How to pull of any garment, accessory, or trend with aplomb.

If we followed the stealth diets of Hollywood starlets, we could don any outfit, no matter how revealing. The six most reviled words (“Does this make me look fat?”) would be rendered obsolete, and the most dreaded of annual excursions (bikini shopping) would be hailed as a national holiday. The downside? We’d spend the rest of our lives munching on carrot sticks and fat-free popcorn. And where’s the fun in that? So in real life, girls have curves—feminine contours we love to play up, along with a few areas we prefer to minimize—and acknowledging that is the first step to creating flattering outfits. “The secret to dressing slim isn’t a secret at all—it’s understanding your body shape,” says Cheryl Fenton, author of Shortcuts to a Sexy Body. If you’re unsure of your proportions, spend some time looking in the mirror, pinpointing the best areas of your body and the ones you want to play down. Then check out our slim-dressing guidelines. (It beats a life without chocolate, we promise.)

Focus on Fit
When you’re out shopping, it might be tempting to think, "I can squeeze into this now, and it’ll look amazing when I lose five pounds." But when the goal is dressing slim, everything you wear should fit to a T. “It’s a simple rule, but a golden one,” says Fenton. “If your clothes are too tight, it will create dimples, making you look like you’re heavier than you are.” And keep in mind that this rule applies across the board: “I don’t care if you’re superslim,” Fenton says. “If the material gathers and pulls, you’ll look horrible.” Along these lines, don’t fixate on the label size. While you might prefer to leave the store with a size 4 in hand, remember that it’s only an arbitrary number that no one else ever sees. At the same time, beware the dangers of buying garments that are too big. “We all love the comfy feel of oversize clothes, but going larger only exaggerates your size,” Fenton explains. “Clothing should skim the flesh without hugging for a perfect fit.”

Be a Material Girl
Getting a fabulous fit, of course, means choosing the right materials, and some fabrics are more flattering than others. “Heavy wools, tweeds, mohairs, and other bulky fabrics with tight weaves tend to add about a quarter inch to your body,” Fenton explains. “Instead choose thinner, more fluid fabrics that accent your curves without adding to them.” For winter, slimming options include gabardines, tropical wools, lightweight flannels, and dress-weight knits. When the weather warms up, invert the rule, since fabrics that are too lightweight or sheer can add the appearance of pounds. Medium-weight fabrics are the safest bet, especially when it comes to stretch (lightweight spandex can reveal every body flaw and back roll, while medium-weight cotton Lycras and stretch denims can be quite flattering). But by far, the biggest pitfall to avoid is sheen: “You should run shrieking from shiny fabrics all together,” Fenton says. “Even the thinnest women have trouble pulling them off.”

Concentrate on Color
It’s no surprise that, when it doubt, women tend to reach for the little black dress: “Black is a no-brainer when it comes to slimming,” Fenton says. Dark neutrals, such as navy, brown, and gray, have a similar slimming effect because the principles that apply when you’re painting a room also apply to fashion: “Darker colors absorb light, giving the illusion of a smaller space; lighter colors reflect light, creating the perception of a greater space.” In addition, outfits that are all one color can be beneficial. "Monochromatic tones add length and minimize width,” Fenton says. Bear in mind that dark and monochromatic needn’t be boring. You can create a splash of color with a vibrant bag or dazzling jewelry without creating the illusion of extra pounds. And when you’re not dressing monochromatically, it’s best to wear lighter, brighter colors on the body parts you like the most, reserving darker hues for the areas you want to play down. Along these lines, patterns should generally be chosen based on height—the taller you are, the larger your prints can be—but for the most slimming effect, avoid anything too extreme. And stripes “can be used to your advantage, as long as you go vertical, never horizontal,” Fenton says. “Vertical stripes and pinstripes draw the eye up and down, creating a slimming effect that’s always in season.”

Snag the Best Silhouettes
A garment's cut and seam lines can make or break a potentially flattering outfit, and again, special attention should be paid to your proportions. As is the rule with stripes, seam lines can be slimming when they’re vertical, but avoid any garment whose seam lines fall horizontally in the areas you want to disguise (if you have a large bust, for example, an Empire seam can make you look top-heavy, but a V-neck, which offers a vertical line, can create the illusion of length). If you’ve got great legs, by all means, wear a mini (if your gams are more good than great, we suggest a knee-length bias-cut or pencil skirt instead). If you’ve got wide hips, wearing a low-cut or off-the-shoulder top can create the illusion of an hourglass silhouette. Although balance is key when it comes to garment proportions—tight shirts are better mixed with full skirts than tight bottoms—for a look that minimizes extra pounds, it’s best to opt for ensembles that, again, are somewhat fitted all over.

Don’t Overlook the Details
Accessories are not only helpful for jazzing up an outfit; they can also draw attention away from trouble spots and toward your best assets, Fenton says. Necklaces and earrings, for example, immediately pull the eye to the face, while a bright bag can divert attention from the waist and hips (always opt for a larger bag, as a smaller one can make you appear large in relation to it). Other options depend on your body type. If you have a small waist, belts can be very flattering as long as they’re a reasonable width (the ultrawide ones can shorten your appearance, so they’re best left to supermodels). If you have slim hips, low-slung belts are a good choice. And if you have good arms, show them off with colorful bracelets and cuffs. Just keep in mind that details can also have the opposite effect. As with most things, ruffles and ruching are best enjoyed in moderation, and “excessive stitching on the pockets of your jeans is a no-no if you have a large bottom,” says Fenton. (Since jeans without pockets can be equally unflattering, we suggest versions with subtle stitching.) And finally, limit your embellishments to your best body areas, says Fenton. “Too much of a good thing is exactly that—too much.” 

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