It’s Monday. Sigh… I don’t know why I’m always caught by surprise. Mondays come along every week. But they never get any easier.
I’m feeling pretty beat up today. I pulled an ab muscle doing the Shred on Saturday (no thanks to those dang walkout push ups!) and I wasn’t able to complete the ab portions of the video. I also have a bit of a stiff neck — not sure if it’s from straining my neck during my workout or from sleeping funny. At any rate, yesterday morning I decided to take a break from the Shred, and instead I took a walk outside with some running sprinkled in there to add some intensity to the workout. Thanks to Jillian, I am now hooked on high-intensity workouts, which I suspect has more to do with my addiction to instant gratification than it does with ambition and the thrill of pushing myself to the brink of death.
Today I’m feeling the effects of the run/walk I did yesterday, on top of the stiff neck and pulled ab muscle, so I think I’ll forgo my morning exercise in lieu of a kid-free trip to the grocery store. It’s amazing how refreshing the grocery store can be at 7:00 in the morning.
But first, a fashion question.
Sarah says: Tank tops seem to be the in-thing, but what do you wear when you feel your arms look flabby and unflattering in them. (And I don’t want to hear – work out more.)
I say: I think this is an issue of personal preference and your own comfort level. I do love tank tops, but I didn’t wear them for years because I was self-conscious about, um, a different area of my anatomy. Finally I decided to start wearing them, but I select them carefully.
I’m all about camouflaging the problem areas. For me, it’s my midsection. I hate it. And low-rise jeans don’t help one iota, that’s for sure. I realize that no one is paying attention to my midsection as much as I am (or probably at all) but when I’m feeling particularly self-conscious about it, I will layer a denim jacket or light cardigan or sweater wrap over top — ideally something with structure.
All that to say, you’re probably more aware of your arms than anyone else is, but if you’re uncomfortable baring them completely, then perhaps try layering a light-weight, see-through type of blouse over the top to give your arms some coverage while still allowing a glimpse of the tank top underneath.
But at the end of the day, wear what you like and what you want to wear. Don’t feel you have to wear tank tops because they’re the in-thing. But if you like them, and you feel comfortable in them, then go for it. I really think it comes down to how YOU feel in them.
What do YOU say? If you’re self-conscious about your arms, what do you do have to say about the tank top question? Do you throw caution to the wind and wear them anyway? Do you wear them but only as a layering piece? Or do you avoid them completely? Inquiring minds wanna know.
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
My arms are one of my problem areas too. (just one of many
Here in the South, I’ve had to get over it, or sweat to death.
Here are two things that I do to help. First, I find shirts with cap sleeves. Not enough fabric to make me overheated, but enough to distract.
Second, I use a good moisturizing lotion on my arms (actually, it’s a skin tightening moisturizer that helps firm up the skin) every day. It may not change the appearance of my “hello Helens,” but I feel better about showing that part of my body.
Hope this is helpful!
I love tank tops, but do feel awkward about my arms. I don’t wear tank tops anywhere I feel I would be uncomfortable, which is mainly work I think. I would much rather be physically comfortable and work on the mentally then be physically uncomfortable, it is just to darn hot.
I’m 5″10 and a size 8 but I am built like a linebacker i.e. very broach thick shoulders. I’ve found through trial and error that tank tops with a thicker strap make me look even bigger. The cute new fashion tops with a spaghetti type strap seem to make my shoulders look smaller. Go figure.
i love tanks and wear them all the time. but i love my arms. i prefer thicker straps or sleeveless shirts, though. my issue is shorts. does ANYONE look good in shorts? is it possible?
Until probably a year ago, I wore a sweater or a denim jacket or something over my arms AT ALL TIMES.
Then, last summer, I saw some girls with bigger arms wearing tank tops that didn’t look bad at all… so I got myself to TJ Maxx. I grabbed about 10 different styles and started trying them on.
I also researched problem areas in my fav What Not to Wear books, and these are my rules:
1. A very tiny cap sleeve MAY work, but if they hit at a wide part of the upper arm, forget about it!
2. Generally, spaghetti sleeves aren’t your friend unless you have zero chest . Spaghetti straps + boobs + big arms = way too much flesh exposed. Enough said.
3. A tank with a rather open neck helps to put the focus on the face, not the arms. Add a cute necklace and nobody will even be looking at your arms.
4. Always be scoping out other cute people and what they are wearing… they might have thick arms and not care – and they usually look great!
And when all else fails, I always bring a cardigan.
P.S. I pulled a neck muscle while shredding too… but I didn’t actually remember hurting it. Weird. I’m stuck on Level 1 currently but I’ve been doing it for something like… 14ish days?? I need to move to level 2!
No, Melissa – NO ONE looks good in shorts. Except maybe for Jo-Lynne in those new ones she got. But those are knee length, so maybe that’s why they’re flattering!
I used to not wear tank tops b/c of flabby arms, but I eventually realized that it’s the easiest part of my body to tone. I just started doing a couple of arm exercises with handweights and fixed the problem.
That or there are tons of cute short sleeve shirts out there. I tend to like those more than tanks these days anyways since I don’t like the exposed feeling that tank tops give me.
My arms aren’t all that attractive, but it is just too HOT here in Central Florida to be concerned about that.
I don’t really like tank tops because I’m a little top heavy and end up sharing WAY too much information if I bend over wearing a tank top.
I wear a lot of sleeveless vneck tshirts. I have 11 of the exact same shirt in black and sometimes go through two a day because I even work out in them. (I have other colors too.)
I find that if I am self-conscious about my arms I wear a tank with thicker strap and some kind of pattern or embellishment. I don’t do a plain tank. I feel like there needs to be something that attracts attention away from my arms
For a long time I stayed away from sleeveless because of the arm thing. And then I met my husband, and he told me over & over that I have to stop hiding…that I am the way I am. So I have now ventured into the world of tank tops and don’t even think about my arms anymore. Sure, I’d like to tone my arms up a bit more, but I’m not going to spazz over it everyday. Honestly, I don’t think anybody else is even looking at my arms — I’m the only one who gets freaked out by it. I just bought this cute tank at Kohls and I absolutely love it! It’s comfy, cool, and offers more coverage than a lot of the strappy tanks out there.
http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/womens/tops/knittops/sleevelesstanks/PRD~444656/Croft++Barrow+Solid+Surplice+Top.jsp
If I’m wearing a tank top in public, be afraid. It could only mean that an alien has inhabited my body and is following current clothing trends.
Otherwise, I stay away from them. I have since high school, I just don’t love them and now that I’m getting older (read heavier) I definitely don’t love them. Just try finding a summer dress with short sleeves! That’s a shopping challenge for you…
I will layer with a tank top and that’s it. Between my very white (farmer’s tanned) arms/shoulders and my mid-section, I just don’t feel comfortable wearing them on their own.
Love all the comments! Great input. Thanks for putting it out there!
I love Eddie Bauer tanks, layered, solids and prints. The print definitely helps divert attention from problem areas. I don’t really like my arms either, but it’s HOT.
I haven’t looked good in shorts in about 6 years, LOL. Probably never will again, either.
My pet peeve about tank tops…why are most of them SO low cut??
I love tank tops and wear them all summer. I am not so nuts about my midsection (thank you childbearing!), so I have learned to choose my tanks carefully.
1) Double up–layer two different colored LIGHT WEIGHT tanks that have some spandex to suck in the tummy fat!
2) Find tanks that float away from the body, whether with a baby doll shape or just not so fitted
3) Get a good strapless bra for spaghetti straps (which I can wear b/c I have no boobs lol) or clear strap bra if you are more well endowed.
I’m not sure if I dislike my stomach or my arms more, but one way or the other, I still love tank tops. My biggest problem post-baby is that none of my old tanks seem to be long enough. Clearly this is the fault of our clothes dryer. Clearly. But I bought an awesome Reebok one today at Dick’s Sporting Goods on SUPER clearance for $3.99. And I adore it. I may go back and get the other colors. While I usually stay away from horizontal stripes, I’ve found that my flabby tummy does better even with stripes than it does with solid colors, which do seem to show every little bulge and jiggle. Long live the tank top!
I’m all about denim jackets, hoodies, and cardigans over tanks. They’re pretty, classy, and they camouflage my “new mommy middle” quite nicely.