How to dress skinny without Spanx

No, it's not Spanx. Spend New Years in a pair of Spanx and you'll come to the conclusion that control garments have a crucial role to play in our lives but most definitely not on a daily basis.

If all your weight is in the breasts, ( repeat- I am blessed to have such an asset, don't look upon it as a negative ) Needless to say- get a fantastic bra and show them off with good judgement. Wear a neckline with a little dip that says...Look, I'm not fat, it's all in the boobs. Never buy a turtle or round neck top. Ever! and no ponchos, never. The Rachel Pally T Back Tank is perfect in that it has a wide support 3" mesh T strap , and has a classy dip in the neckline.

If your weight is in the hips, (you sassy bella -find a tailor and make the waistline fit perfectly ). Wear pants that fall away at the curve of the bottom. That gives your back and legs a longer leaner line. Remember, for you, it's all about proportion. Anything that hugs and curves onto your hips right now must be followed by a top that fits like a glove. (See Beyonce above).

Watch the belt thing, it can give the appearance of trying too hard, especially when you have a small waistline. The look you are going for is definitely not Vegas showgirl.

If your weight is in the waist, you are all about creating an illusion. Fitted garments, fitted shirts are your friend, right now, not blouses...yet. Anything that hugs and curves into your butt right now must be followed by a top that falls a few inches below the curve of that butt. Get it???

So, leggings and tunics, wide pants and fitted jackets - kind of the opposite all the time. It's about drawing away attention from an otherwise perfect body.

Fitted blazers must follow you everywhere (casual and not casual) - you cannot, cannot wear anything shapeless otherwise it mirrors what you are trying to avoid. Denim jackets like the appropriately named Rich & Skinny Speedy Denim Jacket are perfect for this body type because they mirror the shape of the body, so no one can tell if the jacket is boxy or you are.

Just remember to wear with a longer top to create that waistline. If you wear low rise jeans, good cut for no waisters, pair with a great belt, with a 4inch monster buckle. The trick is to wear a fitted blazer unbuttoned, so that the buckle shows.

For all body types:

High heels are your friend, repeat, your best friend, so are belts. Belts???...yes, gorgeous belts with four inch buckles. High heels, all the way - because they make you more aware of what you are doing. You don't slouch and you dont drag your feet. You have to strut in them.

Fitted garments are our best friend.

Go easy on the necklaces. Avoid looking like a Florida matron by wearing one statement piece and not several.

Pants that fall away at the curve of the bottom. That gives your back and legs a longer leaner line. Remember, you are creating an illusion. Which means you can wear skinny jeans but a garment like a longer tunic must be worn on top. Try for skinny jeans in a very dark rinse and wear with dark shoes. If you can do boots, dark boots and dark shoes elongate the line causing the legs to flow mercilessly.

Don't force any color changes at any crucial point, which means don't break up the line. If you are wearing a white, gold, green (colored top) shirt, have the jacket match the pants and the pants match the boots.

Belts are our friends even for the waist challenged of us. People will notice your belt and subsequently leave you alone.

Avoid pencil skirts for now. Movement is important, so if you must wear a skirt, find one that gently flares away about mid thigh so that it creates a mini hourglass effect below. If in doubt, picture how all the stars that wore fishtail gowns at the Golden Globes looked stunning regardless of what they were wearing?

Dont pile on the fabrics as much as you might be tempted to. Be wary of the scarves and don't ever tie anything! that resembles a fabric around your waist..as in a sweater?. You are not fooling anyone, you just look like you are trying to hide a fat butt. For scarves, wear thin scarves, no bulk.