The Style & Beauty Doctor: Style and Beauty Tips, Dressing for Your Body, How to Apply Makeup, MAC, NARS » thick thighs http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:36:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 New Levi’s Curve ID Jeans http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/08/new-levis-curve-id-jeans/ http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/08/new-levis-curve-id-jeans/#comments Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:22:58 +0000 Danielle http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/?p=19974 Read the Rest...]]> “I’m somethin’ every girl gotta have like Levi’s“–Jay-Z “Who You Wit?”

America’s most well known denim brand has just gotten more consumer friendly. Got a itty bitty waist but got much booty? Try their Bold Curve line. Does the waist of most jeans fit you, but the jean doesn’t flatter you? Try Demi Curve!

Almost like walking into an old school lingerie shop where you’re fitted by a skilled associate with tape measure in hand, Levi’s is changing the way we buy denim and have aptly called it Curve ID. Walk into a Levi’s store for a fitting and an associate will take quick yet calculated measurements of your waist and hips. The differences between the measurements will have you in one of three (or a cross between two) categories: Slim Curve, Demi Curve, and Bold Curve. Curve ID utilizes a revolutionary fit system based on shape, not size and was created as a result of studying more than 60,000 body scans and listening to women around the world of all shapes and sizes. Yes, Sixty thou–you read that right!

Once you’ve been fitted for your curve, you shop for different jeans styles, washes, and inseams in easy to find and clearly marked sections specifically for your curve.

Slight Curve – designed to celebrate straight figures
Slight Curve is designed to define a woman’s waist, while accentuating her curves. If jeans usually fit in the hips and thighs but are too tight in the waist, a woman should try the Slight Curve.

Demi Curve – designed to fit even proportions
Demi Curve is designed to flatter a woman’s waist, while smoothing her shape. If jeans usually fit in the waist, but don’t flatter the figure, a woman should try the Demi Curve.

Bold Curve – designed to honor genuine curves
Bold Curve is designed to hug the waist, without gapping or pulling. If jeans usually fit in the hips and thighs, but gap in the back, a woman should try the Bold Curve.

I’m 5’9″ normally wear a 29 waist in jeans, need at least a 34″ inseam (or longer–can’t have my ankles catching a cold) and have a normal waist with defined hips and thighs. I was measured as Demi Curve. I usually find that jeans that have a tiny bit of stretch work best for me otherwise I’ll have to size up in the absence of it. The Demi Curve bootcut jeans? Perfect! The Demi Curve skinny jeans? Couldn’t even get them past my thighs in a size 29….lol. But it sure was easy (and fun) finding a whole section dedicated to my frame.

At the end of the night I was gifted a pair of Demi Curve Straight Leg jeans. My hips and height (and slight lack of the bootay) say thank you!

To find your local Levi’s store and get your curves measured, check out www.levi.com

Photos: Phillip Angert

]]> http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/08/new-levis-curve-id-jeans/feed/ 12 Pants for Your Body Type http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/08/pants-for-your-body-type/ http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/08/pants-for-your-body-type/#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:19:15 +0000 Danielle http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/?p=19854 Read the Rest...]]>

The Style and Beauty Doctor reader Cassandra recently asked on Talk Amongst Yourselves or Ask Me a Question, “Hey Danielle could you possibly do an article similar to Jeans for Every Body but focusing on dress pants? I think that having examples as you have in Jeans for Everybody would be helpful especially for people shopping at different price points.”

Sure! Here goes…

If you have a big tummy, you’ll want a pant with a little bit of stretch and very little to no embellishments at the waist. Look for plain flat front pants that fit slightly off the waist. Anything too tight or that gathers near the tummy will only make your it appear wider. Also try to avoid large side pockets as they’ll make your waist look wider and your stomach bigger as a result.

If you have a short torso, you’ll want to create balance with a lower waist. This helps to visually cut off the legs and add more length at the torso.

If you have a long torso, do the opposite as above—go for pants with a higher waist to help visually cut off the length of your torso and help your legs appear longer for a balanced look.

If you have thick thighs/hips look for smooth, plain front pants with a wider leg opening. Avoid side pockets or horizontal patterns near the thighs like the plague as they’ll only make you look wider. Look for pants that either fit at the natural waist or are a little on the low waist side. Also look for some stretch in the material.

If you have a boyish frame, add visual curves with volume in your fabric particularly in the hip and thigh area. Many pants in this style are on trend right now so be sure to check them out.

If you have a big booty, go for pants with a little bit of stretch to them and that have few embellishments on the back. Avoid horizontal stripes, busy patterns, and pockets on the sides (your derrière can caused them to pull back) and on the back.

If you’re petite, understand that it’s a size and not a shape. You’ll still need to follow the tips for your body type but look for shorter inseams to properly fit your frame. A petite inseam is normally 32″ or shorter. You’ll want to give the illusion of a long, lean body so avoid things that can shorten you like cuffs (the horizontal line they make visually cuts you off).

If you’re plus size, like petite, understand that plus size is a size not a shape. Still follow the tips for your body type. Remember to keep things in scale, so if you go for a pattern, make sure the print is on the larger size–but be conscious of how the patterns look on your body (like other bodies, avoid them in areas that are larger). Horizontal lines or stripes can be tricky as they shorten and widen a frame.

Stuck? Leave a comment or contact me.

]]> http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/08/pants-for-your-body-type/feed/ 3 Dressing for Your Body Type: Plus, Petite, and Beyond http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/05/dressing-for-your-body-type-plus-petite-and-beyond/ http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/05/dressing-for-your-body-type-plus-petite-and-beyond/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 16:17:47 +0000 Danielle http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/?p=16036 Read the Rest...]]>

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:

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:

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.

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.

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:

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).

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:

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:

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.

]]> http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/05/dressing-for-your-body-type-plus-petite-and-beyond/feed/ 3 Summer Skirts for Your Body Type http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/05/summer-skirts-for-your-body-type/ http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/05/summer-skirts-for-your-body-type/#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 16:03:09 +0000 Danielle http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/?p=17577 Read the Rest...]]>

Looking for some cute skirts to add to your summer wardrobe? Check these out and then keep scrolling for tips on what works for your body type.

Note that plus sizes and petites are body sizes not body shapes. You still need to find what works with your body shape no matter what size it is.

1. Thick thighs/wide hips: Go for tapered skirts like pencil skirts that go straight down which help to make your thighs and hips look more slender. Avoid a-lines and ruffles on the thigh area as they will only add visual bulk to the area. Also avoid horizontal prints or hems that end at your widest area.

2. Boyish shapes: Go for a-lines and ruffles/ruching/fabric gathering which adds visual curves. Avoid vertical lines which will make your frame look even less curvy.

3. Prints: Genereally the larger your frame, the larger any prints on your skirts should be.

4. Petites: You will need to dress for your body shape, but go for lengths that are no longer than right above the knee to give you visual height. Avoid horizontal lines (formed by socks and ankle strapped shoes) below the knee as they will cut off your frame and make you appear even shorter.

5. Plus Sizes: Like petites, you will need to dress for your body shape, but go for larger prints that are to scale with your frame. Avoid going too tight or too loose with your skirts. Don’t be afraid of color.

6. Long/Short Torso: Long torsos should go for high-waisted skirts to create a more balanced waist line while short torsos should go for lower-waisted skirts to create a longer torso.

7. Big Tummy: Look for draping or diagonal lines along the tummy area to help slim a problem stomach.

]]> http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/05/summer-skirts-for-your-body-type/feed/ 11 Try This: Sculptz Shapely Perfection Shaper Top Tights http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/03/try-this-sculptz-shapely-perfection-shaper-top-tights/ http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/03/try-this-sculptz-shapely-perfection-shaper-top-tights/#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:12:47 +0000 Danielle http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/?p=15853 Read the Rest...]]>

If you’re like me and find shapewear tights too restricting, uncomfortable, and never ever stay in place, then try out Sculptz Shapely Perfection Shaper Top Tights. The tights slim and smooth out your legs and thighs and even give your booty a little lift. And best of all, they don’t look like your grandmother’s body shapers of the past—they actually come in cute designs like chevrons, animal print, herringbone, and come in a variety of opaque colors. Sculptz sent a pair over to me for consideration and I like the way I could be smoothed down and not feel like I needed to break out my inhaler.

Sculptz also offers a variety of other shaping products from leggings, shorts, camis, bras, and slips. They also come in the following sizes:

Legwear
Size Weight/Height/Hips
S Up to 120 lbs. 4’10″-5’4″
M Up to 140 lbs. 5’2″-5″9″
L Up to 180 lbs. 5’6″-6’1″
XL Up to 240 lbs. Hip sizes to 54″
XXL Up to 300 lbs, Hip sizes to 62″

Shapewear
Size Cup Size
S (4-6) B-C
M (8-10) B-D
L (12-14) C-DD
XL (16-18) C-DD
XXL(20-22) C-DD

Check them out at sculptz.com

]]> http://www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com/2010/03/try-this-sculptz-shapely-perfection-shaper-top-tights/feed/ 2