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The No-Shapewear Guide to Dressing Sleeker for Summer

Simple warm-weather styles that flatter without the squeeze

Lois Joy Johnson,

AARP

Published August 06, 2026

a collage with three models wearing slimming outfits

(From left) Skip the compression and choose pieces that fit and flatter, like the Lands’ End Women’s Poplin Smocked Bodice Midi Dress in Deep Sea Spring Floral; Jones New York Women’s Sleeveless Seersucker Four-Button Vest in Natural Stone; and Lane Bryant Sleeveless Faux-Wrap Jersey Jumpsuit in Black.

AARP (Getty Images, Lands’ End, Macy’s, Lane Bryant)

Key takeaways

Dark neutral colors in lightweight fabrics and relaxed silhouettes create a streamlined look without shapewear during warm weather.
Smocked dresses, peplum tops and V-neck styles define shape, balance proportions and provide coverage without squeezing or constricting.
Wide-leg jumpsuits, tailored vests and low heels offer easy ways to create a longer, leaner lines.

Women who love shapewear consider it a gift from the fashion universe … just not in summer. That’s when all the molding and compression make women say, “There’s got to be a comfy, shapewear-free way to look better in clothes.” As a beauty and fashion editor and personal shopper for women over 50, I accept this challenge year-round. In fact, it’s my job to solve it. Here are the top seven wardrobe swaps you can make today.

a collage with a chocolate brown skirt, a black v neck t shirt, a model wearing a navy midi dress and a model wearing a chocolate brown shirt dress

(From left) Gap Women Cotton Gauze Maxi Shirtdress in Cool Brown; J. Jill Tiered Midi Dress in True Navy; Old Navy Women EveryWear V-Neck T-Shirt in Black; Madewell Women Pintucked Midi Skirt in Dark Chicory.

AARP (Gap, J. Jill, Old Navy, Madewell)

1. Make dark neutrals your summer colors

Let everyone else revel in white, pastels and brights. You go right ahead and stride around in sensationally slimming black, navy and chocolate, and laugh at the scale. Let’s be honest, no matter the trends, wearing dark neutrals helps you look more svelte without a full-on compression bodysuit. But don’t reach for your black skinnies, leggings or second-skin tees. The trick here is to choose inky-dark hues in lightweight, airy fabrics and relaxed, or even loose, styles that skim over curves, move with you, and refuse to cling to damp, sweaty skin. Good choices include easy-fit dresses like the Gap Women Cotton Gauze Maxi Shirtdress in Cool Brown or True Black ($59, gap.com) and the J.Jill Tiered Midi Dress in True Navy ($129, jjill.com).

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Another option: Pair dark duos with wide-leg pants and A-line skirts, like the Sonoma Goods For Life Women’s Pull-On Linen Blend Pants in Black ($16, kohls.com); the Madewell Women Pintucked Midi Skirt in Dark Chicory ($128, madewell.com); or the Loft Sawyer Pull-On Pants in Linen Blend in Black ($20, loft.com), and relaxed tops such as the Gap Factory Women Oversized Linen-Blend Easy Shirt in Chocolate Bar Brown or Black ($36, gapfactory.com); the Old Navy Women EveryWear V-Neck T-Shirt in Black ($12, oldnavy.gap.com); or the Sanctuary Notch V-Neck in Rich Soil Brown ($39, nordstrom.com). You will get the best effect by going monochromatic head to toe. And if you’re feeling a little adventurous, try the stylist’s trick of combining dark neutrals of the same intensity, like a chocolate top with black pants, or a navy pant with a black top. You’ll score points for having elevated fashion skills and get nearly the same benefits of a color match.

a collage with a pink sleeveless dress with a smocked bodice, and three models wearing flattering midi dresses in various colors and patterns

(From left) Lane Bryant Flutter-Sleeve Smocked-Waist Midi Dress in Mahogany; Lands’ End Women’s Poplin Smocked Bodice Midi Dress in Deep Sea Spring Floral and Soft Mojave Rose; Cupshe Women’s Breezy Smocked Maxi Dress with Ruffled Details in Red.

AARP (Lane Bryant; Lands’ End, 2; Target)

2. Let smocked dresses show off your shape

High-waist shapewear shorts and chic leather belts practically scream “shape,” but both can also cinch, pinch and squeeze your middle. Instead, reach for a fit-and-flare dress with a smocked waist or a fully smocked bodice. The stretchy, contouring properties of smocking has been a game-changer in creating clothes that reveal a body’s shape without tailoring or a second-skin cling.

Styles like the Lane Bryant Flutter-Sleeve Smocked-Waist Midi Dress in Mahogany ($35, lanebryant.com); the Lands’ End Women’s Poplin Smocked Bodice Midi Dress in Deep Sea Spring Floral or Soft Mojave Rose ($108, landsend.com); and the Cupshe Women’s Breezy Smocked Maxi Dress With Ruffled Details in Red or Navy ($51, target.com) are exactly what to look for now.

Most Popular

a collage with three models wearing blouses with peplums

(From left) Charter Club Women’s 100% Linen Embroidered-Front Peplum Top in Bright White; Yesfashion Women’s Square Neck Puff Short Sleeve Blouse Smocked Waist Peplum Top in Purple Pink; Loft Asymmetrical Peplum Top in Black.

AARP (Macy’s, Kohl’s, Loft)

3. Try peplums to camouflage a belly bulge

Peplum tops are in again and are a chic alternative to belly-covering tunics and long, oversized button-downs. Here’s why. The hourglass shape of a peplum accentuates your natural curves and effectively camouflages extra weight around the middle. They come in a wide variety of tailored and trendy styles, but there’s one hitch: You want to avoid peplums that target a younger demo with a cropped overall length or a ruffled hem.

Tops with the right proportions include the Loft Asymmetrical Peplum Top in Black ($42, loft.com), an elegant style with a cowl neck and cap sleeves; and the Charter Club Women’s 100% Linen Embroidered-Front Peplum Top in Bright White ($45, macys.com), a stylish alternative to an untucked shirt with three-quarter sleeves. The Nordstrom Women Smocked-Waist Flutter-Sleeve Peplum Top in Black or White ($70, nordstrom.com) and the Yesfashion Women’s Square-Neck Puff Short-Sleeve Blouse Smocked-Waist Peplum Top in Blue, Black, and Purple Pink ($30, kohls.com) are two trendier smocked looks that have enough coverage.

a collage with two long sleeved v neck sweaters and a model wearing a short sleeve v neck knit top

(From left) Ann Taylor V-Neck Sweater in Winter White; Banana Republic Factory Women Timeless Long-Sleeve V-Neck T-Shirt in Medium Heather Gray; Gap Women Modern V-Neck T-Shirt in Navy Blue.

AARP (Ann Taylor, Banana Republic Factory, Gap)

4. Grab a V-neck top to balance hips and thighs

The fastest way to counteract width and volume at the hips, thighs and derriere is to power up your shoulder line with a V-neck top. You don’t need shoulder pads, just that inverted triangle of bare skin — the wider, the better. Aim for the point of the V to hit anywhere from mid-chest to just above your cleavage. (Going too low ruins the optics.)

Take a look at Chico’s Pima Cotton 3/4-Sleeve Tee in Black ($39, chicos.com); the lightweight, dolman-sleeved Ann Taylor V-Neck Sweater in Black, Winter White or Dream Blue ($84, anntaylor.com), a summer sweater; the Banana Republic Factory Women Timeless Long-Sleeve V-Neck T-Shirt in White, Medium Heather Gray, Black or Preppy Navy ($21, bananarepublicfactory.gapfactory.com) and the

Gap Women Modern V-Neck T-Shirt in Black, Fresh White, Light Heather Grey, Navy Blue or Terra Brown ($23, gap.com ). No Vs at hand? Unbutton any button-up shirt you own to the perfect depth, then tug the sides apart to create a wide V.

a collage with four models wearing jumpsuits in various colors and patterns

(From left) Gap Factory Women Flutter Sleeve Wide Leg Jumpsuit in Red Floral Print; Lane Bryant Sleeveless Faux-Wrap Jersey Jumpsuit in Black; Banana Republic Factory Women Tencel Cinch-Waist Jumpsuit in Black; Cupshe Women’s Elegant Navy Jumpsuit With Waist Tie Belt.

AARP (Gap Factory, Lane Bryant, Banana Republic Factory, Target)

5. Buy a one-and-done jumpsuit

Flowy, wide-leg jumpsuits are turning out to be the midi/maxi dress alternative of the season. If you’ve never worn one before, you will see that the newest styles are stretchy and relaxed in fit and quickly pivot from casual to dressy with a change of shoes.

Take a look at the playful Gap Factory Women Flutter-Sleeve Wide-Leg Jumpsuit in Red Floral Print ($48, gapfactory.com) and the Universal Standard Zoey Liquid Jersey Jumpsuit in Croatian Green, Midnight or Black ($188, universalstandard.com), both with that so-helpful wide V neckline and shirred/smocked waist; the Banana Republic Factory Women Tencel Cinch-Waist Jumpsuit in Black ($96, bananarepublicfactory.gapfactory.com), a scoop-neck style with an elastic waistband and an adjustable tie belt (it says “cinch” but is not tight!); the Cupshe Women’s Elegant Navy Jumpsuit With Waist-Tie Belt ($50, target.com), a wrap style with a V top and wide pants; and the Spanx AirEssentials Tie-Waist Jumpsuit in Very Black or Timeless Navy ($148, spanx.com), with a clever hidden back opening so you don’t have to take the whole thing off for bathroom breaks!

a collage with three models wearing button down vest style tops

(From left) Jones New York Women’s Sleeveless Seersucker Four-Button Vest in Natural Stone; Ann Taylor The Long Crew Neck Vest in Linen Blend in Night Sky; Banana Republic Factory Women Side-Tie Vest in Dark Chocolate.

AARP (Macy’s, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic Factory)

6. Firm up your body with a tailored vest

When blazer-vests first appeared, women over 50 were skeptical. To be honest, so was I. After all, they are worn as is — sleeveless — not as a layering piece. But they gained traction and are now among the newest and most sought-after dress-slim pieces. Structured, buttoned-up and elongated, but cut away at the center-front hem to accommodate curvy hips and a midsection, they provide a sleek line and polish.

7. Swap flats for low heels

When there’s no time for an outfit change, check your shoe rack. Many stylists suggest leg-lengthening pointy-toe heels to create a slimmer line (the pointier the better). But women over 50 know that’s the fast track to painful blisters, space-crunched bunions and hammertoes.

My advice? Choose low kitten heels or a low, streamlined wedge from 1 to 2 1/2 inches high. It’s all you need to get a longer, leaner look, and here’s why. Elevating your heels instinctively changes how you stand — encouraging pulled-back shoulders, a tighter abdomen and more toned and defined calves — and tricks the eye into visually extending leg length. Good examples include the Cushionaire Women’s Belle Kitten Heels With Buckle Accent in Chocolate ($50, target.com); the Anne Klein Jerilyn Sandal in Beige/Black Zebra Print Raffia ($79, dsw.com); and the Lifestride Sawyer Slingback Wedge Sandal in Black or Cocoa Brown ($60, nordstrom.com).

The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Lois Joy Johnson is a beauty and style editor who focuses on women 50 and older. She was the beauty and style editor at Ladies’ Home Journal and a founding editor of More magazine. She has written three books: The Makeup Wakeup, The Wardrobe Wakeup and The Woman's Wakeup.

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