Shed Light On Your Curves

Feeling like your curves are a curse? Don’t. Just because you don’t look like the mannequins they put up at H&M or Forever 21, doesn’t mean you can’t dress like them. Many of us are ashamed of not having that straight body with a thigh gap and afraid to even try dressing up, but I’m challenging you to step it up.  

          Your curvy body can be discouraging, especially when finding good pieces to wear since they’re usually expensive or hard to find. But investing in good clothing that makes you feel great is a way to boost your confidence and mood. It may sound a little superficial, but looking good does make you feel good. As the saying goes “beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”, so whatever you feel good in, wear it.

COMING OUT OF THE DARK

The bravest thing you can do is to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone. There are many ways you can do this, such as trying on a new style of jeans, or accessorizing. You never know what you’ll find yourself looking good in. One thing many curvy women struggle styling is bright colors or just color-blocking in general. When you’re used to slimming everything down with dark colors, anything other than black or dark browns and blues seem like a nightmare. If anything, start off by pairing your dark outfit with one bright colored accessory or muting a loud color with a dark jacket or jeans. Here, a bright orange sports bra is muted with a black mesh top and complemented with a camo skirt. This combo shows your curves, some skin to keep the look sexy, and just a tad bit of bold.

TIME TO GET LOUD

If you’re feeling a little more bold, color-block loud colors. White is always a staple and a safer option if you don’t feel comfortable looking like Sun-Drop blocking neon green and yellow. It may seem uncomfortable at first because now your curves are vulnerable and out there for everyone to see. Don’t overthink because with those curves, you look like a glass of milk. In fact, white accentuates your curves, neutralizes any other cold color and makes any outfit look crisp and clean. You may think this super light color is going to reveal all your jelly rolls, but most often than not, no one is really paying much attention to your body. If they aren’t studying anatomy, you probably won’t have anyone notice if you have rolls or not. In this look, the white and pastel balance each other. Not one color overpowers the other, but that’s because the white neutralizes the outfit. But if you’re ready to go full neon or pastel, go for it!

DISGUISE IN PRINT

Sometimes bold colors on their own can be a little loud for some people’s taste and that’s ok. You can still skip the dark colors by wearing something printed. Polka dots, paisley, or even vertical stripes can make an outfit pop. When it comes to being curvy, vertical stripes are best in giving the illusion of being slim and tall. But prints in general are also a great alternative to hiding behind the color black because the focus is more on the print itself rather than the rolls that you think everyone is paying attention to. You can also use the print to highlight your curves or parts of your body that you personally like. Whether it’s a distraction or a way to accentuate your best features, you can never go wrong with prints.

Being able to be comfortable and confident with your body takes time, especially when being a size L or XL and up is not society’s ideal body type. You are not pressured to go from 0 to 100, but stop depriving yourself from feeling your best and searching for bomb clothes due to your size. Everyone has their own style, so don’t be discouraged to keep trying different pieces until you figure out what’s right for you. As long as you own it, no one will ever notice that you’re experimenting with your style. Embrace your curves and stop hiding them behind a dark veil.

Modeling By Melanie Martin, Sevana Nourian, and Abigail Magat

Words By Abigail Magat

Photos by Elizabeth Tang