Use Fashion to Fake a Perfect Figure

hide batwings with this trick.
hide batwings with this trick.

When you look in the mirror, if you see something that you don't quite love or a body part you wish were larger, smaller, or simply different, you're just like every other woman out there. We all have something we'd like to change, whether it's flabby arms that appear to get more prominent with every birthday, ankles that look like an extension of your calves, or simply a "muffin top" of extra skin hanging over your jeans that was a gift from carrying your second child.

There's no need to panic. Most of these so-called "figure flaws" can be cleverly fixed through fashion. Here's how:

1. Batwings (above): Many women get so-called "batwings" (aka saggy arm skin) as they age. Wearing a flowy, printed top like this one on actress Camryn Manheim is a great way to disguise them. The billowy sleeves skim over the upper arms and hit mid-forearm, showcasing your wrists, the slimmest part. You can also try a cape on for size, a huge trend this season.

Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson

2. Cankles:Jennifer Hudson: Ah, the cankles phenomenon. Sometimes even the skinniest women have them. Women with so-called cankles have thick ankles that seem almost like part of their calves. The worst thing a woman with thicker ankles can do is wear an ankle strap shoe or cropped pants that highlight the area. However, it isn't necessary to cover them up with pants. The goal is to create the illusion of thinness by wearing leg-elongating black tights and black peep-toe booties like singer Jennifer Hudson does here. The hemline that hits just above the knee on her brightly colored dress further lengthens her silhouette.



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Ciara
Ciara

3.Molehills: While many women opt to amp up their assets with a push-up bra, there are other, less obvious ways to make, well, mountains out of molehills. One clever trick, as singer Ciara has so expertly done, is to wear a top with ruffles that draws the eye to the bustline, creating the illusion of "bulk".










Lacey Schwimmer
Lacey Schwimmer

4. Wide calves: Ask any woman with wide calves, and she'll tell you she has the toughest time finding a pair of boots that fit over her legs. It doesn't help that tucking skinny jeans into boots has been a key trend for a few seasons now. Even petite women with athletic frames run into this problem. So what's a gal to do? In many instances you can try going up a half size to full size. Since you have the structure around the calf, you won't have to worry about boots sliding off your feet. Or, try some cute ankle booties on for size like Dancing With the Stars pro Lacey Schwimmer.




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Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige

5. Muffin top: We can all relate to the dreaded "muffin top" or skin overhang that happens when we wear pants or jeans that are too low-rise and tight up top. To minimize the appearance of muffin top, look for a mid-rise style pant that hits just below your bellybutton. You can also add a belt to emphasize your waist and create an hourglass silhouette like Mary J. Blige does here.









Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson

6. Mountains: We can't pick on the flat-chested girls without addressing their overly-ample counterparts. Whichever applies to you, the proverbial grass is usually greener on the other side. Those smaller gals want to boost what they've got while the DD set tries to downplay as much as possible. Sometimes less is more when it comes to cleavage, and it's important to keep it appropriate. Jessica Simpson's bustline is as big as her vocal range, but she does a great job of balancing out her bust (and growing bump!) with this black cami and tailored blazer combo.




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