Summer is almost officially here and I'm not looking forward to it at all. Even though I live in the Pacific Northwest (i.e. Seattle, WA) where I can get away with wearing clothing that covers up all of my trouble areas (i.e. stomach, back fat, love handles, wide/heavy hips, etc.), on sunny days like this one, I end up having/wanting to wear a thin, cotton shirt in order to stay cool. This means that you can see my fat rolls.

For those who are still on the heavy side this summer, do you have any tricks on what to wear to give the idea that you smaller than you actually are?

I know not to wear baggy clothes because that just makes you look bigger than you are actually. I find that wearing a mesh-top on top of a tank top gives off an illusion of being smaller than one is actually. Also, wearing an A-line summer dress in a dark color helps give off a smaller appearance.

It sucks to live through another summer being fat. I wish it was the fall season already...you, know the season where I can "hide" my fat A LOT better. God give me the strength to last these next 14 or so weeks of summer.

I just want to give you a big . This is the first summer that I don't have to obsess about that. I mean, I have loose skin for days, so I do have those concerns...but it's a different ball game, and I'd rather have this problem than the other. You can do this, and this can be your last summer dealing with it!

I have saggy bat arms that I have to keep covered.. the area above my knees sag so no shorts/ skirts above the knees... no skirts regardless... since my tummy pooch takes everything over! SOoo I'm with you on hiding my bad parts... and wishing it was fall where I can wear long sleeves and jeans.

I totally get it. I live in Az and wearing less clothing just makes me so uncomfortable. I'd rather stay in but that will only make it worse. Good Lu k to you and know that you're not alone

I know exactly what you are going through. I live on the west coast as well and on most days can get away with clothes that cover up a little more but there are still those days where I have to wear a tank top to survive. I hate to say that I'm just waiting for fall as well but that is the truth of the matter. Fingers crossed that next summer will be different.

I understand what you are going through. Living in South Florida-its bascially summer all year round.

My one tip is dresses. I LIVE in dresses bascially all summer long. Especially wrap dresses and sun dresses. They are light weight-even when I wear ones with sleeves (which are bascially all my dresses because I hate my arms). You can also dress them up and dress them down with belts, shoes, and your jewelry.

Hope that helps!

I wear long sleeves and jeans almost all the time. It's my comfort blanket. Even when I got done to 190lbs. I have lots of visible tattoos I don't particularly like showing off either, so it's also my security blanket for that. On really hot days I may wear capris with a shirt and a coverup.

Well sorry, but my tip for looking smaller in the summer is actually BEING smaller, by virtue of hard workouts and continued weight loss.

I don't dress much for camoflauge, my clothes are comfortable and modest at all times of the year. Things like layering with shrugs and wearing cuts of clothing that are flattering for me, not necessarily the trend for the season, have served me the best.

But I honestly try not to worry about it - nobody notices most of the things my brain obsesses over regarding my appearance. They don't care like I do!

sounds like you already know which type of clothes flatter, so just keep getting those kind of things. and keep fighting the fight on into fall, too, and hopefully next summer you'll be in the predicament of which bikini looks best on you

Oh man girl! do i hear you!!! I'm in Cali, and have to deal with nice weather quite a bit (not that i'm complaining!) but i HATE HATE HATE my arms...they are HUGE. i wear a lot of the "kaftan" type tunic tops...they are light weight, long to cover my gut, and have sleeves. It's so hard to find dresses that i like because they are practically ALL sleeveless. I'm right there with you though...we have practically the same stats! i'm 5'5" and a 16 too (almost a 14! yay!...never thought i'd be happy about THAT one! hahaha)

Sundresses that hit just below your knee!! I'm the same height as you ... I have good luck in Target and Old Navy. I would avoid jersey (clings to every lump and bump) and go for some nice, breezy cotton.

I will say, my arms are pretty soft, so I wear a lot of elbow-length and full-sleeved cardigans with them. Still flattering!

I used to worry about this a lot more than I do now. I grew up with a lot of "fat girl rules," courtesy of my mother. As I've been fat since kindergarten, it was drilled into me that fat girs

Wear black and navy and other dark colors - they're slimming

Wear the same color head to toe, for the same reason

Never wear horizontal stripes

Never tuck in a blouse

Never wear a belt

Never allow upper arms, midriff or knees to show - the less bare skin the better. No tank tops or shorts no matter how hot it gets, you don't deserve to be comfortable.

and Never, ever, ever let anyone see you in a swimsuit - ever


I broke the last rule every summer (and all year round when I could afford the ymca fees), but I felt like a criminal doing it, because my mother taught me so well. The walk to the water always felt like a death-march, but once in the water I felt safe (even though consciously I knew it made no sense - water is transparent after all). I just loved the water too much to let the "rules" stop me from enjoying it. I enjoyed laying in the sun too, although I indulged in that far less often, because I knew it was "unkind" to subject normal people to the horrific sight of my fat.

Then in my mid-twenties I encountered the fat acceptance movement, and the revolutionary idea that I didn't have to protect people from the sight of me. If they didn't want to look, they didn't have to. I could wear what I wanted to. What I liked, what I felt good or comfortable in. It wasn't my obligation to protect decent folk from the horror of my fat.

Say what you want about the fat acceptance movement, but it gave me the confidence to do what was right for ME, not what I thought everyone else wanted from me. If I wanted to wear shorts because of the heat, I got to wear shorts. The walk to the water didn't have to be a death-march, I could prance, strut, or dance my way to the water if I wanted to, and gawkers be-damned.

I love the summer, and I don't let the fat-judgers take that away from me.

There are some fat-girl rules that I haven't been able to overcome (such as wearing anything sleeveless or exposing more skin than I have to) but that's my burden. I'm wrong to think that way, and I am proud of anyone who wears sleeveless tops because they want to, not because they look great in them.

I'm not going to let cultural taboos prevent me from being comfortable and doing the things I enjoy, and I don't think this attitude promotes obesity. In fact, I think having the courage and feeling entitled to enjoy my life actually laid the groundwork for weight loss success. I live my life now according to what's best for ME, not what's best for the petty idiots who care what I'm wearing.

I hate it too. My kids want to go to the darn pool every day and I've just had to deal with it. I do hate tank tops, shorts, etc. I feel like I'm always tugging and adjusting everything. But, this is the last summer I will be uncomfortable! I'm determined to welcome summer next year in tank tops, shorts, even the bathing suit!

Well, for the first time in over 20 years, I'm really looking forward to summer! That's if we get one here in the UK as it's usually just pouring with rain.

OK, so I have a seriously wobbly tummy & arms to deal with, but I prefer that to wearing winter clothes in 20+ degree heat which is what I used to do.

I was talking to my mom on the phone the other day while walking outside in shorts and a tanktop...and still sweating like crazy because it was so hot out. We were discussing the heat and it hit me, "what in the world did I do last summer?" I didn't own shorts, except two pairs of kinda manly looking gym shorts. I wore jeans...all summer! 80 degrees, 90 degrees, didn't matter, I wasn't wearing shorts. My mom mentioned that she offered several pairs of capri pants, and my sister tried to give me a pair of old shorts, so it wasn't like I didn't have options, I just wanted as much skin covered as possible...so I stayed inside most of the summer. Looking back, I've missed out so much of doing fun summer things because I wouldn't wear summer clothes. I have promised myself - never going back again!!!