(From top) Empire-line cuts, a straight layered hair do and a double-layer blush-on can make you look slimmer

Green makes you look fat and black makes me look thin ? thus announced the super-stylish Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Before you dismiss this Kareena and Kajol chit-chat as silly sister banter, browse through your own this-makes-me-look-fat list. The result, you bet, is far from surprising.

Many years of self-analysis in front of the mirror, months of maintaining a mental note on what garb grabs you gapes or groans, countless flips through style magazines and several salon visits later, you arrive at a personal ready reckoner. A glance-as-you-go list of things that make you look fat. But concepts, as we all know, go hand in hand with misconceptions.

Here’s the GoodLife list of myths and facts about what makes you look fat.

Fabric feel

You think: Chiffons will cling while crepes help hide your love handles.

Think again: Maybe not chiffon saris, but chiffon tops cut in bias and then layered are sure to guarantee a slim look.

Similarly, the faith in crepe may be misplaced. According to style consultant Sunipa Samadder, crepes have a tendency to “stick to the body”.

Fabrics can do a lot to create the right fall and illusion and choosing the right blend can work wonders. So what is a good fabric to look thinner?

The heavy feel and horizontal weave of raw silk scares away many a heavy frame, but the truth is far from it. “In fact, silks have the perfect qualities to help lend a required silhouette because they themselves have some shape,” explains Sunipa. Non-starched cotton like mul is another safe fabric.

Cuts & styles

You think: Empire lines will draw unwanted attention to your not-so-flattering form.

Think again: Detailed cuts and style lines may come across as loud attention-seekers, but are actually not. Hiding under layers of clothes that are shapeless and loose to give little hint of what lies beneath is a bad idea.

Says designer Agnimitra Paul: “Many people make the mistake of teaming loose bottoms with shapeless tops, but they don’t realise that this silhouette gives a wrong picture. What they need is some detailing in the form of a detachable belt, girdle or darts in the right places.”

Sunipa recommends the use of strategic style lines that give the otherwise boxy garment a neat finish. “Empire or princess lines don’t always pronounce the area. Instead, they lend a flattering form to any garment, bringing it to shape,” she says.

Another fashion faux pas that larger women make is to sport skirts that are gathered or too flared.

“Heavy figures call for skirts that are fitted near the hips and gradually flare out. They should also avoid too many pleats or gathers from the waist level,” offers Agnimitra.

Sunipa’s trick is to introduce some pretty detailing wherever the fat finds focus. Examples are intricate jewel necklines, long sleeves with detailing and slits and delicate trimmings.

Colour call

You think: White and light hues will make you look large.

Think again: We are not even attempting to debate the power of black. This magic hue takes off extra kilos like nothing else can. But that shouldn’t make us shy away from lighter tones.

White, in all its ethereal essence, is a taboo hue in most wardrobes of the weighty. But it’s time to murder that myth. A well-cut pair of white trousers, when teamed with the right-length top, can really lend a slimmer look.

“You can wear white with white, but the minute you carry that black-and-white scarf, all attention goes to that one accessory, taking everyone’s eyes off the flab. Similarly, you can wear an all-black ensemble but carrying that white bag that rests on your hips can kill the svelte look in a second,” observes Sunipa.

Agnimitra, too, stresses on the right play of colours to create that effect. “A bright and loud bottom should always be subdued with a monotone, simple top,” she suggests.

The bottomline: no colour is too bright or too happy for any size; that’s the basis for all fashion rules.

Tress talk

You think: Flat hair makes you look fat and waves might cover your podgy cheeks.

Think again: One might feel that extra-voluminous hair will come in handy to hide that bit of fat here and there. Quite on the contrary, curls or waves tend to add more bulk and weight. Straight hair, on the other hand, lends an illusion of overall sleekness.

Says hair expert Priscilla Corner: “The perfect hair do for a chubby face is a well-done razor cut, a style that is sliced and cuts into the face, contouring it naturally.”

Likewise, the right dash of colour in your hair can produce the most stunning and slimming effects. “Lighter hues in the hair add an illusion of a larger head,” says Priscilla.

For heavier faces, it is a good idea to opt for reddish or burgundy tones. If you want to experiment with two tones of colour, using the darker one near the face lends a slimming look, taking the excess weight out of the frame.

But here’s an exception to this game of light and dark. A disproportionate figure with heavy hips, says Priscilla, can be balanced out with the use of lighter tones in the hair. “A tiny head can also be given a fuller look with professional guidance of streaking and colouring,” she adds.

Make-up trick

You think: Camouflaging with two tones of foundation will make you look slimmer and kohl is the best tool for your eyes.

Think again: We’ve all heard about the miraculous contouring powers of foundation, but not all of us are skilled enough to create the right effect, as and when required.

Make-up expert Sharon Tomkyns says handling two blusher tones is a safer bet. “Use a light base for the skin and instead of trying a darker one to contour, use a lighter blush on the apple of the cheeks and darker one on the cheekbones.” This task gets easier if you suck in your cheeks and then begin application. Of course, blending the two perfectly is essential.

With screen sirens flaunting smoky, kohl-laden eyes, the look is almost a rage now. But Sharon recommends a closer scrutiny of your kajal fixation. “It can make your eyes look puffy and face fatter. Instead of putting it inside your eye, try drawing a line just outside. You can also experiment with blues or whites to make your face look slimmer.”

A light, glossy mouth is the best bet to take weight off your face and don’t make the mistake of wearing a large, round bindi. Opt for a longer one.