Q&A

PLUS-SIZE SEWING By Barbara Deckert

I wear two sizes larger on the bottom than on the top. What styles would be flattering for my figure?
Kim P.,
e-mail

A pear-shape figure is a normal, womanly figure, and two or more sizes difference from top to bottom is quite common. When designing your clothing, keep things plain on the bottom and fancy on top to help balance the difference.

For example, look for simple skirt and pant styles with slenderizing vertical lines, such as pleats and gathers that form flattering, vertical drape lines. For tops and dresses, look for vertical lines such as princess seams. Also look for a strong, horizontal design line at the shoulders, such as shoulder yokes or epaulettes. Chanel-style patch pockets at the bust; unusual collar or neckline shapes; and bows, ruffles or flounces at the neckline are striking design details that draw the eye upward. Contrast bands at the center-front closure and other interesting design details, such as shirring or tucks, also direct the eye up and down the figure.

When selecting fabrics for skirts and pants, look for fabrics that give the optical illusion of relatively less weight. For example, select cool colors such as blue, green or purple; dark colors, such as black or navy; and matte or smooth-textured fabrics with muted patterns.

For tops, select fabrics that are visually enlarging, such as light or bright colors, or warm colors, such as red, yellow or orange. Fabrics with some shine or texture, or with sharply focused woven or printed motifs, are also more noticeable. Fitting may be faster if you purchase two separate pattern sizes, one for tops and one for pants and skirts. Look for multisize patterns that could work for your measurements. To adjust a dress pattern for a significant size difference, purchase the pattern by the upper-bust measurement and adjust the lower portion. Size adjustments are more complicated in the bust than the hip area.

Barbara Deckert is the author of Sewing for Plus Sizes: Design, Fit and Construction for Ample Apparel and Sewing 911: Practical and Creative Rescues for Sewing Emergencies, both from The Taunton Press. She is a custom dressmaker in Elkridge, MD.

From the November 2004 issue of Sew News magazine.