NO matter what age, height, size or shape, we all want to flatter our figures and look our best.

There is no shame in wanting to make the most of your best features. With vintage clothes and retro fashion you can tap into this with the right know-how.

Here is the My Vintage Top Five guide to using vintage clothing cleverly to flatter your figure.

1: 1950s dresses.

Whether original vintage or new retro, the classic 1950s swing dress is one of the few styles that flatters every kind of figure. With a fitted top, nipped-in waist and full skirt, it is my go-to shape for all women.

2: Fitted cardigans.

Again, you can easily find beautiful fitted cardigans in both original vintage and new retro clothing ranges. Fashion in the 1940s and 1950s gave us the fitted, waist-length cardigan, often in a twin set with a matching top and most usually in pastel colours. In modern retro and rockabilly fashion, the fitted cardigan is a big player and colours are bolder — reds, blacks, greens and blues in the main.

The key here is avoid loose, baggy, boyfriend cardigans. These can look cool in the right context. But if you are wearing something that hugs your arms and top half, it is always going to be more flattering.

3: Half-and-half dresses.

If you are happy with both your top and bottom half, this might not help you — but most of us prefer one or the other. Half-and-half dresses are perfect for this. You want to go for plain fabric on your least favourite half and something brighter and/or patterned on your preferred half. The eyes will be drawn to the bright/patterned part and this will therefore be accentuated.

4: Vintage belts.

A vintage belt brings you in at your smallest point, thus creating that hourglass holy grail. There are many types of vintage belt. Wide elastic belts are particularly good as they can be worn easily at any point on the waist, or even on the empire line if this is the place where it is most flattering on you.

5: Sharpen your pencil.

A pencil dress or pencil skirt is a must for all figures. However big you think your tummy or your derriere is, if you wear the right fitted item then your figure will be well and truly flattered.

 

Emma Brown is the owner of My Vintage, The Circus, Darwen
Telephone: 01254 774701  Website: www.myvintage.co.uk