Losing weight just by looking great
Do you remember Stella McCartney’s optical illusion dress? High-necked, scooped arms, cream with black panels down the sides, and worn by everyone from Kate Moss and Kate Winslet to Carol Vorderman? This is the dress that takes at least five pounds off anyone without even a half-hearted gym trip, and it is back. Except, this time, you can march straight past all the Stella copies (or avoid paying £885 for the real thing) and head straight to the latest trend – illusion trousers.
Unlike the dress that sculpts the body into the perfect Jean-Paul Gaultier-esque bust, these J Brand skinny jeans will give the curviest of girls the Kate Moss pins they’ve always dreamt of. The thick stripe down the inside seam of both legs gives the illusion of skinnier legs, and the ankle-skimming length gives a flattering fit. Grab a pair before everyone else does, and wear it with a loose fitting top for balance. A dark, baggy silk shirt would go perfectly – and don’t be afraid to wear a patterned top.
The other slimming option for trousers is to go for a vertically striped pair. For understated chic, go for Current/Elliot’s skinny jean. The long white stripes are subtle against the sandy hues, and the muted tones work well with an over-sized white shirt, or baggy 70s style jumper. To brave this season’s pyjama trend, try the Fire version. The burnt orange forces the white stripes to stand out, and the tapered fit creates a slim-line look that still shouts high fashion. On a night out, wear with sky scraping chunky heels, and clutch a too-big leather handbag for an androgynous feel.
If you still want to hide your un-toned body but tight trousers aren’t cutting it, go for a classic dress. Turn to Stella McCartney for a failsafe shape sculpting option. Her Chambray Blue denim dress is a light enough denim to feel summery, but the straight fit stops it from being too beachwear. It is versatile enough to team with havaianas in the summer, or to add some nude courts and a contrast shade scarf for the office – try Stella’s pomegranate pyjama scarf to loosely drape over the dress with a structured black blazer.