By
Lois Joy Johnson,
AARP
Published September 15, 2022
As a fashion editor, stylist and personal shopper, I’ve seen a real shift in women’s approach to their bodies and clothes. Decades of dieting and struggling to fit into a specific size are fading away. “I want to look 10 pounds thinner” has been replaced by “I want to look amazing!”
While I don’t dress the following celebs or know their exact sizes, in the spirit of body positivity, I present these curvy and fashionable women as style inspiration.Here are 10 tips for embracing the frame you’re in.
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1. Give your body, psyche and wardrobe a boost
2. Dress to elongate your body
3. Show off your shape
4. Define your waist
5. Or wear dresses and tunics that flow
6. Work with your personal proportions
7. Opt for relaxed pieces
8. Add jackets and cardigans
9. Wear bras that lift and support
10. Make more of a fashion statement
1. Give your body, psyche and wardrobe a boost
(Left to right) Morgan Fairchild in a print jacket over a black top and pants; Queen Latifah in a statement striped sleeveless shift; Sherri Shepherd in a fit-and-flare-style bright pink floral.
Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images; Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images for Aurora Institute; Araya Doheny/Getty Images
Opening your closet and getting dressed should be an elevating experience, not a frustrating part of your day. Start by donating your old “I’ll lose the extra pounds someday” clothes and boxy, unstylish items ASAP. Then start adding new pieces that put a smile on your face and make you excited to get dressed and say “Yes!” to your next evite.
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2. Dress to elongate your body
(Left to right) Meryl Streep in an A-line print black midi dress and low kitten heels; Garcelle Beauvais in high-waisted black pants and a white shirt.
Tasos Katopodis/WireImage; Unique Nicole/WireImage
Weight is a horizontal thing: It adds width at the bust, waist, hips and thighs. Height and leg and arm length, however, do not vary, no matter how much the scale fluctuates. Whatever your height, you’ll get a more flattering overall look by creating the illusion of a longer, taller silhouette. You can do this several ways: by dressing in one color from head to toe; wearing jeans with a higher rise (if you’re a belt-and-waist person); showing your ankles and wrists in 3/4-sleeve tops, ankle-cropped pants or midis instead of full-length pants and maxis; and wearing a shoe with some elevation, like a chunky lug or platform sole, a low block or kitten heel, and/or tapered, pointy-ish (not toe-cramming pointy) shoes.
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