Obviously the best way to look slim is to eat healthily and do regular exercise but in the meantime here are some simple ways you can help yourself look and feel better right now:

1. Match the colour of your shoes with something up top, for example your necklace, top, appliqué or jacket. This draws the eye up and down thus giving the illusions of being taller and slimmer.

2. Create uninterrupted vertical lines on your top half, any horizontal lines crossing the widest part of your tummy, chest or arms will make them look bigger. Use deep V’s, long necklaces knotted to create a line, scarves and open jackets or cardigans to achieve this.

3. Bootcut, wide leg and flared trousers worn with heels will always look more slimming as the wide bottoms balance out large hips and the heels elongate your legs.

4. Match your shoe colour with your trousers to allow the eye to easily move up and down, any breaks in colour can shorten or widen an area if you are not careful.

5. Avoid jackets ending across the middle of your bum and the widest part of your hips.....it will make them look wider.


6. Wear clothes that fit you perfectly; too small and you will look bigger, over sized and you will also look bigger! You want to be able to fit one finger easily in your waist band, the seams of your sleeves need to sit perfectly on the edge of your shoulders and material must not pull or drape loosely across your back. Trousers should have one break on your shoe and skirts/trouser legs must hang right over your hips, if too tight the material will stretch making you look bigger.

7. If you are worried about your hips draw the eye away from them with something eye catching on your shoulder line.

8. If tummy is your problem area find tops that fit well under your bust (where it is probably slimmer and then skim over your waist. Avoid anything that clings.