Welcome Allison McGevna, 31, of Inside Allie’s World, who is joining us as our resident curvy-girl style blogger. She was featured in the December/January issue of PEOPLE StyleWatch and contributes her thoughts on finding the perfect outfit to the site each week. This week, she dishes on making bold prints work on a curvy figure. (And if her items are sold out, we’ve linked to similar styles below — happy shopping!)
Courtesy Allison McGevna
Let’s talk about prints. From graphic to classic, there are so many exciting options out there, and spring feels like the perfect time to break them out. The problem? I know I don’t have to tell you this, ladies — prints can be intimidating for us curvy girls. The bigger and bolder they are, the scarier they can seem. I wanted to put together an outfit for you guys this week that really shows how you can make a busy, loud graphic print work for you as a woman with curves.
RELATED: See even more wardrobe tips from Allison here!
When I’m wearing a print, whether it’s on a dress or a top, the main thing I think about is the cut of that item. Is that cut going to work for me with this print, or against me? In this case, the cut of this Ashley Stewart dress has totally got my back. The dress is a skater cut, meaning that it’s a slightly shorter A-line. It literally flatters anyone, especially girls with wider hips like me. A body con dress in this print might have been too sexy, so think about balance in that way. Skater dresses are very easy, not fussy, and (best part) they don’t require any shapewear. They can create a waist if you don’t have one, or can accentuate your middle if it’s more defined.
The second thing I think about when I’m wearing a print is the color palette. When you’re working with a really flattering silhouette like this dress, you can go brighter and bolder. But black and white is definitely the easiest to work with. This print is pretty eye-catching, but in black and white it doesn’t feel over-the-top.
The next and last thing I think about when it comes to print, is the shape and placement of the print itself. Is it sitting on my widest point? Is it making me look wider? In this case, the crosshatched print has a nice horizontal curve to it that accentuates my hourglass shape, but doesn’t add bulk. The vertical lines also feel nice and lengthening. Playing with stripes can be a really interesting way to experiment with elongating your figure. With such a busy print, I loved that the dress had a little cutout by the neckline. It created a nice break in the noise and gave the entire outfit a more balanced look.
With a bold print, it helps to think about grounding it in some way. Pairing a print with other solid-colored pieces is an easy way to do that. I chose to pair this dress with a black leathery City Chic blazer (they have the best blazers — the fit and cut is amazing). The blazer streamlines the look a bit, and has well-placed seams that give it a flattering, fitted shape. I loved that it stopped right below my hips so they weren’t covered in pattern. My green pumps are from DVF (similar style). They add a playful springtime feel to this otherwise neutral look. Black and white is always the perfect blank canvas for a fun pop of color!
Do you play with prints? How do you wear them? Sound off below!
