Body-Boosting Styles for Every Figure Hang-Up

2. Bra bulges and back fat

The annual switch to single-layer dressing means lighter, closer-to-the-body clothes that reveal bra bulges and muffin tops. Women say, “Every top shows the ripples,” and “Is it my bra or this top?” Do your torso and bust a favor and get a front-fastening T-back racer bra, like the Body by Victoria Smooth Lightly Lined Front Close Full Coverage Bra in Smooth in Praline or Black ($55, victoriassecret.com); a Wacoal Women’s Back Appeal Front Close Contour T-Shirt Bra 853403 in Black or Rose Dust ($76, macys.com); or a SpanxSmooth Bra-llelujah! Lightly Lined Racerback Bra in Toasted Oatmeal or Very Black ($68, spanx.com). It will give your back a smoother look under thin, stretchy fabrics while also providing the lift and shaping you need. The racerback straps pair perfectly with sleeveless tanks and dresses, and of course with sleeved tops, too.

Love your current bra but still bothered by bulges? Try the looser linen and gauze button-downs in tip 1 for everyday wear (they also work for the torso). Or, for a pop of trendier fashion and a dressier look, check out structured shirts and blouses with a crisp, no-cling shape, like Chico’s Tie-Front Top in Amparo Blue or Golden Haze ($90, chicos.com); the Loft Poplin Cinched Back Shirt in Chai Latte or White ($42, loft.com); or A New Day Women’s Balloon-Sleeve Blouse in Blue or Black ($35, target.com). All make a statement with new summer staples such as white wide-leg jeans and pull-on pants.

(From left) Lane Bryant Dolman Sleeve Collared V-Neck Top in Light Olive; Gap Factory Women Relaxed Ruffle Top in Navy Uniform; Ava & Viv Women’s Balloon 3/4 Sleeve Button-Front Embroidered Deep V-Neck Top in Ivory.

AARP (Lane Bryant, Gap Factory, Target)

3. A short, wide neck

“Crewnecks and striped boatnecks make me look like a football player!”

Some women still haven’t gotten the V-neck memo, so here’s a gentle reminder: The longer your neck appears, the slimmer you look, and V-necks are the answer. That reverse triangle and downward-pointing arrow are key. It creates more distance between your chin and your shoulders, giving the illusion of a swanlike neck. Even the shortest, widest necks benefit, so make Vs your go-to neckline in everything, and unbutton your button-downs to a neck-lengthening V as well.

How deep should that V be? Shallow Vs are not as great as a mid-chest drop, which will give you the most flattering extra inches without displaying cleavage. Check out perfect Vs like the Old Navy Women Luxe V-Neck T-Shirt in Calla Lillies, In the Navy, Light Black Heather or Heather Gray ($12, oldnavy.gap.com); the Ava & Viv Women’s Balloon 3/4 Sleeve Button-Front Embroidered Deep V-Neck Top in Ivory ($35, target.com); Lane Bryant Dolman-Sleeve Collared V-Neck Top in Light Olive or Maritime Blue ($33, lanebryant.com); or the Gap Factory Women Relaxed Ruffle Top in Navy Uniform ($24, gapfactory.com).

Next, do your neck a favor and cancel your love of chandelier earrings and short necklaces. All are neck shorteners. Long pendants and stud earrings will keep the long-neck illusion going.

(From left) Croft & Barrow Women’s Mid Rise Elastic Waist Wide Leg Pants in Chambray; Lane Bryant Linen Wide-Leg Pant in Maritime Blue; Old Navy Women Smocked Waist Midi Skirt in Multi-Floral.

AARP (Kohl’s, Lane Bryant, Old Navy)

4. Thick, chunky calves

Women can be cruel when talking about their stocky legs, referring to them as “piano legs” or“ bowling pins” instead of strong, muscled, devoted helpers. This makes dressing around them a challenge.

My advice? Take advantage of all the wide-leg pants and longer midi or maxi hemlines, the new BFFs for heavier calves. But be selective. You want truly roomy styles (no kick flares or narrow midi slip skirts); breathable, light fabrics that drape easily, like linen blends and chambray; and a length that keeps calves covered when you stand and when you sit. Avoid midi or maxi skirts that hit above or at the middle of the calf and those with a leg-revealing front or side slit. Choose long, wide-leg pull-on pants, like the Croft & Barrow Women’s Mid Rise Elastic Waist Wide Leg Pants in Mineral Black, Seattle Navy or Chambray ($28, kohls.com); the Lane Bryant Linen Wide-Leg Pant in Flax, Maritime Blue or Black ($35, lanebryant.com); or the Gap Women Linen-Blend Easy Wide-Leg Pants in Black ($80, gap.com).

Another option is a midi or maxi skirt with an A-line shape that covers your calves, like the Old Navy Women Smocked Waist Midi Skirt in Multi-Floral, Arctic Depth ($24, oldnavy.gap.com); the Universal Thread Women’s Pull-On Midi Full Skirt in Green Floral or Blue Striped ($30, target.com); and the H&M Women Smocked-Waist Skirt in White/Blue Floral, Navy Blue/Striped or Black ($40, hm.com/en_us). Note that many of the newest pull-on skirts (including those above) feature a stretch panel of shirring from the waist to the hip rather than a simple elastic waistband. I admit to being skeptical, but this detail turned out to be a hit! They give voluminous A-line skirts a more defined shape from the waist to the hips, gently holding you in so that untucked tops are bulge-free. Don’t get too hung up on the midi vs. maxi label, since retailers use those terms interchangeably. Just check the length specs and photos, and grab a tape measure to determine if a skirt or dress will work with your calves.

(From left) Robbie Bee Women’s Halter Floral Maxi Dress; Lane Bryant Ruffle-Strap Tiered Midi Dress in Ali Floral; Universal Thread Sleeveless Button-Front Smocked Maxi Empire Waist Dress in Pink Floral; Old Navy Women’s Off-The-Shoulder Boho Maxi Dress in Black Jack.

AARP (Kohl’s, Lane Bryant, Target, Old Navy)

5. Not-budging belly bulge

Women over 50 almost universally complain about belly bulge, regardless of their weight or fitness level. In dressing rooms, they start out gently referring to their “tummy,” but as the try-ons continue, phrases like “jelly belly” and “spare tire” pop up. For that reason, many end up saying, “Forget tops and bottoms — I’ll just wear dresses all spring and summer.”

You can, of course, fling a long, loose tunic over pull-on pants and get coverage, but no-shapewear-needed dresses are trending. The secret lies in a stretchy elastic waist and a blurring floral print. Top choices include the J.Crew Factory Women Floral Smocked Waist Midi Dress in Ivory Multi ($63, factory.jcrew.com); the Lane Bryant Ruffle-Strap Tiered Midi Dress in Ali Floral or Multi Floral ($50, lanebryant.com); Universal Thread Sleeveless Button-Front Smocked Maxi Empire Waist Dress in Pink Floral ($40, target.com); and the Robbie Bee Women’s Halter Floral Maxi Dress ($51, kohls.com); the sexy Old Navy Women’s Off-the-Shoulder Boho Maxi Dress in Blue Floral, Black Jack or Red Ditsy ($30, oldnavy.gap.com) makes an amazing summer party choice. Not into the long, boho, romantic look? Pivot to a classic knee-length shift, like the floral J.Jill Easy Linen A-Line Dress in Dragon Fruit Tropical Toile ($119, jjill.com).

(From left) Easy Street Maureen Women’s Espadrille Wedge Sandals in Wide and X-Wide in Beige; Comfortview The Adele Sling Sandal in Black.

AARP (Kohl’s, Nordstrom)

6. Thick ankles and wide feet

I hear a lot about “cankles” and “clog feet.” Women with broad ankles and tootsies say that skimpy, flimsy sandals, Mary Janes and any shoe with an ankle tie, pointy toe or delicate kitten heel exaggerates the issue. They’re absolutely right, and I’ll add another don’t-wear style: chunky shoes with a high vamp (the shoe’s neckline, so to speak), and/or broad straps that cover the entire top of the foot.

My advice? Look for shoes with a low vamp and a low, walkable wedge. This will help elongate the leg and give the foot a sleek, slim, contained shape. And skip the high, boxy espadrilles with ankle ties or straps — they’re appealing but not helping! Instead, try streamlined mini wedges in wide or extra-wide widths, such as the Easy Street Maureen Women’s Espadrille Wedge Sandals in Beige and Navy ($56, kohls.com); the LifeStride Katrina 2 Espadrille Wedge Sandal in Black or Almond Beige ($55, dsw.com); or the Comfortview Adele Sling Sandal in Black, Garden Multi or Suntan ($57, nordstrom.com). It’s that all-important slingback heel strap that gives pudgy feet a shapely look and contains spillage at the sides.