We’re all guilty of it. A few too many mince pies, a giant slab of Yuletide log and piling on the roast potatoes. The inevitable Christmas indulgence gets us all.
With the festive period now but a distant memory, many of us are looking for ways to shed the excess poundage and whittle the expanded waistline.
If you’re experiencing Christmas carbs guilt, but hitting the gym isn’t your thing or you’re not one for a fad juice detox, turn to your wardrobe for a stylish solution. By simply tweaking the way you dress, you can create the illusion of a slimmer look.
Here are some quick tips and tricks to help you look long, lean and lovely in an instant – no diet and exercise needed!
1. Wear all black
You’ve probably heard it before: wearing black is slimming. There are lots of rules around fashion, but this one has some sort of science behind it.
One explanation is all about light and how our eyes detect lighting cues. We see bulges on our body because of how the light contours them. Wearing black makes the contours less obvious because there are fewer visual interruptions.
Another idea is that wearing black creates an optical illusion, called the irradiation illusion. Dark colours make objects look smaller, which is why wearing black clothing can be more flattering than white. If we wear black clothing our silhouette will appear to have more definition.
Not only are black clothes slimming, black is elegant and looks good with all skin tones and all hair colours. Black goes with everything too, which makes getting ready less hassle. And if you think black is boring, think again. Simply vary fabrics from season to season, or add interest with accessories, for a stylish ensemble.
It’s not just black that can help you fake a leaner figure, darker hues like blue, purple and brown, also create the sought-after illusion of a slimmer silhouette.
2. Show off in stripes
Choosing the right style to suit your shape is the key to achieving any winning look. One trend that never goes out of style is stripes. Whether you’re heading to a pitch at work or for cocktails pitchers with friends, stripes could be your statement look.
But do you go horizontal or vertical? It’s old fashion folklore that horizontal lines make you look wider and wearing vertical stripes makes you seem slimmer. This is because vertical stripes create long lines, which help to elongate your figure. And in doing so, the lines create the illusion that you look leaner. The idea is similar to why we wear the colour black to appear slimmer.
3. Get your glow on
Summer might seem a long way off, but that’s not to say you can’t achieve a fake sun-kissed look. Cheating a healthy glow, will not only will make your skin look less lacklustre and make you feel more confident, it could help you look slimmer.
Rather than roasting in the sun, a salon spray tan or a straight out of the bottle bronze, will work wonders.
Contour tanning can visually sculpt a slimmer shape or disguise any trouble spots. Whether it’s a technician or yourself, play with shadows and highlights to give you definition in your arms or visually narrow legs. The trickiest part will be making the strategic shading look natural.
4. Take the plunge
Showing some skin up top, with a V-neck style, could be the slimming effect you’re looking for. This popular neckline has straight sides and is wide at the top, narrowing inward to form a V-shape on the chest.
With a little more skin on show, a V-neck can create a focal point and distract from your middle section. The neckline has a lengthening effect on the neck too, and gives the illusion of a longer, leaner upper body. It’ll also help to balance out broad hips and thighs.
Time to hunt down your Vs, whether it’s cami tops, T-shirts, jumpers or dresses!
5. Embrace shapewear
Shapewear has been a fashion favourite for generations, offering people extra confidence and comfort in what they wear, whatever the occasion. Today, the shapewear trend is as popular and as empowering as ever.
Forget your average granny panties, shapewear is now something you can be proud to wear, whether you’re on a girls’ night out or on a first date.
If you’re looking for the ultimate Shapewear, slip into the new Slim’n Lift Silhouette Shaper from Thane. From subtle smoothing to a little tummy help, we design our shapewear to fit and flatter you in all the right places – and make you look three times smaller, instantly!
So, what’s our shapewear secret?
Both stretchable and breathable, the Silhouette Shaper is made from skin-like fabric that moves with you and contours your curves. There’s also a tummy control panel sewn in to conceal any trouble spots, as well as buttocks lifting bands to lift and shape your bottom. The Silhouette Shaper also has a V-shaped silicone lined waistband, so your garment doesn’t ride up as you go about your day.
With such waist-shimmering and bum-sculpting powers, you’re guaranteed to look and feel fabulous, inside and out.
Want to sculpt your silhouette? Learn more about the Slim’n Lift Silhouette Shaper here.
