Can you help a fat girl out?

[itsme1978]

Could you give me some advice please?
I'm a typical apple shape, size 18ish.....what do I wear in the summer?!
Hate my legs (as well as the rest of my body) so keen to keep those covered......

What do you wear in the winter? A variation on that, in lighter (fabric weight and colour) materials?
For example, winter I wear jeans, teeshirt and jumpers. Summer I wear linen blend trousers and teeshirts. Switch out the boots for some fabric trainers.

There are a lot of maxi and midaxi dresses and skirts around, which might work, also loose linen or cotton trousers, with light weight tunics or if you are comfortable , closer fit half sleeve Breton t-shirts.
Denim or cotton short jacket - avoid droopy cardigans.
I am a basic apple too and I find summer dressing harder than the rest of the season; my staples are some mid-rise chinos and assorted closer fit t-shirts; switched out with long skirts, some a-line, some fuller.

I have no expertise, but found this online:

40plusstyle.com/how-to-dress-the-apple-body-shape/

Laura Adlington, from Bake Off, posts a fair bit about clothing on Instagram. I think she said she was bigger than 18 but she's definitely 'apple' so might have some good suggestions.

I wear wide leg linen/cheesecloth trousers with a floaty top- but leggings or cropped would work better for an apple.
Maxi dresses with chubrubs shorts underneath.

I live in maxi skirts with t shirts during the summer (used to be a size 24, now an 18, genetically large calves so think I will be hiding my legs even once I've lost some more weight). A nice, lightweight, flowing maxi skirt is cooler in hot weather than shorts, if you have issues with chub rub then get some comfort shorts, but I don't tend to need them.

If you’re an apple shape, are your legs slim? If so I would go for shorter dresses - maxis will hide all your good bits!

@Donatella do you tuck in the T-shirt or not? What shoes do you wear?

@TooExtraImmatureCheddar good god no, these legs are not for being out! Below knee is acceptable, knee and above not acceptable

Thanks all....I'd rather avoid linen or tunics quite yet

OP, if you are apple shaped, you are storing fat in the most dangerous place. It’s a marker for future risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Instead of trying to hide it with clothes, I would see your GP and get your cholesterol, fasting lipids, blood glucose and blood pressure checked, then start losing weight.
This is an important health issue, not a fashion matter.
Particularly as you are female - we normally store fat in a pear shape, which is much lower risk. You have the male pattern, which is worrying, as it suggests you may have their higher predisposition to heart problems at a younger age.

[quote itsme1978]@Donatella do you tuck in the T-shirt or not? What shoes do you wear? [/quote]
I don't tuck it in, I try and go for t shirts that sit just at the top of my hips, but I'm slightly more pear shaped than apple so it might be different for you. For shoes I live in my birkenstocks all summer. I would necessarily look to me as an example of fashion trends though, I go for comfort over fashion every time!

@Babdoc I was about to mention on here how grateful I was about no one mentioning the implications of being an apple shape! 🤬
I'm aware of this 🤬

bandalettes

Plain colour helps as in without stripes

Incredibly I don't have chub rub/chafing!

I wear maxi dresses and loose trousers with vest tops tucked in, knee length skirts, pinafore dress with a short sleeved t shirt underneath.

Naughty you, OP, storing fat in the most dangerous place. You should have tried storing it somewhere safer, like under the sink.

How dare you attempt to look good.

Size 18 wrap maxi dress from Next online.

I had my cholesterol and blood pressure checked as part of our 3 yearly work medical check - along with fairly comprehensive full blood work - and everything is in the healthy range. I was actually bigger than an 18 at the time. I'm an apple too. You haven't necessarily got health problems just because you're a size 18 apple - and my chest is actually the biggest part of me, not my waist, I just don't store much weight on hips or thighs. As well as unhealthy visceral fat on the tummy big breasts and wide shouders are apple traits. So I had a size 16 waist when I had a size 18 chest.

Obviously though any woman with a waist over 80cm has an increased heart disease risk - that means anyone wearing size 14 or above on the bottom though - a vast number of women in the UK, perhaps half or more in fact! I am slowly trying to lose weight but an essential part of losing weight long term is feeling good and positive about yourself in the first place, and for lots of people dressing well is part of that!

Have a look at the plus size what are you wearing today thread itsme1978 - lovely friendly thread with inspiration for all body shapes.

Meant to attach a photo of apple shape me in my size 18 wrap maxi dress from Next

I like this from Monsoon too - its a 16 but Monsoon comes up huge.

Also other midi or long skirts with nice top, not too long nor too short, about 10cm below the waist band of the skirt (not tucked in - tucking in is not flattering on an apple at any size).

I also like 3/4 jeans in summer tbh which may not be fashionable but I look and feel good in jeans, they suit me and are comfortable and practical.

Every year I wear the next linen sleeveless dresses. They bring out new patterns every year, I wear cropped leggings and converse they are perfect. I'm a very appley apple at size 20

Size 16 and somewhere between an apple and a pear ... but I enjoyed a cotton tea dress (I think that's what they're called! Buttons up the front so they go on like a jacket and usually a stretchy waistline) , the shape is flattering but cool and a bit floaty, I also like the fact that if it flattered my stomach and hips but was too tight over my bust/shoulders then I could leave it unbuttoned to the under bust level with a vest underneath :)

Not specifically this (very interesting print) but this kind of shape/idea

@babdoc ... seriously??
You’re actually implying that apple shaped women are less feminine than pear shaped- this is ridiculous. It’s about a 50/50 split.
I strongly suggest you learn to think before you type.

For the record OP I’m with you and am this size following childbirth whereas previously I was a size 12-14. Lockdown and subsequent second pregnancy not helping, I’m basically re-learning how to dress.

The best things I’ve found so far are all dresses, or baggy cotton dungarees worn with a kimono type jacket- think Angel from ‘escape to the chateau’, she always looks incredible. I’ll be following with interest