Once you have determined your body shape using my Know Your Body Shape column from last week it’s time for a guide on exactly how to dress and how not to dress for your unique body.
Last week I focused on five of the most common body shapes and explained each trait to help you identify which one your body was most like using your measurements. Now here are my top five Fashion Tips for each shape.
Pear
Do Wear:
• Accessories and designs to draw attention to your upper body
• Short-sleeved tops
• Shoulder pads to broaden your shoulders. This may sound very 80s advice, but they really do work. However, they should not be visible
• Medium to high necklines
• Garments to emphasize your waist
• Skirts and dresses that are straight or slightly flared
• Boot leg and straight pants
Don’t Wear:
• Baggy garments
• Stiff fabric
• Garments that add bulk to your hips
• Hems or design lines at hip-line
• Open pleats on skirts or pants
• Tapered skirts or pants
The Pear Fashion Aim: Emphasize your waist and arms, add volume to your shoulders and upper body and minimize your hips.
Celebs with a Pear figure: Beyoncé Knowles, Shakira, Adele & Jennifer Hudson.
Wedge (also known as the, Inverted Triangle)
Do Wear:
• Flowing fabrics
• Low to medium-low necklines
• Set-in sleeves
• Three-quarter length sleeves
• A good fitting, well-adjusted bra
• Tops and dresses that flow through the waist
• A-line skirts
Don’t Wear:
• Stiff, bulky, fabrics
• Styles that emphasize your shoulders
• High necklines
• Big collars
• Tapered skirts and pants
The Wedge (Inverted Triangle) Fashion Aim: Accentuate your lower body while softening your shoulders and upper body.
Celebs with a Wedge figure: Tyra Banks, Audrina Patridge, Holly Madison & Renee Zellweger.
Rectangle
Do Wear:
• Shoulder pads to emphasize your shoulders. This may sound very 80s advice, but they really do work. However, they should not be too large and definitely shouldn’t be visible
• Semi-fitted clothes
• If you have firm upper arms, short-sleeves and sleeve-less tops and dresses
• Medium to high necklines
• Dresses that wrap or flow through the waistline
• Straight to gently flared flat-fronted pants
• A-line shirts
Don’t Wear:
• Clingy fabrics
• Fitted clothes
• Low necklines
• Baggy tops
• Baggy pants
• Narrow skirts
The Rectangle Fashion Aim: Create curves and show off slender legs and arms.
Celebs with a Rectangle figure: Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Keira Knightley and Reese Witherspoon.
Apple
Do Wear:
• Ear-rings, necklaces and other focal points designed to draw an observer’s eyes up towards your shoulders and face
• Shoulder pads to emphasize your shoulders. (very 80s sounding advice I know, but they really do work. However, they should not be visible)
• Semi-fitted and loose fitting clothes
• Good fitting, well-adjusted bras
• Support underwear
• Tops and bottoms in the same colours
• Low necklines
• Tops and dresses that flow through the waistline
• Straight flat-fronted pants in soft, flowing fabric
• Straight and slightly flared skirts
Don’t Wear:
• Clingy fabrics
• Fitted clothes
• Fabric with large patterns
• High necklines
• Large lapels
• Belts
• Tucked-in tops
• Pleats
• Narrow or tapered skirts
• Narrow or tapered pants
The Apple Fashion Aim Elongate the torso, show off your legs and use fashion to create the illusion of a waist.
Celebs with an Apple figure: Jessica Simpson, Drew Barrymore & Christina Aguilera.
Hourglass
Do Wear:
• Fitted and semi-fitted clothes
• Soft, clingy, flowing fabrics
• Low to medium-low necklines
• Dresses with defined waistlines
• Straight and gently flared pants
• Straight and gently flared shirts
Don’t Wear:
• Stiff, bulky, fabrics
• Baggy styles
• High necklines (unless you have a small bust)
• Skirts with open pleats
• Very tapered pants
The Hourglass Fashion Aim: To show off your curves… without going overboard.
Celebs with an Hourglass figure: Marilyn Monroe, Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson & Kim Kardashian.
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