Cheryl Shops

Pick your favorite feature
Here’s where that whole self-love thing comes in. You should have (at least) one part of your body that you love. It could be your neck, your waist, your wrists, whatever; mine happens to be my legs. You want the focus to be on that feel-good area, so the key item you’re wearing should emphasize that, with a good fit, attention-grabbing colors, or even cutouts or bare skin. Normally I wouldn’t recommend trying on new denim when you’re not at your best, but these Mott + Bow jeans arrived after I’d already had a glass of wine, so I decided to give them a whirl. I will admit, I was unexpectedly blown away by how flattering and comfortable they are. (They even got a “sexy” from Sean, which is good, because he hates the last pair of jeans I bought.) These are their Mom Jean fit, which is really more of a high-waisted slim-straight cut—they’re more fitted than you’d expect from the name, but they’re not skintight, and both of those things are fine with me. These are indeed “hard pants” in that they’re denim, but they do have stretch, and in the perfect ratio so that you feel held in without being suffocated. I was a little wary of wearing a lighter-wash jean when I was not feeling my best, but in this case, your eye is drawn to my legs, which is exactly what I was going for. For reference, this fit runs true to size—in spite of my extra poundage, I’m in my usual 28. 

  

Neutralize the rest
Did you even notice I was wearing a shirt and blazer? It’s ok if you did—they’re two of my favorites. You last saw this Frame blazer with a printed dress, and while this look has a totally different vibe, it’s proof that it goes with pretty much anything. The key, of course, is getting a blazer that fits you properly—if it’s too small or too large, both extremes have the same outcome, which is to make you look larger than you are. The perfect-fitting blazer should skim your body like a gentle breeze, and you should be able to layer a thin sweater underneath without affecting the fit. If you can afford it, get yours tailored (my sleeves are actually a bit long, and I’ve been meaning to take it to the tailor). I always advise buying the best quality you can afford; luckily for you, this one is on major sale at the moment. 

 
I tend to gain weight around my midsection and I’m busty anyway, so black-on-black felt like the right choice to make for my upper body. Black absorbs light and makes things appear smaller, so other than hiding dirt, yes, there’s a reason it’s such a popular color for clothing. Wearing black on black feels like a very ‘90s thing to do, but the ‘90s are back in fashion anyway, so everything that’s old is new again. Speaking of old, I’ve had this Equipment silk shirt for a gazillion years and I like to leave the top few buttons unbuttoned—it makes my neck appear longer and creates an overall elongating effect. I’m in a small—these shirts run a bit large. 

 

Put on your high heels
Full disclosure, I can’t remember the last time I wore heels not for a photo shoot. I do hope to wear them again soon IRL—I have a lot of fancy shoes that are wasting away in my closet—and that brings me to a universal truth, which is that heels make you look thinner. Let’s say you’re 5’ 7” like me and weigh 130 pounds, which is nowhere near what I weigh, but wouldn’t that be nice? If you put on a 3-inch heel, now you’re 5’ 10” but you still weigh 130 pounds. That’s like an instant reduction in BMI and a fantastic visual trick, and even if you wear a one-inch heel, every little bit helps. Now, I’m not shaming you into wearing heels—I have legitimately been wearing nothing but sneakers and Birkenstocks for the last four months—but if you want an instant lift (literally!), they’re the quickest way to do it. And I will say, this Vionic pair that I’m wearing is incredibly comfortable and true to size. And they’re on sale too! 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Frame blazer | Equipment signature shirt | Mott + Bow Mom jeans (c/o) | A.P.C. sac demi-lune | Vionic Sofia sandals (c/o)