14 DAY TRIAL // They say real beauty comes from within. At the same time, they also say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, according to stylist Hannah Sandling speaking with the Daily Mail, that is one of the first thing on which celebrities are counting whenever they make a public appearance. What stars and regular women have in common is that both can use the body they have to make a wonderful impression, no matter if they pack a few pounds extra.
The secret, Sandling says, is to always make sure that we’re in the right light and striking the most advantageous pose. Of course, it’s not like us regular women would ever walk the red carpet at the Academy Awards but, come to think of it, we too take pictures and they too are memories meant to last a lifetime. If we also happen to be plumper (or heavier than we’d like to be), the solution is to learn how to strike the right pose and the pounds will simply vanish from our body, the stylist assures us.
For starters, we should ensure we’re sitting upright at all times: since nothing ruins a good pose than slouching, we should image our head is being pulled upwards by an invisible string. All this while, we should Arch our back a bit, put one leg in front of the other, with the entire weight of our body on the leg behind, keep our chin down but our eyes up, and one hand on the waist to make it look slimmer. At the same time, we’re to make sure we’re not facing the camera directly, but rather that our body is slightly turned from it, this being the one method that will guarantee we look slimmer in the photo.
“For a start, you’re showing your body at an angle which is always slimming – stand square to the camera and you’re always going to look wider, but by simply twisting your body a little you can shave off a good few inches. Then, by placing your hand on your hip, you create the illusion of a smaller waist and smaller hips. […] The hand on the hip also creates a curve that holds your arm away from the body and highlights any muscle definition. The slight curve in the back is the result of standing up straight and pulling the shoulders back which, in turn, thrusts the bust out,” Sandling says for the Mail.
The stylist has worked with celebrities like ultimate fashionistas Sienna Miller, Carmen Electra and Emma Bunton, all of whom look positively exquisite on the red carpet no matter if they happen to be wearing a dress that what some may call common. Another secret to remember is to smile, and to do so genuinely. Rehearse the pose at home in front of the mirror, eventually get a friend to take your picture, just so you make sure it doesn’t come across as frozen and unnatural, is Sandling’s final piece of advice.