10 Tips on how to dress for your body shape
If you have clothes in your closet that never see the light of day, because of the way that they make you look, then the chances are that you are not paying enough attention to your body shape, when you buy your clothes. Whether you have the classic hourglass shape, a pear or an apple body shape, if you don’t dress in a way that will flatter your body, then you may never be happy with the clothes you buy. So, save yourself some time and money, and take a look at these ten tips on how to choose clothes that will flatter your body and learn how to dress for your body shape.
1. Know what your body shape is
The truth is that we are all different shapes and sizes, but you can fit people into some general categories. These shapes range from rectangular, through a spoon, to hourglass, with a number of different shapes in between. If you are unsure what your body shape is, then just take a look on google, there are plenty of guides available and even Wikipedia has page dictated to the subject!
2. The pear shaped body
A pear shaped body is one where the lower part of your body is larger than the upper part, and your hips are wider than your shoulders. If you have this general shape, then you should be trying to emphasise your arms and your waist and draw the attention away from your hips. Keep the hems of dresses flared and wide, to balance the size of your hips, and wear strapless tops, and tops that have ruffles, so that you balance out the top half of your body with the lower part.
3. The rectangular body shape
The rectangle body shape is where the size of the shoulders, hips and waist are all very similar. In this case, the best features to emphasise with your clothes are your arms and your legs. Wear clothes that create curves, like scoop necks, and add layers to your clothes to create more dimensions. You can also wear dresses with ruching to create more shape.
4. The inverted triangle body shape
If you have relatively broad shoulders and chest, when compared to your hips and waist, then this is what is called the inverted triangle, or wedged body shape. In this case, you want to be trying to emphasise your bottom half with bright colours and full skirts.
5. The hourglass body shape
In the hourglass shape, your hips and your shoulders are roughly the same size and you have a waist that is slim, relative the rest of your body. In other words, you have the curves, and that’s what you should be aiming to emphasize. Wear fitted clothes and belts to emphasize your shape, but show off your curves tastefully and by not wearing your clothes too tight.
6. The apple body shape
The apple body shape is used to describe a person who has most of their weight above their hips, which are relatively narrow, and a fairly broad upper body shape. The area of your body that you will want to emphasise, if you have this type of body shape, is your legs. Try wearing shorter skirts to show off your legs and wear the same colour tops and skirts, to create a monochrome effect. Belts worn around the smallest part of your waist will also give more shape to your overall look.
7. Choose colours and patterns wisely
Whatever your particular body shape, if you have any bumps or curves that you would rather hide, then wear dark, solid clothes over those areas and wear brighter, patterned clothes on the areas of your body that want to emphasise.
8. How to draw attention to, or away from your waist?
You can easily draw attention to your waist by wearing belts or dresses that are pinched in at the waist. This will also create the illusion of a waist, if your figure is really fairly straight. If you have an apple shaped body, though, it is best to wear clothes that will hang loosely and flare out from just under your chest and over your waist.
9. Bear in mind your height too
Another great tip on how to dress for your body shape is, when choosing clothes, you need to consider your height, as well as your body shape. If you are on the petite side, then avoid full length coats and maxi dresses, which will be too much for you, and wear clothes that have vertical stripes, which make you look taller.
10. Only wear what you feel comfortable in
Whatever your body shape may be, wear the clothes that make you feel comfortable, because your self-confidence is just as important as the clothes you wear. There is never any need to walk around in clothes that make you feel conspicuous, or uncomfortable, whatever advice you might read on the internet!
How to dress for your body shape? What are your best tips?
Stay beautiful!
