| What a miserable summer we had this year! Hardly | | | | than you are. So keep your trousers, skirts and suits |
| the weather for barbecues and salads, bike rides and | | | | plain if you have a curvy shape. Only use vertical |
| outdoor sports. You might be finding that as a result | | | | stripes if your body is straighter. |
| you're carrying a few extra pounds. And with colder | | | | Curvy Patterns |
| weather and the party season fast approaching it is | | | | Florals, paisleys and wavy patterns are great for |
| often unrealistic to expect yourself to lose much | | | | disguising lumps and bumps. Use these on larger |
| weight before Christmas. So here are a few tips to | | | | busts, tummies and hips. If your body-shape is curvy |
| help you look slimmer without depriving yourself of | | | | use these sorts of patterns in tops, skirts and |
| your favourite winter puddings. | | | | dresses. |
| Shine | | | | Texture |
| Avoid shine, shimmer, glitter and sequins on larger | | | | Beware of bulky texture, especially in the winter. A |
| areas as these will make them look bigger. If you | | | | chunky knit jumper or thick padded jacket may keep |
| have big hips or bottom for example, a shiny top will | | | | you warm but do you look and feel a few sizes |
| be fine but keep the bottom half matt. If you are | | | | bigger in it? Finer layers are usually far more flattering. |
| top heavy, avoid shimmery tops and add detail to | | | | If you like to add texture for interesting clothing, |
| the bottom half of your body. | | | | make sure you use it on the smaller areas of your |
| Dark Colours | | | | body. |
| Many people think that they must wear black to slim | | | | Lengths of Clothes |
| themselves down. Whilst dark colours do make things | | | | Always end tops, jackets and skirts at narrower |
| look smaller than light ones, black doesn't suit | | | | points of the body. If a jacket ends, for example, at |
| everyone. If black is overpowering for you, try navy, | | | | the widest part of the hip it will draw attention to it. |
| charcoal, chocolate, purple or deep teal on larger | | | | Beware of mid-calf boots if you have curvy legs. |
| areas of your body. Remember also that a well fitting | | | | They will make your legs look really chunky. |
| coloured item will look far more flattering than black | | | | Clothing Detail |
| piece of clothing that doesn't suit your shape. | | | | Only add clothing detail and accessories to the parts |
| Vertical Stripes | | | | of your body you want to accentuate. For example, |
| Is it fact or fiction that vertical stripes slim you | | | | if your bottom half is larger add frills, breast pockets |
| down? The answer to this is both. If you have a | | | | or necklaces to the top half of your body. If you |
| straight body-shape such as a rectangle or inverted | | | | have slight hips, add pockets, pleats or |
| triangle, you have little definition between waist and | | | | appliqué detail to your bottom half. |
| hips. Vertical stripes will hang straight on your body | | | | For a detailed analysis of your own body, how to |
| and will be slimming. However, if your body is very | | | | show off the best bits whilst disguising and slimming |
| curvy, like a full hourglass or pear (triangle), then | | | | the bits you don't like, why not book a style |
| vertical stripes will not hang straight but will try to pull | | | | consultation? |
| around the curve of your hips making you look larger | | | | |