Whether you have lost weight, received an ill-fitting sweatshirt as a gift, or purchased one in the wrong size, sweatshirts that are too large need not be relegated to the back of the closet. You can make a sweatshirt look smaller by shrinking the fabric, if it's made from cotton, or wearing the sweatshirt in different styles that minimize the appearance of its size.

Place a cotton sweatshirt in the washing machine with detergent and wash it with the hottest water temperature the fabric will allow. Remove the sweatshirt and run it through the drier on the hottest temperature setting the material will tolerate. This process will shrink the sweatshirt, causing it to look smaller and have a snugger fit.

Attach a thin belt around the sweatshirt at your waist. Pairing a belt with a sweatshirt at the narrowest part of your abdomen will eliminate the bulky look that a large sweatshirt has when you wear it loose.

Zip or button a jacket-style sweatshirt all the way to the neck instead of wearing it open. This will minimize the appearance of the size because the garment will be tighter around your body.

Wear a scarf or an overcoat over the sweatshirt. Adding additional layers will hide the sweatshirt's size, making it appear to be a better fit.

Roll the sleeves of the sweatshirt neatly until they reach slightly below or above your elbows. Tucking up loose sleeves that otherwise fall around or below your hands removes one obvious clue about the sweatshirt's size.

Wear several layers beneath the sweatshirt. During cold weather, add a long-sleeve shirt and a thermal, which is a thick winter garment that is lighter than a sweater but heavier than a regular shirt. If the sweatshirt appears less baggy on your body, it will not look as large.

Wear the sweatshirt over tights as if it were a dress. If you eliminate bulky, baggy clothing on your lower body and instead opt for slick, skintight fabric, a large sweatshirt will appear as more of an eye-pleasing contrast.