What to wear to work in summer when you are a bit fat?

[dirtyprettything]

I work in a smart casual office and usually wear a dress with opaque tights and boots/heels most of the year.
I am about 1st overweight (working on it) but still have nice pins so a dress works well.

However, without my trusty tights to hold me in I feel like it's all hanging out and I don't feel too good. I do have trousers but feel that they accentuate the bulge and i feel very self conscious.

Other than losing the spare tyre pronto, any ideas?

spanx?

Perhaps a dress that skims the bulge a bit better.

I think restrictive clothes in the Summer are a step too far, and a bit of freedom is needed.

I always feel a bit strange when I lose the opaques and go bare legged as tights are great for holding you in. Spanx are too uncomfortable for summer. Get big cotton knickers you feel comfortable in and work on making your top half ie hair, makeup, jewellery as nice as possible. People are mostly looking at you from the neck up so if that looks good it distracts from a bit of tummy etc. Also get some nice shoes that draw the eye down and and draw attention to your good legs.

Wrap dresses are great for hiding your tummy. There's usually a few nice ones on Asos.

I tend to shift to nude body shaper tights in the summer. I know they're not for everyone but I have the palest pins known to mankind with a few blemishes so I can't bear going bare legged at work.

Could you try patterned/silky type trousers? With heels.
Depends how formal you need to be though.

I am size 14 - I mainly wear dresses - knee length cotton or silk with shortish or 3/4 sleeves, with wedge sandals. I find dresses much easier than tops and skirts as I think they skim over lumpy bits better, plus when it's really hot there seems to be less to worry about. I like Hobbs, Jigsaw, Toast (occasionally, and strictly non-lentil weaver), Cos and Jaeger, usually in the sale, outlet or with a discount code.

I think mainly, keep it simple and go for natural fibres.

Palazzo trousers and a quirky top, trapeze dresses, rucked skirts/dresses?

I'm also about a stone overweight and you pretty much just described my usual outfit too. This week I hit upon a summery look - a skirt this shape www.gap.co.uk/browse/product.do?cid=57384&vid=1&pid=000942279001 with a plain high-necked top tucked in - nips you in at the waist, quite thick material so holds its shape and puffs out above the tummy so looks like it's not there. Stick a cardigan over the top and that's sorted! Would something like that work?

And when I say high necked, I don't mean a polo neck obviously! A boat neck or something.

OP I tend to wear fairly long cotton skirts paired with cotton blouses in bright colours and cardi over. But then my office is not that smart.

I also have some linen dresses for when I need to be smart.

Capri trousers? a really good cut is slimming and a bit of leg makeup /false tan, pained toe nails an you're all set

turning into a Sainsburys bote but I have a great pair of TU, 100% cotton, great fit, less than £20