10 Ways to Embrace Your Arms

We spend way too much time worrying about our arms. Do you wear long sleeves on a steamy 90-degree day? Tote a cardigan or shawl — and not for the air-conditioning? By age 50 every woman — even those with slender arms — has some arm dangle or flab. It's normal, thanks to Mother Nature and gravity. The great part is that all our arms, regardless of definition or lack of, can still look very appealing — bare or dressed to thrill. Here are 10 ways to do it from gutsy to glam. You can:

Goldie Hawn in black sleeveless illusion blouson tank and black pants; Queen Latifah in sleeveless black jumpsuit; Debra Messing shows her right to bare arms in a bright blue sundress

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1. Go sleeveless and forget about being self-conscious. No one is looking at your arms that closely, and if they are it's their problem not yours. Take control and wave buh-bye to arm anxiety. Chill out in any sleeve-free dress, jumpsuit or top you please..

Patricia Clarkson in a turquoise halter gown; Viola Davis in gold one-shoulder sleeveless gown; Salma Hayek in a one-sleeve asymmetric neck gown

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2. Firm up fast with low-weight dumbbells. You don't need an evening gown or major party for incentive, just the fact that arms respond quickly to targeted exercise. Daily workouts with light two- or three-pound dumbbells improve the jiggle pronto. Here's the catch: you need to strengthen the underarm muscles called the triceps — not just the biceps and deltoids. Otherwise you might end up with buff arms and shoulders and still have a dangle dilemma.

Hoda Kotb in a sleeveless black jumpsuit cut in at armholes; Katie Couric in a high-neck black tank with cut in straps and print midi skirt

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3. Try sleeveless with cutaway armholes. Give sleeveless another chance with this athletic-inspired style. Scooped-out cutaway armholes are roomier than classic cuts, and display more of your shoulder and collarbones to shift attention away from the upper arms.

Brooke Shields in a white V neck sheath dress with extended cap sleeve, deep V neck; Jane Seymour in extended shoulder high neck red sheath dress with bare arms; Mariella Ahrens in white cap sleeve jumpsuit

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4. Go with an extended shoulder or cap sleeve. Here's another illusion that benefits chunky or slim untoned arms — and it's the exact reverse of tip No. 2. Choose styles where the shoulder line extends to the very edge or even over the edge to form a mini cap sleeve. The increased coverage on the torso side diminishes the prominence of arms, and you still get to bare ‘em.

Sherri Shepherd in a white dress with billow-y bishop sleeves; Spanx Arm Tights in white; Loni Love in a black top with sheer long bishop sleeves

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5. Opt for a sheer sleeve. You don't necessarily need full coverage. A see-through sleeve in chiffon, mesh or lace can push any dress or top into your comfort zone without adding excess weight or bulk. Or, you can simply slip a sheer blouse or shapewear top with sleeves — like SPANX Arm Tights in black or white ($30 and up, spanx.com) — under any sleeveless top or dress for subtle coverage and peace of mind.

Robin Roberts in sun yellow T-shirt dress; Donatella Versace in heart T-shirt; Caterina Pogorzelski in navy short sleeve T-shirt and striped skirt

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6. Consider a classic tee-length sleeve. It covers just enough to keep underarm bra bulges a secret and give rounded upper arms definition. The fit can be bodysuit clingy, tailored (like a guy's shirt) or soft and silky like a blouse. The straight bottom line creates a new border between clothing and skin.