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PICS: Priyanka, Kim, Kate show how to shrink YOUR waist!
If you're looking to disguise your mid-section, certain garments can help you do it -- take your cue from these celebs!
Not everyone is blessed with a 24-inch waist and washboard abs.
But there's no reason why you can't create the illusion of that much-desired hourglass figure with a little fashion know-how.
In the following pages, we bring you 10 trends that can help you trim inches off your tummy instantly, without dieting or exercise. And to drive the point home, we bring you photographs of famous women using the same techniques!
1. Empire waist cuts
Since this cut pulls tight just below the bustline, it keeps the fabric below from clinging to your stomach -- hence, the graceful fall of an empire waist dress or top creates the illusion of a smaller waistline. Check out Neha Dhupia work the style to her advantage.
2. Shoulder pads
These draw attention to your upper body and have your shoulders looking wider; your waist looks smaller in comparison. Just make sure to get subtle shoulder pads like actress Sienna Miller, which give a light lift -- you don't want to overdo it.
3. A waist-cinching belt
Priyanka Chopra's otherwise loose number would have hidden her perfect hourglass shape from view if it hadn't been for the belt she's wearing. You need a belt cinching your middle for a similar effect. And a slim one may not do the trick -- opt for a belt of medium or wide thickness.
4. Peplums
Since peplums -- a short ruffle or overskirt that features on the waistline of a garment -- are all the rage at the moment, they'll serve the purpose all too well. A strategic bit of fabric covering up your bulging tummy is the perfect way to disguise it. Even with her toned bod, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is a fan.
5. Chunky shoes
Larger, statement-making footwear adds a heaviness to your lower body that has your waist looking smaller than it really is. Freida Pinto here not only works that to her advantage with her chunky platforms, she complements them with an empire waist cocktail.
6. Tulip skirts
A tulip skirt is one which is essentially wider at the hips and tapers lower down, using contours and draping to draw attention to them. When you accentuate your hips, the waist looks smaller in comparison -- ask Kim Kardashian, who knows just how to show off her curves. She's also used a wide belt to further emphasise her small mid-section.
7. Flare pants
Model Nina Manuel really doesn't need help with her waist, but she's illustrating an important way of disguising yours here. Pants that flare at the bottom will create more of an hour-glass silhouette.
8. Low-rise pants
While we're on the subject of pants, here's another tip. Low-rise is the way to go -- again, they succeed in drawing attention to your hips, since they sit so low on the body. But you may want to cover up your tummy with a top longer than Kate Hudson's! Also make sure to buy your size, because trying to squeeze into a pair that's a tad too small will only create unsightly lumps and bumps.
9. A-line and full skirts
A-line and full skirts are more tapered at the waist and flow outward and downward from the hips. Naturally, this creates the illusion of a smaller waistline at the top as the skirt billows out underneath. Notice Sushma Reddy's sexy style.
10. Blousons
Blousons refer to any garment, such as a top or a dress with a fitted waistband, over which fabric blouses. Now since they pull in at your middle and otherwise flow loosely, they disguise your inflated waistline to the tee and flatter that area of your body. We love actress Audrina Patridge's shiny red blouson -- it's sexy and pretty at the same time.