August 2021
Ann Whitaker - Image Consultant
Transition Your Wardrobe & Clothing Whilst Losing Weight
As an Image Consultant, how to transition from an older/larger wardrobe as you lose weight is one of the most frequent questions I get asked by my clients. Nobody wants to spend a fortune on clothes whilst they are still losing weight, and it’s not necessary either, but they still want to look good and embrace that new body shape.
So here are some tips to help you transition a wardrobe.
Accessories
Accessories will be your best friend. Accessories are generally not size dependant, and they also help you show your individuality to the world.
Belts will help you define your shape and cinch in baggy clothes to emphasise your new curves and lines. Look for belts that tie, or have a chain design, or can easily have additional holes punched into them (most shoe repair places can do this easily for you).
Many women are wary of belts, but they will allow you to wear your baggier clothing longer, especially dresses and tops. They will help you to see and embrace your new body shape. Belts can easily elevate and add interest to an outfit too, make sure your belts are good quality and well maintained.
Necklaces and statement earrings are a great way to distract the eye upwards and bring a point of focus away from poorly fitting clothes. They are also a great way to express your personality and give people visual clues about who you are and what is important to you.
Ruching is also a great hack to looking slimmer and covering up the bagginess of a too-large outfit. Either gather it up, tuck it in, or add elastic to the bottom of an existing outfit.
Prints and Patterns
Patterns can be a great way to distract the eye and draw attention to an area you want your audience to focus on. If you are bigger on the lower part of your body, add patterns to the top half and keep the bottom colour to a coordinating neutral. Likewise, if your top half is larger, you can draw the eye downwards by adding a pattern to your lower half.
The two photos below are great examples.
Photo 1: She uses statement jewellery, a pattern and ruffles to draw the eye up.
However, the black skirt is too dense for her colouring, and it would look even better if the pants coordinated with the top as per the corrected version.
Photo 2: The eye is drawn to the colour, which emphasises her lower body; think about which area you want to draw attention to and which you want to deflect attention from.
Photo by Tamra Creatives Agency from Pexels
Lingerie and Shapewear
Don’t be afraid to show off your curves. Good shapewear is a must as you start to move into closer fitting and belt in looks. Make sure your shapewear doesn’t roll up or roll down on you. Always buy shapewear for the size you are - not 3 sizes smaller. Tight clothing and the resulting unrestrained bulges overspilling is not a good look. In contrast, correctly fitting shapewear will be comfortable whilst slimming the silhouette and holding excess skin in place rather than pushing it out.
Shapewear with longer legs helps relieve chafing whilst also giving a slimming line for pencil-type or closer-fitting skirts. Shapewear wants to be high-waisted and go all the way up to the bra line to avoid rolling down.
The bnshapely high waisted shaper shorts also include hook and eye closures so you can tailor the shape to your body shape.
Suppose you prefer the addition of supporting straps. In that case, the bnshapely bodysuit is ideal since it has a front zip for convenience and incorporates compression fabric to help with backache and weight loss support.
A well-fitting bra is also a must; having your breasts sitting up and contained in place will instantly slim a tummy and add definition to your new slimmer shape. I am a trained bra fitter for an Australian brand and can do virtual and face to face fittings. We do free returns for all our virtual fittings over Zoom, so you can be assured you will find the perfect bra.
Click here for my bra fitting Facebook page.
Updating a Wardrobe
If you are still on a weight loss journey, there will come a point where you need to replace clothing. If so, until you reach your ideal weight, it's often wise to go for cheaper options - look for sales or even shop at op shops. You can find some amazing items at an op shop, and you can always re-gift them back as you continue to down-size. Alternatively, you could go for quality items that a seamstress can later resize, but always make sure any alterations will enhance or match the original quality of the item.
Colour Choices
When you wear the correct colour palette for your skin, you will look healthy, vibrant, slimmer and younger. When you wear a colour that doesn’t work for your skin tone, then the colour can make you look older, drawn, tired, drab and heavier. So, it’s significant to ensure the colours you pick for your new wardrobe lift you up rather than drag you down and that they coordinate and work with each other.
The best solution would be to visit a trained colour consultant, such as myself or do a virtual colour class if you are not close to a consultant. I offer one which will give you a pdf colour palette that you store on your phone - Virtual Colour Service | Ann Whitaker. If neither option is possible, here are some suggestions on choosing colours that will work for you.
Firstly, always try on clothing in good daylight and preferably without makeup on. Makeup is a mask on our face and contains colour pigments. Likewise, if you have hair colour in, pull back your hair to minimise the colour influence, so you see the effect of the colour against your skin.
Compare the new item to something that you love and always get compliments on (however, ensure those compliments are about how fabulous you look wearing it, and not just what a fabulous item it is). Hold the two pieces up against your face, comparing the reaction of your face to each item.
If a colour is great with your skin, it should light you up and make your skin look fresher, clearer and younger. Compare how your face looks with the loved item and then hold the new item up. See if your skin has the same glow or whether dark circles, wrinkles and deeper pigmentation has appeared. If you see any of these as more pronounced, then the colour is probably not your friend. If you feel you need to add makeup or lipstick, the colour is perhaps not ideal for you.
Also, think about - is the colour wearing me or am I wearing the colour? Does the colour dominate me, or is it just drab and dull on me? The right colours will look balanced on you, and you will see yourself in the mirror rather than seeing the colour first. This is also an excellent way to rate a pattern too - does the pattern scale dominate or compliment you?
Try not to be influenced by whether you like the colour. It should really be whether the colour likes you and looks good on you, rather than it’s a colour you love. I love the Autumn colours, but in Summer they certainly don’t love me and believe me when I say you will get to like the colours that like you, simply because you will look and feel better in them.
I hope that gave you a little more info on how to spot a great colour for you. In the end, though, only a colour analysis by a trained professional will give you a definitive and impartial guide to what shades and tones really suit you.
When purchasing any new clothes, the key thing is to ensure that you look and, most importantly, feel fantastic in them. We really shouldn’t have anything in our wardrobe that makes us feel icky, frumpy or that we don’t like. Losing weight is a great time to weed out those wardrobe nightmares and really think about how you want to look and feel about yourself. Feel free to follow my Facebook page Ann Whitaker Style & Beauty for further tips and tricks.
I am also offering all the bnmulti community the opportunity to book in for a free 30-minute complimentary discovery chat. Chat about how I could help you find the right colours and styles for your colouring, body shape, personality, and lifestyle - click here.