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13 Ways to Hide Fat Arms (And feel comfortable)

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Fat arms are nothing to be ashamed of! Still, they can make you self-conscious about wearing short sleeves or even sleeveless dresses and tops.

Try as you might not to think about them. Your fat arms seem to be the focus of attention. Even when no one is looking, you still feel like someone is staring.

The best way to hide fat arms is with long sleeves, rolled-up sleeves, ¾ sleeves, and loose and billowing sleeves. If you want to wear a short-sleeve top or even a sleeveless dress, try to distract from your fat arms with showy bracelets, accessories, or even a V-neck.

But how do you use sleeves of different lengths to hide fat arms and still get away with it? The solution is to get creative.

You can’t always wear long sleeves, especially in hot weather or for an event with a casual dress code. 

Sleeves are your best friend here. Try them at different lengths, roll them up, adorn them with accessories, or choose ones that are even larger than your arms.

Read more to find out how to hide fat arms with and without sleeves.

13 Ways to Hide Fat Arms

Should you hide your fat arms, or should you use a distraction?

Why not a bit of both?

The following 13 ways to hide fat arms explore the different ways you take the attention away from your oversized arms once and for all, without having to wear the same clothing style every time you go out.

1. V-Neck Dress

When it comes to distractions, nothing beats a V-neck dress. The generous opening at the front will ensure that your arms will fade in the background as your front takes center stage.

But, of course, you don’t have to be too daring with the V-neck.

A V-neck dress comes in different styles and lengths to suit all tastes and levels of modesty. Even a hint of a fully covered cleavage is enough distraction.

It might be better than a daring opening that leaves little to the imagination.

No matter the occasion, you can still find a V-neck that goes with it. From a formal event to a casual outing with friends, there’s a V-neck with the right length.

If you’re shy, wear a flesh-color top underneath to keep imaginations buzzing and eyes away from the fat arms.

2. Three Quarter Length Sleeves

Let’s face it; long sleeves are rarely in fashion. Luckily there’s a middle ground between long and short or no sleeves. That middle ground is three-quarter length sleeves.

So what do three-quarter length sleeves do that full-length sleeves can’t?

For one thing, they are more stylish. In addition, three-quarter length sleeves have a unique look and appeal. While still hiding the bulk of hefty arms, they appear classy and in fashion.

Three-quarter-length sleeves are an excellent excuse to hide fat arms while still making a bold statement with your shirt or dress. It’s a win-win solution that’s both fashionable and practical at the same time. 

Moreover, you can wear this style of sleeves for most of the year except when it’s cold and snowing. It works well in the summer and in moderate or slightly chilly weather. 

3. Loose Adornments

Suppose distracting with V-necks is not up your alley, but you still want to distract the looking eyes away from fat arms. In that case, adornments and accessories are your safest option.

But what kind of accessories are we talking about?

Bracelets are a good choice. Choose loose and flashy but tasteful bracelets that catch the eye with an elaborate design, loud colors, or even the noise they make. Any distraction is a good distraction.

At the same time, avoid bracelets that are too tight and fit around your wrist like cuffs. They will make your flesh bulge, defeating distracting accessories’ purpose.

As long as the bracelets match the dress you’re wearing, then they will serve the purpose. People will notice the flashy bracelets and comment on them without hardly noticing your bare arms.

4. Crochet Sleeves

As far as fashion trends go, crochet eyelet sleeves are a fixture of summer clothes. So it’s fair to say that they don’t go out of fashion or become outdated. 

And even if they’re not in anymore, if you wear them with confidence, you’ll make a bold statement and appear like a trendsetter rather than a follower. The fashion lines are blurred in the age of social media.

But what has crochet sleeves to offer chunky arms? As it turns out, a lot.

For one thing, they cover the arms but offer tantalizing little peeks into them. In addition, the eyelet openings are great for ventilation and for hiding the fact that you’re trying to hide your arms.

Think of crochet sleeves as a double disguise. First, you hide your fat arms but in a stylish way. Meanwhile, your arms will not get warm as the airflow is never obstructed inside the crochet eyelet sleeves.

5. See-Through Sleeves

See-through or sheer sleeves come in different sizes and types. The thin and flimsy ones hide nothing from the inquisitive eye. So why would you use those to hide fat arms?

For one thing, they add deceptive depth to the contour of your arms so that it’s hard to tell where the sheer sleeves end and where the arms begin.

You can wear them at either full length or three-quarter length. Short sleeve ones don’t serve the purpose of deception very well.

There’s also a semi-see-through type that is either full length or three-quarter length. You can wear this one if you’re not sure that the sheer sleeves would do the job. While the airflow inside the semi-see-through sleeves is not as good as sheer sleeves, your arms will still feel cool even outdoors.

6. Lace Sleeves

Lace sleeves always make a comeback on the catwalk. No matter the season, there’s always a top or a dress with lace sleeves. Lace is dainty and exquisite.

And you can put that to good use hiding fat arms without appearing to do so intentionally. And best of all, you don’t have to have lace all over your sleeves. Just as an accessory at the end.

This allows you to choose the length of the sleeve you like. For example, a full-sleeve dress or blouse with lace adorning the cuffs with a flare is a strong feminine statement that distracts and takes attention away from fat arms.

Short or elbow-length sleeves can also benefit from the delicate lace finish to hide a few extra inches of the fat arm.

You can easily get away with it because lace is the embodiment of innocence at its heart.

Lace says, “I got nothing to hide,” even while you’re using it to hide your arms.

7. Cold Shoulder Top

Cold shoulder tops were all the rage at one point. Now they make the occasional cameo on fashion shows just to prove that they have an enduring appeal. 

The beauty of cold shoulder tops is that they camouflage even in the very act of revealing your shoulders or arms. And as you might expect, they come in different designs.

Some will reveal the top of the shoulders; others will reveal the arms while hiding the forearms and shoulders. And a third design will open a slit over the arms to tease without revealing much.

You can choose any cold shoulder top style you feel comfortable with. Confidence is the best way to hide fat arms.

As long as you’re confident with the style you chose, you’d pull it off and look classy and chic while doing it.

8. Light Long Sleeves

So far, I’ve been trying to avoid long sleeves for obvious reasons. But, unfortunately, they are not very good at disguising the fact that you’re hiding something big under those sleeves. 

This is especially true when neither the season nor the occasion calls for long sleeves. For example, a cook-out in your friend’s backyard in the middle of summer doesn’t go well with a long sleeve. 

Still, you can use light long sleeves to look more casual than even those who are wearing sleeveless or straps. It’s all about how you carry those light long sleeves.

And the right way to wear light long sleeves is never to button them. Instead, leave the cuffs floating and flaring up every which way whenever you wave your arms. There’s no better distraction than that.

9. Wrap or Light Jacket

Try to get creative when you run out of ideas and your arms become the focus of your own attention. 

It often happens that nothing in your wardrobe catches your eye, and you’re at a loss for what to wear.

Then your eyes fall on a spaghetti top or even a strapless dress. Of course, you want to, but you wouldn’t dare because of the arms.

Well, you can dare to wear a strapless dress or a spaghetti top even with fat arms. Just throw a light jacket or a wrap over your shoulders to complete the casual but stylish look.

If you’re using a jacket as a disguising agent, keep the arms flapping free around you. They will look like wings and make it hard for anyone to focus on your arms or even notice them.

If you’re using a wrap, don’t wrap it too tight. Instead, give it some slack and let it slide down your back a little to cover your arms simultaneously in a casual, I’m-totally-not-trying-to-hide-my-arms kind of way.

10. Rolled Up Long Sleeves

If you have no other option but to wear long sleeves, you can still wear them but roll up the sleeves to any length you like. If you can roll them up to your elbows, that would be great.

But be careful not to bunch up the roll and make the arms look even fatter.

Most fashion designers agree that one or two rolls are enough to give you a stylish look while improving the airflow under the long sleeves. So give it a try and see how many rolls you’re comfortable with.

I have also written a complete guide on how to properly roll up your sleeves that may interest you.

11. Wide Billowing Sleeves

Have you noticed how tall people sometimes wear high heels to make them taller?

It’s their way of saying, I’m happy with my body and height, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

You can follow their example when hiding fat arms.

If the arms are fat, why not wear wide and billowing sleeves that make those arms look larger than life? This exaggeration will have the desired effect of hiding just how fat the arms are. 

It’s also a fashion statement. People who don’t know you will be wondering whether you’re making a statement, and only a few would suspect you might be trying to hide something.

12. Elbow Length Sleeves

Once the sleeves reach the elbows, you really have nothing to worry about. Forearms are hardly the focus of attention. Instead, the arms from the shoulder to the elbow get all the staring. 

You can wear elbow-length sleeves and not look out of place even on the beach. You’ll look like you’re protecting your arms against the UV rays and not hiding them.

13. Off-Shoulder Top

The concept behind the off-shoulder top is similar to cold shoulder tops. The idea is basically the same. You reveal the top of your shoulder while hiding the fat arms. Nobody’s the wiser.

The trick is to find the kind of dress with the right sleeve length and exposed shoulder top for that kind of occasion.

And you can wear either long sleeves or three-quarter length sleeves. The off-shoulder top compensates for the length of fabric that covers your arms.

I also wrote a guide on keeping dresses from falling off your shoulders that may interest you.

Conclusion

A fat pair of arms should never come in the way of your fashion sense or how you enjoy your life to the fullest.

As long as you get creative with your sleeves, their length, and the kind of fabric you choose, you can look your best while hiding your arms.

I also wrote a COMPREHENSIVE guide on keeping your other body parts from showing through your clothes. Feel free to check it out next.

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