Dressing well while your body changes

Surviving the middle bit

Nothing fits properly. That is the blunt reality of this transition.

Your shape is shifting in ways you cannot entirely predict. Maybe your waist is shrinking but your hips are staying put. Perhaps you have dropped a dress size but your upper arms still feel exactly the same. You might find yourself constantly adjusting a neckline that now drops far too low.

Put the clothes that genuinely swamp you out of sight. Give them a break. Pack them away in a suitcase or a spare box under the bed. Seeing them every morning just adds to the mental clutter when you are trying to get out of the door.

Find someone who can sew

Taking a pair of trousers to a local dry cleaner to be taken in feels like a luxury. It is actually the cheapest wardrobe trick available.

If you have a staple item you love, altering it costs a fraction of buying something brand new. A good tailor can add darts to a dress that is suddenly gaping at the back. They can take in a waistband so you do not have to keep yanking your jeans up every ten steps. It stops that constant annoying friction of adjusting your outfit all day.

You do not need to alter absolutely everything. Pick two or three essential pieces that make you feel put together and start there.

Borrowing instead of buying

Shopping for a new shape is exhausting. You take ten things into a changing room and leave feeling utterly defeated.

Instead of buying transitional clothes you will resent wearing, look into rental services online. These platforms let you borrow everyday pieces for a few weeks at a time. It gives you a chance to test drive new styles without committing financially. It saves money and stops the regret of unworn items hanging around.

Swapping clothes is another brilliant option to refresh what you wear without spending a penny.

• Host a clothing swap over coffee with friends on a Sunday morning
• Hunt through local charity shops for temporary staples that do not cost much
• Sell the items drowning you on an online marketplace to fund new purchases
• Borrow a structured blazer or coat from a family member for the season

Rely on things that stretch

A really solid belt is your best friend right now. It gives shape to a dress or a shirt that has suddenly lost its structure.

Wrap dresses and skirts with elasticated backs are incredibly forgiving. They adapt as you do. You can tie them a little tighter on Tuesday than you did last month. They let you define your silhouette entirely on your own terms.

Keep your base outfit simple. A pair of stretchy leggings and a plain cotton tee can be completely transformed. Throw on a bright scarf or a denim jacket you already own to feel properly dressed.

Look at yourself differently

Your brain takes an incredibly long time to catch up with the mirror. You might still be reaching for the loose cardigans you used to hide behind out of pure habit.

Allow yourself to try on a fitted top. It will probably feel horribly exposed at first. That is an entirely normal reaction. Walk around the living room in it for ten minutes. See how it feels to inhabit this new space before you decide to take it off.

Treat yourself gently. This whole process is bumpy and some days will be harder than others. Pick out one comfortable outfit tonight that makes you feel capable for tomorrow.