You may have gasped at the way Mallika Sherawat pushed up her star ratings on the red carpet at Cannes with her bare-all act. But you don’t always have to go over the top to get noticed. There are more subtle ways to show off your assets. Every fashion era has had its favorites. Be it the bust, ear, nose, legs or buttocks, celebs the world over have played a dominant role in making a particular “asset” the fashion statement of the year.

For instance, singing sirens J Lo and Beyonce made buttocks the most wanted and focussed part of a woman’s body.

However our fashion gurus say there is no need for drastic measures. A better way to be sexy is to identify your best body part and highlight it.

Get leggy
A bit of leg show can make you look sexy and sensuous without being looking vulgar. To show off your toned legs, wear short skirts or hot pants. If you prefer skirts, pick up a flouncy or pleated one, or better still, get into a tight number covering the hips. Even just above the knee length skirts have the same appeal.

And once you get in to the right outfit, all you really need to do to complete the look is get in to the right shoes. A pair of high heels works best.

Going bust
This is one part of the woman’s anatomy that has inspired men world over- from poets to fashion designers to streetside Romeos, everybody loves a bit of cleavage. And the size varies according to global trends. There was a time when flat was in.

Times changed and so did the cup size. Today, women (and men) feel size matters. And that’s good business for the silicon industry and plastic surgeons. For the less adventurous, there is the magical push-up bra!

Fab abs
The abs must be flat, almost concave. The look is fitted on the top. There is nothing like a well-draped sari to show off a flat stomach. It can be painted or have a stick on crystal tattoo.

Arm twisting
You can wear full sleeves with detailing on the arms such as texturing and smocking. If you are wearing a sleeveless, an armlet or a temporary/permanent tattoo can enhance the look.

But don’t forget the wrist. It is the new erogenous zone. The three quarter or bracelet length sleeves with a twist is the way to go about it.