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Lisa Robertson_1

10 Ways to Look Thinner (It's All About Illusions!)

by on ‎03-14-2013 04:15 PM



The constant lament of the vast majority of women is: "If I could only lose a few more pounds!" It doesn't have to be logical or something anyone else sees, but we all seem to feel a more ideal version of ourselves would be a few pounds less. Since there's not a diet that makes us thinner by the time we wake up tomorrow, luckily, we can fake it. {#emotions_dlg.biggrin}

 

There are tried and true rules for dressing in a way that makes you look slimmer. They're not complicated and they're helpful. I'm sure there are more than what I'm listing here, but this is a good start. {#emotions_dlg.biggrin}

 

10 Ways to Look Thinner

 

1. Go monochromatic.

          Wearing the same color head to toe creates a longer vertical line that can be very slimming. Contrast draws your eye. With one color, there's no contrast, so your eye keeps moving and settles on your face, not the other things you're self-conscious about.

 

2. Create a long line.

         When you dress, your clothes create a line from your shoulder to your hem. A longer distance between the two will make a longer line. And, a longer line naturally looks like a thinner line. (It's an optical illusion.) The illusion stops at your hemline, not the ground. So, wear your hemline as long as possible, whether it's a skirt or a pant.

 

3. Don't look at my shoes!

         OK, that was for dramatic effect. But, if your eye is drawn to your shoes, you want the shoe to be as neutral as possible. If your shoe is a color that draws attention, it cuts off the visual line of your pant or skirt, making your legs appear shorter.  If you have a shorter hem, you see where the hem ends, then bare skin, then you see shoe. The contrast of the different textures and materials will make your legs look shorter, which can make your hips look wider. Bottoms that meet and match your shoes, or a shoe that blends in with your skin tone, will visually elongate your leg.

 

4. Geometry of style.

         Whenever you emphasize your shoulders, you automatically make your waist look slimmer. (It's all about these optical illusions!) Broader shoulders make the contrast between the shoulders and the waist more noticeable, so the waist seems smaller.

 

5.  Go to the light.

         Anything light, bright, or shiny makes things look bigger. Anything dark or matte can make things look smaller. Therefore, wearing light, shiny, or bright on top draws attention up to your face. Wearing dark and matte on the bottom minimizes that area and keeps your eye from resting there.

 

6. Put it all on the line.

         Using or creating vertical or diagonal lines can make you look slimmer.  A straight hem can cut you off; a diagonal hem will slim and elongate.  Vertical or diagonal lines on a dress or tunic can make you look slimmer. Think of your line of sight as water. Any line that will hold water will hold your line of sight. Any line that water would run off of creates movement and, is therefore, slimming.

 

7. Its all relative.

         An outfit that is tight head-to-toe requires a figure most of us don't have. An outfit that's loose everywhere can add weight we don't need. Create contrast by using loose-fitting volume on top and a closer, tailored cut on the bottom. This makes the bottom-half look smaller by comparison. It also enables you to decide how long you want to wear the top, depending on what areas you're self-conscious about. {#emotions_dlg.biggrin}

 

8. Keep it simple.

         When dressing for creative slimming effects, keep it simple. Look for a flattering line more than a trendy detail. When in doubt, go for solids over prints. You can decide how much style you want to give it with your accessories.  But this makes sure the attention is on you, not your wardrobe. 

 

9. Triangulate.

         Wearing a shorter top and a pant that goes narrow at the ankle can make your hips look wider. Think of your hips as the top line of a triangle standing on its point (your feet). To make your hips look slimmer, balance out the triangle by using more volume at the ankle. The wide leg trouser jean we have coming up in the show this Friday night is a good example of this.

 

10. Your mother was right.

         Remember when your mother said you needed to have good posture? She was right. If you stand up straight, you'll look taller. Keeping your shoulders back will broaden your shoulders, which makes you look slimmer.  Standing with a straight back will make you look younger. Who knew good posture could be so good for your sense of well being?!

 

It's amazing what a difference we can make in our appearance with our clothes. We know this instinctively, which is one of the reasons we love clothes so much. But focusing and harnessing this can give us the ability to "cheat" on days we feel like we need a little help. {#emotions_dlg.biggrin} I hope you'll join me on Friday night at 10pm ET for The Lisa Robertson Show. I have pair of wide leg trouser jeans that are inspired by the ones I wear on the air on Monday nights as well as some pieces by Mark Zunino, who really knows how to flatter a girl's figure. I also have a brand new G.I.L.I.(TM) bag! It won't be available until the beginning of the show, but it's definitely one you won't want to miss.

 

See you soon!

—Lisa

 

P.S. Meet Cesar Galindo! This week's featured designer:

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