Not that all plus size women are relegated to A-line formal dresses plus size alone. By all accounts the Basque-waisted formal dress works.
Typified by low waistlines, this style gives the illusion of an hourglass figure by falling several inches below natural waistline, forming a V shape.
Empire waists may not work for all plus size women as formal dresses plus size. Since it has a high waistline, which starts below the bust line, short plus size women may snuggle right in more than anyone else. Nonetheless, empire waists work for all plus size women, if only for drawing attention away from the waist to the upper body.
Another way to divert the attention away from the waist is by way of a unique neckline. |