Why do I look so awful in tunics?

[kwaker5]

Am I the only one? They just make me look really big. I am a size 14 so not that thin, but they easily make me look an 18.

I always thought they would be great for hiding a tum and bum. They do hide my stomach but only by making the rest of me look huge!

Who do they look good on? Should I try buying a smaller size?

[seenyertoeslately]

Don't look good on me (thin with big boobs). I end up with the profile of a lean-to shed.

[Shaz10]

I used a belt. That helped a bit.

[cyb]

what sort of tunic was it?

what sort of shape are you?

[SandyBits]

Anythign that you are using to 'hide' pieces will not be that flattering. And tunics seem to be a thing a lot of people get wrong going on evidence of the women round here. What are you wearign with it? The dread leggings? Fwiw, I think belting a tent is rarely advisable, get somethign more fitted in the first place

[Bonsoir]

Tunics are good on people with wide shoulders and slim torsos.

[DrNortherner]

They look bad on me too. I am an 8 on top with small shoulders and a small rib cage so they just drown my best parts!

I love them on others though.

[BunnyLebowski]

Because they are horrible things that flatter absolutely nobody. Particularly when worn with leggings.

Bleurgh.

[iMum]

dont hide whats bad, but accentuate the good.

I have enourous hip a small waist and big boobs (and very fat arms-pretty picture eh!)

So i go for things pulled in under the bust and a line to the hip draws the eye up top and skims the bad bits!

[teta]

They look good on me.I am size 14 with broad shoulders and average bust.I buy the empire line ones ie.fit on the top then skimming over my tummy .I think maybe you need to find the right shape for your body.I wear mine with leggings or skinny jeans tucked into over the knee tan boots and this is definately a slimming look.

[MrsBadger]

They look awful on me too - like Northerner I have a skinny top half and they always seem to swamp that, hide any semblance of waist and stop just where my thighs are fattest. Grim.

[Lastyearsmodel]

I've found tunics have to fit at your slimmest part(s) (ie under bust with no gathers - gathers, as opposed to darts, always look like maternity tops on me) and end at the slimmest part of your legs.

I also have to beware of big arms on tunics making my arms looker bigger - I'm better off with slightly fitted arms that are cut close under the armpit.

Fabric matters too - jersey must skim not cling, cotton has to fit right or it pulls and floaty viscose-types have to float not cling.

[MrsBadger]

at 'end at slimmest part of your leg'

maxi dresses for me...

[Lastyearsmodel]

Not very well worded, was it? Pg cankles mean even my knees are smaller than my ankles at the moment.

[IngridFletcher]

They look crap on me too. Small frame with big boobs and short legs. I think you have to have smallish boobs and be tallish.

[Besom]

Lastyearsmodel - I was wearing one with gathers under the bust on a flight home from my holidays a couple of weeks ago and the woman at the check in asked me if I was pregnant (I'm not).

It's a bit of a bugger because I've a few in that style. I will just have to actually get pregnant so I can wear them!

[Lastyearsmodel]

My sympathies, Besom. As Jackie Clunes says, no-one should ever ask anyone if they're pregnant unless they can actually see the baby's head coming out. So rude.

I've actually had the opposite problem recently - am 34 weeks pg and up until a few weeks ago, a few people were still cautiously asking, 'so, expecting a happy event are we?'. To me it felt like a socking great bump, but apparently to some acquaintances it just looked like my normal stomach .

Tunics with gathers - back when I had fewer children and more time, I have taken gathers out and put darts in if it was v simple to do. There were loads of gathered tunics around a couple of years ago but the cut seems to be straighter lately.

[Lastyearsmodel]

Sheesh, and we haven't even covered pattern size and effect on perception of arse size...

[Besom]

The worst of it is that she seemed like she was asking in an official capacity so she must have thought I pretty well on! DH was smirking but then he saw my face and said 'it's just that top'.