I just found your website – it’s heaven sent. I am 7 months postpartum and still need to lose about 20lbs. Having said that, my issue is that nothing fits me. I am such a weird shape right now. My arms are fat, I have a pooch under my belly button thanks to my 3 c/sections, and my breasts have deflated. I’m short and round – it’s truly awful.
Any help would be appreciated.
When you have a tummy that hangs down and is hard to find, you need to look for clothing that drapes over it rather than clinging, and use foundations garments to give you back some lift and shape.
Great Foundations
- Get yourself the best bra that lifts your breasts
- Get fitted by an expert who has a large range of brands and sizes so that it’s supporting you correctly (some bra fitters will give you the best they have, which is not necessarily the right fit for you as they may not have the right size for you)
- Find the shapewear that works for you – it may be a tank or a pair of pants
- Buy your shapewear in a size that is supportive and enhancing, but still comfortable, not binding, so that you’re happy to wear it every day
Tummy Hiding Styles
- Tops that flare and don’t cling to your tummy
- Longer jackets and cardigans
- Tunics in flowing fabrics
- Slim leggings and pants
- Dense busy patterns which distract attention
- Eye enhancing colours which draw attention up to your face and away from your stomach
- Column of Colour to elongate and not draw attention to your tummy
- Drape and detail that covers your tummy
Some more tips on dressing your tummy:
Top 10 Tips on How to Make Your Tummy Look Slimmer
How to Flatter a Protruding Stomach
How to Choose Slimming Fabrics
Hi Imogen,
For many people shoulder pads are good too. Not huge 1980’s ones, just something to give a strong shoulder profile which helps minimize the waist.
I’ve been thinking about shoulder pads since I saw that Isabel Marant is the cool label for supermodels such as Miranda Kerr who look great in T-shirts and loose jersey tops. This is because the high-end labels have shoulder pads. (Think of Posh Spice’s label too for another strong shoulder line.) So the same top from a low-end label won’t look as good and on many of us will just look sloppy.
Solution: pop into Spotlight, get some velcro tape and sew in the shoulders of cardigans, tops etc. Then you can interchange shoulder pads (with velcro) on all these garments.
Short round people need structure in clothes and shoulder pads help give some structure which is very flattering. (Obviously swimmers and weightlifters don’t need shoulder pads but for the rest of us they need to be revived in everyday fashion:-)
Hi Imogen, a very helpful topic for me personally, especially as I am thinking of which clothes to pack for my holiday next month that will disguise my tummy!
I was interested in Michaela’s comments, however when I was trying on jackets last year I found that ones with shoulder pads and structured styles just didn’t suit me (Short and round is an accurate description of me though!) I eventually bought a less structured jacket that does provide me with a “waist” but is softer around the shoulders.