Six crafty ways to hide the holiday bloat
We’ve all been there—the holidays roll around, we attend all the fun parties, gorge on delicious food, and then suddenly find the measuring scale flashing a number that is disheartening to behold. Add to that the feeling of bloat, like we are Baymax in human skin.
We’re not judging. It’s completely okay to want to enjoy all the yummy things life has to offer. We only live once and the holidays only come once a year (thankfully)! But we also know how awful those “oy, tumaba ka!” comments feel. Here are some ways to hide that post-holiday bloat, so no one is the wiser!
Whip out that girdle. If you happen to own one, now is an opportune time to use it! A girdle will confine your midsection to a small area, so you can have the appearance of a slimmer abdomen. Make sure that your girdle is not too small for you, however, because that can get mighty uncomfortable! If a girdle is the right size, it should not be painful. We love the ones from Triumph and Uniqlo since they provide control while allowing skin to "breathe".
Wear pants made of stretchy fabric with a narrow cut leg - in a dark color, preferably. If you don’t have a girdle, this is an easy alternative. Stretchy pants will hug your curves in the best places, so the attention is diverted from your midsection. Dark colors also make you look slimmer. If your bloat feels too much to hold in, opt for an elastic waistband.
Bonus tip: wear pointy shoes with a narrow heel with these pants to further the illusion of slim legs. We recommend black, nude, or red pumps for maximum effect!
Wear a soft, flowing loose top. Opt for a flared design instead of baggy. A good cut is one that lightly clings to the breasts, flares out past them, and extends up to the top of your thighs. Solid dark colors are more slimming, but you can also opt for prints if you like. Peasant-type blouses fit the bill most of the time.
Choose a long cardigan over a short one. A long cardigan will make you appear leaner and taller, as it elongates your figure better. Going for a dark neutral hue is even more flattering, as it somewhat creates a shadow effect to the sides of your body. Have fun with prints, too! They will distract the eye from the problem area.
If you favor dresses, choose cuts that flare at the bottom and drape instead of clinging to your body. An asymmetrical hem is even more preferable. A flare dress with an asymmetrical hem very effectively draws away attention from your tummy, and adds a vertical perspective to your figure.
Don’t tuck your blouse into your pants. You want to hide the bulge in your tummy as much as you can, and tucking your top in creates an emphasis on your tummy area. It also cuts your figure short instead of elongating you, which makes you appear heavier overall. While the tucked in look has its time and place - and properly done looks very chic - it is best to abstain from it while you are still dealing with that bloat.
While these tips help with post-holiday bloat in particular, I find them to be useful for me all of the time, being on the heavier and rounder side. My closet is actually dominated by these kinds of clothes, since I’ve realized what looks flattering on me and what doesn’t. I hope these tips work for you as well as they did for me!
What are your foolproof ways of looking slim after the holidays? Short of exercise of course!