The 17 Best Plus-Size Dresses Are So Comfortable And Stylish

Best Overall

Universal Standard Jersey Twist Dress

View On Universalstandard.com

In a category as broad as dresses, it's difficult to choose just one dress for our top pick, given how tastes, preferences, and lifestyle needs can vary so greatly. For us, versatility was key here.

Universal Standard's Velvety-Cool Jersey Twist Dress is exactly that. The curve-hugging style would work well for a day at the office to happy hour and dinner with friends thereafter, or for a cocktail party on the weekend. It features a fun twist detail that subtly accentuates the smallest part of the waist and a V-neckline perfect for showing off a statement necklace.

Material: Polyester, elastane | Size: 0–40

Best Budget

BloomChic SuperSoft Essentials Pleated Midi Dress

View On Bloomchic.com

A prolific budget-friendly brand that proudly makes sizes 10–30, BloomChic is known for its stretchy, flattering dresses. Hence, you really can’t beat the BloomChic SuperSoft Essentials Pleated Midi Dress in terms of being an affordable basic. A cute little skater number, the midi dress has T-shirt length fitted sleeves, a kicky skirt, and is made of super plush, stretchy material that feels downright delightful. For under $30, the dress is also so affordable that you won’t feel bad picking up a few to have in your drawer — especially since it comes in 11 colors.

Material: Polyester, rayon, spandex | Size: 10–30

Best Splurge

Mara Hoffman Eliza Dress

View On Marahoffman.com

If you don’t mind ponying up serious coin, Mara Hoffman’s Eliza Dress is a big-time winner. Marcy Guevara-Prete, a plus-size stylist who owns Los Angeles plus-size retail shop The Plus Bus, says the dress is one of her personal favorites. “I get so many compliments anytime I wear Mara Hoffman,” she says. “It happens over and over and over.”

The Eliza, linked here in the Gemma print, is an unlined mid-length dress with long sleeves. That doesn’t mean the wearer’s covered up, though: A plunging V-neck means the wearer’s face and decolletage are deliciously framed, and there’s smocking throughout the dress that gives it a very touchable, popcorn-like texture.

Material: Tencel lyocell | Size: XXS–3X

Best Linen

Linenbee Dahlia Maxi Dress

View On Linenbee.com

As its name suggests, Linenbee specializes in linen garments, offering pretty much everything it sells in a truly impressive range of colors and two fabric weights. While there are more than a few super cute linen dresses in its collection, we’re especially partial to the Dahlia Maxi dress, which is a variation on another of the brand’s best sellers, the Delilah. With an empire waist and handy pockets, the dress has sort of an “Elizabeth Bennett going to town” vibe, but with a charmingly modern twist. The three-fourths sleeves have flattering slits, and the whole thing is breezy, comfortable, and supremely wearable. 

Best of all, though, is the brand’s commitment to custom fits. Each dress is individually cut, sewn, and pre-washed based on the wearer’s measurements. If you want your dress to be shorter than it appears in the listing, you can say that. Longer, too.

Material: Linen  | Size: XXS–4XL

Best Cotton

Wray Jean Dress

View On Wray.nyc

Curvy and plus-sized fashionistas have long sung the praises of Wray, a New York-based brand that creates fair-trade garments designed to excel in both form and function. While there’s a lot to love in each of the brand’s seasonal collections, the Jean dress is a particularly big winner. With its vintage-inspired silhouette, button front, and elastic-backed waist, it’s both a stylish and comfortable staple. The cotton denim construction makes it soft, but durable, and as a bonus, the dress can also be worn as a jacket, should you choose to open it up and remove the sash belt. Now that’s a dress that’ll make you feel like you got your money’s worth!

Material: Cotton, Lycra | Size: XXS–6X

Best on Amazon

BerryGo Boho V-Neck Wrap Dress

View On Amazon $48

One of the most popular plus-friendly dresses on Amazon with thousands of positive reviews, BerryGo’s Boho V-Neck Wrap dress clearly aims to please. It comes in a staggering amount of colors and fabrics and a range of sizes from 0 to 22.

Shopping for plus-size clothes on Amazon can sometimes feel like a bit of a crap shoot, BerryGo says this dress actually runs a little big, meaning that even if you’re pushing the boundaries of a 22, it might be worth ordering this one up to give it a go. After all, you can’t really ever go wrong with a wrap dress, especially if it’s got a swinging skirt like this one.

Material: Polyester  | Size: 16–22

Best Bodycon

Remi X Revolve Nicole Dress

View On Revolve

A bodycon pick from influencer Remi Bader's recent collaboration with Revolve, the Nicole Dress was so popular when it was released it sold out almost instantly. Bader says she believes that’s because of the garment’s stretchy mesh construction, which she says “fits and looks good on everyone no matter what size you are.”

Most mesh, she points out, is somewhat see-through, but for this style, Bader and Revolve went with something more substantial, choosing a two-ply fabric that didn’t reveal as much of the wearer’s body. They also went with a visually interesting print that sort of draws the eye along the body, camouflaging anything you want to hide and accentuating anything the wearer wants to show off.  “It truly is the perfect dress,” Bader boasts.

Material: Polyester, spandex | Size:  XXS–4X

Best Tank

Good American Modern Tank Maxi Dress

View On Nordstrom $129 View On Goodamerican.com View On Saks Fifth Avenue $119

When Bader was first adventuring in the world of plus-size fashion, it was with Good American garments. She loved the look of the dresses coming out of Khloé Kardashian’s brand, which she says were the first garments that she found that were both plus-size and “trendy.” That’s certainly true of the Modern Tank Maxi, a sexy, curve-hugging black dress that looks straight out of a Kardashian's closet. 

Made of sculpting double-knit stretch fabric, the dress smooths and shapes the wearer’s curves, meaning your butt will always look great and you won’t have to worry about anything jiggling around unless you want it to. Style it simply with sandals and chunky gold jewelry and throw on a luxe cardigan as needed.

Material: Nylon, elastane | Size: XS–5XL

Best Midi

Hilary MacMillan Knit Swirl Midi Dress

View On Hilarymacmillan.com

A flattering dress festooned with a trio of figure-flattering stripes, Hilary MacMillan’s Knit Swirl dress has the power to make any wearer feel like a super sexy piece of candy. A favorite of the pair of co-founders behind the plus-friendly brand Zuri, the Knit Swirl dress works well for summer, but throw a blazer or a jean jacket on top, and you’re set for spring and fall, too

We love that it’s made of stretchy knit fabric and that it hits just below the knee, meaning you’ll get to show some skin without worrying about bend over too far. Moreover, we love that it features a bra-friendly cut, since so many plus-sized gals know the value and importance of a really supportive piece of lingerie.

Material: Viscose, polyester, and polyamid  | Size: XS–5X

Best A-Line

Ace & Jig Avi Dress

View On Aceandjig.com

An increasingly popular plus-size player that Zuri co-founders Sandra Zhao and Ashleigh Miller singled out for having "gorgeous fabrics" and "beautiful size-inclusive clothing,” Ace & Jig makes a ton of really fun dresses for all types of events. For everyday wear, we love the Avi, which boasts a flattering A-line cut, comes in five lively prints, and has delightfully deep side pockets. Perfect for everything from a day working at home to a picnic in the park, the Avi is made of 100 percent non-GMO organic cotton, meaning it’s been crafted and processed without any chemicals or fertilizers.

Material: Organic cotton  | Size: XXS–4X

Best for Weddings

Mac Duggal Tiered V-Neckline Ruched Gown

View On Anthropologie $458

Bader looks at Anthropologie’s plus-size and weddings pages when she needs a new outfit. “They have amazing dresses for every occasion,” she says. That includes formal affairs, with the brand boasting a few dozen ready-to-wear evening dresses.

If you’re looking for something fun and flirty, you really can’t go wrong with Mac Duggal’s tiered V-Neckline ruched gown, which comes in a Barbie pink so adorable that there’s just no way you can wear it and not have fun. Dress it down with a sandal and a wicker bag for a daytime wedding, or add some flair with heels, drop earrings, and an updo for an evening affair.

Material: Polyester | Size: 12–20

Best Shirt

Zuri Onward Dress

View On Shopzuri.com

Wearing a Zuri dress will earn you not just a staggering amount of compliments but also a ton of “Where did you get that? Can you send me the link?” queries. The company has made its name on its comfortable and versatile garments, which can be worn as dresses, long shirts over leggings, or even duster-style jackets. They sell dresses both with and without sleeves and in two lengths. All of the company’s fabrics are sourced from markets and manufacturers in Africa, where the dresses are made by workers earning fair wages, and, beyond that, they’re also pretty darn affordable, considering how many wash and wear cycles they can endure while still looking absolutely brand new. 

While we pretty much love all Zuri dresses, if you’re looking for a good place to start, pattern-wise, you can’t really go wrong with this one, which is a dabbled leaf print that’s both bold and also sort of neutral. The brand also offers more sedate options, as well as even wilder ones for those who yearn for something a little more bold.

Material: Cotton | Size: XXS–3X

Best Mini

Hanifa Clarissa Mini

View On Hanifa.co

Another of Bader’s favorite brands, Hanifa is a black-female owned clothing company that makes everything from footwear to wedding dresses, and knows its way around curves and swerves, with many of the garments not shying away from stomach cutouts or super high waistlines. With its short length and to-the-body cut, the Clarissa Mini certainly fits in that group, but the garment’s long sleeves and turtleneck bodice mean wearers really aren’t baring too much. (Not that that’s a thing.) It comes in a Barbie pink and an attention-grabbing orange, making it the perfect dress for a night out at the club.

Material: Viscose, nylon | Size: XS–3X

Best Maxi

Amazon Essentials Tank Waisted Maxi Dress

View On Amazon $20

When you’re shopping for a maxi dress, there are really a few things that you want: First, fabric flowy and breathable enough that you’ll feel comfortable on a summer day, and second: something cute and flattering, so you don’t feel like grandma or a character in The Flying Nun.

Amazon Essentials’ Tank Waisted Maxi has both of those essentials in spades, with a scooped neckline, flattering and comfortable elastic waistband, and breathable rayon fabric. It would look great at the beach and it would look great at a wedding, and its wide range of colors means you can pick something that you’ll really love. In the reviews section, Amazon customers seem to really love the dress, calling it “exactly what I was looking for,” and “the perfect dress.” They call out the dress as being especially great for anyone who’s a little more pear-shaped, saying it can fit close to the body on the top while giving your lower half a little room to breathe.

Material: Polyester | Size: XS–6X

Best Cocktail

Anthropologie Maya Ruched Cowl-Neck Dress

View On Anthropologie $110

The holidays are over, but the parties don't stop. If you have a festive function to attend, or perhaps some special Valentine's Day plans where you’re looking to stun, Anthropologie’s Maya cowl-neck dress won't disappoint. It comes in three stunning jewel-like velvet colors and looks great with everything from combat boots to sky-high pumps. The pullover gown is made of stretch polyester, feels super comfortable, and has a front slit that means that while it feels like a maxi, you’ll have access to a pretty decent range of motion. Reviewers say it’s “very flattering,” though they say it does run a bit small, so perhaps consider sizing up.

Material: Polyester, elastane, and nylon | Size: 1X–3X

Best Athletic

Old Navy PowerSoft Shelf-Bra Support Dress

View On Gap.com

We’ve seen and heard the Old Navy PowerSoft Shelf Bra dress touted everywhere from podcasts to shopping newsletters, and for good reason. The athletic-inspired frock is simple and chic, but also incredibly wearable. It’s ideally meant for the tennis court, but it can absolutely go beyond that if you want to pair it with some Jordans or a nice pair of heels. And while it might feel a little short or risqué, there’s actually both a bodysuit and a shelf bra with removable cups built into the garment, meaning you can rest assured that you’re not one big gust of wind away from a wardrobe malfunction. If you run a little hot, the dress is perfect for you, too: It has vented side slits to keep air moving, and it’s made of Go-Dry moisture-wicking fabric

Material: Polyester, spandex | Size: XS–4X; S–XXL tall; and XS–XL petite