When you’re choosing what to wear day to day when you’re plus size, you tend to choose clothes that cover you up and hide your less pretty areas, like a big tummy.
But in the summer this gets tricky because you can quickly become quite hot and uncomfortable.
But while big baggy tunics can suffice for the office or at home, a wedding is when you get really dressed up, and you simply can’t just turn up in your everyday garb.
Deciding what to wear to such an occasion is tricky for many people, but it’s even trickier when you’re plus size. But that’s what we’re here to solve.
In this article, we’re going to be providing you with plenty of tips and guidance on what to wear to a wedding when you’re plus size. Here goes:
Wear A Dress
The first thing to consider when picking out what to wear to a summer wedding are the weather conditions.
If you know the venue is based somewhere where summers are super hot and humid, then you should consider a dress rather than a pantsuit.
Not only will it appear more feminine and fit for the occasion, but it also provides a breeze when you’re outdoors, and makes your legs less likely to get sweaty.
Length Of The Dress
As for the length of the dress, that depends on how you feel about your legs. If you like to show off your legs, that’s fine. But you don’t want the dress to stop too high up your legs, because it wouldn’t be appropriate.
The dress needs to look elegant and sophisticated. Anything above mid-thigh is too high.
As for the maximum length of the dress, you can go straight down to the floor if you so wish, provided that the fabric is not too thick and warm. (More on this later.)
If you decide to go for a dress length between these two extremes, and you don’t like the pallor of your legs, you can either spray them with fake tan, or have someone spray them for you, or alternatively you could wear a pair of skin tone pantyhose underneath.
If you choose to go with fake tan, you must make sure that it’s evenly applied. And if you decide to go with pantyhose, you should be sure to select a pair with a low Denier so that they’re not too thick, and won’t make you sweat.
Sleeves
The best sleeves to choose for a summer wedding are no sleeves at all. This is because even short sleeves require fabric under the arm, which will make you more likely to sweat.
The exception to this is off-the shoulder sleeves, which appear like arm bands that connect to and match the dress.
However, many plus size women don’t like the appearance of their arms and would prefer to cover them up, which is also fine. However, if you do decide to do this, you must ensure that the dress is of a lightweight fabric so that you don’t get too sweaty.
Belts
We can certainly understand why a lady, especially a plus size lady, would be interested in wearing a belt with their wedding outfit.
A good quality belt can really cinch you in and make it appear as though you have a relatively small waist, even if you don’t.
However, most weddings tend to last for most of the day and well into the night. And if you’re invited to the whole day’s events, then you must be comfortable throughout the day.
And having to wear a belt all day is not going to help with it. After a little too much wine, you could end up removing the belt and misplacing it.
Shape
So the question is how is the dress going to give you shape if it doesn’t have a belt. Well, you don’t have to worry about that.
If you shop at a clothes store (on foot or online) that’s specifically aimed at providing clothing for plus size women, you will find that their dresses are specially tailored to make it appear as though your curves are in all the right places.
They are typically tight over the bosom area, until the dress gets to your waist, and then the material is loose, flowing over your belly, so as not to attract attention to its size.
Cleavage And Neckline
As to how much cleavage to display, you can go ahead and show a little, but do not go overboard.
When thinking about the neckline, you should also consider what necklace you would like to wear with the dress, and ensure that it’s properly displayed on you and not hidden away unseen.
Colors
Although it might be tempting to go for a white dress for a summer wedding, to reflect the sun’s heat, it would be wrong to do so, because on a wedding day, white is the bride’s color, and as a guest you do not want to be mistaken for the bride.
Any other color should be fine, and you should just choose something that goes well against your skin.
Fabric
The fabric of the dress is very important to consider for a summer wedding. If it’s too thick or heavy, or if there are too many folds and layers, you could get sweaty and uncomfortable.
You should choose a fabric that’s light and ideally feels silky smooth to the touch.
Shoes
While stiletto heels may look very nice and give you some height, they’re not very comfortable to wear all day, and certainly less comfortable to dance in come the evening. For this reason, we would recommend wearing elegant wedges.
Final Thoughts
Finding a great dress to wear to a wedding when you’re plus size is easier than you might think.
But our top tip of all is that you try the dress on before you buy it, check it in the mirror to see how it looks, and picture all your accessories with it.
You can look good and feel comfortable, and be sure to have a great time!
