Ladies, I would like to let you in on a little secret: Most women who go on cruise vacations are not as buff as women who go mountain climbing. So, let’s ignore the flab and get ourselves back to gorgeous. There are ways to look sexy in plus size resort wear and evening wear. Here are my rules.
Rule Number One for Looking Sexy in Plus Size Clothing
Don’t pack anything with a tight waistband. It’s difficult to feel sexy when you can’t breathe. On a perfect holiday, in a perfect world, you would not pack anything with a waistband, except for leggings. Many dresses, short or long, have no waist.
Rule Number Two for Being Happy on Cruise and Resort Vacations
If you don’t have one gorgeous, floaty, lightweight dress, find a friend who can sew or buy one nice designer evening dress. And, if you can’t afford a high-end dress, get something at Old Navy or a discount store, but buy it in a size that’s a little larger than normal. You will be eating more than usual on a cruise because mealtime is the main social life while you are shipboard.
If you are at a tropical resort, your full-time job is to lie around by the pool or to lie on the beach while reading a lowbrow novel. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. So, you need to factor in those Mai Tai calories when deciding what to pack.
Rule Number Three – Be Honest With Yourself
Don’t kid yourself. Unless you are active at home, you are not going to burn off the calories by power walking around the ship 500 times each morning. On the same note, you are not going to swim with the Bahamian sharks for an hour each afternoon unless swimming is a part of your normal routine. You are not going to limit your caloric intake to a piece of lettuce and a slice of salami. Also, if you’re cruising or you're at an all-inclusive resort, you’ve already paid for those meals. And, a stringent, stressful diet may ruin your vacation.
Rule Number Four Is – Acceptance of Your Body
If you’re fat, you’re fat. (I’ve only been heavy for the last two years of my life, so I have no “fat” baggage. For me, it started with a medical condition and I never returned to the normal me.) I know who I am and there are some advantages to being heavy:
- I’ll outlive my skinny neighbors in the next famine.
- My body fat makes me more buoyant in the pool or the ocean and less likely to drown.
Rule Number Five – Wear Your Favorite Colors if You Can Find Them in Your Size
I love fuchsia, so I’m going to try to find a dress or top in hot pink. If I can’t get that, I’m going down my list to teal, turquoise, violet, etc. I may end up with black, but that’s only because I can’t sew.
Rule Number Six – Show Some Cleavage
Large sunglasses, hats, tote bags, cute sandals, nice nails, and things like that can distract from a fat tush or a fat middle, but showing a bit of cleavage seems to work the best.
Rule Number Seven – Tanned Flab Is Sexier Than Pale Flab
A slightly chubby friend told me that when I was skinny. And, I believe she was right.
Rule Number Eight – Start Dreaming / Planning
Look at designer clothes and try to imitate the look within your budget. Personally, I would rather get one dress that I really love and wash it every night.
- Look for good quality silk in a style with enough room to breath.
- If red makes you feel sexy, try a red dress.
- England is not that far away. Or print out a photo of a dress you like and take the picture with you when you go shopping.
- A turquoise and white combo will take you almost anywhere.
- If a simple top is in your favorite color, a tunic with leggings is a perfect option.
- Plus size women can wear white if the outfit is made correctly.
Resort Wear on the Cheap
You don't have to spend a small fortune on vacation clothing. But, if your weight doesn't yoyo too much, good clothes will outlast most cheap stuff. Or try:
- Target Mossimo Sleeveless Maxi Dress $24.99
- Target Merona Cornelian Blue V-Neck Maxi Dress $32.99
- Anything called a minidress will actually become a tunic when worn over gauzy tropical pants.
- Old Navy has good striped sailor tops and you can wear them.
- Inexpensive beach coverups can take you almost anywhere. I wear them to dinner (if you can’t see through them) and I stare down the cruise ship Nazis. Of course, I hate rules. And, I add pearls.
More Upscale Plus Size Cruise Wear
If you want a nice maxi dress that can be dressed up or down, check out Rachel Pally. She has several maxis at Nordstrom, but they carry less prints than they did pre-recession. Her casual gowns are clingy, but they have a sexy drape. I love them.
- Ulla Popken has a nice violet knit T-Shirt dress. Wear it with a long, long necklace, a turquoise purse and orange shoes if you are feeling plucky.
- Soft Surroundings has a sandwashed topper or dress that looks suitably Moroccan. It comes in cute colors and goes up to size 24. It’s perfect for the pool, but if you want to wear it with strands of beads and gold filigree jewelry, I say it’s fine for dinner.
You should also try Saks Salon Z for Johnny Was, and cruise the usual haunts. However, there are slim pickings out there for plus sizes. I suppose the fashion designers haven’t heard that Baby Boomer women are more likely to have money than their skinny daughters, who owe their skinny souls to the pediatric orthodontists.
Oh. Maybe, they just heard me…
More Articles:
Plus Size Cruise Wear to Make You Feel Beautiful
Nautical Clothing for Women: Mix and Match Dresses, Jewelry, Tops
Summer Floral Prints: Trendy Plus Size Clothing to Mix & Match
Women's Travel Cruise Wear Online: Over 40 & 50
Beach Cover Ups for Women: Plus Size Tunic, Dress, Caftan, Sarong
Best Flattering Swimsuits for Women Over 40 & 50
Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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