Plus Size Clothing

Fashion aids for bulging bellies

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal

No matter what anyone says, we women are born beautiful. The softness of our features, the gentleness of our curves, and our nurturing nature have been the subject of many an artist in paintings and sculptures, and in music and literature. We women are the muses that have always been the driving forces of art and life. And we still are.

We women are born beautiful. We, however, are not perfect. Admittedly, there are still some blemishes that we need to cover up, like a mole, a scar, a birthmark, a pimple, pockets of fat in our body, and other things like that. We are beautiful, but we are not perfect. And so we try to enhance our best features and hide the unflattering ones away.

A usual problem that most women have with their bodies is a bulging belly. Let?s face it: our bodies are made to retain fat for child-bearing purposes, and the fat is usually concentrated on our hips and bellies. There are so many workouts and diets out there that are designed to get rid of the fat in these areas, but it takes time and special effort to cheat the design of Mother Nature. Some of us have succeeded with flattening our bellies, while some have not.

If you are one of us, a woman with a pouch on her abdomen, what is the best way to hide that pouch? Why, with our clothes, of course! Here are ways to hide that unsightly pocket of fat on our abs.

Tops. When choosing the right top, whether it is a blouse, a shirt or a tee, the one thing we have to remember is to avoid those with elastic waists, or those made from Lycra or any stretch fabric. They will only draw the eyes more to those unwanted curves on our torso rather than hide them. We can also leave the last couple of buttons on our button-down shirts open. It is kind of sexy to look at, and it does not squeeze the belly too much. Also, avoid tucking your tops into your pants. Wearing jackets where the hem ends at the hips will also work wonders in hiding that bulge.

Pants. For slacks, the most flattering ones that will also hide the condition of our bellies are those made of tailored cotton. Zippers should also be at the side; zippers at the front only show unwanted bulge. For jeans, go for the long and lean ones, as well as the straight, narrow or slightly-tapered ones that create the illusion of length for the body.

Skirts. Stay far, far away from flimsy fabrics and pleated skirts. They will only make your pouch and curves more pronounced. Instead, try full skirts, mini-skirts or A-line skirts that can keep your belly in. Semi-stretchable denim skirts work well, too.

Belts. Keep your belts big, wide and chunky. Also, wear them slung around the hips instead of at the waist. Narrow belts will only make the bulge seem bigger.

Hiding your belly with clothes will work well. But if you really want the bulge to go away, do your exercise regularly and rigorously.