First Published: January 10, 2014 1:04 PM EST Credit: Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- 
Caption Salma Hayek (Inset: Sarah Jessica Parker on InStyle cover)Want to show off your shape, but don’t know how?
Check out the new “Shape Issue” of InStyle for inspiration!
In-the-know editors are revealing their best shape secrets, so you can flaunt it!
Tip #1: Play Up Your Proportions (Like Salma Hayek): The most important ground rule: know what you want to highlight (Waist? Bust? Legs? All three?) as well as what you’d care to tone down (most of us would say hips).
Tip #2: Fake A Waist: Lacking on the curves? If you have a boyish shape, throw a cropped jacket over a dress. The hem of the jacket will create a midsection – all the more so if it’s an elasticized hem.
Tip #3: Set Up Your Shoulders: An underappreciated area of figure flattery involves sizing up at the shoulders. If you are wide, wearing an unstructured jacket will keep you from looking like a linebacker. If you are narrow, small inserts on a structured jacket are key to subtly broadening your frame.
Tip #4: Manipulate Your Middle: Long torso? An empire waist or a cropped jacket over a T will visually raise your waistline. For shorter torsos, opt for an easy drop-waist skirt or dress, or the tunic-over-pants trick.
Tip #5: Dress for Your Chest: If your dream size and cup size aren’t quite in sync, try these ideas for maximizing or downplaying your natural assets. If you want to look larger, a chunky knit disguises a flat chest, especially when you juxtapose it with a smooth, matte fabric below the waist. But for those of you who want to look smaller, try a voluminous midiskirt it makes your chest seem less voluptuous by comparison.
The February issue of InStyle featuring Sarah Jessica Parker on the cover, hits newsstands today!
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