11 Dress-Slim Fashion Tricks Without Shapewear

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Summer is always a fashion challenge. No matter how much we talk about body positivity, women of every size and shape start giving their little bulges and extra pounds the evil eye as soon


as hot weather looms. The ritual never fails. We panic, we start a new diet and then we buy a bunch of compression undergarments. No need for that. As a fashion editor I know 11 fashion


tricks that will visually trim you down and tone you up.


Members only (Left to right) Queen Latifah, Ann Curry and Meryl Streep Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images; Gary Gershoff/Getty Images; Alessandra Benedetti - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images 1.


 Swap out tees for tunics


Tunic-length tops are your new best friend. Whether crisp and tailored, silky and flowing or boho embellished, they disguise a muddy middle without looking obvious. Consider any top you own


that's long, loose and generously cut a “tunic.” Even old back-of-the-closet sleeveless shifts, T-shirt dresses and sundresses (now way too short to wear solo) can be worn as tunics. But


here's the important part: Be sure to pair any tunic with a slim pair of jeans, ankle pants or leggings. It's the big top over skinny bottom ratio that gives you coverage plus style.


(Left to right) Yvette Lee Bowser, Naomi Watts and Sofia Vergara Emma McIntyre/Getty Images; Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images; Crown Media/MEGA/GC Images 2. Let prints work as


camouflage


Been skipping workouts? Feel bloated and blah? Are rolls and muffin tops making you miserable? Slip on a print dress or wide-leg pants and watch your jiggles vanish. It's an optical


illusion, of course, but busy allover patterns like swirly florals, paisley, leopard and artsy geometrics keep the eye moving so it doesn't zero in on trouble spots. And here's a bonus:


Prints also hide perspiration stains — a common summer fashion problem amplified by extra weight, heat and hormonal shifts.

(Left to right) Cindy Crawford, Alfre Woodard and Vanessa


Williams Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Sarah Flint; Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage; John Lamparski/Getty Images 3. Bare legs or arms


Before you say “No!” hear me out. Yes, we all appreciate the body security of pants, long sleeves and midi hemlines but overdoing coverage all the time can be a trap, too. Think about this:


Your arms and legs are always going to be slimmer than your torso whatever your size! Baring legs or arms (whichever makes you feel sexy and sassy) while covering up elsewhere establishes a


long lean line so the rest of you appears trimmer, too. You just might be surprised at the freedom and confidence boost.