Every morning we enter our closets with one goal: to create an illusion. Many of us want to dress in a way that will make us look slimmer. It’s not magic, but there are a number of secrets to “fooling the eye.” Follow these suggestions and see the difference in your appearance.
1. STICK WITH ONE HUE
Color matters. A column of color will create an uninterrupted vertical line, making you look slimmer and taller. Keeping tops and bottoms the same color eliminates stark contrasts between your upper and lower body, creating a fluid line.
2. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FIT
Every well-dressed woman has a secret to her polished look – her tailor. To look slimmer, it’s crucial that every item in your closet fits you properly. If that means becoming best friends with your tailor, so be it. Even the most expensive clothes will come off poorly if not fitted properly. Wearing a pair of skinny jeans or black trousers? Make sure they’re not too cropped and that the hem hits the ankle area. With blazers and jackets, always make sure the seams sit perfectly at the bony tops of your shoulders, and that the sleeves hit exactly at your wrist.
Many women gravitate to loose-fitting clothes which only increases bulk and results in a sloppy, oversized appearance. Garments should grace your figure. If you have a waist, emphasize it. Narrow belts are flattering and give a nice fitted look. You have a figure. Play up the assets by tailoring your clothes to accentuate and draw attention to them.
3. MATCH YOUR SHOE COLOR TO YOUR LEG
Don’t overlook the power of shoes to balance your body and make you look slimmer! Here’s a small trick that can change the way you shoe shop: Shoes that have a low-cut vamp instantly elongate and slenderize your leg when you’re wearing skirts, shorts and dresses.
Coordinate tones to elongate your bottom half. In winter, wear black opaque tights and black pumps; in summer, try neutral skin-hued versions with bare legs.
Legs look slimmer and sexier in skirts paired with a shoe that has a tapered toe and at least a 2-inch stiletto. A slender toe and thin heel work to extend the narrow silhouette of calves. Square-toe styles with a thick, chunky heel or ankle strap give the appearance of a shorter, bulkier leg. Don’t rule out flats – just follow the same rules; low vamp and match the color of the shoe to your leg or your pants.
4. INVEST IN UNDERWEAR THAT FITS
Did you know that over 80 percent of women wear bras in the wrong size? It’s true, and it can make you look larger due to the appearance of sagging breasts. When there’s proper space between your waist and chest, you appear leaner. The solution? Head to your nearest lingerie store to get measured by a pro.
A professional bra fitter can determine if you, like most women, are wearing a wrong-size band and too-small cups, which neither lift nor shape. Down below, too-snug panties create bulges, while visible panty lines disrupt the clean lines of top layers, contributing to bulk around the butt and hip.
5. SHOW SOME SKIN UP TOP
Expose a bit with a V-neckline. The open, upside-down triangle creates a high focal point up and away from your midsection and gives the illusion of a longer, slimmer upper body. The more skin displayed between chin and chest (within reason!) the more elegant your proportions will seem overall; wider V-necklines visually balance broad hips and thighs. So, collect Vs in everything: camis, tanks, tees, sweaters, cardigans, dresses and jackets.
6. CHOOSE THE RIGHT FABRICS
“Flat” materials don’t add volume. Pick cotton, denim, silk, or wool gabardine. Some fabrics actually help slim and shape. Try jersey, cashmere, fine cotton, and anything with a touch of spandex. Wear bulky materials sparingly, such as wide-wale corduroy, crushed velvet, metallic, leather, suede, mohair, angora, brocade, taffeta, boucle, satin, fringe and flannel.
7. DIVIDE AND CONQUER
Color blocking is an easy way to trick the eye. Look for garments with princess seaming and contrast insets. The eye will visually stop at the intersection of the two colors, creating a slimming effect. Asymmetry is also your friend. Diagonal lines cut the figure in a pleasing way.
Empire lines and dropped waists elongate the figure. A 5/8 proportion creates a taller, slimmer silhouette. With the empire you have a long, clean line from under the bust to the hem. A dropped waist creates a long line from the shoulder to the skirt which should drop 5 to 7 inches below the waist.
8. VERTICAL STRIPES
One of the easiest ways to create a taller, slimmer appearance is to wear vertical stripes. That’s certainly not a difficult concept to grasp. Vertical lines draw the eye up and down, resulting in an illusion of being slimmer. Apply it to jeans, jackets, tops and even your hand bag.
