There are four fabulous fits in fashion. A body-con fit is form-fitting. A tailored fit gently follows the contour of the body. A fluid fit is moderately roomy all over. An oversized fit is baggy and voluminous. Body-con and oversized fits tend to be less popular than tailored and fluid fits, because they are extreme.
Oversized fits are on-trend fashion, so we’re seeing more of the silhouette at retail. Let’s explore the good, and the not so good aspects of this fit.
Pros
- On-trend and fashion-forward
- Can create an architectural outfit integrity
- Comfortable
- Allows freedom of movement
- Casual, cosy, and relaxing
- Can create outfit proportions that make you feel attractive and confident
- Hides the contour of the body
- Can make you feel narrower in the body
Cons
- Overwhelming, and looks like your wearing ill-fitting clothes
- Can make you feel sloppy and unpolished
- Excess fabric can get in the way of the tasks at hand
- Clothing can annoyingly slide around the body and not stay put
- Hard to layer toppers over oversized tops
- Hides the contour of the body
- Can make you feel wider in the body
These lists are by no means exhaustive. Feel free to add to them.
I wear oversized fits, but with caution. I am extremely fussy about which items I will wear oversized and which I won’t. I’ll happily wear oversized cotton and linen button-down shirts in the Summer because they keep me cool, covered, and breezy. I semi-tuck the fronts and scrunch the sleeved to create some structure. I don’t need to worry about layering over them with a topper because it’s hot. I wear a few oversized pullovers and sweatshirts. They have very neat and tidy high necklines, high-low hemlines, or are at a cropped length – all of which tempers their volume. They fit under some of my very fluid coats and puffers.
I wear very wide trousers, jeans, dresses, and skirts that are fitted on the waist, which adds a more tailored integrity. I also have a big cocoon coat. These items are probably thought of as very fluid, rather than oversized.
I don’t wear oversized jackets and coats because they are wrong for my narrow shoulders. Instead of fashionable and fab, I look like I’m wearing ill-fitting clothes. This does not make me feel polished, and pulled together. That said, I wore oversized everything in the ‘80s and loved it. The big difference back then was shoulder pads, which on narrow-shouldered me made all the difference. I looked like I filled out an oversized top and topper with a strong shoulder line. With the absence of huge shoulder pads this time round, oversized toppers (and most tops) do not work.
Oversized fits are tricky to feel fab in. When the item, outfit proportions, and fit are dead right – you can feel your best in an oversized fit. I’ve found that clients with broad shoulders tend to wear oversized tops and toppers with ease, for example.
Over to you. Do you wear oversized fits?
