As we age our bodies change.
Today I decided to share a comprehensive guide to help you discover how to dress over 50 and overweight.
So, if for any reason you have a plus size or just overweight body, this is gonna be the article that will help you style perfect outfits for you.
First, it is important to remember that being over 50 and overweight should not stop you from looking and feeling your best. With my tips, you can dress and confidently enjoy any outfit.
But before we begin, I want to tell you a few things.
This is not a fitness blog to advise you on what to do with your weight.
However, I want you to know that it’s never too late to start a new life with a new way you look and feel. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with your weight, I am just saying that life can be easier for you.
Age is also a number for me. It’s just showing how much experience you have in your life.
OK…
And the other thing here:
It’s hard to find images with people over 50. Now imagine how rare it is to find images of people who are over 50 and overweight.
Not all the images may correctly represent my message as some people in them may not be overweight or over 50.
But I will do my best to help you understand everything I am sharing today.
Now I can start sharing some tips to make your life easier while you style some chic outfits.
Starting with the number one and well-known tip:
Use shapewear
I am not neither 50 nor overweight but I am still using some shapewear. Not very actively, since I am lazy enough to do that, but anyway.
Shapewear does the perfect job for the thing it must do.
It gives your body shape a more feminine look with its curves. It really does have that slimming effect everyone is talking about.
If you get the right shapewear for your body type, it can make your tummy and hips look smaller. That’s a well-known fact.
Here are some of the best shapewear I have heard about:
Opt for dark colors
Continuing with another popular method of dressing overweight.
Wearing dark colors – actually a black color.
“Black is the most slimming of all Colors. It is the most flattering. You can wear black at any Time. You can wear it at any age. You can wear it for almost any occasion. I could write a book about black.”
Christian Dior
According to Christian Dior and other popular designers black is the most slimming color.
I personally believe in them (kidding of course). I am sure you tried and discovered that too.
So what you should do is to have some dark clothes in your closet.
You can wear them when you are in an “easy mood” to style the outfit.
In my country, everyone after 30 often wears black outfits. But not sometimes, they do it literally every day.
And I have to admit, I am not satisfied with this.
Looking at all wearing black in town feels boring to me.
That’s why I want you to try black outfits sometimes.
But if you are not like me and you are in love with black outfits, I wrote an article with all-black outfit ideas for a whole month.
You can check it out!
Go for neutral colors
Since I am not a fan of black outfits for every day, I want you to brighten up some of your outfits.
I just want you to choose more neutral colors for a few reasons.
- Outfits with neutral colors look chicer and classier
- Clothes with neutral colors are the easiest to pair together
- Neutral-colored outfits are more interesting
You can always add some color to the outfit. If you feel confident enough add color accessories, like scarves, jewelry, and shoes to your looks.
Solid colors look better
Besides black and other neutral colors, I want you to have more clothes with a solid color.
Actually, when you are getting ready to lever up your style (age and weight don’t matter here), you need to first invest in basics,
More basics you have more outfit options you will have.
By the way, if you want to discover the best places where you can shop for clothes, here is the form you can get the FREE list directly in your inbox.
Always show your body assets
Try to always accentuate your body assets, whatever they are.
Let me tell you a few examples:
If you love how your waist looks (we will talk about this more) wear something that will draw more attention to that area.
If you have legs, do everything to elongate them. Forget the age and weight, wear shorter skirts, shorts, and dresses.
There is nothing wrong with it since you feel comfy and confident in them.
So, when you want to accentuate some part of your body, you need to find something that has some interesting details (for the eye) on that area.
As an overweight woman over 50, you may have an apple or pear-shaped body.
- If you carry weight in your midsection, you have an apple shape.
- If you carry weight in your hips and thighs, you have a pear shape.
And if you want to know exactly how you can dress for your body shape, here is the body types section on my homepage.
You will discover a lot of useful information there.
And then…
While you will know your body shape, you can clothes that flatter your body perfectly.
For example, if you find out that you have an apple body shape you can choose clothes that draw attention away from your midsection.
For this, you can try wearing tops with a loose fit or wearing A-line dresses.
Here is the article you should check out if you want to know more about apple body shape.
And if you have discovered that you have a pear shape, you should try to always accentuate your waist with your outfits.
The belt will do this task perfectly for you.
Or else you can find some belted clothes or other items that cinch at the waist.
If you want to know more about pear body shape here is my other article you will love to check out.
And here are we, talking about your waistline in the next tip.
Show your waistline
It doesn’t matter whether you are an overweight woman or not.
You would still probably have a very defined waist, which is still the smallest part of your body.
The waist generally is the most feminine part of the body.
So, you have to do everything to show it off.
Make it more defined with clothes that have some details on the waistline.
Use the belt to cinch in the waist.
Do everything, you possibly can do.
Avoid baggy clothes
Now, this is the most well-known thing plus-size women MUST wear baggy clothes to hide something.
This is totally WRONG.
When you are wearing baggy clothes, this will not make you slim. In fact, baggy clothes will make you look even fatter and will add some extra kilos to your body.
Now, the question is – what should you wear then?
I love that question and the answer is simple.
You have to wear well-fitted clothes that are not either tight or baggy on your body.
That means you will need clothes that look fitted on your curves but still have some room around them.
I don’t want to mention age here too many times. And since I don’t mention it, don’t think that those tips don’t work for women over 50.
This is the guide to knowing how to dress over 50 and overweight.
So, they will work for you, definitely.
Before we go to the next tip, I want to share another article that will teach you some tricks on how to look taller and slimmer without heels.
There you will find tricks that will be very useful if you are overweight.
Wear clothes with vertical lines
I am not sure if you know this, but clothes with vertical lines work just like magic when you want to look slimmer.
And taller…
Why?
Because it doesn’t matter how fat or large you are. Vertical lines visually make the body look slimmer because they show the body as one vertical line.
On the other side, horizontal stripes add volume to your curves horizontally.
What I mean by that is, for instance, if you have wide hips horizontal lines will show it wider.
Or if you have wide shoulders, those lines will make them look even wider.
Did you get the point?
I hope you did.
If not, you are very welcome to ask me anything in the comments below the article. I am always here to help.
Try monochromatic outfits
The next thing that works like magic for looking smaller and more flattering, is to wear monochromatic outfits.
What do the monochromatic outfits mean?
Styling a monochromatic outfit means, you need to use different shades of color in the same outfit.
So, if you want to for example create an outfit with a brown coat. You have to pair it with a top and pants with brown color with a different hue.
It can be a camel, or dark brown pants, etc.
Here is the image to understand what I am talking about.
I know she is not over 50 but as I said, age doesn’t matter here.
I shared this image to show you what I meant when I wanted you to wear monochromatic outfits.
So, along with making you slimmer and taller, this outfit is also perfect for looking stylish and modern.
If you haven’t ever tried a monochromatic outfit, I highly recommend you try it now.
Always use layers
We are continuing and this article becomes more and more interesting (for me as well, yeah).
The next thing you should consider is to always use layers when you are creating an outfit.
But this is not only for the reason that you are over 50 and overweight.
- Generally, to complete any outfit, you have to use some layer pieces to make it look finished.
Along with that, the main reason I am sharing this tip here is layers can help you hide areas that you may not feel confident about.
What layers you use depends on the occasion or style of the outfit.
For example, if you want to wear something casual and comfy, you can use a denim jacket for layering the outfit.
It will make you look so chic and your outfit will be complete as well.
Here is my article on how to wear a denim jacket over 50 if you want to discover some outfit ideas.
In case you prefer classier looks, a blazer is a go-to item for me.
Some blazers end below the hips. So, they will be great if you don’t like how your hips and butt look.
Use A-line clothes
When you are overweight and especially over 50, it means you are larger on your lower body.
This is when A-line clothes come in handy.
- A-line clothes generally are fitted from your shoulders to the hips and then they start widening to your hemline.
That’s exactly what we need in your body.
Since you are larger after the hips or even a waist, you need more volume to look flattering on your lower body.
That’s the reason A-line clothes work the best for you.
Choose the right fabrics
We are moving to the thing that not everyone mentions.
This is one of the most important things to consider when you are over 50 and overweight. Especially when you want to look just perfect.
When you are going shopping for clothes, I want you to opt for materials that are comfortable and more importantly breathable.
This is especially important for people who tend to sweat a lot.
Cotton, linen, and rayon are great choices as they allow your skin to breathe and absorb moisture.
You should opt for fabrics that have a nice drape and allow for movement, rather than those that are too clingy or stiff.
Accessorize the outfits
When it comes to fashion, there are no hard and fast rules.
The next tip is to use accessories, especially if you are over 50 and carrying a little extra weight.
Accessories can add a finishing touch to any outfit, and they are a great way to express your personal style.
They can also draw attention away from areas of your body that you may not want to highlight.
For example, if you don’t like something about your arms, you can wear a statement necklace or a pair of eye-catching earrings to draw attention to your face instead.
When choosing accessories, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, try to choose items that are proportionate to your body. If you are petite, for example, large statement pieces may overwhelm your frame.
On the other hand, if you are tall and broad-shouldered, smaller pieces may get lost. Experiment with different sizes and styles to find what works best for you.
Another tip is to choose accessories that complement the colors and patterns in your outfit.
If you are wearing a bold pattern, for example, you may want to choose a simpler accessory that doesn’t compete for attention.
Contrarily, if you are wearing a solid color outfit, you can add interest with a statement piece or a pop of color.
What to wear when you are over 50 and overweight
I shared tips that you should consider when you want to create flattering outfits.
But now I want to be more useful.
So I am gonna share actual pieces so that you will know what works well for you.
And let’s go.
Wrap dresses
If you have been following my body types category, you would know that wrap dresses are perfect for any body type.
They are universal pieces to flatter any body shape.
Do you know why they are so great? Because they follow and highlight your body curves.
The wrap design cinches in at the waist, creating a flattering silhouette that accentuates curves.
It will be better if you opt for a v-neck wrap dress. It will elongate your neck and draw the eye up towards your face. Those together, create a slimming effect.
Additionally, the flowy fabric of the dress provides a comfortable and forgiving fit that does not cling to the body.
Another great benefit of wrap dresses for overweight women is their versatility.
They can be dressed up or down and worn on many occasions.
So, wrap dresses are a great choice for overweight women who want to feel confident, comfortable, and stylish.
Pencil skirt
The next thing that you should wear as a woman over 50 and overweight is a pencil skirt.
A pencil skirt is perfect because it flatters your body silhouette and accentuates your body curves.
The design of a pencil skirt is such that it clasps the body from the waist to the hips. So it creates a very smooth and polished look.
If you don’t yet have a pencil skirt in your closet, try to choose one that fits well and is comfortable to wear.
A skirt that is too tight or too loose can be unflattering and uncomfortable, so be sure to try on a few different sizes and styles to find the perfect fit.
The great thing about pencil skirts is that you can easily create comfy, flattering outfits with them.
High-waisted pants
I am the one who can’t get back to pants with normal rise since high-waisted pants got trendy.
I love them because of only one thing – They clasp my tummy and accentuate my waist.
That’s why I recommend you to try them as well.
You can choose either high-waisted jeans or tailored pants. Dress them up or down and make the desired look.
They will be perfect for you, believe me.
Maxi dresses
The next thing you should have in your wardrobe is a maxi dress.
I want you to know that clothing with vertical lines can have a slimming effect on your body.
I mentioned this above too.
But now I mean a little bit different thing.
Since maxi dresses are from your neck to your toes, they visually create a vertical line on your body.
As you know this makes you look slimmer and taller.
Along with this maxi dresses are must-haves not only because they look flattering, but also because they are perfect for spring and summer.
You should just use the right accessories to pair with a maxi dress and your outfit will be ready to go.
In case you are looking for summer outfits for women over 50 check out my article and get some inspiration.
Long coats
Another must-have thing for your wardrobe are long coats.
There is not anything special about them, they just work as maxi dresses.
But I love how they look on women over 50, so I want you to try it on your body.
A long coat will make your body look taller, so it can hide some extra kilos in it.
Tunic tops or dresses
And last but not least, you should know that tunic tops and dresses are another perfect option for you.
They are solid color or with very little print which won’t add extra bulk to your body.
Generally, tunic tops (and dresses) have a fit and flare effect so they will flatter your body perfectly.
So, they are not loose on the whole body.
For overweight women, tunic tops and dresses work because their flowy silhouette of the tunic top skims over the body, hiding the bulges and making the body look slender.
The empire waistline of the tunic top gives an elongated look to the torso and makes the legs look longer.
This is especially important for women who want to accentuate their legs and create an illusion of height.
And it’s time to finish here today.
Please share your thoughts in the comments below. What are the things that work for you?
Also don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. You can always find me there.
Thank you for being here!
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