You know how they say a great outfit can totally make your day and boost your confidence? Well, it’s true! Think about it……..We all have that one dress that makes us fel very sexy. And we all have those pair of shoes that makes us want to strut down the street. But we can’t just rely on certain pieces of clothing alone. On days where we just don’t feel so hot and all the clothes in your closet suddenly make you feel old fashioned, that’s where certain styling tips come in.
Choosing your outfit wisely and implementing a few clever tips and tricks can have an enormous effect on the way you look and feel. So on days when you’re not feeling your confident, badass self (because we all have those days), check out these styling tips below.
1. Invest in Bodycons
By now, you’re probably tired of hearing about Spanx and the other gazillion types of stretchy wears that promise to make you look slimmer, but here’s the thing……they really work. The right piece of shapewear works as a means to help distribute bulges while smoothing you out and holding you in.
Choose a seamless pair of slenderizing briefs, boy shorts, camis, or full-body pieces that have reinforced panels to pull in your stomach, slim your thighs, and define your waist when wearing bodycon dresses, clingy skirts, tight pants, or evening gowns.
2. Take a Length and Fit Lesson
It’s key to be mindful of hemlines and unwanted volume. This means staying far away from things humorously associated with capri pants, pleated khakis, long baggy shorts or shapeless calf-length skirts.
Instead, opt for straight, dark jeans that have a bit of stretch and hit exactly at your ankle or an inch or two below. This will elongate your body, especially when paired with heels, ankle boots, or pointy flats (which actually make you look taller). On top….try longer shirts, blazers, or sweaters that aren’t too oversized. Same goes for trousers: Choose dark colors (black and navy are your best bet) without any upper pleating.
In terms of skirts, a knee-length pencil skirt is the most universally flattering silhouette, as are fitted A-line skirts that hit right above the knee.
3. Choose Heels with a Low-Cut Vamp
Here’s small trick that can change the way you shoe shop. Footwear that features a low-cut vamp instantly elongates and slenderizes your leg when you’re wearing skirts, shorts, dresses, and even cropped pants. What’s a vamp? It’s the portion of a shoe that cuts across your foot at the front. So, a low vamp cuts across the base of the toes, while high vamp can come up the foot and possibly up to the ankle. If you’re able to find a pair that matches your skin tone, all the better to give the illusion of slim legs.
Speaking of shoes, a heel—think two-and-a-half inches and above—lifts the body and makes clothes fall better, which gives a slimmer appearance. Look for pumps with slightly pointed toes and thin heels. Of course, if you can’t walk in them, skip the heels—there’s nothing less flattering than wearing an item that’s obviously causing discomfort.
4. Wear All Black
Using one color to enhance a slender illusion is the oldest trick in the book—and for good reason: It helps create a long, vertical line. While wearing head-to-toe black is the most effective and eternally chicest option, other darker hues work well too such as navy, oxblood, and green.
The trick to monochrome dressing: Keep each silhouette crisp and tailored, and stay away from pale shade.
5. Don’t Discard Maxi Skirts
it’s a common say that curvy women simply cannot wear floor-grazing skirts and dresses, but luckily that’s been proven entirely false. In fact, a well-cut maxi skirt can actually give you the appearance of looking longer and leaner.
Choose solid versions that skim the length of your body, which will create a long, vertical line (forego anything with pleats, bulky pockets, thick elastic waistbands, or too many layers). Be sure to keep your top fitted…a tucked-in T-shirt and a cropped leather jacket or a well-cut blouse in a dark color, for examp, so as to not drown in fabric.
Also, make sure the skirt’s hemline is as long as you can go without tripping, and add a pair of high wedges or heels underneath.
6. Rock Out with Vertical Stripes
The second oldest trick in the book: Vertical stripes create long lines, thus making you look, well, longer. And while we’re on the subject of stripes, it’s common fashion folklore that horizontal lines can make you look wider. Yes, a skin-tight bodycon dress featuring horizontal lines might be a little hard to rock, but things like a well-fitting, classic striped shirt tucked into dark jeans or a tailored skirt flatters everyone.
7. Cinch with Skinny Belts
To look slimmer, cinch dresses and tunics with skinny belts—they help define your natural waist in the most flattering way possible. A thick belt, however, can cut you in half, which can cause you to look stumpy.
8. Highlight Assets with Bright Colors
If you don’t want to wear all black, just try masking your problem areas with the shade. Not thrilled with your legs but love your upper body? Mask ’em with a well-fitted pair of black pants or a skirt, and add a bright-colored blouse.
To hide arms, midsections, or hips, choose a tailored black blazer, a black, silky button-down, or a well-fitting black flat-sweater, and show off your great legs with a pair of printed pants, colored jeans, or a bold skirt.
Photocredit: their respective owners
credit: Perrier samotin
by: Karah Adu
