Styling a Weight Fluctuation, Pt. 1

No matter what you weigh, no woman wants to talk about her weight. But after 35, your weight will fluctuate. Maybe you had a baby. Maybe you changed jobs. Maybe the perimenopause fairy decided to sprinkle her toxic dust on you. Maybe you spend hours per day in the car. Maybe you have too many responsibilities at work, and home, and in life to prioritize working out and eating healthy. Whatever the cause, I don’t know a woman in my group who isn’t riding the yo-yo and it sucks. And when you have to get dressed for work every day, it sucks even more.

So let’s spend a few minutes today talking about the pieces and styles that might make these bounces easier to bear. Because no one wants to feel uncomfortable in her clothes (especially at the end of a long work day).

One. Wrap Dress // You can wear a wrap dress to work, to a conference, on a dinner date, and even to a casual or cocktail wedding. I buy my wrap dresses one size up, so I can cinch them down when needed or give myself more room when needed. To keep them from gaping in the chest, you can sew in a simple magnet snap or you can use this stitching device to temporarily give yourself more security.

Beyond the adjustability, a wrap cuts across the body in a way that minimizes sudden weight gain. It also emphasizes the waist and falls loosely over the hips. Frankly, it’s the first thing I grab when my body is like, “If you put on a single tight piece of clothing, I will split a seam because I feel like it.”

DvF is the classic, and The Outnet is the place to buy them at discount. I own another dress in this pattern, and the chocolate and black is a great all-season option. I also find a lot of DvF dresses on The Real Real (just bookmark and check back for deeper discounts).

Looking for less spendy options? Quince has a few. Boden has a few. And this Karen Kane faux wrap is easily Top 3 most ordered items in CapHillStyle history.

Two. A-Line Skirts // A skirt is the easiest item to tailor. It can be taken in. It can be let out. If things get dire, you can have whole panels installed along the sides so you don’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe. And an a-line skirt gives you movement and comfort in a work-friendly style.

This skirt is from Ann Taylor and is fantastic now with a short sleeve cardigan and amazing in December with a black turtleneck and boots. I also like that this skirt isn’t so full that it looks juvenile. This black skirt from Zappos with a foldover panel is also great. Plus-size? Try this one from Amazon.

Three. Ponte Pants // I wore Spanx ponte pants every other day when I was postpartum. They were comfortable, flexible, wore like iron, and looked professional. Despite the Spanx name, they also aren’t constricting, just lightly smoothing.

These wide legs were my favorite with flats. These flares were always my choice for heels. They offer their ponte line in several styles. They also come in tall, petite and plus.

Spanx also makes a blazer, so you can make a non-court suit with these pieces. I wore mine so much that I wore out the elbows. It’s just a great option on a day when you need comfort and a blazer.

If this price point isn’t comfortable for you, NYDJ has a similar line called Sculpt Her that I’ve also worn. Great pieces. Often found on sale. Very forgiving.

Four. Stretchy Belts // Do you need to create the illusion of a waist in a pencil dress? Do you need to hold a wrap dress together? Is that flimsy belt that came with that sundress not getting the job done? You need a stretchy belt. Luckily, this one, this one, and this one are <$15. (If you choose the one with the slim-gunmetal clasp, you can also put that in the back so you get one clean, sash-like line without the buckle showing.)

Five. Smoothing Underwear // I hate wearing full seat underwear, but I cannot go back to thongs. I might actually die. Friction burns. They can be dangerous. But these Spanx lace back underwear give me the smoothness of light shaping without the squeeze. I also like these Felina underwear (with no shaping, just smoothing) that are very stretchy and pretty.

Check back on Thursday for Part 2 when we will talk about blouson tops, knit jackets and more.

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