I’ve been binge watching The Santa Clarita Diet on Netflix and am in love with Drew Barrymore. She’s cute and the show is weird and fun. But my absolute favorite thing is Drew’s (yes, I call her that now, we’re bffs in my head) mom bod. She’s tiny and fit, but girl has a bit of a belly. And maybe I shouldn’t even talk about it at all – except that is my exact same problem area and Drew rocks her body and looks great, despite the belly!
In fact, she’s been in the news recently for having to tell someone that she’s not pregnant!
Her rebuttal was that she’s “just fat right now,” but she’s so not! She’s simply normal. And she gives me hope.
After my first baby I lost most of my belly fat. But after kid 2 – I have to face the facts – I’m not as young, I love chips and guac (so much!), and there are just not enough hours in the day to homeschool, clean, cook, and workout enough to get back to pre-baby weight. So there it is – I’m gonna just embrace the tummy fat from now on.
BUT, I also try to be the best dressed mom in the room. So I’ve worked hard to find the best styles and fits to flatter my figure. And in case you have the same problem area – here are 5 fashion tips I’ve learned and honed over the years! (Drew rocks several of them on the show, so I’m pretty sure I’m on to something!)
Black is my friend. Form-fitting tops are kind of a no-no if your belly is your problem area. But wearing baggy clothes can make you look bigger then you actually are. Conundrum. Black is my best friend because I can wear a tighter fitting black top and the black helps hide and flatter my figure. I also like to think it makes me look edgy and cool, like I’m straight off the plane from NYC. So many wins!
Accentuate your strengths. Legs and shoulders are my favorites to accentuate. I can rock some shorts or skinny jeans and a baggy, off-the-shoulder top like nobody’s business. By taking the eye off my belly and drawing it to my shoulders or legs, I get away with a baggy top around the middle and it doesn’t look sloppy!
Love me some layers. I found some awesome tight, stretchy tank tops at Forever XXI in black (and a few other fun colors) and love to wear them under everything! Not only do they hold my tummy in, but layers are fun and flattering. And the outfit combinations are endless. I’m also a big fan of long black wraps over black tank tops. The second picture here was taken at a DMB event right after I had my 2nd kid and I remember feeling confident in this outfit despite having almost all the baby-weight still on me.
Long shirts and leggings. Leggings are so comfy and easy to wear — it’s a huge win when fashion and comfort collide! Personally I dig a more subtle pattern to my leggings – but you do you. The legging world can be a crazy one with secret Facebook legging groups and special legging patterns. Personally I buy my leggings from the kiosks in the mall. My number one tip for cheap leggings – cover your backside (some are more see-through then others!)
Empire waist for the win! Any time there’s a wedding or holiday party that I need to dress up for – I pick something with an empire waist because I know I can rock that style like a boss! I can get away with a tighter fit, some “scary-stomach-holding-in-panties” (thank you Bridget Jones for making those cool), and feel good and look good too!
Those are my fashion hacks to help hide my tummy. But I’d love to hear any other tips or tricks you may have to help flatter and rock your mom bod! And I’d love to know if any of my tips work for you too!
And don’t forget to check out Andrea’s tips on finding a Mama Friendly Swimsuit this summer season! My go-to is a plunging v-neck one piece in black. Flattering, sexy, and tummy control all in one!
Or we can embrace the bit of tummy you love so much on Drew and stop hiding what a typical body looks like. A post like this is part of the problem and the reason Drew has to defend herself against pregnancy rumors.
Even Drew dresses to flatter her figure! I don’t see a problem with doing that and making my self feel good. I’m sorry if you felt like I was being insensitive, that was not my intention. I definitely embrace my tummy and eat all the chips and guac I want! But I also dress to impress, so that requires a bit of balance. 🙂