If you’re like most women, you probably gained a few pounds over the holidays, and chances are you’d like to look thinner. It’s can be as easy as A-B-C: Accentuate your strengths, Balance your proportions and Conceal your flaws. Fox News asked me to do a segment showing how I could help three women to look thinner. Here they are:
Linda has a very pretty face and a pear-shaped figure. The blue skinny jeans draw attention to her hips, and the jacket ends at the widest part of her, a big no-no.
Linda before
Linda after
Brenda is petite and has a great hourglass figure, but the pants she’s wearing are not flattering and the jean jacket makes her look boxy.
Brenda before
Brenda after with me
Lisa has gorgeous long legs, but the cropped pants she is wearing making them look shorter, and the striped top she is wearing makes her top half look wider.
Lisa before
Lisa after
Check out the TV segment here: Fox appearance.
Here are the tips I reviewed on air and some bonus tips I didn’t have time to share in the segment.
Fabric
- Very thin and shiny fabrics, such as silk charmeuse, show every bump and bulge.
- Heavy fabrics, such as brocade, add bulk to your figure.
- Softly draping fabrics that are matte, such as fine knits, wool crepe and jersey will help you to look thinner.
Pattern
- To accentuate a part of your body that you like, wear a pattern to draw attention to it.
- To balance a pear-shaped figure (smaller on top, wider hips and bottom), wear a long, open cardigan with a flattering top underneath to draw the eye to your upper half.
- Horizontal stripes make the body look wider.
- Vertical and diagonal lines draw the eye up and down, add height and diminish width, so they are slimming.
Fit
- If your clothes are too tight, they create bumps and bulges. If they are too loose, the extra fabric will make you look bulky. Make sure they fit properly.
- Don’t let a jacket or top end at the widest part of you.
- If you’re happy with your décolleté (chest area), wear a deep v-neck top to draw attention there.
- Don’t wear pleated pants; they add bulk to your hips.
Silhouette
- Bootcut pants do a great job of balancing hips and thighs.
- Wrap-dresses are almost universally flattering.
- If you want to hide a tummy, wear a top that floats over it, such as a peasant blouse.
Color
- Light colors make body parts look larger, and bright color attracts the eye. If you want to attract attention to a part of your body, go for it!
- However, wear a dark color if you want to minimize something.
- All black can be boring though, so check out the tips here from a post I did a couple weeks ago about how to look chic in black.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Illysia Neumann-Loreck
I am 5’1-3/4 and have a “muffin top” in the waist. Can I still wear those long, draping sweaters? I feel that I am too short and big in the middle for that style.
HI Carol,
If you keep to the petite section and don’t wear the sweater longer than your bottom, it will be a good look for you. The designers cut the scale of the clothes down for petites. The vertical line of the sweater will create length for you. You can also check an old post of mine for how to look taller here: https://www.madlychic.com/2012/10/page/4/
Take care!
Fitted jackets do not look good if you have wide hips like I do. I usually wear a 14 Petite, however, these days everything is more fitted. A 14P fits in the shoulders but I can’t button them. A 16P will usually fit in the hip but too big in the shoulders. What do you recommend?
Hi Carol,
Thanks so much for your question! I agree; It’s very difficult to find a great fitted jacket if you have wide hips as so many women do. Do you have to wear jackets? A soft sweater that drapes over the hips, like the one on Linda, would be great for you and can still look professional. If jackets are a must for work, find a fabric that is less bulky and stiff, such as a wool crepe rather than a brocade. A stiffer fabric will create more volume where you don’t want it while a fabric that drapes will skim the body better. I would advise some research as well. Go to a department store (or two) and try on different brands to see if one suits you better than another. If you can’t find a brand that fits your shoulders and your hips, buy a jacket that you can button, and find a great tailor to take in the shoulders. Warning: shoulders can be difficult to take in, so have the tailor do one jacket first to make sure you like the job he/she does. It may cost a bit more do get a semi-custom jacket, but you can offset that price by shopping during sale periods: in Jan and July and on long weekends. Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Your models all look great! What a transformation! I want that wrap dress.
I’ll have to keep the jacket rule in mind when shopping, (Don’t let a jacket or top end at the widest part of you) – ‘m definitely guilty of that one.
Thanks for the great advice.
Thanks Penny! The jacket rule is a good one, esp if you have a pear-shaped figure.
Do boxy jackets EVER look good – or do I put them in the donation pile?
If they are waist or hip length (as long as you’re not pear shaped), they look good with a longer tank/tee and skinny jeans, esp in women with an “I” shape (i.e. not very curvy). Tres chic. Anything longer than that looks like the 80s revisited. I found an image online to show you. This looks great, but I would wear the T-shirt out: http://www.lyst.com/clothing/alice-olivia-jacket-kidman-open-front-boxy-navy/