Oversized shirts don’t have to be frumpy. Here’s how to do the perfect “Front Tuck” (aka: Partial Tuck, French Tuck, Half Tuck) on your shirts to add definition to your baggy tops.
Doing a half tuck will instantly elevate your style and you. That’s right, it makes any oversized shirt look stylish AND it makes you look taller!
Video Tutorial: How to Do a Perfect Front Tuck On Your Oversized Shirts
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Step by Step: Perfect Front Tuck
- Gather a handful of the top’s hemline in your fist. Can be centered or on the side.
- Use your other hand to open a gap in your pants/shorts/skirt and push the fistful of your top into it. (This helps create a cute gather on oversized tops.)
- Find the top’s hem on the sides of the gather and turn them in so that the inside stitch is flat against you.
- If desired, tug up gently on the tuck to loosen it until you achieve the desired look.
When To Tuck Your Shirts
You can do pretty much ALWAYS do a full or front tuck on your shirts, but it’s especially important:
- When wearing an oversized shirt or sweater (too long or wide)
Cuts me in half and makes me look frumpy + shorter.
The partial front tuck elongates the frame by bringing the waistline up higher.
- When wearing loose pants/shorts/skirts
No tuck is okay, but just kind of blah. It lacks definition.
A little front tuck–loosened for comfort–does wonders!
Even fitted shirts look great with a little french tuck.
When Not to Tuck Your Shirts
A couple of exceptions to the “always tuck” rule are:
- When you’re wearing leggings (just let your shirt hang down to provide comfy coverage over your leggings)
- When your shirt is fitted and ends before your hips go out.
How to Tuck Your Shirt Without Looking Fat
Despite the impression that tucking will accentuate your mommy pooch, it can actually help hide it.
The key here is to tug at your shirt after tucking it to loosen the tuck (see video).
Often when I feel like my shirt is accentuating my postpartum pooch, I will purposefully do a front tuck and then loosen it comfortably to provide that distance between the fabric and my tummy area.
It also helps to wear cotton tops with no stretch and not wear a cami to avoid any fabric clinging to your tummy bulge.
Do You Have to Wear a Belt If You Tuck Your Shirt In?
A belt is optional.
However using a belt with a fun color or pattern look adorable peeking out under your front tuck, and it’s a super mom-friendly way to look stylish!
This leopard print belt adds some extra pizzazz to an outfit… a partial tuck makes sure that it shows and doesn’t get hidden under your top!
No belt is still a totally acceptable way to go, especially for a more casual vibe.
Your turn to try it!
Take a picture of your end result and share it on Instagram with #frumpfighter and tag me @frumpfighters! We like to re-share the love.
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