Galway Advertiser 2005/2005_01_13/GA_1301_E1_018.pdf 

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18

Galway Advertiser

January 13 2004

NEWS

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FASHION

BEAUTY

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H E A LT H

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LIFE

MARY
We tend to concentrate on the lumps and bumps, the big hips, pear shape, or short legs and desperately try to disguise these perceived imperfections in often unsuitable clothes. The secret to looking good is to face up to your body shape and then learn what styles are most flattering for you. If you have a full-figured round body, style gurus advise you to opt for simple styles. * Dress in one colour. This does not mean that you must step out in black although many do to good effect. Dressing in one colour tends to make you look slimmer, it encourages people's eyes to travel up and down without interruption. While most colours are fine, steer away from white, orange, yellow and red. They will make you look heavy. Opt for green, blue and grey - which are all slimming shades. * Wear heels. These will always slim you down and add an illusion of length to your legs. Even if you are quite tall already a little heel will make you look better. Avoid ankle boots if you are inclined to be chubby - these will cut your legs in half and make you look heavier. However, sling back shoes in the same shade as your tights will make your legs look longer and thinner. There is a great choice of heel styles and heights in the shops right now so there is no excuse for not walking tall. * Liven up outfits by using brooches, earrings (drop earrings are a good choice) or pretty scarves * Be bold in your colour choices for blouses, jackets and scarves. Opt for neutral and deeper tones for skirts and trousers. * Wear good underwear, preferably the right size. You can help improve your figure in this way. Avoid tight bras because these will create bulges and do nothing for your shape. You should aim for a smooth line in all underwear.

O'CONNOR
and get one professionally applied. * Remember, you don't have to splash out a fortune to look great. If your clothes are well cut and the fabric is of good quality, they will hang well. * Choose V or scoop necklines to camouflage chubby necks and make your upper body appear longer
Water-taffeta effect jacket 140 and trousers 75 from Endora. Available in sizes 10-20 rom Carolines, Tuam , Lousha, Athenry, and Image Boutique in Ballinasloe.

Dressing to suit the fuller figure
Few women are born with perfect figures. Even those with model-like proportions complain about their shortcomings, real or imagined.

What to try
* If you are pear shaped, keep darker clothes for the lower half of your body. Most people think stripes are not slimming but this is just not true. Diagonal stripes can look great and will make help you look slimmer. * Wear bigger clothes. Buy a size larger than you think you need. Nothing will make you look fatter than clothes that are too tight. It is easy to be tempted to try and pour yourself into a size 14. But if you are really a size 16, you will just end up with buttons that gape and bulges everywhere. However, don't make the mistake of buying too large and trying to hide away in tent-like garments. This will only make you look larger.

Wool mix check jacket 160 and skirt 80. Suit in pink and cream fromm Endora, sizes 10-20. Available from Carolines, Tuam; Lousha, Athenry, and Image Boutique in Ballinasloe.

Avoid
* Tops with short, tight sleeves. These will squash your arms if they tend to be flabby so opt for a looser cut to disguise this. * Belts. These are important fashion accessories right now but avoid them if you are edging towards tubbiness. They are likely to cut you in half, making you look even more rounded. * Fussy styles and distinguishable patterns in suits. Choose plain quality fabrics in your best colours. Reserve patterns for blouses or scarves. This will make whatever clothes you are wearing look good. * Choose a suitable handbag. Bags with long straps that hang around the hips should be avoided if your hips are not your strong point. They will only draw attention to this area. Teeny clutch bags are unwise too, for the same reason. Instead, choose a bag that hangs around a thinner part of your body. * Fake a tan. It will make you look slimmer as well as adding a healthy glow to your cheeks. There is a big selection of selftan products on sale or you could really pamper yourself * Select accessories to draw attention away from trouble spots * Wear clothes that fit * To create an illusion of longer legs, wear skirts which fall right above the knee * If you want to wear a sleeveless dress, cover your upper arms with a sheer, elegant shawl * A dress with a matching coat will hide bulges * Match your belt and shoes to your skirt or trousers to make your legs appear longer * Any waist definition, such as that in fitted jackets and dresses * Chokers and short necklaces. They will highlight the width of your neck. Steer away from all tiny accessories in the form of earrings or brooches too. Make sure your jewellery is simple and elegant. Too much clutter adds bulk. * Flat shoes and sunkissed or light coloured tights * Bulky fabrics, such as tweed and mohair. They will make you look bigger. Big sweatshirts and jumpers are a no-no too * Blouses, jackets or skirts with

Longline jacket 150 and shawl 70 in grape with diamant studded belt. Sizes 10-20 my Endora. Available frorm Carolines, Tuam; Lousha, Athenry, and Image in Ballinasloe.

straining buttons or fastenings which create unsightly gaps. Hide them away until they fit you again or pass them on to a charity shop * Very short hair or scraped back styles. Choose a soft framing style. Hair with volume on the top adds height to the body and will slim down a round face. If you have longer hair, opt for a soft feathery look. * Skirts without darts, especially if your tummy and bottom are round. Steer clear of short skirts if your legs are not your best assets. * Cheap or ill fitting jackets. These will just wreck your look * Tucking in blouses if you have a large midriff. Opt for styles that hang loose just below your waist but are not too long * Clinging fabrics and tight fitting clothes. These will only help accentuate any bulges. Crisp fabrics are a good option because they retain their shape * Scooped necklines, frills, gathers and pleats * The latest fashion trends unless they look great on you. Choose classic, well cut clothes in your best colours