To Seam or Not to Seam

If you have any extra weight around you middle, you need to be aware of seams, particularly in shirts and dresses.

You've no doubt seen those cute shirts, some with lace detailing, on the rack at many stores.  When you get up to it, though, there's a seam that runs right under the bustline.

Don't even touch it.

I don't know who decided that empire waists -- even in shirts -- were a good idea for overweight people.  I would love to know, though, who decided it was a good camouflage for those of use who have a belly.  I'd love to know so I could get a group of people together and go knock some sense into 'em.  *s*

The only people I have seen who look "good" in an empire waist shirt or dress are people who are thin as sticks with no meat on their bones at all.  Those waistlines just make the rest of us look hugely pregnant whether we are or not.

Excuse me, I know I'm the size of a small elephant.  I really don't need that fact emphasized, thankyouverymuch!

Princess seams are another one to be aware of.  These are usually good since they are slimming.  They don't, however, work well with light-weight fabrics.

Light cotton shirts with these seams look puckered or wrinkled.  Heavier fabrics work better.  That just basically means you'll find very few princess-seamed shirts in the summer.

Sometimes, depending on how structured the seams are, you might need to go up one size in order for the shirt to fit without any gapping between buttons.

Once upon a time, I had a pink dress with white cuffs and a white collar that had princess seams.  If I remember correctly, it was a crepe-y material.  I think I eventually sold it.

All this to say, just be aware of the seams on the clothes as you go shopping.