Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Fashion Girl,

Dear Fashion Girl,

I generally have a good sense about which clothing complements my body type but there is one thing I still can't figure out: pants. Most pants and jeans in stores right now are tight-fitting flares that are meant for girls that wear a size 1! I have a "pear-shaped" body and wear a size 11 on my wide hips and thighs, so these flared styles are hard to look and feel good in. What are some other types of pants and skirts that will look good on my "bottom-heavy" body?

Thanks, Tisha

Dear Tisha,

It's great that you are comfortable and confident about your wardrobe. Hopefully I can help you find some flattering pant styles! Those flares don't work because they are tightest on the hips and thighs, where you actually want the most camouflage. They create an "hourglass" shape on each leg, making the space from waist to knees seem more curvy than it already is. You're right, those tight-fitting pants look best on girls who need to accentuate and add to their curves, and who usually wear small pant sizes. But for those of us who would rather de-emphasize the hips/thighs area, flares just don't cut it!So what does work? The best shape of pants to look for is "straight-leg"--they do not curve inwards down the leg. Instead, they are cut straight through the hip, thigh, and leg down to the ankle. This gives a slimming vertical illusion and doesn't accentuate hips/thighs. Another good pant shape for you is "boot-cut," which are cut down the leg in a slightly diagonal line and end up a little wider at the ankle, similar to flare-bottoms, but less dramatic. Stay away from a "narrow" fit through the hips and thighs. The Gap has an online interactive guide called the "PantFinder" to help you pick the right fit. Check it out at: http://www.gap.comFor skirts, look for an "A-line" shape. Like the boot-cut pants, A-line skirts are fitted at the waist, skim the hips, and then flare out slightly in a diagonal line to the hem. They are not gathered at the waist. Just as the name implies, the silhouette of these skirts looks like the letter "A." They draw the eye downwards and have a larger circumference at the bottom, therefore making your hips look slimmer in comparison.

Since flared pants are so trendy right now, you'll have to search a little harder to find your ideal styles. They are there, you just might have to dig deeper in the pants racks! When you do discover a pair of comfortable, flattering pants, you can't go wrong by getting more than one pair, especially in different colors.

Good luck!