Best Ways to Hide Weight Gain in Summer

3. Wear black, head to toe.

Black is the ultimate weight manager. It blanks out extra pounds with fashionable authority. Most women have enough black in their summer wardrobe to pull together several outfits. The point of going matchy-matchy (or nearly) is to prevent a high-contrast color break, like a white top and black pants.

For example, you might pair Old Navy Women High-Waisted Linen-Blend Wide-Leg Pants in Black Jack ($24, oldnavy.gap.com) with the Old Navy Women Button-Down Linen Blend Shirt in Black Jack ($24, oldnavy.gap.com). Don’t try to turn this into a “skinnier” look by choosing skinny jeans, a clingy tee or a bodysuit that will only emphasize bulges and pounds. You can tell if your outfit is doing the “dress slim” job by standing about five feet from a full-length mirror and squinting. If the look “melts” into one fluid vertical line of color, mission accomplished! 

Of course, you can also take the easy way out and choose a black midi or maxi dress like the Gap Women Crochet Mixed Media Maxi Dress in Black ($49, gap.com), or a black jumpsuit like Banana Republic Women’s Linen V-Neck Jumpsuit in Black ($150, bananarepublic.gap.com) — the quickest way to go monochromatic.

(From left) Create a waist in a cinch: Inspire Chic Women’s Summer Boho Beach V Neck Sleeveless Floral Flow Tiered Midi Dress With Pockets in Blue; Ann Taylor Striped Collared Tie Waist Top in Burnt Mauve; Banana Republic Women’s Cotton Poplin Tie-Waist Midi Dress in Bright Lime Green.

AARP (Target, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic)

4. Try defining your waist.

If you're a woman concerned about your weight, defining your waist can restore a sense of shape to your middle … even if your waist “indent” is minimal or you have a short torso or a big bosom. It prevents your breasts and belly from merging into one chunky, blocklike unit.

You might think, “A belt, when I gain weight in my belly?” While leather belts are shape-makers, two other faux waist-makers do that without a rigid boundary line. The first is an elastic or smocked waist, a feature on many midi dresses like the Inspire Chic Women’s Summer Boho Beach V Neck Sleeveless Floral Flow Tiered Midi Dress With Pockets in Blue or Red ($40, target.com) and Madewell Women’s The Melody Smocked Midi Dress in Daisy Print in Dusty Plum ($158, madewell.com). You won’t feel crunched for space; no muffin-top overspill, either. 

The second solution: Wrap-style shirts — like the Ann Taylor Striped Collared Tie Waist Top in Burnt Mauve ($67, anntaylor.com) and the Loft Poplin Wrap Shirt in Dresden Blue ($42, loft.com) — work like wrap dresses to gently contour an hourglass look, while the draped or ruched effect blurs away belly bulge. Magic!

5. Learn to layer summer “lite.”

The trend toward voluminous midi skirts, sundresses and shirtdresses is ideal for women bothered by weight gain. It’s easy to ignore the pounds beneath all that floaty fabric.  However, not everyone wears that polished a look every day. 

Women often want a fast, practical, daily “uniform” that’s comfy to run around in. You only need three ingredients: a tank top, matching cropped pull-on pants for a monochromatic “core” look, and an overlay shirt. Black, white and navy (if you wear cropped jeans in summer) are the simplest to work with. 

For example, you might pair the Jockey Women’s 100% Cotton Rib Tank in White ($20, target.com) with cropped pull-on pants or pull-on jeans, like SpanxShape EveryWear Cropped Wide Leg Jeans in White ($148, spanx.com). The subtle compression in the latter offers tummy-flattening control. The third piece is for camouflage. The most useful and stylish shirts are linen button-downs like Gap Women 100% Linen Oversized Shirt in Purple Loganberry or Pink Stripe ($71, gap.com), worn open as a “shacket” to frame the torso and provide all-around coverage even on the hottest days. 

For more front and center belly cover, opt for “lite” summer pullovers in cotton blends, like the J.Crew Women Montauk Relaxed Sweater in Vintage Red, Black or Antique White ($60, jcrew.com). Slipped over tank tops, they keep extra middle weight a secret — and you look cool.

(From left) Highlight your assets like these celebrity pros: Alfre Woodard, Vanessa Williams, Rita Wilson, Patricia Arquette.

AARP (Getty Images, 4)

6. Show off the good stuff.

Don’t be shy! Every woman, regardless of her weight, has a touch of vanity. Use it to create a focal point and divert attention. Maybe your “good stuff” is a new bob that will get an admirable lift from boatnecks and V-necks; fabulous shoulders that can handle one-shoulder and off-the-shoulder tops and halters with ease; great legs and toned arms that make sleeveless dresses and shorter dress lengths your thing; or a beautiful, even skin tone that lets loose dresses in bright colors turn heads. Sometimes accenting the positive is the best way to keep the negative to yourself.