Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Fashion Girl,

Dear Fashion Girl:

I have a really thin upper body, but I'm extremely unhappy with my lower body and the way it looks in jeans, skirts, or anything else. My friends say I have the perfect figure and I look fine but I'm still worried that I'm doing something wrong. How can I make my legs look longer and thinner?

Ashley

Dear Ashley:

I so understand what you’re talking about! It sometimes feels like all the compliments are completely false. But it's also possible that you have a distorted body image, as so many of us do. There’s actually a name for it: Body Dysmorphic (dis-more-fik) Disorder. It’s when the reflection you see in the mirror varies greatly from what everyone else sees when they look at you. One point you might want to consider is why your friends would tell you that you have the “perfect body” if you didn't—would they all be lying? Maybe your figure flaws are more of a feeling that you have and aren’t so real after all.

Meanwhile, you can maximize your self-confidence with some simple wardrobe changes. If you want to make your lower-half look slimmer, what you can do is wear dark pants or jeans with a bootleg that hits about 3/4" from the floor, and perhaps wear a bit of a heel with them. To elongate your body, wear the same color on top as on the bottom. And try to believe the compliments when you get them!

Sincerely,