Knowing your body type will help you decide how to compliment and camouflage parts of your body so you can achieve a balanced silhouette, with curves in all the right places!
My friend Nancy owns Inside Out Wardrobe Rehab and she is my favorite go-to for all things fashion. Yesterday, I shared her tips on dressing for three of the six body types: Inverted Triangle, Triangle or Pear-Shaped and Apple-Shaped. Today, I’ll share Nancy’s best tricks for the final three body shapes:
4. Hour-Glass (curvy):
- Accentuate your waistline by wearing belts and tops that are fitted.
- Wrap tops typically flatter the hour-glass shape.
- Fitted jackets that also follow the line of your waist are a good choice.
- If you’re tall, paneled, slightly trumpet-flared skirts are a good look for you.
- Wrap dresses are also a great way to accentuate your figure. Make sure the tie is between the top of your rib cage and your natural waist.
5. Boy-Shaped (no curves):
- Dress in lighter colors to give more of a physical presence.
- Cap sleeves are a nice way to add volume to your upper body frame.
- Peplums are a great alternative for you and are very “in” this season.
- Horizontal stripes will give you the appearance a broader frame.
- Jeans with “whiskering†and bleaching will give you more emphasis in the hips.
- Pockets on the breast area (as well as the tush) can give that area a bit more oomph.
- Low-rise jeans give emphasis in the hips, tush and thighs.
- Boy cut jeans are an ideal match for someone who is straight up and down, and by adding a belt you are giving emphasis to the waist.
- Vests can also create a more hourglass silhouette.
6. Extra Curvy (full figure):
- Look for stiff fabrics that have clean lines and flattering seaming.
- One button jackets that cinch at the waist create a V-shape at the top and the bottom of the jacket, creating a narrowing effect.
- Button front shirts with Lycra will make you feel less constricted and the collar should lie flat so you don’t lose your neck.
- Boxy blazers and jackets that sit at the top of the hip will help elongate the leg, if you are shorter.
- Straight leg jeans in a darker wash are a must.
- By wearing a solid color on the bottom and a textured top, you create a waistline. You can reverse this as well.
- A straight skirt that does not narrow at the knee is most flattering.
- Always go for a flat-front trouser. Pleated pants are what is most commonly found in plus-sizes but it is worth it to make the extra effort to find the flat front trouser.
- Buy jackets that fit the largest part of you. That could mean the midsection but this is important. You can get the shoulders and/or sleeves tailored if they are too big. Also, make sure the armholes fit more closely to the torso.
- Printed shirts and dresses are a good idea, just make sure the size of the print matches your frame. If you are more petite, smaller prints are good, if you are taller, then large prints work.
At the end of the day, go easy on yourself. Throughout your life, numerous things affect your body shape like hormones, pregnancy, or weight. The only thing you can really do is find your body type and keep it in mind when choosing clothes.
You can easily use some of the tips suggested to alter your appearance. The most important objective should be your health, regardless of the body type you have.
If you live in Southern California and are interested in booking a consultation with Nancy or have a fashion-related question, please contact her at Nancy@insideoutwardroberehab.com, visit her website or follow her on Pinterest.com/nancchapman.
Photo credit: Lindsay Széchényi
