Many styling tricks are known and used by the most fashionable women. It isn't that they have perfect bodies. They just know how to guide your gaze to their best features.
Women over fifty often complain about the sudden thickening of the waistline. Welcome to my world! I weighed nine pounds and eleven ounces at birth; my thick waistline has been my nemesis ever since. This means I have been using tummy hiding tricks for a very long time.
One such trick is to half-tuck your shirt. When you leave a shirt with a straight hem entirely tucked or untucked, you create a straight, bold horizontal line, usually at the widest portion of your body. This line guides the eye to look there at your middle in all its glory.
I created this collage to demonstrate this point. All of the pants and tops are the same size. In the center, I replaced the crew neck tee with an open jacket. (Imagine a low scoop neck shorter black tank under the jacket in the middle.)
Do you see how varying the hem length of your top or layers of tops create the illusion of being more slender?
A bold horizontal line or break at or near the waistline makes you look shorter and wider because it visually cuts your body in half. That is why I am a fan of wearing or creating the illusion of asymmetric or broken up hemlines in my tops. The diagonal line is so much more flattering than a single straight horizontal one. A jacket, cardigan, or vest is worn open over a shorter or longer tank is a look you see me often wear for this reason.
To get this effect, just tuck a little of the hem of the shirt into your waistband and let it fall softly back in place. This styling trick makes your legs look longer and removes the focus from your waistline. I also love a V-neckline for its ability to lengthen.
The three-quarter length sleeves are the next slimming trick. Showing your forearms further breaks up the straight line created across your middle by your clothing. When your sleeves and your hemline end simultaneously, it creates a solid, horizontal line.
Even my hair is cut in a diagonal line, as you can see from the photo below. Hairstyles should be considered in a full-length mirror because balance is imperative for your overall look. A good stylist understands this and will give you a cut that creates balance and harmony from head to toe. (Imagine a petite woman with long full bushy hair that visually seems too heavy for her small body to carry.)
I hope that these tips help you to get dressed with more confidence every day.
The top was provided by Covered Perfectly. The jacket and jeggings are old from Chico's. The Ralph Lauren bag was from 6pm.com last year. The Vince Camuto sandals are several years old from Nordstrom.
