Spying someone I hadn’t seen in a few months, I marveled at her appearance, saying, "Wow, it looks like you’ve lost weight."

"No, I actually gained weight," she said.

"What? Look how tiny your waist is," I remarked.

"No, I’ve been eating so much," she said. "I just learned the art of concealment."

It’s an art we could all put to use — especially now, nearly a month into the new year. This is the time that, according to psychologists, 90 percent of those who make resolutions to lose weight are about to break.

If you could just meet your resolutions halfway, your wardrobe might take care of making those last few pounds "disappear."

Anyone who’s watched TV’s "What Not to Wear" knows the general aim is to create the illusion of the well-proportioned hourglass figure. You can pick up loads of video tips at the TLC website, tlc.discovery.com/videos/what-not-to-wear.

At Macy’s, I teamed with stylist Crystal Pancipanci to give three real women a style makeover to enhance their body types.

RECTANGLE

At 38, Myhraliza Aala is a curvy 5-foot-3, but like many women her age, she needs to pull a few tricks to conjure a defined waistline.

"Before, I hated not showing my waist," she said. "Now I don’t like my stomach, but I’m on the path of losing weight."

Until she reaches a comfort level, she’s learned to deflect attention from her middle, saying, "I like to showcase my legs. That’s why I like to wear dresses."

She’s on the right track there, but she showed up at the Ala Moana Macy’s in jeans and a boxy, unstructured tank top that didn’t flatter her waistline and made her look like a perfect rectangle.

On top of that, she said, "I try to do age-appropriate, but I lean toward younger, trendier pieces because they’re so cute and I refuse to believe I’m getting older."

In her job as a marketing and public affairs officer for the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Engineering, "I work with students, so that’s what helps keep me young."

For Aala I pulled a couple of dresses suitable for work that also nip in her waist. The one she’s wearing is from INC, $79.50. The empire, or high-waisted, dress is gathered just under the bust, designed to steer the eyes to the slimmest part of one’s torso. Paired with a skirt that skims the body, the empire waist is flattering to all who want to mask the stomach area or emphasize the bust.

V-necklines, vertical lines and prints also steer the eyes away from the belly and up toward an elongated neck and face, and the medium length of the dresses plays up Aala’s legs.

Aala should avoid stiff or bulky fabrics, boxy tops and jackets, and miniskirts that would make her look more square; unstructured or baggy tops that add weight; and narrow skirts and chunky shoes.

PEAR

Anne Massey Walter says she loves feminine clothing, but as a personal fitness trainer and nutritionist, she lives in athletic wear. Since moving to Hawaii with her husband after finishing her college studies, she hasn’t had a reason to shop for anything more dressy, until now. With a wedding to attend, she wants to find a dress that would flatter her pear figure.

"I have a big butt and small waist, and it’s hard to find clothes that will fit my butt and my waist," she said.

She’s constantly working out and loves strength training and being outdoors, but with her knowledge of the body and nutrition, Massey Walter says there’s no way to spot-reduce. Thus, she accepts her bootylicious figure, though it makes shopping a trial.

A pear-shaped figure calls for accessories and designs that draw attention to the upper body, including V-neck, scoop or boat necklines to make shoulders appear wider and balance the hips.

Pancipanci pulled a V-neck, A-line Calvin Klein dress with contrasting belt to call attention to Massey Walter’s tiny waist. The striking electric blue also steers the eyes away from any flaws and toward her face and red hair.

A boatneck floral dress also succeeds in widening her shoulders, with an elastic waistband that nips in her waist. The soft skirt skims her hips without added weight, giving her a perfect 1950s hourglass look.

Massey Walter and other pears should steer clear of baggy clothes, hems or designs that hit the hip line, clingy or pencil skirts, skinny jeans and drawstring pants.

Her "after" dress is by Jessica Simpson ($128), worn with Michael by Michael Kors pumps ($98) and a Style & Co. clutch ($24).

PETITE

Calisa Yun is a senior studying fashion at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and as an aspiring stylist, she should be well aware of the dressing challenges faced by petites like herself. Still, she favors jeans worn with today’s trendy long tops, a combination that cuts her 5-foot-2 body into a two-thirds/one-third proportion that makes her legs look even shorter than they are.

To balance her appearance, she needs to reverse that ratio with shorter tops that hit just past the waistline to give the illusion of longer legs. V-necklines automatically elongate the body, and fitted blazers help make a petite look less like a girl and more like an adult.

She can also create the illusion of length by wearing wide belts matched to the color of her skirt or pants, and opt for short necklaces in proportion to her body.

Pinstripe pants also help to lengthen the legs, and classic A-line or pencil skirts worn just above the knee are best.

Yun laments that although she loves denim, it’s not only difficult to find lengths that fit, but on her student budget, it’s also difficult for her to get them altered to fit. Pancipanci showed her a bold striped dress that gave her a more commanding appearance. No girly bows or details, please.

Petites should stay away from loose, baggy or oversize tops, skirts that stop at midcalf, and frills, full skirts, prints and patterns that overpower.

In her "after" photo, Yun’s jeans are paired with an August Silk cropped sweater top ($58) giving the illusion of longer legs.