Plus size - hide under a tent or let it all hang out?

[JoyousGuide]

I am a plus sized 24 and 5ft 3in tall and about to start a new job which is in the office after 6 years of working from home, so have been fishing around looking at outfits etc on the internet. After years of hiding under baggy tops I am seeing more and more plus sized people in what I would call standard fit clothes which either fit their bodies (ie not baggy) or actually emphasise them (ie tight). Whilst everyone has the right to dress how they please what are people actually wearing in real life - are we still hiding under tents or is it ok now to wear trousers with a tshirt tucked in and let the world see my apron belly?

I'm currently losing weight (on Mounjaro) but was a size 20 when I began. I personally wore looser clothes to hide the worst of my bulges. You're correct that we should wear what we like and feel most comfortable in, but my experience has always been that people look/stare and judge appearances. That affected my confidence and self esteem and I've never been able to adopt an "I don't care" attitude.

I think fitted, but not clingy usually looks best.

@SparklyGlitterballs - love your username! Well done on your weight loss. It’s so confusing though when you look at what is available and being promoted in fashion for plus fits. It feels like all the rules are out of the window - which isn’t helpful! I think you are right though about hiding bulges - no one wants to see my camel toe!

I have been loving dresses this year and they make me feel so much better and cooler.
I bought this joules dress in the green and floral blue this year and it's so easy to wear.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/jersey-printed-v-neck-midaxi-waisted-dress/p/clp23021805

You don’t have to waft around n tenty kaftans but also the same goes for tight clothes. Workwear has become a lot more relaxed these days and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in ‘business dresses’ or those tight skirt suits. There is a middle ground where things fit, are comfortable and therefore flattering

Im a size 16 senior lawyer and most of us are in loose linen pants or flowy fabric pants with ankle cuffs, tucked in top and a ‘boyfriend’ jacket or boxy, wide crop jacket. Very 80’s
Skirts tend to be ankle length bias cut or midi and I favour a high neck, padded shoulder sleeveless knit top - not fitted but fits at the waist IYSWIM
All the above look great on all shapes.

@Sunshineandrainbow that is a lovely dress, however at 5ft 3in with an apple body shape I don’t think that it would fit the same as the model. I have a flat bottom so dresses and skirts just hang at my back in a sail effect!

I’m a size 18, down from a size 28.

I’m going to Italy in a few weeks. I’m taking shorts, vests, strappy dresses, short dresses. Life is too short to hide yourself because you’re ashamed of your body.

I tend to wear things that are fitted but show my shape. I will never feel comfortable in something really clingy (my stomach is one of the areas I'm not self conscious of, after my arms which I never show in public) but I've found certain outfits and how I style them can show my shape without clinging and make me feel more confident.

If you haven't already, take a look at Laura Adlington on Instagram. She is I think a size 22 or 24 and everything she wears she looks absolutely amazing, I wish I had her confidence!

@pontivex trousers are the bane of my life as plus sized world always wants you to have cheap baggy viscose trousers which are wide fit. I long for a pair like you describe !

@Strider55 yes I like Laura’s style but she wears a lot of dresses as she is tall where as my body shape and height sadly don’t suit them

Sorry this should say my stomach is one of the areas I'm MOST self conscious of!
I wish I didn't have issues with my stomach 🤣

@JoyousGuide Ahh I'm tall like her so different shape to contend with! It doesn't help that most shops don't hold any plus size options to try in store, I hate going out on a limb ordering things, only for them to look appalling so I need to return them. It's so bloody disheartening and frustrating!

@Strider55 yes and when the only place you can try things on in store is Yours it drives me mad. I literally look in the store and just wish for a well cut pair of trousers and a nice top. We have a massive M&S store near us and they have hardly anything on the racks in a 24 so that you can actually try things on

I’d have a browse on Live Unlimited, Roman, Simply Be and Scarlett and Jo. Lots of retailers stock various brands now so filtering your search on Debenhams or Next will bring up brands or styles you might not have come across.
Some brands now have size 20 plus in petite. Popsy will alter their clothes free of charge.

@24Dogcuddler Live unlimited are my favourite brand for tops and I can usually weed out a few good ones for work from them. I have tried on a few things from Roman and Simply be but most of their tops are knee length on me!

@JoyousGuide Yours! The home of the cold shoulder top and the stick on diamanté! It's so ridiculously expensive as well.

I have really large, wide feet and Yours is the only shop that does my size in store for shoes, and I like to try before I buy so I'm limited to that one shop. You can imagine I have a very limited shoe collection.

Do you have good legs OP? I agree that long dresses may swamp a shorter plus sized woman, but there are lots of pretty shorter dresses that would flatter someone your height. My problem was having a fat belly, big bottom and fat thighs and knees, so I've never really had one feature to "show off" as such.

@SparklyGlitterballs sadly not. My legs are bizarre due to a combination of varicose veins and an old injury which has left one leg slightly bigger than the other.

@JoyousGuide So frustrating how tops get longer in plus sizes isn’t it!
Forgot to add Tu, La Redoute and Bon Prix.

@Strider55 pass me the diamanté studded butterfly cold shoulder top to wear with my wide fit plastic trousers please (ooh and charge me £100 as well). My mum has very wide feet so I feel your pain on that front.

@24Dogcuddler yes why does the length of the top and the sleeves go up with the sizes - where are these tall long armed plus sized people ? There are a lot of petite plus sized
people but really no one is catering for them.

I think something fitted but not tight is more flattering. Or a well cut baloon dress with neat shoulders and neck line.

@WellIquitelikesprouts I think fit is the key here which is so hard to find when you can’t try things on in store. My poor Evri courier takes back almost as many returns as he delivers. As the high street is in decline I think online retailers should up their game. It would be great if we could ‘create ourselves’ like you can on a video game or even scan in our photos so that you could try things on virtually. I’m sure it would be a win win all round.

It also doesn’t help when looking at the length of things or fit when the only photos of the models show them bent over or twisting !

I'm a 5'4 size 18 apple and I tend to go for fitted rather than tight. My current go to work trousers are the Halara Barrel Legs. I'm not a fan of other things I've tried from there but these are super flattering, sit slightly above my ankle and work well with a tucked in silks shirt, or smart t shirt and boxy jacket.