Many women are re-discovering the benefits of shapewear. These pieces can actually "nip and tuck," helping women achieve the bodies they want.
The Shape fx(R) design slims, conceals and re-shapes using built-in power-mesh lining and exclusive fabrics that smooth and control. The designs also accentuate assets and conceal problem areas. The collection is an entire wardrobe of expertly tailored, seasonless clothing, ultra-slimming swimwear and shapewear solutions.
There are other ways to dress that can transform the look of the body. Here are a few tips:
• Wear the right size: Squeezing yourself into a smaller size will not help you to look thinner. What it may do is accentuate all of the bumps and bulges you're trying to camouflage. Fit the largest part of your body and tailor clothes to fit you correctly.
• Use patterns to trick the eye: Zig-zags, diagonal stripes, and other patterns can fool the eye and hide problem areas. Avoid horizontal or vertical stripes however.
• Choose boot-cut or trouser-cut pants: Skip the straight or tapered legs. Wider legs on pants will balance out larger hips or thighs and give a more streamlined appearance.
• Wear a heel: Even a small heel can elongate the body and give a more svelte appearance.
The Shape fx(R) Collection is available online , as well as the Newport News and Spiegel catalogs.
Still tough, but chic to boot
Back in the day -- like during the Civil War -- Frye Boots were the go-to boots for tromping around battlefields, spurring on a recalcitrant horse, wrangling steer at the ranch. They were the boots that never died. They were the boots in which you got things done. (And indeed, a few years back, in another life, we found the Frye Harness boot extremely useful for stomping through the snow in bone-chilling Afghanistan.)
They were utilitarian and rugged, and cool -- if, that is, you were trying to rock that grunge girl thing in the tail end of that other century, when Kurt Cobain was still around and we were all a whole lot younger.
But they weren't exactly the must-have item if you wanted to play dress-up.
Until now.
Somewhere along the way, Frye Boots went through a makeover, morphing into a fashionista's favorite plaything: Sure, you can still get the old standbys. But now, you can go all Victorian with a sweet button-up bootie. Roll into work sporting a chunky platform, or stroll around town in a pair of '60s mod, flat boots, channeling Edie Sedgwick.
The quality is still there: Hardworking, indestructible, comfortable. (Though you might have to break them in first.)
Still, we wouldn't advise taking the slick little Ava Shootie with you to Kabul.
Hot swatch
Women who wear expensive, big name watches -- we're talking Rolex, Cartier and Tiffany -- are lining up in droves for, get this, a Swatch. Full Blooded, a beefy men's style, is getting snatched up in the shiny gold-tone version and is a whole lot of fashion statement for $150. The rage is said to have begun in Paris (oh, those chic Parisians!) and has spread like mad to hip, urban markets such as Los Angeles and New York. Available at Swatch stores, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom or online .
Judge foundation by its name, expert says
It's tough to find a foundation match in the drugstore. In Cosmopolitan magazine, Bourjois makeup artist Melissa Silver offers an easy way: Look for scrumptious-sounding names.
• Anything called honey usually will have a golden base; good for olive skin.
• Cream will have beige undertones; ideal for fair complexions.
• Caramel will have a toasty almond tint; best on dark skin.
Tee for two
There's a special kind of misery for anyone pregnant in the summer. To the rescue -- Motherhood Maternity's message tees and tanks, $16.98. The latest, "It's Not Easy Being Queasy," joins others like "Kicking 24/7" and "Made Love, Not War." Available at Motherhood shops and online .
