Gaining weight and getting dressed is never pleasant. So here’s what Image Consultant Michelle T. Sterling does with this body image obstacle and wardrobe challenge.
Discover your most beautiful version of yourself
For years I yo-yoed up and down with weight. Just trying to lose those 10 pounds which eventually became 20 pounds just to gain it all back again.
I’m sure you can relate.
Then I would beat myself up by looking at all these women who killed themselves working out and eating like birds just to look thin. I’ve done the same thing at different points in my life reaching a size 4 when my body looks best in a size 8 and natural in a 10 (my age or the brand…)
I even had students tell me, “Tell yourself that skinny looks better.” But to be honest, that doesn’t work for me. At one point in my life, I had a trainer and no matter what I could never get that sculpted butt that curves and indents nicely into my legs. I could never get arms that looked lean and sculpted. Yet my body would be in constant pain, but I was wearing size 28 jeans!
If I tried these same tack ticks now, my body couldn’t handle the pain then my joints will get worn out and arthritis will develop. That’s just my body. So how to dress when I gained some weight?
Self – Acceptance
As you get older, working out is more about monitoring your health than being skinny or having that model body that men droll over. I still have goals because wearing size 30 jeans without having a muffin top is doable for me. Getting back down to size 28…ufff….And just so you know, one size differentiation equates to 10 pounds on your body. So I’d like to eliminate that muffin top! That’s about working my core = pilates…
Do you want to be treated like an object or respected as a person?
ACCEPTING your body for its fullness is your first point of discovering your most beautiful version of yourself.
Does this mean you should stop working out? Or trying to stay healthy? No.
Does this mean you can eat whatever you want or overeat? No.
Does this mean that if you maintain a healthy lifestyle and you’re still an 8, 10 or 12, that you should pivot and learn how to view yourself with love and acceptance because getting to a size 4 – 6 isn’t maintainable to you… YES! Love you #midsize
Because you see, just one year ago I was thinner! Then all of a sudden in July 2019, the weight packed on…age…
So I need to dress according to my weight gain. Because wearing clothes that are too tight will make me look big and not getting dressed will lower my own self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth. Accepting the weight gain is the hardest part because not only do you look heavier, you feel heavier. And it’s that heavy feeling that can bring you down even more.
So only you will know when is enough is enough and you can’t deal with your weight gain anymore. However in the meantime, it’s best to get some clothes in your closet that actually fit you and don’t emphasize your body. Because imagine looking at a closet filled with clothes worth tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars saying, “What a waste. What a shame I can’t wear these clothes anymore and what a waste of money!” That could be enough to put you in depression!
So what’s the solution….
Dress According to Your New Body Shape and Size
The good news is that you can still find nice clothing in sizes 8, 10, or 12. So let me help you channel into your most beautiful version of self and learn how to dress when you gained some weight. Usually when one gains weight, you’ve lost all desire to invest in your wardrobe or clothing. In fact, you would rather spend less money on clothing.
It’s ok to have goals. But realistically, if you used to wear a medium in Zara and you’ve been wearing a large in Zara for the last 5 – 7 years, most likely this is your new normal or not so new normal. On another note, Zara has adjusted their sizes recently too so you might find that you’re even going up in size now.
One of the hardest things to also accept is trying new styles you usually wouldn’t wear. Be open to new possibilities as they just might surprise you.
Here are some summer outfit ideas.
From beach looks that you can also wear around during the day, to looks that look more edgy. Click on an outfit according to your personal style and shop the look. By selecting clothing with some ease, you’ll feel better about your body and more comfortable in your own skin.
Getting ready to head back to the office but you’ve gained 20 – 30 pounds because of the pandemic?
The best place to start when realistically dealing with weight gain is to accept your body for what it is at the moment rather than freak out that nothing fits in your closet. Use pieces in your wardrobe that you love and usually wear to motivate you to lose those extra pounds. And most importantly dress for the body you have now.
So, what does that mean? If you were a size 8 and are now a loose size 12 since you gained 15 pounds in the last year, then dress for that body type and develop a simple wardrobe capsule to get you through the next couple of months as you try to shed the 15 pounds. Realistically, you can lose 2 pounds a week if you’re meticulous about your diet and exercise.
To create this wardrobe capsule, get a jacket, skirt, or pants in black and also a jacket, skirt, and pants in navy, heather grey, or white. Decide which neutral color appeals to your taste. Then add 6 – 10 colorful tops to mix things up and also add 2 work dresses. Mix and match those tops with your black staple pieces and let’s say your navy staple pieces. That’s your professional wardrobe cluster to get you through the summer which should be comprised of 12 – 20 pieces to create about 10 to 20 outfits, which is about 3 – 4 weeks of work attire.
Keep in mind that you can always get these clothes that you purchased tailored when you’ve lost the weight.
Buying things in stretch cotton will also help as well as things with elastic waist bands.
We know that people are not motivated to shop when they’ve gained weight. We’ve seen clients burst into tears in the dressing room because they’ve gained weight, particularly if the weight gain for women is in their 40s. Therefore, to avoid dressing room anxiety or drama in your closet, buy clothes in your current size; for the size that you are right now. 12 pieces equates to two weeks of clothing and for some it’s worth it to preserve your self-esteem.
CLICK HERE FOR WORK FROM HOME WARDROBE ESSENTIALS
Need help creating this budget friendly COVID 15 weight gain capsule? Check out our online personal styling service for $197. Give us a budget of $750 – $1000 for clothing and we’ll curate an online wardrobe capsule style board for you that can be shipped to your doorstep according to your taste, needs, and specifications.
Our comments were recently mentioned in the Huff Post!
Or feel free to shop our sample capsule below:
Dressing more modestly is one way to still look fashionably dressed when you’ve gained some weight.
So, here are some tips to discover your most beautiful version of yourself:
- Practice positive body self-talk. Talk to your body. If you want to lose some weight, ask it to assist you. Say kind things to yourself.
- Try some yoga and/or Pilates as it seems to be the best way to use your body weight to develop long, lean lines.
- Buy clothing in your current size and just accept that this clothing size makes you look your best in your outfit as it’s not too tight to show all the imperfections on your body and it’s not too large to make you look larger than you are. Here are some more current shopable looks below.
Tip 3 is often the hardest hurdle to accomplish, or perhaps for you, all of the tips are hard to accomplish. But not to despair, that’s when an online image consultation can help you build self-confidence in yourself and your style.
Here are some cute loungewear options that are super soft, comfy and cozy. You can dress up loungewear with a blazer plus we added affordable options as we know people hate shopping when they have gained weight. It’s that sedentary lifestyle so why not be comfortable!
With Spring/Summer coming up. Here are my style picks from all American brands to deemphasize my waistline. If you’re thick around the mid-section or have a large tummy, these items are designed for comfort yet still have enough structure to give your body some shape. Here’s how to look cute when you’ve gained weight. You may have gained weight and your clothes still fit or your clothes suddenly don’t fit. So, these items will help you disguise weight gain. Remember to be kind to yourself. We are our own worst critics.
Here’s how to look cute when you’ve gained weight. You may have gained weight and your clothes still fit or your clothes suddenly don’t fit. So, these items will help you disguise weight gain. Tips on how to dress when you gain weight.
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