Excerpt: 'Sam Saboura's Real Style'

ByABC News via logo
June 14, 2005, 12:41 PM

June 15, 2005 — -- Are you an apple or a willow? Have a flat chest or a high waist and can't find clothes that fit right? Style guru Sam Saboura, host of ABC's "Extreme Makeover," offers tips and tricks for real women with all different body types to dress their best.

You can read an excerpt from "Sam Saboura's Real Style: Style Secrets for Real Women with Real Bodies" below.

How many times have you shopped for hours, only to end up frustrated and discouraged? You think that nothing out there is made for your body. Nothing looks good, no matter what the cut or shape. In fact, nothing fits properly at all. Before you know it, a bad shopping day turns into a bad self-esteem day.

You start believing that your hips are too big or your boobs are too small or your butt is too wide or your legs are too short. Your arms are too flabby or your shoulders are too sloped or your belly is too round or your waist is too long. You're convinced you'll have to go naked for the rest of your life -- or at least go on a diet or go to the gym, because something just isn't right.

Wrong! You're just not shopping for the right body.

Until you identify your body type, you have no way of knowing what styles are best. To get on track, you have to figure out exactly what kind of body you have. When you do, you'll have a clear picture of what to wear for the way you're built and what to avoid at all costs. More important, you'll stop wasting money on clothes that still have the tags on and are too old to return. Reality check: These are not "inspiration pieces." They are just mistakes.

Before we go any further, I want to stress one important thing: No one -- I repeat, no one -- is one stock body type. Every person is completely unique and made up of a combination of many different types. So don't worry if you can't find your exact figure in the following list. Just select the basic shape that seems closest to yours, and use it as a general guide.

I also want you to keep in mind that your body is what it is. Sure, you can lose a few pounds or build some muscle or step up your aerobic exercise, but you can never transform the lush curves of an Oprah into the lean-limbed grace of an Audrey Hepburn. And you don't have to.When you realize this, shopping will be fun and enjoyable -- the way it's supposed to be.

Your figure is smaller on the top and wider on the bottom. Your shoulders are narrow, your breasts are small to average, your waist is slender, and your hips, thighs, and bottom are full. Your goal is to visually alter the proportional differences between your upper and your lower body to create a sense of balance.

Boatneck and off-the-shoulder tops are great choices to create a more pronounced horizontal shoulder line and balance the width of your hips. Avoid tightfitting tops (I'm not talking about fitted here -- I mean super-snug), which will exaggerate the difference between your top and bottom halves, and -- you guessed it -- make your hips and butt look huge. The same thing happens when you wear a belted dress or cinched waistline.

Pears should always wear dark colors on the bottom, taking advantage of the slimming effect of black, charcoal, navy, brown, and other deep tones. Low-rise pants work wonders to minimize your hips and help create a more balanced look. Straight-leg pants or ones with a slight flare do the same by adding width to the bottom of your leg, making your hips look smaller by comparison. A-line and circle skirts are perfect for you, because their shapes skim right over your trouble spots.

Stay away from pants with side pockets and pleats, because they just add extra bulk to your bottom half. By the same token, drawstring pants, with all that extra fabric gathered around your midsection, make your hips look big and broad. And we won't even talk about what they do to your butt!

Pants with a tapered leg are a don't unless you want to look like an ice-cream cone -- and I'm guessing you don't. They make your legs look too skinny from the knee down and make your thighs and hips look wider. Please take a pass on this dated trend.

Best Feature: Upper Body
Your upper body should always be your focal point when you're planning an outfit. Since your goal is to minimize your lower half with simple, dark, solid bottoms, have some fun with your tops.

Look for brighter colors, proportional prints, and sexy necklines. Try a fitted top when you want to look curvy, and a looser, straighter style when you want some camouflage. Wear small shoulder pads -- yes, shoulder pads -- to broaden the top half of your silhouette and offset the fullness of your hips. Play with necklaces and earrings, because they'll draw attention upward. Also, consider your hairstyle in relation to your lower body. A fuller, sexier do just might give you some additional balance by adding volume to your upper half.

When choosing skirts and dresses, always try an A-line first. This style is a reliable classic, and it's tailor-made for your body.

Mix-and-match
Mix-and-match separates are custom made for the pearshaped girl. No matter how big the difference between your top and bottom, you can buy exactly the size you need. You might also consider looking for tops one day and bottoms the next, making shopping a lot easier.

You are tall and slender -- the Nicole Kidman of your neighborhood. Your breasts are small, your waist and hips are narrow, and your legs and arms are long and lean. But what only you realize is that your willowy stature makes it difficult to find clothes that fit properly. If a size is small enough for your slim frame, odds are it will be too short in the legs and arms. On particularly bad shopping days, you have to sneak into the men's department just to find pants that are long enough.

Your goal is to make sure you wear clothing that is suited to your body type. You need pants and jackets that are long enough to cover your limbs, and you want to create proportions that keep you from looking too lanky. Your tops should always be a bit on the longer side, to balance the length of your legs.

When it comes to skirts, you shine in long ones, because your height allows you to wear them with grace. But stay away from the super-short mini. Though shorter skirts that reveal your slender legs are fine, a micro-mini will make you look like you're walking on stilts.

You can wear pants in just about any style -- as long as they' re long enough. They should be three-quarters of an inch above the heel in the back, with a break in the front and a hemline that covers the top of your shoe. Avoid buying a too-short pair just because you like them and they fit everywhere else. Unless there's enough fabric in the hem to lengthen them, they will never be more than well-fitting pants that are too short. Also beware of pants that have an extremely flared leg. They add too much weight to the bottom of your slender frame, throwing you visually off balance.

Though it's fine to flaunt your height with stilettos and the like, keep in mind that flats and lower heels are always a winner for the willow. They're chic and classic, and will keep you from towering over your shorter friends on days when you prefer to blend in.

In choosing outfits, try separates that cut your long frame in half. A flowy skirt with a high boot can bring interest to your lower body. For contrast, add a fitted tank or long-sleeved knit top. If you love wearing dresses, try belted styles that tie at the waist to play up your lean middle.

Best Features: Height and Long Limbs
You're blessed with a willowy look -- go ahead and flaunt it.

High-end designers cut and style their clothing with your body type in mind. Instead of searching for days to find three pairs of so-so pants that fit your budget, spend the sum total on one perfect pair that costs a bit more. You'll acquire a ward robe of great-fitting clothing over time.

Go for contrast when you dress, layering to your heart's content. Your lean frame can handle the extra coverage, and you'll add style and dimension to your look. Try pleated skirts for fullness, textured fabrics for interest, and jackets and shirts with large collars and exaggerated cuffs. Wear lighter, softer colors. You have less to minimize, so darker shades can work against you by making you look too tall or too lean -- and, yes, sometimes that is not a good thing. Also avoid super-snug clothing, because it can take you from slender to rail-like.

Go for prints and patterns
As a willow, you're among the lucky few who can wear large prints, so wear them with wild abandon. They're striking, and you carry them well because they won't overwhelm your tall frame.

You have a curvy figure, with a full bust, small waist, and full bottom. Some people accuse you of dressing too sexy when you're not even trying. You make a magnificent Marilyn Monroe at Halloween, and you have the most sought-after body in history. Embrace those curves! Women spend tens of thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery trying to get a body like yours.

For starters, invest in a pencil skirt. It's sexy yet classy, and the slightly tapered bottom will show off your curvy figure. Team it up with a contrasting belt that defines your slender waistline and draws attention to it. Look for fitted tops that nip in at the waist and stop somewhere between the waist and hips, bringing the eye to one of your best features. Avoid full or blousy styles that can hide your body.