This year in fashion, we’ve seen ruches appear everywhere, from beautifully tailored blouses to form-fitting skirts. When it comes to fashion, ruching simply means slight folds of gathered fabric that add a dazzling touch to our outfits.

Besides the added fashion flair, ruching serves a great purpose that plus size fashionistas can incorporate into their wardrobe. Many women love ruching, either on top or bottom, because the extra folds of fabric are great for hiding figure flaws. Whether you’re a size 4 or 24, we all know that regardless of your size or shape, every woman has a particular flaw they’d like to divert attention from.

Gathering is great for camouflaging bumps, bulges or general irregularities, so we’re seeing this detail figure prominently in women’s fashion, shirts and dresses in particular. When found on the lower half of a blouse, ruching helps to mimic a cinched effect at the waist and also creates a soft line of sight for transitioning between separate garments.

Another benefit I’ve heard is that the extra fabric gives you the ability to pull the shirt up or down, which essentially changes the length of the top. You can pull it up a little to complement that fancy high-waisted skirt or even a little lower to accommodate jeans or wide-leg pants. Seriously, how much more versatile can you be than that?

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