[ColdDayInHell]

Now, don’t get stressed out: This isn’t an I.Q. test or anything, but take a second to look at the shapes below. Which one seems, how shall we say this, more streamlined?



The blue one on the right, right? That’s what I think too. Today, this elementary school exercise came to mind as I walked by a major retailer (who shall not be named) whose store windows were filled with dozens of these knee-length skirts:



Now, to the untrained shopper’s eye, these breezy pieces may seem a comfy summer classic, but to a savvy sartorialist, they scream UNFLATTERING. Tapering at the waist and breathing out at the calf, the skirt emphasizes the widest part of the lower leg: the hard-to-miss calf. Even with a sleek top, this leg-heavy silhouette makes the wearer seem short and stumpy, adjectives few find appealing.

To avoid such wardrobe pitfalls, try this simple styling trick: To figure out if a potential purchase will be flattering or not, try to zone in on the silhouette by thinking of every garment as a square, rectangle, diamond, or circle. (This I learned from a fantastic ballet teacher who instructed her students to think of their bodies as wooden blocks, and to think of every ballet pose as aligning the blocks in a particular composition. The concept works just as well when applied to body parts and wardrobe pieces.)

Here are examples of some of the most slimming warm-weather silhouettes:



Source

[StereoXGirl]

Thanks for posting!

In all honesty, though, I don't think their little figures are exactly accurate. If you take a look at the original two figures, it's the fact that the top is a square on the left and a triangle on the right that causes the one on the right to look more aesthetically appealing. If the figure on the right had a square on top like the one on the left does, the figure on the left would look better.

Women's bodies are supposed to have a shape to them. I think it's possible to dress in a figure-flattering way which will cause a slimming effect without looking like a column. For example, if one has large hips, a skirt that flows away from the hips and hits at the knee (not the calf) is incredibly flattering when paired with a fitted top. It's all about making one's body look proportionate.

[brewgrl]

Yeah- show me some girls with meat if you are talking about "slimming" outfits... Not a size 0 girl trying to be a size -2!

Oh- and i don't know very many girls who are looking for "slimming outfits" that have ever run to a mini skirt, and thought "this is totally going to trim down my thighs!"

[pinksugar]

all I would say is that those full length dresses usually make short people or fat people look shorter and/or fatter. They're completely UN flattering because they don't emphasize any shape at all. There are always exceptions but that's in my experience and my sister's - we both look shorter and fatter than we are in maxi dresses.

[Karren]

See I liked that first skirt.... well I like most skirts... But i do need to project a lot of slimming!! And why are all the models in this articel super slim?? lol

[StereoXGirl]

Originally Posted by Karren_Hutton

See I liked that first skirt.... well I like most skirts... But i do need to project a lot of slimming!! And why are all the models in this articel super slim?? lol

There's nothing wrong with the first skirt so long as it hits at the knee and not the widest part of the calf.

[magosienne]

thanks for posting ! i agree, if it hits the knee, it can look great.

[Adrienne]

This was interesting. Unfortunately this will only help if were all as skinny as these models. Some of tips do make sense though. Thanks for posting

[Pomander_]

I disagree with the pencil skirt. I'm a complete hourglass shape, and that skirt (especially in white) would make my hips look gigantic and blobby. Trust me...everyone needs to find their own best look, and we can't all break ourselves down into the same set of geometric shapes.

[ticki]

streamlined may not mean aesthetically pleasing. i prefer my women to have shape and not look like a fence post. heaven forbid they follow the advice of this shop and start copying the male silhouette. the breezy skirt is fun, fem, and totally flattering to my eye.