ask stylebook: pear-shaped in winter?

Daria: I am very pear-shaped and the holidays seem to have packed on a few more pounds around my hips. In the winter, how can I camouflage this with my clothing?

Cathy, Style Speaks: The key to flattering your body shape is to create balance in your curves. In your case, you’ll want to focus on minimizing the curve in your bottom half, enhancing the curve in your top half and highlighting your waist. To minimize the curves of your hips, keep things very simple with dark, solid colors and no added details – for example, try a pair of dark wash, straight leg jeans or a black a-line skirt. On top, wear statement pieces that draw the eye away from your hips as well as pieces that add more volume to your top half, which will balance out your hips and create better proportions from head to toe. Some pieces to try: jackets add that extra volume and layer up top, other additional layers such as vests or cardigans, bold colors, prints, pieces with extra details such as ruffles, embellishments or draped layers, a statement necklace or earrings will also draw the eye up and away from your hips. You can also balance your hips by adding volume around your feet and ankles with statement making boots or a flare leg pant.