How to Wear a Maxi Dress to Hide Your Tummy

Maxi dresses with pockets are perfect for most ladies, especially those who are self-conscious about their tummies. The reason? A maxi dress does an excellent job of concealing flaws and highlighting the best features.

Maxi dresses are comfortable, versatile, and feminine and never go out of style. Sadly, this fantastic one-and-done dress is associated with petite ladies or women with a flat tummy. 

But contrary to this belief, women with belly fat and plus-size ladies can rock a maxi dress because it hides any imperfections, makes them appear thinner and taller, and accentuates their curves. All you have to do is know how to wear and style it right,

If you are thinking about rocking a maxi dress but have gained weight in your belly, here are tips on how to wear it to hide your tummy. 

6 Tips for Wearing a Maxi Dress to Hide Your Tummy

Whether you have gained weight around your midsection due to menopause, giving birth, age, diet, or alcohol; or this is how your body is and has always been and that’s its shape – you deserve to feel good and confident. And a maxi dress, when styled right, is one of the few pieces of attire that can help you pull the look you want.

Here’s how to wear a maxi dress to hide your tummy.

1. Think about What You will Wear Underneath

The first step to hiding your belly when wearing a maxi dress is getting the lingerie and underwear right. If your underwear is too tight, it causes the excess fat and skin to bulge on the outside. Large undergarments create unwanted wrinkles and folds.  

Avoid wearing a loose or sagging bra. Instead, opt for a brassiere that makes you uptight.

You should also consider wearing high-rise underwear. These undergarments give you a firm look because they tighten your tummy and give your waistline shape.

Another undergarment that can effectively come to the rescue is shapewear. These undergarments tuck tires and unflattering flab back into the tummy, giving the illusion of a flat belly.

2. Choose the Maxi Dress’ Style and Fabrics Wisely

Although maxi dresses are designed to be long and flowy, some materials, such as satin and lycra, make these single-piece garments cling to the body in an unflattering manner. 

For this reason, you should choose maxi dress fabrics with a bit of stretch and give. These include wool blends and sturdy cotton.

You should also pick a maxi dress with a unique style or one that helps you accentuate your best features. For instance, you could opt for a maxi dress with a side slit to draw attention to your gorgeous legs instead of your tummy.

A short-sleeved or sleeveless maxi dress can help you highlight your arms and shoulders, while a V-neck or low-cut outfit lets your neckline shine. 

If you want to rock a floral maxi dress, choose one with narrow, vertical stripes. Such dresses make you appear taller, creating the illusion of a slimmer body. Avoid broad, horizontal stripes because they make you appear wider than you actually are.

3. Pick Dark, Solid Colors

Avoid maxi dresses with brighter hues like beige or white because they make you appear to have more weight around your body than you actually do. They highlight the wrinkles and lumps around your tummy, drawing attention to them, which can be unflattering.

Choose darker colors like black, charcoal, navy, or brown because they make you look slimmer and taller.

4. Mix and Match

An effective way to detract attention from your tummy when wearing a maxi dress is by choosing accessories that do not match your outfit. For instance, wear red shoes or carry a pink handbag when wearing a black maxi dress.

You could also avoid matching your bag and shoes: go for a red handbag and white stilettos. These combinations bring excitement to your outfit, making you look chic.

5. Wrap a Sash or Belt around the Slimmest Part of Your Waistline

Although you want to draw minimal attention to your belly, wrapping the slimmest part of your waist with a sash or belt defines your waistline. This makes you appear elegant and shapely and skims your tummy.

6. Layer it up

If you are going for an evening event or the weather is chilly, throw on a tailored jacket or fitted cardigan for warmth. A tailored jacket or cardigan draws attention to the thinnest part of your waistline, making you look slimmer.

Do not choose a cardigan or jacket with bold prints, as it can draw attention to your midsection. Instead, opt for solid-colored hues for a slimming effect.

7. Go for oversized dresses

If none of the above suits you, you can go for an oversized dress. It doesn’t mean you need to hide yourself in a sack. You can style it and steal the show.