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…

We’ve all seen movies and TV shows like The Devil Wears Prada, Girlfriends, and Sex and the City, right? Who hasn’t drooled over some of the wardrobes that characters like Miranda Preistly, Joan Clayton, Carrie Bradshaw, and Andy Sachs (post-makeover) wore?

Now who here dresses like that at least part of the time at your own job?

If you’re like me and work in a conservative industry (I’m in finance and it’s no wonder that a few years ago I veered to the left to become a stylist and makeup artist, albeit part-time) you likely have somewhat of a strict dress code. My dress code includes suits, nothing above the knee, pantyhose with skirts (although I’ve gotten away without wearing any in certain offices), closed-toe shoes (although I’ve gotten away with open-toes at certain offices), no cleavage, and hair must be dyed natural colors–you know BOR-ING stuff. I also see clients all day so I can’t walk into work looking like I’d actually want to (with facial piercings and bright pink hair….just kidding…lol), so I have to be conscious about what I put on yet since I’m a creative spirit I have to let my personality shine through my wardrobe.

So if you work in a similarly conservative environment, here’s what you do:

1. Think basics with a twist. Who says you must don the basic white button down blouse all the time? And who says it has to be white? Try pretty options like these under your suit jackets instead:

First row (from left to right):Miu Miu Pussy bow shirt at net-a-porter.com; Vivienne Westwood Red Label Popeline collar cotton shirt at net-a-porter.com; Vince Cascading ruffle blouse at net-a-porter.com; 3.1 Phillip Lim Smocked-bib tuxedo shirt at net-a-porter.com

Second row (from left to right):Silk Pleated Top at Banana Republic; BR Monogram Tuxedo Blouse at Banana Republic; Short-Sleeve Pleated Blouse at Banana Republic; Silk Pin Tucked Blouse at Banana Republic.

Third row (from left to right):Women’s Plus Lightweight Ruffle Tops at Old Navy; Women’s Tie-Waist Linen-Blend Tops at Old Navy; Women’s Cowl-Neck Tops at Old Navy; Women’s Sleeveless V-Neck Tops at Old Navy.

2. Don’t think a suit must consist of a jacket and matching pants or skirt. Think outside the box and go with different shapes and prints. Don’t be afraid to mix and match–force yourself to never wear a matching suit together again!

First row (from left to right):Marc by Marc Jacobs Tweed cropped blazer at net-a-porter.com; Vera Wang Tartan print jacket at net-a-porter.com; Oscar de la Renta Silk pleated sleeve jacket at net-a-porter.com; Matthew Williamson Cotton cropped jacket at net-a-porter.com.

Second row (from left to right):Marc Jacobs Chain detail bouclé jacket at net-a-porter.com; Vivienne Westwood Red Label Stretch wool blazer at net-a-porter.com; Textured funnel jacket at Banana Republic; Peplum jacket at Banana Republic.

Third row (from left to right):Cotton mandarin-collar jacket at Banana Republic; Crocodile cocktail jacket at J. Crew; Casette-tweed Marcel jacket at J. Crew; Crocodile cocktail cardigan at J. Crew.

3. Don’t forget to accessorize! Choose a big, bright bag over a brieface—it can hold all your belongings and it adds punch to your outfit.

First row (from left to right):Miu Miu Bow detail tote at net-a-porter.com; Miu Miu Matellasse tote at net-a-porter.com; Chloe Shelby shoulder bag at net-a-porter.com.

Second row (from left to right):Marc by Marc Jacobs City Bag tote at net-a-porter.com; Marc Jacobs Robert canvas tote at net-a-porter.com; BSweet at Steve Madden.

Third row (from left to right):BTina at Steve Madden; BSelma at Steve Madden; BHOTSTUDHB at Steve Madden.

First row (from left to right):Tayla at Steve Madden; Tantlize at Steve Madden; Fortay at Steve Madden.

Second row (from left to right):Bijoux Heart Stone embellished necklace at net-a-porter.com; Square Stackable Rings at Banana Republic; YSL Arty Dots ring at net-a-porter.com.

Third row (from left to right):Barrel Cuff at Banana Republic; Hammered disc snake necklace at Banana Republic; Coin Bib Necklace at Banana Republic.

Knowing your measurements is extremely important when shopping for clothing, especially when shopping online or going vintage. There’s no standardized size system in the U.S. so you can be a size 12 in one brand, and an 8 in another. So to help, I found this really easy-to-do guide from the Curvy Counselor:

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 2-5 minutes

Grab your tools.

You’ll need a cloth tape measure, a piece of string, paper and pencil or pen and a mirror for best results.

MEASURE YOUR BUST:
Take this measurement wearing your everyday bra. Facing the mirror, wrap the tape measure around your back and bring forward to the fullest part of your bust. Check the mirror to make sure you’ve got a straight line. Now write that number down as bust with everyday bra.

Remember to take this measurement again if you plan on wearing a different type of bra.

FIND YOUR NATURAL WAIST:
Your natural waistline is easy to find using a string. Tie the string so it’s snug but comfortable around your waist. Now bend to each side. The string will move to your natural waistline. Check the mirror. This time the line may not be straight and that’s fine. Pick up your tape and measure over the string exactly where it is. Make sure not to hold your breath or pull the tape too tight.

Jot this down as your natural waist.

MEASURE YOUR HIP:
What you want here is the absolute fullest part of your low hip. Stand with your feet together. Check yourself both front and side in the mirror to make sure you’ve got your fullest hip and that the tape measure is straight.

Call this low hip and write your number down.

FIND YOUR INSEAM:
Your inseam is measured crotch to ankle on the inside of your leg. Start at your anklebone and measure up. This is easiest with a partner. If you want to go it alone, start at the ankle and measure up. You can take this in two parts if needed: from your anklebone to where your knee bends and from that spot up to your crotch. Use the mirror and double check.

Call this inseam and note your number.

TIPS ON HOW TO TAKE BODY MEASUREMENTS:

* For accurate results, wear only your undergarments.
* Want to see a big difference in your measurements? Repeat the process wearing shapewear. See what happens!

Matte Jersey Dress at Old Navy. Wool Blend Trench Coat at Old Navy. Classic Rise “The Flirt” Boot Cut Jeans at Old Navy. V-Neck 1/2 Sleeve Sweater at Old Navy. Alexander McQueen Blow Oversized Hobo Bag at Old Navy. Brian Atwood Cosmic Bis Ankle Boots at net-a-porter.com

Being a plus-sized fashionista is NOT an oxymoron! Wearing a size 14 or larger is not the end of a perfectly stylish world. While full-figured women have more style options available now than in the past, in my opinion there is still room for improvement in plus-size departments–so creativity is key. 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 on the right panel) 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!

Check out other Love Your Body posts:
For Skinny Girls
For Curvy Girls

Next up in our Love Your Body series is for the skinny ladies out there! Now skinny girls get a bad rap, too–often being accused of achieving their svelte status via unhealthy means, often being insinuated as not being “real women”, and assumed to have no problems at all because of their frame. Unfair. Remember, it’s all about appreciating all the different body types out there, yet still loving the body you have and keeping it healthy no matter your size.

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.

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Jabot Herringbone Coat at net-a-porter.com. Moschino Cheap & Chic Fishtail Pencil Skirt at net-a-porter.com. Moschino Bow Detail Blouse at net-a-porter.com. RM by Roland Mouret Kleber Mohair Dress at net-a-porter.com. Bpossh Satchel at Steve Madden