How to Dress For Your Body: Holiday Edition

Tip #1: Body by design

Leave it to your clothes to create your shape. Bustier details, gathered waists, flaring peplums, sculptural ruching or pleating and well-placed ruffles can all work to give the impression of a more feminine figure.

Tip #2: Blousy, not baggy

Volume is an excellent tool to disguise a lack of curves, but there's often a fine line between stylish and sacklike. Keep a balance with formfitting details and avoid anything too oversized.

Tip #3: Top it off

Jackets are the best weapon in your sartorial arsenal, particularly in sturdy, structured fabrics like tweed. A sharp-cut blazer or boxy topper creates a beautiful silhouette with both slim trousers and wide-legged pants.

Tip #4: Form a pattern

From stripes to florals to plaids, prints breathe life into a look. Don't be afraid to mix them up and have some fun.

Tip #1: Keep Your Contours

Show off curves with fitted—though not too tight—clothes. (A voluminous silhouette works only on angular figures.)

Tip #2: Go soft or structured

If the cut of a dress is slightly fluid, opt for materials that move, like cotton jersey, silk charmeuse or light-weight wools. However, something like a body-skimming shift dress should be cut in a stronger fabric to give support and create a smooth silhouette.

Tip #3: Remember your lines

That's as in neckline and hemline. A low scooped or plunging neck always flatters. Although be careful not to display too much of your natural assets. Showing a little leg in skirts or dresses that end just above the knee is a smart strategy. But remember, with exposure, balance is key.

Tip #4: The Middle Path

If you boast an hourglass shape, highlight your waist. Dresses with a gently nipped-in waist or cinched with a belt look terrific always. Don't make the belt too tight. You should be able to sit down and breathe!

Tip #1: Go to extremes

Midi lengths look dowdy on diminutive figures. Your best hemline starts at the knee and then rises from there. Or head straight in the other direction with a floor-skimming maxi.

Tip #2: Nip and tuck

Downing in a too-big dress or pants that need hemming can make you seem like a little girl playing dress-up. Even small tailoring tweaks, like taking sleeves up an inch or two, can make a major impact.

Tip #3: Don't overload layers

Piling on hefty furs and languid knits might be de rigueur, but they easily overwhelm small frames. Keep in mind the old fashion adage: Tale one thing off before you leave the house.

Tip #4:Tread carefully with heels

Wearing high heels is a petite girl's most obvious fix. But the massive scale of skyscraping platforms can look awkward with not-so-long legs. A rule of thumb: If the length of a heel is more than half of your calf, look for a lower version.

Tip #1: Minis at a minimum

Many trends read extremely well on statuesque physiques, like midi lengths and long, languid layers. Miniskirts and dresses, however, require delicate handling. Wear them with flats, possibly tights, and a covered-up top or just limit your hemlines to a couple inches north of the knee.

Tip #2: Feminine, not frou frou

Even if girlish frills are the look of the moment, steer clear of anything that seems pubescent. It will read awkwardly on a tall frame.

Tip #3: Don't ban heels

While conventional wisdom might dictate that you don't need any more height, the proportion of high-heeled shoes is actually best on tall figures. But perhaps leave the six-inch platforms to shorter gals.

Tip #4: Keep frocks solid

Feel free to spin the color wheel from dark to bright, but monotone dresses or ones with tiny, subtle micropatterns are a far chicer option than bold graphic and splashy prints. Wear the latter in small doses.