Tim Gunn’s Tips for Making It Work Over the Holidays

Tim Gunn shares holiday style tips with omg!. Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Tim Gunn shares holiday style tips with omg!. Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

The great thing about losing weight? Looking better than ever. The equally great part? Getting to put together a whole new wardrobe for your suddenly svelte bod. For 28-year-old Abby Dale -- who dropped an impressive 92 pounds on Weight Watchers over the course of 17 months -- stocking her closet with new threads was extra exciting thanks to winning a styling session with "Project Runway" mentor and fashion guru Tim Gunn as part of the weight-loss company's "Inspiring Stories" contest. Tim took a few minutes out during the makeover madness to share his style tips for women of all sizes with omg!. Read on and make it work!

Tim's Take on Women's Biggest Fashion Flubs:
They wear clothes that are too big. "So many women feel that by wearing clothes that are larger than they are, they're disguising a body that they're not especially proud of," he says. "And they think that, 'Oh well, I'll look smaller, I'll look as though I'm a smaller prize in a bigger package.' But in fact, the opposite effect really happens."

Or they wear clothes that are too tight.
"I don't know why women don't ask themselves, 'If I have to get down on the floor to fit me into these pants, maybe they're a little too small?' I'm all about silhouette, proportion, and fit, those three elements, and having them be in harmony and balance."

Tim's Pick for the Best Holiday Party Piece:

The black dress. "It can be dressed up or dressed down in an office. If it's a shift and it's sleeveless, I would pair it with a cardigan. You may not want to be wearing any jewelry with it, and then at night take the cardigan off and put the jewelry on. Take off the flat or the kitten heel and put on a great stiletto and work it!"

Sparkly Holiday Pieces: Worth a Purchase?
Yes. But on one condition. "I have to say I like it, but I will also say buy it on a budget," Tim advises. "I mean, don't buy anything expensive. Working with Abby and Weight Watchers, we have several racks of clothes and we have a lot of sparkly party dresses. Some are under $100, nothing is more than $180. And that's for a dress."

Tim in the middle of a makeover. Getty Images
Tim in the middle of a makeover. Getty Images

Tim's Holiday Style Philosophy:
Have fun! "The last couple of holiday seasons I've been more of a promoter of let's go basic. Times are tough, they still are, but it's time to wake ourselves up and have a little bit of fun," says the 58-year-old. "And I also believe in the symbolism of clothes. The clothes we wear send a message about how the world perceives us. So look like you're having a good time."

Tim's Pick for Modern-Day Style Icon.
Anne Hathaway. "I love her. And it's not just her style that I love. I love the way in which she navigates the world, which is just with responsibility and respect for herself and her fellow human beings," Tim explains. "She is in many ways a classicist. She resonates to classic silhouettes and kind of timeless beauty. I mean, I think about the vintage Valentino that was one of the dresses that she wore at last year's Oscars as host. And it wasn't just the dress, it was really about her, her carriage, her bearing."

Tim's new daytime talk show "The Revolution" premieres Monday, January 16 on ABC.

More Celebrity Features on Yahoo!:
Tom Cruise: Suri Was 'Born With' Style Sense
Pregnant for the Holidays
Celebrity Weddings of 2011

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