by Kristie Brown
If the billion-dollar diet industry had its way, we’d all be whisper-thin holograms of ourselves — virtually see-through. But what American women really need is a little Elvis Costello and some peace, love and understanding. All those calorie-starved diet fads and fiber bars that taste like drywall are for a future body. So what’s a normal girl with a normal body gonna do as she’s working away this bulge or that roll? She turns that peace, love and understanding inward and selects some fabu clothes that rock her body like she’s been on a steady diet of woodchip protein bars since the womb.
Dress To Impress
A dress is the go-to piece in every woman’s closet. It’s the thing you pull out when when you’re feeling a little luscious and what you grab when you’re feeling a little humpty dumpty. If designed well, a dress will hide your problem areas as it emphasizes your assets. Style editor of Seattle Magazine, Hope Misterek, recommends an A-line dress for a universal flattering fit. The construction of the skirt pulls the eye away from ample hips and missing waists and down toward the legs, creating an illusion of lean length. “Materials with structure like sheath dresses, help a lot, too,” she adds. A sheath dress that’s cut to emphasize the waist will whittle your middle. Color blocking is also a strategic design trick that pulls the eye toward bold colors and away from darker colors that are arranged to create a silhouette sleight of hand.
View From The Top
Pay special attention to the mood of the shirt, as well as its fit, to ensure it’s not a second skin that calls attention to areas you’re trying to camouflage. Think sexy kitten more than cat in heat. Be on the lookout for a structured shirt that has a slightly defined waist and pin tucks that help the shirt maintain its shape. If sexy kitten is still up for grabs, then leave one more button unbuttoned. Shirts that ruche around your stomach are particularly talented articles of clothing; the fabric bunching simultaneously disguises any inches you can pinch as it makes you look thinner through the middle. And while we’ve all known since junior high that dark colors create negative spaces that minus your plus parts, don’t be afraid of bolder colors in flattering designs.
Bottoms Up
“One of the easiest and most important things to do is make sure your hems hit the ground. You want the longest leg line possible. Pants or slacks that are straight coming from your largest point will also help to create a straighter, longer leg line, which could even mean a wide-leg pant,” says Misterek, who is also an international fashion and wardrobe stylist. And listen, if your age means you’re puzzled by the phrase “mom jeans,” then it’s time to back away from the favorite of muffin tops everywhere, the low rise. Your mama’s high-waisted jeans and pants are back, and they’re rocked by the likes of Katie Holmes and Kim Kardashian — opposites on the shape spectrum — yet they both look amazingly trim with their legs going up to there.
A Strong Foundation
What your grandmother called a girdle, you call shapewear. And if it’s good enough for your sturdy grandma and the emaciated 00-sized starlet, then honey, it’s good enough for you. Those choke bands hug your curves and hide your rolls, making your clothes fall as they were designed. And if you don’t have on the right bra underneath all these great magic tricks made from fabric and thread, then you’ll only look like you stopped retaining water and not that you just dropped 10 pounds. Misterek recommends one last piece of advice that’s a shoe-in, “Wear heels, and find the highest heel possible that you can manage all day.”
Our own Kelly Mclean weighs in on the beauty of bangs…
