How Not To Look Fat    by Danica Lo Order:  USA  Can HarperCollins, 2006 (2006) Softcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Belle Dessler There's no way around it: even the most confident among us suffer from fat days. Those are the days when none of the items in our closets fit right, and we face the world feeling less than at our best. In this lighthearted, easy to read book based on her successful New York Post column, Danica Lo offers practical advice for women of all sizes. Before we go any further, I should make it clear that this is not a diet book. It's not a book about losing weight, or about fitting into your clothes. It's a book about learning to love your body, and learning to make yourself look as great as you possibly can without changing your weight, or your fashion sense. In a society so fixated on being thin, feeling good about yourself if you don't wear a size 4 can be a challenge. That's where How Not To Look Fat can help. From the first page, Lo tells it like it is: 'See, your body is something you have to carry around with you. You can't just leave it at home. Everyone can see you when you go outside.' For many of us, that's a scary reality. The book is divided into four parts. Within each section, short, snappy chapters and plenty of fun illustrations abound. Part One, 'Put It On', deals with the clothes you wear every day. Did you know that just choosing the right underwear 'can make a five-, ten-, even fifteen-pound difference in the way you feel, the way you carry yourself, and the way others see you?' And we all know how difficult it is to find a pair of jeans that fit properly. Not anymore! From choosing the right cut to finding the best color, Lo turns this once-frustrating shopping task into a pleasure. In Part Two, 'Shake It Up', Lo teaches us how to look our best for special occasions. She covers everything from attending weddings to dressing up for Halloween and even choosing the right bathing suit (the only task more frustrating and likely to end up in a hysterical burst of tears than shopping for jeans). In Part Three, 'Primpin' Ain't Easy' Lo shows us how to use makeup and the right haircut to look slim. And believe it or not, there's even a scientifically-proven way to smell thinner! Part Four, 'Walking the Walk' is all about learning how not to sabotage your efforts to look your best. Getting eight hours of sleep, for example, isn't just good for your health, but will help you look leaner when you wake up. And if you want to look fabulous every time someone snaps your picture (and who doesn't?) you won't want to miss Chapter 24. In the prologue, Lo makes a bold statement. 'This book just might change your life,' she says. It's difficult for any book to live up to that kind of claim, but after reading How Not To Look Fat, I honestly believe my life may just never be the same. I know my closet won't be. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews