I’m sure you’ve seen a dress on a model or on a woman on the street before and thought that you’d love to wear that dress and will sew it for yourself. Then you buy the material and realize that it just doesn’t look as good on you as it did on that other person. Noone has a perfect body. Even models have flaws, but know how to hide them and know what is flattering for their body.

You don’t want to sew a dress or any kind of clothing, spending the money on the fabric and time of making it and just let it hang in the closet, because it doesn’t look the way you wanted it.

Printed fabrics can offer optical illusions to make you look taller, shorter, thinner or heavier. Because of that, when choosing a fabric, you need to consider the color and the pattern to decide if it will be flattering on your body. You want to emphasize your pretty features and subdue anything else you’re not happy with.

• Everybody knows that darker colors have a slimming effect, and lighter colors, such as white, can make you look fuller.
• Short sleeves or sleeveless shirts will emphasize your shoulders and your arms. So, don’t wear them if you don’t want to call attention to them.  Dolman and Raglan sleeves will actually make your shoulders seem narrower. Because padded shoulders will make your shoulders look wider, it is not a good idea to wear, unless your shoulders are really small and would like to make them look bigger and wider.
• Turtleneck, chokers or high collars are not flattering on someone with a short neck, because they will make it look even shorter. But, if your neck is long, a top with a high neck may be advantageous to you.
• Large prints, plaid fabric and full skirts will make the body look bigger, so carefully choose the pattern on the fabric. A-line skirts will make your body look slimmer.
• Small prints and thin stripes will make you look thinner and taller.
• Wide belts are flattering on slim bodies, and can make waists seem larger. Also avoid thick and stiff fabrics if you would like to slim your appearance.
• Skirts, just barely covering the knees may make your lower leg look thicker. Go for skirts ending just above the knee or at mid-calf.
• Vertical lines make you look thinner and taller, while horizontal lines will make you look shorter and fuller.
• Silk fabric will accentuate your nice curves, but cheap fabric can cling to your bumps.
• Make sure to not make the outfit too tight or too loose. An outfit that fits properly will be flattering to your body.

When choosing fabric and sewing pattern, be realistic. Learn what looks good on your body. Even it it’s heart breaking, pass on fabrics that you know just won’t flatter your body. One thing to remember is that clothes can make you look 10-20 lbs thinner or heavier depending on the fabric and cut!

- vs