Do you know what fits you right? (Part 1)

Tired of trying to hide your belly, wide waist, huge thighs…well there is a solution to your problems. About.com has some easy fix-ups to show the world that even your worst feature can be hidden and bring out a flattering figure. Most people say that they hate their body and by doing so they fail to realize that everyone has some extraordinary features that need to be highlighted to distract other bad features. There are two categories of body type: Bottom Heavy and Top Heavy (yep, it’s that simple) that most people fall into. Before we get into what needs to be changed for a certain type, it’s important to know that the following tips are crucial in whatever decision you make:

- Know what color suits you best! About.com suggest that you go to the mall with friends (who tell the truth no matter how much it hurts you) and compare some shades to your face. Allow them to give their input then decide on the colors for your wardrobe. But keep in mind that not all shades of green are going to suit your face, so try different hues and shades to come up with the best option.

- Don’t even think that high waist pants with pleats look cute on you! The narrow openings at the bottom are not meant for a cute top instead they go well with longer tops enough to cover the pleats and make you look weird. So avoid them as much as you can.

- Trendy doesn’t have to be in every form! It doesn’t matter if you choose to wear last year’s fall fashion dress as long as you make it up by adding a metallic stiletto and/or chain-linked handbag (fall 08 trends).

Now that you understand the basic tips to flatter your body, it’s time to talk specifics…

Bottom Heavy –

* Negatives: wide hips, round thighs.

* Positives: shapely waists, nice upper body and attractive shoulders & arms.

* Tops: Just about right fitting tops as they will not highlight that your hips are bigger than shoulders or make your whole body wide like a loose fitting top would. V-necks & turtle next call attention to your face which is exactly what you must do.

* Bottoms: Avoid anything tight as it call attention to your big bottom. Instead of going a mini skirt go for a simple A-line skirt to distract the viewer from the round thighs and hips. Dark colored pants and vertical lined pants with flare or boot cut works best as they give a narrower and long look to your legs. Shorts that are loose fitting and thin material flatter your thighs while working out.

* Dresses: It is important to play up your shoulders and arms. Therefore try to highlight them to the max with either a strapless or sleeveless dress. Mini dresses don’t work here so go for dresses that fall just above your knees. A flare just below your waist will divert attention to your hips. This can be done with an empire waist with or without belts. But it’s important to keep in mind that overdoing it can make you look like you’re pregnant! For your body a ball gown works best as it hides the wide hips and round thighs.

For all the Top heavy people- stay tuned for Part 2 and also, get some ideas on where and what to shop for your body type.

To be continued…

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