In our first guide we mentioned the difference between male and female body shapes – and areas that we need to shift the emphasis toward and away from. Today we will learn some basic techniques to create that female silhouette, without having to resort to discount surgery or mad pills bought from the Internets.
To kick us off, we’ll look at colour theory.
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘black is a slimming colour’? It’s because it’s true.
Look at this diagram:
Notice how the white spots on a dark background appear to be larger than the corresponding black spots on the white background? There’s a scientific reason for this. Black, and other dark colours are known as ‘receding colours’ as they tend to appear further away when compared to lighter tones, and as a result look smaller. So how do we put this into practice when picking an outfit?
It’s easy. Darker colours will shrink areas, and lighter or more vibrant shades will draw attention. Let’s look at different areas of the body, and how we can use colour to create a bangin’ silhouette.
Shoulders – Big shoulders? Hide them with a long sleeved dark top. I’ve got a long sleeve polo neck that is so versatile and looks chic with a statement skirt.
Torso – Men tend to have wider rib cages and torsos, again a darker top will draw less attention to this. It’s harder to see shape with dark colours too, so ideal for hiding a bit of extra weight.
Waist – Now this is something we usually lack compared to a female form- but the addition of a snazzy belt in a contrasting colour does a couple of favours by cinching you in and creating a visual line at the waist.
Bottoms – Here is where a vibrant colour can really come into its own. Pair a full skirt in a gorgeous hue with a plain black top, and nobody will notice your shoulders as they’ll be too busy thinking ‘OMG I WANT THAT SKIRT’. Avoid anything dark, short and tight, as it’ll make your lower half disappear and leave you top heavy.
Armed with this powerful knowledge, we can wield it like a drunken barbarian waving a comically oversized sword into our next section – proportions!
Learn more about the trickery behind male to female styling in part 3.
The Luscious Effect 