Most of us would like to lose a few pounds with the Christmas party season looming and the pressure of getting into that LBD building. But here are a few quick fixes to make you look taller and more slender for those of us that don't have the motivation or time to hit the gym.
Low-Fat Dressing
1. Create Vertical Lines
The key to dressing slimmer is to create vertical lines with your outfits to trick the eye into looking up and down your body, rather than horizontally across it, to make you look taller and more slender, magic! Here are some tips for how to do this:
- Wear a cardigan, coat or jacket worn open against a contrasting fabric to split your body into three long, slim sections. The eye will be drawn to the thin strip of colour underneath, creating a vertical line.
- Wear a V neck to draw a line down your top half.
- Wear a skirt, trousers or tights with vertical seams or strips. This is great if you are pear shaped as it will help to narrow the bottom half so it looks more balanced with the top half, leading to a fabulous silhouette.
2. Minimise
Darker colours and the use of matte or basic fabrics on your larger areas can help minimise and slim them. Shiny fabrics, such as silk and satin, reflect the light and add bulk, and lighter colours will always make an area look bigger. This does not mean that you have to dress your problem areas in black. Look for the darkest neutral that suits your complexion and choose those instead.
Camouflage fuller hips and thighs with a darker colour and draw attention upwards with a horizontal striped top.
Minimise a larger chest with a darker, matte fabric on top.
3. Elongate Your Legs
Wear a monochromatic look from the waist down i.e. the same colour belt, trousers/skirt, socks/tights and shoes. Dressing in one colour produces a strong, unbroken, vertical line that elongates the body.
Another trick is to wear a shoe that is cut lower down your foot, or shoes shoes with a more pointed toe, as this will lengthen your legs further. Also, a nude coloured shoe that matches your skin tone will also lengthen your pins as viewers will see your leg and shoe as one visually, unobstructed look.
4. Wear Clothes That Fit
Whether you are a size 2 or a size 22, if you wear the wrong size clothes, you'll end up looking bigger than you are. Wearing clothes that are too tight leads to bulges and lumps, just as choosing clothes which are too large adds to your size and makes you look bigger. Aim for something fitted that gently skims your body.
5. Highlight Your Good Bits
Draw attention to your assets with jewellery, scarves and colour. If you have a beautiful slender neck, but a bit of weight on your waistline, wear an eye catching necklace, or other accessories. If you have toned arms, wear a sleeveless top to make the most of your assets.
And as a bonus tip:
6. Think Posture, Posture, Posture
Stand up straight, pull your stomach in, and your shoulders back. You can practice posture by balancing a book on your head and walking - the book shouldn't fall off! Whenever you get the chance, look in the mirror and make sure you are not hunched over. This is possibly the MOST important tip, as bad posture can add pounds visually.
To find out many more tips on how to dress your body shape, book a personal shop or style consultation with Perfecting You Personal Stylists. For more information, click here: