How to Wear Unflattering Clothes: 5 Fun Outfit Transformations

1. Baggy maxi dress

Up first, I’m wearing a floral maxi dress. This dress is unflattering because it is too voluminous for a petite frame (I'm 5’4”).

The floral pattern is also too big without any specific focal point, and these two factors together drown me out. I’m also wearing my hair down, which adds even more volume to the look.

To make this outfit more flattering, I started by tying my hair into a sleek bun. I popped a pale pink blazer over the top of the dress, which acts as a focal point and reduces volume.

Another way to make this dress more flattering is by adding a belt to accentuate the waist. Here, I also styled it with some sneakers for a high-low look that combines dressy and casual elements.

2. Plain button-down shirt

Here, I’m wearing a boring button-down shirt. This again is too loose on a petite frame, it looks quite masculine on me and doesn’t do anything for my figure.

I styled the shirt by tucking it in, undoing the top buttons, rolling up the sleeves, and pulling the shirt out from the back to add volume.

Each of these things adds more shape and structure to the shirt, creating a nicer-looking silhouette.

Another option is to tie it in the front, which draws attention to the waistline and also adds an interesting little element to the look.

You can also break up the color with a tank top underneath and accessorize with jewelry.

Here, the shirt does look loose and baggy, but this isn’t a problem because it is juxtaposed with the figure-hugging tank top, which flatters my figure.

3. Sheer blouse

Here I am wearing a white blouse which, worn like this, is a big no-no. To start, the blouse is too see-through.

The back of the blouse is completely sheer, like the sleeves, and it shows my bra strap. This makes the blouse feel a bit cheap and tacky.

In addition, the blouse is very, very thin, and by itself, it just looks too light on the body.

Here, I completely transformed the blouse by wearing it as a layering piece. The jumpsuit I’m wearing on top covers my chest, so it is no longer exposed, and the blouse looks really pretty when worn as a base piece.

The gorgeous statement sleeves bring a lot of fun and style to the outfit.

You also have the option to wear it as an outer layer. Here, I’ve tied it in the front to create a flattering shape. It really finishes this red dress off perfectly.

4. Outdated top

Next up, I’m wearing a black top that has weird flaps in the front and outdated neckline detail. I also think that the shape of the top extends my torso, and that’s, of course, not what I want.

To remedy this, I tucked the top under this loose maxi skirt, which defines my waistline. Also, as the top is black, it is quite unassuming and helps me to draw attention to the statement skirt.

In this look, I used a chunky necklace to draw attention away from the neckline of the top.

5. See-through top

Lastly, we have this peach top which is unflattering due to the round neckline, and the fabric is also a bit too see-through for my liking.

I corrected these issues by using long necklaces to elongate the neck and also wearing the top under a square-neck dress. These two necklines together create a complementary contrast.

How to wear unflattering clothes

There you have a number of different ways to turn an item of clothing that is unflattering into something that looks good on you.

Using a few simple tips and tricks, you can really create a complete transformation and turn something that you’re not so keen on into something that you’ll love to wear.

Let me know which was your favorite look in the comments below!