Hiding Holiday Weight Gain

by Kena Paranjape on January 19, 2009

This Castle Starr top will help camouflage any extra holiday lbs.

Note: This is a guest post by In Life and In Fashion reader Deborah Dera

They say the average person gains 7 pounds over the course of the holiday season. The problem? If you’ve taken any time off you might not have noticed those pounds creeping up on you, and when it’s time to go back to work you might be startled to find that your clothes don’t fit quite the way you remember them. If you’re like most of us, you probably made a New Year’s resolution to start working out again anyway. Until you start to see the results of those early mornings in the gym, here are a few things you can do to hide that extra weight.

Wear Dark Colors. Dark colors, especially black, have a slimming effect. Just because you are wearing darker colors doesn’t mean you must live a life devoid of life. Just incorporate darker shades of your favorites and they’ll hide that extra bulge, especially around the waist and belly region.

Avoid Form Fitting Clothing. Slide your favorite fitted sweaters and tops to the side for a few weeks and make clothing choices that are a little less revealing. Tunics that have fitted tops but flow from the diaphragm area down are a perfect choice as they give you a tailored look that isn’t too sloppy. Try to avoid pulling out your favorite sweats – they’ll only make you look frumpier.

Extend Your Pant Size. You don’t have to go out and buy new pants for a few pounds of weight gain. You can actually make the ones you have work by simply zippering without buttoning. Take a small elastic band and tie it through the buttonhole. Then wrap the other end around the button. You’ve automatically added an inch or so to the waist size of your pants and no one will notice unless you’re lifting up your shirt.

Dress It Up a Bit. Do not ignore your physical appearance. We have a tendency to let ourselves go a little bit when we aren’t feeling good about ourselves, but that’s one of the worst mistakes you can make. Be sure you get up every morning, fix your hair, and apply a little makeup. The better you look the less attention you’ll draw to your weight.

Those extra slices of cake or pie were certainly worth it, but now that you’ve enjoyed your treats its time to start focusing on your health and style again. Take action if you’re feeling self conscious about the way you look – you’re the only one who can change the way you feel when you look in the mirror!

Deborah Dera spends most of her time focusing on her freelance writing career, but at the same time she's attempting to have fun while making sense of the fashion world. She's an avid fan of UGG boots, often becomes confused by the application of cosmetics, and loves exploring new trends!

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