Menopausal Tips: How to Dress Stylishly with Weight Around the Middle

Transitioning through menopause brings about significant changes, not only to our health but also to our bodies. One of the most common concerns for post-menopausal women is how to adapt their wardrobe to suit their new body shape. A reader recently shared her struggle, mentioning,

“I have so many clothes and do not know what really suits me. During the day, I wear jeans and a T-shirt. I’m post-menopausal, and in one of your videos, you said our bodies are not the same post-menopausally, and how true that is! I’m carrying weight around my middle and it’s hard to find what suits this.”

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Embracing Style Post-Menopause: A Guide to Dressing Your Evolving Body

This sentiment is echoed by many women who find that the styles they once relied on no longer flatter their new shapes. Let’s delve into some practical tips and strategies to help you rediscover your style and feel confident in your clothes again.

Reassess Your Body Shape

The first step in navigating post-menopausal style changes is reassessing your current body shape. Bodies evolve due to factors such as menopause, pregnancy, or general weight changes. This evolution means that your old wardrobe might not suit you anymore. The silhouettes you’ve been wearing in the past that made you look great may no longer work particularly if you had a waisted body shape pre-menopause and you’ve put on more weight through your waist and torso. It means you need to do a reassessment, if this is you jump on and take my free body shape calculator quiz, and download your new guidelines which is an invaluable tool. By photographing yourself in form-fitting clothes, such as leggings and a tight tank top, you can better understand your silhouette and make a good assessment.

Key points to consider when assessing your new body shape:

Do you have a defined waist?
Has your waist become straighter?
Are you now more of an H or O shape?

Understanding these aspects can guide you in choosing styles that enhance your current figure.

Dressing Tips for a Post-Menopausal Body

Column of Colour: Dressing in a single colour from top to bottom can create a streamlined look, avoiding the visual disruption caused by a horizontal line across your middle. This technique can help divert attention away from your waist.
Fabric Choices: Opt for fabrics that skim rather than cling to your midsection. Fabrics like knitted linen tees can be more forgiving and comfortable compared to elastane-based materials. Think about natural fibres if you are prone to hot flushes, rather than synthetics which can make you feel clammy and uncomfortable.
Jackets and Layers: Adding a jacket or cardigan can be a stylish way to cover areas you feel self-conscious about. These pieces can add structure and divert attention from your midsection.
Busy Patterns: Don’t shy away from patterns. A busy pattern can distract the eye, making lumps and bumps less noticeable. Patterns can be your best friend in creating a visually appealing look.
Avoid Horizontal Lines: Keep the area around your midsection free from horizontal lines and details that draw attention. Horizontal lines can broaden an area, which is often undesirable around the waist. As much as you may have seen/heard/read that you should “put a belt on to create a waist” this is not correct and just creates an emphasis on your now non-existent waist and makes you look broader through the middle.
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Focus on Your Face: Draw attention upwards by using accessories, jewellery, and bright lipstick colours. As the saying goes, “If you’re looking in my eyes, you’re not looking at my thighs.” Hats, scarves, and statement glasses can also help keep the focus on your face.
Curved Hems: T-shirts with a curved hem can be more flattering than those with a straight hem, as they break up the horizontal line and provide a softer, more natural look. Ensure your tops don’t cup your tummy; they should end just past the peak of your tummy.

Column of colour using a patterned garment

Here’s an example of a column of colour using a pattern as the background of the pattern is the same colour as the skirt, and also the top (linen knit) has a curved hem which is more flattering than a straight hem.

Curved hems are flattering

Here’s the same top with an alternate colour bottom and you can see the curved hemline more easily.

Additional Tips for Post-Menopausal Styling

To further enhance your post-menopausal style, consider these additional strategies:

Embrace Comfort: Prioritize comfort without sacrificing style. Look for clothes that offer both ease of movement and a flattering fit. Get to know what you find comfortable, is it how a garment feels, is it the fabric it’s made from and how it moves or breathers? Is comfort for you something more mental, what you’re saying with your clothes? Is comfort about how you feel emotionally in your clothing? It may even be a combination of these factors.
Shapewear: Modern shapewear can provide gentle support and smoothing without being restrictive. It can be beneficial for special occasions. Do think about sizing up for comfort with a smoother silhouette.
Tailoring: Don’t hesitate to invest in tailoring. Well-fitted clothes can make a significant difference in how you look and feel. A small alteration can make a big difference to both how comfortable your clothing is as well as how well it looks. Something as small as turning a hem from straight to curved is well worth the effort. Check out my guide to the best alterations based on your body shape here.
Versatile Pieces: Invest in versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched. This approach not only simplifies your wardrobe but also ensures you have go-to outfits for various occasions.

Embracing Your Evolving Style

Remember, style is a journey of self-expression and confidence. Embracing the changes in your body and adjusting your wardrobe accordingly can be empowering. As you explore what suits you best, keep in mind that fashion is about feeling good in what you wear. Your post-menopausal body is beautiful, and with these tips, you can navigate this new chapter with style and confidence.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider joining my 7 Steps to Style program where I will help you discover what works for you now, with a body shape assessment as well as updated personal colour analysis along with tips to help you build a wardrobe of clothes that make you look great and that you love to wear.

Take the time to explore, experiment, and most importantly, enjoy the process of rediscovering your unique style!