10 Top Secrets For Choosing Flattering Clothes

1. You need an accurate and realistic knowledge of your real body shape & the one you want to achieve, taking into account your frame size. Regardless of your size, you will always look good with a well proportioned silhouette. So try & create good proportions from your shoulders, down to your ankles, through your waist always aiming for balance, eg shoulders and hips, top and bottom halves of your body.

2. Acknowledge which are your best features ( keep reminding yourself!) and choose clothes which highlight them.

3. Choose underwear carefully and be refitted regularly, always remembering what you want it to achieve. If you are wearing support underwear this is especially important. Sizing is vital ( squeezed-in bits should not pop out elsewhere0.

4. Try to choose clothes with some shape, eg bust darts, crossovers,flared hems etc.These can not only disguise features but even out proportions, eg gathering over bust, high empire waist, shoulder detailing.

5. Choose fabric carefully. Bulky fabrics (eg tweeds, chunky knits) add bulk, while some stretch can accentuate shape or smooth out lumps and bumps. Shiny fabrics accentuate the shape underneath.

6. Don’t wear clothes which are too big.They make small people look smaller and big ones look bigger. The same applies to clothes which are too small. Don’t be a slave to size labels as they are too variable. Cut them out if they bother you!

7. Simple is usually better. You make fewer mistakes that way.Use accent colours and accessories for individuality. You should always keep remembering your silhouette shape and what you are aiming for.

8. Don’t be too rigid about colour. Remember your skin colouring alters with the seasons and as we get older. Experiment from time to time using coloured pashminas. See what kind of reactions you get and how you feel in a particular colour.

9. In the same way, be flexible about what you will and won’t wear. If you always wear trousers, give dresses and skirts a try and vice versa. When you do, always remember which body area you are trying to highlight, and which you hope to disguise.

10. Make every day a GREAT OUTFIT DAY, no matter what you are doing, and discard those items which do nothing for you.

Albert D. Sant