figure flattery 101

Dressing with style involves more than just wearing what you like. It takes strategy. By using your clothing’s fit, fabric, color, details, pattern and proportions to lengthen, slim and direct attention to exactly where you want it (and away from the places you don’t), you’ll be able to create a look that is both flattering and in keeping with your personality.
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Fit.
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Wearing clothes that fit is the most important thing you can do to create a slimming, attractive look. Everything you wear should fit perfectly. This may seem obvious, but who hasn’t stood in front of a dressing room mirror and convinced herself that no one else will notice that the skirt is a bit too tight? News flash: it will give you away every time. Good fit means that clothes skim the body (showing curves without clinging to them) and that all the details (lapels, pocket flaps, slits, seams, darts, and pleats) lie flat. Any time clothing pulls or buckles, it not only creates a sloppy appearance, but adds pounds. The effect is the same for tight fitting and loose fitting clothing.
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A garment that fits well:

is neither too skimpy nor too bulky

is in no way constricting

skims your body gracefully

touches the body where it is designed to — not above or below the area h

as no extraneous bumps, lumps, creases, puckers, gaps, droops, bags, etc. d

oes not have to be adjusted when you sit, stand or move

Key areas to watch are shoulders, bust, waist, derriere, crotch, arms and legs.
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Another major key to creating the best silhouette for your body is wearing a bra that fits. It can actually make you look 10 lbs lighter. If you are not sure you are wearing the correct size read my post on correct bra sizing for more information on this topic

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Fabric.
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Fabrics that fall smoothly over the curves of your body are the most flattering. If fabric is too stiff, it takes on the shape of its own and winds up looking boxy; too thin, and it clings to every bump and bulge; too bulky or too shiny, and it adds pounds. Just right is a matte fabric free on unwanted heft but with enough body to slide over problem areas.
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Color.
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As anyone who has ever stepped out of the house in a red dress knows, color catches the eye and can make you look terrific.
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Monochromatic. There are two compelling reasons to dress in one color, head to toe: The long, unbroken line it creates makes for a pulled-together look, and an overall color can actually make you appear slimmer. Stark color contrasts draw the eye and form horizontal lines that divide your body, making it appear wider and shorter. And while you can achieve the effect with any color, darker shades, which absorb more light, are the most slimming.
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Bright and light colors. Even though dark colors can make you appear slimmer, and lighter, brighter can do the opposite, there is still a place for vivid hues in your wardrobe. By strategically placing paler or brightly colored pieces near or over a part of your body that you like, you’re making sure it gets the attention it deserves. You can always pair brights with darks to balance the body.
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Details and flourish.
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Details, color and naked skin can be used to divert attention to a place you’d rather emphasize. So by all means use beading along your neckline to draw attention from your large derriere. Just be wary of too much of a good thing. Anything that adds an additional layer or girth — ruffles, patch pockets, wide lapels, big buttons or epaulettes — only accentuate what’s underneath.
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Pattern.
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With pattern, there are four considerations: color, size, direction and the subtleties of stripes.
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Color. Tonal patterns (pink or red) attract less attention then those in contrasting colors, and the darker the background, the more slimming the print.
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Size. Always choose prints that are in scale with your size. Petite figures are more flattered by small, low-contrast prints, while taller women can take bigger prints with more contrast. Large women should also choose bigger prints, but may benefit more from the slimming power of a low-contrast design. A uniform, all-over pattern, which keeps the eye from resting on any one spot, is also a good diversionary tactic for voluptuous bodies.
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Direction. Sometimes the print itself creates a line, and sometimes the negative space does it. Either way, vertical lines are preferable to horizontal lines, and diagonal lines that are more vertical than horizontal will have the same elongating effect as a true vertical.
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Stripes. When it comes to wearing stripes, the decision involves more than simply choosing between horizontal or vertical lines. While it’s generally true that verticals lengthen and slim and that some horizontals will make a heavy area look heavier, it all depends on the size and spacing of the stripe. Horizontals can be used to create beneficial optical illusions if you’re of average size. Widely placed horizontal stipes, for example, can give the illusion of a bigger bust and — when worn with a dark bottom — can help balance a pear-shaped figure. If the horizontals are thin and widely spaced, they can have a lengthening effect, while widely space vertical stripes can widen. No matter which way your stripes fall, however, make sure the garment is on the loose side. If it’s too tight or stretchy, you’ll wind up wearing squiggles!
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Proportion.
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Figure flattery is not just about camouflage and diversion — it’s also a balancing act. The length of your legs in relation to your torso, the width of your shoulders in relation to your hips — these things matter to your overall appearance, and just like everything else, can be manipulated.
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Generally, to avoid cutting your body right through the middle horizontally, every outfit should be either "short-over-long" (or full) or "long-over-short" (or narrow). A short narrow jacket over an A-line skirt or a cropped jacket over trousers is one way to achieve the "short-over-long" look. Conversely, a long jacket with skinny pants or a tunic over a pencil skirt creates a "long-over-short" look.