Jenn brings up a very good question:
I genetically have always had a little “pot” belly, even at my skiniest. After 2 kids, I think I look pretty good but do try to camoflague the belly 🙂 I always thought that when wearing a top you wanted it to end below the point that you were trying to de-empansize, but my mom said she saw a thing on TV that said you should actually bisect it to break up the line (in the case on tv they were talking about the butt I believe).
To be honest, I’ve spent so much of my life worrying about my thighs that I hadn’t really thought about this. Here’s what I found when I looked it up:
- Diagonal lines are always slenderizing.
- They may have been referring to construction lines. I modeled a pair of jeans with a very deep waistband for my family and the consensus was they may have made me look smaller.
- The style pictured here would translate that concept to tops and tummies.
picture via JCPenney
To learn more techniques to camouflage or highlight particular body characteristics, you could buy the book. I’ve seen it here for as low as in the $30 – $40 range (or there’s always the library).
By the way, did I mention that Coutorture now has Channels and is broken down into Communities? I am thrilled to be included in the Advice Community.
Thanks, but I do have a question about the construction lines. Are you saying that the seams and such break up the line a bit, but by being the same color don’t chop you up?
I think that’s how that works. Layering and such probably works similarly, if the colors are kept closer (like dark jeans with a brown belt, not a white one).
More thinking about your original question: probably alot depends on the fabric and how clingy it is, too. Like a t-shirt would show a bulge if it went over it, but a tailored jacket wouldn’t.
I hope that’s helpful. And I’m delighted to be asked. 🙂
Hey, Jenn, I was just looking at this book I got from the library, Dress Your Best by Clinton Kelly and Stacy London. From the page that addresses “A Little Extra in the Middle, Average Height”:
By bisecting the body just at the widest part of the midsection (against natural instinct), the tummy can be camouflaged.
The woman pictured on that page looks great, as do most of the people.
Your mom was probably watching “What Not to Wear” (as I would be if I had a TV).
Thanks rebecca. Although my library system doesn’t have “The Triumph of Individual Style” I’ll check and see if they have that “Dress your best” one.
i think it depends how tall you are- very tall women can wear long tops to camouflage a tummy but if you’re vertically challenged its better to bisect your widest area. By the way, the top you pictured would make me look pregnant – I find fitted tops with a slight flare at the bottom which sit just above the hip elongate the body and take attention away from the tummy
Thanks for sharing, Maggie. That shirt might do the same on Jenn, since she’s short.
I guess it all depends where the lines fall, and if the fabric blouses above or not. I was visualizing how the young ladies are wearing the banded shirts now, non-bloused. You are so right, though, height is a big factor in how stuff fits.