You are beautiful no matter what your size or shape. Yes, I know, society wants to dictate a particular standard of beauty and that’s what you see day in and day out in the media. It is also what you use to compare your body to see if it measures up. Perhaps you’ve already noticed that this only makes you feel frustrated and deflated. Very few women, if any, actually achieve and maintain this standard. Instead, why not embrace your natural beauty and use a few styling tools for creating balance and harmony.
Beauty is not about looking like every other woman out there – how boring is that! It’s about celebrating who you are and creating a look you love. The key is to choose clothes and accessories strategically to give your body an uninterrupted line and draw the eye where you want it to go. It’s easier than you think!
| Open necklines draw focus to your face. Your face is where you want the eye to go since it’s disconcerting to talk with someone while they are staring (for whatever reason) at another part of your body. Use this to your advantage. A v-neck or scoop neckline will do that by creating a long neckline and a beautiful frame around your face. This neckline pictured here is just about the right amount of scoop (approximately one head length down) to balance her body. |  |
| Choose your shoe color wisely. Want a long lean body line? Your shoes are key. When you are wearing pants, match the color of your shoes as closely as possible. If you wear navy, black or dark brown shoes will do the trick. If you are wearing a light colored pair of jeans, wear a skin tone colored shoe. Here’s a good example of that.This is particularly true if you are wearing a skinny pant because pants that end at the ankle or above, shorten your leg. By matching the color all the way to your toes, you are extending your leg line |  |
| Wear open vamp shoes with a dress. The recent trend that has gone on way too long is to wear a dress or skirt with ankle boots. It’s a hideous trend and rarely works. The only exception is if you are super tall, have very long legs and wear your skirts very short. Otherwise, especially if you wear a boot that contrasts with the color of your legs, it will make your legs look shorter and thicker.Here is the same Nordstrom model in two black dresses that are the same length, but she’s wearing different shoes. You can see the difference very clearly. The photo on top doesn’t work, but the photo below with an open vamp shoe does. |  |
| Taper your straight skirt. A straight skirt can look great, but it can also visually add pounds. It hangs straight from the hipline and so the hem creates a wider horizontal line around your knees. You do not usually have this issue with a pencil skirt which is often stretchy and fits tighter to the body all the way down. If you like straight skirts, but sometimes feel like they make you look heavier than you are, take it to a tailor and have it tapered slightly at the sides. This follows your body line and creates a leaner look. |  |
| Pair flowy with fitted. There are lots of flowy tops out there right now. This is not surprising since there is still a trend towards skinny pants. Wearing a skinny top with a skinny bottom can feel a little revealing, but pairing it with a flowy top adds balance. Here’s a great example. |  |
| Have a professional bra fitting. If it has been more than a year since you’ve had a bra fitting, it’s time to do it again. An ill-fitting bra will totally undermine the look of a great outfit. Go somewhere where that’s their specialty not to the local department store (with the exception of Nordstrom which usually has good bra fitting specialists). There is an art to finding the perfect bra. I can highly recommend Intimacy. They have stores around the country. If you are in the Boston area, make an appointment with Maria Stern at Intimacy at Copley Place. She’s terrific and helps me and many of my clients. |  |
| Consider shapewear. I do not usually love wearing shapewear and mostly I don’t wear it! But, I wore a dress recently that was fitted and since the temperatures outside were in the teens, in addition to the smoothing benefits, I wanted the extra layer of warmth it provided. At my last bra-fitting at Intimacy I had picked up a control brief that came all the way up under my bra! I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was! This is the one.These days fabrics tend to be lighter and more revealing. Good and comfortable (yes, I can attest that it’s possible) shapewear can be very handy. |  |
Use these tips to help you make great choices and feel great about how you look!
All photos feature clothing that is vegan/cruelty-free.
