Dressing for the menopausal midriff

[Cornflakecrack]

It’s always been my ‘problem area’ I have a rectangular brick like body with long limbs but have always had a bloated rounded lower belly with along with no waist at all isnt an easy shape to dress for. Brick shape means a big rib cage also although my boobs are relatively small.

I have rock hard abs underneath it from all the core work I do but it makes no difference I’m always bloated in shape.

Now add on the meno belly extra layer of fat on belly and love handle area and it’s really getting me down clothing wise. Nothing hangs right, I look like a teletubby and it’s just so ageing. It screams middle age (which I am but who needs to be shouting it!).

If I wear ‘floaty’ or shift shapes the fabric will skim across my belly and make me look pregnant

I cant wear fitted dresses as I have nothing to fit to as no waist.

Cropped anything is awful

Long is awful as see floaty above

Mum jeans just look ridiculous

Just about can do a half tuck with a t shirt or shirt but I have to have elasticated waist trousers else they don’t fit (which are thankfully all the rage right now)

Im a Zara/Free people on pay day kind of dresser.

All help grateful received.

Watching with interest…👀

Are you me? Waiting for help ..

Please let some amazing stylist come along soon and save us from midriff hell

Menopot gal here too! I was wearing loose comfy yoga pants all last year and now my jeans are too tight. Plus I've put on some weight. Those elastic pants just let me gain without paying attention.

I'm now going to wear my loose jeans and I'm going to add shapewear as well. I feel that with tighter clothes on my waist the fat will migrate elsewhere. Look into waist training. It's wearing shapewear for 4 hour a day to train the fat to go up or down but not on the waist.

I think I can handle tight jeans again but not sure about shapewear for hours a day. However no more loose clothes or yoga pants for me.

If you go on YT to MM Personal Styling, Melissa has several really useful videos on dressing this shape.

My friend is a similar shape and looks fab in this sort of thing.

https://www.wolfandbadger.com/uk/up-town-dress-heavy-linen-opal-grey/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvpCkBhB4EiwAujULMr1znmdkoO-Ohft9PKw35Syq9GS257QV71RJLzRN_4EXNX1jq-tjsBoCefsQAvD_BwE

I came on to say waist trainers.
I wear one from time to time and find it comfortable. It really cinches the waist in.

Another Melissa follower. A game changer for me!

Can anyone recommend where to buy a waist trainer? Thanks

I don't think waist trainers are good for you, are they?

Ah, this happened to me in my mid 40s.

I have to dress to suit my new shape but as I've always had big breasts I do have to be more choosy in fabric and neckline.

Since I lost my waist I have said goodbye to jeans and cargo pants and wear jersey knee length dresses from White Stuff, Fat Face, Sea Salt and get the occasional thing from Joe Browns and Kath Kitson too.

White Stuff have 20% off everything currently so they're worth checking out.

Lottie Drynan is good on Instagram, she's younger, not menopausal, but dresses her bloat really well

instagram.com/lottiedrynan?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

I gave up on White Stuff after their viscose reversible skirts all shrank in the wash. I wouldn't ever go back there.

I won’t be getting a waist trainer!

I have seen Lottie Drynan but her style seems to rely on big boobs and is very hair bow girlie lace dress which isn’t really my style.

Ive watched a few of those Melissa vids on you tube which have been helpful thank you.

Im probably asking for the impossible which is to have a different body!

I might try some pull em in pants too although they seem more useful for loose saggy skin than hardcore bloat/flab.

I have diactis rectis which means I look permanently very pregnant. I have never been able to find anything to wear so am hoping more suggestions pop up.

I’ve got some nice stuff from One Hundred Stars, on the advice of a thread on here.

The Rachel dress is a great shape, and you can pull it in with a belt if you want.

https://onehundredstars.co.uk/products/acer_red_rachel_dress_

I love my salsa secret push in jeans

They’re high waisted (but not that high) and I find them very comfortable. I couldn’t get on with other high waisted jeans because they put pressure on my tummy. But the salsa ones are cut differently. They’re extremely flattering. I live in jeans and forget I have a tummy until I try and wear something else 😂

They’re slightly stretchy denim and I buy slightly bigger/longer because they shrink a bit in the wash (if you’re more careful with laundry you might not need to).

Where are the salsa jeans based. For Uk the delivery charges are high so will incur import and Vat

I think I might have had a menopausal midriff my entire life! Or at least, I've always had a rounded little tummy even when very slim now I am not slim all the weight goes on there and I agree that past a certain point, it does have a barrel like ageing effect.

My tips are all generic, I don't have some magic dress that will solve anything, and I don't wear shapewear as it makes me feel sick and constricted, so it's all hanging out for me anyway.

My tips are- first work the core quite a lot, you can dance at home, get an exercise bike and lean back a lot, do specific tummy exercises, go to a gym. I look 100% better with a small amount of muscle tone and standing up straight. The fat sits on top but so what.

The second is that I go (except in mid-summer) for a few similar looks. One is black strappy cami, black trousers (say linen in summer, cotton, whatever) and then a coloured shirt on the outside (e.g. linen khaki in my case as I am quite pale). Used to do the same at conferences, always have a (nice) black skirt, cami and a cool jacket, also same for going out with leather jacket. The line of the black or navy all the way down is very flattering compared with things cut off at the waist.

Also, and this is a personal thing as I know everyone loves dresses on here, but dresses are hard work for people with tummies as nearly every style exaggerates the stomach and 'nipping things in' at the waist with belts doesn't work. I wear separates all the time- so long skirt in denim or cool summer colours, chunky sandals or trainers, cami and a loose shirt (again, linen, cotton). Or black cami, black fitted shirt, white floaty skirt, lots of gold accessories.

Finally, try adding interest elsewhere, one of my fave casual looks is dark straight jeans (quite tight), a floaty navy top with a strappy cami underneath. No tummy in sight, but still a bit nicer than say a plain cotton round neck. I love V neck everything or shirts which are quite open.

Or do what my very good friend does, wears what she wants and ignores her stomach which has always looked a bit pregnant. No-one gasps.

Just some ideas!

I never wear a dress or tunic without a slip - stops everything clinging. M&S do plain ones with different lengths….

Me also… always had a tiny waist… 40 now and definitely not so much.

This is me…I’m a menopausal brick too. I’m only a size 10 sometimes an 8 on hips and bum but my chest and waist are more of a 12. I have a short waist with only a two finger gap between my hips and rib cage. I have a lower belly overhang from an emergency C-section 16 years ago that no amount of exercise will change. I’m also only 5ft 2in. I hate jeans shopping as to fit my legs and bum they always feel tight around my waist and then I get the overhang. I hate my body shape now and get really depressed when out shopping for clothes. I do tend to wear jumpsuits or dresses that I can wear a thin belt to try and create a waist but even then I think I look good until I do a full look in the mirror and see the true story ☹️

I've always had a fat stomach and it's even more terrible now I'm nearly 50. Whitestuff or Seasalt tunics are good. A slightly higher waistline in a dress can be good (never on the waist obvs). I always wear a looser top compared to the bottoms. My life long dream.is to be able to tuck my top into my trousers!

I have never had a large tummy, but it's appeared overnight with peri-menopause. I am a 10 everywhere else and with small boobs, so look pregnant at 51! Learning to dress this new shape.

Agree with @Highdaysandholidays1 that black or navy all the way down is flattering, but hard to do in summer when you want to dress brighter. I usually wear a dark-ish colour in top even in summer: black, navy, burgundy, forest green,teal, deep pink, anything that focuses the eye. Pale colours look horrible on my top half.

I also wear a lot of linen shirts open with a cami or sleeveless vest. And only v necks.

I don't wear much print; only solids with jewellery to add interest.

I have quite long legs, so I wear wide leg trousers to balance out the top half. No skinny jeans or leggings. Recently tried jumpsuits in plain colours and I think I look ok in them.

I've never had a tiny waist and am also brick shape though I wouldn't say my boobs were small

In summer I live in either elasticated waist shorts from cotton traders - they are called every day shorts. So comfortable and big enough that they don't ride up my thighs.

For work I wear long shirt dresses but they have to have a waist - even if I don't have one, it then makes it look like I do without being uncomfortable. These are 2 of my favourites from Hush

I found this at John Lewis & Partners. What do you think?  https://www.johnlewis.com/hush-cindy-shirt-dress-navy-pink/p109784126?tmad=c&tmcampid=7&sshare=jlappioss_Y29tLmFwcGxlLlVJS2l0LmFjdGl2aXR5LkNvcHlUb1Bhc3RlYm9hcmQ=

I found this at John Lewis & Partners. What do you think?  https://www.johnlewis.com/hush-kensington-geometric-star-print-midi-shirt-dress-blue-white/p110222319?tmad=c&tmcampid=7&sshare=jlappioss_Y29tLmFwcGxlLlVJS2l0LmFjdGl2aXR5LkNvcHlUb1Bhc3RlYm9hcmQ=

I also love the m and s £17.50 wide leg trousers. They are a thin fabric with an elasticated panel - I wear these with smart T shirts or shirts. Only annoying thing is they don't have pockets but I have another pair that does from them.

I have been browsing at M&S and found this: https://www.marksandspencer.com/jersey-wide-leg-trousers-with-stretch/p/clp60506499?intid=mobileappppdpshare