Last week I explained the different body shapes and how you can determine yours. Today it is time for some tips and tricks on how to dress according your beautiful body and make you feel beautiful and confident.
Inverted Triangle
As your shoulders are broader than your hips it is important to highlight your lower half by adding curves to the hips and soften the shoulder line.
What to wear: wear solid darker coloured tops. Deep U-or V-necklines, asymmetric styles or halter necks are great for you. Wear tight-fitted short sleeves or soft flare long sleeves. Jeans or pants that add volume to the bottom are great for you (baggy, palazzo, culottes, wide legs, …) ideally in bright or light colours or with a nice print or pattern to draw attention to your hips. Just like your pants skirts should add volume to the hips, so any skirt style that flares from the hips will look great on you.
What not to wear: avoid baggy and shapeless dresses, pencil skirts, spaghetti straps, ¾ sleeves, broad necklines and padded shoulders. Keep away from skinny and tight trousers as well as narrowing hemlines that visually reduce the lower body
Pear
Highlight your upper body if your hips are broader than your shoulders. You want to create the illusion of volume on the upper body while emphasizing the waist.
What to wear: wear bright colours or eye-catching prints and textures to create interest on top. Scoop and boat-necklines and structured short sleeves will make your shoulders look wider. Bracelets and accessories will catch the eye and highlight your upper body. Make sure your tops finish at the hipline or opt for cropped tops or tuck your shirt into your bottoms to help you accentuate your curvy body shape. Mid- or high- waisted lines will create a more defined waistline and opt for darker coulours to avoid drawing attention to the lower body. Your skirts and dresses should be fitted at the waistline and wider at the bottom.
What not to wear: avoid balloon dresses, cigarette pants and tight skirts.
Apple
For curvy ladies with a less defined waist it is important to add curves and fullness to the lower body and highlight your best parts (usually bust and/or legs).
What to wear: keep details above the bustline and below the hipline - for everything in between keep it plain and simple. Clothes that skim over the midsection but nip right below the bust lift the chest and make the waist look slimmer. Soft-textured fabrics and flowy A-line dresses are ideal for the apple shape. Wide and low necklines will help you elongate your body, so go for that low V-neckline. Opt for short loose, flared sleeves to build up volume on the upper body. Your tops should end below the hipline and have a flowy fit. Well defined shoulder blazers will slim you down. Make sure your jeans are low waist and have back pockets to add definition to your hips. Side-fastening trousers are great to avoid extra bulk around the tummy.
What not to wear: avoid details around your waist, tight-fitting or shapeless clothes, long dresses and turtle or round necks.
Rectangle
Your four measurements are fairly uniform and you have a straighter build. The focus of this body shape should be on defining the waist by breaking up the rectangle.
What to wear: round necklines will create some curves; lower and wider necklines will visually lengthen the shoulder and bust area. Avoid shapeless sleeve styles - such as fitted sleeves, that add to the column look. Shirts with nipped or belted waists or that drape under the bust, and that flare out at the bottom will create shape. Opt for low- to mid-rise trousers with wide waistbands; flowy and soft fabrics soften the angled frame. The best jeans style is a bootcut. Because it flares slightly at the bottom, it will add just the right amount of volume and curve to your lower half. Detailed skirts are ideal - such as box pleat, bubble, panelled, layered, full circle and trumpet skirts. Empire line dresses, princess seam dresses and wrap dresses are great choices for the rectangle body. A belt is a must-have and can change the shape of any dress (even shapeless ones).
What not to wear: avoid clothes that end at the waistline, don't tuck tops into trousers or skirts. Square and straight necklines will add squareness to your body. A-line skirts will make you look more shapeless. Avoid boxy and baggy styles and dresses that flare out too wide at the bottom. These will make you look bottom-heavy.
Hourglass
When you are blessed with a defined waist and your shoulders and hips are fairly balanced make sure you showcase that body instead of covering it up. And yes even if you are not a size 36!
What to wear: accentuate your waist with well-fitted tops, jackets and skirts, belts and long necklaces. ¾ pencil skirts or pleated skirts are perfect for your shape. Dark colours around your waist will accentuate it even more. V-, scoop, square, sweetheart or off-shoulder necklines will keep your natural silhouette in balance. High-raise jeans and pants will booth accentuate your waist and elongate you legs.
What not to wear: stay away from shapeless and loose tops and dresses. Avoid wide necklines as well as high necklines and turtlenecks. Lower waistlines will make your hips look bigger and your legs shorter.
You have any doubt about your shape or about what flatters you the most? just drop me a message.
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