I know the feeling, your favourite jeans have become just a bit too snug and your choice of outfits is dwindling. Whether you’re still hanging onto your lockdown weight gain, have a post-Christmas pouch, suffer with IBS or have developed a menopausal middle, I hear you.
If like me, you LOVE your clothes and don’t want to (or can’t) start again – or, if you know that with a few weeks of focussed effort, the damn clothes will fit again but today you have NOTHING-TO-WEAR that feels good.
This is for you.
FInd your ‘save-the-day’ pieces
Most women’s weight fluctuates over a month. I know that over a year I can be half a stone heavier or lighter but never really more than that. And it’s my beloved clothing collection that stops me from getting any heavier – because I couldn’t bear not to wear them.
But, there are certain periods when my fave jeans and trousers are just too tight for comfort which is why I have two ‘save-the-day’ pieces that always fit, however, bloated the tummy might be.
One of these is my eye-wateringly expensive (yet the best clothing investment I ever made), leather leggings. They are like magic. Wherever I am on my weight spectrum, they fit like a glove and are super comfy, even around my middle. Worth-every-penny.
I can rely on my leather leggings for dressier occasions or wear with trainers or boots and a cosy knit. They are super versatile and super cosy.
The second of my ‘save-the-day’ pieces is a pair of jeans that I accidentally bought too big. They have become so useful post-Christmas and during holidays when my tummy expands gradually over a week or two.
On a recent trip to Malta, my tummy was somewhere in-between its biggest and smallest so I wasn’t sure what to pack (knowing that it would expand whilst we were away!).
Then, I saw this genius trick being shared by Polly at Sheerluxe and it solved the problem for me. So, I want to share it with you in case it helps you too.
Make your jeans bigger or smaller depending on the day!
All you need for this fab trick is a hair bobble.
When your jeans are too tight – extend the fastening of your jeans by looping a hair bobble around the belt loop on the opposite side to the button. Then loop the other end of the band around the button and you’ve bought yourself at least an inch, (more if the hair bobble is bigger), of flexibility. Use your top or a belt to cover the waistband and you are sorted.
Then, when your bloat starts to go down and you need your jeans to be tighter, loop the bobble around one belt loop, over the top of the button fastening and through to the belt loop on the opposite side of the button. Then loop it back and wrap it around the button. (see my video below for a demo!).
This pulls in the waistband and stops your jeans hanging off your bum or falling down. As long as you cover the situation with a belt or your top, no-one would know. Just allow an extra 30 seconds when you need to go to the loo to unwrap yourself…
This is also useful if you are on a weight loss journey and aren’t yet ready to buy smaller jeans!
I love simple tricks like this. Do you have a similar tip? Please do share it with us below.
Watch the demo of this super-simple trick here.
P.S. I know that for some women, the fluctuation is a lot more than half a stone and I appreciate that is much harder to deal with. I’ll share a blog soon on ways to dress in a very simple outfit formula that is flattering and easy to replicate.
