Fashion tips: If you have a thick waist and small hips, then you have an apple shaped body. Don't envy the pear shaped girls and hourglass figures. You too can look shapely and womanly if you dress to flatter your figure and Fall 2008 through Winter 2009 fashion has plenty of outfits made just for you.

First of all, unlike a pear shaped girl or hourglass figure, an apple girl's waist isn't the narrowest part of her torso. That award goes to her ribcage. So treat the narrowest part of your ribcase as your waist, and suddenly, you've got curves too.

By bringing the waistline of your dresses and tops to your rib cage, the effect seen in empire waist clothes, you get a shapely figure. So focus on empire waist dresses and blouses. They flatter you.

Now for Fall and Winter 2008, dresses are hot and they skim the natural waist. Many of them have empire waists. The lace black dress with long sleeves is in. As is the pretty flowy top with big sleeves. So girl, this is your season.

1. Start with a new dress. Prints or plain. Colored or neutral. It doesn't matter, other than the fact that it has a high waistline and is in a color or colors that flatter you. Animal print dresses are glamorous and sexy. I saw a stunning dress in a hot animal print, like a leopard print but with huge spots instead of tiny ones. It had an empire waist.

2. Detract from you thick waist by drawing the eye to your arms and legs. You blouse should have full sleeves. The hems of the sleeves should be full and flowy. A longish blouse or top that has an empire waist, but flares below to a full hemline is another plus for you. Pick one such blouse, sheer, or lacy or made of a velvet or silk. Either way, if it is flowy and full in the right places, you'll look more feminine in it.

3. Get one of the black lace dresses that are so hot this season. The black widow look is big this season, thanks in part to Prada. Pick a black lace dress with full sleeves, with wide hemlines at the end of each sleeve. Get it in floaty lace, with an empire waist of course. A full hemline for the skirt wouldn't hurt either. Make that your de facto little black dress.

4. Load up on the accessories. Wear earrings to draw attention to your pretty face. Wear bangles to bring the eye to your arms instead of your waist. Wear stunning shoes. A pretty pair of high heel shoes, or gorgeous boots that would draw attention to your legs. Carry a beautiful handbag by day and a jewelled clutch for the evening. Dress your hair with gorgeous accessories to draw attention to your luscious locks instead.

5. Get on of this season's pretty belts and use that to cinch your dresses and jackets at the narrowest part of your ribcage. Thick or thin, it doesn't matter. Use the belt to turn any dress into an empire waist dress that makes you look feminine and shapely.