How to Never Look Fat Again: Over 1000 Ways to Dress Thinner--Without Dieting
264
How to Never Look Fat Again: Over 1000 Ways to Dress Thinner--Without Dieting
264Paperback
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Overview
You'll never get dressed the same way again once you discover:
Smart, easy ways to hide arm flap, a big bust, a muffin top, back fat, Buddha belly, a big booty, wide hips, thunder thighs, and heavy calves-and that's only half the book.
Which fabrics, colors, and styles make women look fat
Absolutely the best shades, shapes, and brilliant buys to make the pounds invisible
Clever solutions for special fashion situations—workout gear, evening wear, and even swimsuits!
Which products, fashions, and services you shouldn't waste your money on
The top ten tips that will make you look thinner by tonight!
So, if you've ever put on a piece of clothing and asked "Does this make me look fat?" Finally, here is the book that will answer your question.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780446547468 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Grand Central Publishing |
| Publication date: | 03/07/2011 |
| Pages: | 264 |
| Sales rank: | 526,101 |
| Product dimensions: | 7.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
How to Never Look Fat Again
Over 1,000 Ways to Dress Thinner--Without Dieting!By Krupp, Charla
Springboard Press
Copyright © 2010 Krupp, CharlaAll right reserved.
ISBN: 9780446547475
1
Are Your Clothes Making You Look Fat?
IT’S NOT YOU; IT’S YOUR CLOTHES.
How else do you explain why on some days you look your thinnest and on other days, not so much—when you weigh exactly the same?
→There are high-fat clothes and no-fat clothes and those (low-fat) in-between. Most of us have all three categories—high fat, low fat, and no fat—hanging in our closets and filling our drawers.
As weight-conscious women, we are aware of calories as well as fat grams. We are constantly monitoring what we put in our mouths. If you have an entire pizza for dinner, you are not likely to top it off with a rich dessert. Because pizza alone is going to max out your calories and fat intake, pretty much no matter what diet you’re on. Now if you stayed no-fat all day, when the dessert cart rolls up, you may feel like you can indulge in one perfect chocolate chip cookie. This daily internal negotiation that we have with food—“I’ll eat this, I won’t eat that”—is the same principle we need to apply to clothes: “I’ll buy this, I won’t buy that.” Just like you wouldn’t keep Mallomars in the kitchen if you were trying to lose weight, you shouldn’t store fattening choices in your closet if you want to look slim. Same concept.
Making strategic clothing choices for your specific body issues is the secret to dressing Fit Not Fat! Of course, you can (and should) diet and exercise, but neither of those are going to get you looking ten pounds thinner, ten years younger, and ten times sexier by tonight.
Here’s how to look Fit Not Fat in a super-fattening big floral-print full skirt: Don’t top it off with an equally fattening oversized white cotton blouson top with full sleeves. Instead, keep your top half (and everything else on your body) slim because you have maxed out your fat allowance with the skirt. So you choose a stretchy V-neck top that hugs your body and fabulously shows off your toned upper half—neck, shoulders, décolletage, waist, and arms. You don’t have a fabulous upper body to compensate for the super-fattening skirt? No problem—don’t wear the skirt. Instead, go head to toe in a monochromatic dress or pants look. Which, as you will find out in the pages to come, doesn’t have to be black and doesn’t need to be boring.
Let’s face it, stressing out about “What can I wear and not look fat?” consumes too much of our time—trying on clothes, looking in the mirror, figuring out if we look fat—and then we are forever returning our miscalculations.
You don’t want to wear more than one piece of high-fat clothing per outfit. Ideally, you want all your clothes to be zero fat. Fashion designers, stylists, tailors, and good personal shoppers all know what pieces make you look Fit Not Fat. Now you will, too, because in each chapter you’ll find various pieces of clothing categorized into high-fat and no-fat lists. Please note that the same piece can be high fat for one body issue and no fat for another. So no angry letters, please! Once you have the list for your body issue, you will be able to assess how fattening that piece of clothing on the rack will be on your body, before you waste time bringing it into the dressing room. Why is this important? Of course, it’s best if you can actually try everything on, but really, who has the time? If you can size up the fat factor in a nanosecond, you’ll have more time to do all those other more important things in life. (And you’ll look Fit Not Fat doing them, too.)
This book is dedicated to fast-tracking your “Do I look fat?” quandaries. Once we collectively nail this fat issue, we will move on with the self-assuredness of a woman who knows that she looks Fit Not Fat and therefore is in control. One great role model is Michelle Obama, who is not a size 2 but always looks strong and confident and pleased with herself, in whatever she wears.
Four basic ingredients pretty much determine whether a garment or accessory is fattening: shape, fabric, color, and fit. To assess the fat content of a piece of clothing or accessory in the abstract, we have to massively generalize. So please cut me some slack if you do indeed find a Pucci print puffer coat that makes you look ten pounds thinner! Fit is the wild card here. Only you and your three-way mirror can figure it out. A good tailor can help ensure a great fit, but sometimes a tailor will convince you to salvage a piece that is simply not worth salvaging. (Just like a sales associate in a department store will tell you that something looks fabulous when you know it doesn’t. It’s called being on commission.) Reject a piece sooner rather than later, and you won’t be throwing good money after bad. Here’s to not having any more miscalculations, which are probably those clothes in your closet with the hangtags still on. •
WILL IT MAKE YOU LOOK FAT? HOW TO TELL
It’s time to break the habit of wearing clothes that are better in theory…
An outfit either creates a good impression of you or it doesn’t.
LOOK AT THE SHAPE
HIGH-FAT pieces are oversized or have excessive amounts of fabric. As in, a super-sized boyfriend sweater, a sailor pant, a baby doll dress, a pleated skirt, a dirndl skirt, a balloon skirt, a fifties-style ball gown, a ruffled peasant skirt, overalls, harem pants, sweatpants, and an espadrille shoe that ties up on the leg. On the flip side, pieces that are too small to cover your frame leave too much exposed and are also high-fat. Stay clear of tube tops, hot pants, cut-off jeans, shorts suits, micro-minis, bikinis, bustiers, cutout dresses, and slit-up-to-there skirts, too.
LOW-FAT pieces provide coverage, but not much else. (I am not going to concentrate on this category of clothes in this book, as I assume you will want to look as slim as possible, but I’ll explain this category here, so you can assess your current wardrobe.) Many of these are boring classics that just sit there on your body and don’t particularly flatter it. Often, it’s a tweed blazer, twin sweater set, a sweater dress, a mid-calf skirt, pants with side pockets, a denim jacket, loafers, flannel shirts, white shirts, cotton tees, or plain black pumps.
NO-FAT pieces are the hardest workers. Well-constructed shapers, they enhance your figure, create a svelte silhouette, hide the fat, and slurp you up in all the right places. They make you look better than you would look naked. Stock up on trim V-neck sweaters with three-quarter sleeves, a pencil skirt, boot-cut jeans, an A-line shift dress, a wrap dress, flat-front trousers, a full-coverage bra, a shapewear bike short, high-waist opaque stockings, a control camisole, a knee-length heeled boot, and a pair of nude high heels.
LOOK AT THE FABRIC
HIGH-FAT fabrics are, unfortunately, the most alluring, heavy on shine and texture. Be wary of wide-whale corduroy, crushed velvet, metallic, leather, patent leather, suede, down, mohair, angora, brocade, taffeta, bouclé, sequins, satin, beading, quilting, embroidery, tulle, fringe, flannel, terry cloth, toile, fur (real or faux), chiffon, horizontal stripes, and big prints—houndstooth, floral, plaids, Pucci-esque.
LOW-FAT fabrics are those that are comfortable and wearable but don’t particularly go out of their way to enhance your shape. The most popular include cotton, denim, plain velvet, silk, lace, wool crepe, and wool gabardine.
NO-FAT fabrics have a little something extra that helps mold, shape, and hug your curves. You can’t have enough jersey, cashmere, fine cotton, spandex, fine ribs, flat knits, matte crepe silk, wool rayon, or vertical pinstripes.
LOOK AT THE COLOR
HIGH FAT: neons, brights, primary colors, pastels, white.
LOW FAT: darker hues—navy, brown, charcoal, olive, burgundy, gray.
NO FAT: black, but a closetful of black clothes is so depressing. Try to limit your black purchases to anywhere you have body issues.
LOOK AT THE FIT
HIGH FAT: too big or too tight.
LOW FAT: passable, not amazing.
NO FAT: perfect fit—like it was made for you.
How do trends play into the fat equation? When I look at a fashion runway, I’m always rooting for those trends that I can wear without looking like a blob. I love a show if it has dresses, suits, jackets, and pants I will not look fat in. Military—yes! It’s generally dark, slimming, and fitted. Safari—yes! Most women find smallish leopard prints flattering. Transparency—no! Not for those with serious flab. Pretty baby—no! Little girl dresses and puffed sleeves make everyone look pregnant. Honestly, most of the trends only look good on stick-thin models stalking the runway, teenage girls trolling the mall, or the twenty-something-year-old assistants at fashion magazines. You know that curating a personal style by what looks good on someone else leaves you with a closetful of pieces you don’t feel good wearing. But once you start looking at the fat content of clothes, you’ll be outing fat clothes on the spot. The goal is to become a very picky, or shall we say discerning, fashion editor. I know you can do this.
Here’s the bottom line: If you have to ask the question “Does this make me look fat?” you already know the answer. But chances are, you’re still tempted to wear the piece in question because of how you want it to look, because you love the designer, because you love the fabric or color, because of where you bought it, because it’s on trend, because you paid too much for it, because, because, because.
Sorry, but we don’t walk around with a letter of explanation pinned to our cropped jackets defending our choice of this garment. It’s time to break the habit of wearing clothes that are better in theory—and see yourself in the same bright light that others see you. That outfit either creates a good impression of you or it doesn’t. And, if it doesn’t, summon up the courage to banish the offending garment to the giveaway bag.
What’s lurking in your closet that’s packing on the pounds? You’ll have a better fix on those sartorial calorie-adding culprits after you take this quiz. •
Here’s the bottom line: If you have to ask the question, “Does this make me look fat?” you already know the answer.
THE "ARE YOUR CLOTHES MAKING YOU LOOK FAT?"
QUIZ
(1) YOUR WINTER COAT IS
A. A metallic silver puffer that hits mid-calf
B. A short black puffer that’s belted at the waist
C. A navy single-breasted wool or cashmere three-quarter-length coat
(2) YOUR FAVORITE SKIRT IS
A. A denim mini
B. A boho-chic maxi
C. A black pencil that grazes the knees
(3) MOST OF THE CLOTHES IN YOUR CLOSET ARE
A. Bright hues and bold patterns
B. Solid colors
C. Black
(4) YOUR FABRIC OF CHOICE IS
A. Satin
B. Cashmere
C. Jersey
(5) YOUR EVERYDAY SHOES ARE
A. Platform wedges
B. Kitten heels
C. Knee-high black suede boots with a heel
(6) YOUR JEANS ARE
A. Skinny jeans that taper at the ankle
B. Five-pocket with straight legs
C. Dark denim boot cut with a bit of stretch
(7) YOUR BLACK PANTS ARE
A. Relaxed fit with elastic waist
B. Wide legged with cuffs
C. Slim cut in a Lycra blend
(8) YOUR WHITE PANTS ARE
A. High-waisted
B. Stretch cotton capris
C. Flat-front trousers
(9) YOUR WORKOUT OUTFIT IS
A. An oversized T-shirt and sweats
B. A Juicy Couture velour tracksuit
C. Yoga pants and a tank top
(10) YOUR STOCKING DRAWER HAS MOSTLY
A. Patterned stockings and colored tights
B. Nude hose
C. Black tights
(11) YOUR SWIMSUIT IS
A. A bikini
B. A tankini
C. A solid color one-piece
(12) YOUR UNDERWEAR OF CHOICE IS
A. Cotton boy shorts
B. A barely there thong
C. A seamless bike short with control
(13) YOUR BRA IS
A. Lacy black push-up bra
B. Comfy white T-shirt bra
C. Supportive, full-coverage nude
(14) YOUR FAVORITE SHAPEWEAR PIECE IS
A. Camisole
B. Bike short
C. Body suit
(15) TO BED, YOU WEAR
A. Boxers and an oversized T-shirt
B. Cotton nightgown
C. Tank top and pajama bottoms
IF YOU ANSWERED…
MOSTLY A’S: You may be up on the fashion trends, but unless you are built like Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen (and if you are, please don’t stand near me) you risk looking fatter and frumpier than you actually are because the colors, fabrics, textures, and shapes you gravitate to are super-fattening. Think of your closet as the equivalent of a high-fat fridge crammed with cake, cookies, chocolate sauce, and [insert your favorite forbidden food here]. You need to quit those high-caloric pieces, so you won’t be tempted when getting dressed. Don’t worry about what you wore in the past. You’re in the fat-free zone now. Promise yourself: No more fat clothes. Once you go chapter by chapter, you’ll see a huge difference—not only in how you look, but how you feel. You’ll be happier with yourself for taking action and switching to no-fat clothes from this day forward.
MOSTLY B’S: Your closet is packed with solid low-fat choices, and you have the right idea about what looks right, but your look could be even sleeker if you traded some of those low-fat pieces for no-fat pieces. Sometimes you may be tempted by a dress, a sweater, or a skirt even though you intuitively know it’s not going to do you 100 percent justice. Next time that happens while you’re shopping, try a little self-control. Ask the sales associate to hold the piece in question while you shop around. In the next five minutes, picture yourself showing up at work or a party in that piece, looking ten pounds heavier than you actually are. Do you still want it? Summon up the willpower to tell yourself, and the sales associate, that it wasn’t meant to be. Welcome to your first day of No-Fat Dressing. From now on, only buy no-fat. Once you see how much thinner you look, it won’t be hard to say no next time.
MOSTLY C’S: Congrats! You’re an extremely fashion-savvy woman whose closet is packed with lean, no-fat choices. You not only know what’s hot, you know your bod—and what flatters it best. You probably look as thin as possible day in, day out. But if you still feel that you look fat, maybe there’s something that’s just a little bit off. Maybe you’re not seeing yourself the way others see you. Then again, it could be the styling or the fit, but don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.
WITH THIS BOOK, YOU’RE ALL SIGNED UP FOR THE MASTER CLASS.
You’ll discover how subtle little styling tricks can make you look thinner, taller, and sexier. From now on you’ll be able to tweak your own outfits to perfection like a pro.
Who among us does not want to walk out of the house every day looking like we dropped a dress size or two? From now on, wear only no-fat clothes and you’ll look Fit Not Fat every day, all year round, winter and even in summer, too.
Let’s start at the top and work our way down.
Continues...
Excerpted from How to Never Look Fat Again by Krupp, Charla Copyright © 2010 by Krupp, Charla. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Intro: Raise your hand if you think you look fat 1
Chapter 1 Are Your Clothes Making You Look Fat? 10
Chapter 2 How to never look fat with a Wide Face 18
Chapter 3 How to never look fat with a Thick Neck + Broad Shoulders 36
Chapter 4 How to never look fat with a Arm Flap 52
Chapter 5 How to never look fat with a Big Bust 70
Chapter 6 How to never look fat with a Muffin Top + Back Fat 86
Chapter 7 How to never look fat with a Buddha Belly 100
Chapter 8 How to never look fat with a Wide Hips + Things 114
Chapter 9 How to never look fat with a Big Booty 128
Chapter 10 How to never look fat with a Heavy Calves 142
Chapter 11 How to never look fat with a Wide Feet + Ankles 156
Chapter 12 How to never look fat with a Summer 170
Chapter 13 How to never look fat with a Winter 186
Chapter 14 How to never look fat with a Workout Wear 200
Chapter 15 How to never look fat with a The Evening 212
Chapter 16 How To Never Look Fat Again 226
Skinny Clicks 239
Skinny Clicks for Larger Sizes 242
Thank Yous 244
Fashion Credits 249
Photography Credits 252