How to Make a Stomach Appear Flatter

Extra weight in the midsection can be unflattering and difficult to reduce. The right clothing and attitude, however, will boost your confidence and make you look thinner. When downplaying excess weight in your midsection, draw focus to your more attractive features. If you have lean legs, for example, showcase those with the perfect skirt and high heels. Instead of focusing on your flaws, play up your positive attributes.

Things You'll Need

• Tops for your body style
• Bottoms that fit
• Good posture
• Sensible eating

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Instructions

• 1

  Wear flattering tops. When you go shopping, pay special attention to how the clothes you're selecting emphasize your midsection. Form-fitting shirts are ideal if you have a long torso and lean slender figure. If you have a few extra pounds around your midsection, wear shirts that are looser around your midsection and form-fit at your hips -- this way, your figure doesn't drown in your clothing, and you aren't emphasizing your less flattering areas.

• 2

  Select high waisted tights, or those that fit. High waisted tights generally tighten up your midsection and make it appear smoother and more lean. When selecting tights make sure they fit appropriately or you may still have an unflattering roll. The same principle should apply when selecting jeans. It's better to choose jeans that fit around the waist than those that are too tight. If you have extra pounds around the midsection, select a low rise jean as opposed to a high waisted jean.

• 3

  Stand or sit up straight. Proper posture can make you look 5 to 10 lbs. smaller than you are. Your abdomen is squashed when you slouch, and fat that wouldn't normally appear is more apparent. When you're practicing good posture, sit or stand with your back straight and suck your stomach in at the belly button, as though you are drawing it toward the spine.

• 4

  Avoid fast-food. Most fast foods are greasy and contain an excessive amount of fat which can make you appear bloated. The same principle applies to late night eating. Although it may be appealing to grab a late night snack, sleeping on unnecessary calories can create more bulge in the morning.

• 5

  Wear solid tops or tops made of vertical stripes. Solid colors, especially black, help create a congruency within your midsection. This congruency helps to detract from flaws, unlike patterns which can draw attention, because these fabrics appear more busy. Vertical stripes elongate your body and make you appear more slender.