Life would be pretty boring if we all came in the same size and shape. But then with all the clothing choices out there, it’s sometimes hard to figure out what goes with your body type. I’ve put together a quick guide on what to wear based on your body type and size. Keep in mind you might need to take tips from more than one category (i.e. plus size with a boyish frame; tall with thick thighs, etc.)

If you’re still stumped, contact me.

Long Torso:
When it comes to looking your best, no matter what your body type is, you always have to remember that everything must balance and be proportioned. That said, if you have a long torso (meaning your top half is quite long while your legs are much shorter in length in comparison) in order to look balanced, you need to visually cut off some of the length of your torso. Now before you break out the Harry Houdini tricks to saw yourself in half, check out these pieces of clothing designed to cut some of the length off your torso while making your legs appear longer:

More Ann Taylor…

Long Torso Dressing Tips

1. A cute belt is the long-torso gal’s best friend because it allows you to create a waistline at a higher point than your own naturally lies. A non-belt option is to choose a top or dress with cinching or banding high enough on the torso area.

2. High-waisted pants, jeans, and skirts also have similar balancing effects on longer torsos since they allow the legs to appear longer than they are.

3. Steer clear of drop-waist dresses as they will further elongate your torso.

If you have a Short Torso, you do the exact opposite. You wear bottom that are lower waisted and tops that extend past your natural waist line to create the illusion of a longer torso.

Big Tummy:

Dressing to cover up a tummy isn’t as simple as finding the biggest shirt you can find to cover it up—what you want to do is find clothing that brings the eye to other fab areas like your arms or chest and that don’t cling to the belly. Check out these options:

More French Connection…

Steer clear of shiny fabrics around the tummy area—they’ll add visual weight. Also avoid horizontal stripes on your midsection–they’ll make the area appear wider. Diagonal lines, however, have a way of visually cutting items in a flattering half.

Boyish Frame:
Looking to create some curves without having to go under the knife? Look for curve-creating details like ruffles, draping, and cinched waistlines. Further accentuate your bod with height-defying pumps.

More Steve Madden…

Small Chest:
If you want to vamp up a small chest, look for ruffles and other textures at the neckline to visually create more curves at your bust. Also, exposing the top of your cleavage can make your chest appear larger.

More Old Navy…

Big Chest:
If you want to deemphasize a big bust, look for open necklines like V-necks or U-necks to help “seperate” your boobs and make them visually smaller. Like these:

More Banana Republic…

Thick Thighs:
If you’re more Beyonce than Kelly, chances are you need some tips on how to dress your thick thighs. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a pair of juicy thighs (heck, I have ‘em!), but you gotta know how to dress them right.

Quick Tips:

1. Sleek, tapered styles work best on the bottom. Steer clear of pleats, ruching, horizontal patterns, etc. as they can over-emphasize the thighs. Make sure hemlines on skirts do not end at the widest part of your thighs—this will only make your thighs appear wider. Instead go for knee-length pencil skirts.

2. Wear lighter colors on the top and keep the bottom darker–you’ll visually balance your frame out this way. Or go for a solid monochromatic color on top and bottom.

3. The leg opening on your jeans and pants will need to be slightly wide in order to balance out the curve of your thighs (i.e. boot cuts, wide legs, and trouser cuts are great for thick thighs).

More Asos…

The next few are body sizes. You will need to understand your body shape first before going straight for size. Sometimes you’ll need to incorporate many body dressing tips to accommodate your frame i.e. if you’re tall, have thick thighs, and small breasts; or plus size with big breasts and a long torso. Make sense? Good!

Plus Size:
If you’re plus size, know your body shape (you can be a plus-sized boyish frame or a plus-sized hour glass, etc.). But stay away from fabrics that are too loose and hang away from the body to avoid adding on visual pounds.

1. Make BFFs with a tailor. If you find it difficult to find great pieces off the rack (many of us can’t) a tailor can easily alter those items so that they fit you perfectly.

2. High heels are a good, but not the only way, to add visual height. Platforms are great for those who wobble in heels because they offer more of a flat structure to walk on. If you want to wear a flat, go for something minimal that either matches your skin tone or the color of your bottom (skirt, pants, etc.). With a plus-size frame, as with any frame, adding height visually sheds a few pounds and gives you a lean physique.

3. Be mindful of how you use color: dressing in one color has a very elongating effect on your body, but isn’t the only way to get visual length. Nude pantyhose and nude shoes also have a similar elongating effect on the legs. The more of your legs you show, the longer your legs look. And the longer your legs look, the taller and slimmer you will appear. Understand that wearing monochromatic colors on your bottom half have a similar effect of “showing more leg”.

As a plus-size hottie, don’t be afraid of color. Be bold in a hot pink dress or a bright red coat in the fall. You will look confident and confidence is always your best accessory.

4. Vertical lines are slimming as well as elongating. Try to create a vertical line in your dressing wherever possible. Horizontal lines are widening and shortening. Try to avoid them below the waist line (i.e. never tuck your jeans into a pair of tall boots–doing so forms a horizontal line at the knees that cuts your legs off and makes you look shorter and wider).

5. Understand scale. Since your features are likely on the larger side, your accessories should also be on the larger side so they complement your frame. Oversized bags and jewelry will look chic on a plus-size frame. When choosing prints (like polka dots or stripes) go for those on a bigger scale.

Check out some plus-size options, but remember you still need to follow the rules for your body type:

More Z. Cavaricci…

Petite
First things first when it comes to petites–it’s not a “fits all” category. Petite refers to a size, not a shape so you’ll still need to follow the tips for your body type and then follow the petite dressing tips shown below:

1. Make BFFs with a tailor. If you find it difficult to find great pieces off the rack (many of us can’t) a tailor can easily alter those items so that they fit you perfectly.

2. High heels are a good, but not the only way, to add visual height. Platforms are great for those who wobble in heels because they offer more of a flat structure to walk on. If you want to wear a flat, go for something minimal that either matches your skin tone or the color of your bottom (skirt, pants, etc.).

3. Be mindful of how you use color: dressing in one color has a very elongating effect on your body, but isn’t the only way to get visual length. Nude pantyhose and nude shoes also have a similar elongating effect on the legs. The more of your legs you show, the longer your legs look. And the longer your legs look, the taller and slimmer you will appear. Understand that wearing monochromatic colors on your bottom half have a similar effect of “showing more leg”.

4. Vertical lines are slimming as well as elongating. Try to create a vertical line in your dressing wherever possible. Horizontal lines are widening and shortening. Try to avoid them below the waist line (i.e. never tuck your jeans into a pair of tall boots–doing so forms a horizontal line at the knees that cuts your legs off and makes you look shorter and wider). Avoid skirts that are more than about 2? below the knee (unless they’re floor length) as they shorten the frame. Also avoid wearing capri pants with anything but a strappy sandal. Pair a capri pant with sneakers or worse ankle boots and prepare to lose nearly 4 inches of visual length.

5. Understand scale. Since your features are likely on the smaller side, your accessories should also be on the smaller side so they don’t overpower your frame. An oversized bag may be stylish, but it can swallow a petite. When choosing prints (like polka dots or stripes) go for those on a smaller scale.

6. Look your age. If you’re a petite who often feels like your frame makes you look a lot younger than you actually are, be sure your clothing is always perfectly tailored. The quickest way to look like you’re playing in mommy’s wardrobe is to wear a garment that is too big or too long for you. Also steer clear of wearing too much of soft colors like pink, yellow, and baby blue. Darker clothes exude more sophistication than their lighter counterparts. Play around with accessories like dramatic sunglasses (think Jackie O) and to-scale statement bags. Avoid “kiddie” articles like sneakers (unless you’re at the gym).

Check out some cool looks that come in petite sizes–remember, you still need to follow the rules for your body type:

More Asos…

Tall:
Look for tips on your overall shape in this guide and then look for pants/jeans that have 34″ inseam or longer. Lucky for us tall drinks of water, many designer jeans come with long inseams by default. Look at retailers like J. Crew, Gap, Alloy, and Old Navy who offer clothing in tall sizes so that your long sleeves don’t get mistaken for a 3/4 sleeve one again.

More Rock & Republic…

After my third and final week of wearing the CND Shellac manicure, I can honestly say this is definitely worth the money for how long they last. As the product claimed, there was no chipping or smudging (the only chipping I experienced is when I accidentally broke my thumb nail). My natural nails feel as strong as they usually are so no damage that I can see (I’ll do another update once it comes off). From the pics you can see the signs of wear are at the cuticle where the nails grew in.

As I mentioned before, the only downside is that they don’t come in a huge range of colors. And if you like to change your polish often, you might feel like this stays on too long. While I enjoyed it, I am looking forward to my regular manicure on Saturday—I’ve been dying for a color change…lol.

Check out the rest of the posts on CND Shellac.

This weekend marked the unofficial end of the summer (boooo *kicks rocks*). As much as I love fall fashion, I’m not a fan of how it can get dark by 4:30 P.M. here once Daylight Savings hits and don’t get me started on the super cold temps and all the snow. *sigh*

Anyway, let’s get into what I got….

More Peter Thomas Roth…

A few days shy of the start of the weekend, I picked up Peter Thomas Roth Oily Problem Skin Instant Mineral SPF30 after getting sunburn from being out all day at the Rock the Bells concert last weekend. The way my skin dried up and peeled look like I had lace front glue on my hair line–yikes! I know the importance of using sunscreen—heck, I even slathered it on all day, but forgot about my face. Plus who wants to mess up their makeup by putting sunscreen on over it? That’s why Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF30 is genius even though it needs some tweaking. It’s a mineral sunscreen which means since it’s in powder form, it can go over your makeup without much fuss. Great idea and I’m glad I bought it but the packaging needs a serious rethink. The brush is cool, but either you get too little product which makes you tap out more and then you get too much product and the excess can look ashy on darker skin tones. I’m gonna stick it out though and keep finding ways of getting the most out of the so-so packaging because sunscreen is one of the top things one needs in the fight against aging.

And I am aging right now as we speak.

I also needed a new Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Liner in Mat Black, but wanted to try something new and the mall I was in didn’t carry any MUFE (the nerve) so I decided to try out Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero. I’m pretty much a MUFE Aqua Eyes stan for life, but Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero is a good pencil—it’s waterproof and lasted all day even on my waterline.

Then on Saturday, the homey Lipstick Fashion and I met up in Soho. Prior to meeting up with her I slithered into H&M to check out their fall line. I honestly am liking the way H&M is going back to the store they used to be when they first touched down into the U.S. Some time ago you wouldn’t catch me in there shopping because everything looked so generic and very poorly made. But now? You can find some cool stuff—although I’m starting to notice a trend in all the new clothing stopping at size 10. I wear an 8 but for jackets and some tops, I like to take a 12 so that my back doesn’t bust through it…lol. What’s up with the lack of 12s and up, H&M???

Anyway, I picked up this cool strong-shoulder leopard print sweater:

But it’s way too itchy for my sensitive skin. And as my homey Tisha Cakes pointed out to me on twitter:

I’m still cracking UP over that tweet…lol. Yeah, it will be going back. Too bad because it’s so frigging cute!

I also got this blazer which I thought would be such a versatile piece in my fall wardrobe since it can be worn a gazillion times. But unfortunately, it’s gotta go back, too. It’s a little snug already on its own, but even adding a tee-shirt underneath makes it almost unbearable. *sigh*

Then I was off to Sephora where everything fits. I had the Murad Evening Renewal Regimen on my list so I made a bee-line for the skincare area and got it. The kit contains a 1.5 oz Renewing Cleansing Cream, a 0.5 oz Hydrating Toner, a 0.33 oz Age-Diffusing Serum, and a 0.5 oz Age-Balancing Night Cream.

According to Murad:

With the Murad Evening Renewal Regimen, healthier, brighter, and more youthful-looking skin is within your reach. This simple three-step regimen helps rejuvenate and rebalance hormonally-aging skin overnight.

I saw my sister’s friend’s skin looking exceptional great—it was practically glowing (a healthy glow—not a shiny one at that) and she told me this is what she used. I popped it open last night and when I got up this morning, definitely noticed a change in my skin—it’s definitely more radiant.

Then following the recommendation from Lipstick Fashion, I also picked up Ole Henriksen Truth To Go Wipes. I haven’t used makeup wipes since my MAC ones ran out at the beginning of this year and pretty much just used cleansers that were great enough to also remove makeup. These are pretty good—they didn’t get every last trace of liner off, but they did make my skin feel firm afterwards—I’m guessing from the anti-aging ingredients.

Then because Clinique was giving these super cute Milly makeup bags with a $25 purchase, I pepperseeded down to Bloomingdale’s and picked up Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips and Clinique Pore Minimizer T-Zone Shine Control.

More Clinique…

Well, that’s all folks. What did you do/buy this weekend?

P.S. Don’t forget to enter in the Perricone MD Serum Prep Giveaway for The Style and Beauty Doctor Facebook Fans.

One lucky The Style and Beauty Doctor Facebook Fan will be the recipient of Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals Serum Prep! A $125 value.

Serum Prep is a unique face lifting serum containing high levels of DMAE that helps to firm and tone skin, while dramatically diminishing the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles. Also formulated with Phospholipids to hydrate and help repair more damaged skin. Serum Prep enhances the benefits of all Perricone MD treatments. Paraben-free.

All you have to do to enter is “like” The Style and Beauty Doctor on Facebook and leave a comment in the Serum Prep giveaway on Facebook! Any additional comments or posts you leave on The Style and Beauty Doctor Facebook wall will count as additional entries.

Contest ends Friday, September 10th at 11:59 P.M. EST and a winner will be notified via Facebook message. Must be a U.S. or Canadian resident to enter.

Also check out the Perricone MD Blog for tips on how to get younger looking skin.

Not a Facebook Fan yet? Go to www.facebook.com/thestyleandbeautydoctor and click on the “like” button at the top of the page.

Good luck!

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