dress your best
A customer came into the store the other day looking for fun summer apparel, but for no event in particular. As she was trying clothes on, she kept referring to her “situation” while motioning around her mid-section. “Gotta keep the situation covered and under control,” she said. When I asked her what she was talking about she explained, “Everybody’s got a ‘situation.’ Upper arms, inner-thighs—for me it’s my stomach. I like finding stuff that attracts attention to my best features.” It got me thinking—that’s genius. Everyone has a part of their body that they are particularly sensitive about. People come in all shapes, colors and sizes, so when looking for clothes that make you feel great, make sure you’re shopping with you in mind.
Something to keep in mind when shopping (and this goes for everyone) is that colors and fabrics can be your friend. Color-blocking, for example is strategic to make you look taller and thinner—they’re not just randomly placed. Two fabrics that are great for slimming are Double-Knit Jersey and Knit Spandex—both of these hold you in while smoothing out bulges and bumps. This Bailey 44 dress has spandex in it and is full of color blocking genius. For me, I like that it keeps my upper thighs covered while showing off the lower, thinner part of my legs. Additionally, as someone with a small chest, I like that the blue panel is right where I need it to give the illusion of a larger cup size.
If your legs are your thing, look for things that show them off! Short is totally acceptable—just not too short. If the length of any item causes you to question if it’s appropriate or not, it’s probably too short. Here, our model loves her legs but wanted to keep her midriff covered. Because our model has a larger chest, she also opted for things that gave her total coverage. She looks fantastic in this clingy Julie Brown romper and then again in a Letarte baby doll dress.
By opting for this Bell tie-tunic and camisole underneath, she achieves the same effect of full coverage while still flattering her figure.
Fit-and-flare is a great cut on everyone, so it was no surprise that when Darby put on this BCBG skirt, she looked amazing. The flare at the bottom makes our legs appear longer and thinner, and they often are made with user-friendly fabrics. Pair with a simple tank or T-shirt tucked in.
One thing that everyone should own: Wide-Leg linen pants: these not only fit everyone but they look good on everyone! Slimming and comfortable—a staple for warmer weather. Try these Fresh Laundry pants (available in black, navy, grey, white and cream).
Shop smarter by shopping for you. As I always say, trust your gut when it comes to shopping, but next time go into it with an idea of what kinds of things you’re looking for. Not only will that expedite the process, you will come away with more things that you feel confident in.
