Rikku, you can look good if you pick clothes which are designed for petites. These have features which downplay the things you want to hide, and accentuate the things you want to show. Clothing designers can be a skillful bunch of people, and a lot of these designs really work!

Also, when you are dressing up, consider wearing shoes with a heel or platform shoes which will add 3 inches to your height. This will make a big difference as well.

In stead of looking in a mirror, try taking digital pics of yourself using the self-timer on a camera. This will show you what you really look like, instead of looking in a mirror. You may be pleasantly surprised!


....deedee....

A lot of good suggestions here! I believe that no woman at any size should ignore the basics - taking care of your skin and teeth, a flattering hair style, a little make up, excellent under-garments, a few tasteful accessories, and some decent shoes. People are always commenting on my wardrobe, most of which consists of very inexpensive or recycled garments, and don't realize that the clothes look good because my hair and skin are glowing and I have great jewelry (most of which I design and make for myself.)

Find a few flattering things and play up your best features. And if you find a garment you love that fits well, buy more than one!

Trinny and Susannah

As another person pointed out, if you take this body shape quiz, you can learn which types of articles will suit your figure best, for example, I'm a Cello, so pencil skirts and jeans are a definite nono for me, but a nice pleated skirt with a vneck top will bring out all of my best assets!

(will show off my average boobs, very slender lower legs and waist with grace, and will cover up my chubby tummy, elongate my short torso and hide my chunky bum/thighs)

I usually wear dark colors and I wear a lot of black BUT... although I do think black is slimming, I wear a lot of it because I also think it looks very chic and I look good in it. I just think it's a great color (and working in the arts as I do, it's kind of a required uniform lol).

I agree though that baggy clothes are almost always unflattering, though extremely tight clothes are also unflattering. I think people (all people, heavy or thin) need to take care in selecting clothes that actually FIT and flatter. I see SO many girls, not fat but let's say chubby, SQUEEZED into skin tight low-rise jeans with skin tight muffin-top revealing shirts and t'ain't good. I mean, it's great they're proud of their figures, but skin tight doesn't = sexy.

Personally, I don't own any low-rise jeans, even though I'm sure I could find them in my size; for me, that kind of style is ridiculously unflattering. I also don't own any shirts that end just at my waist bc I need tops that cover at least half of my abdomen to look good. It's not that I can't find short tops in my size though. I *DO* tend to select tops that accentuate my bust, even if that means they're a tad tight in the bust area (a tad). Empire-waist tops make me look shapeless, etc. I think dressing is more about trial and error and finding styles that suit your shape more than it is about fitting into a certain size.

Only skimmed the replies so if it was already mentioned I'm sorry, but here is a website for dressing as you are now
www.missussmartypants.com (she's related to flylady if you're familiar with that.)
Once you subscribe she will send you weekly links to online shopping for your body style and articles about dressing for you body style for todays looks. Love the sight and have gotten many comments since following her advice. Well worth the money!

I have been wearing loose shirts since I last gained weight. People say that loose tops are unflattering, but I find that I look even worse if I make my abdominal bulge more apparent with a fitted shirt (even at my current weight). I will admit that I am a complete fashion dork, so maybe there is something that I just don't get.

The Trinny and Susannah site said I should be showing off my cleavage -- but I don't have any of that (why would they assume apples have oomph upstairs?). I guess I should get neon signs for my ankles.

I have definitely had and have my share of clothing shopping and wearing difficulties. Some days I only feel good in a baggy sweatshirt. Other days, I can rock a form flattering blouse.

Yes, it's about knowing what works for your figure, but it's also about your confidence, and how you carry yourself. People are more attractive when they exude confidence. This may be why you've envied some girls who are larger than yourself! It's not that they look better than you, they just feel better about being in their skin at that moment.

So make a list of your best qualities (inside and out) and play them up, feel good about yourself and it will change the image you see in the mirror.

I recently read "Fat is a Feminist Issue," and it put forward the idea of helping to reduce the mental difference between fat and thin by dressing how you would if you were thin, to reduce the fear of getting thin and the reasons to remain fat. So, I'm trying that. I just started a week or so ago, too soon to know if I'm really seeing much mental change.

Oh good grief...I'm sitting here crying as I read this. I can't buy nice clothes...I look disgusting in anything and honestly don't think I deserve to buy any of the clothes like I did when I was thin. No one wants to see my knees, no one wants to see my arms...I certainly don't. I love sparkly stuff...but that just draws attention to me. I'll dress up when I absolutely have to, but would much rather wear jeans and a t-shirt pretty much till I don't feel nauseous looking at myself in the mirror. I'm so thankful that the tiny little church we go to (my dad is a pastor) has bunches of farmers and no one bats an eye if you come in jeans. I have always been so envious of women who are confident even at higher weights than I am and dress in great stuff. I can't.

Okay, am I the only short person who was heavy and looked cute? 175 is not that big. That's can be a 14 to 18 on a 5'2 person. I was nearly 300 lbs and dressed mad cute. In fact I stepped up my game when I got to 175, which felt like a "skinny" weight to me. It's all about attitude. 175 can look great or terrible depending on the clothing and the style.

I love wearing all black and it's totally easy to wear it and look deliciously girlie. At 175 I was all about 3/4 sleeved shirts, fitted skirts and proper fitting undergarments. They made a huge difference. Also I forced myself to get rid of "comfort" clothes and only own a few items that fit perfectly and made me feel great. It's just as easy to put on a pair of great fitting jeans as it is to throw on a dumpy pair. It's really about changing your attitude.

After I gained weight, I didn't have a *problem* with wearing nicer clothes, I just didn't - I was stuck in a massive not really living black hole. It's kinda weird - this spring I finally went out and got some nicer things that fit, because I had gained even more, and was tired of being a slob - then a couple months later started losing weight. All that stuff is too big now, and it was stuff I liked. Seems like a waste of money - but if it somehow played a part in getting me moving again, it was worth it.

I am 5'4" and I began less than a month ago and so happy that I am down 7 pounds already. However, we can dress stylish and cute !! My best friend will tell me to me face how I look. She knows everything about me but my exact weight. She actually thinks I am a lot less than I am and I think it is because I take the time to dress appropriately. I am a 16/18.
I am in uniforms all day but I do have 3 or 4 pairs of jeans with chic tops and I go to church every Sunday and have a black, blue, brown and tweed pair of slacks with several sweaters, V-neck that fall a bit below my hip line that I wear. She tells me I looks great and to tell you the truth, I feel great. As was suggested in a prior post, I do wear heels to make me taller when I go out. I will buy great scarves to pair with the sweaters, nice necklaces and earrings. I make sure my hair is kept stylish. I do all of this on a budget and sometimes the sweaters and tops come from Wal-Mart. I do not smoke, drink, or spend my money foolishly but looking put together while I am struggling with my weight is important. I do watch "What not to wear" and they are right on. It is not easy but we are all beautiful women and some of you are at the weight I can't wait to be and it saddens me that you are so unhappy. A nice pair of black slacks, a nice black V-neck sweater and and pair of pearls with matching earrings and a big smile and you are stunning !!!!!! Don't get me wrong, I can not wait to lose 50 pounds but in the meantime I am NOT going to be miserable !!!!!!
Suzy

read your blog Txsgl and I see you are on the elliptical now. I bet you will see your lower body change a bit and become more proportionate to your upper body. I find now I really have to try things on. I can't wear anything in a w ie 16w I only properly fit 16 and 14 regular. The w sizes seem to have too much rise in the abdomen and it looks ridiculous on me. The problem is I really hate trying things on.- oh well worse problems to have.