The early 90’s era of statuesque models like Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Kate Moss shepherded in an obsession with rail-thin, waif-like body types. Soon enough voluptuous goddess-like Victoria’s secret angels followed the supermodel era, only to be superseded by the onslaught of picture-perfect, air-brushed social media vixens that saturated social networks and T.V shows. Body shapes have long been a battle between light and dark, as women all over the world began to vie for the perfect body through fad diets, plastic surgeons’ offices, and rigorous exercise routines. While the demands upon the female body have not slowed down in today’s culture, more and more women are stepping up to embrace their unique body shapes and celebrate a body-positive attitude.
In fact, more and more it is becoming self-evident that the perfect body does not exist…however, the perfect style does! No need to starve yourself, go under the knife, or spend hours in the gym to get the perfect body….rather it’s time to embrace clothes that accentuate the unique assets that you already have! In today’s post, you’ll learn how to dress to highlight the best parts of your unique and beautiful body to illuminate your favorite body parts.
Show Off Your Waist
If you have a well-defined waist that you love and you want to bring attention to it, there are a few tricks you can use to show off your midsection. A great option is to incorporate belts that cinch at your midriff. Wear a high-waisted belt with a blouse, or over a jacket or dress. Side-tie wrap dresses, fluid draping dresses or tunics, and waistbands that dip in the middle will call attention to the waist and hug your frame. Moreover, you can add impact with sharp color contrast combos. For example, try muted colored tops with dark skirts.
Stay Away From: baggy clothing, formless tunics, and unstructured dresses that hide your figure, A-lines, and untucked tops!
Flaunt Your Legs
If you’re opting to flaunt your shapely or long legs, high-waisted skirts will always make legs appear longer, shorts always go well with sexy legs, and can be paired with flats, while strapless and skin tone heels create a continuous and sleek vertical line. Other options to expose your legs include sheer or opaque tights and slimming pencil skirts that hit the knee.
Steer Clear Of: loose capris, which will shorten legs, mid-calf-length skirts that take away from leg length, and remember not to opt for revealing tops like tube tops or midi’s, as to keep arms covered. This ensures that attention stays on your legs.
Highlight Your Arms
If you have toned and sleek arms it makes perfect sense that you’d want to show them off! By wearing tops that frame and contour your arms, you can add length to them and define your shoulders. Try romantic ruffles that accentuate the arms, a one-shoulder strap dress or shirt, and strappy tanks and dresses. Also, use color to your advantage. By keeping bottoms dark, and tops light you’ll naturally draw the eye upward.
Keep At Arm’s Length: Ensure that you’re not adding unwanted weight with full bell sleeves, peasant blouses, or chunky sweaters.
Flatter Your Chest
If you want to flatter your chest without revealing too much, opt for V-necks, unbuttoned collar shirts, well-fitting bras, sweetheart necklines, and sculpted bodices. Clothing should add dimension and definition, and create the illusion of a lean torso. Remember that exposing collarbones can sometimes be just as sexy, if not sexier, than exposing the bust! You can also try multi-strand and layered necklaces to draw more attention upward.
Refrain From: Anything that creates a shapeless and bulky top, cloaks your bust line or hits above the collarbone, like high neckline tops and turtlenecks.
Bring Out Your Buttocks
If you want to highlight your bum try flirty ruching along the back, simple back pockets with sexy contoured seams, seamless underwear, snug pieces, and thin fabrics. You can also accent your curves with cropped jackets that hit slightly above your waistline.
Fight Shy Of: Pants with flap back pockets and long blouses that don’t hug your curves or hide your bum.
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