Your Best Body

Sooooo...my friend Sheena who trusts my advice to the fullest asked me about dressing someone who is not the "model size" and I instantly thought about doing a post because this is a very popular topic. Bare with me because it's going to be lengthy but it is so important & worth reading/studying!

Over 40 million women are over size 14 and they spend over $25 billion a year on clothing. Unfortunately, they do not have the same selection of trendy & fashionable clothing. This is an ongoing struggle in today's fashion world, but some are taking notice to this problem by adding plus size lines. Which is in progess...so "Watch out for the BIG GIRLS! Watch out for the BIG GIRLS!"(Shout out to Baltimore club music...lls)

No one is as thin as the models who walk the runways but I know most women would like to be a size smaller. And even if it's not a wish to be smaller, all women would like to change something about their bodies. Sometimes those fixes are not achieveable, most take tremendous hard work, and some can be taken care of with an illusion! Whether it's a big butt, thick thighs, a little too much belly...the list goes on. With a few tricks those problem areas will fade with the wind...buh-bye! *Wink*

It's all about accentuating the positives and paying extra attention to proportion! Proportion can play tricks on the eyes! Some examples of proportion are:

A Longer Jacket with a shorter skirt.

A Shorter (cropped) Jacket with pants (long).

Loose fitted top with a more fitted pencil skirt.

Most may think that if you are not the "model size" you should cover up head to toe so people won't notice. But that is not the case- covering up actually brings attention to your problem areas; not that you care about what people think- but they will notice you are hiding your body. So always show some skin- whether it's your arms, your legs or cleveage (classy cleveage ladies). For example,

V-Necklines will elongate your neckline to make an illusion of you being taller.

Show your legs with nice skirts- above the knee or A-Line. A good rule to remember is your skirt should be longer than it's wide. Always take extra time to shave your legs and use bronzer. Wear some nude heels that will create an illusion of longer, leaner sexy legs! There are nude heels in all different shades to match your skin tone.

Some other tips to look longer, leaner and sexy are:

1. Buy a new bra and make sure it fits. Wearing a bra that is too small or too big does not help your body image. Most stores and boutiques have a FREE fitting such as Victoria's Secret. Take advantage of this service because it will do wonders. You will be surprised at your actual size and a professional will be able to get you to that, RIGHT SIZE! Having the right bra will give you more room between your waistline and chest which will elongate your torso which creates an illusion of being longer!

2. Invest in shapewear to hold you in and get rid of those rolls. Lol. OMG there are countless brands that guarantee dramatic results such as Spanx, Yummie Tummie, Hour Glass Angel, Dr. Rey Shapewear; I read that Kim Kardashian is launching a shapewear brand of her own very soon, etc...the list goes on! You can purchase all types for different problem areas such as the full body cami, strapless slip, half slip, mid-thigh body suit, high waisted, high leg brief, high waist shape thong, and more! Not only do these little miracles make you look good but they are also good for your posture! Remember stand tall- head up, shoulders back, chest out, tummy in, butt out! Whewwww! Lol.

3. Wear skinny belts! I know oversized belts are trendy but they are not flattering on anyone unless your 6 ft tall. Wearing a skinny belt will accentuate your waistline without taking up too much space and/or chopping your body in half.

4. Scarves around your neck loosely and with the vertical ends laying long down your body creates an illusion as well. If you notice Kim Kardashian wears these quite often! As a matter of fact she has mastered all these tricks not because she is big but because she is short and she wants to look longer.

5. Wearing an oversized handbag helps with proportion as we mentioned before. Just make sure the bag does not land near your problem areas. That would just bring attention to them. Such as don't let it fall at your thighs if you have big thighs or don't let it land at your waist if you have a big belly.

6. Blazers, cardigans unbuttoned are very flattering.

7. Vertical stripes are powerful!

8. Stretchy fabrics are your friend as long as they are not too tight nor too baggy.

9. Turtle necks and button up shirts are fierce.

10. Always wear a lower rise waistline which makes your torso longer. Remember the more space between your chest and waistline the better.

11. HIGH HEELS are were its at! Lol. I'm talking about stilettos that measure between 2 1/2 to 4 inches- they will lengthen your legs for pure sleekness!

12. Just like the long scarves, longer necklines and necklaces (pendants) will create the illusion we are trying to create.

13. Show your arms with short sleeves or a nice laced cami. Don't worry you can take a blazer along in case you get cool. Lol.

In conclusion, there are a lot of tricks to look longer and leaner- so take advantage of them. Don't be discouraged to keep up or start a workout routine because it's nothing like being in shape FOR REAL! LOL. But until then, follow these tricks and remember there are so many body types so get to know yours and learn how to dress your body.