Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Is it easier to look well put together if you are slimmer?

158 replies

FruityFrog · 09/04/2026 16:33

Do you think it's easier, in general, to look smart/nice/well put together if you are slimmer? Or do we perceived that slimmer people look 'better' because of ingrained 'fat phobia' or whatever you want to call this particular bias.

OP posts:
OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 09/04/2026 16:40

Yes

Icanthinkformyselfthanks · 09/04/2026 16:41

I can only say that I find it easier now I’m slimmer but at the same time I do have a bit of a problem because I’m very short (5’1”). There are just more clothes cut to suit a slimmer and average height person. That being said there are clothes specifically for petit women and specifically for larger ladies, when I was very short and very fat I had a very hard time.

Flowers898989 · 09/04/2026 16:42

Yes, as someone who has gone from 17 stone to 10 stone since Jan 25 100% it is so much easier getting dressed!!

Ragamuffin8 · 09/04/2026 16:43

Sadly yes, I think it’s easier. I say this as a plus size woman.

Clothes largely aren’t designed for my apple shaped body, despite being my size. I have less choice than my slim friends.

That’s not to say every slim person looks put together, but I do think it’s “easier”.

Arraminta · 09/04/2026 16:45

Yes, definitely. Since losing 3st on WLI I am now a size 8/10 and I look so much better in all of my clothes. Even just a simple jeans and a t-shirt outfit looks more stylish. I think it's because the clothes hang much more flatteringly on my frame and my stomach is completely flat.

Lampzade · 09/04/2026 16:45

Yes
it is actually cheaper to be slimmer as clothes fit better so you can basically wear most things and look good
it is also less time consuming because you don’t spend time having to hide flabby bits

DaisyChain505 · 09/04/2026 16:45

Yes. It may but be the answer people want to hear but yes.

mumofoneAloneandwell · 09/04/2026 16:45

1000%

FusionChefGeoff · 09/04/2026 16:46

Yes because you have nothing to hide! I can look absolutely FAB but in carefully chosen outfits. When I was slimmer I could throw anything on and look fab Grin

Shallotsaresmallonions · 09/04/2026 16:47

Yes.

TheGander · 09/04/2026 16:50

Yes, but I also think some larger women can look good if they have good fitness and muscle tone. More likely if they are younger, also women of African origin often have a better muscle structure.

TwistedRoses · 09/04/2026 16:54

Yes

VillageMilton · 09/04/2026 16:56

Yes. And it's easier to dress for comfort, too.

Alltheusefulitems · 09/04/2026 17:00

I think it may take longer to find the style of clothing that suits your body shape if you're bigger but anyone of any size can look well put together. The trick is knowing what suits you, If you know that, its easy whatever size you are.

ThisOneLife · 09/04/2026 17:02

There is no clothing that looks better when there are rolls of fat underneath.
Slim people always look better in their clothes.

I’m not one of them before anyone starts!

Bloodycrossstitch · 09/04/2026 17:04

I think there is a point of ‘too skinny’ where things start to fit oddly again but generally speaking yes. Most clothes are made to fit skinny, conventionally attractive bodies and it takes more effort to find clothes that flatter you if you’re not that

Gillthepill · 09/04/2026 17:13

Yes (said as an overweight person). I never feel that polished despite taking pride in my appearance. Clothes just dont hang as well.

Seagroves · 09/04/2026 17:39

Definitely yes.
And if you have smaller sized breasts imo.

FaceIt · 09/04/2026 17:41

Yes, you can wear anything and look good.

I don’t think very skinny is ever a good look though.

Firesidechatter · 09/04/2026 17:44

Absolutely, doesn’t mean larger ladies can’t look good, but generally clothes look better on slim bodies, the fat can displace them and it doesn’t look as good, I know now I’m slim my clothes fit as they should and I can wear what I wish.

LittleMissClutter · 09/04/2026 17:45

Firesidechatter · 09/04/2026 17:44

Absolutely, doesn’t mean larger ladies can’t look good, but generally clothes look better on slim bodies, the fat can displace them and it doesn’t look as good, I know now I’m slim my clothes fit as they should and I can wear what I wish.

Agree with this.

mynameiscalypso · 09/04/2026 17:45

Absolutely. My weight is all over the place but it was easiest to dress when I was a size 8. Clothes just fit and fall better.

corkscissorschalk · 09/04/2026 17:46

I ‘d say no, but it is easier if you have straight hair.

Agamede · 09/04/2026 17:48

Yes, absolutely. I am not overweight but am at the larger end of a healthy BMI so not slim, and with a definite tum. I have to think so much more carefully now about how I dress, the fabrics I wear and how to put clothes together to look good.

Obviously, it’s in the eye of the beholder, we can all choose to wear what we like etc. but slimmer people often just wear clothes better, even less expensive ones and can choose a much wider range of styles of clothes.

LapinR0se · 09/04/2026 17:50

I am in Italy on hols and have very much enjoyed people watching this week. What I've noticed is quite a few larger women looking absolutely stunning in quite simple clothes. Today in particular there was a lady probably in her 50s wearing a beige dress, kind of stiff cotton material very simply cut like a tshirt, with a beige cashmere scarf draped over. Then she had a bright red mani and a ton of gold jewellery. She was wearing adidas sambas or gazelles or whatever. It helped that she had blonde hair and a tan too and was very well groomed. I'd say she was a size 16/18 and around 5'2". On a skinny person it would have just looked like a shapeless thing. But on her it looked a million dollars.