10 styles that make you look fat

Petite Fashion

By Paula Darnell

10 Styles That Make Women Look FatWorst Fashions to Wear for Women Who Want to Look Thinner and Taller

Does this make me look fat? We've all probably asked this question at least once in our lives. If what you're thinking about wearing is on this list, the answerto the question is "yes"! Here are the ten worst fashion styles to wear if you want to look thinner and taller because wearing them will make you look biggerand shorter.

1. Skin-Tight DressWearing a dress that's skin-tight is a big mistake if you want to look thinner and taller. If a dress feels tight, if horizontal wrinkles areappearing (especially across the bust, hips, or thighs), or if lumps and bumps are clearly visible, the dress does not belong in yourwardrobe. The too-tight dress effect is likely to be multiplied if the dress also has other unflattering features, such as being too shortor too revealing. Certain fabrics can also compound the fattening effect. Pictured: 5'2" Coco Austin in a dress that's not only tootight but also features unflattering horizontal lines

2. Full SkirtA full skirt on a short woman equals a guaranteed fashion faux pas because of the widening effect. Petite women should avoid skirtsthat are wider than they are long at all costs. The worst offenders include full circle skirts (the poodle skirt that was so popular in the1950s is an example), gathered skirts (these produce a lot of fullness around the top of the hips), and pleated skirts (pleated skirtswith stitched down pleats may be an exception depending on other style factors).Pictured: British actress and petite lady Helen Mirrenwho usually looks fabulous on the red carpet looks less than fabulous wearing a full skirt.

3. Skinny JeansSkinny jeans look best when worn by skinny women. Just because skinny jeans are available in all sizes doesn't mean that they're aflattering style choice. Jeans with straight legs almost always look better on short women (unless they wear a tiny size) than skinnyjeans do.Pictured: Coco Austin wearing skinny jeans

4. Patterned PantsEven 5'7" Madman star Christina Hendricks doesn't look thin when she wears plaid pants. It only goes downhill when shorter womenwear any type of pants or jeans that made from fabric with a pattern, whether it's plaid, striped, floral, or some other print, ratherthan a solid color (preferably a dark solid color for the slimmest appearance). One exception to this rule is pinstriped pants as long asthe stripes are truly very narrow and the pants hang straight from the hip without distorting the vertical lines of the stripes. Anotherexception is a very tiny pattern, such as a subtle check, in a neutral fashion color because it will read more like a neutral solid hue.Pictured: Actress Christina Hendricks wearing plaid pants

5. Cropped PantsCropped pants cut off the legs from a visual standpoint, they make women look wider, and cropped pants also emphasis a petitewomen's short stature--all good reasons for avoiding cropped pants. Award-winning actress Melissa McCarthy stands about 5'3" andshe's a big lady, so it doesn't help her appearance when she wears cropped pants. Pictured: Actress Melissa McCarthy wearingcropped pants that are also too tight

6. Bulky SweaterBulky sweaters add pounds visually, even if extra pounds aren't really there. If a bulky sweater has other unflattering features, suchas a turtleneck, cowl, or wraparound style that falls below the hips, the weighty effect is further magnified. Any type of bulky oroversized clothing is especially bad for the petite woman because of her already short stature. To look thinner and taller , it'snecessary to emphasize verticality, rather than pack on heavy layers of fabric. Pictured: Woman wearing bulky sweater

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7. Puffy Down CoatI really can't think of any famous petite women who are thinner than Elizabeth Olsen, and even she looks bigger when she wears apuffy down coat. Like a bulky sweater, a puffy down coat not only makes women look fatter, but it also makes them look shapeless.Since neither is a desirable fashion effect, it's a good idea to wear a more flattering winter coat style, such as a single-breasted,knee-length wool coat with princess seaming. Pictured: Elizabeth Olsen wearing a puffy down coat

8. Ankle-Wrap ShoesWearing shoes with ankle wraps cuts off the leg line, visually shortening the figure. When short women wear ankle-wrap shoes, theyalso look wider. Ankle-wrap shoes have a heavy look too. This is especially true of ankle-wrap shoes in colors that contrast with thelegs, tights, or stockings. Shoes with ankle straps are also problematic, but a work-around can be achieved for short women whofall in love with a dynamite pair of high heels with ankle straps. Petite actress Josie Loren is actually tiny, but wearing ankle-wrap highheels, she looks bigger than she really is.

9. Wide BeltWide belts add bulk and a horizontal line across the middle--not a good thing for women who are trying to look slimmer. If the widebelt is in a contrasting color, it widens even more. A better choice for a belt, especially for short women, is a narrow belt in the samecolor as the clothing. Petite actress Salma Hayek has a great figure, and she looks fabulous, but even she has a svelter look whenshe's wearing a belt of a dark color along with a dress in a dark color than she does when she wear a wide, black belt that's a starkcontrast to the hot pink hue of her dress at left.

10. Choker NecklaceDo you want to shorten your neck or cut off your head? Probably not, but that's exactly the visual effect women achieve when theywear choker necklaces. To look slimmer and taller, open up the neck and neckline area, rather than blocking it. Wearing a top or dresswith a V-neckline will achieve the desired results. If you want to wear a necklace, try a pendant necklace that falls inside theneckline to emphasis the lengthening V-neck effect. Pictured: Petite British actress Jennifer Saunders wearing a choker necklace

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10 styles that make you look fat

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