5 ideas to create a curvy shape.

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Ladylike fashions are back in style, and they do a great job at showing off curvy, feminine shapes. But what if you're simply not curvy? If your waist is more straight-up-and-down than it is hourglass? No worries -- use our ideas for creating the illusion of a waist through clothing.

• Buy shaped jackets. Nothing helps a waist look more pronounced than a jacket that's nipped in at the waist and shaped by princess seams. When sewn on a structured jacket, princess seams skim a thick waist, giving the illusion of curves. Avoid boxy jackets and those made of billowy, flowing material; both styles make a wide waist look even bigger.
• Try low-waisted pants. Pants with a shorter rise (the length of fabric between the crotch and waistband) put emphasis on your hips, which in turn makes your waist look smaller. Be sure your low-waisted pants fit well, however; allowing love handles to bulge over the waistband will make your waist look bigger.
• Go for flared and A-line skirts. Skirts with a flared hem and those with an A-line shape skim over your body. At the same time, they give your hips a curvier look, which makes your waist look smaller as a result. Avoid pencil skirts, as their straight shape simply highlights your body's straight shape.
• Wear dresses with built-in shape. A straight dress will emphasize your thick waist -- but a dress with some shape built in gives the illusion of some curves. Two types of dresses to try: Shift dresses, with darts at the hips and bust; and empire-waist dresses (just go easy on the flowing skirt).
• Focus on your shoulders. A final trick to make your waist look smaller: Make your shoulders look wider. But you don't need linebacker-size shoulder pads to do so! Instead, go for tops with wide necklines -- boat necks, open button-downs, and cowl necks. You can also add small shoulder pads to jackets and thicker tops for some shape.