There is so much advice about camouflaging a tummy or wide hips, but I never know how to hide my thick legs. I am a type B with a pretty well defined waist. My legs are somewhat uniformly thick - though I do have shape to my calves and slender ankles. I am in the normal (though on the higher end) weight range for my height (5'5", 147 lbs). My knees and thighs are thick and there doesn't seem to be any way to hide that regardless of what I wear - slacks, skirts, dresses and forget about the dreaded bathing suit. Are there any tips? Wide leg trousers? If that is the only answer, what do I do for casual and summer wear?

Hello Siggy Since your waist and ankles are good points, emphasise them. Belts and pretty shoes/sandals. You should wear whatever you want to - but here are some ideas. If your skirts are A-line and end at knee or just below knee length, your thighs will not be on show. Also maxi-skirts and maxi-dresses are very fashionable at the moment for day or evening wear. Wide leg pants/trousers are available in lightweight summer fabrics. If you wear them with shoes/sandals with a slight wedge heel that will give you a taller slimmer appearance. Patterned trousers are very fashionable and take attention away from the thighs within. Palazzo, harem pants,loose cropped pants/trousers would also be good. With regard to shorts: Long culotte type shorts would be worth a try. Bathing suit - wear a sarong or lightweight caftan over it poolside, whenever you feel like it. You could look online at your favourite fashion stores for items of the sort I mentioned. Best wishes Natasha

PS - if wearing loose trousers, wear a sleek top or tuck your top into the trousers, so as to keeep a slim appearance. And a necklace brings attention upwards.

Thanks Natasha. Those are great ideas and I've used most of them. They work great for normal conditions but the problem is that I now spend my summer living on a boat so it's a much more casual lifestyle. I also need to be able to move around and climb and also need whatever I wear to work with shoes appropriate for docks and boat decks, jumping on and off, etc. Also, do you think that culotte type shorts work if you aren't very tall? I always feel like cropped pants or extra long shorts just make me look shorter. I also worry about being age appropriate as I just turned 60. I spend a lot of time in jeans - what cut do you think works best? I don't have much of a tummy but at my age, my waist is less pronounced than it used to be. Thanks again!

Hello again, - I've seen "not tall" people in cropped pants and they looked nice. You probably need to try various styles of them (loose, or straight or whatever). I think the long loose-ish patterned pants/trsousers that are gathered in at the ankle would be all right on a boat, and I saw a woman in the supermarket tonight (my exciting social life!)who was wearing them with flat sandals and a drapey hip length teeshirt over the top. She looked fashionable. So you don't need to tuck the top in,after all. Regarding jeans - straight leg, high waisted ones are comfortable and reasonably fashionable. Boot legs are supposed to be coming back. Skinny jeans if you like them. White jeans and a stripey teeshirt would be nautical - for your boat! Don't worry about age-appropriate - wear what makes you look good and feel happy. I seem to have a monopoly of giving you advice at the moment. Has everyone gone on holiday?

Hi Siggy! I'm a C and carry my weight in my thighs (and tummy and butt...). I find the most flattering skirts on me are A-line (stopping somewhere around the knee) or maxi length. For dresses, fit-and-flare is both flattering and comfy, allowing lots of movement. For full-length pants, bootcut is generally best, although I've found some skinny jeans that convey "curvy" instead of "chunky". Shorts and crops are trickier, but what I've found best are snugger-fitting cuts in either dark fabrics or close to my skin tone. The shorts I have right now are mid-thigh jean shorts with a sewn-in cuff. For crops, right below the knee or right above the ankle, not in between (but you can buy ones that are longer and roll them up -- that's what I did). Hope that helps. Summer on a boat, lucky lady!

Thanks to both of you for the advice! I'm so much better at business attire and formal attire. Need to retrain myself as retirement gets closer!

Hello again, I've been thinking... On the boat, you could also wear leggings, with a tunic type dress over them - whatever length you find suits you.