A coat is definitely the winter item you want to splurge on since you can make quite a fashion statement with one (yet be totally dressed like a bum underneath it). But if you don’t choose the right coat, you’ll be giving off the statement of ‘I don’t care how I look’.

Let’s dig in….

Petite:
Please note that Petite is a special size not a body type so you will still need to pay attention to the other tips for your body type and then scale them down for your frame. The ideal coat length is anything above the knee. You want to show as much “leg” as possible to appear long and lean (you can also achieve this by wearing shoes and pants in the same color). Go for bold colored solids and avoid very large prints that will swallow your frame.

George Simonton Studio Convertible Stand Collar Jacket

Big Breasts:
Wrap coats work best on a large chest. The diagonal line created by the wrap helps to minimize the bust. Avoid jackets with big buttons or prints on the bust line.

Andrew Marc ‘Kelsey’ Double Breasted Cape Coat

Plus-Size:
Always remember plus-size is not a one size fits all category (i.e. you can be plus size and petite, plus size and have a boyish frame, etc). Follow the tips for the other body types, but since you’re plus-size, be sure to go for coats that hug your frame as opposed to trying to hide your body in an oversized coat. Be bold with color and make sure any details are to scale (i.e. small prints on a plus-size frame will make the body seem larger).

Gallery ‘Tapestry’ Walking Coat (Plus)

Long Torso:
If your torso is noticeably longer than your legs, you’ll need a coat with an empire waist to help visually shorten your torso and lengthen your gams. Wearing bottoms and shoes that are the same color will further help to elongate your legs.

Jessica Simpson Double Flap Pocket Coat

Short Torso:
If your torso is noticeably shorter than your legs, grab a coat that has detailing that sits lower on the waist to help balance out your frame.

Calvin Klein Double Breasted Walking Coat

Boyish Frame:
To visually add curves to a boyish frame, go for a form-fitting coat with extra detailing. Excess material and details like pockets on the hip area will help give the appearance of curves.

Mackage Stand Collar Jacquard Walking Coat

Maternity:
A-line and wrap coats are ideal to keep your baby bump warm and chic.

Kristen Blake A-Line Topper

Whether you’re big or small, I’ve got the 411 on what to wear to make your twins look great!

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

Check out these examples:

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:

Not just for keeping your pants from falling off your waist, belts are multi-function, coveted fashion accessories. However, when done wrong a belt can make even those with good intentions look like a squeezed tube of Pillsbury biscuits (yikes!). So how do you wear a belt without looking like the Michelin Tire Man? I’ve compiled some style tips on how to wear a belt the right way. Read on!

1. Scale. First things first, scale is SUPER important to understand when it comes to wearing a belt. Generally, the larger your frame, the larger the belt. A super big and too-wide belt will drown a petite frame while a very thin skinny belt can add unnecessary visual poundage to a plus-size frame.

2. Positioning. Where you place your belt is also very important or you can risk looking a lot larger than you intended. Avoid placing a belt on the widest part of your body. The horizontal line belts form make anything placed on it appear bigger and wider.

To balance out a body with a short torso, place your belt lower on the body to give some visual balance. For a long torso, place the belt higher on the body to give the appearance of a balanced frame. The “ideal” shape to go for is the hourglass shape (shoulders and hips in proportion to a defined waist).

Also ladies, please, if you have ample sized breasts, avoid putting a wide belt directly underneath them.

3. Styling. There are times when adding a belt to an outfit is overkill. The idea is to keep your look balanced so the eye grazes over it easy as opposed to having too many things for the eye to focus on. For instance, if you’re wearing long, detailed earrings, it’s safe to say to nix the belt or vice versa. Also avoid being too matchy-matchy: red earrings with a red belt and red bracelets is overkill! Your belt also need not match your shoes, they just need to agree (i.e. complementary colors)

I’ve been like the girl who hesitates to jump in the double dutch rope when it came to writing this post. The crazy weather we’ve been having (70 degrees one day, 30 degrees the next) made it difficult to decipher whether or not we were having an early winter or a late summer! I finally jumped in the rope (20 points to whoever can name some of the different “jumps” involved in double dutch) and here I am breaking down winter coats to check out for your body type. A coat is definitely the winter item you want to splurge on since you can make quite a fashion statement with one (yet be totally dressed like a bum underneath it). But if you don’t choose the right coat, you’ll be giving off the statement of ‘I don’t care how I look’.

Let’s dig in….

Petite:
Please note that Petite is a special size not a body type so you will still need to pay attention to the other tips for your body type and then scale them down for your frame. The ideal coat length is anything above the knee. You want to show as much “leg” as possible to appear long and lean (you can also achieve this by wearing shoes and pants in the same color). Go for bold colored solids and avoid very large prints that will swallow your frame.

George Simonton Studio Convertible Stand Collar Jacket

Big Breasts:
Wrap coats work best on a large chest. The diagonal line created by the wrap helps to minimize the bust. Avoid jackets with big buttons or prints on the bust line.

Andrew Marc ‘Kelsey’ Double Breasted Cape Coat

Plus-Size:
Always remember plus-size is not a one size fits all category (i.e. you can be plus size and petite, plus size and have a boyish frame, etc). Follow the tips for the other body types, but since you’re plus-size, be sure to go for coats that hug your frame as opposed to trying to hide your body in an oversized coat. Be bold with color and make sure any details are to scale (i.e. small prints on a plus-size frame will make the body seem larger).

Gallery ‘Tapestry’ Walking Coat (Plus)

Long Torso:
If your torso is noticeably longer than your legs, you’ll need a coat with an empire waist to help visually shorten your torso and lengthen your gams. Wearing bottoms and shoes that are the same color will further help to elongate your legs.

Jessica Simpson Double Flap Pocket Coat

Short Torso:
If your torso is noticeably shorter than your legs, grab a coat that has detailing that sits lower on the waist to help balance out your frame.

Calvin Klein Double Breasted Walking Coat

Boyish Frame:
To visually add curves to a boyish frame, go for a form-fitting coat with extra detailing. Excess material and details like pockets on the hip area will help give the appearance of curves.

Mackage Stand Collar Jacquard Walking Coat

Maternity:
A-line and wrap coats are ideal to keep your baby bump warm and chic.

Kristen Blake A-Line Topper

Big boobs: 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.

Small boobs: If you want to vamp up a small chest, look for ruffles and other textures at the neckline to visually created more curves at your bust.

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.

Boyish Frame: To dress a slender frame, look for clothing that mimics curves like well-tailored jackets, cinching at the waist, and details like ruffles and pleating to visually create curves.

Long Torso: 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. 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. Steer clear of drop-waist dresses as they will further elongate your torso.

Petite: High Heels and a Tailor are always your best friends. If you want to wear a flat, go for something minimal and strappy that shows off your skin. Be mindful of how you use color: dressing in one color from head-to-toe has a very elongating effect on your body. Nude panythose and nude shoes also have a similar elongating effect (i.e. Say you want to wear a cute pair of capri pants. In order to avoid making yourself look shorter, pair them with a shoe that shows off the most amount of skin as opposed to say a sneaker). 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.

Plus-Size: If you’re plus-sized, look for clothing that is close to the body; trying to hide your fabulous figure underneath baggy clothing will only make you appear larger. Keep clothing simple and add stylish accessories like bags and shoes to make an outfit pop. Keep proportion in mind when dressing your body–plus-sized bodies come in different categories, too (small/large breasts, short/long torsos, petite/tall, etc.) and dress for them accordingly. Check the categories (listed at the top) on this blog such as big breasts, big tummy, long torso, and what to wear if to get additional style tips that can also be used for plus-sizes.

Shopping online for full-figured fashions has become easy thanks to So What If: The Ultimate Guide to Plus-Size Fashion!

Thick Thighs: 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. Wear lighter colors on the top and keep the bottom darker–you’ll visually balance your frame out this way. 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).