When you look in the mirror, you’d hardly think of your figure as flattering, but that simply isn’t true. Being a plus-size woman can be advantageous if you change your viewpoint. What’s so flattering about being plus-size?
Here is what’s flattering about being plus-size:
• You stand out in a crowd
• You get to ditch the idea that women can only eat salads
• You have a body shape featured in classical art
• You know that a partner likes you for you
• You’re a great cuddle buddy/hugger
• You have awesome curves
• You’re part of the majority of American women
Still don’t believe that being plus-size has its perks? Then you have to keep reading. In this article, we’ll talk further on the points above, as well as give you some advice on how to feel sexy at your size!
These Are the Best Parts of Being a Plus-Size Woman
Here are some ways that being a plus-size woman is ultra-flattering and beneficial. You’ll think of your body in a whole new way!
You Stand Out in a Crowd
Do you ever feel ignored in a sea of people? As a plus-size woman, blending in is not as easy. People will size up your body almost wherever you go, and whether they’re thinking positive or negative thoughts, all eyes are on you. It’s almost like being a celebrity with the attention you can get.
You might as well use this spotlight (so to speak) to the best of your abilities, trying on funky styles that will really turn heads. No one can accuse you of being boring or ordinary, that’s for certain!
You Get to Ditch the Idea That Women Can Only Eat Salads
It’s the big conundrum among women. You have a first date with a nice guy or gal this Friday night and you want to look good in front of them. You don’t just mean your appearance, but everything about you. When you two sit down to dinner, will you go the meek and mild route and order a salad or will you eat what you’re truly in the mood for?
Listen, here’s an unavoidable fact about being a plus-size woman. People are going to judge you for your eating choices regardless. If you eat too little, they’ll assume you’re trying to fit into society’s narrow standards of beauty and lose weight. If you eat too much, they’ll think of you harshly. It’s a losing battle either way, so you might as well eat what you want.
Besides, a date always goes well when you’re yourself, not some prim and proper version of you that you can’t live up to in the long run. If you want a salad, then by all means, have one. Yet if the steak, lobster, or pasta dish looks more appealing, your date will like that you take the initiative to order what you want. And if they don’t? Then kick them to the curb!
You Have a Body Shape Featured in Classical Art
Do you ever look at classic art, especially that from the Renaissance period? If so, then you may notice that most of the women were rather voluptuous with a body like yours. This is no coincidence, either.
At the time, the beauty standard among women was a bigger body. Then, as society changed over the centuries, the preference for thin women got caught into our general consciousness and has not left since.
There’s a variety of Renaissance art featuring curvy women you can peruse. Take, for example, the beautiful artwork called Woman in a Mirror by Tiziano Vecelli aka Titian. This painting was completed in 1515 and it’s showcased at the Louvre in France. The painting features a decidedly larger woman.
Another work by Titian called Venus with a Mirror (nudity warning) features a similar concept. A woman who’s naked down to her waist is being showcased in a mirror by a nude angel or cherub. The woman has plenty of curves that you just don’t see being appreciated as much in modern society.
There exists a lot of other versions of this artwork and yet all of them maintain the woman’s curvy figure. The art piece Woman with a Mirror done by Giovanni Bellini in 1515–which is very close to the Titian piece–also features a woman who’d meet plus-size standards today.
People all over the world admire classical art such as these works by Bellini and Titian. You have the fortune of being able to look at these paintings and see yourself in them. How many women can say that?
You Know You Have a Partner Who Likes You for You
People choose to be with their significant other or partner for a myriad of reasons. Yes, some people go into dating looking for someone with warmth, confidence, a good sense of humor, and great character. Others, though, are only focusing on what’s on the outside, aka your looks.
It’s never fun when a partner only wants to be with you because you’re beautiful now. Your looks aren’t going to stay the same forever. You can gain weight, lose weight, change your hair, and, of course, no one can prevent the hands of time from causing you to age.
Plus-size women are just as beautiful as smaller women, even more so depending on who you ask. While some men and women will fetishize bigger ladies, others will appreciate your looks but not put the whole focus of the relationship on them. That’s what you want in a partner, and it may be easier to find as a plus-size lady.
You’re a Great Cuddle Buddy and Hugger
Cuddling and spooning with your partner is one of the best feelings in the world. Although you might be self-conscious about cuddling at your size, what you should feel is just the opposite! Snuggling up with a larger woman is a wonderful experience as her body is soft and warm. Your partner might say as much to you.
Even your friends and family get to experience the benefits, as your hugs are probably enveloping and gentle.
You Have Awesome Curves
Curves are appealing; there’s no denying that! You’re well onboard with the popular thick trend, as that’s a great way to describe your body type. Whether your curves are proportionate in an hourglass shape, you have more curves up top, or yourlower half is rounder, you’re blessed to have such a curvaceous figure!
You’re Part of the Majority of American Women
As a plus-size woman, it’s too easy to feel ostracized. Fatphobia is unfortunately still rampant in today’s society, but a counter-movement among plus-size women is starting to drown out all the discrimination little by little. As it well should! After all, as a plus-size woman, you’re among the majority of American women. As of 2018, Racked reports that 68 percent of women in the country wear a size 14 or up.
That means there are more women like you out there than there aren’t. The next time you get frustrated by all the straight sizes on the clothing racks, remember that fact.
How to Feel Sexy as a Plus-Size Woman
Even knowing the power you wield as a plus-size woman, feeling sexy and confident is not necessarily easy for you. We hope the following tips will help you discover your inner goddess so you can strut your stuff!
It’s All in the Posture
How you hold your body says a lot about how you feel about yourself. Do you stand up straight and proud or do you cower and hide away? Practicing better posture is not only good for feeling sexy and confident, but it will help your health as well. If you’re prone to back and neck pain especially, improving your posture is a great idea.
Most of us are used to sitting slumped while looking at our phones, so you’ll have to continually remind yourself to straighten up. Maybe you treat yourself to a posture chair for the office so you can stay properly upright throughout the day.
Smile!
This is an easy one, but it makes such a big difference. We’re sure you’ve heard quotes like “a woman is most beautiful when she smiles” or “the best accessory a woman can have is her smile.”
When you go out and see a stranger on the street, spare a grin. If you’re on the subway and someone across the way is looking at you, smile at them. Each smile you give to anyone and everyone causes your brain to release neuropeptides that can lessen your stress. The results? You may feel better for it, says this 2019 University of Tennessee at Knoxville report.
To come to that conclusion, the researchers pored over nearly 140 studies with 11,000+ participants. While the researchers agree that smiling on its own isn’t going to make you happy, it can be a little mood boost. Plus, it makes you look sexy, so go ahead and smile away!
Find Some Great Undergarments
Well-fitting undergarments are the key to looking good in any outfit. You need underwear that fits your frame. If your panties are creating lumps and bumps around your rear or squeezing your hips and abdomen into a muffin top, then it’s time to size up. Plus-size women also need breast support in a good bra.
You’ll know your bra doesn’t fit in all sorts of ways. Do the straps dig into your shoulders or are they so loose that they fall right off, even on the tightest setting? Does your bra band scratch and dig into your back all day, and is it riding way higher than it should be? Do your breasts spill out of the sides or top of your cups? Maybe you have the dreaded uniboob, where your bra causes your breasts to smoosh together.
These are all signs that you need to measure yourself or get professionally measured, as the bra size you’re wearing is either too big, or–much more likely–too small.
If your undergarments fit you unflatteringly, then when you put clothes on, you’ll get an equally strange silhouette. Plus, it’s hard to feel sexy when you’re constantly picking a wedgie out of your panties or readjusting your bra strap for the tenth time in an hour.
You don’t need to buy lingerie to feel sexy, by the way. Itdoesn’t hurt, but an everyday set of bra and panties that fits your body will go a long way towards helping you like what you see when you look in the mirror.
Wear What You Like
As a plus-size woman, there are so many rules about what you can and cannot wear. Crop tops aren’t allowed because they show too much of your stomach and you don’t have washboard abs. (Actually, we debunked that one on the blog. Plus-size women can wear crop tops!) If you have X body shape, then you can’t wear Y. Skip the light colors and wear dark colors instead because they’re slimming.
Sure, some of these fashion rules exist to produce a more flattering outfit, but that doesn’t mean you have to prescribe to every fashion rule in the book. At the end of the day, rather than follow what’s fashionable, you should wear clothing that you think you look good in. Maybe you like sizing up for a looser fit. Perhaps you don’t mind figure-hugging looks, but only in some clothes.
Wear what makes you happy. When you have a killer outfit on, it’s a lot easier to feel about 10 times sexier.
Build Your Confidence
All along, keep working on your confidence. A great outfit can make you feel good, but confidence starts from within. Confidence is accepting yourself without any makeup and any expensive clothes. It’s not something you can build overnight, but it’s worth the time it takes to develop.
When you do start to foster confidence in yourself, know that it wavers. There will be some days where you wake up and think you look awful. This happens to women of all sizes. On those days, it’s best to dress in something comfy and focus less on your appearance.
You are, after all, a well-rounded woman who’s more than her looks. You have a brain that you use to make the world a better place, a personality that your friends and family love, and creativity and ideas that you’re proud of. These are things to be confident in as well, not just your body!
Conclusion
Being a plus-size woman is not always easy, but it can be beneficial. Building confidence will help you feel good about yourself more days than not. Never forget that as a plus-size woman, you are the majority. Now go act like it!
