If you tend to be on the short and stocky side, keep your pants and blouses, or jackets and skirts all of the same fabric and color. Keeping a unified color also adds height, Colors can be light or dark, bright of dull. Depending on your personal, skin, hair and eye colors you might look best in bright, clear colors, or perhaps colors that are toned down into a softer grayer tone are for you. When you receive those special compliments on how radiant you look, you know you are in your right colors. Use texture to your best advantage.
Texture is the visual composition of the fabric.
Generally larger prints look best on larger body frames, smaller prints on smaller body frames. A loose woven or bulky fabric will add visual weight to the figure. If you are small on top and bigger at the hips, consider balancing your figure by wearing a bulky fabric on the top - where you need it. Keep the smoother less-textured fabric on heavier hips. Pleasing proportion is a combination of the elements of design, line, texture, color etc.