Figure-Flattering Fashion

SHOW SOME SKIN

You'd think that covering up would be flattering, but actually, broad expanses of fabric only serve to visually enlarge your shape. Three-quarter sleeve T-shirts, V-neck tops, bare backs, and knee-length or shorter skirts all allow your shape to be seen, not smothered.

WEAR HEELS WITH YOUR JEANS

Ever wonder why you see this look again and again, on celebs, in ads, in magazines? Because done right, it makes every woman look longer and leaner. Most flattering: straight-leg or bootcut jeans that sit on your hips (as opposed to your waist or below your hipbone) and cover your instep when you're in your heels.

PAIR ONE FULL PIECE WITH ONE SLIM PIECE

Full, round shapes on top and bottom will make you look, well, full and round. So always wear your more generously cut pieces with a snugger mate.

IF YOU WEAR COLOR, WEAR RED

"I can't imagine getting bored with red," said the legendary editor Diana Vreeland. Who could? In its deeper-hued incarnations, it absorbs light and therefore conceals, as well as compliments darker (but not as exciting) colors. And because it is a color associated with power, your bold confidence in wearing it is ultimately the most figure-flattering trick of all.

WHEN IN DOUBT, CHOOSE BLACK

It's a cliché and it's true: black really does make everyone look slimmer. And no matter what you read in the fashion pages, it is still in style.

KNOW THAT EVERYONE LOOKS GREAT IN A SHIFT

Here's why: Shift dresses are usually constructed with darts at the bust, curve-enhancing seams, and a shaped waist—all slim-ifying features. They are also usually knee length or a bit shorter, both universally flattering lengths.

EXPOSE YOUR NECK

The single most flattering neckline around: the portrait or sweetheart style. Defined by wide-set shoulders and a curve-enhancing dip in front, this style reveals a part of the body that's subtly sexy and that most women love—the collarbone.

GO KNEE LENGTH

Minis can be cute, calf lengths dramatic. But for flattery, the best skirts are always to the knee.

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Your Best Fashion Now: Fashion 2004