30 Clothing Items That Make People Look Larger – Avoid These Clothes At All Costs
Along with diet and exercise, wearing the right clothing can either help or hinder someone's appearance, especially when it comes to weight. Each season encourages terrible fashion trends that can make someone's figure look shorter, wider, and overall unflattering.
These are the styling mistakes to avoid so the camera won't add ten pounds the next time your friend shares that photo on social media.
Reflective Clothing Makes Everything More Noticeable
For special occasions, you may want to wear an outfit with some fun flair, but pass on the reflective materials. Wearing a dress or jacket that is covered in shiny metals or sequins will catch every bit of light, causing the person to look bigger all over.
Flat fabrics are the better option for making the right kind of impression on a big night out.
The Wrong Undergarment Ruins Your Figure
Although you might think that no one can see your undergarments, it's true that they affect your shape. Wearing the wrong bra can cause bumps to form on the back and sides, which no one wants!
Bulging should be avoided at all costs, it's better to find a better-fitting bra. Many stores have sales assistants to help customers find the right one.
Leggings With Prints Call A Lot Of Attention
Printed leggings might be a fun temptation, but they won't help you look any slimmer. Wild printed clothing draws attention to every part of your body it covers.
Especially in the case of tight clothing like leggings-- keep the print at a minimal. Never buy a piece of clothing that is entirely covered in a print if you want to look slim.
Don't Wear Horizontal Stripes... Just Don't.
For a slimmer-looking figure, you want to look taller, not wider. So why would you wear horizontal stripes? This fashion mistake is one of the worst on the list.
Your eyes are drawn to follow the direction of a stripe, so you want the stripes on your clothing to be running up and down, not side to side.
Jackets Without Shape Aren't Flattering
There are plenty of jacket options to choose from, so pick one that has some fit and shape to it. Avoid jackets that don't have any contour to them, as they'll leave you looking like one big shape.
Trying to hide body shape under a big jacket (even worse, one with large pockets!) would be a big mistake.
Don't Hide Your Neck With A Turtleneck!
For a slimmer-looking figure, it's important to show the separation between your face and your shoulders. That means showing your neck!
The worst thing you could do is cover your neck with a chunky turtleneck that will make it look like your head goes straight into your shoulders. It's best to wear a top that shows at least part of the skin on your chest.
Leave Jersey Netting To The Athletes
Sports fans might feel nostalgic wearing jerseys or clothing pieces made with jersey netting, but have you seen the stuff? Jersey material falls on every bump and bulge, like holding it under a microscope.
Jersey fabric accentuates your curves in the wrong way. Even layering this material is a no-no.
Skinny Jeans Accentuate Everything
Any clothing that is too tight won't be flattering to your figure. In the case of skinny jeans, the pants hug every curve of your lower half, which will make any and every muscle look bigger.
Taking on fashion trends that aren't flattering to your figure won't get you the results you want looking in the mirror.
Cropped And 3/4 Pants Are The Worst!
Cropped pants, or pants that fall halfway between your knee and your ankle have come in and out of style over the decades. It's best to just leave this fashion trend in the past, as it won't help your legs look any slimmer.
Wearing pants with the 3/4 cut will make thighs look larger than they are.
Ditch The Puffy Coat
Let's be honest, who hasn't owned a big puffy coat at one time or another? Whether you thought it was a good deal at Costco or your mother sent you off to play wearing one, it's time to make sure it's out of your closet for good.
Large puffy jackets increase your overall volume and are not flattering for your figure whatsoever.
Baggy Clothes Add More Volume
Some people might think throwing on a hoodie or a large t-shirt might make them look smaller, but in fact, the opposite is true. Baggy clothing adds more volume to your frame, which will always make someone appear heavier than they are.
It's better to wear clothing that is better fitted to your body.
Embellishments Pack On The Material
Overall, light, fitted materials are the best to wear to avoid making yourself look heavier. The opposite is adding more unnecessary fabric.
Clothing that has embellishments including ruffles, bows, and large pockets can make a person look bulkier-- and you don't want that. Stick with the small adornments, if any.
Chunky Heels Can Look Bottom-Heavy
Yes, even your footwear can have an impact on how slim you look stepping out. Even if they're your favorite color or pattern, it's best to bypass the large, chunky heels at the store.
Larger size footwear can lead to your calves and overall legs appearing larger, too. Avoid this mistake that will make your overall look bottom-heavy. Remember - large heels, large legs.
Tight Clothing Makes It Look Like You Can't Fit Into Your Clothes
Not only is wearing clothing that's a size (or two!) too tight uncomfortable, but it's not flattering either. You won't be doing yourself any favors by wearing a top that's a size too small, or forcing your figure into a pair of jeans that you'll end up with your stomach spilling over.
An outfit with tight clothing will make you look like you can't fit into your clothes.
Don't Hide Under Layers
Someone might think that adding a vest or layering a collared shirt adds texture and might hide a bit of weight, but they'd be wrong. Adding more fabric to an outfit just adds more volume.
And having too many layers can hide your frame completely, resulting in one large shape that will only make someone look heavier.
Patterns Don't Belong On Pants
Patterns are best on blankets and wallpaper... not on your clothes. If you see plaid pants on display at a shop, just keep walking by. The same goes for pinstripe pants, camouflaged pants, or floral patterns.
Patterns will call attention to every inch of the body, making someone appear larger overall.
Long Skirts Can Make Someone Look Wider
Skirts and dresses can be tricky when it comes to the hem length. It's important to dress appropriately and not show up with a skirt that's too short. But having a tea-length skirt or dress can cause someone's lower half to appear wider.
Avoid skirts and dresses with a hem length just above the ankle.
Skin-Tight Dresses Should Never Be An Option
More often than not, dresses are designed to show off shape. But that doesn't mean that they should be tight everywhere. There's no occasion that calls for skin-tight dresses-- not even nightclubs.
It's especially important to avoid tight dresses that have a pattern or bright colors. That will just multiply the problem!
Full Skirts Are Too Big
If you want to dress to appear slimmer, don't buy a wide skirt! You can never hide weight under big clothing of any kind, it will only make someone appear larger.
In the case of full skirts, the style will make someone's lower half appear wider. Just leave these skirts behind... let it go.
Chunky Plaids Never Lay Right
Plaid is one of those fabrics that's so bold that it needs very careful styling to make work with every day outfits.
Unfortunately, a lot of chunky plaid often misses the mark and ends up looking stiff and unforgiving and drawing attention where you might not want it to.
Be Careful Where That Asymmetrical Shirt Is Hitting You
Asymmetrical shirts are a fun fashion statement. But sometimes they need extra attention.
If you're caught in one without the right undergarment or in a shirt that hits a little too high or low on one side of your chest, sometimes the shirt can look ill-fitting even if it's the right size.
Ankle Wrap Shoes Are A Bad Fad
Don't forget about your footwear choice! And don't always follow the trends. This is especially true with ankle wrap footwear. Experimenting with unique heels might be tempting, but it won't make your appearance any slimmer.
Ankle wrap shoes and even ankle straps on heels can make someone's figure appear shorter, instead of taller.
There Was A Reason We All Stopped Wearing Low Rise Jeans
This trend took the early 2000s and 90s by storm, but there was a reason we all started wearing high-waisted jeans again.
Besides feeling more secure, high-waisted jeans help us define our booties and achieve hourglass shapes. Two things that low-rise jeans just don't usually do.
Chokers Just Close Up Your Neckline
This 90s trend is slowly being brought back into the fold, but chances are it's not doing any of us any favors. Big chunky colored chokers often close up your neckline.
Pay careful attention to what kind of choker necklace you're getting. Often times the thinner metallic ones help add a little bling and trendiness to your outfit without shortening your neck.
Maybe Skip The Tube Top This Summer
Tube tops are a great way to beat the heat, but sometimes they just accentuate the skin beside our underarms and cut off our chests.
A square-necked tank top is a great way to stay cool this summer without drawing attention where you don't want to.
Cowl Neck Tops Never Quite Lie They Way We Want Them To
Cowl necks are the somewhat free spirited cousin of the turtleneck and just like them, they can often reveal more than we want them to.
All that loose fabric can create the illusion of there being more to someone's body than there actually is.
Ballerina Flats Shouldn't Be Center Stage
Even though they're a crowd favorite, ballerina flats can sometimes start off on the wrong foot.
Since they don't have much of a sole or heel to speak of, they often end up creating a shortening effect on your leg and making your ankle wider than it actually is. It's much better to opt for a pair of sandals with a bit of a wedge to accentuate your height.
Crochet Is A No Way
Crochet adds a nice whimsical and boho vibe to any outfit. But the fabric is much stiffer and looks way stuffier than the carefree lifestyle it's associated with.
Since crochet is so thick, it can often form an unforgiving tube around the body, and fails to accent any of our best features. Best to let the crochet stay at home.
Elastic Waistbands Are Not Your Friend
While they are so so so comfortable, if you're looking for a flattering pant to leave the house with, don't reach for the ones with an elastic waistband.
Oftentimes manufacturers will bunch the fabric up around the waist before sewing the band in, creating pleats or bunching to accommodate for stretching. But often that same technique creates a bubble of air around the mid-section that most people want to avoid creating.
Save The Feathers For The Birds
Don't fly away and buy that feathered shirt just yet.
While very fashion forward, feathered shirts tend to only add volume not shape. And if they're concentrated on the top half of you or on your neckline then you end up creating an illusion those areas are bigger than they are.
Follow our brand for more content like this
Rose Reilly
