How to Minimize the Appearance of Hips

Are you frustrated with your wide derriere? Well, thanking dressing to minimize your hips and behind is simple if you heed to basic elements of art and the premises of optical illusions. Here are some tips for hiding the fact that you're one of Queen's beloved "fat-bottomed girls":

*Never wear monochromatic outfits...unless your top is several shades lighter than your pants or skirt. If your top is not noticeably lighter than what you're wearing on the bottom, then your pear shape will be obviously. Always make sure that your pants or skirt are darker than your blouse or sweater. Remember that, thankfully, dark colors recede. But don't think that means you're doomed to wearing black pants for the rest of your life; you can try a wide variety of darker colors, like burgundy, navy, chocolate, forest green, and deep purple.

*Accessorize up top: If you want to look flashy, then wear big earrings, a beautiful scarf around your neck, or a great necklace---but don't wear anything that draws attention to your hips! This means no belts or scarves slung around your hips. Try to draw as much attention to your face, neck, chest, and/or shoulders, instead. Nice jewelry and padded bra are probably your best bets.

*Avoid wide back pockets: The more details are on your behind, the attention it will receive, so keep back pockets medium-sized with little or no embroidery, glitter, buttons, lace, or anything else that will draw people's eyes to your backside. But also avoid pants without any pockets, as they will make your behind seem like an endless expanse.

*Beware of wedgies: With wide hips and chubby bottoms, wedgies are a sad reality, but they don't have to be a regular occurrence. Before your purchase pants, try them on in a three-way mirror and be weary of unsightly puckering.

*Evade dress that fan out at the hips: Buy dresses whose skirts fan out either at the waste or below the hips---not at the hips. Obviously, if the dress fans out at the hip, that's the part of you people will notice most. If possible, put on a colorful shrug, cardigan, or jacket to draw further attention away from your hips.