No matter how much exercise is done, some women were just not born to have smaller waists in today’s clamor for Coca-Cola-shaped bodies.
Most cases of disappearing waistlines are due to genetics, particularly the placement and width of the ribcage — something that no amount of twisting exercises will be able to alter.
Luckily for us, we live in an era where much has been learned about clothing illusions, so much so that we have rendered corsets pretty much useless.
If you’re looking to create the illusion of a smaller waistline by wearing the right type of dresses, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are our top five picks:
1. The Striped Dress
We’ve all been told at least once in our lives to stay away from horizontal stripes because it makes us look fat — we say, if you can befriend horizontal stripes, then that’s even better.
If you’re looking for a no-brainer trick for a lengthier torso, go for a dress with vertical stripes. However, if you want to experiment with curve-giving stripe illusions, we suggest finding a strategically designed dress.
Aileen wears a beautiful striped dress with wedge sandals
To create the illusion of a waist, try one that makes use of horizontal stripes at the front with diagonal stripes (slanting down outward) at the side panels. This will automatically create a curvy illusion.
Shop Aileen of Brewing Happiness’s look. Her blog is unfortunately no longer available online:
Michael Michael Kors Striped Jersey Dress, $232.55 / Topshop Slim Curve Blazer, £48 / Kenneth Jay Lane Gold-Plated Necklace, £106.30 / Dorothy Perkins Pointed-Toe Court Shoes, £55 / Dolce & Gabbana Eva Tote, $2,086.97 / Topshop Komono Money Penny Metallic Gold Watch, £50 / Topshop Sheer Lip in Red Alert, £8 / Dolce & Gabbana Intense Nail Lacquer, $25
2. The Tie Waist/Wrap Dress
Diane von Furstenberg wasn’t just going for something pretty when she created the wrap dress; she was also trying to address the concerns of generations of women who wanted to have tinier waists.
Elle-May knows that a tie waist look accentuates the waistline
Tie-waist dresses are absolutely perfect because you can control the proportions they create (i.e., pear-shaped women can puff out their tops a bit more to add volume to their torsos).
Make sure you have a good grasp of your body proportions and how to balance it out first to avoid ending up looking like a harassed marshmallow.
Shop Elle-May of Stylishells’ look. Her blog is unfortunately no longer available online:
Matthew Williamson Satin-Jacquard Dress, £750 / Manolo Blahnik BB Patent Point-Toe Pumps in Orange, $595 / Coast Naomi Clutch, £55 / Kenneth Jay Lane Bold Teardrop Earrings, $50 / Isharya Indian Filigree Pearl Ring, €102 / Tory Burch Stacked Logo Stud Cuff Bracelet, $195 / Sisley Hydrating Long Lasting Lipstick in L30, £33
3. The Fit-and-Flare Dress
We have never been more glad that the retro era happened because otherwise, these beautiful voluminous casual dresses may not have existed for today’s not-so-curvaceous beauties.
Karina knows that fit-and-flare dresses are flattering because they mimic an hourglass shape
When it comes to wearing a fit-and-flare dress, it all comes down to finding one that fits your upper body snuggly, making sure that the waist doesn’t have any awkward bulking around it.
Once the fit around the torso is perfect, the skirt will take care of itself in creating that instant curvaceous look.
Shop Karina of Karina in Fashionland‘s look:
Oasis Kella Skater Dress, £60 / Saint Laurent “Jane” Leather Ankle-Strap Sandals in Neon Yellow, $795 / Loeffler Randall Citrus-Print Woven Lock Clutch, $295 / Topshop Petite Crepe Jacket, £55 / Topshop Orange Stone Row Necklace, £8.50 / French Connection Double Circle Dial Skinny Gold Watch, £129
4. The Panel Dress
The geometric panel dress trend caught on not only because of its refreshing color-blocking themes but also because it allowed women with straight body types to wear bandage/bodycon dresses.
Priscila shows how a panel dress can create the illusion of a waistline
When choosing panel dresses, make sure that the side panels are of a darker shade than the middle and that they curve in and out at the right places when worn.
You can also opt for one that makes use of different colors for the top and skirt parts to create a combination look.
Shop Priscila of Look at Me BR’s look. Her blog is unfortunately no longer available online:
Rag & Bone Clemence Dress, $595 / Finders Keepers Women’s Summer Smoke Blazer in Ivory and Black, £138 / Alexandre Birman Suede T-Strap Sandals, $595 / Topshop Komono Money Penny Metallic Silver Watch, £50 / Topshop Multi-Row Linked Snake Necklace, £13.50 / Stella McCartney Beckett Faux Leather Clutch, $698 / Stella McCartney Oversized Cateye Sunglasses in Spotty Tortoise, $190
5. The Graphic-Print Dress
Graphic-print dresses may be tricky to wear because the colors and illustrations tend to stand out too much from the body, making it look like you slung a painting around your neck before stepping out of your house.
A good graphic-print dress should emphasize a woman’s natural curves instead of haphazardly having art slapped onto the fabric.
Ebba wears a graphic-print dress that helps highlight her curves
Find a graphic dress that tapers down into a darker color at the midsection of your body so that it creates a slimming effect in that area. Also, make sure that all lines are pointing outward to avoid the illusion of bulk.
Shop Ebba of Ebba Zingmark’s look:
Clover Canyon Furniture Weave Neoprene Dress, £260 / Nasty Gal Space Rock Collar Necklace, $40 / Chinese Laundry Joy Ride Heels, $99.99 / Jil Sander Triple Knitted Color Block Leather Clutch, $1,110 / Chloé Blazer, $2,410.67 / Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids, £13.95 / Butter London Nail Lacquer in Silly Billy, $15