This year in fashion, we’ve seen ruffles pop up everywhere, from beautifully tailored blouses to skirts to silhouetted skirts. As for fashion, ruching simply means light pleats of gathered fabric that add a funky flair to our outfits.

Aside from the added fashion flair, ruching serves a great purpose that plus size fashionistas can incorporate into their wardrobe. Many women love the gathering, whether at the top or bottom, because the extra pleats in the fabric are great for hiding figure flaws. Whether you are a size 4 or 24, we all already know that regardless of size or shape, every woman has a particular flaw that she would like to divert attention from.

The gathering is ideal for camouflaging bumps, bumps or general irregularities, which is why we see that this detail occupies a prominent place in women’s fashion, in shirts and dresses in particular. When in the lower half of a blouse, the gathering helps to mimic a cinch-at-the-waist effect and also creates a smooth visual line to transition between separate garments.

Another advantage I’ve heard is that the extra fabric has the ability to raise or lower the shirt, which essentially changes the length of the top. You can lift it slightly to complement that sophisticated high-waisted skirt or even a little lower to accommodate jeans or bootleg pants. Seriously, how much more versatile can you get than that?

I’m going to go ahead and say that plus size women should capitalize on this fashion trend while it’s still in style! The slimming and smoothing visual effect definitely works fabulously for full figures.