| all individuals with interesting and beautiful variations. | | | | your hips the broadest part of your body? Are your |
| Because every woman is unique, in the next few | | | | legs relatively slender compared to your torso? Do |
| chapters we will explore the individual aspects of each | | | | you appear bigger above the waist or below it? We're |
| body, and make specific dressing recommendations | | | | looking at the big picture first, then the details. |
| for you no matter what your size, age, lifestyle, or | | | | In theory, in the art of the ancient Greeks and in the |
| budget. To begin to determine the right fashion | | | | minds of all designers, a "perfect" figure is evenly |
| silhouettes for you, we start with a careful examination | | | | proportioned top to bottom, seven and a half or eight |
| of your body. | | | | heads tall translating to four equal measurements: top |
| The first step in the process of learning to make the | | | | of the head to the underarm, underarm to the break of |
| most of your physical best is an honest, nonjudgmental | | | | the leg, leg break to the knee, and knee to the floor. |
| examination of your body. I realize that some of you | | | | Of course, most people don't measure the theoretical |
| may have never looked in the mirror without finding | | | | ideal, but it's really helpful to know your own |
| flaws, but try to think about what your body is versus | | | | proportions. Many women don't know what to wear |
| what it's not. Focus on the proportions you see. Try | | | | because they don't recognize their proportions, |
| not to judge yourself as you relate to anyone else or | | | | dimensions, or shape, (This isn't just a problem for |
| to some fantasy image, Look for the lines, shapes, and | | | | plus-size women by the way, and smaller women are |
| proportions of your body as if it were a work of art on | | | | just as confused!) For instance, one woman finds |
| canvas, not as compared to any other body, or the | | | | regular plus sizes way too long but may not fit |
| body you used to have. (You might imagine yourself | | | | plus-size petite styles. Careful measurements would |
| describing your body in great detail to an alien creature | | | | reveal that her torso was about average, but her legs |
| unfamiliar with our judgments about beauty and size. | | | | and arms were very short. Petite bodies aren't petite |
| What proportions, dimensions, and shapes would you | | | | all over, and long bodies can be average or even short |
| see and report on if you weren't being negatively | | | | in some places. Another lovely woman was totally |
| judged?) The key to Plus-Style dressing is in | | | | average in upper torso, lower legs, and elbow to wrist |
| manipulating and balancing your proportions not in | | | | measurements, but very short in upper arms and |
| making your body look smaller. | | | | thighs, as well as rise, or waist to crotch. Now that she |
| What do you see? Are your hips rounded or more | | | | knows her differences versus the average, or what |
| square? Is your waist very noticeably smaller than | | | | most designers are constructing clothes for, she can |
| your bust or hips? Do your shoulders appear very | | | | shop for the correct styles and shapes more |
| rounded or somewhat square? Are your thighs or | | | | knowledgeably and do less altering. You can, too. |