MANILA, Philippines — Let’s face it, not everyone is born with supermodel proportions. Still, that doesn’t make anyone any less beautiful. And while only a few would ever be destined to set those catwalks on fire, every woman can be a star on the runway that is her life.
So much more than a necessity (and a tool for preserving one’s modesty), the right clothes are a girl’s best friend when it comes to hiding her perceived problem areas and accentuating her best assets. And with the help of professional stylist Nasia Cammayo, we’ll give the low down on how to elevate every woman’s looks — transforming her from the natural 10 that she is, into a stunning, stylish 11!
The Curveball
Real women have curves, so says the age-old phrase. And 29-year-old working mom Gian Carla Guerrero, proud owner of curvy hips and a full derriere, knows this by heart. But while she embraces her curves, this magazine executive still finds it challenging to transform sexy into elegant, tapered and refined.
“The mistake of most women is that they tend to hide what they perceive as problem areas, instead of celebrating their body shape,” says Nasia. “Sometimes, all you need to do is add some elements that take away too much attention from certain spots in order to balance out your look.”
For instance, Nasia suggests solid colors for bottom-heavy girls. For Gian’s corporate look, the stylist suggested a monochromatic rust-colored top-and-pants ensemble from Plains & Prints.
As seen in the picture, the clothing items are rather loose, thus shedding the usually snug fit. The top, which comes in the form of a buttoned-down tunic, skims way below the waist and lands just right above the knee, to take attention away from her behind and her tummy. Just the same, a belt was added to highlight the waist, an ode to her natural guitar-like body shape. “Without the belt, the entire outfit would land on her hips, and overall it will look wide. However, cinching it at the middle shows off her curves, while retaining a certain air of formality in the ensemble,” says Nasia.
Loose pants that tend to cover the feet — which could be standing on four-to-five-inch heels — also create an illusion of added height, which balances off her wider hips. Pants like these also make wearing pants more bearable for ladies of this body shape, who usually have to contend with conventional cuts that are either too tight on the hip area or too loose around the waist.
To bring the look a notch higher for evening affairs and cocktails, the stylist dressed up Gian in a plain black jumpsuit with a twist. “A dark color, especially black, will always have a slimming and elegant effect. The challenge is to not make it look stiff and boring,” she says
For optimum effect, the stylist opted to expose Gian’s bare shoulders to draw attention away from her fuller lower body. The jumpsuit also has a few ruffles on the side to mask fuller parts of the lower stomach and create powerful, sophisticated evening look.
Will the real slim lady, please dress up?
Another saying: one can never be too rich or too thin. Still, even naturally thin girls may want to look full-bodied every once in a while. Take it from 22-year-old graphic artist Maica Maglipon, who, at barely 100 lbs., could easily fit into a size zero.
However, even being sample size comes with its own set of disadvantages, especially for young professionals like Maica, who seem eternally trapped in their teenage bodies. Nasia turned to ruffles, prints and other elements that are conventionally deemed as, dare way it, fattening.
“Being thin, especially if you’re at least of average height, brings much of an opportunity for layering and being playful,” she says. “It’s your green light to wearing clothes that women of other body types would usually shy away from.”
For Maica’s corporate look, Nasia dressed her in a pair of wide-leg, high-waist trousers, paired with a floral ruffled blouse. High-waist trousers, which are a Damocles sword for women with even the slightest of curves (Jessica Simpson, anyone?), are a god-sent for skinny girls. They add height, make hips fuller and just give off a mature, relaxed look. Bonus points: they’re wide-legged too, making them very comfortable.
Floral prints, on the other hand, create an illusion of a fuller torso. Finish it off with an oversized jacket and the transformation from 100-lbs. teenybopper to a 100-percent power lady is complete.
The same goes for eveningwear. Nasia once again reminds ladies, especially on the lighter side, to experiment with trends that are normally frowned upon for or deemed unflattering. In Maica’s case, this ruffled, lacy and tiered number makes for a perfect evening outfit. From the color, cut and material, this outfit, which could prove rather challenging for ladies in the 120-lb., 5’5” range, adds just the right volume to this svelte model’s frame.
Indeed, with the right clothes and these tips at hand, dressing up to the nines can turn any woman from perfect 10 into an 11 — from nine-to-five and every single second after and in between!
Photography by Walter Bollozos • Art direction by Ramon Joseph Ruiz • Fashion styling by Nasia Cammayo • Makeup and hairstyling by Floe Tapayan for Kanebo • Shot on location at Savoy Hotel Manila • Special thanks to Anne Talavera and Nate Dacua of Savoy Hotel Manila