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How to Show Off Your Curves

May 31, 2011 / By Christina Whitaker

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Accentuate your curves with a waist belt, like Kim Kardashian's.

Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

From icons like Marilyn Monroe to Beyonce, curvy girls have always made bold statements with their hourglass figures. Whether your curves are at the top, bottom or both, learning how to show them off can be tricky. Because your curves are much more pronounced than leaner women, clothes can appear much sexier than you intend. To avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention, dress your curves up while keeping the drama down.

Choose the right support. Curvy girls with a lot up top can have it more difficult than their smaller-busted counterparts. As such, choose a bra that lifts and supports your chest, rather than squeezes and plumps. This will help sexier clothing look, well -- sexy -- not provocative. Additionally, if you have a bit more in the middle than you'd like, try a body shaper to help bring it all in so it doesn't hang out.

Pick the right fabric. Showing off your curves isn't difficult if they are prominent. Instead of uber-tight clothing, choose fabric that clings like satin or light cotton materials. For example, a skirt made of satin will display a rounder bottom or curvy thighs much better than a tight, stretchy material.

Wear jeans that are made of softer, stretchy denim, not hard, immovable material. These jeans form to your body, rather than forcing your body to form to them. Hard denim often squeezes your derrière in, making it look flatter than it really is.

Wear shorter shirts. Unless you are wearing leggings, choose tops that stop at the top of your jeans. Longer shirts tend to detract from your curves, while shorter ones accentuate what your mother gave you. Additionally, breaking up your clothing draws more attention to the eye, as opposed to clothing that drapes most of your body. So, pairing a belt with a long shirt not only cinches your waist in for a curvier appearance, it also helps your curves to stand out.