Don’t hide under the baggiest clothing you can find. We all have our problem areas – there’s nothing to be ashamed about. The important thing is to solve your problems, not cover them up with layers of bulky clothing.

Before figuring out solutions to solve your problem areas, we need to first decide which specific body type category you fit into. These categories are fairly general, but they should help you establish a baseline.

If you can’t tell by looking in the mirror what body type you are, grab the measuring tape and take measurements around your bust, waist, and hips. Be honest with yourself and record accurate measurements. No one else will ever see these numbers unless you willingly show them.

Now that you have a better understanding of your body type, let’s figure out which outfits flatter your body the best, and which ones you should avoid.

BODY TYPE	CLOTHING STYLES
Hourglass	Wraparound dresses and tops show off your curves. Fitted blouses and jackets work well to highlight your trimmer waist. Belts also do wonders for showing off your waistline. Slightly flared pants or skirts will soften your curves to balance out your overall silhouette.
Top Heavy	Minimize the appearance of your top half by adding some volume and drama to your lower half. Wide leg pants, gaucho style pants and skirts, or full, flared skirts work best. To further draw attention away from your top half, avoid horizontal stripes that make you look wider. Empire waistlines will over accentuate your bust, so avoid these as well.
Bottom Heavy	Drawing attention away from your bottom half is the key to solving problem areas in this category. Wear tops that have visual interest, like those with ruffles or other embellishments. Empire waistlines will focus the eye toward your top half, so these can be rather useful. Keep clothing from the waist down dark with matte finishes. Avoid tapered and flared pants or skirts. Straight cut pants or A- line skirts are the way to go.
Middle Heavy	Since your curves aren’t easy to see, you need to make visual separations between your bust, waist, and hips. Proper fitting undergarments, especially a bust enhancing bra, can help give you more defined lines. Tops with an empire waistline are good to create definition. A-line tops and dresses should drape well to give the illusion of curves.

Choosing the right style clothing shows off your best features and minimizes those areas you dislike. But you’re not done yet. You have to consider colors, patterns, and texture as well.

Colors

Every one knows that black is the most slimming color, but wearing it all the time can get pretty dull and depressing. The reason that black is so slimming is because it’s a dark color. Other dark colors can have a similar effect. For minimizing your appearance, choose dark colors in rich shades. Make sure the colors match with your hair and skin tone to bring out all your best features. It’s a good idea to go to a professional makeup artist who can help you figure out which colors go best with your complexion.

Dark colors and neutral shades work well to minimize your overall appearance. This doesn’t mean you can’t wear bright colors. You just have to wear them the right way. Bolder colors that match your complexion should be used for accessories, like scarves, purses, jewelry, or shoes. Small bursts of color add visual interest without making you look heavier.

Patterns

Pretty much the busier a pattern is the more attention it will draw to your body. In other words, don’t wear busy patterns over your body’s trouble spots. Those patterns just make you look larger. Simplistic or subtle patterns can work well on most people, as long as they don’t accentuate a problem area.

Stripes can be a blessing or a burden. Vertical stripes work well to make you look taller and usually slimmer. Diagonal stripes can accentuate your curves. Horizontal stripes are tricky. Generally they make you look wider, which isn’t what any of us want. However, a single horizontal stripe across your bust line can draw attention to your top if your bottom heavy.

Textures

Thick fabrics add excess bulk that you don’t need. During the colder months it’s hard to avoid these types of fabrics, but you can compensate by choosing garment styles that work well with your body type.

Any fabric that is shiny or metallic will draw immediate attention. You can use these types of textures to balance out problem areas, like bottom heavy women wearing a shiny blouse. Most of the time it’s better to avoid these textures, or only use them for accessories.