Dressing Your Body Type

Every woman has something about her body she'd like to hide, whether it's heavy thighs, a podgy tummy or a too-round bottom. With just a few visual tricks, your problem areas will disappear and let your true beauty shine through!

Body basics for every figure
1. Wear colours that look great on you. Not sure what those are? Grab a trusted friend and head to the mall. Hold up tons of colours next to your face and get feedback from your friend. Hues that compliment most complexions: pink, blue, white (you'll just need to change the intensity of these colours to suit your colouring, i.e. hot pink for darker skins, carnation for fairer, ivory for olive tones, etc.)

2. Nobody looks good in high-wasted, pleated pants with narrow ankle openings, but manufacturers still turn these out in droves. Avoid!

3. Don't worry about being trendy when you look at what suits your figure: concentrate on what flatters, and add up-to-date shoes, handbags and accessories later.


PLUS SIZE
Just because your figure has curves doesn't mean you can't enjoy a pretty fitted, sleeveless dress. Show some skin and enjoy the slimming capabilities of a sleek sheath.

UNATTRACTIVE LEGS
Don't want to show off your legs? You can still look gorgeous in a dress, instead of hiding your legs in pants. Try wearing a longer skirt (mid-calf or longer). A surplice-top dress gives you extra coverage but plenty of sensual appeal with a sexy wrap bodice, plus there are always the pants.

WIDE SHOULDERS
You don't need to hide your upper body if you have wide shoulders. Instead, look for body-balancing details on bottom, like a wide colour-block hem. A soft, rounded neckline further breaks up the line of wide shoulders. Avoid puffy sleeves or voluminous tops paired with slim bottoms that will exaggerate your shoulder width.

THICK WAIST
Disguise a thick waist by raising, lowering or eliminating the waistline. Dresses that feature a raised waist with full sleeves work to draw the eye up and away from a thick middle. A drop-waist dress that hits somewhere around the hipbones, or no-waist shifts are other good alternative for disguising a thick waist.

SMALL BUST
Most clothing actually hangs better on women with smaller busts, but if you want to add more volume up top look for embellishment or fullness on the bust. A high-wasted, mock two-piece dress is a trendy look made for smaller busted women. The combination of a white shirt with a tuxedo bodice adds visual fullness without any extra bulk.

TOO THIN
If you're body lacks natural curves, add feminine presence pattern and texture like a zigzag sweater dress. You can also pump up the volume with extra details like full sleeves, ruche waist, layers, ruffles and big prints. Horizontal prints will work wonders for you.

FLABBY ARMS
Don't worry: you don't have to look matronly to cover up flabby arms. The trick is to keep the sexy element with one of the pretty sleeves that are popular right now like lantern sleeves, puff sleeves, kimono or bishop sleeves. This 3/4 sleeve dress from Old Navy features a slight puff.

BUSTY GALS
Are you a busty gal? Do you love your curvy shape but don't know how to show it off right? Consider these tips to balance your plus-size figure and put everything in proportion!

Identify the characteristics of your busty ‘bod’
Busty women may have:
- A wider back
- Full arms
- Softer shoulders
- A defined waistline
- Busty women always have full breasts, regardless of their weight.

· Find a shirt that flatters your womanly bust line: Shirts with a v-neck or u-neckline make your bust look a little higher and more proportional. Look for tank tops with wider straps for warmer weather.
· Avoid very stretchy fabrics in a clingy cut: You may feel self-conscious, and every inch of your torso will be on display. If you love clingy fabrics, try layering a stretchy top under a blazer or light wrap. Steer clear of spaghetti straps, which can make your chest and shoulders look sizes larger.
· Layer with a jacket or sweater: Wrap tops are the perfect solution for layering and flattering! The v-neckline of your wrap shirt will flatter your bust and make your waist look more defined. Wear your outer layer slightly shorter, with the longer tee underneath. If the under layer is figure-hugging, you'll have shape and coverage without feeling too exposed. Wear your jackets buttoned to nip in your waist.
· Get a skirt that balances the bust: A-line styles will match your full bust line and keep you looking proportional. If you like your shirts tucked in, try wearing a skirt with a slightly lower waistline to elongate your torso. Wear a pencil skirt to show off your curves. If you have average or larger hips and a smaller waist, go glam and flaunt it! Avoid miniskirts, which may look slutty in combination with your enviable bust.
· Grab the perfect pair of trousers: Go for a slightly wide-legged look if you would like your trousers to skim over the hips. Try wearing a shirt with darts or ties near the waist to add shape to your form. Avoid skinny styles, which can make your bust look even more substantial.
· Try a dress for the evening out: Invoke your inner vintage diva with a romantic dress. Wear a dress with a structured bodice and an a-line skirt to add balance to your natural shape. Don't forget about black. It's slimming, classic, and universally appealing. Wear a black cotton jersey dress with long sleeves and a low neckline to emphasize what you've got. Supportive undergarments are key with this look, so try an underwear bra with a front closure and padded straps. Stay away from strapless models. No matter how supportive they claim to be, they aren't.
· Accessorize, accessorize, and accessorize: Choose layered slim chains for an exotic feel. Don't wear necklaces that are too long. They won't lie flat against your bust. Stay away from chokers. They can super-size your bust area.

RECIPEES

King Prawns in Almond Sauce

A delectable seafood curry from Mauritius; where prawns are especially large and succulent.

Ingredients (serves four)
450g/1Ib raw king prawns (jumbo shrimp)
600ml/1 pint/ 2½ cups water
3 thin slices fresh root ginger, peeled
10ml/ 2 tbsp butter or margarine
60ml/ 4 tbsp ground almonds
1 fresh green chilli (or green pepper), seeded and finely chopped
45ml/ 3 tbsp single light cream
Salt and ground black pepper
For the vegetables:
15ml/1 tbsp mustard oil
15ml/1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
½ red (bell) pepper (or tatashe) seeded and thinly sliced
1 Christophene (or cho cho) peeled, stoned (pitted) and cut into strips.

· Shell the prawns and place the shells in a pan with the water and ginger. Simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes until the water is reduced by half. Strain into a jug, discard the shells and ginger
· De-vein the prawns and place into a bowl and season with the curry powder, garlic, salt, and pepper; and set aside
· Heat the mustard and vegetable oils in a large frying pan, add the vegetables and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Season, spoon into a dish and keep warm
· Wipe out the frying pan, then melt the margarine or butter in the pan and sauté the prawns for about 5 minutes until pink. Spoon over the bed of vegetables, cover and keep warm
· Add the ground almonds and chilli to the pan, stir-fry for a few seconds then add the reserved stock and bring to boil. Reduce the heat, stir in the cream and cook for a few minutes without boiling. Pour the sauce over the pawns and vegetables before serving.

Energy 301kcal/1251kj; Protein 24.3g; Carbohydrate 6.1g of which sugars 5.1g; Fats 20.1g; of which saturates 4.8g; Cholesterol 234mg; Calcium 154mg, Fibre 2.4; Sodium 244mg.

Fried Pomfret in Coconut Sauce
Pomfrets are found in the Mediterranean, but the best flavoured ones come from the Indian Ocean.

Ingredients (serves four)
4 medium pomfret
Juice of 1 lemon
5ml/1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for shallow frying
For the coconut sauce
450 ml/ ¾ pint/ scant to cups of water
2 thin slices fresh root ginger, peeled
25-40g/ 1-1½ oz creamed coconut or 60-90ml/ 4-6 tbsp coconut cream
30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil
I red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 green chilli, seeded and sliced
15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

· Cut the fish in half and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper and marinate in a cool place for a few hours
· Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Pat the fish dry, fry in the oil for 10 minutes, turning once. Set aside.
· To make the sauce, place the water in a pan with the slices of ginger, bring to boil and simmer until the liquid is reduced to just over 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cup. Remove the ginger and reserve, then add the creamed coconut or coconut cream to the pan and stir until the coconut has melted
· Heat the oil in a wok or large pan and fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Ad the reserved ginger and coconut stock, the chilli and chopped coriander, stir well and then gently add the fish. Simmer for 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Transfer the fish into a warmed serving plate, adjust the seasoning for the sauce and pour over the fish. Serve immediately.

Energy 210kcal/875kj; Protein 23.2g; Carbohydrate 2.3g, of which sugars 2g; Fat 12g, of which saturates 1.5g; Cholesterol 58mg, Calcium 23mg, Fibre 0.2g; Sodium 101mg.

Pulling a Natural Look

Going to the mall on a Sunday afternoon turned out to be more interesting than usual. My friends and I went out to shop for a few necessities and stopped to grab a bite at the fast food situated in the mall. After ordering Pizza (subsequently pausing our routine calorie count), we picked a table and sat, each anticipating the meal which appeared to be taking forever! To ease our anxiety, we decided to enjoy the scenery and assess our surroundings (girls tend to do that a lot). Seated at the table adjacent ours were two gorgeous-looking men who were having a meal of fried rice and chicken. We whispered to one another about their impeccable table manners and talked about how very few Nigerian men bothered about their manners. Still on this topic and stylishly glancing around for a new one, we saw a girl walking towards the counter. She was wearing an extremely tight black pencil skirt with a white collared shirt and six-inch high heeled stilettos. She looked gorgeous but judging from how she walked, those heels were killing her. My friends giggled and I shook my head. “I love heels but sometimes my feet need to rest, especially on a Sunday noon”, I said. Suddenly we heard a loud laugh, we all turned to the direction the laugh came from and saw one of the gorgeous men laughing so hard we taught he would cry, his friend was trying to contain his own laughter but was not doing a very good job of that. We were puzzled and curious about the reason behind the amusement so we decided to eavesdrop and thank God we did because we learnt a few things.
The first guy said, ‘Na wah o! Women get plenty wahala. Those shoes be like chop sticks’, he sent his friend into more giggles; ‘did you see her face?’
The second guy, still chuckling said ‘I see am. Na wah for that makeup o! She resembles masquerade with those red cheeks and that mascara she put…’ The second guy interrupted ‘which mascara, e be like say she fix am.’
At this point, I was irritated. These men are obviously gossips who ‘beef’ the poor girl. Maybe one of them had approached her and she turned him down and now he is embittered. I voiced my opinion to my friends but they told me to look at the girl closely. When I did, I started to notice some things; she was wearing fake lashes that she did not bother to trim, so the lashes did not look anything close to real. Her facial skin appeared to be thinned out from bleaching creams and the red blush only made matters worse. She wore very loud make-up on a hot afternoon, it seemed she had too much concealer or foundation on and she had powder stains on her collar. After listening to subsequent conversation from the men, it was apparent that they were making fun of her makeup. They said she had far too much makeup on and believed ‘she would be more beautiful if she removed eighty percent of what she was wearing now’.
The girl, oblivious of what was going on, placed her order and went to sit at the far end of the room. The men kept looking at her and giggling at each other’s comment. To make matters worse, the poor girl brought out a compact powder and started to apply more to her face. The guys burst out laughing that everyone turned to look in their direction. I felt uneasy and wanted to shut them up but I just sat there and watched. My friends were also dumbfounded and two of them brought out mirrors to check if their makeup was appropriate.
Finally our pizza came and about the same time the two men got up to leave. I stared at the one who made the most fun and he caught my stare. I held his gaze for a moment, revealing my disgust and utter dislike before I looked away.
When I left the mall that day, I was still somewhat upset at those men, and then it dawned on me that it was not their fault the girl was clueless or over-knowledgeable about her makeup. Some men will always be jerks but it is up to us not to create an avenue for them to display their childish whims. I needed a second, third and maybe fourth opinion so I decided to interview different men from different walks of life and ages and the results I got were not really surprising.
Eight out of ten men prefer subtle makeup. They don’t want a woman wearing green, blue or some other loud colour on the eyes. “It makes them look really fake,” says Kevin 30, “are we supposed to believe that they have really blue eyes, I thought make up was for enhancement not for façade”.
“If she must wear colour, let it be delicate and let it complement her outfit.” Emeka, 32. Six out of ten men prefer nude lips. “I don’t see anything appealing when I look at super red lipstick in day time; what if I wanted to kiss her?” Yomi, 24.
Some men said that false lashes make women look doll faced. Some men like the lashes but are offended by shimmery eye shadows. “Why would you want to wear that during the day time?”
“Makeup should be subtle. Not invisible, but so that it isn't noticed unless someone is looking for it. If someone asks if a woman was wearing makeup and I can say she was without looking at her again, it is too much. If I can see it across the room, it is too much; but if I can only see it when looking closely, no problem. Subtle makeup is no more "wrong" than effective hair styling” Remi 29.
“I prefer women wearing makeup that makes them look natural. That is, I prefer women wearing makeup that makes them look like they're not wearing makeup.I think some men say they like the natural look only because they don't know that women are wearing makeup and have worked hard to make it look natural”, Victor 28.
A lot of men want their women to wear a natural looking makeup. ‘, says Kunle 26. “The less we see the better”
I asked how often they wanted to see makeup on their women’s faces, forty percent said all the time, fifty-five five percent said only when necessary. I guess when necessary will be determined by the women because I don’t think I want a man dictating to me when and when not to wear makeup. Normally I am not a huge fan of too loud makeup, I don’t wear fake lashes because I use a very good mascara, and the idea of putting glue close to my eye sounds terrifying. I wear foundation and a good powder, though my skin is not flawless, I scrub frequently and this gives my skin a healthy look. I am not against wearing makeup but I don’t believe they should be worn all the time or in the same way or same colour.
. Experts say that if makeup is worn everyday for a couple of years, the facial skin begins to lose its youthfulness, in order words, if you suddenly stop wearing makeup after years of constant application; you will look old or ill. If you line your eyes with black pencil, you look at least a year older.
I don’t pretend to be an expert when it comes to makeup but I think that too much make up leaves skin looking cakey, fake, and broken out. If you want to make your makeup look natural and still help your skin survive the ordeal, here are some few points you may want to consider:
· Always cleanse and moisturize your skin before applying any makeup.
· Apply foundation before the concealer.
· Wear only subtle eye colour during the day time. If you want smoky eyes, then your lips must be nude (lip gloss must be close to your natural lip colour).
· Both your eyes and lips must not be loud at the same time; if your eyes are loud then your lips must be subtle.
· When lining your eyes, go for soft black or coffee brown pencils. This gives the eyes the defined impression without making them look old.
· Never and I mean never line your lips with black pencil instead opt for colours that complement your lipstick or lip gloss. For instance, if you are wearing pink lip colour, get a deep pink pencil or a light brown pencil and carefully trace out the edges of your lips and use your index finger to gently rub it in, carefully blending the pencil colour with your lip colour to give a more natural look.
· We dwell in a tropical country, so you must be exceedingly careful when putting on makeup. Except you will be moving from an air conditioned environment to another, you may want to get a good powder that wont run with your sweat. Your pencils and mascara must be water resistant.
· When you sweat, use a white handkerchief (white so you know how much make up is coming off) to gently pat away the sweat. Try not to add more compact powder when you sweat or your face gets oily, instead wipe well with soft tissue and put on loose powder.
· Don’t go to bed with makeup on. Remember that most makeup have chemicals that are harsh on your skin so before going to bed, thoroughly wash off the makeup and swab your face with a cleanser. Follow that with rose water to help rejuvenate your skin.
· Scrub at least twice a week to get rid of dead tissue and reveal a healthy skin.

Men don’t like that much makeup so cool down on the application. Any make up that takes more than 25 minutes to apply is too much; the more natural looking, the better.