She warned us what to do–and
more importantly– what not to do to
look old before our time in How to Not
Look Old (Springboard Press, 2009),
now style expert Charla Krupp is back with sage advice on a subject women of
every age can heed: How to Never Look Fat
Again (Springboard Press, 2010, $26.99). Not a diet book (though Krupp’s a
huge proponent of a healthy one coupled with exercise) instead she styles her
way through countless dressing do’s and don’ts that visually make an impact on
your size and shape.
Poised with the rhetorical
question: Does this make me look fat? She counters with advice to hide that
muffin top, back fat, arm flap, Buddha belly, heavy calves and on and on.
Perusing the pages, I’ve plucked my favorite non-fat advice from Charla and
learned a thing or two, or three about how to camouflage those tricky spots:
* Worst fat-face
offenders: bare forehead, flat hair, middle part, rounded eyewear and severe
bob cuts. (Best bet face thinners: hair with body, light, bright highlights
around the face, shaped groomed brows, white, strong vertical teeth, wispy
bangs.
* Dress-thinner
strategy for a thick neck and broad shoulders: Live in V-necks. …The downward
diamond optically elongates and narrows so you don’t have a cutoff point where
the actual neck stops, giving you the illusion of extra inches.
* Arm flabbies:
How to not call attention to them. Wear: billowy jersey full sleeves, shrugs
and capes, slouchy sweaters and tees with V or scoop necks, tailored
dress/cardigan combos, three-quarter sleeves, tunics with straight, roomy
sleeves.
* Things that make
you look fat with a big bust: tucking in tops, turtlenecks, tightness across
the chest, excessive cleavage (pushed together boobs), bulky jackets and
sweaters, strapless gowns, tight T-shirts, and across-the-body messenger or
shoulder bags.
* Instant
gratification for muffin tops and back fat: Wear a dress (avoid separate tops
and bottoms), add a boyfriend cardigan or fitted jacket (it instantly cleans up
contours for a lean, trim look), go up a size in tops (even a quarter inch more
fabric can make a difference), add a man-tailored vest over a crisp white shirt
and pants (or a faux fur one for a cool downtown look), wear a shirt open as a
jacket over a same color tee, tank, dress, or pants (very St. Tropez) and sit
up straight like your mother told you too.
* How to hide a
Buddha belly: Throw a jacket over dark jeans or a sheath dress, add a long,
loose tank beneath your sweater, go up a pant size so your flat-fronts or jeans
sit slightly lower on the waist, get a great LBD and wear an amazing necklace.