Q. I’ve always had a ‘straight up and down’, boyish figure and although it means that I can get away with wearing many of the latest trends, I still long for curves. Can you advise me how to give my androgynous look a little sex appeal?
A: In many ways you‘ve got it all because a slender figure will always help to make you appear much, much younger than you actually are - however - you do need to play up those curves if want to feel really feminine. You may feel unhappy with your boyish figure but you‘ve nothing to worry about, after all, Audrey Hepburn had also had this body shape but the difference was that she really knew how to dress it. Hepburn didn‘t just choose her clothes because they were innovative; she was also an expert at picking out designs that suited her slender frame.
A boyish figure can be described as thin and small chested without much of a defined waist line and thin hips (many top models such as Kate Moss have this shape). Forty two year old, Nicole Kidman is a great role model for how to dress a lean boyish shape and she always looks elegant and sexy, whether she is coming straight from the gym or posing for the cameras on the red carpet. Like Nicole you can wear a pair of skinny jeans with, say, a loose tunic that goes to mid-thigh. The loose shirt gives the illusion of hiding your hips, making people think you actually have them. Voluminous tops work especially as do cropped jackets, which fall right at your natural waist line to create a shapely silhouette.
If you wish for jeans to fit your frame well, a straight leg or skinny jean would look great. Aim to buy jeans without any stretch, as these types of jeans will only slide because you have little to no hips for the material to cling to. You are one of the few body types that actually look good in skinny jeans but cigarette pants or harem style trousers will also look play up your slender legs. For the slimmer boyish figure French Connection trousers are well cut and labels such as Kookai, Morgan, Benetton and Sisley are slim-fitting. Monsoon is also believed to be good for trousers for small women.
Anyone with a boyish frame should be looking for clothing that creates the illusion of curves. Your figure is naturally straight up and down, so clothes that have built in structure and shape are what will really make you stand out. Jackets with shoulder pads and structured dresses work especially well with your figure. If you want to add a bit of oomph to your look, balance your figure out by making the most of your cleavage and – yes - that might mean investing in a pair of chicken fillets. A great example of an older woman who fits this description is the ever stylish Johanna Lumley, she‘s living proof that it is possible to become even more glamorous as you age. It is all down to clever age-appropriate dressing and wearing pieces that flatter the body shape.
OFFICE:
A voluminous top teamed with a pencil skirt will create curves where none exist. If you have no bottom, avoid tight skirts like the plague. Straight leg trousers will show off your lean legs while fitted, figure-hugging jackets and skirts with a high waistline will help to create the illusion of curves. For business meetings, choose a simple, tailored shirt teamed with a pair of high waisted trousers, to give you a feminine silhouette - and a professional edge.
OCCASION WEAR:
When dressing to flatter your figure, your main challenges will be to maintain the figure balance that you already have and create the illusion of a defined waistline so that you look more like the hourglass ideal. When you are choosing something special to wear at a black tie dinner or a ball, stay away from anything in a clingy, shiny fabric as it will only serve to emphasise your boyish frame, instead, look to stars such as Cameron Diaz for inspiration. When Cameron hit‘s the red carpet, she usually opts for fluid flowing gowns in delicate chiffons and lace; it‘s a wise choice as it makes her look feminine and sensual, rather than boyish and lanky.
