On a diet, but the weight doesn't seem to go down fast enough for your liking? Don't worry too much: you're already working hard to change your dietary habits, you're running and exercising, all you have to do now is be patient.

However, if that piece of advice simply doesn't work for you (in the end, we all want to loose that extra weight fast and we're impatient to start showing off our newly slimmed-down summer bodies), here's some good news: with a little help from our trusted wardrobes, we can all look slimmer than we really are and start enjoying the benefits of losing weight faster. Here are the basic principles.

First of all, start using single-color schemes. There are two main possibilities: either wear one solid color (this can be done with dark nuances - brown, navy or even black) or combine different tones of the same color - like beige, coral or aqua, whatever matches your complexion. You will be surprised to discover that the old misconception that one single color makes you look large is not entirely true.

Then, choose the fabrics very carefully. Avoid clingy or shiny textures, as they will magnify every single bump and bulge on your body. Fluid fabrics are the best: they drape around your body and accentuate what needs to be brought into sharper emphasis: your bust area, décolletage, shoulders or legs.

Do your best to achieve balance. If you're top-heavy, for example, and have broad shoulders, don't draw further attention to them by wearing tops with boat necks and wide scoop necks, or any other kind of details that draw the eye upwards, such as ruffles or puffs. Go for a V-neck top with an A-line skirt or wide-leg pants. If you have a small top and wide hips, don a straight skirt or slim-cut pants to camouflage them, while bringing your upper half into sharper focus.

Minimize your posterior and tummy by wearing pants cut at, or slightly below, your natural waist, with front slit pockets or no pockets at all. Avoid tapered pants at all costs and make sure the hem of the pants you do wear almost touches the floor. Remember: pants that end just below your ankle add 10 pounds to your frame.

Finally, avoid wearing anything that is boxy or made up of too much fabric. Loose clothes don't hide away the extra pounds, but actually make you look heavier and bulkier. Avoid wearing boxy jackets. Look for well-tailored, semi-fitted styles. You can also go for clothes (jackets, dresses) with princess seaming - those curved seams that run down the front of the garment from shoulder to waist. Wear chunky heels and avoid shoes with anckle straps and square toes, as they will make your legs - and implicitly you - look shorter.