Summer is finally here and you know what that means? It’s time to pull out your best dress and go to the beach!

While summer is the best time to feel confident in your shape, in some cases, you may feel a bit under confident in your shape, especially if you are plus-sized. Of course, there is no need to feel bad about your shape, but it can make the baring of skin that goes hand in hand with summer feel a bit tricky.

So, how can you choose a dress that will allow you to feel comfortable, look stylish and showcase your shape all at the same time? Here is a short guide to the best dress shapes for women who are plus-sized.

Fit and Flare Dresses

A fit and flare dress is the perfect balance of looking formal and carefree at the same time.

In fact, when it comes to dresses for large women, it is the best way to showcase your busty upper half, without making you feel self-conscious about your lower half. As the name suggests, the top half of this dress is fitted, and the lower part is flared. The skirt part of the dress can be any length, but for most dresses in this style, it will be about knee-length.

Strapless Dresses

It may seem odd to wear a strapless dress if you have a larger bust, which many women who are plus sized have.

However, if you have a bra that is supportive enough, you can pull this off. Why does it work? Because it creates a better balance to your shape and draws attention to your bust and your hips, which are likely to be the 2 largest parts of your body. If you have a strapless dress that flows from the hips to the floor, this will also aim to balance the look, as it will give you a dramatic sweep that oozes fashion and class.

Wrap Dresses

Wrap dresses are ideal for those women who are blessed with hourglass body shapes, but they can also be a boon for women who are pears and even triangles.

Wrap dresses tend to pull in at the waist and are usually secured with a bow or a knot. Either way, they pull in to accentuate the waist and can make it appear smaller, while also making the bust and hips look bigger. Most wrap dresses are designed to be floor-length, but you may be able to find an option that is shorter if you want to show off your legs.

Tailored Dresses

Tailored dresses are going to be on the higher end of the fashion spectrum, with many women spending well over $100 to have a single dress made.

Luckily, the internet can be a great help here. You can search on websites like eBay and other second-hand platforms to see if there is someone who is selling a tailored dress that matches your shape. Then if you are handy with a sewing machine, you can do a bit of tailoring yourself and make it even more perfectly fitted to your shape.