Define Your Waistline

The hips are usually wider than the shoulders and bust, and defining the waistline can help create a balanced and flattering silhouette.

Fitted Tops: Opt for garments that are fitted at the waist or have waist-defining features.

Crop Tops: If you feel confident showing a bit of skin (confidence is key to fashion!), a crop top can highlight your waist, especially when paired with high-waisted bottoms.

Belts: Helps highlight the narrowest point of your waist, dark colors are your best choice. Wear with high-waisted pants, dresses, tops, coats, etc. Also, pairs well with oversized tops and dresses.

Corsets: Great for creating a dramatic hourglass silhouette giving the illusion of curves.

A-line Silhouettes: A-line skirts or dresses that flare from the waist, highlighting a slim waist while evening out wider hips.

Peplum Tops: These can be flattering, as they emphasize the waist and flare out over the hips.

Flattering Necklines

You want to define the neckline so it can draw attention upwards to balance your silhouette.

V-Necklines: This is a great option for elongating the neck and drawing attention upward, creating a more balanced appearance.

Boat Necklines: Boat necks beautifully follow the collarbone, creating a flattering look that can enhance the appearance of your shoulders while balancing out wider hips.

Off-the-shoulder Tops: This garment style can highlight the shoulders and the neck, drawing attention away from the hips.

Square Necklines: Square necklines can help broaden the shoulders and draw attention to the upper body. It is a visually interesting contrast with the curves of the hips, creating a balanced silhouette.

Sleeves

Sleeves are another great way to bring attention to your upper body.

Puff Sleeves: Puff sleeves are a great option to add volume to your shoulders and upper arms, drawing attention upward and creating a more balanced silhouette.

Detailed Sleeves: Draws attention to your upper body with shoulder details like ruffles, flutter sleeves, bishop sleeves, and embellishments to draw attention upward, adding nice visuals to your look!

Cap Sleeves: Broadens your shoulders to create an hourglass-like silhouette.

Three-Quarter Sleeves: Draws attention to the waist by ending at the narrowest part of the torso.

Bottoms

Bottoms are another great way to add volume to the lower half of your body.

Wide-Leg Pants: Wide-leg pants lay over the hips and create a sense of balance with your upper body.

Bootcut or Flared Jeans: These styles are fitted through the booty and thighs, and flare out starting from the knee, helping to balance out wider hips.

Straight Leg Jeans: A straight-leg cut is universally flattering and can help streamline the lower half of your body without adding bulk.

Dark-Wash Denim: The darker, the slimmer looking! Wearing dark-wash denim can help minimize the appearance of wider hips.

A-line Skirts: Flare out from the waist and skim over the hips (pair well with crop tops). High-waisted A-line skirts can further emphasize a narrow waist and provide a flattering silhouette.

Prints/Patterns

Small to Medium Prints for Bottoms: Small to medium-size prints draw attention to your curves.

Dark Bottoms: Darker colors cause a slimming effect! Dark solid bottoms can help slim the appearance of your thighs and hips.

Vertical Stripes: Vertical stripes on the lower body can elongate the legs and draw attention downward, balancing out wider hips.

Jackets

Structured Blazers: Blazers with shoulder pads and a tailored waist can create the illusion of broader shoulders, giving you a more proportional silhouette. (TIP! If you don’t have a blazer with a tailored waist, button it up and use a belt from your closet to cinch it! Example here)

Cropped Jackets: A tailored jacket that ends right above your waist can highlight the waistline, drawing attention to the upper part of your body.

A-line Coats: Coats that flare out from the waist skim over your hips and do not add extra bulk.