There’s a host of great books out there on how to dress in a way that flatters your figure. An average t* girl is inevitably taller and larger than an average girl. No matter how you cut it, there’s only a small percentage of us who are lucky enough to be blessed with small frame genes. If you don’t believe me, just try standing next to a genetic girl the next time you get your picture taken. Even if both girls are of identical height, most of the time, the biological girl will have the smaller head, the smaller hands, the narrower shoulders. No matter how you want to flatter yourself in how FABU you are, the truth is proportion is essentially math. And numbers don’t lie.
But fear not. I’ve always advised girls NOT to look at other hot girls (sorry, but what society considers hot, leans towards non-Amazonian girls). The great mistake is that if you ape what genetic women dress to look good, you will fail. Most of us simply don’t have the bone structure. I know it hurts, but it’s best to work with what cha got. Instead, look to larger-frame women and celebs in the media- people with bodies closer to ours, and learn from their style. After all, they have disposable funds to pay wardrobe professionals for their advice. They are usually in the public eye, so they always have to look great. So here are my few picks.
REMEMBER: We all know horizontal broadens, while verticals heightens. The solution to de-emphasizing these traits is a diagonal line, a compromise between the two. Look at the pictures below and notice the presence of diagonals and triangles in the women’s outfits.
Brenda Strong (height: 6’0″)
You know her as the O-Henry Heiress from Seinfeld (“if the bra doesn’t fit, you must acquit!”), and the saccharine narrator from Desperate Housewives. If there’s ever someone that challenges the traditional proportion of the standard female size, look no further. She does show up on several flashbacks in Desperate Housewives. And even though she dwarfs Eva Longoria, Strong is a great example of how utilizing other “tools” (voice, facial expresion, carriage, posture, warmth) will create a feminine aura.
Nicole Kidman (height: 5’10 1/2)
Although this BMX Bandit had some help from modern plastics, she’ still a great model for learning what works and what doesn’t. I wouldn’t look at the high profile movies. Instead I recommend films where she wears mostly daily clothing. ( Bewitched , Stepford Wives , To Die For )
Michelle Obama (height: 5’10)
The first lady definitely has the broad shoulders to tackle the Commander-in-Chief if circumstances deem it necessary. The bateau neckline (the ones that go horizontal across the front shoulders) on her formal little black dress just makes the shoulders stretch to infinity. We all love Audrey Hepburn, but she barely pulls it off in Breakfast At Tiffany’s. Audrey is 5’7″ and was considered “large” in her ballet classes in her youth. The compromise above is just right, though not formal, of course.
Famke Janssen (height: 5’11″)
Yes, she almost killed Bond with her crushing thighs, but she’s gone off to many better things afterward. Janssen, being on Nip/Tuck is often in the public eye. Her diagonal lines in dress in the cardinal rule for de-emphasizing width (shoulders), while minimizing height.
Taylor Swift (height: 5’11″)
I still remember questioning here on d332 how come this adorable country-pop singer did not make it onto Maxim’s hottie list some 3 years ago. Swift is always on the red carpet and sometimes in the tabloids. So watch for how she expertly diminishes her size with an A-line dress, understatement, and of course, sweetheart charm.
Marcia Cross (height: 5’9″ or 5’10″)
Marcia Cross’s Bree Van Der Kamp is tv’s modern Stepford Wife. Despite Republican leanings and NRA affiliation, her character is really the only nice person on the show. Watch it for expert preppy outfits and wasp chic (they’ve always been big-boned anyway).
Stacy Keibler (height: 5’11″)
I first saw Miss Hancock do her thing on WWF Wrestling. I put this here to show you how tall girls can still pull off the standard “sissy” outfits successfully. But then again, if your audience consists of acne-covered teen boys whose ambition in life is to bust a mate over a folding table, then you can pretty much wear a Pop-Tart and still get a rise.
