As The Image Mistress well knows, every single one of us gorgeous, super-stylish women has insecurities about our bodies. After all, no one has a completely perfect figure! Well, maybe there are a few exceptions to that rule (Elle McPherson springs to mind) but for the most part, women everywhere are vulnerable to worrying about various body features, and at one time or another we’ve all wished we could change certain things about our appearance.
Of course, being the incredibly talented connoisseurs of style we are, The Image Mistress team know exactly how to help you make the most of your fantastic figure, so you can look your absolute best and feel fabulously confident at all times! Previously we’ve shared our incomparable sartorial wisdom to help our Imagettes select the best styles to make broad shoulders appear slimmer, and advised on the top five fashionable ways to disguise a full tummy. So today we’re focusing on providing you supremely stylish ladies with The Image Mistress’s top five tips for dressing to slim down fuller hips!
1. Avoid excessive detailing at your hips & thighs.
Elaborate detailing around your lower body, such as intricate embroidery or embellishment, pleats & gathers which are used to create fullness in skirts, or prominent hip & side pockets, will only serve to extend the lines of your hips & draw attention to the broadest parts of your body. So, the key to creating the illusion of slimmer hips is to select trousers, jeans, & skirts which are simply styled & have minimal detailing!
Toast’s ‘Hana’ slim-leg jeans (right) are a brilliant example of this!
Whilst the bottom-half of your outfits should remain fairly simple, you can deflect attention from more curvaceous hips & thighs by selecting tops, blouses, and jackets with chic adornments on them.
Blouses featuring romantic ruffle detailing like this enchanting D&G silk-chiffon blouse from MyWardrobe (right), are wonderful for drawing attention away from the lower body!
Cardigans and tops with pockets and eye-catching prints such as this stunning ‘Equinox’ printed cardigan from Jigsaw (above) and this simple, yet supremely stylish ‘Bennison’ sleeveless shirt (below) from Reiss…
… or styles of garment which add volume to the upper body, such as this ultra-chic & extremely beautiful tie-waist kimono top (below) from Wallis, will help to emphasize and enhance your top half, making it the focal point of your figure and minimizing broader hips.
2. Darker shades on your bottom half will slim your hips.
One very simple styling trick you can use to slenderize curvier hips & fuller thighs, is to wear darker coloured garments on your lower body, and contrast that with a lighter coloured top, or when wearing a dress to ensure the jacket or cardigan you team it with is a softer, paler shade than the dress.
So pairing this sublime, sumptuous silk ‘Flora’ top (left) from Boden…
… with a stylish pair of dark-wash denim jeans such as these ultra-flattering Goldsign Quinn boot-cut jeans from Donna Ida (below), will minimize the lower half of your body and make your lean torso more prominent.
3. Cropped jackets help create body-shape balance.
Ok, so you don’t have to restrict yourselves to cropped jackets Imagettes (it just made for a snappier heading!) But selecting jackets, blazers & cardigans which have hems that hit above the hips, is a brilliant way to reduce bulk or volume around your hips & the tops of your thighs! Any jacket which ends at the fullest point of your hips, or 
around the heaviest area of your thighs will only highlight these parts of your body and make them appear broader.
Cropped jackets, like this elegant piece from Jaeger (right) which finishes at your natural waistline & has exquisite embroidery detail around the hem, will draw the eye towards your trim waist and torso rather than directing attention to your hips.
If cropped jackets aren’t strictly your (Hermes Birkin) bag, there are countless uber-chic full length options, like this divine Summer tweed jacket from Karen Millen (left). Not only does it hit just above the hips to emphasize a slimmer area of your figure, but the large button detailing & contrast navy trim will help to enhance the upper body.
As for superbly stylish knitwear which will help you slim your hips, this pretty cerise ‘wavy’ cotton cardigan from Jigsaw (below) is absolutely perfect!
4. Garments which skim the body will slim the hips.
Wearing loosely tailored clothing, and garments fashioned from soft, light-weight fabrics which gracefully skim over full hips and heavier thighs, will allow you to create the illusion of a lean lower body.
Avoid any skirts or dresses which are very structured, or created from stiff, heavy fabrics which add volume around the hips and thighs. And to ensure that you don’t draw too much attention to broader hips, try to steer clear of garments which are very fitted or cling to the lower body.
Instead, select pieces like this beautiful ‘Uliina’ dress from Ted Baker (above, right). With a softly tailored skirt which elegantly skims your hips & upper thighs, and gorgeous, romantic ruffle detailing enhancing your upper body, the ‘Uliina’ dress will balance your body beautifully.
5. Flatter your figure in A-line dresses & skirts.
A-line skirts & dresses are incredibly flattering and brilliant for helping to slim more curvaceous hips, and minimizing fuller thighs. Fitted at the waist, and then flaring out only slightly to skim the hips and thighs, A-line dresses and skirts help to minimize a heavier lower half and create the illusion of perfect balance between the proportions of the body.
This gorgeous luxe-look cotton ‘Melina’ skirt by Max Mara (below), available at Matches, is ideal!
That’s it for The Image Mistress’s fabulous figure fixing tips for slimming hips, but you can always call upon our superbly stylish team for more fashion and image advice by visiting our website – www.theimagemistress.com.
Or why not join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for regular updates on the latest, most exquisite fashion available from your favourite retailers, fabulous style tips and image advice, and all our most exciting new style discoveries?!
Thanks for reading lovely Imagettes, and don’t hesitate to tell us your thoughts on our top 5 tips – we value your feedback on our posts!!
Stay stylish,
The Image Mistress, xoxo
been worth it! Cost-per-Wear is always my philosophy and I have certainly got my pennies out of this bag. I wear this smart/casually and on evenings out. Although red in colour, it is actually quite versatile within my existing wardrobe. This will stay as a firm favourite for years to come.
2) Miu Miu Clutch- A fairly everyday bag that is rather a good size… I do have a couple of khaki jackets so this works perfectly. Khaki a neutral colour itself also goes well with black, brown, or navy. I originally purchased this bag to go with my Loubintins but it has proved its versatility within my wardrobe.
Finally I do as I said previously have two pouches, one Cos and the other Mulberry to carry essentials within my nappy bag … these are very handy to have with my current lifestyle.
London 
Charcoal Satchel by Ally Capellino available from Liberty London
) than by snapping up an incredibly chic pair of wedge soled sandals?!
