These Plus-Size Dresses Are So Chic, I Planned My Entire Birthday Around Them
From a casual lunch with my husband to a party fit for a princess.
As someone who has loved fashion since I was a child and has never turned down an excuse to turn a look, I’ve always put effort into finding the perfect birthday outfit. But one birthday dress isn’t nearly enough for a week’s worth of events: I need something hot for an adults-only party, a princess-y dress for my special day, and a casual look for lunch with my husband. Read on for what I wore during all of my birthday celebrations this year.
The Party Dress: A Curve-Hugging Animal-Print Midi
There’s something special about styling a saucy bombshell dress for your birthday party. I usually reach for a super-short, legs-out mini, but this year I have been drawn to form-fitting animal-print midis. This almost sold-out tiger-print midi from TA3 was just too good to resist.
I am a big fan of the waist-cinching technology in the L.A. label’s swimwear, but this was my first time trying its ready-to-wear clothing. I was impressed. The signature corset cords do what they're supposed to: snatch the waistline with a simple pull. Once tied, the cinch stays in place until the party’s over. This is a top contender to wear to my rain-check birthday celebration (I did not want to deal with torrential downpours on a night out!). For maximum comfort, I will ride the train un-cinched and tighten the corset right before making my entrance.
The few notes I have on this dress are minimal: the built-in cups are not quite big enough for my bust, resulting in some spillover. I also think I’d prefer the side panels without the naked illusion. If I were shopping again, I’d go for the same sculpting silhouette with black side panels. This animal-print version is sadly already sold out, but if you like this silhouette, it is still available in a variety of solids and prints."
The Birthday Princess Dress: A Fairytale Full Skirt Moment
My first name means “princess,” and while I don’t make that my personality, I do channel that with delightfully over-the-top dresses on my birthday every year. I can always count on voluminous Selkie styles to awaken my inner royalty, but this year I fell in love with a pleated mesh gown from Hutch.
Its borderline iridescent blue reminds me of the sky on a perfect summer day. The layered mesh print makes the florals look almost dreamlike and ethereal. The Amara is one of Hutch’s signature styles, so you can shop the silhouette in different colors or patterns. If you’re lucky, you might even find your favorite on sale!
The Casual Lunch Date Dress: An Airy Oversized Maxi
Not every birthday event is going to be a fancy one, but that doesn’t mean I’m wearing a standard jeans-and-T-shirt combination. Enter one of my summer essentials: the floaty maxi dress. They are just the thing for soaring temperatures. Plus, in lightweight fabrics, they keep overheating at bay.
This Old Navy dress was perfect for my birthday lunch with my husband, though it's one size away from selling out. We went to a new all-you-can-eat Korean hotpot spot, so I knew this wasn’t the time for a bodycon number. This loose, flowy dress was perfect—and the fact that it's black made me less paranoid about splashing sauce on myself. Talk about a win win!
