How to Dress Slimmer

Style – 17 February 2015

What do we want from our clothes? For the most part, we want them to make us look our best – and for most women, this means looking slimmer.

If you find yourself in a dressing room trying to squeeze into clothes that just don’t fit, it’s most likely it’s not your fault, but the fault of sloppy workmanship. These days, most clothing manufacturers make garments as cheaply as possible. The more expensive pattern making which creates flattering silhouettes seems to be a rarity.

So what can we do about it? We asked Australian fashion designer Andrea Yasmin who is passionate about creating clothes that fit real women – not just catwalk models. Here are her tips to look your best, including which fashion trends to avoid.

1. Focus on the neck

The neck is a very sexy feature and women should expose it as much as possible. With V-necks or keyhole necklines, look for the bottom of the neckline to finish just at the top of the cleavage. Don’t expose too much – just offer a hint. These necklines elongate the body and give you more length, so you will look taller and slimmer.

2. Ditch the waistband

Many women lose their waistlines at some stage in their lives. Not many women enjoy a fabulous hour-glass figure. For those of us who don’t have a gorgeous waist, look for skirts and pants that don’t have a waistband or zip. This will give you a smoother look and eliminate any muffin-tops.

3. Asymmetrics

Asymmetric cuts in tops and skirts can be your best friend. An asymmetric cut is not have left-right symmetry and one side is cut or appears to be longer than the other. Asymmetric hems will lengthen the legs and give you a sexy and powerful look. Asymmetric tops will expose the neck and shoulders and elongate your body. You can even wear both at once.

4. Ruching

The perfect solution to disguising ripples is ruching. Ruching is where the fabric is gathered together to form ruffle effect. Ruched tops and dresses are forgiving and allow you to wear bold colours with confidence. Ruching should be focussed on the tummy and the back, but not any lower than the bottom of the spine – never over the bottom.

5. Pencil dresses

A pencil dress is a wardrobe staple and is very flattering, but make sure the garment is cut to a women’s body shape. Look at it on the hanger and see if it has been cut for shape – avoid boxy cuts. Knee length is the most flattering for everyone. Also the cut of the armhole is very important and should not be too small so it gathers and accentuates excess fat around the armpit.

Here are looks to avoid unless you’re extremely tall and skinny.

Skinny jeans with tight waists – any fat that sits above the waist has to go somewhere!
Tucking in tops and wearing belts – this cuts the body in half and makes you look less lean and more stocky.
Horizontal stripes – usually makes you look wider – even thin stripes in a top. Absolute no-no for skirts and pants.
Boxy dresses – the worst move is to try and hide your body. Make the most of what you’ve got.
Cheap fashion – most fashion is really cheap because corners have been cut in construction and fabric. Spend a little more and you’ll look great and wear your clothes for many seasons, not weeks.

Visit: www.andreayasmin.com

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