Plus size formal dresses are really easy to find today. Us plus size girls have more choices than any other time since Botticelli made us famous. It's been a miserly bunch of decades for the plus size gals clothing lines. It seems as though that's about to change for the better. In the 80s, a plus sized gals were forced to wear ridiculous clothing, but now every dress style that's made usually has a plus sized version. This is an important step for women. Not just bigger women, but all women. No longer are we relegated to certain styles, because we don't fit into what Hollywood and its fashion elite dictate is normal. Of course I'm not saying that being large-size is ideal, if anyone has read my blogs or my hubs, they'll understand that I'm a big girl trying to be smaller. However, I don't think that size 0 or 1, or even size 6, is normal either. Women come in many different shapes and sizes, and we should be able to wear dresses and styles that we choose, not that are chosen for us.

How to choose a flattering formal dress is a matter of finding what you think is your best features and emphasizing those, while de-emphasizing those features we like least. If you're a smaller busted, for example, you can add ruffles, or ornate designs, to the top part of a dress, which gives the appearance of a larger bust. Perhaps you have a larger bottom, like me, in that case you want to draw attention to the top part, using color or unique designs around the bodice is a great way to keep the focus on the top. In general, if you're smaller, I don't mean small -busted, I mean smaller on the top, choose tight-fitting or close-fitting bodices and skirts that flow gently, but don't cling. And if you're smaller on the bottom, then good for you! Just kidding. A woman with smaller hips will be able to wear close-fitting skirts, like a pencil skirt. In either case, heavier women should avoid wearing anything ruffled on the bottom or bulky, like crinoline. And women with larger busts should avoid wearing tight fitting bodices. Plus size formal dresses can be sequined, halter style, Grecian, but the most flattering is the empire waist gown.

Empire Waist – The most flattering dress style, in my opinion, for not just plus sizes but any size. This dress has the waist line usually under the bust. It can have any kind of neckline from v-neck to scoop neck, but v-neck looks best on smaller busted women. This style can have spaghetti, mutton style or capped sleeves and is most commonly associated with Napolean era dresses. While many designers feel this dress is better for petite figures, I feel it brings length and comfort to a plus size formal dress.

A-Lne – Th e most common dress style is A-line. This dress has a narrow or close fitting bodice, and begins to flare out, starting at the waist, to the hemiline.

Halter Dress – This is my favorite style of dress, if I”m honest. The halter dress has a neckline, usually v-neck, which two pieces meet at the back of the neck. It can have thinner or thicker straps and can be worn with bare arms or a shawl. Jackets usually don't look best with this style dress.

While there are different styles of dress besides these three, I feel these are representative of the most flattering plus size formal dresses.