Wearing flattering clothing makes the world of difference. You can look 10 pounds lighter by striving for that “long lean line” in your daily ensembles. Here are some simple ways to achieve this effect:
- Wear the right bra: this is where good style starts. Boosting the bust accentuates the waistline and gives you curves in all the right places. 60% of all women are in the correct bra size. Going wide in the band width and small in the cup size is a common mistake. Often, woman need to go down in the band width and up a cup size. Make sure you’ve been professionally bra fitted and get re-fitted annually because bust sizes change.
- Wear clothes that fit: The fit of a garment is the most important thing (more so than the quality). Fab quality is useless if the item is ill-fitting. Do not disguise your shape under baggy items because you’ll look larger. Body-conscious clothes that hint at your curves, without being overly clingy, are the most flattering. If you can’t find clothing to fit off the rack, have it altered. It’s money well spent.
- Wear clothes best suited to your body type: identify whether you are a pear, apple, rectangle, hourglass or inverted triangle and follow the guidelines for these body types. You can be a mixture of a few and one can therefore tend towards a few body types.
- Dress to show off your best features: make the nicest part of your body the focal point of an outfit.
- Don’t black-rut: Black is slimming, but don’t fall back on black as the only option. Charcoal gray, navy, and dark brown are just as slimming. Remember that fit is more important than color. A pair of perfectly fitting white pants is miles more flattering than a pair of ill-fitting black slacks.
- Wear sturdier fabrics: Heavier fabrics that have drape and body help to smooth and narrow your silhouette.
- Wear heels: A pair of heels slims down curves by adding height. This works especially well when your pants are the correct length.
- Scale down if you are petite: Make sure you scale down the size of prints and pockets so they don’t overpower your figure if you are 5’3” or below.
- Layer: Wearing the correct pieces on top of one another works miracles. Layers creates camouflage where you need it most and adds visual interest to an ensemble.
- Leave your jacket unbuttoned: The vertical line that is created when jackets and coats are left un-buttoned is slimming.
- Wear V-necks: the shape of the V draws attention to your waistline and elongates the neck. A collared shirt left unbuttoned at the top will have the same impact. V-necklines are a must for well endowed ladies and petites.
- Stand up straight: Never underestimate the positive effect of good posture.
- Get a great haircut: This has nothing to do with clothing, but we all know how much slimmer we feel after a haircut. Irrational? Maybe, but it impacts our confidence, which may be the most powerful strategy of all.
Being fit and healthy is a more important goal than looking slimmer. But on your way to a healthier you there’s a lot you can do to visually slim your look. Think about these things when you get dressed in the morning, when you add new items to your wardrobe, and when you weed out your closet for the new season. It’ll soon become habit and you’ll look fab all the time.
Angie Cox is a Seattle-based fashion stylists. Get her expert advice daily at youlookfab.com.
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