Q&A: The Best Dresses for Extremely Curvy Petites

Q:  At 5′1, 110 pounds, and a size 32DD, I cannot find a dress that fits me correctly. Strapless dresses are impossible.  I really need a dress that I can wear a bra with and that doesn’t show off too much cleavage.

A: For maximum figure flattery, we’d recommend a scoopnecked or v-necked dress that hits at knee-length.  The neckline will allow you to wear a bra (and won’t show too much cleavage), and the knee length hemline will be especially flattering on your petite frame.  Here’s Omiru’s top picks for figure flattering dresses for extremely curvy petites:

Have a great tip about dresses for extremely curvy petite women? Share it with us in the comments!

4 comments May 2nd, 2008

Top 5: Unflattering Pieces for Women with Curves

Curves. All women have ones they want to emphasize and others they’d prefer to downplay. But how do you know you’re not downplaying the good curves and highlighting the bad ones?

While most people won’t tell you if you’ve made an unflattering choice, we here at Omiru know that a good friend never lies. Unless you’re a six-foot tall model with a washboard stomach and legs for days, we suggest you stay away from the following:

#1. Expectant mother tops. We know a tall, slender woman who got asked if she was expecting…when she wasn’t. The culprit? You guessed it–the awful Expectant Mother Top. Stay away from pieces that tent out under the bust, especially those with extraneous, bulky fabric.

(Photo Credit: Active Endeavors)

#2. Shants, gauchos and culottes. They hit at the widest part of the calf, making your legs look shorter and fatter.

 (Photo Credit: Blush)

#3. Overly tight microfiber or spandex. We don’t think this looks flattering, ever–even on a slender bod. We do, however, think it looks slutty.

(Photo Credit: Arden B.)

#4. Crop tops. They spotlight the "pooch" above the groin, especially when sitting down (like the model below).

(Photo Credit: Victoria’s Secret)

#5. Tea-length skirts. Refer to #2. Instead, try to aim for a longer skirt, or try our favorite length: just below the knee.

(Photo Credit: J. Crew)

2 comments February 15th, 2006

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Flat Bottom

Create the illusion of a curvier bottom.

• Pants with contoured yokes.
• Medium wide contoured belts.
• Rear pockets add curves.
• Rear detailing.
• Full skirts.

• Bottoms made of clingy fabrics.
• Bias cut bottoms.
• Very low rise pants.
• Baggy styles.
• Jeans without rear pockets.
• Severe pencil skirts.

1 comment May 19th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Bottom Heavy

Elongate your figure while visually balancing your hips and shoulders. Subtly show your curves.

• Drapey fabrics.
• Diagonal lines.
• Dark colored bottoms.
• Tonal outfits with darker shades on the bottom.
• Outfits that skim over your curves.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Long coats: three-fourths and seven-eighths lengths lengths.
  • Vertical detailing above the waist.
  • Nipped-waist, tailored jackets that hit at hipbone length.
  • A-line styles.
  • Loose, straight cuts.
  • Coats that flare at the waist.
  • Slender lapels.
  • Set-in sleeves.
  • Slight shoulder padding.
  • Slanted pockets minimize hips.
  • Snug jean jackets.
  • Biker jackets.
  • Boxy jackets.

• Tops
  • Fitted tops that float over your hips and bottom.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Wrap styles.
  • Deep V-necklines.
  • Wide necklines.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Dark colored bottoms.
  • Slightly lower-waisted bottoms.
  • Bottoms with smooth tops, without waistbands.
  • If you wear a waistband, it should be no longer than 1” high.
  • Straight-legged, flat-front pants.
  • Well-tailored pants with wider legs.
  • Slight flare (boot cut shape) at ankle is flattering.
  • Remove side pockets from pants for a leaner look.
  • Jeans with a slightly lower rise.
  • Dark denim is more flattering.
  • Back pockets on jeans.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Skirts with smooth tops, without waistbands.
  • Moderate A-line shapes.
  • Wrap styles.
  • Draped styles.
  • Tapered knee-length skirts.
  • Vertical detailing.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Matching dress and jacket sets.
  • Show skin: shoulders, cleavage, or arms.
  • Horizontal detailing on top.
  • Open necklines.
  • Dresses with plain bottom halves.
  • Vertical detailing.

Swimsuits

• Dark colored bottoms, especially when contrasted with a lighter top.
• Embellishment above the waistline to draw the eye upwards.

• Stiff fabrics.
• Oversized prints.
• Horizontal patterns.
• Shiny fabrics or thick textures.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
  • Double breasted styles.
  • Bulky flap and patch pockets.
  • Narrow-belted styles.
  • Bomber jackets.

• Tops
  • Tops that don’t cover the hips.
  • Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
  • Boxy shapes.
  • Cinched waists.
  • Detailing at the shirt hem.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Bottoms with lots of detailing: pleats, gathers, back details, back pockets, prints, etc.
  • Extremely high-waisted styles.
  • Extremely low-waisted styles.
  • Wide-legged pants.
  • Bell bottoms.
  • Drawstring pants.
  • Tapered styles.
  • Cropped pants.
  • Tight legs.
  • Small back pockets.
  • Widely spaced back pockets.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Pockets: slanted, flap, or patch.
  • Pleated skirts.
  • Bias cut fabrics.
  • Hem detailing.
  • Severe flared skirts.
  • Horizontal detailing.
  • Dresses that cinch the waist.
  • Bunching at waist.
  • Stiff fabrics.
  • Detailing below the waistline.
  • Severely voluminous skirts.

Swimsuits

• Bottoms that are too small.
• Skirted suits that end at your widest part.

Add comment May 18th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Short Waisted

Visually lower your waistline and re-direct attention towards your face or legs.

• Monochromatic and tonal outfits.
• Vertical lines above the waist.
• Narrow belts at the hipline.
• Narrow belts that match the color of your top.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Long jackets: hipbone, below the hips, three-quarters, and seven-eighths styles.
  • Single breasted styles.
  • High armholes.
  • Narrow lapels tapering to the waist.
  • Some shoulder padding.
  • One or two button closures.
  • Deep V necklines.
  • Jean jackets that hit at the top of the hips.
  • Biker jackets.

• Tops
  • Long tops that end below your natural waistline.
  • Vertical detailing.
  • Deep V necklines.
  • High armholes.
  • Princess seams.
  • Tabbed collars.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Wear pants slightly long and with a heel for added leg length.
  • Low-waisted bottoms.
  • Flat front styles.
  • Jeans with a longer rise.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Straight shapes with a dropped waistline.
  • Styles without waistbands.
  • Fluid fabrics.
  • Empire waist styles.
  • Straight sheaths.
  • Coat dresses.
  • Deep V-necklines.
  • Verticals on the torso.

• Suits
  • Long jackets, which should reach below the waist or longer.
  • Fluid fabrics.
  • Narrow pants.
  • Short skirts.

• Swimsuits
  • Two piece suits with bottoms that hit below your natural waistline.
  • Strong verticals on the torso.
  • High necklines.
  • Darker side panels.

• Belts at the waistline or above.
• Wide waistbands or belts.
• Any horizontal lines at the waist.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Double breasted styles.
  • Flap or patch pockets.
  • Wide collars.
  • High round necklines.
  • Belted styles.
  • Bomber jackets.

• Tops
  • Overembellished styles.
  • Anything cinched at the waist.
  • High-waisted styles.
  • Cropped styles.
  • Waistbands, especially those that sit at your natural waist.
  • Off-the-shoulder styles.

• Pants & Jeans
  • High-waisted bottoms.
  • Cropped pants.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Dresses with waistline details.
  • Wide waistbands.
  • High-waisted styles.
  • Contrast color belts.
  • Horizontal lines at natural waistline or above.
  • Stiff fabrics.

• Suits
  • Cropped jacket tops.

• Swimsuits
  • High waisted bikini bottoms.
  • Horizontal detailing on the torso.

12 comments May 17th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Long Waisted

Visually raise your waistline and create the illusion of longer legs.

• Anything that visually raises your waistline.
• Short tops over long bottoms.

• Jackets & Coats
  • High-belted styles.
  • Empire-waisted styles.
  • Cropped styles.
  • Medium length semi-fitted styles.
  • Styles that taper above your natural waistline.
  • Cropped jean jackets.
  • Cropped biker jackets.
  • Snug-fitting bomber jackets.

• Tops
  • High-waisted styles.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Off-the-shoulder styles.
  • Tucked-in styles with a raised waistline.
  • Horizontal detailing: yokes, wide collars, square necklines.

• Pants & Jeans
  • High-waisted bottoms.
  • Slim legged pants.
  • Pants without cuffs.
  • Straight-leg jeans that hit near your natural waist.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Straight styles.
  • Off-center slits make legs look longer.
  • Vertical detailing.
  • Single pleats in soft, fluid fabrics.
  • Empire waist styles.
  • Coat dresses.
  • Semifitted sheath dresses.
  • A-line dresses.
  • Fitted styles that nip in above your natural waistline.
  • Detailing above the waist.
  • Horizontals on the torso.

• Suits
  • Pick skirts over pants, as they help obscure the exact point where your torso ends and legs begin.
  • Narrow bottoms.
  • Cropped jackets.

• Swimsuits
  • Two-piece suits or one-piece suits made for long torsos.
  • Tankinis.
  • Horizontal detailing on the torso.
  • Higher leg cuts.

• Accessories
  • Belts placed above waist level.
  • Belts that match your bottoms.
  • Slim, elevating shoes that match bottoms.
  • Pantyhose that matches shoes and bottoms.

• Anything that visually shortens your legs.
• Bottoms with loud patterns.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Long jackets and coats.
  • Coats that belt at your natural waist.

• Tops
  • Long shirts.
  • Excessively fitted styles.
  • Long, narrow lapels.
  • Princess seams.
  • Vertical detailing.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Cropped pants.
  • Cuffed pants.
  • Low-waisted bottoms.
  • Tight pants.
  • Flared jeans.
  • Wide-legged styles.
  • Baggy styles.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Anything that calls attention to your natural waistline.
  • Horizontal patterns.
  • Hem detailing.
  • Belted styles.
  • Stiff fabrics.

• Suits
  • Long jackets.
  • Bottoms with hem detailing.

• Swimsuits
  • One piece suits that are too short in the torso.
  • Boy-cut shorts.

• Accessories
  • Belts placed below waist level.

2 comments May 16th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: No Waist

Create the illusion of a waist.

• Fitted tops and jackets.
• Nipped in waistlines.
• Contoured waistbands.

• Jackets & Coats

• Tailored styles that naturally flare out at the hips, creating the illusion of a waist.
• ¾ length coats with waist definition.

• Tops

• Fitted styles.
• Corset tops.
• Deep V-necklines.
• Wrap tops.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Flared skirts.
• Full skirts.
• Pencil skirts.
• Wrap dresses.
• Fitted dresses made of drapey materials.
• Dresses made of soft, delicate fabrics for movement.

• Accessories

• Thick belts, worn around the hips, to make the waist appear smaller by comparison.
• Thin belts give your waist some definition.

• Garments that are cut straight up and down with no waist definition.

• Jackets & Coats

• Double-breasted coats.
• Extremely cropped styles, such as bolero jackets.
• Trenchcoats.Straight-cut overcoats.

• Tops

• Baggy tops.
• Boxy tops and sweaters.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Shift dresses with no definition.

Add comment May 12th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Tummy

Direct attention away from your middle. Create the illusion of a long vertical line.

• Drapey fabrics.
• Monochromatic and tonal outfits.

• Jackets & Coats

• Semi-fitted styles.
• Straight-cut styles.
• Long styles: Jackets should reach at least below the derriere.
• Coats: mid-hip length or longer.
• Vertical detailing.
• Deep V-necklines.
• Single breasted styles.
• Tailored styles.
• Subtle A-line styles.
• High armholes and natural shoulders for a leaner look.
• Biker jackets.

• Tops

• Long tops.
• Semifitted styles that don’t tuck in.
• Empire-waist styles.
• V-necklines.
• Elongated ovals.
• Tunics.
• Cardigans.
• Untucked shirts.
• Vertical detailing.

• Pants & Jeans

• Flat-front or side zip bottoms.
• No pockets.
• Waistbands 1” or smaller.
• No waistband is preferable.
• Jean styles that sit slightly lower than your natural waist.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Waistbands 1” or smaller.
• Styles without waistbands.
• Flat front skirts.
• Dark colors and flat textures.
• Dresses that obscure the waistline.
• Coat dresses.
• Subtle A-line shapes.
• Empire-waist styles.
• Dresses with matching jackets.
• Semifitted shift dresses.
• Vertical detailing.
• Open necklines.
• V-necklines.

• Suits

• Vertical detailing.
• Semifitted styles.

• Swimsuits

• Diagonal lines.
• Chevron patterns.
• Verticals: necklines, piping, patterns, seams.
• Lower necklines.
• Side shirring.
• Dark side panels.
• High Lycra content.

• Fabrics that cling.
• Bias cut fabrics.
• Excessively stiff fabrics.
• Highly defined waistlines.
• Belts.
• Cinched waistlines.
• Garments with detailing at the waistline—pockets or otherwise.

• Jackets & Coats

• Cropped styles.
• Bulky flap or patch pockets.
• Double breasted styles.
• Wide collars and lapels.
• Styles with belts.

• Tops

• Extremely fitted styles.
• Anything with horizontal detail across the middle.
• Tops with waistbands.
• Belted styles.
• Cropped styles.
• Excessive detailing.

• Pants & Jeans

• Bulky pockets.
• Contrasting color belts.
• High waisted styles.
• Pleats.

• Skirts & Dresses

• Anything that cinches the waist.
• Bias cuts.
• Pleats.
• Wrap styles.
• Front darts.
• Bulky, gathered styles.
• Front pockets.
• Belts.
• Stiff fabrics.

• Suits

• Horizontal detailing.
• Anything too tight.

• Swimsuits

• Anything that creates a horizontal line.
• Two piece suits that dig into your body.

Add comment May 11th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Small Bust

Flaunt the curves you have, while suggesting the appearance of more volume.

• Push-up bras.
• Drapey fabrics.
• Fitted tops.
• Styles with horizontal lines.
• Styles with embellishments at the bustline.

• Jackets & Coats

• Fitted styles.
• Straight, tailored cuts.
• Wide lapels and collars.
• Flattering details on top, such as breast pockets, seaming, and/or draping.
• Lower necklines.
• High armholes.
• Biker jackets.
• Bomber jackets.
• Boxy jackets.

• Tops

• Fitted styles.
• Styles with breast pockets.
• Empire-waist styles.
• Halter tops.
• Keyhole tops.
• Narrow V-necks.
• Wide lapels and collars.
• Flared, short sleeves.
• Tabbed sleeves.

• Dresses

• Empire waist styles.
• Wrap dresses.
• Coat dresses.
• A-line styles.
• Semifitted sheath dresses.
• Chemise dresses.
• Shirtdresses.
• Low V-necklines.
• Fullness at bust through embellishment.

• Swimsuits

• Soft styles.
• String bikinis.
• Bra-top styles.
• Slight padding.
• Bright colors at the bustline.
• Embellishment for volume at the bustline.
• Lower necklines.

• Stiff fabrics.

• Jackets & Coats

• Dropped-sleeve styles.
• Loose fitting styles.

• Tops

• Loose fitting tops.
• Overly structured tops that you can’t fill out.
• Raglan, kimono, or dolman sleeves.
• Voluminous tops.

• Dresses

• Voluminous shapes.
• Dresses that you can’t fill out.

• Swimsuits

• Overly structured suits.
• Excessive padding in the bust area.

2 comments May 10th, 2005

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Full Bust

Elongate your upper body, both torso and neck, while subtly showing your curves.

• Garments that drape nicely over your curves.
• Dark colored tops and light colored bottoms.
• Garments that add vertical lines above the waist.

• Jackets & Coats

• Single breasted styles.

• Semifitted styles.

• Long, vertical, and narrow collars.

• Styles that button right under the bustline.

• Jean jackets without pocket detailing.

• Biker jackets without detailing.

• Bomber jackets.

• Single breasted boxy jackets.

• Tops

• Simple styles without much embellishment.
• Quiet vertical detailing.
• Styles that subtly reveal cleavage.
• Open-neck tops.
• Wrap styles.
• Deep vertical lines.
• Styles with bust darts.
• Long sleeves that flare below the elbow.

• Dresses

• Semifitted styles with open necklines.
• Shirtdresses.
• Sheath dresses.
• Dropped waistlines.
• Wrap dresses.
• Vertical V-necklines.
• Sweetheart necklines.
• Spaghetti straps.
• Vertical seaming.
• Hem detailing.
• Dresses that are darker on top than on the bottom.
• Narrow skirts with flare at hem.
• Soft, drapey fabrics.

• Swimsuits

• Vertical detailing.
• Suits with built in support.
• Wider straps.
• Halter suits.
• Ruffles, shirring, and draping below the chest.
• Dark, solid colors on top, and light fabrics on the bottom.
• Dark, slimming side panels.
• Lower necklines.

• Prominent detailing at the bustline.
• Garments that add bulk around the neck.
• Wide belts.

• Jackets & Coats

• Double breasted styles.
• Breast pockets on jackets and coats.
• Wide lapels on collars.
• High necklines.
• Patch pockets.
• Loose fitting styles.
• Belted styles.

• Tops

• Horizontal detailing.
• Oversized tops.
• Chunky knits.
• Tops with large patterns.
• Double breasted styles.
• Wide waistbands.
• Short flared sleeves.
• Big lapels and collars.
• Large prints.
• Stiff fabrics.
• Sleeves with a baggy fit.
• Raglan, dolman, and kimono sleeves.
• Tabbed sleeves.

• Dresses

• High necklines.
• Boatnecks.
• A-line dresses.
• Tunics.
• Wide belts.
• Stiff fabrics.

• Swimsuits

• Suits without adequate support.

• Suits with belts.

Add comment May 9th, 2005