Ladies, trends come and go, but line and design concepts are not the same as trends. Concepts of line and design can actually “trick the eye” (trompe-l’oeil as the French say). These tricks can give the illusion that you are taller, thinner, have a more defined waistline, are more (or less) busty… Read on.

The French Tuck (or half tuck) will help your legs appear longer.

It seems the French tuck is here to stay. Why? Because it is not a trend–exactly. This trick really does give the illusion that you have longer legs. Take at look at these photos from a blog I wrote in 2019. (Six years ago, and this little tuck is still popular.)

As always, a photo is worth a boatload of words. Notice the tuck is only in the front. You still get coverage in the back. No, ladies, this concept is not just for the youngsters. Simply try it out. It might take some time to get used to, but once you SEE the difference, you’ll certainly appreciate it.

Wearing one color from head-to-to will help you appear taller and–therefore–slimmer.

Take a look at these photos of my favorite Astro, Jose Altuve. Jose is only 5’6″. Jose’s best chance to look taller will be if he wears a monochromatic outfit, so that the eye travels from head to toe without any stops. Take a look:

Can you see how Jose’s body is visually cut into three pieces when he wears his uniform? (Maybe even four, with those white shoes.) In contrast, look at the black tuxedo–one continuous color from head to toe doesn’t stop your eye movement.

Remember, the fewer visual breaks in your outfit, the taller you will appear.

Pushing up, or cuffing, your sleeves will help you appear visually slimmer.

Garment lines can be visually deceiving. It makes sense then if a line goes all the way across your body it will appear wider than a line that goes only partway across your body. For example: This girl has pushed up her sleeves and given the illusion that her hips are narrower than when she has her sleeves down. Can you see it?

In Chapter 4 of Quintessential Style: Cultivate and Communicate Your Signature Look, we say:

“Every garment is a collection of lines. The objective is to move the lines (or remove the lines) to attain the most flattering silhouette.”

You can become your own visual shape shifter if you know the tricks. Remember:

I’ll be back with more tips next week.

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