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Ditch The Sack
Body-conscious—but not tight—clothes are always best, whatever your size. A figure hidden in yards of fabric always looks bigger.

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Think Vertical
Seams, stripes, piping or a deep V-neck all stretch you out. Be wary of anything horizontal.

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Equalize Your Proportions
Pear shapes should offset a bigger lower half with details that broaden the upper body (flutter sleeves, boat necks); well-endowed women can downsize their busts with simple tops.

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Disguise Thighs
Minis can be tough because they bisect the leg where it's biggest. I'm a firm believer in skirts that hit at midknee, where your leg is slimmer.

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Emphasize Your Waist
In fact, emphasize all your strongest features. Use color and pattern to bring the gaze to shoulders or good legs (and divert it from other areas).

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Avoid Flimsy Fabrics
Materials like gabardine or stretch cotton—especially in tailored form—give the body structure. Thin fabrics show every bulge.

Photo: Jacob Ammentorp Lund/iStock

Invest in Shapewear
Smoothing lingerie can take off five pounds. And yes, you can breathe with it on.
Published 03/04/2016