New Day Your Way

Fixes for the Fuller Figure

The lengths we'll go to for beauty-and no I don't mean surgery, I'm talking the time you spend trying to cover up what you have: sweatshirt wrapped around your waist to hide your rear, wearing a shirt three sizes too big to cover a few tummy bulges, or donning the jacket that would make an Eskimo sweat just looking at you-anything to keep those extra pounds under wraps. Truth be told, nobody's fooled, especially not you yourself. There are more chic ways to veil what you're waiting to diet off. Former plus-size model, fashion writer and How Not To Look Fat columnist for the New York Post, Danica Lo,

explains how best to enhance our plumper parts.

How Not to Look Fat

Problematic Body Part	Avoid at All Costs	Thank Heavens for...
Back fat (come on, we all have it)	Jersey fabric-it's thin, clingy and unforgiving	A well-fit bra that doesn't ride up in the back; go for cable knit too-the bigger the back fat, the chunkier the cables.
Big bust	Mock turtlenecks-they're not flattering, period	V-necks; big-breasted women tend to look short-waisted as well, so go for a hip-length top.
Larger legs	Pants with pleats-you're not hiding anything, on the contrary, you're drawing attention	Pants with creases (the vertical line elongates and slims the leg).
Ample arms	Extra-long sleeves	Three-quarter length sleeves-they flatter everyone.
Stout stumps	Flats	Heels-they may not be the more comfortable choice, but they always make your legs look longer and leaner.
Round rears	Light colors, florals or shiny fabrics	Matte, dark and solid-color (no patterns) bottoms-'nuff said. For a better behind: Choose a shoe with ankle straps-they thin the lower leg and lift the tush.
Further Reading: 'How Not to Look Fat' by Danica Lo, published by Harper Collins.

Colleen Abrie's Tricks of the Trade

Of course the full-length mirror is a given, but get a large hand-held mirror for an unimpeded rear view.
Choose a bra that sets your bust-line in between your shoulders and your bent elbows. Voilà, you have a waistline!
Beware of horizontal stopping points, eg tops that stop at a full tummy, jackets or tops that stop at a wide hip. The trick is to bypass (go above or below) the widest area of your body.
Bulky fabrics add mass. Period.
Shiny fabrics have a reflective quality that adds volume-avoid them.
Beware of fur, fuzzy and feathery embellishments-they add bulk (and years).
Never ever wear white, patterned, or brightly-colored pantyhose-you have to have very slim legs to pass these off.

San Francisco Bay Area style guru, Colleen Abrie, is the "go-to" image enhancer, with a sharp and experienced eye for re-imaging men and women of all shapes and sizes.

Never wear low-rise jeans if you are full figured-too much information.
Just because you're a size 10 in one brand doesn't mean it's universal. Try sizing up in different brands-you could end up looking 10 pounds thinner.