How to Look Gorgeous As a Heavily Obese Girl

Co-authored by Paul Julch, MA

Last Updated: March 8, 2023 References

There is no weight limit on beauty. Because the catwalks and magazines are flooded with statuesque, super skinny models, it can be difficult to remember that gorgeousness comes in all shapes and all sizes. If you’re a heavily obese girl, you can look absolutely stunning by wearing flattering clothing, playing up your strengths, and rocking your entire look with confidence.

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Dressing for Your Body Type

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Play up your upper body if you're pear-shaped. Wear loose blouses and form-fitting skirts and pants to help your smaller half look more proportionate to your fuller bottom half. Avoid wearing baggy pants and peasant skirts, as these can make your hips and thighs look larger than they actually are.^{[1]
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- You have a pear-shaped body if your bust measurement is smaller than your hip measurement. You carry more weight around your butt, hips, and thighs.
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Highlight your chest, arms, and legs if you're apple-shaped. Try tops that show a bit of skin on the shoulders and chest. Wear tailored skirts or pants to make your body look more sleek and smooth. This will create balance between your midsection and the rest of your body.^{[2]
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- You have an apple-shaped figure if you carry most of your weight in your mid-section. Your hip and bust measurements are smaller than your waist.
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Accentuate your bottom half if you're cone-shaped. Avoid a lot of detailing and design on the top half, and have more fun with the lower half to even out your appearance. Try skirts that flare out, pants with big pockets, and other fun bottoms.^{[3]
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- If you're cone-shaped, you'll have larger shoulders and bust. Your hips will be smaller.
- You can still wear cute shirts, but skip the ones with lots of details, like beading, embroidery, ruffles, and so forth.
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Enhance your curves if you have a straight body type. Get creative with layers and accessories. Try shirts with ruffles along the shoulders or bust, or skirts that flare out. If you want to wear a maxi dress, pair it with a belt to cinch your waist. This will help give the impression of a fuller top and bottom half and a narrower middle section.^{[4]
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- You have a straight body type if your shoulders, bust, hips, and waist are all about the same size.
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Show off your waist if you have an hourglass figure. Pick clothes that taper in at the waist and hug your shape to show off your curves. Loose, baggy clothing won't do your body justice.^{[5]
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- Women with an hourglass body have a smaller waist, with a curvy bust and wider hips. If this describes you, it’s a great idea to accentuate that waist.
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In general, accentuate your waist no matter your body shape. Your waist can be at your true waist, but it can also be somewhere else, like right under your bust. Balance your frame by letting people know where that part of your body is.^{[6]
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Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Expert Interview. 29 July 2020.}
- You can use a belt to accentuate your waist, as well as by trying to front tuck your top.^{[7]
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  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 29 July 2020.}
- Another option is a jacket with a drawstring rather than a completely loose jacket.

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Choosing the Best Clothing

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Pick fabrics with structure. Flimsy, lightweight fabrics may seem breezy and casual, but they can cling to your body and actually become a bit uncomfortable. Fabrics that are a bit more substantial will make you look svelte and smooth. They offer support while also concealing any lines from undergarments.^{[8]
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- You don’t need to write off fabrics like silk and cotton forever, but be sure to try different fabrics to find what feels best to you.
2
Try on different styles. As a heavily obese girl, it may be tempting to stay in a certain fashion comfort zone. There is nothing wrong with embracing a flowy, boho style, but try on other options too. The next time you go out clothes shopping, take something you wouldn't normally wear into the fitting room with you. You may like something you never expected to!^{[9]
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- You don’t need to buy any of the clothing you try, and you don’t need to show anyone. Just try to be open-minded about other styles of clothing.
- Remember, you won’t know how something looks on you unless you give it a try.
- Choose clothes that aren't necessarily tight but that skim your body, are comfortable, and show your shape underneath.^{[10]
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  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 29 July 2020.}
3
Flaunt your favorite features. You can dress according to your body type and abide by fashion tips, but at the end of the day, you should show off whatever you want to show off! If you love your shoulders, expose them in a plunging off the shoulder top. If you love your backside, wear a formfitting skirt to boast your behind.
- You know better than anyone what you’re working with, so highlight your best features.
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Use colors and patterns to your advantage. Don’t be afraid of bright colors – just make sure that the clothing fits appropriately! For a sleek look, try creating monochromatic outfits with various textures.^{[11]
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- If you want to wear stripes, opt for thin, light-colored stripes on a darker background. Vertical stripes will help you look slimmer than horizontal ones as well.
- If you particularly love a part of your body, wear fun, bright patterns on other parts to draw attention to it.
5
Embrace your body. While it's fun to highlight, accentuate, and maximize certain features, try not to worry about minimizing others. If there's an area of your body that you may not love as much as others, try something radical and show that area off! Dress to make yourself feel happy and confident, not to follow fashion "rules" or to hide your body.

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Promoting Healthy Hair

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Keep your hair healthy. Soft, shiny hair is a gorgeous accessory. To keep your hair healthy, make sure you’re treating it healthy. Don’t shampoo it too often, as this can strip it of its moisturizing, natural oils. Use hot tools sparingly, and always use a heat protectant. Let your hair air dry whenever you can, but when you can’t, use a medium to cool setting on your hair dryer.^{[12]
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- Make sure you’re eating a nutrient-dense diet and drinking plenty of water. A daily multi-vitamin can help with any nutrient deficiencies you may have.
2
Mix up your hairstyle. Branching out from your usual, go-to look can make you look and feel more gorgeous than ever. Don’t worry if you aren’t a gifted hairstylist – YouTube offers tutorials for every hairstyle under the sun. When you have a little bit of free time, try out a few new looks that make you feel beautiful.
- Remember to keep your hair healthy. Instead of using curling irons, try some no-heat curling methods instead.
- Avoid pulling your hair back into sleek ponytails all the time, as this puts too much tension on your hairline and can damage your hair at the roots.
3
Rock some hair accessories. The majority of girls have the occasional self-conscious day, when nothing seems to fit right and every outfit seems to hug in all the wrong places. One of the best things about hair accessories is that they always fit!
- Add some fun headbands, stylish clips, and trendy hats to your wardrobe to easily add a special touch to any outfit.

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Accentuating Your Beauty with Makeup

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Perfect your skin with foundation and concealer. When it comes to applying makeup, the goal is to accentuate your natural, gorgeous features. Whether you’re a complete makeup rookie or an aspiring cosmetologist, developing a makeup routine that you enjoy can boost your confidence and help you look gorgeous. Creating flawless-looking skin is the first step.^{[13]
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- Even out your skin tone with a liquid foundation. With clean hands, dot the product all over your face and blend it in thoroughly with a thick, rounded makeup brush.
- Use a concealer to cover up blemishes or discoloration. Use your fingertips to gently tap the product into your skin.
- Set everything with a powder. Gently brush the powder over your foundation and concealer, focusing on areas of your face that tend to get oily.
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Accentuate your eyes with eyeliner and mascara. Most girls have a personal preference when it comes to this step, so feel free to develop your own routine. If you’re brand new to makeup, however, there are a few basic techniques to make your eyes really pop.^{[14]
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- Apply eyeliner to your top lash line to make your eyes look big and bright, and your lashes appear more luscious and thick.
- Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler to make them look more open.
- Apply mascara to add volume and intensity to your lashes.
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Use a blush to brighten your face. This step is extremely important. While smooth, even skin is great, a blush or a bronzer will give you an attractive, cheery glow. It will add some dimension to your skin, and brighten your entire makeup look.^{[15]
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- Choose a color that looks and feels natural to you. Depending on your skin tone, this might be a bubblegum pink, a peach, or a bronze color.
- Use a soft blush brush to apply this to the apples of your cheeks, gently sweeping it upwards towards your ears. Blend the blush into your skin softly.

Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Completing Your Look with Confidence

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Find role models similar to you. If you’re surrounded or bombarded with images of girls who look completely different than you, it can be easy to feel like an outsider. It’s important to find relatable role models who inspire you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a plus-size model in a fashion show, a super confident woman you know in real life, a teacher, a family member, or a body positivity spokesperson – just find someone who helps you love yourself.
- Do a search online for plus-sized or obese models, writers, song writers, or actresses. Read their stories and listen to their interviews. They may inspire you!
2
Remember that you are your biggest critic. If there are certain things you don’t like about yourself, you’re most likely the only one who notices. If you can forget about your little “flaws,” others will too. If you’re having a great time and embracing what you have to offer, other people will be attracted to that.
- Consider giving yourself a compliment each day. If you're having trouble doing this, start off with something small, like your eye color, then work your way up.
3
Think about the bigger picture. As cliché as it may sound, you only live once. Don’t waste your time worrying about a few extra pounds or trying to conform to a certain expectation. Embrace your body, and remember that it is completely beautiful in all of its uniqueness. When you feel confident, worthy, and gorgeous in your own skin, you will look like it too!

Expert Q&A
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Question

How should I dress if I am overweight?

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Paul Julch is a Personal Wardrobe Stylist, Speaker, and the founder of Urbanite | Suburbanite, a wardrobe styling business in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 25 years in the fashion industry, Paul works with clients to make getting dressed easier, less time consuming, and more enjoyable. Paul has years of experience in retail visual merchandising - styling windows, displays, and floor sets for Banana Republic, Gap, and Express. He also has experience styling fashion photo shoots and corporate videos. Paul holds a BS Degree in Management from State University of New York at Binghamton, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. He also studied Interior Design at the University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Julch, MA

Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

There are medical standards about obesity, but when people use the term "overweight" it's often based on their perception of where they should be. We all have a shape we should be proud of—rather than wearing huge, baggy, loose clothes that hide your true shape, dress to accentuate your waist wherever it is, perhaps with a belt, or a jacket with a drawstring.
Question

How can I lose weight easily when I don't have any support?

Community Answer

Losing weight is a desire that comes from within. I understand it's discouraging when the people around you are not supportive of your decision or don't help you in your journey, but you have to rely on yourself for support first and foremost. Lose weight to be healthier, not to please people. Use positive self-talk as a source of support for yourself. If you want external support, there are a lot of online groups and communities that promote body positivism and weight loss support.
Question

I'm a very heavy 13-year-old and I always struggle with my weight and confidence. Should I embrace my body or change it?

Community Answer

It's up to you. If you're unhappy with your body and you want to lose weight, go ahead and do it (safely, by making moderate changes in your diet and exercise). But don't change your body to please someone else or to fit in. You're beautiful just the way you are.