Ten Great Wardrobe Tips to Create an Hourglass Figure

As we get older it appears as though the majority of mature women feel like they have permanently lost their hourglass figure. Perhaps some feel they didn’t have one in the first place? An hourglass might seem an impossible goal. Maybe it’s just easier to give up and start knitting oversized, boxy sweaters or knee length cardigans from now on. Yet, there is much that can be done in the way you dress that can make a dramatic difference. (My dad always used a very successful joke that he was not aiming for an Hourglass with his figure, more of a Sundial instead.) Let’s take a quick look at what you can do to shape up faster than a workout.

A video passed through my feed on FB showing a bundle of outfits that caught my eye. On Tiktok, the original account name is all over the video @moda_plus0 (looks like a zero) so I will leave the signature in each image and recommend you visit the account for more wardrobe ideas. Yes, indeed the animation has been produced with A.I. which normally puts me off. However, there’s something really great about these outfits. Each one of them shows you how to create an hourglass figure even when you think you don’t have it. What are the wardrobe tips we can take from these images?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1) Waistline! Look how the waistline is accentuated in every outfit. If your tummy is round you can still lift the waistline a little higher. Most women are quite narrow in the strip around the ribs just under the bust. Make the most of this narrow area.

2) Folding fabrics. Folds, pleats, ruched edges are all wonderful for hiding bulges and drawing the eye where you want it to go. Look how the first green outfit and the champagne blouse/cummerbund/trousers use diagonal folds to reduce the width of the figure.

3) Low necklines lengthen the neck and make you look taller. If you are worried about your neck looking old, add multi strands of beads/pearls or a lightweight, light coloured, complimentary scarf tied high around the throat. You can tuck one end of the scarf down the back of your shirt so the knot stays on the side of the neck.

4) Jackets and over shirts hide your backside and disguise the outer edges of your silhouette, drawing the eye to the centre vertical. Also, they are great for visually drawing the whole outfit together. If it’s above knee, make it as wide and full as you like. If it’s below knee, keep it slim or A-line. If it’s wide all the way down, you will defeat the purpose of your other slimming garments.

5) Shoes that look lightweight even if they have hidden arch support or other useful features. (Sorry my screen shots don’t show the shoes very well.)  Spring Summer, wear your shoes in flesh or light colours matching the skirt/pants. This trick will extend the leg so you look taller.  A shoe or sandal with a low front can still hide your toes which looks more high class than open toe. By contrast, when you are wearing trousers, aim for high fronted shoes. Loafers, boots and mules are great for keeping the colour of your trousers continuing uninterrupted, all the way to the ground for a taller illusion.

6) Colours. With grey and white hair, the complexion looks quite different compared to when you were 20 years old. Step away from black. Instead, opt for dusky, muted and faded colours for your outfits to bring out the blush in your cheek.

7) High Contrast Illusion. There’s just one dark outfit in the animation in a deep denim blue and white. The illusion creates the hourglass figure even using vertical and horizontal lines. Note how the trousers have one leg white and one leg blue? This high contrast trick cuts the width of the body down to a narrow line. Very clever.

8) Looking coifed. Neat and tidy hair, maybe a touch of lippy to make you teeth look whiter and a few subtle accessories can add class to your outfit without drawing attention away from who you are. Fresh water or ocean pearls have been known for centuries to flatter the complexion and literally add an uplight to the face.  Some quick, efficient grooming at the start of the day doesn’t take a lot of time and can make a dramatic difference to your confidence.

9) Keep it comfortable. It is a myth to believe you have to go through pain to gain a shapely, hourglass silhouette. Look at these outfits. No push up bras. No crazy heels. No pencil skirts. There’s plenty of leg room with soft pleated trousers and midi length full skirts. If waistcoats are not your thing, try a cropped jacket or knitted vest that finishes mid hip.

Shopping for clothes can be disheartening when you no longer fit the standard sizes. Look for a jacket that fits well through the shoulders. Then, get an alterations shop to slim down the back and waist through that precious strip of torso under the bust. Shop around till you find the right personnel with the skill and a good eye for a flattering shape. Once you’ve found a good alterations place, hold on to them! They are very precious. Besides, it may be less expensive than you think.

10) SMILE! Even A.I. knows you look better when you smile. Get used to smiling at people on the street. It will give the muscles around your cheekbones a workout and lift your face as well as make the people around you feel good. I remember a very sad time in my life when I didn’t smile for many weeks. Always ready to experiment, I found the only way I could get my face muscles to start moving again was to smile under the hot water of the shower. Gradually the muscles eased their tension.

Second stage: I would smile every time I caught my reflection in a mirror. Why do that? I assumed rightly that if I only ever saw myself smiling, then I must be happier than I feel. Gradually the happiness came back again. Be patient with yourself.

I do recommend looking at Carole Maggio’s Facercise book. Your face is, after all, filled with muscles and they need a workout just the same as the rest of the body. The book is less than $30 yet, will do a better job than a $400 face cream. https://shop.facercise.com/collections/dvds/products/ultimate-facercise-book-by-carole-maggio

Bibliography

Here’s the original A.I. video on Tiktok. https://www.tiktok.com/@moda_plus0/video/7516342024451181842
Or a Facebook version.  https://www.facebook.com/100017780836123/videos/1110273880931189
If you can’t see either video, it’s basically the same outfits I’ve taken in my screen shots and the animation walks and smiles.

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