Bottom-Heavy Style Tips
• Alert! Check that shoulder pads aren't visible under thin, white, or light-colored garments. It can bring your whole look down a peg. If they do show, think about wearing a slip, a camisole, or even a T-shirt over them. Plain white men's T-shirts (they come in small to X-large) can be cut and shaped to fit under or over just about anything -- sleeves can be trimmed or eliminated, necklines can be scooped out, lengths adjusted. Just keep trimming with scissors until they fit the purpose. No stitching, hemming, or skills needed. It's not terribly chic, but hey, it does the trick!
Before we leave the subject of padding: If you're wide-hipped and very small busted, you could consider a padded bra to help the balance in certain outfits. I'm not talking fifties retro va-va-voom here, just a little more equilibrium. There are some beautiful, wonderfully designed, contoured, and slightly padded seamless bras on the market. They add just a hint of extra natural dimension -- and sometimes that's all it takes for a garment to hang a little better. (Check Playtex's Thank Goodness It Fits line and Victoria's Secret Perfect Silhouette bra, among others.) Or you could even try Curves, those soft silicone inserts that slip into your bra and are supposed to look amazingly natural under clothes. I haven't tried them myself, but they are apparently the no-muss, no-fuss version of dreaded implants. Think of them as explants -- harmless, painless, trouble-free. They even hug well -- so they say.
There are breast roles, and there are non-breast roles. For instance, when I was Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway in 1988, I thought they were appropriate.
--Frances McDormand, actress, on wearing fake breasts
Also try:
• Tailored and semitailored tops and jackets. You need the extra shoulder width that set-in sleeves provide. No wimpy, round-shouldered sweater sets, and no dolman or raglan sleeves.
• Layering. Soft vests -- hip length or longer -- worn open, over a blouse or sweater, help pull together the top and bottom without looking boxy.
• Scarves and shawls worn around the shoulders. They add some dimension to the top for balance, as well as direct the eye up to the face and away from the broad bottom.
More Bottom-Heavy Style Tips
page 6 of "Does This Make Me Look Fat? "
• Boat necks, slightly wider lapels, and even a subtle horizontal trim across the top. Just a hint of horizontal on top will help balance.
• Tops that are somewhat loose -- at least not clingy. No tight bodysuits into full trousers -- unless worn with a vest, cardigan, or jacket.
• Waistlines and belts that are loose enough to be totally comfortable. The more you cinch in your waist, the bigger your hips will look. If you do wear belts, keep them on the narrow side.
• Soft, flowing skirts that are cut slim and close to the body and that fall smoothly over hips without clinging. The natural drape forms elongating vertical lines. For a more tailored look, go for a tapered straight skirt or a gored trumpet style. Forget any kind of gathered skirts. They just add more width to the bottom of the figure, which you don't need.
• Well-tailored, well-cut basic trousers with soft, deep pleats that lie flat and fall in slimming vertical lines. The pants should just skim the body. Pant legs should fall straight from the hips and taper slightly at the ankles. Essentially, pleated pants work only if they are flawlessly designed and drape like a dream. If there is any pull at the pleats, they'll make you look hippier. So beware of inexpensive pleated pants that have short, skimpy pleats that pouf out over the stomach. Also pass on slacks that are too wide, have ultra-full triple pleats or large front or back pockets, or flirt with other excess detailing. It's always better to invest in one really good pair of slacks that fit perfectly than in three pairs that don't quite cut the mustard.
• Narrow, flat-front, side-zipper, pocketless pants. These can work, but it depends on the size of your thighs. If they're very big, you're generally better off in skirts or trousers. It also depends on what you pair them with. Flat-front pants could look great with a sweater or jacket, but not with a snug top. In general, they minimize bulk, but if they're the least bit tight, they can, in fact, highlight extra ounces unless they have some Lycra in them, in which case they can hold you in and be quite slimming (the slight stretch also makes them more comfortable). To cover the tummy, try tops that fall straight from the shoulder to the hipbone or below, without binding at the bottom. Straight-legged pants without Lycra need to be roomier through the hips and thighs.
• Side pockets. Depending on the cut and fabric, pants pockets can add an extra quarter inch or so to the hips -- remember, more material equals extra inches. Consider getting side pockets removed and have the seam sewn up (unless you're like me and love the practicality of pockets). It's an easy alteration for even a semi-competent tailor. In the case of the pear-shaped body (not an Agatha Christie mystery), you'll also want to balance the top and bottom with shoulder pads and jacket cuts.
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