If you were to analyse your wardrobe and picked out the items that really suited your shape, it would probably shock you how few items there are.
It's no use beating yourself up over your shopping bloopers. But, it is worth learning from these mistakes to ensure they never happen again.
Here's how:
Dress the body you have now:
This can be a hard one, but consider how much money you have wasted on clothes you were hoping to fit into next month once you had lost those "extra kilos".
Remember, it’s better to invest in a few pieces that look great on you now. If you do lose the weight in the future, but feel fabulous in the meantime, it's money well spent.
Select the trends that work for you.
Fashion is simply a tool to inspire you. Avoid being a fashion victim at the expense of looking fabulous, by selecting the trends that will work for your body shape.
If skinny jeans, for example, make your hips look wider, rather wear bootleg or equally flattering wideleg instead. Stylize your look with a blouse in a fashionable colour that suits you and a funky waistcoat to accentuate your waist.
Spend 60% of your budget on classic basics that suit your shape.
When building the basis of your wardrobe, ensure that the basics suit your body shape. A pair of trousers or a skirt that fits well, will make it easier to buy less expensive fashionable tops to 'style up' your look as the trends change.
Here are a few guidelines to selecting clothing that suits your shape.
Avoid trying to cover up parts you dislike by dressing in baggy clothes with no shape. Rather wear clothing that draws attention away from the parts you dislike and to the parts you do like.
Avoid always wearing black.
Although it is a slimming colour, good use of colour can work wonders to draw attention to the areas you want the eye to go, diverting from areas you want less noticed.
Avoid wearing skirts and pants in ¾ length as they shorten your length and make your hips look wider. Rather wear skirts that fall just below the knee or full length.
Avoid high waist or very hipster cut styles with pockets and detail as they place all the emphasis on the tum, bum and hip area. Rather wear lower waist (just below the belly button) with no pocket detail in a bootleg or wide leg cut to balance hips, thighs, bums and tums.
Avoid shapeless skirts.
Rather wear A-line or fishtail skirts just below the knee length or full length to balance your hips and give you shape.
If you are well blessed in the bust area, avoid high necklines as it can make you look like you've got one big boob. Rather select scoop or v-necklines in tops and blouses that have shape to give you definition.
Get properly fitted for a bra,no matter what your size.