If you’re like most women, you probably gained a few pounds over the holidays, and chances are you’d like to look thinner. It’s can be as easy as A-B-C: Accentuate your strengths, Balance your proportions and Conceal your flaws. Fox News asked me to do a segment showing how I could help three women to look thinner. Here they are:

Linda has a very pretty face and a pear-shaped figure. The blue skinny jeans draw attention to her hips, and the jacket ends at the widest part of her, a big no-no.

Linda before

Linda after

Brenda is petite and has a great hourglass figure, but the pants she’s wearing are not flattering and the jean jacket makes her look boxy.

Brenda before

Brenda after with me

Lisa has gorgeous long legs, but the cropped pants she is wearing making them look shorter, and the striped top she is wearing makes her top half look wider.

Lisa before

Lisa after

Check out the TV segment here: Fox appearance.

Here are the tips I reviewed on air and some bonus tips I didn’t have time to share in the segment.

Fabric

• Very thin and shiny fabrics, such as silk charmeuse, show every bump and bulge.
• Heavy fabrics, such as brocade, add bulk to your figure.
• Softly draping fabrics that are matte, such as fine knits, wool crepe and jersey will help you to look thinner.

Pattern

• To accentuate a part of your body that you like, wear a pattern to draw attention to it.
• To balance a pear-shaped figure (smaller on top, wider hips and bottom), wear a long, open cardigan with a flattering top underneath to draw the eye to your upper half.
• Horizontal stripes make the body look wider.
• Vertical and diagonal lines draw the eye up and down, add height and diminish width, so they are slimming.

Fit

• If your clothes are too tight, they create bumps and bulges. If they are too loose, the extra fabric will make you look bulky. Make sure they fit properly.
• Don’t let a jacket or top end at the widest part of you.
• If you’re happy with your décolleté (chest area), wear a deep v-neck top to draw attention there.
• Don’t wear pleated pants; they add bulk to your hips.

Silhouette

• Bootcut pants do a great job of balancing hips and thighs.
• Wrap-dresses are almost universally flattering.
• If you want to hide a tummy, wear a top that floats over it, such as a peasant blouse.

Color

• Light colors make body parts look larger, and bright color attracts the eye. If you want to attract attention to a part of your body, go for it!
• However, wear a dark color if you want to minimize something.
• All black can be boring though, so check out the tips here from a post I did a couple weeks ago about how to look chic in black.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Illysia Neumann-Loreck