Dressing for Skinny - Avoiding Fashion Faux Pas!

Article written by Gloria Cabrera.

How many of us have clothes in our wardrobe that we have been wearing for what seems like centuries. We wear them because we feel comfortable. In fact these clothes may have been our fashion friend before we stacked on the weight or the turn of the century so to speak. They could be all we have known for a long time. While a fashion once friend may have looked good at the time or even suited you at your previous weight, could it be a foe in more modern times? Could your favourite striped pastel top really be doing you an injustice? Let’s take a look at a few skinny do’s and don’ts that will help you avoid those little fashion faux pas!

Skinny Do’s

Wear darker colours! The good old classic do. This doesn’t mean you are doomed to wear black all year round, try wearing chocolate browns and navy blues or clothes with darker hues.^{1, 2}
Go vertical! Vertical stripes give the illusion of slimness while horizontal strips can draw attention to width.^{1, 3} Choose narrow vertical stripes e.g. pin stripes rather than broad stripes and avoid striped clothing that is clingy or tight as these can accentuate any bulge.³
Try clothes with patterns. Patterns can be a very useful way of camouflaging unwanted bulges. Height can play a part in determining the size of the pattern that best suits. Shorter people should try and stick to smaller patterns while taller people can get away with patterns that are a bit larger. As a general rule, smaller patterns tend to be more flattering than larger ones.^{1, 2}
Make sure you wear the right underwear! Wear supportive underwear that pull the tummy in and avoid those that are too tight as these can create bulges and unwanted underwear lines.³
Wear clothes that are your size. Clothes that are too big can add weight whereas those too tight can accentuate your weight.¹
Add heels! Heels can add height which can actually help you look thinner.² If stilettos aren’t your style, try chunky heels, these do the job, are easy to walk in and won’t throw off your balance either!²
Posture, posture, posture! A bad posture can add kilos so stand up straight, suck your tummy in and pull your shoulders back. No slouching!³
Wear clothes that you are comfortable in. Wearing clothes you are uncomfortable in can have a downing effect on your self confidence. So avoid clothes that aren’t you. This doesn’t mean never try anything new, rather stick to things that are flattering for your shape and your confidence will shine through!³
Accessorise. Use accessories to divert attention from problem areas e.g. an accessory around an area that you like will draw attention there and away from an area you’re not so happy with. As a general rule, accessories that draw down rather than out are more slimming.¹

Skinny Don’ts

Don’t wear all white, very light or pale colours! Use these as underlying colours only.²
Avoid horizontal strips at all costs. Turn those stripes around and go vertical! Horizontal stripes can create a widening effect.¹
Avoid ‘in’ clothing if it doesn’t suit you! Just because it’s in at the moment, doesn’t mean it’s for you! Not all fashions suit all body types, choose clothing styles that flatter your body shape and not because they are the latest hot item! Fashions fade.³
Avoid clothes that divide your body into sections. Using too many different colours can have this effect. Try and make your body appear as a single unit by choosing matching colours or wearing dresses.³
Forget short tight jackets as these tend to accentuate your hips. Choose jackets that go to your hips. Aim for a jacket that falls about 5cm below the hips.²

When it comes to fashion, your wardrobe can be both friend or foe but by using some simple tricks of the trade you can put together a flattering outfit that gives a slimming effect as opposed to one that adds kilos. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable in what you are wearing as this will give you the confidence to pull off almost anything. More tips in a future article in this series!

References

Baker, Scott, August 2006. The Skinny on Dressing Slimmer [Online]. Available at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/50409/the_skinny_on_dressing_slimmer_pg3.html?cat=46 [Accessed 27th April 2009].
Rauh, Sherry, 2005. Spring Fashions That Flatter [Online]. Available at http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56113 [Accessed 27th April 2009].
wikiHow, 2009. How to Dress to Make Yourself Look Skinnier [Online]. Available http://www.wikihow.com/Dress-to-Make-Yourself-Look-Skinnier [Accessed 27th April 2009].

Last updated 30 October 2009