Contributed by Cindi Pearce, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

Abracadabra! Poof! You’re skinny!

Okay, maybe not but don’t despair. You don’t have to be a magician to transform yourself into a svelte woman. All you need to know are some of the trade secrets regarding how to make yourself appear thinner than you really are. Here is the best of how to look skinny, or at least a few pounds slimmer.

Create height

Wear big hair

Wear your hair piled up on your head. This gives you the added illusion of height. You may be five feet four inches, in reality, but with tall hair and high heels you can easily come across as five feet eight inches and THAT, my dear, makes you look thinner. Your weight is spread over more space, or it at least appears to be. It also makes your neck look longer. Explore the hair care products and equipment. Figure out how to create a hairstyle that actually makes you look thinner and your hair look thicker and bigger. It’s possible!

Wear Shapewear

Suck-it-in assistance

This is a miracle invention, and it’s comfortable as well. Shapewear is not nasty like the torturous boned corsets from the 1860s—remember Scarlet O’Hara and her ridiculously small waist courtesy of Mammy, who tied her so tightly that she occasionally passed out— or the contraptions from the 1950s and sixties that were hellacious to get into and unpleasant to wear. Shapewear is stretchy. You can breathe, and it’s totally unnoticeable. It pulls you in, pushes things up and even things out so that you look every bit of five pounds thinner and quite shapely to boot. Rumor has it that Oprah Winfrey has every color and kind of shaping aids available. As We Change has an awesome choice of undergarments that will do your body a world of good and ramp up your self esteem too.

Strap on platforms

Heels give you beneficial inches

If you can tolerate them, wear high heels. The extra height (note earlier reference) can do wonders for a body that has had one too many babies or donuts. High heels also make your legs look better, shapelier and show off what great calves you have. Platform heels make your legs look like they go on for miles.

Play with shape and color

Accentuate the positive

You probably already know how to conceal the imperfections on your face, so learn how to conceal the imperfections in your body. If your upper arms are saggy and out of shape, cover them up. If it’s summer and too hot to wear long sleeves, drape a thin shawl over your shoulders and arms. If your boobs are great but the belly is not so good, draw attention to your chest and away from your mid section. Show some cleavage. Wear a kick butt necklace. Pull the attention up and away from your belly. Wear some dazzling earrings. People will be looking at your face instead of at your belly roll. Check out what Roaman’s have to offer. You won’t be disappointed.

Body enhancers

Create illusion with enhancing shapewear

A big butt is coveted nowadays so don’t worry about it if you have one. Show it off. Healthy curves actually minimize your waist, your arms and your legs. However, if you have a serious lack of junk in your trunk, and it’s kind of dimpled and perhaps not in the best shape, grab enhancing shapers that can make your bootie look toned and taut.

Art of disguise

Hide your jiggly bits

Jackets are a woman’s best friends. They hide your big butt if you want to hide it, and they also conceal muffin tops and bulging bellies if you keep them buttoned or zipped. Purchase a stand-out jacket that will last for years and can be worn casually or for dressing up. It will be well worth the money. Serengeti has some beautiful jackets to choose from in delightful colors.