By Paola, 16, junior
Many girls wear baggy clothing, thinking that no one will figure out that they’re trying to hide their bodies. In reality, the oversized clothes make them look worn down and lazy. Hiding under clothes instead of playing up your best features affects your self-esteem and confidence.
I know from personal experience. In elementary and most of middle school, I was teased for being pudgy. I started wearing bigger clothes to hide my body. Then, in eighth grade I realized that I was just making things worse. I decided to change my style so that I could look better and feel better about myself.
Instead of trying to hide the bad parts of my body, I began wearing clothes that showed off my good features, such as cleavage (I always had boobs,) and the curves that had started coming in. I wore V-neck shirts that weren’t too tight or loose to bring focus to my cleavage instead of my stomach. I also wore belts under my breasts with dresses to show my curves. I learned these two techniques from a show on TLC called “What Not to Wear.” They have made a huge difference in how I look and feel.
It’s a shame that so many girls are hiding behind their clothes because some of them are amazingly beautiful. You don’t have to hide your body to look better; you just have to focus on the good, not the bad. Here are some ways to hide figure flaws:
Less than perfect stomach – bust belt or free-flowing shirts or dresses.
Small breasts – scoop-neck shirts and pants or skirts to show off your legs.
Big arms – T-shirts with small sleeves (not sweaters.)
No curves – Free-flowing dresses.
This doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy new clothes. Do what I did: Raid your mother’s closet or look up tutorials on how to alter your clothes.