• Home
    • Start Here
  • Shop my top picks
  • Styling Tips
  • Body Types
    • Hourglass Figure
    • Pear Shape
    • Apple Body Type
    • Rectangle Body Type
    • Inverted Triangle Body Type
    • Must Know
  • Youtube
  • Outfits
  • Style over 40
  • About
    • Contact Us

Petite Dressing

Dress for your Body Type and Height

Last Updated on February 18, 2023 By Chi

How to Dress an Hourglass Figure with a Tummy

1151 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

If you have an hourglass figure, you are typically well endowed with feminine curves.

Most hourglass shaped women have relatively slender waist, full breasts as well as full hips.

Since every woman’s body is different, it is very possible for an hourglass to also have a bigger tummy.

The best ways to dress a hourglass shape with a tummy is to draw attention away from the “problem” area, and enhance the best assets of the hourglass, i.e. the full bust and the curvy hips.

How to Dress an Hourglass Figure with a Tummy

Table of Contents

  • V Necklines
  • Peplum Tops
  • Wrap Tops
  • Wrap Dresses
  • Fit and Flare Dresses
  • Statement Necklace
  • Avoid Detail Around Your Midsection
  • Avoid Anything Shapeless
  • Straight Leg Pants and Jeans
  • Peep Toe Heels
  • Color block dresses

V Necklines

Necklines play a big role in how our outfit look, but they are often overlooked by most women. Anytime you wear something that brings attention away from your problem area, it will flatter your shape in a really beautiful way. It doesn’t always have to be dramatic, either. Even subtle details, like a v-neckline. will do the trick.

When you have an hourglass shape, you can wear a variety of different necklines. Lower necklines generally are quite flattering to curvy body shapes such as the hourglass. Specifically, if you are looking to minimize the appearance of your midsection – opt for a v-neck. This brings a really subtle focus to your upper body and face.

V Necklines

Peplum Tops

As a woman with a naturally balanced hourglass shape, you already have a defined waist – lucky you!

When you have a naturally defined waist, with a bit of a tummy, peplum silhouettes are incredible. Thanks to the defined waistline built in to a peplum silhouette, it further enhances your natural shape. The added benefit of a peplum is the flared element that helps to slim the tummy area. Dresses and tops alike can be found in a peplum silhouette, make this your new favorite.

Peplum Tops

Wrap Tops

One style you can always count on as a woman with an hourglass shape is the wrap top.

This is a favorite because it’s insanely flattering. It’s a very simple, classic style (another bonus) that naturally fits to an hourglass shape.

The reason it’s even more ideal when you have a tummy is because of the wrapping element.

That ‘wrapping’ gives this slimming effect to the midsection. The best part is it does so very naturally and comfortably. No need to wear waist-constricting clothes, the wrap styles are perfect for your shape.

Wrap tops are a must-have for celebrating an hourglass body type, particularly when you want to streamline the tummy area.

Wrap Tops

Wrap Dresses

Same as the wrap top, any wrap dress is also very flattering to an hourglass-shaped woman with a belly. The wrap-around belt emphasizes the asset of the hourglass, i.e. the smaller waist, while the dress drapes down to camouflage the tummy.

Regardless of your age group, a wrap dress is a must-have. Wrap dresses can come in different lengths, but most of them are knee length, tea length or even maxi length.

For women in their 50s and above, the wrap dress is a tasteful style that shows off the feminine curve but also looks quite elegant.

Wrap Dresses

Fit and Flare Dresses

Another really great dress silhouette for your body type is the fit and flare.

A common misconception women have is that wearing very loose fitting clothes will ‘hide’ their tummy.

The problem with that is it actually draws more attention to the midsection and adds volume where you don’t want volume. Instead, look for silhouettes that skim your body and create more of a natural shape. Again, you have a naturally balanced hourglass figure, so any type of dress that has that same shape is ideal. Fit and flare is one of those silhouettes and because it offers a defined waistline with a flared out bottom it slims your shape in the right places, and ‘flares’ over the midsection.

Fit and flare isn’t exclusive to dresses, though. You can achieve a similar silhouette using a top and skirt. Just focus on creating a shape that is defined at the waist and goes out (aka flares) towards the bottom.

Fit and Flare Dresses

Statement Necklace

Believe it or not, a statement necklace can minimize the appearance of a tummy.

As mentioned above, highlighting an area that’s away from your tummy is the slightest trick that makes a major impact.

So even popping on a statement necklace will help you to make use of this trick. To make the most of it, wear a statement necklace with an open neckline to really amp up the focal point around your upper body.

Avoid Detail Around Your Midsection

Avoid Detail Around Your Midsection

As tempting as it may be to wear pieces that have ruffles, flow, etc. around your midsection, it doesn’t minimize your tummy, but instead adds to it.

This is why it’s so important to avoid a lot of fluff, fabric, etc that may be at the tummy area.

Keep it simple here, opt for pieces that are streamlined around your midsection. It’s slimming and elongating to your shape.

Avoid Anything Shapeless

Avoid Anything Shapeless

Similar to adding a lot of fuss around your midsection, it’s important to stay away from clothing that’s shapeless. You have a natural hourglass shape to embrace! Even if you have a tummy, clothes that offer some shape to them help to flatter and enhance rather than hide what you have.

Since hourglass figure typically have a full bust, any loose or ill fitted clothes is only going to look like a tent hanging down from the chests. Not only that does not hide the belly, but also it makes you look more chubby overall.

If you have a dress, for example, that is quite shapeless look for ways to give it shape. One way to do this is by adding a belt around your waist.

Straight Leg Pants and Jeans

Straight Leg Pants and Jeans

Lucky for you, with an hourglass shape, you can wear a lot of different silhouettes and styles – including pants. However, when you are looking to flatter an hourglass shape with a tummy, one of the best style of pants or jeans you can wear has to be straight leg.

The reason?

It’s the best shape to make legs (and in turn, your body shape) look long and lean. Anytime you’re able to lengthen your body, a byproduct of that is that you look longer and slimmer all over.

More and more brands have introduced the “curvy fit” to their denim line, and these are the best jeans for curvy figure as they are designed to go with your body shape.

Peep Toe Heels

Peep Toe Heels

High heels have always had a way of elongating the body, and peep toe is the best choice for the hourglass shape.

Even though this may seem a minor detail, but when the toes are showing, it balances out the curvy shape of the hourglass better, especially if your have a tummy.

It is important to know that you should avoid anything that has an ankle strap, as this tends to cut off the leg and can cause your leg to look shorter.

Color block dresses

Color block dresses

There’s nothing new about the theory of black, and other dark colors, offering a slimming effect when worn on the body.

There isn’t a need, however, to wear black from head to toe to look thinner.

In this case, when you only want to minimize the tummy area, you can simply wear a color block dress with darker hues over that section of the body to gain the benefit.

When you do this, the darker hue minimizes the area of the body it is on and creates some contrast to the rest of your look.

Not only is this flattering, it gives you more opportunity to really style things in a way that speaks to your personal style personality and really have fun.

Hello there! My name is Chi Li, 5'2", founder of PETITE DRESSING, the clothing line for women 5'4" & under. Are you petite and have you been frustrated with what to wear?
This is an issue few truly understand and even fewer brands truly address.
Being petite myself, I have been writing about fashion for short women since 2016 and my brand petitedressing.com has touched the lives of millions.
My styling concepts for petite women not only focus on the perfect fit but also on flattering & elongating the petite frame for a lean silhouette, optimizing the proportions.
Shop my clothing line here.

You’ll Also Love

what looks good on big hipsThe Comprehensive Styling Guide for Big Hips
what tops are good for women over 40The Tops Guide for Women Over 40
The Shorts Guide for Women with Thick WaistThe Shorts Guide for Women with Thick Waist
Next Post >

16 Best Ways to Dress Petite Plus Size

the petite style bible

Trending Now

  • best dress for short women I’m 5’2″, these are the 8 Best Dresses for Short Women
  • short girl 10 Fashion Mistakes Every Short Girl Should Avoid
  • best jeans for petite women I’m 5’2″, these are the 11 Best Jeans for Short Women
  • clothing to hide belly How to Hide your Belly: 21 Must Know Clothing Hacks

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Never miss a beat! Be the first to know about our weekly styling tips for petites!

Must Know

  • Petite Women’s Clothing Styling Tips
  • How to Dress for Your Body Type
  • Best Places to Shop
  • Petite Resources
  • Shoes for Small Feet
  • Petite Celebrities
  • Web Stories

SHOP

  • Best Petite Dresses
  • Petite Jumpsuits
  • Petite Jeans
  • Petite Pants
  • Petite Tops
  • Petite Coats & Jackets

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Affiliate Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 Petite Dressing · Theme by 17th Avenue

1151 shares