The eggnog knocked you out. The pumpkin pie packed a punch. And the stuffing left you, well stuffed. Stuffed as in, you can’t find a way to get all that fat into your jeans.
In the feast from Halloween to New Year’s Day, you gorged yourself.
And those short daytime hours made it hard to get out of bed and to the gym. So you gained a few pounds OK, maybe more than a few.
And while we’re sure it is your intention to lose that weight in the coming months, right now, you’ve got a problem: Your clothes aren’t fitting right.
So we’ve got some tips to help you hide the bulge around your midsection. Because when your muffin top has a muffin top, something’s gotta give (and hopefully it won’t be your buttons).
Don’t even think about wearing anything that is too tight. “You’ll feel so fat and depressed that chocolate will feel like the only solution,” says Nancy Nix-Rice, a wardrobe consultant and owner of First Impressions of St. Louis. “And bulging out of a garment won’t look so swell either.”
Advice includes:
Layer: A loose, open cardigan, vest or tunic with a fitted tee can hide the love handles.
The rubber-band trick: A first-trimester trick when you are pregnant, take a rubber band and wrap it around the button on your jeans. Now, take it through the hole and out, twist and wrap around the button. This gives you about an extra inch.
Bra extenders: There is nothing worse than back fat spilling over a too-tight bra. Buy yourself a little time to get back in shape with bra extenders.
Move the waistline: An empire waist tunic or dress highlights the slimmest part of your body — the area right below the bustline, allowing the bulkier parts to disappear under the fabric.
The right fabric: Silky, thin materials will cling to you, showing every bulge. But stiff fabrics, bulky tweeds or knits and wide-wale corduroy will add visual pounds. Stick with midweight fabrics with a soft drape and matte finish.
Wear straight legs: Keith Fulsher, chief merchandising officer for Dressbarn stores, recommends straight-leg pants over skinny jeans or flared legs, which highlight certain parts of the body — usually our problem areas.
Color: Don’t fear the dark side. Opt for darker colors (navy, black, charcoal gray) as your wardrobe base and bring it to life with colorful accessories. If wearing a one-color outfit, be sure the belt is the same color as it may otherwise cut your body in two and make you appear heavier, Fulsher says.
Nix-Rice agrees. “Wear a color column — match the pants or skirt to either the under- or the over-layer top so a viewer’s eye can follow a continuous flow of color head-totoe without interruption,” she says.
Accessorize: Use accessories (scarves, earrings, necklaces) to draw attention away from problem areas, but make sure they are appropriate for your size. If they are too large, they might add weight.
