By Leena Singh

You don't have to wear black everyday to look your sleekest. Black and navy are wonderful, but if you don't want to wear them all the time, wear any one colour from head to toe to get the slim effect.

For instance, a sleek burgundy top with a long matching skirt will make you look tall and slim. A top that gently fits the body, worn over the waistband of a long, bias-cut skirt, will always enhance the illusion of slimness.

Here are a simple do's and don'ts that you can apply in your daily wardrobe to give the illusion of those extra inches.

# Wear monochrome outfits to elongate your appearance. If you desire contrast, choose a subtle mix of different textures. If you like strong colours, you should wear a solid bright colour under a narrowing neutral colour.

# Wear pants that are straight-legged or tapered. A tapered leg boosts the illusion of height and slenderness. Look for a pair that has no waistband. This will give your middle a slender look. A side-zipper pant with a flat front offers clean, slimming lines. Stretch fabric also gives a slender look without sacrificing comfort.

# To add inches to your appearance tuck shirts into pants to make your legs look longer. However, if you want to achieve a slender look avoid tucking shirts as loose shirts supply extra camouflage. Wear tops whose details pull the eye down vertically; V-necks are a good choice.

# If you enjoy wearing stripes, make sure you choose vertical stripes for an illusion of thinness.

# Opt for clothes that fit close to your body. Bulky ones, like oversized jackets and tops will draw the eyes out horizontally.

# Wear skirts that are long and not too wide.

# Slip into higher-heeled shoes. Choose shoes with at least an inch heel -- the taller the better.

The key to remember:

# Monochromatic dressing works all the time. Try dressing in monochrome, matching your hosiery and shoe colour to the rest of your outfit to create an uninterrupted vertical line. Monochromatic doesn't have to mean boring - mix textures to keep the look interesting (i.e. knits with leather).

# Don't make the mistake of going for all long pieces. Go for contrasting proportions. Mix a longer jacket with a shorter skirt, shorter jacket with pants, etc.

Here are a few things you might want to avoid: Pleats, bold patterns, too-tight clothing, too-loose clothing, horizontal stripes, cropped jackets and delicate accessories.

Fashion Tips