There are times in a woman's life when a few fashion tricks can work wonders. None more so that creating the illusion of losing a few pounds. The forthcoming holiday season is that time of year when many of us will be attending parties, social functions and getting together with family and friends and want to look our best.



Having just returned to France from a lengthy trip back to the UK to visit my family, I am now paying the price of all that comfort food and not going to the gym. This is the time when I need to think more carefully about what to wear, opting for clothing and accessories that I know will make me look thinner .



It cheap ugg boots is possible to give the impression of dropping a dress size almost instantly just by some clever dressing no diet required (although that's on the list for January!) My two failsafe solutions are a pair of high heels and wearing separates from the same color palette.



Having just dressed in toptotoe shades of gray (gray cashmere sweater, gray jeans and gray trenchcoat yes, how French!) plus a pair of gray high heel boots, everyone remarked that I had "lost weight." In truth, the moment I changed back into my scruffs to wear around the house, I seemed to have put on pounds.



The Slimming Power of High cheap uggs Heels



Putting on a pair of 3inch heels will make you look slimmer in seconds. If you don't believe me, try it. Wear the same outfit with your normal flats and then again with a pair of high heels and see the difference. Although you haven't physically lost any weight the result of the heels pushing your torso slightly forward is that your thighs appear tighter, your stomach flatter and your legs longer. Nudecolored shoes that match your skintone will give the impression of even longer legs, or alternatively black opaques teamed with black heels will also make your legs look slimmer.



The UK's Daily Mail recently published an article featuring "The winning shoe formula" when it comes to looking slimmer in seconds. The article states that heel height is critical (at least 3inches) and that the width of the heel should also be taken into consideration. A stiletto heel will slim down your legs better than a chunky one, such as a wedge. According to the Daily Mail, if you are wearing platform heels, they should have a platform of at least a centimeter, but the platform should be concealed. Avoid shoes with ankle straps too, as these only serve to make legs look chunky.



Going Tonal Will Make You Look Leaner



The slimming properties of tonal dressing can also have an instant effect. By this, I mean wearing outfits that are made up of the same color palette such as different shades of gray or brown. This would include matching your footwear (and hosiery) to the rest of your outfit. What this does is create a column of a singlecolor block (in effect creating a vertical line). This magically makes your body look longer and leaner. Be careful of your choice of color though, I find black, gray, navy and camel work the best for me all neutral tones. However, there is nothing wrong with wearing some of this season's key colors such as mustard, teal or rust, if you want a brighter hue, although you may feel that toptotoe dressing in this shade is a little too strong for you (or those around you!)



The reason why darker colors, in particular black, have such slimming properties is that darkcolored matt fabrics absorb light and are, therefore, more figure friendly creating the illusion of losing a few pounds. As they absorb the light this makes the area clothed in them look smaller. The exception to this is a shiny material, which because it has a reflective quality, can make you look larger. If you are worried about a solid dark color such as black making you look washed out, then add an accessory like a multicoloured scarf or a necklace to brighten the area around your face.



If wearing trousers then another trick is to choose pants that have a front crease this also creates a vertical line, which is more slimming on your legs.



Finally, I like to add a long oversized print scarf to my outfits, which is also my way of giving some color to a neutral ensemble. This has become somewhat of a personal style statement but it also has the effect of making me look taller and slimmer. Drape a long scarf around your neck and let it fall down your upper body it will give the illusion of making your torso look longer and has the added bonus of concealing a less than perfect stomach!