What to wear when you are between sizes

Trying to get back to your usual (or preferred) size? Discover how to look fabulous while you work on it.

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels

Originally published at https://www.imperatrix999.com.

Post-baby weight gain, recovering from sickness or surgery, life-changing events, hormones gone crazy, a change in fitness or diet habits, stress, holiday splurges…all of these are factors that can make someone go up or down in size. Maybe you gained a few pounds and miss your tiny waist and slim frame, or you like to see yourself curvier or more muscular but had a sudden, undesired weight loss due to health issues.

This can be upsetting, especially if you were previously at your desired, usual or ideal size. By “ideal” size I don’t mean a media/society beauty standard: the “perfect” size is unique to each individual and depends on their natural body structure, beauty references, preference and lifestyle.

You know it: your best size is that stage where you feel fabulous whatever you put on, where you have your desired silhouette, weight and body definition. Better yet, that body is close enough to your “natural” measurements to feel comfortable- that is, you don’t need to make much effort to keep it, you have no “problem areas” bothering you too much and you look healthy and glowing.

That also tends to be the size where most of your usual clothes are, and the size you buy more often.

If you want more curves, your “best” size happens when you get a little more body mass. If, on the other hand, you feel that you are curvy enough already and prefer to see yourself leaner, your “best” or “ideal” size is when you fit into all your favourite clothes without any excessive bulk, and you feel that your metabolism is speedy enough to keep you fabulously slim and trim with no need for crazy diets.

Obviously, fashion or fitness models, athletes, actors and other professionals who need to keep particular measurements for work reasons have a different definition of “ideal size”.

In any case, if for any reason you have a more significant change into a bigger or smaller size than desired, that can be most inconvenient.