Fashion Lab: Apparent Body Size

The question posed was, “do you think that clothes that are just a little big make the wearer look smaller?”

Cast your vote: do I look smaller in the fitted gray turtleneck or the oversized gray turtleneck?

8 thoughts on “Fashion Lab: Apparent Body Size”

  1. I think you look smaller in the fitted grey turtleneck. It seems like people generally do look smaller in fitted (not tight) clothing. However, I’ve found that my hips/thighs look smaller in pants that are just *slightly* large and that just sort of skim that area. It only seems to apply to certain dress pants, though, not to skirts. Perhaps I am oddly shaped. 😛

  2. Fitted. I think the eye usually goes to “overall size” rather than “perceived size” (i.e. “she must be skinny because that is big on her”). I normally don’t wear shirts that are very fitted, but I have one fitted shirt that always gets compliments like, “You look great,” and “You’re losing weight.”

  3. The arm positions are different. One thing you usually get with a slimmer fit – and you can see that in the top photo – is some space between arm and side torso. That in itself makes people look smaller. A baggier garment is likely to fill that space from both sides, especially if it has some body to it. Also a baggier garment will probably have a lower set armhole than a person needs. This also fills in that space.

  4. Well, I am not all that surprised with how this turned out; and I still like the oversized sweater — I wear it as a sweatshirt.

    Mainly I’ve been wondering about what Tessa brought up: pant that are loose in the thigh area. Not that I’m ever likely to find any.;)

    If I do this again, I will try to get the pictures both in the same spot.

  5. Fitted! (Like you, for very casual around the house or a trip to work out, I will wear comfy oversized pieces.)

    Fitted clothing shows you have shape, or creates more of a shape. Who knows what lurks under oversized?

  6. I agree that the more fitted one is the best.

    I’ve found that I look slimmest in clothing that has structure, but is not tight. So a dress shirt that has the seams in the front (you know, the ones that go up to the bottom of the breast and stop) and some darts, but that doesn’t actually cling to my little pot belly make me look the slimmest.

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