Shop For Your Shape

Spring is just around the corner and the shops are now selling the new season’s
clothes. However, with so much choice in the shops, how do you know what to
buy? Tanya Arturi from Cheshire Image Consultants has compiled this guide of
what will actually suit your shape… all for under £100.

FASHION Hide Lumps & Bumps

If you are conscience of your tummy and

FIX YOUR
‘love handles’ you will be pleased to hear
that draped dresses and tops are going
to be everywhere this Spring/Summer…

MIDDLE they are one of the most flattering styles

to hide a multitude of sins. Draping around
your middle will cover larger tummies and
draped tops are great
Create a Waist for pear shaped
Block colours are a good way of giving women. This draped
shape to your figure. This Papaya dress jersey dress from M&Co.
from Matalan helps create a waist by is figure-flattering and
using a lighter colour to emphasise this can be dressed up with
part of the body. heels and a jacket or
You can also down with flat sandals.
use this
trend to .
highlight the
parts you are
happy with, via a
bright colour, and
use darker or
muted colours to Marks & Spencer,
disguise the areas £89 (available in May)
you aren’t so
happy with.

Matalan, £14

Remove
Muffin Top
Streamline your
silhouette by wearing
high waisted
trousers - an ideal
fix for the dreaded
muffin top. These
wide leg flared
jeans from Marisota Disguise Large Hips
are high waisted Marks & Spencer, £79 If you are one of the 60% of the UK
and are also population that’s pear shaped, this season’s
available in white. Shrink Your Tummy long blazer will give you a streamlined
They work well with If you have a rounded tummy that you look. The Marks and Spencer jacket
the nautical trend. would prefer to hide, empire line dresses shown will go with most outfits and
and tops are a wardrobe staple. This is because it’s made of silk, the soft tailoring
because you emphasise the slimmest makes it more casual look than a traditional
part of your body - just under the bust. suit jacket. However, make sure the hem
This printed maxi dress from Marks & doesn’t sit on the widest part of your
Marisota, £35 Spencer is easy to wear and hides your hips, as it will emphasise rather than
middle area. distract from that area.
15
CHANGE YOUR SHAPE
Accessorize, £10

Oli, £40

Balance
a Pear
Tops with detailing
around the bust
area and on the
shoulders are a great way of balancing
Elongate out a pear shape. This long line t-shirt
Your Body top from Oli (catalogue no. 37E116WB9)
A long scarf can help achieve two things is bang up to date with this season’s
- firstly, it creates vertical lines on the ‘Spring Bling’ trend (as seen on the
Oobichoobi, £25 (including p&p) torso to give the illusion of length and Burberry, Prada and Lanvin catwalks) and
secondly, it can help distract the eye from because the bust area has detailing, it
De-emphasise a Larger Bust an un-toned stomach. This abstract silk helps create the illusion of a bigger bust
If you are conscience of a larger bust and scarf from Accessorize does both of these and distracts the eye from larger hips.
are an inverted triangle shape (large bust things and works two of this season’s key Wear with white shorts and cage shoes
and shoulders but small hips) a pattern trends: pastel colours and tribal prints. for a catwalk-worthy look.
across your hips and thighs will help
create the illusion of more of an hourglass
figure. This striped skirt from Oobichoobi
(an Alderley Edge based company) is
great worn over leggings and helps
PROBLEM LEGS?
create curves. It’s also a fantastic way of
jazzing up a completely black outfit (black Slim Your Ankles Hide Saddlebags
and white is a key colour combination If you have ‘cankles’, wedges are your Peg shaped trousers in soft fluid fabrics
this season). prefect fashion fix. Their width instantly are great for slimming your hips and
makes your legs look slimmer. These avoiding horrible pull lines across your
shoes from Hush Puppies are comfort- upper thighs. These trousers from the
able, practical and because they are in ethical clothing company, People Tree,
a neutral tan colour you can wear them have pleating across the front to disguise
with most outfits. larger thighs and because they are navy
blue they will work
well with this
season’s nautical
Hush Puppies, trend. Wear them
£45 with brogues
for an instant
Create Curves Lengthen Your Legs style update.
If you are a column
This season’s nude-coloured trend is great
(straight up and down) and People Tree, £50
news if you want to make your legs look
want to create a curvier
longer. There are lots of flesh coloured
silhouette, this season’s
shoes in the shops that will give the
softly draped look is ideal
illusion of longer legs because of the
for your shape. This
continuous colour from leg to foot.
Marks & Spencer jumpsuit
Also, platform shoes continue to be
is in a light neutral colour
popular this season, giving you
and the elasticated waist
extra height. These nude patent
creates an exaggerated
peep-toe shoes from Littlewoods
hourglass shape.
are a great investment buy - they
will go with everything, update your
Marks & Spencer, £55
wardrobe and give you longer legs.
(available April/May)
Littlewoods, £81

Stockists: Accessorize www.accessorize.com; 0844 811 0068. Hush Puppies www.hushpuppies.com; 020 7860 0460. Littlewoods www.littlewoods.co.uk; 0844 822 8000.
M&Co. www.mandco.com; 0800 0317 200. Marisota www.marisota.co.uk; 0871 984 7612. Marks & Spencer www.marksandspencer.com; 0845 609 0200.
Matalan www.matalan.co.uk; 0845 330 3330. Monsoon www.monsoon.co.uk; 0844 811 0068. Oli www.oli.co.uk; 0844 55 65 654. Oobichoobi www.oobichoobi.co.uk;
07825 955 001. People Tree www.peopletree.co.uk

16