Do you feel *bigger* dressed? - YouLookFab Forum

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Do you feel bigger dressed?

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Please do not worry I do not have any body issues but I have noticed that I appear bigger once dressed, I think this may be a body type issue as I'm on the cusp of rectangle / hourglass and look more rectangular fully clothed. I do wonder if I'm not dressing my body type to its full advantage. Am I alone in this? Too much information? Please share!

Body Type

41 replies

Latest reply was from indeminis

Aziraphale

Veteran

I have a friend who says she looks better totally naked than with clothes on. She's full-figured. Maybe she's like you, and feels bulkier dressed? Anyway I think I know what you mean.

If you wear clothes that accentuate your waist, do you feel bigger, or smaller?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I was going to write a blog post about this!! WOW!! We are telepathic!!! I shall hold off on my comments until the post.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Thank Elisabeth, strangely enough accentuating the waist does not guarantee I feel smaller, although foe the most part it works. My limbs are long so I feel slimmer in sleeveless items, skinnies or something which shows the clavicle.

Oh Angie not again!

Charmian

Veteran

I typically feel smaller dressed, which IMO is the more nonsensical viewpoint of the two (adding layers of cloth adds bulk to your frame).

But it's pretty much exactly as elisabeth says: accentuating my waist and limbs (eg, tiny wristbones) makes me feel smaller!

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Charmian, I think I'm now programmed to assume dressing well equates with longer, leaner, slimmer silhouettes even when surrendering the waistline.

crazyone

Veteran

I don't feel bigger or smaller either way, but I wonder if I end up *looking* smaller when dressed. I am fairly small overall for sure, but am not especially *tiny*, especially my thighs, which are fairly ample and the largest part of me. But I probably dress to hide that somewhat and people, many of whom are as thin as me, always comment on how small/thin I am! While I'm super glad that I don't have to do this for many, many other reasons, if I walked around naked or even in a bikini I don't think people would have the same impression.

Di

(website)

Veteran

I do! I'm an hourglass, if that helps!

Queen Mum

Veteran

hmm, I actually feel more slender once I've hidden all the bumps and bulges with properly fitting and figure flattering clothes.
In the event that I do feel larger, I make outfit tweaks until that problem is remedied.

Aziraphale

Veteran

The reason I asked about whether or not you feel you look bigger/smaller when your waist is accentuated is that I have this idea that women who have a really small waist can make themselves look TINY with clothes on because it's easy to draw attention to a small waist and cover full thighs with clothes. On the other hand, if you're like me and your waist isn't particularly small, clothes might make you feel bulkier. I've got slender, muscular limbs and narrow hips, but my waist isn't tiny, so I feel I look slimmer undressed or in a bathing suit.

Lena

I've noticed that too tight anything (undergarments, jeans, etc) make me look worse to my eye. Not necessarily bigger, just lumpy.

I'm a pear, and accenting the waist doesn't always make me feel good.

I'm looking forward to the blog post, too. It's a very interesting question.

crazyone

Veteran

elisabeth: I agree with you--I'm an example of a woman with a small waist and fuller thighs which I generally try to cover. I also have very slender arms and calves, so people don't tend to notice my fullness below the waistline.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I have always felt this way, too! Intrigued and waiting for Angie's post.

MsMary

Veteran

That's so funny -- I always feel much fatter naked with all my bits showing and running off in all different directions!

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I feel way worse undressed...feel ugly clothed, but even worse when Im not!

Barbara

Veteran

I'm an tall, slender hourglass and look even slimmer dressed. I do like showing my collar bones and arms! I prefer fitted, not skintight. That goes for jeans, jackets and tees.

Accenting my waist is a must, although Angie has enlightened me about surrendering my waistline. But I never wear anything that is too billowy and unflattering.

bran888

I'm a pear-y hourglass and I usually feel a little self conscious in a bikini because i have hips and thighs, and to compound things, short legs. I generally feel pretty slim dressed though, and being able to accentuate my best features (a small waist and flat midsection) is what does the trick for me. If you have nice long legs (lucky!), then maybe you should try accentuating that?

Aida

Veteran

I feel this way too, Julie! I'm a slimmish hourglass with an almost sway-back (though I think it's just that I have a big round bum hehe) and most clothing makes me feel much bigger, especially from the side. Though at the moment most of my clothing IS too big, so I'm sure that helps I feel considerably smaller without clothing, and like you I always feel more like my proper shape/size when wearing "sleeveless items, skinnies or something which shows the clavicle", and to that I'll also add items that show some leg, and heels. Cinching the waist doesn't necessarily make me feel smaller, even though my waist is on the smaller end; hourglassy seaming/shaping seems to help a lot more. VERY much looking forward to Angie's post on this!!

taylor

Veteran

Not only bigger, but much taller...Clothes , shoes/ heels, hair, jackets and handbags add so much ~presence~

crwilson

Veteran

I thought I was the only one! I definitely, definitely feel and look much bigger dressed. I think it must be the waist thing. I have virtually no waist because it's the same size as my hips. Plus I'm petite and curvy on the top half. I'm not a big person, but clothes make me look a lot bulkier unless I'm wearing something skin tight, which I'm generally not comfortable doing.

Aziraphale

Veteran

crwilson -- that's why I gravitate toward tight tops! I've got boobs, and I do have a waist, but it's not all that narrow, especially compared to my hips. So what works best is a tight top and looser bottoms in a lighter colour, or a skirt with some fullness to it to add bulk to my bottom half. It's either that or wear skinnies with a loose top and just forget about the whole waist thing altogether -- but I've got to be careful with the loose tops, or I get a "boob shelf."

The problem with tight tops is that they cling to my lower belly pooch (thanks, pregnancies), which is unflattering. So I have to be careful to wear bottoms with a reasonably high rise, but not too high, or it looks like my waist is up by my armpits! Aaargh.

If I ditch ALL the clothes, I'm actually pretty happy with my figure. It's not perfect, but it's not bad. Too bad clothes have to go and muck it all up....

This is an interesting topic you've brought up, RoseandJoan.

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

Unflattering clothes (too tight or that add too much extra fabric/bulk to hips or waist make me feel bigger, and flattering clothes (either that skim my curves or even hide my waist) make me feel smaller.

I'm surprised to see that this is not a universal thing...

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

I think i feel the opposite. I think clothes can be used to make you appear smaller where as undressed there's no hiding.

Beth

Veteran

Sorry to yell, but YES! I absolutely feel bigger in the torso when I'm dressed. I see it in photos too, so I know it's not just my imagination. I just got some 4th of July party photos back that made my heart sink. I thought my top skimmed my middle, but it ended up just adding pounds:(

If I don't dress my short-waist just right, I can easily look 10 pounds heavier around my torso. It's probably the most frustrating and challenging part of dressing for me.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Oh my goodness! I feel a million times better dressed. My clothes smooth over all my bumps. Also, my clothes can give me curves where I have none. Pants and skirts in the perfect length coupled with the right shoes make me look taller - even close to average height on good days!

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Ah, I'm not alone, thank heavens.

Beth I'm also short waisted, which may be a contributing factor, even fairly tight tops will still be loose(ish) around my natural waist....hmmm something to ponder.

Angie I don't mean to rush your creative juices but I'm tap, tapping my feet in anticipation of this blog post!!!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are very cute, Julie

Carole

Veteran

Interesting topic...sometimes it's true, i'm constantly trying to find ways to dress so I don't feel too broad too tall too heavy too busty.

Jonesy

Veteran

Interesting question...I'd say it depends, with me. Sometimes I feel bigger, sometimes I don't. I also vacillate on whether or not feeling bigger bothers me.

rute

Veteran

I have the opposite feeling.. I feel smaller dresses!

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