I was just looking at this slideshow from RealSimple, showing wedding gowns for various body types. I love looking at wedding gowns anyway, but this time it occurred to me that I could take some of their advice and adapt it for clothes I might wear more than once in my lifetime.

(Semi-serious disclaimer: if you detest the use of fruit names as euphemisms for body types, as I do, frankly, don’t say I didn’t warn you. That said, if you can ignore that part, there’s good information here.)

Here’s an example:

RealSimple’s wedding-gown advice for women with full figures includes staying with close-to-the-body silhouettes and avoiding pleating or ruching under the bust; both of these concepts can easily be applied to your everyday clothes. For example, if you want a knit top, look for those with substantial fabric and a sleek silhouette that skims your body, rather than clinging to it. The key (and as a curvy woman myself, I’m speaking from experience) is flawless fit. It’s when our clothes don’t fit us properly that we’re most apt to feel bad about our bodies (see my post “Is it just me or is it my clothes?” for more on this).

There’s much more in this slideshow, including gowns for several different body types; as you read through their advice for each type, I’m sure you will see more ways to translate these ideas to your current wardrobe. After all, even if you’re not a bride-to-be, you’re already in a relationship with your regular clothes— so give them some love!