How not to look fat in your clothes

Clothes can make you look and feel great, no matter the size of your body, but be wary of adding visible pounds with the style choices you make.

Think twice and follow a few guidelines before you opt to experiment with new outfits. From trying out menswear outfits to compromising on fabric at the cost of glamour are a few simple mistakes that will make you look bigger than you are, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

* Poor quality pieces: We all know about fast fashion that is taking over the high street, poor quality pieces at bargain prices. These items are rushed onto the shop floor to keep up with the latest trend and they're made from poor quality materials with untidy trims and messy finishes. You'll find the hems to be uneven and it'll create an unbalance to the look.

If you are looking for bargain items though, make sure you try them all in the shop. And don't just think about this when you're hitting budget retailers too, even mid-priced fashion can be rushed onto the market, so make sure your item looks and feels good before you commit to it.

* Menswear items made for men: Yes we're all well aware that the masculine fashion trend lives on and menswear pieces like pantsuits can look stunning, but you're best sticking to actual women's fits for these items. Hoodies and crew-neck t-shirts are other items that you should be buying from the women's department too.

Men have different body shapes to women, with no breasts and no hips and a less shapely derriere so their clothing is never going to look good on a woman's shapely form. Thankfully though this trend has taken form and we can see plenty of masculine pieces throughout the high street.

* Fitted clothing that doesn't fit: Ill-fitted clothing never looks good, straining over the bust, digging in the underarms or inability to sit properly are just some of the signs that clothing doesn't fit and as much as it doesn't look good, it doesn't feel good either. It's important to try on your items before you buy and then again when you get home, make sure you can move properly in them and they don't feel uncomfortable to move around in and sit down.