Ok, so you know I'm a tucker.

Full tuck, French tuck, high waisted everything.

If there's a waistband, I'm tucking into it. It's just what I like and makes me feel good.

But so many of you? Total no tuckers.

You don't tuck, you don't want to, and you're tired of advice that assumes you do.

And when I look at why, it makes complete sense. Here's what you tell me over and over: (you're NOT alone!)

❌ You don't want to fuss with it. Pull it on, walk out the door, done. No re-tucking every time you sit down or reach up for something.

❌ You'd rather not spotlight your middle. A tucked top pulls the eye straight to your waist. The right top, worn loose, skims right past your middle.

❌ Tucking cuts you in half. If you're short waisted, tucking makes your torso look even shorter. Leaving the top out reads longer.

❌ Nothing digging in or riding up. No waistband bunching, no belt loops poking through a thin shirt, no tugging at your hem all day.

❌ You want to feel good in the body you have right now. Not ten pounds ago. Today.

I feel all of that.

But there's a catch nobody warns you about.

"Just leave it untucked" is not helpful advice.

Some tops look put together hanging loose. Some look like you forgot to finish getting dressed.

And nobody tells you which is which.

So I'm going to show you how to pick a no tuck top that hangs right on YOUR body.

First, the one thing that changes everything.

Here's the idea that makes all of this click: a hem is a line, and your eye stops wherever that line ends.

So when a top hangs loose, the hem is drawing a horizontal line across your body. Where that line lands is the whole game. Put it in a good spot and the top looks intentional. Put it right on your widest point and it underlines the exact thing most of us aren't trying to spotlight.

That's it. Once you see the hem as a line, you'll never shop for untucked tops the same way.

So here's what to actually look at:

1️⃣ Where the hem lands. Find your fullest point, hips, tummy, wherever it is for you. Then look at where the hem of the top ends. If it stops right at your fullest part, it pulls the eye straight to it. Move that hem an inch or two above or below, and the line falls somewhere kinder. This is the single most important thing to check.

And this is where your height comes in too. An untucked top covers the top of your legs, so the shorter you are, the more a top that's too long eats into your leg line.

If you're petite, keep the hem at or just above your hip. If you're tall, you can carry more length, so longline and tunic styles won't ride up on you.

2️⃣ The shape of the hem. A straight, boxy hem cuts one hard line across your body. A curved or shirttail hem sits a little higher on the sides, so it skims over your hips instead of chopping across them. If you carry weight in your hips or middle, a curved hem is your best friend.

3️⃣ Where the volume sits. A top that's fitted through the shoulders and relaxes gently below the bust will skim your middle. A top that's the same width top to bottom can read boxy and add width where you don't want it. Fabric matters too: something with a little drape falls close to your body, while stiff fabric stands away and adds bulk.

4️⃣ What's happening up top. This is the lever most people forget. A neckline that pulls the eye up, a V, a scoop, a pretty collar, takes attention away from the hem completely. When in doubt, add interest up high and keep it simple down low. (you can also achieve this with statement earrings or a necklace)

One rule ties all of this together: balance.

Most no tuck tops are a little loose by design. So keep the bottom simpler and closer to the body. Loose top, slimmer pant.

Now, here's what to look for depending on your shape:

⭐ If your hips are your fullest point: let the hem fall past your hips or sit just above them, never right at the widest part, with a curved or shirttail hem and a little interest up top.

⭐ If your tummy is your fullest point: look for a top with drape that falls straight down from the bust without clinging, hem landing at or just past your hip.

⭐ If you're fairly straight up and down: a little shape does the work, a curved hem or a defined shoulder keeps a loose top from reading flat.

⭐ If your shoulders are wider than your hips: keep it simple up top, a V or scoop neck pulls the eye down to the center.

⭐ If you have a defined waist: most no tuck tops work for you, the only trap is a boxy top erasing the waist you've got, so pick one with a bit of shape.

See what we did there? We didn't pick one "best" top. We figured out what YOUR top needs to do. That's the difference between shopping intentionally and guessing.

Okay, so which tops actually do all this?

Aha... that's the million dollar question, so I pulled together the exact search terms, grouped so you can find the one that matches what your body needs.

If you see something you like, it's cool if you use my affiliate links (they're at the end). But if you have other stores you like, that's ok too! That's why I'm sharing the name of each style so you can just type it on the search bar yourself. I don't get a commission from that, but if you email me sharing that you bought a top that makes you feel 🔥🔥🔥 thanks to this email, you have no idea how happy that makes me!

• If you want something that skims past your hips:

🔎 shirttail hem, curved hem, split hem, tunic, swing top, longline tee

• If you want something that falls past your tummy:

🔎 swing top, dolman, peasant blouse, A line top, flowy blouse, Tencel top, relaxed tee

(you want the words that signal fabric falling away from the body, so drape, tencel, and swing are your best friends here)

• If you want to add shape when you're straight up and down:

🔎 peplum, wrap top, tie waist, smocked waist, belted top

• If you want to keep your waist visible:

🔎 wrap top, tie waist, smocked waist, fitted tee, peplum

Quick tip: wrap top, tie waist, and peplum show up in more than one list on purpose. They're the hardest workers in the no tuck world, because they build shape without a single tuck. So if you only try a few, start there.

Go ahead and give it a try:

These stores carry several options for many of the styles described above. If you click on any of these, it'll take you to their top section. Locate the search bar (usually on the top right corner) and type in one of the search terms from above.

• ​Talbots​
• ​White House Black Market​
• ​LOFT​
• ​Ann Taylor​
• ​Quince​
• ​Chico's​
• ​Nordstrom​
• ​Old Navy​

This is just a starting point. And it's ok if you don't get it right the first time. Dressing for your body shape isn't something you learn in a day. That's why it's so important to keep experimenting and not give up.

It's a skill you can build, and once you do, it's soooooo worth it.

So next time you're holding a top and wondering if it'll work untucked, don't guess.

Check the hem.

Notice where the line lands, whether it skims or chops, and what's happening up top.

Three quick questions, and you'll know before you ever step into the fitting room or hit purchase.

And remember, none of this is about hard rules. What matters most is that you FEEL GOOD. That's the only goal here.

This is just a way to shop for yourself with a little more confidence.

Go find your no tuck top! Hope this was useful 😘

XO,

Aimara

PS: if you only want to receive Sunday's travel styling newsletter and NOT this Thursday one which is more personal styling related, all you have to do is click here. (the click alone will unsubscribe you from this type of email)

Continue reading on the blog:

• ​An outfit formula guide to dress for the office​
• ​How to style Ponte pants (42 outfits)
• ​How to nail the "old money" summer fashion trend​