Styles to Make You Look Slimmer

by Valerie Gladstone — November 14, 2007

While on your way to a new, slimmer you, it might be nice to create the illusion before you get there.

To Create Face-Flattering Contours

The rest of the face seems smaller if you produce the illusion of larger eyes. To open them up, extend shadow beyond the lid's crease, and then add a lighter shade to the brow bone.

Get defined bone structure by applying a Nike-like swoosh under the cheekbones with a bronzer two shades deeper than your skin tone. Then brush on blush, fanning from the middle of the cheekbone out to the temple.

Downplay a double chin by defining your cheeks. Or apply a highlighter (such as Benefit High Beam, $24 at Sephora.com) in a semicircle between the outer tip of your eyebrow and the cheekbone.

Hairstyles That Take the Weight Off

Brushed-aside bangs with long layers tend to slim the face. Place your side part so it aligns with the arch of your eyebrow. This turns your part into an arrow pointing to your eyes, making them the focal point, not your cheeks.

Sweep your hair into a high ponytail that sits on the base of the crown. Topknots draw eyes north, emphasizing your cheekbones and eyes so that your face looks more angled and lifted. If you have a wide face, skip straight-across bangs, which can make faces look fuller because they span your broadest features.

Dressing Thin

• Dark hues downplay size, so opt for a sleek (never baggy) shape in ebony
• Pick round stud earrings or subtle drops; no long, thin earrings
• All-over patterns flatter most bodies; if you're under 5'6," try a motif no bigger than your hand
• If you have a big chest, avoid turtlenecks and go for the V-necks
• Clever combinations of elements create the illusion of a flat stomach: wear a cardigan over a tee and belt it at your midsection's narrowest point to cinch your center