How to Dress 10 Pounds Lighter

Bright, oversize prints aren't always becoming. Smartly placed color inserts, on the other hand, help carve out an hourglass shape.

"I'm forever trying to downplay my hips," says Aimee McBain, 36, a personal assistant. But her ill-fitting dresses, with their too-bold patterns, were making McBain look larger all over (Glassman advises that the dominant motif in any print should be smaller than the size of your fist). A fuchsia knit dress (Nue by Shani, $250) skims over McBain's body; contrasting orange panels visually whittle her midsection. The dress hits just below the knee, instantly making her lower half look leaner (skin-tone platform pumps extend the leg line by another five inches). "Since the dress is stretchy, I don't feel like it's squeezing me anywhere," says McBain. "And the square neck and color blocking make my waist look tiny."

Earrings, Foxy Originals. Bangles, Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz. Ring, MixologyNYC. Shoes, Charles by Charles David.