Below you'll find another blog post from Poplin contributor and plus size fashion guru, Jordan Richardson. This time, she teamed up with Poplin Style Direction Intern, Ellie Emoto to bring you up to speed on this summer's Must Have.  This week's Poplin newsletter includes Ellie's take on the LWD for straight sizes and Jordan's perspective for plus size women is below. If you aren't receiving the newsletter, make sure to sign up!

Also, did you know that Jordan's research on Sizeism was recently featured in an article in the Everett Herald? Check it out! Love her and you will, too. Enjoy!

 

Dear Readers,

As we hit the warmest time of the year, with long sunsets and backyard parties, you may find your social schedule filling up. It's easy and necessary to have a piece that can go from cocktail mixers to bridal showers and then to visit in-laws. In the colder months an easy piece to pull on and go is the LBD: The Little Black Dress. A seemingly universal dress that is easily changed with accessories or layers, this staple is given a summer update in white.

As follows are some great choices to flatter different figures, and make your summer dressing easy as 1,2,3.

LWD for the Plus Sized Woman

 

Inverted Triangle, Your hips and shoulders are aligned

This piece is not only affordable (YAY) but also is a great piece for the lady looking to make a statement with her style. With lace insets and a tulip shaped skirt this is not only flattering by bringing the eye from the lace down to the nipped waist, but it really stands out. This to me, is a classy but sassy lady.

 

Triangle (or pear) Your shoulders are slimmer than your hips

Oh the halter top, the quintessential summer neckline. This beautiful flirty dress from Modcloth just shouts to be worn on a date out on a boat, or attending a cocktail party on a rooftop garden. Also this neckline helps to widen the look of shoulders to balance out an overall pear shaped figure. This flirty little number will have you twirling all night.

 

Hourglass, your hips and shoulders are aligned and you have a small waist.

A nipped in waist, a lovely balanced classic silhouette and a shimmering sateen make this dress from eShakti a true eye catcher. From a brand that customizes clothes to fit you from sizes 0-36W, this cotton sateen is both breathable and breathtaking. The balanced shape brings out the bombshell proportions of the hourglass figure and with the ability to add various types of sleeve, new necklines and different skirt lengths, this really can be a dress made perfectly for you.

 

Diamond (or apple), Your hips and shoulders are smaller than your waist. 

This shift is the perfect summer dress for women needing to go from work to cocktails, while accentuating some lovely legs and streamlining a more apple figure. The playful bits of wide lace are still appropriate for the office, especially with a light cardigan or linen blazer. But after hours with a statement necklace, becomes a much more striking addition to this classic silhouette. This dress would be extremely fierce with a pair of patterned or brightly colored shoes. Bonus: being made of 100% cotton means that this will breath through even the warmest of heat waves.

 

Rectangle, Your hips and shoulders are aligned but your waist is not defined.

This deeply classic and versatile number has a lovely set of gold facets that draw the eye in ,to create an illusion of a smaller waist, accentuated further by the thick band. The flared skirt and structured top also help to create curves in this gorgeous Tahari number. You may say "Too Plain", but the texture of this dress moves it into "Subtle Powerhouse" territory.

So, are you ready to retire your LBD for the summer and move into your new favorite work horse? I know I am. To keep things cool I recommend looking at cotton and linen blends that will breath and keep you cool all summer long.

Happy Shopping!

 

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Jordan Richardson is a guru on finding fashionable plus size clothes and shares her take on current plus size fashion regularly on the Poplin Style Direction blog.