Summer brings light and bright colors, which may not be so slimming for the body.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t wear them. Just be careful not to put them where you’re widest. For example, if you have wide hips and a slimmer torso, you can always wear them on top and balance the bottom with a darker color. If you don’t want to wear black or navy on the bottom, go for a darker color from the same family and tone.  Take the attention away from any problem areas by keeping it as simple as possible. No patterns, belts, pockets, studs or any design element that would add bulk.

Want to wear white pants without pointing to your hips and bottom? Go for one in a material that will skim and not hug your curves and try a blazer or long vest over it to cover up.

One slimming trick is to wear monotone or tone on tone colors from head to toe, which creates a long vertical line. Nude shoes are great as they elongate the legs. If you’re top heavy, go for the darker color on top but break it with a colored accessory from the season’s pastel, bright or nude palette.

Vertical and diagonal styles are very slimming as well. V-neck lines on tops and one-shouldered styles are slimming for the bust. If you’re heavy in the middle or thick on the waist, stay away from belted styles and tops that finish above or on the tummy. Go for longer tops and flowing material. Wide pants and side zippers are great for camouflaging thick thighs and a tummy. Make sure to create proportion by going for a fitted style on top though.

Stay away from the sailor horizontal line trend unless you want to make that area look wider. They are great on top for a pear shaped body, as they balance the hips by making your top appear wider. A boat neckline does the same trick.