Dresses for hourglass figures

[bigkahunaburger]

Hi, so this honestly isn't a stealth boast before people come at me (been accused of that before on here and Im way too ancient for that malarky). I want to embrace my figure. Im 50, Im a healthy weight (BMI 22), but I have an extreme hourglass figure. Huge boobs (34gg), flat stomach and small waist (27 inch), not a huge arse but still I go in and out - but I have really chunky arms and chunky legs, so I like to cover both ideally or at least the tops of them. Im tall too - 5' 10.

I feel I do look a loads slimmer when I have something really fitted around my middle that emphasises my waist but also flat tummy. If i don't because of my other proportions I just look fat and frumpy, and Im not.

So can anyone advise of nice dresses I could buy? 50s ones that go out at the waist dont really suit me. I bought the infamous strawberry dress from Cider thats all over tiktok currently and it fit me PERFECTLY - and I have had so many compliments and people asking me if ive lost loads of weight ( I haven't) so this has prompted me because clearly Im not dressing well for my shape. This dress covers the top of my arms, fits on my boobs but is tight right down to the hips. Where can I find other dresses like this??

Anyone with the same issue? Im very Christina Hendricks (sadly without the gorgeous face, hair or the money or the desire to wear high heels - which I simply cant do as I walk like im pissed in them).

Help me style gurus! :) This dress has made me feel like a goddess and now Im addicted and want to make more of an effort.

If you've got it flaunt it, OP! Lucky you!

Agree that dress PP shared is gorgeous. Love your strawberry print dress too!

Thanks Beachtastic it is a gorgeous dress that fits like a glove for a change! Hourglass is really not easy to fit I find.

As for Hannah waddington. My god Id love to dress like her but sadly I do not have her gorgeous toned arms and legs. She seems to have them out a lot. It just doesnt look good on me at all. Mine, sadly, are massive.

Finding my Kibbe body type helped me very much (it's not for everyone). Maybe it would help you with styles too?

https://www.wikihow.com/Kibbe-Body-Types

And 'Aly Art' on YouTube has many helpful videos on the subject. Although I'm not flattered when in her accent she says I have 'slopped' shoulders. 😆

Thank you for that. Id say Im soft romantic - number 2. But I look more like romantic but Im tall and thats petite.

Interesting stuff! Says I should be doing more with draping over my shoulders!

Christina Hendricks is soft dramatic, and at 5’10” with the figure you have described you probably are too!

I always recommend pepperberry for people with a pronounced hourglass shape - you buy the size for your waist (so say, 10) but then “curvy” or “super curvy” for added bust room and it makes a massive difference to have something properly fitted. I would usually buy size 12 clothes but in their stuff I’m a 10SC. I usually look on vinted/ebay.

I think wiggle dresses will be great, and can be worn with flats - I wear them with flats because I don’t really do heels.

Thanks for starting this thread OP. It's just what I need.

The Elsie dress is really flattering on me

https://ladyvlondon.com/collections/elsie-dresses?srsltid=AfmBOoojFaP19er_uFrjRgS9fZDHbbXHljQBY_10WplTvPWzAIen7Ovj

OP, you have got the same figure as me and we're the same height too!!

I find it need to wear items that either cinch in tightly at the waist, or are made of (at least slightly) elasticated material to fit my silhouette. Steer clear of anything that 'hangs' - shift dresses and empire line dresses make me look massive, for instance! You want to show off that tiny waist.

I like Hobbs (although sometimes too short), Boden, Karen Millen (some weird stuff but some lovely stuff) and Phase Eight (but again, careful of length as can be too short). Long Tall Sally can have some great bits too. Pencil skirts, wiggle dresses A-line dresses and skater dresses all suit a small waist.

Hope I look like you when I'm 50! 👌😊

Oh and for big boobs, don't go high necked. A very neck or a low(ish) round neck would be more flattering.

Anything belted/wrap style too

Oh yes, wrap style is a great shout. LTS do some good wrap tops you might like actually.

I am hourglass and late 40s. I tend to wear midlength structured bodycon dresses with higher necks and sleeves.

So like this https://www.johnlewis.com/l-k-bennett-altyn-fitted-crepe-midi-dress/red/p112847333
or
https://www.phase-eight.com/product/niccola-fitted-belted-midaxi-dress-220732453.html

reiss, phase eight, whistles or a look round John Lewis usually good

Gosh I love the red one. So exy though! Yikes. Anything like that but cheaper? I think that’s a good style for me

Nobody's Child has loads of dresses that are fitted around the waist with a flattering drape underneath, and cover the tops of your arms. Eg:

https://www.nobodyschild.com/en-us/products/black-short-sleeve-starlight-midi-dress-d251039blk

I'm same age, same height, same proportions! I don't find wrap dresses work very well for me (also size 34GG) because you end up with massive amounts of cleavage on show and look way too busty. I've bought a few dresses this year (having NEVER worn dresses before really) from Boden and Hope & Ivy. This is my favourite one https://www.boden.com/products/bella-puff-sleeve-maxi-dress-multi-ornamental-floral
it has a fitted band around the front of the waist which is slightly elasticated across the back so it fits quite tightly to your waist.

To be honest I always put a couple of stitches in wrap dresses to keep them at whatever point I’m happy with. That’s one of the reasons I like pepperberry - everything is made for people with those proportions, so you don’t end up with scanty amounts of material in that area or other issues you might have from standard shops. I bought a few vests of theirs and they have little press studs to keep your bra straps in line behind the straps and everything is just made considering a real woman with those “assets” haha.

I get really sick of looking at clothes these days and thinking they look nice only to discover they have no back or something and can’t be worn with a bra. Great for people that don’t need one but such a tease for me!

I take my dresses to a seamstress to be altered because they don't fit otherwise.

@LaDeeDaDeeDumbis there somewhere still selling Pepperberry? I thought it had been discontinued?

Have you considered skirts and tops? A smart T shirt or body tucked into a skirt that’s fitted at your hips and then flares out? Worn with a wide belt perhaps to emphasise your waist, and cropped jacket of some sort if needed. If you have a bit of time, I’d suggest going on Next, looking at dresses with some parameters like price, colour etc (as they seem to have thousands) and having a good old trawl. Maybe try a couple of jumpsuits.
And I don’t think any age is too old for a wiggle dress; having the figure for it is more important so go for it.
I googled ‘fitted dress V neck next’ and it brought up a lovely lipsy navy midi with skirt slit, £52, with longish short flutter sleeves, I think that’d be fine with flats; looks like it would suit you.
Edit - also the Pour Moi Bryony green dress at £49 which has long sleeves

Great suggestions! I'm 61 with a size 10 hourglass figure, so I've had years of making mistakes practice.

But there must be variations within the hourglass shape, as wrap dresses overemphasise my hips and something like the Nobody's Child dress above would engulf me (though it's a lovely style for others).

Morning, loving this thread! Fellow hourglass here. I have 2 wiggle dresses from Pretty Kitty Fashion. Have a look on there, very reasonably priced. ❤️

I dont think it's an age thing. It's a "is it appropriate for the occassion?" thing because they are difficult to wear.

If you go places that a wiggle dress would be appropriate for, embrace it! When I worked in a formal setting, I wore wiggle dresses. I felt amazing in them. Where I work now, Id look ridiculous and its just not practical.

Look into 1940s dressing. A lot of the cuts are designed to emphasise the waist. It can look a bit cosplay though so unless that's the look you are going for just take aspects of it.

I have just discovered hourglass jeans by Next. They are the first jeans I have ever had that fit me on the waist and thighs. They are still a smidgen too long in the leg but you cant have everything! 🤣

I havent bought anything from Boden for a long time because Ive not liked anything but their cuts always seemed to suit my hourglass shape.

Thank you everyone its all so helpful.

So here are my morning thoughts now Ive read all this. I do agree with some posters who say there are different variations of hourglass so it can depend. Im very tall, and big arms, big legs, and not massive bum - Im no KK.

I do still worry cos although my tits are actually really nice (if I do say so myself) they are humungous and I worry that I look just soooooo boobie if its low cut. I know some say no high neck but I think I look good in them - even polo necks. So Ive always had the rule tight up top - baggy bottoms - not sure why I thought dungarees are ok, but Ive always followed that 'rule'.
I think id feel too racey in a wiggle (unless it was a special occasion like wedding), I cant see me wearing them day to day. But I did wonder on a fish tail? I defo think I dont just need nipping in at the waist and going out like some of the suggestions - I think it really needs to be fitted on the waist and hips too and then flare or flare at the bottom. Does that make sense?

I think I do need to embrace the cleveage though don't I. Especially in summer. Last winter I bought a banging fitted polo neck knitted dress that went to the floor. I just lived in that with doc martens and again - heaps of compliments about me losing weight. Clearly fitted is the way forward.

Gosh that was a real ramble of my internal dialogue there...apologies. :) I know I know - its not that deep. haha

Oh I agree theteenandme. And this isn't a weird flex but a wiggle dress on me will just look so...sexual. And Im really not about that. I want to look slim and nice, but I dont want to be walking around like I think Im jessica rabbit. I will feel daft. I would defo wear one somewhere fancy though. Im going to a wedding soon so that style would work I reckon. Those hourglass jeans sounds good. I live in oversized low rise dad jeans from levis. and wear tight tops with. Id like to look more feminine for sure.

I did hear about a place that does blouses and shirts for women with big tits cos I can near get them to fit properly. Does anyone know the name of that company?

As I am going to do a big wardrobe spruce I really want to make this spend worthwhile and last.

I knlw what you mean about being booby.

Sometimes when you cover your chest completely it can look more booby because it's just a big mass of fabric iyswim. If you break if up, it can make it look smaller.

For me, the key is how low something goes. I think women with smaller chests can wear quite low cut tops. I wear a lot of vests under my v necks because otherwise I feel a bit obscene. Wearing a vest means Im comfortably covered up but it visually reduces my chest.

But now I've just remembered the time I was presenting and dropped a pencil down my top between my boobs. 😳 🫣