When most people go shopping, they look for clothes that make them look their best or at the least, look good.
Still, every once in a while, people look at their favorite duds in the mirror and are unpleasantly surprised.
The outfit that looked great on a model or on the rack does not look so hot outside the store.
Experience is a great teacher, so people learn to try things on.
Everything in the same size does not fit. Something that fits is not guaranteed to look good.
So what's a person to do?
Well, there are several options available for people to do while shopping for clothes.
They can give up and wear things that look awful or experiment through trial and error until finding one outfit that looks great and buy 10 of everything.
Or, one can learn about one's body type and what sort of clothing looks best.
Find out which colors flatter which skin tones and which colors bring out eye color and hair color.
Learning to maximize strong points and minimize things that are less flattering is the key.
Attractiveness is relative. Still, there are some basic rules of aesthetics, and balance, along with harmony, that can make a person look his or her best.
Personal tastes and bias tend to cloud advice, so here are some tips.
Kendall Farr, the author of The Pocket Stylist, addresses three different body types.
Farr recommends detailed tops and jackets with simple pants and skirts for women with larger hips and thighs.
She suggests garments that skim over curves without hugging them and call attention to the waistline for women who have a defined waist with balanced hips and shoulders.
For broad shouldered women with short waists and slim hips, Farr advocates streamlined tops that are paired with unique skirts or pants.
Peggy Reilly, the Personal Shopper for Kenwood Towne Centre's Lazarus-Macy's offers more descriptive counsel. "You want to bring your eye away from the largest part of your body, so that you are proportional," said Reilly.
According to Reilly, a V-neckline minimizes broad shoulders. A unique belt or a detailed pant or skirt also draw the eye away from the shoulders.
Additionally, wide leg, flat front pants trim the hips. A full skirt such an A-line that ends below the knee achieves the same effect.
The rule of thumb here is to avoid clothing that clings to the hips.
Reilly recommends long jackets that end below the hips as well as flared pants for women with hourglass figures or a very defined waistline.
The flip side of a curvy figure is a straight one, and in this case, the illusion of a waist can be created by wearing a bright belt with a dress.
Racer-back and halter tops along with body hugging clothing help to give straight figures shape.
Reilly suggests blouses and skirts that wrap around the body and tie at the waist for women who want to minimize their stomach.
V-necklines also help achieve this effect.
She said, "Whatever you feel your weak point is in your body, you take attention away from it."
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