Flatter your bigger-on-the-bottom proportions.

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Your Best Pieces

Your bottom half rules your life when it comes to clothes shopping: your hips and rear have undeniable curves that make your shoulders and chest look small in comparison. The key is to hide the visual difference between your top and bottom halves. How? By choosing shapes and styles that de-emphasize the width of your lower body.

Here, your best options -- and the ones to avoid.

Can't Miss Pieces:

Boot-leg pants Pants that widen below the knee and end with a slight flare make your hips look smaller.

Hipbone-length jackets and tops A hemline that ends at your hipbone visually divides your body at a point lower than your waist, minimizing your rear.

A-line skirts Much like boot-cut pants, the wide hem of this skirt will make your hips look small in comparison. Make sure the top of the skirt hugs your curves, otherwise the whole thing looks baggy and frumpy.

Shoulder pads Forget the Dynasty-era monstrosities. A thin, carefully molded shoulder pad inside a structured jacket gives your shoulders definition, and helps your top half look more balanced.

Horizontal neck lines Perk up your upper half by visually widening your shoulders. Boat neck or square neck shirts and sweaters create an illusion of stronger shoulders.

Padded bra Sometimes all you need are some curves up top to balance the curves on the bottom.

Two-toned bathing suits To draw the eye up, try a two-piece bathing suit with a pattern on top and a dark, solid color on the bottom.