Speak to any woman in her 40?s and 50?s and you will hear that menopause brings many changes, hot flushes, erratic hormones, mood swings and weight gain, and all this affects how our bodies look and feel in clothes. The styles that used to work may suddenly feel wrong and your body seems to have its own agenda that can leave you staring at your wardrobe thinking, ?Nothing fits me anymore."
Don?t worry you don?t have to sudden hide and dress frumpy, and you are not alone, most of my clients experience this exact problem, what used to work doesn?t work any longer and much as we wish we had the body of our twenties again, we have to relearn how to dress for this new era of life our new menopausal body shape.
But here?s the good news, with a few practical strategies, you can dress to flatter your figure, and embrace your evolving shape beautifully, confidently, and with ease.
Here's your step-by-step guide:
1. Identify Your Current Body Shape
Your body shape may have changed, but that doesn?t mean you can?t dress it with confidence. During menopause, weight often shifts to the midsection. Instead of fighting it, start by identifying your current body silhouette.
Stand in front of a mirror (in well-fitting underwear or gym wear) take a photo and compare yourself to the six silhouettes: inverted triangle, triangle, rectangle, oval, hourglass, and figure-8 and if possible get someone to take a photo from the rear too.
This awareness is your starting point, it?s not about ?fixing? your body but dressing to highlight your best features and draw the eye away from other areas.
? Tip: Download my free Body Shape Analysis Guide for clear visuals and step-by-step help.
2. Focus on Proportion, Not Perfection
- If your hips are wider than your shoulders, draw attention upward with a boat neck, statement necklace, or capped sleeves.
- If your shoulders are broader, balance with A-line skirts or trousers that skim over your hips.
- If your tummy is fuller, look for draped tops, wrap dresses, or empire lines that skim, not cling. Ruching and soft draping is a little bit of magic
- Add a belt or tuck your tops in and then raise your arms so the fabric drapes over the belt or waistline, this softens the line and hides the tummy.
3. Highlight Your Best Features
Instead of hiding your whole body in baggy clothes (which often makes you look bigger), focus on what you love.
- If your waist has softened, highlight your neckline, face, and shoulders with V-necks, scoop necks, or statement earrings.
- Love your legs? Try a straight or bootcut pant that elongates them.
- If you have curves, cinch your waist with belts or tailored jackets. If straighter, add layering and detail up top to create the illusion of shape
- Strong shoulders? Structured jackets will showcase them beautifully.
4. Choose the Right Fabrics
Menopausal bodies often prefer comfort and polish and often cry out for the cooling effect of natural fibres
- Avoid clingy fabrics that highlight every curve, instead go for draping and ruching
- Opt for structured yet soft fabrics that skim rather than squeeze.
- Flowy fabrics like chiffon or jersey can work, but balance them with more tailored pieces (e.g., a draped blouse tucked into structured trousers).
5. Embrace Jackets & Layers
The right jacket can do wonders:
- A blazer with princess seams defines the waist and elongates your figure.
- A cropped jacket visually lengthens your legs.
- Longline jackets with a block colour underneath them create vertical lines, slimming your midsection
.
6. Use Accessories Strategically
Accessories aren?t just pretty, they shape the way the eye travels.
- Long necklaces elongate your torso.
- Belts define or create the illusion of a waist, even when there isnt one.
- Scarves, earrings and bold glasses draw the eye upward to your face, shifting focus away from your midsection.
- Don?t underestimate the power of colour, wear the hues that make your skin glow, eyes pop, and hair shine. If you don?t know what colours suit you invest in a Colour Analysis with an experienced professional, I have been working as a Colour & Image professional for over 18 years you can learn more about my services On my website
7. Prioritise Comfort Without Sacrificing Style
Menopause can bring bloating, temperature changes, and body sensitivity.
- Menopause often comes with hot flushes. Choose breathable fabrics and layering pieces you can remove.
- Avoid overly tight waistbands and low-rise trousers, instead opt for gently elasticised or high-waisted trousers can smooth your shape and allow for bloating too.
- Build a capsule wardrobe of versatile, mix-and-match pieces that always make you feel good.
- Shoes with both style and support matter. A pointed flat or low block heel elongates without sacrificing comfort, and adds style and personality. There are so many fabulous flats around atm so try to avoid bulky, boring, grandma shoes.
- Invest in great lingerie, a well-fitted bra instantly transforms how clothes fall on your body, simply uplifting your assets can instantly slim the tummy region.
FINAL THOUGHTS