Why Some Oversized Clothes Make You Look Bigger?
Oversized outfits definitely serve their purpose when styled properly. There is, however, the danger of crossing the line between a laid-back silhouette with great proportions and adding unnecessary bulk to your appearance visually.
This has little to do with the actual style of the outfit. It all comes down to the fit, proportions, and some minor styling decisions that either complement or hinder your silhouette. Here's why oversized outfits make you look bigger.
Wearing The Wrong Oversized Size
Over-sized does not apply to all sizes that are bigger than your own. The correct size for you still exists when it comes to over-sized clothing.
If your shirt is way off your body measurement, it will have no structure to lie against and end up folding up in strange areas while looking like you've got nothing on underneath. With the right sized over-sized clothes, you get both comfort and proper fitting at once.
Choosing Extra-Baggy Clothes Without Shape
All large clothing pieces are not created equally. If there is some tapering of the piece on the body, then the garment is considered an oversize fit but still looks like something.
However, if the fit is baggier, with no tapering and no structure in the piece, making the garment look larger all around, then it forms a tent. The body gets lost in the extra fabric, and the overall appearance becomes one big shape.
Poor Shoulder Fitting in Oversized Outfits
The shoulder seam is the starting point of any shirt. Should it be located lower than it should, at a point farther from the shoulder itself, it causes the whole torso to appear wider and more lowered in position.
Low shoulder seams are okay for an oversize look, yet there is a limit to that. Should the shoulder seam touch your arm, it means you are wearing a shirt two sizes bigger than yours.
Wearing Oversized Clothes With Oversized Bottoms
The combination of an oversized shirt with baggy pants will make you lose all the references to your body. It means there is nothing to create any kind of reference.
There is no contrast; there is nothing structural and there is no line either. The silhouette created by such a combination is just one piece of fabric going all the way from shoulders to ankles.
Wrong T-Shirt Length For Your Body Shape
Length is more important than one can imagine. If the shirt ends lower than halfway down to the knee, it shortens the leg length while giving a long and heavy impression to the torso.
On plus-size women, a line on the top half of the thigh helps add some length to their legs. However, going very short presents a problem as well, which is why mid-thigh is recommended.
Lack of Proper Outfit Balance
In terms of creating balance within an outfit, it is having volume at one area of the body and structure at another.
If there is volume at both the top and bottom, or if there is absolutely nothing to define the waist area and give a separation within the silhouette, the outfit will lose its shape completely.
Tucking the oversized shirt at the front, adding a structured jacket on top, or even a belt over a loose layer creates this definition point.
Dark and Light Color Mismatch
The position of colors plays a significant role in influencing how the eye interprets the body’s shape. Light colors attract the eye and create an illusion of expansion, whereas darker colors tend to recede from view.
A light, large t-shirt over dark pants makes the torso appear bigger, whereas the opposite makes the torso smaller. But that doesn’t mean you have to wear only dark colors.
Loose Sleeves Making Arms Appear Larger
It is also easy to neglect the issue of sleeve width. The more baggy a sleeve is, and the less tight it fits around the arm area, the greater the amount of volume it gives.
However, a relaxed sleeve that still provides roominess but does not have excessive dimensions allows enjoying a comfortable wearing experience without additional volume. If you feel that oversized shirts are making your arms appear thicker, chances are it is the sleeve cut that matters here.
Big Boyz Collection's selection of oversized shirts has the sleeve cut tailored according to a bigger body shape.
Layering Oversized Pieces Incorrectly
Layering creates a dimension to an outfit; however, when oversized outfits are layered over each other, all you achieve is adding more volume to the outfit. It is important that you create a contrast between the fits of the items.
An example would be fitting a tight layer underneath a loose open-shirt or having a tailored jacket layered over an oversized top. In order for this style to work, there needs to be some form of difference in volume and length.
Conclusion
Oversized clothes suit everyone if the proportions are balanced. In most cases, being too oversized happens due to one or several aspects that could be easily addressed by starting with one detail at a time: the shoulders do not fit, mismatch in volume between top and bottom, too wide sleeves, or an inappropriate length which does not divide the body in the proper way.
When all the mistakes have been corrected, the outfit will look polished and on purpose.