4) Always high-waisted
Unless you want your underwear on show, we recommend always going for a higher rise. High rise items were made for curvy shapes. They tend to have a slightly more curved waistline that will fit your waist a little better and also draws attention to your smaller defined waist.
5) Know your body shape
Finding your style is a personal journey, but what can make it easier is knowing what body shape you are. Each shape has its own distinctive characteristics and in knowing your body shape you should have some guidance on which pieces show off our figure best. If you are unsure simply grab a measuring tape and google “body shape” or “body shape calculator”.
For more pear-shaped styling, tips and shopping recommendations, follow us at May Mel.
