Trousers are awesome
If you are tall and curvy, trousers work best – they are comfortable, easy to wear, can be worn in any weather and they look great. Make sure to buy a pair of good fitted trousers where they are not too short or too long, don’t ride up your buttocks, back or thighs. DO NOT shop for trousers online – you definitely need to try them on before buying, unless you are willing to send the trousers to the tailor if needed. You can team up a good pair of trousers with a sleeveless top, a tube top and a cardigan, a shirt or a simple blouse.
For curvy women, palazzos and wide bottoms work well, while a pair of trousers that end just at the ankles look super sexy.
Indian clothes – Just because everyone is wearing it, doesn’t mean it is good for you
If you want to feel confident and look good, first know your body shape, size and type. Be comfortable in whatever you wear. In general, Indian clothes tend to be heavy in terms of weight and embroidery or the thread work, motifs on them. Especially if you are going for a wedding or a party, do not overdress. I have sometimes come across people who wear more jewellery than the bride!
Try on different colours and shapes of dresses that will suit you. If you are tall and curvy, you can never go wrong with a saree – but do not wear translucent, see-through ones if you are on the bulkier side. Choose a classic, neutral colour or bright-dark coloured saree to rock the red carpet. Nowadays, dresses are a rave with Indian clothes. Check out some of the pictures below. Never buy a dress or a salwar kameez that has a cinch, belt or strap in the waist area – this tends to accentuate the tummy area.
Rock that skirt and those legs
My all-time favourite is the skirt. It’s sexy, comfortable, easy to wear, easy to buy and awesome to rock for every occasion – be it for a wedding, a conference, to work, to party etc. But mind you, be careful about the length of the skirt. It can be uncomfortable if it is too short as you do not want to be pulling it down most of the time while a skirt that is too long may make you trip. I prefer knee length or below the knee skirts – generally in cotton, as I live in hot and humid Singapore. Again, similar to trousers, skirts can be teamed up with anything. You can also pair skirts with stilettos, pumps, flats, shoes, sandals etc. I love my legs hence I flaunt them when I can.
Flared skirts might not work for everyone, pencil skirts are good in general, A-line is flattering for every shape and size you are.
Work those dresses
Dresses used to be a daunting thing to me as I always thought that they are hard to master. But eventually I did get to it and I love dresses now. They are great for any occasion too and easy to pack if you’re travelling – just one piece of clothing. Again, if you are curvy or slightly bulky, do not buy dresses with a cinch in the waist area.
Straight cut or A-line is good while wrap dresses are also very flattering as it brings focus to the cleavage while also giving the figure an hour glass shape. Also, knee length or below the knee is good for work and formal occasions, long flowy ones are good for vacations or for more casual days. Try on various types of dresses to find out which cuts suit you as everyone’s body is different.
You can never go wrong with black
Black is the holy grail…no one can go wrong with it – especially if you are curvy. Doesn’t matter if it is a dress, skirt, pants, or any style of clothing – black is always in.
Go for vertical stripes and not horizontal, preferably
If you are curvy, opt for vertical strips or checks on your fabric for clothes as this tricks the eye into elongating the body.
Horizontal stripes make you look bulkier, especially if they are broad. Even while choosing vertical stripes, make sure the stripes are close together.
If you love flowers, keep them small
Patterns with flowers are summery and an all-time favourite for many. I generally go for smaller flowers printed on the fabric rather than big ones. But you know what? Break the rules if you want… just feel good about what you wear and be comfortable!
Contributed by Dr Sandhya Sriram.
Photo credits: Dr Sandhya Sriram and YoShop
