Look for a wrap waist
The tie around a wrap dress hugs your middle to whittle your waist, and the V-neck keeps you from feeling too covered up. Just make sure to pick one made from a substantial fabric, celebrity stylist Gemma Shappard told Daily Mail. “This style of dress won’t flatter if it’s made from flimsy material that shows every lump and bump,” she says. Check out these other fashion tricks for looking thinner.
Cover up with a blazer
Cardigans can keep you cozy when you need an extra layer, but the frumpy form can hide your curves. Instead, cover up with a fitted blazer. You’ll look polished for a day in the office, and the nipped waist will create a little middle. Pair it with a loose blouse if you want to hide the shape of your belly, Heather Thomson, fashion designer and founder of Yummie by Heather Thomson, told Redbook. “It won’t cling to your curves too much, and the pattern will mask any insecurities,” she says. Find more ways to transition clothes to cold weather.
Add a belt
Slipping a belt around a dress or long blouse is one of the oldest tricks for faking a slimmer waist, but not any belt will do. A thick, three- to six-inch wide style can highlight an hourglass figure, while a skinnier belt is good when you need to create those curves. “For those with straighter figures, try a slim leather belt that matches your apparel, such as a gray belt over a gray sweater,” Sharon Graubard, founder and creative director of trend consulting company MintModa, told Fox News Magazine.
Face the elements in a trench coat
There’s a reason this classic jacket has become such a timeless icon. Not only is it functional for every type of weather, but it’s incredibly flattering. The belt around the waist creates curves you’d be hard-pressed to find from other unshapely rain jackets.
Make a sheath your favorite work dress
A modest yet flattering work dress can be hard to find. Shift dresses hang loosely on your body, hiding any curves underneath, but a sheath will hug your body to emphasize your waist. “I recommend one in a thicker fabric, like a cotton twill, because the drape is more flattering and it doesn’t cling to lumps and bumps the way some flimsier fabrics might,” Thomson told Redbook. Find more classic dresses every woman should own.
Raise your waistline
Slightly high-rise jeans and skirts will tuck in your tummy, making your waist look tinier. “You don’t get a muffin top and also have support across the stomach region,” Shappard told Daily Mail.
Go for side panels
A colorblock dress is a sexy style, highlighting your curves just where you want them. Pick one with side panels in a dark color, like black or navy. “When you want to get dolled up, side panels emphasize the lines of an hourglass silhouette and flatter your figure,” Thomson told Redbook.
Try a pencil skirt
By calling attention to the curve of your hips, a pencil skirt makes your waist look tiny in contrast. No need to save them for the office either—you can find their flattering shape in designs casual enough to wear on the weekends. Try stealing these secrets of women who always look put together.