Dress 10 Pounds Slimmer

At MSL, we’re feeling the post-holiday bulge… Our overindulgence (too many treats and excess champagne, fondue and food in general!) has caught up with us. We are committed to getting back to where we were pre-holiday (or maybe even shave off a few pounds??), but in the meantime, life goes on and we want to look our best right now. We have a number of tips and tricks that will help you dress yourself 10 pounds slimmer today! Really, you say? Really. To make the most of your figure, you just need to think LEAN. LEAN is short for Lengthen, Embellish, Alter and Neutralize.

LENGTHEN:
-Elongate your legs by wearing nude pumps that match your skin tone when going bare or black tights with black shoes or boots, and avoiding shoes that cut you off at the ankle.

-Skirts and dresses that hit above the knee lengthen; skirts that hit mid-calf must be worn with a heel and if you are thicker through the middle just say “no.”

-V-necklines do a phenomenal job of drawing the eye down and lengthening your body.

-If you love prints, look for vertical, elongating graphic prints. Avoid prints with small patterns.

L to R: Dress, DVF. Dress, Emma Cook.

EMBELLISH:
– A fabulous statement necklace, from sparkly gemstones to chunky gold links, has the marvelous effect of drawing the eye up to your face and neck. Or, make it easy on yourself and purchase a dress with built-in jewelry.

– Wear lighter colors and embellishments in areas where you want the eye to focus, and darker tones where you want to draw attention away. In other words, accentuate your smaller areas. One way to do this is to add a color-blocked top or dress that highlights your best features.

L to R: Dress, Milly. Necklace, J. Crew.

ALTER:
–Get spanxed. If you have yet to invest, waist-whittling Spanx truly is a wonder product. Determine which area you want to suck in and purchase one of the many styles that work to enhance different areas of your figure. Celebrities do it, so can you.

-Find a great tailor. If your clothes don’t fit perfectly, you are adding pounds. Repeat after us — baggy clothes do NOT hide weight. Well-tailored clothes that skim your shape will make you appear slimmer and more pulled together. Trust us.

–Wear the proper length skirt and pants. Your tailor can help in this area. Cropped pants and capris will make you look shorter, so wear them with a wedge or heel.

L to R: Skirt, Karen Kane. Blazer, J. Crew.

NEUTRALIZE:
-It’s no secret that black slims and trims — why do you think the perfect LBD is the most coveted item in our closet? But if you are so over wearing black everyday, navy, charcoal gray, burgundy, dark purple and chocolate brown have a similar slimming effect.

-Monochromatic colors are slimming and fashion-forward. Add a pop of color the form of an accessory, such as a belt, handbag, jewelry or shoes.

L to R: Handbag, Kate Spade (similar here). Top, Mango.