6 styling hacks to instantly make you look slimmer (number 5 is genius!)

Lost your workout mojo? No problem. According to the experts, there are ways to achieve the appearance of a slimmer physique without shedding a single pound. Hellana M. of Styled by Hellana is a Personal Stylist, formerly at Harrods, who works with women of all ages, shapes and sizes. She explains that good styling is what makes all the difference: rather than obsessing over hiding your body or contorting yourself to look smaller, you can incorporate certain fashion choices that create balance and complement your proportions. By highlighting your best assets and drawing attention away from your least favourites, you’ll look your best, not just because of your slimmed silhouette, but because confidence will radiate off of you.

Nafissa Maiga, founder of Style by Nafi, is a Paris-based Personal Stylist who loves working with women of varying backgrounds, budgets and body types. She adds that shopping and styling choices are key because your comfort is visible in the way clothing hangs off of you. Instead of wearing clothes that feel like a punishment, you can opt for styles that slim down visual weight, flatter your best features and flaunt what you’ve been blessed with. Here are six of the best tried-and-tested fashion hacks that will make you look instantly slimmer.

1. Stop wearing the wrong size

Women’s clothing sizes are like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. There’s a big disparity between stores, and often the same size can run bigger or smaller than what you’re used to with another brand. ‘A lot of women wear clothes that are too tight because they’re focused on the number on the label,’ explains Hellana. Resist temptation to squeeze into something that doesn’t feel right just because it’s a smaller size.

The most elegant pieces follow the body without squeezing it

Hellana explains that tailored is always more flattering than tight. ‘If something is pulling across the thighs, bunching at the hips or straining across the bust or back, it usually adds visual weight rather than taking it away. Ironically, sizing up slightly often makes you look slimmer.’ Nafissa agrees, explaining that when clothes are too tight, they can emphasisnsion lines and problem areas, instead of enhancing your natural silhouette. ‘The most elegant pieces follow the body without squeezing it’.

Signs you may need to size up

• Pulling across buttons
• Horizontal drag lines
• Fabric bunching at the hips or thighs
• Uncomfortable waistband digging in

2. The Trick to tucking

The French tuck (no relation to the European nation, other than its vague association with effortlessly chic Parisian style) is simple. Instead of tucking in your shirt all the way around, experiment with tucking in only the front-middle section, leaving the back and sides loose. This works to accentuate your waist without clinging or bunching the fabric, and creates a flattering silhouette that elongates the legs.

Fully untucked tops can overwhelm you or hide your figure

‘The French tuck is one of the easiest ways to define the waist without looking overdressed,’ says Nafissa. ‘You create more structure, visually lengthen the legs and avoid letting oversized clothing completely swallow the silhouette.’ This is because fully untucked tops can overwhelm you or hide your figure, while fully tucked-in tops may draw attention to your mid-section or feel a bit too formal and severe. It’s slimming while exuding casual confidence – giving you a certain “je ne sais quais.”

3. The balance rule

‘Balance in proportions is key,’ says Nafissa. ‘The goal is not to look smaller, but to create visual harmony.’ You want to avoid your body getting dwarfed or distorted by imbalanced styling; a more balanced look will always look more flattering. This can be achieved by dressing in a way that accentuates and enhances length from top to bottom, rather than being especially top-heavy or incorporating exaggerated silhouettes. Core examples include:

• Wide-leg trousers + a fitted knit
• Skinny jeans + an oversized shirt
• Figure-hugging pencil skirt + boxy blazer
• Single-breasted blazers for fuller busts

The secret to selecting jeans

Shopping for a flattering pair of jeans can feel like an uphill battle. With so many styles to choose from and the trendiest silhouette constantly changing, it’s hard to know which one to go for. Hellana offers some helpful tips:

• In terms of jeans, skinny jeans are often the main offender when it comes to exaggerating hips and thighs because the eye is drawn down to the narrowest point of the ankle, which can make the hips appear wider by comparison.
• Straighter-leg, bootcut, flared and wider-leg styles are generally much more balancing and universally flattering.
• Dark washes such as indigo, black or charcoal also tend to create a sleeker silhouette than pale or heavily faded denim. 
• Avoid bulky front pockets, distressing or heavy detailing on jeans if you’re trying to create a cleaner line around the hips and thighs.

4. Monochrome: the way to go

Is it true that it’s “back to black” if you want to flatter your figure? Well, turns out it’s a little more nuanced than that. Hellana explains that opting for a monochrome ensemble is an easy and effective trick to appear slimmer, though you don’t have to stick to funeral chic – another consistent shade can deliver the same impact. ‘Dressing head-to-toe in one colour family creates visual length because the body isn’t being broken up into separate sections. The eye travels smoothly up and down, which naturally creates a leaner effect.’

You can achieve this visual cohesion by wearing a top and bottoms in the same or similar colours, so your outfit is made up of smooth, uninterrupted lines. She adds that matching your shoes to your trousers or tights can elongate your legs and instantly lengthen your silhouette overall.

Dressing head-to-toe in one colour family creates visual length

While darker colours do tend to be more forgiving, she explains that, despite what most people believe, black doesn’t actually suit the majority of people’s complexions. ‘Often a softer dark neutral such as navy, chocolate brown, olive or charcoal is much more flattering and makes the skin look fresher and healthier overall.’ She adds that getting a professional colour analysis can be really helpful, as wearing the right colours for your complexion will do a lot of the legwork in making you look and feel your most radiant.

5. No more stripes

You’ve probably heard that “vertical stripes are slimming”, while “horizontal stripes make you look bigger”. Our experts would argue that this rule is oversimplified and limiting – time for some myth-busting. ‘Vertical stripes can elongate, but horizontal stripes are not automatically unflattering,’ Nafissa explains. ‘The spacing, cut and overall styling matter far more.’ For example, a well-cut Breton stripe top can look incredibly chic and balanced, no matter your size or body shape, while an unflattering top with vertical stripes may not do your figure justice.

Hellana adds that pinstripes can be one of the most flattering pattern choices because vertical lines naturally create an optical illusion of length. There’s no need to limit yourself to stripes though; you can also wear longline jackets, V-necks and garments with front seam detailing to achieve this same effect.

6. Dress for your body shape

One of the best things you can do to level up your styling and achieve a more slimming look is to work out your body type – and then dress accordingly. This isn’t about homing in on your insecurities or focusing on things you’d like to change about yourself. Rather, it’s about understanding your natural shape and working with it, not against it, to feel your best in your own skin. Nafissa offers the following tips for dressing based on your body type.

• Hourglass figures are usually flattered by defining the natural waist with wrap dresses, tailored blazers and high-waisted trousers.
• Pear-shaped silhouettes benefit from adding structure or interest to the shoulders to balance proportions.
• Apple shapes often look best with vertical lines such as open jackets, V-necks and long overshirts.
• Rectangle body types can create more movement and curves through belts, draping, double-breasted jackets and high-waisted cuts.
• Inverted triangle silhouettes are often balanced beautifully with wider trousers, A-line skirts and softer fabrics on the lower half.

Tailor’s trouser tips

Wes Souster is a Bespoke Tailor at Savile Row’s Souster and Hicks. He shares his secrets to determining the best trouser shapes and styles for curvier bodies.

• Super skinny trousers have never been the most versatile option. While they can work well on a very specific build, they tend to flatter only a small percentage of people and can often distort overall proportions.
• For most people, a straight cut remains the strongest choice. It offers balance, creates a cleaner silhouette and works across a wider range of body shapes without appearing forced or overly trend-driven.
• Classic fit is often described as universally wearable because of its room and comfort, but in reality, that doesn’t automatically mean it looks right on everyone. Too much volume without the correct proportion can appear dated or shapeless.
• Ultimately, the best trouser fit is the one that works with your frame, your proportions, and the way the trousers sit through the leg, because fit should always enhance the wearer rather than dominate the look.
• Don’t get caught up in extreme trends. Work out what is best for your frame or find the right experts to help you with that!