Dina Toki-O gives a few pointers on how to dress to compliment your figure.
I’m always getting asked for advice from many who seem to be struggling with their ‘fatty sides’, their ‘tree trunk thighs’, their ‘short stumpy legs’, their ‘bingo wings’, and… well, the list goes on.
If you’re a woman, then you know what I’m talking about. It’s natural for most of us, if not all of us, to feel insecure about ‘some’ part of our body, whatever it may be!
Generally, there are five categories of women’s body shapes (and you may even find that you’ll fit into two or more of these categories). These five most common shapes are: the hourglass, the rectangle, the oval, the triangle and the inverted triangle shape.
The Rectangle Body Shape
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Sweatshirt Polyvore | Mohair Knit Jumper Polyvore | Chunky Platform Polyvore | Rectangle Dress Polyvore | Slim Straight Jeans Polyvore | Studded Jacket Polyvore | Oversized Tee Polyvore | Monki Top Polyvore
To ease things in a little, I’ll start with myself. I believe I best fit into the ‘rectangle shape’ category. My shoulders, waist and hips are of very similar width to each other. I find myself drawn to clothes that flow with my figure and will emphasise my natural silhouette. So, ‘boxy’ dresses/tops/sweaters and tops with straight lines do me fine.
I love being comfortable; if I’m not comfortable with what I’m wearing, my day will be ruined! So, you’ll always see me in oversized sweaters and tees, but when I’m trying to be a tad more ‘glam’ and feminine, I might add a loose belt with my ‘boxy’ dress. I never tie belts tightly as I feel this would just emphasise my stomach. A loose belt will rest on your waist effortlessly and give the illusion that your loose top is just falling into place with a ‘teeny’ waist. I’m not one but if you happen to have skinny legs, then try wearing chunky heels instead of the standard court.
I also love wearing a structured blazer, one that gives me powerful shoulders, a teeny waist and gorgeous hips, just to balance things out a little.
The Hourglass Shape
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Harem Pants Dance Wear Solutions | Suede Pumps Browns Fashion | Sweat Top Matches Fashion | Ombre Scarf John Lewis | Stripe Clutch Zalando | Necklace CDN 101
The hourglass shape is a very balanced body shape. Your hips and your bust line are equal or close to equal; your waist is well-defined; and your shoulders are most likely broad and beautiful. You, you lucky girl you, can just about wear anything you want!
Just make sure to choose colours that complement your tone. Other than that, you have the freedom to try out different trends, play with accessories and anything you fancy, really, as your body shape is the most ‘balanced’ a woman’s body can ever be!
Of course, work around the natural curves of your hips and your waist, as these are your biggest assets; losing them might make you look a little chubbier than you really are. That doesn’t mean to say that your outfit has to be tight though; sometimes you’ll find that looser clothing with the right fit will slim you way down, more than any tight outfit will.
The Oval Body Shape
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V-Neck Top Polyvore | Ankle Pants Polyvore | Zipper Coat Polyvore | Jewelled Necklace Polyvore | Scarf Polyvore | Silk Top Polyvore
Next, we have the oval shape. Basically, your waist and stomach area is wider than your hips and your shoulders. What you want to do is hide the belly!
When putting your outfit together, try to wear the bottom half in the same colour (the darker the better) as the top half, in order to elongate your figure and disguise the ‘problem’. By adding a well-fitted blazer/jacket or cropped jumper over the top in a lighter shade from what you’re wearing underneath, you will automatically create the illusion of a waist line. V-neck tops and jackets are great for you and will move the emphasis from your middle to your assets; with a V-neck, you’ll show off your neck and shoulders.
You can also use accessories to draw attention away from your stomach. Wearing a neck scarf draping downwards or a statement necklace will automatically make the ‘problem’ non-existent!
The Triangle Body Shape
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Flared Trouser FarFetch | Triple Chain Bardot | Blazer Very Eickhoff | Leopard Court Shoes Very Eickhoff | Heart-shaped Clutch ShopBop | Scarf Forward
This body shape is also known as the pear shape. Your hips are wider than anything else on your body, and what you want to do is to balance them out with your shoulders, so you need to concentrate on your top!
Try wearing tops with shoulder pads and colours that are lighter than your trousers/skirt. You can afford to play with details on your top, like ruffles or patterns on the shoulders and so on. Cropped jackets or boxy fits will work well with you. Also, remember to keep your bottom half simple and in dark colours.
The Inverted Triangle Body Shape
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Jersey Top House of Fraser | Cropped Blazer House of Fraser | Wedge Sneaker Harrods | Long Chain ASOS | Floral Trousers Polyvore | Scarf Stylebop
Finally we have the inverted triangle shape. Your legs are to die for, but your top half doesn’t seem to match in terms of proportion. You have a very large bust and your shoulders are wider than your hips.
What you want to create is the illusion that your hips and legs are fuller, to balance yourself out. Basically, do the opposite of what I’ve mentioned for the triangle shape! Keep the detailed styles and lighter colours for your bottom half. For example, pleated skirts, chino trousers and harems or flared trousers will work well for you.
For your top, try playing with dark colours, soft materials, and simple V-neck shapes and fitted tops. If you fancy wearing a dress, then try to find one with a tight bust fit that goes straight down and just skims over your stomach but rests on your hips and flares down to the floor, complementing it with a belt to create a waist. Wearing statement necklaces should also be one of your year-round staples!
I hope that some of these tips will allow you to build an idea of how to dress for your ‘shape’ and help you on your next shopping trip!
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