23 Aug Crazy Ways to Look Lean

If you really want to look lean, there’s one surefire way: Adopt a healthy lifestyle. But there are times when you just can’t wait for the results of all your hard work to show up. Maybe you have a reunion or a date and you just need to look lean – fast! Instead of starving yourself for days, try these simple shortcuts to looking lean and feeling fabulous.

• Practice good posture. When you’re all hunched over, your stomach is more likely to bulge over your jeans. Try it now. Sit in front of a full-length mirror and slouch. Take note of how your belly looks. Now, sit up straight and tall. It looks a lot better, doesn’t it? Here’s a trick to ensure you’re practicing good posture. Sit up straight and roll your shoulders up and then back. You should be sitting perfectly straight now.

Darcy Camden is an accomplished, award-winning wardrobe stylist. Here are her tips to looking thinner.

• Wear a belt. Wearing a belt around your natural high waist will always make you look slimmer. For most ladies, your high waist is about 3″ under your bust, just above your belly button. Cinching your waist will simultaneously make your legs look longer and draw attention to the smallest part of your waist. It seems counter-intuitive, but if I’m feeling a little bloated or heavy, I always wear a great belt–it does the trick every time!
• Wear the proper foundation wear. An ill-fitting bra will make you look frumpy and dumpy. Women should get a proper professional bra fitting every 2 years at a department store.  An expert fitter will put you in the right bra, and the right bra will ensure your clothes fit properly and look well (bonus: your posture will improve, which also makes you look slimmer). Spanx are an amazing invention, because they smooth and shape everything from your bust to your thighs. A tip when buying Spanx: the first time you put them on, they should ALMOST not fit and feel very tight. If they glide on too easily, they aren’t doing their job!
•  Use pattern and color strategically. In general, large prints emphasize shape, so if you want to look smaller in prints, opt for a more delicate pattern. Conversely, solid darker colors de-emphasize shape. We’ve all heard “black is slimming” but navy and dark hues of purple, blue and green are just as flattering. I dislike wearing a solid color head-to-toe: I think it’s not slimming (and also very boring). Instead, wear a solid dark color on the half of your body you’d like to make slimmer, and wear a brighter color or pattern on the half of your body you’d rather draw attention to. For example, if you’re self-conscious about your hips and thighs, wear a solid dark pant or skirt paired with a top in a different (brighter!) color or pattern.

For more fashion tips from Darcy, check out Styled Right Magazine a totally free digital publication full of style and beauty advice. (Image attached)

http://styledseattle.com/index.html

About Darcy Camden: Darcy Camden is an accomplished, award-winning wardrobe stylist and a happy, successful entrepreneur who wears many (stylish) hats. Darcy is the Founder and Chief Stylist at Styled Seattle, the founder of National Media Styling Services (NMSS) and the editor of Styled Right digital magazine.