Guide to Dressing for Your Body Type

Understanding your body type and shape is key to crafting a wardrobe that emphasizes your assets and minimizes your perceived imperfections. Your body type is primarily determined by genetics, skeletal structure, and the distribution of fat and muscle. This post provides insights into five common female body types: Hourglass, Triangle (Pear), Rectangle (Athletic), Inverted Triangle, and Oval (Apple), as well as guidance on how to dress according to these shapes, and how to measure yourself. It’s worth noting that body shape can change over time due to factors like aging, weight loss, weight gain, or childbirth.

Tips on how to take our body measurements

The only tool you need to measure yourself with is a soft measuring tape. Now, in order to correctly take your actual body measurements, you need to take several factors into account. First, it is essential important you take measurements in underwear or in very tight clothes. Keep your posture relaxed, stand up straight, feet together and your shoulders relaxed. Finally, don’t adjust the tape measure too close to your body, because the result will be a smaller size than you really are.

How to measure your waist

The waist measurement is taken around the narrowest part of the abdomen, wrapping the tape measure just above the navel. The point where the tape measure meets will reveal the circumference of your waist.

How to measure your hips

It is important to measure the widest part of this area. To do this, place the tape measure around your hips, making sure that it wraps around the center of your butt.

How to measure your bust

Just like the hip area, you must also measure the fullest area of your bustline. Wrap the tape measure under the arms, place it around your bust, breathe normally, and pass through the most full area. This measurement will help you figure out your top size.

How to choose the right size for your body type

When buying online, you should pay close attention to the sizing system adopted, as it usually varies from one country to another. Typically you will see US, French, and British sizing. Sizes may appear with letters (XS, S, M, L, XL, 1X…) or numbers (34, 36, 38, 40…).

Here is a table of equivalences with the main international sizes, to help you find yours.

 

The size of the top pieces is usually the same as your bust measurement. For bottoms, you can use this chart or divide your waist measurement in half. Hopefully, with this information, you have everything you need to shop online and avoid mistakes when choosing your size. Additionally, you can now know your body type and balance your silhouette with clothes that really flatter your specific body type. Just to note, all body types are beautiful. If you are looking to visually balance and accentuate your specific body type, you will find tips below. Let’s dive into each individual shape/silhouette!

Body Type: Hourglass

Women with an hourglass body type have proportional shoulder and hip widths with a defined waist, 25% thinner than their hips and shoulders. Often times you have slightly rounded shoulders and you gain weight evenly throughout your body. With an hourglass shape, you may have concerns about defining your waist and maintaining balanced proportions.

Here are some quick style tips: 

Do’s: Opt for V-necks, round necklines, fitted tops, and mid- or high-rise classic bootcut or straight-leg denim. Wide-legged, loose-fitting, and slightly tapered jeans styles also work well.

Don’ts: Avoid oversized garments that hide your shape, extra volume on the shoulders and hips, closed necklines, and heavy prints around the chest area.

The key to dressing an hourglass body shape is to follow its natural silhouette. Making sure not to unbalance an already proportionate body shape.

What to wear if you have an Hourglass Body Shape:

Tops for Hourglass body shapes are:

• Flattering necklines for an hourglass body type are Oval, Off-Shoulder, Sweetheart, Square, Scoop, and V-necks.
• Fitted T’s, Fitted Shirts, and Wraps
• Belted tops
• Peplum

Shop Tops

The most flattering bottoms for an Hourglass body shape to enhance your shape and show off your great asset, look for jeans with this fit:

• • • Boot-cut and Skinny flare, a little kick-out flare at the bottom will help keep the balance of your proportions, especially if you are a little curvier
    • Wide leg denim
    • Slim and Straight-leg denim will help show off your legs.
    • High-rise denim is great because the waistband hits the smallest part of your waist, giving the illusion of an even slimmer midsection
    • Wide-leg and loose-fitting trousers

Shop Bottoms

Skirts:

• • • A-line skirts will help emphasize your waistline
    • Full
    • A-line
    • Pencil
    • Tulip

Shop Skirts

Dresses:

• • • Wrap
    • Shift
    • Paneled Waist
    • Bias
    • Peplum

Shop Dresses

Celebrities with Hourglass Body Shapes: Emilia Clarke, Salma Hayek, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Lawrence, and Sofia Vergara.

Body Type: Triangle (Pear)

Women with a triangle body shape, also known as a “pear” shape, have fuller hips in proportion to their upper body. Their hips are at least 5% wider than the rest of their body. Typical features of a triangle shape are narrow shoulders, a small waist, and wider hips.

Here are some quick tips  that will help you bring visual balance to your figure:

Do’s: Choose tops in bright colors, large prints, bold tones, and shoulder pads. Opt for medium or high-rise jeans and trousers that define the waist. Bootcut and flared jeans are the most flattering style. To help balance your triangle body shape, opt for neutral colors on the bottom.  As for accessories, opt for a nice balance with a choker-type necklace and fuller earrings, and elongate the legs with a heel.

Don’ts: Stear away from narrow collars as they will leave an unbalanced bottom-heavy look. Avoid clothes that accentuate the lower body, like pleats or ruffles. Stay away from trousers and skirts with tapered bottoms, and horizontal stripes. In addition, low-rise pants will accentuate the hips and make them appear wider.

The key to dressing a triangle body shape is to focus on the upper body. The goal for a balanced proportion is to take attention away from the wider hips and bring the focus upward and define the waistline.
What to wear if you have a Triangle Body Shape:

Flattering tops for Triangle body shapes:

• • • Round, cowl, square, heart, or boat necklines. These types of shirts add volume to your shoulder, in return balancing out your hips.
    • Blouses with ruffles on the shoulders
    • A blazer with shoulder pads
    • Tops with prints or stripes
    • Pockets at the bust line
    • Crop tops
    • Note, blazers and jackets should fall below or above the hips. What you want to avoid is having it hit right at the hip as it will visually appear to widen the area.

Shop Tops:

The most flattering bottoms for Triangle body shapes to enhance your shape and show off your great asset, look for jeans with this fit:

• • • Bootcut, or wider flared denim, the kick-out flare at the bottom will help balance out your proportions.
    • Straight-leg denim will help deemphasize your thighs.
    • Wide leg denim
    • Longer inseams mean you can wear heels, which help elongate your legs and appear slimmer.
    • High-rise denim is a great trick to help balance your hip/waist if you tend to struggle with a “muffin top”
    • Find denim with a smaller waist, look for curve jeans (Abercrombie and Levi’s)
    • Larger back pockets

Shop Bottoms:

Skirts:

• • • A-line skirts will help emphasize your waistline
    • Tulip
    • Full
    • Bias, and
    • Paneled

Shop Skirts:

Dresses:

• • • A-line
    • Wrap
    • Tulip
    • Empire, and
    • X-line

Shop Dresses:

Celebrities with Triangle Body Shape: Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Kelly Clarkson, and Shakira.

Body Type: Rectangle

The rectangle body shape features a straight silhouette, similar shoulder, and hip width, little to no waist definition, and long legs. Essentially, the shoulders, chest, and hips are fairly uniform without many curves. Shoulders and hips are about the same widths, and the difference in waist doesn’t exceed 25%.

The focus of your body shape should be on your waist. There are two ways to enhance our waist.

• • • If you want to create more curves, you can add volume to your upper and lower body and leave your waist as is (no belt).
    • Or, you can make your waist look smaller by pulling in at the waist by adding a belt and leaving the upper and lower body as is (not adding volume).

Here are some quick tips  that will help you bring visual balance to your figure:

Do’s: Cinch your waist with belts and create volume with fringed, puffed areas to visually break up the straight line. Belts are going to be your best style hack to create a defined waist. Jeans in bootcut, slim-straight, wide-leg, skinny (in mid or high-rise), flare (not bell-bottom), and trouser style are great. Create volume with puffed shoulders to visually break the straight line of your torso.

Don’ts: Avoid oversized pieces that contribute to the feeling of squareness and monochromatic looks that take away your definition. Square and straight necklines will add squareness to your frame, so best to avoid it. Also, avoid low-rise jeans as they will draw attention to your straight waist.

What to wear if you have a Rectangle Body Shape:

The most flattering tops for Rectangle body shapes are:

• • •  Flattering necklines: Scoop, sweetheart, off-the-shoulder, bateau, and wide and deep v-neck shirts. These necklines help lengthen the shoulder and bust area (visually).
    • Embellishments around the neck such as in collars, lace, bows, rosettes, panels, pockets, and ruffles can help create additional volume. Make sure the embellishments are at the bustline or above and not around your waist.
    • Ruffles and puffed, and fluttered  sleeves
    • Sleeves should be loose and wide
    • Shirts hitting the hipline create more of a curvy look

*As always, invest in a great bra – a push-up will be your best friend!

Shop Tops:

The most flattering bottoms for Rectangle body shapes to enhance your shape and show off your great asset, look for jeans with this fit:

• • • Bootcut, or wider flared denim, the kick-out flare is great for adding balance and curves to the bottom half of your body. Avoid exaggerated flares as they will give an unbalanced look of being very bottom-heavy.
    • Slim & Straight-leg denim
    • Wide-leg denim gives the illusion of fuller hips and butt, consider wide-leg jeans.
    • High-waisted jeans give the illusion of curves.
    • Culott style trousers
    • Cargo
    • Harem

Shop Bottoms:

Skirts:

• • • Flare skirts
    • Pleated skirts
    • Wrap style skirts
    • Detailed skirts, box pleat, bubble, layered, and trumpet skirts

 

Shop Skirts:

Dresses:

• • • Wrap dresses
    • Flared styles, A-line cuts
    • Belts or tied at the waist
    • Shift
    • Empire, and
    • X line

Shop Dresses:

Celebrities with Rectangle Body Shape: Natalie Portman, Cameron Diaz, Gwen Stefani, and Keira Knightley.

Body Type: Inverted Triangle

Inverted triangle bodies have broader shoulders than hips, with little to no waist definition. Their shoulders are 5% wider than the rest of their body.

Here are some quick tips  that will help you bring visual balance to your figure:

Do’s: Wear clothes that balance broad shoulders and create the illusion of a defined waist. Draw attention to your legs and choose styles that add volume to hips and leg lines, such as brightly colored or patterned pants and wide-leg pants.

Don’ts: Avoid clothes that create more volume on the shoulders, wide and straight necklines, loud patterns and heavy detailing around the neck and shoulders, tight trousers, and narrow hemlines.

 

The key to styling an inverted triangle is to draw attention to the lower portion of the body to balance out your broader shoulders.

 

What to wear if you have an Inverted Triangle Body Type:

The most flattering tops for an Inverted Triangle body shape are:

• • • Necklines such as: Asymmetric, V-neck, Scoop, U-neck, and Halter tops. These types of shirts DO NOT add volume to your shoulder and make your upper body appear slimmer.
    • Trapeze, peplum, Fitted tops and T’s, and Wrap shirts.
    • Note, blazers, and jackets should emphasize the waist and not highlight the shoulders.

Shop Tops:

The most flattering bottoms for an Inverted  Triangle body shapes to enhance your shape and show off your great asset, look for jeans with this fit:

• • • Bootcut, or wider flared denim, the kick-out flare at the bottom will help balance out your proportions.
    • Baggy, boyfriend, and wide-leg denim
    • Straight-leg and cigarette styles will balance out an inverted triangle more than a skinny fit.
    • Palazzo, Flare, Harem, Culottes, and rolled-up pants

Shop Bottoms:

Skirts:

• • • A-line skirts will help emphasize your waistline
    • Bias
    • Layered
    • Box Pleated, and
    • Tulip skirts add volume at the hips to balance the shoulders

Shop Skirts:

Dresses:

• • • Shift
    • A-line
    • Paneled Waist
    • Nipped Waist
    • Pleated

Shop Dresses:

Celebrities with Inverted Triangle Body Shape: Renee Zellweger, Miley Cyrus, Michelle Rodriguez, and Alyssa Milano.

Body Type: Oval (Apple)

The oval or diamond body shapes feature a narrower upper and lower body with the stomach as the widest part. This shape isn’t always plus-size; the stomach or waist is 10% wider than the shoulders or hips.

Here are some quick tips  that will help you bring visual balance to your figure:

Do’s: Opt for round or V-shaped necklines, solid colors, and fluid fabrics. The key is to balance out voluminous areas. Jeans styles like straight-leg, skinny, crop, and girlfriend styles work well. Also, consider wide or palazzo bottoms to balance out the tummy area.

Don’ts: Avoid oversized garments, turtlenecks, roll necks, closed necklines, large prints, and rigid and padded fabrics. Avoid high-rise, skinny, and slim-leg pants as these will cause y our upper body to look larger.

The key to styling an inverted triangle is to focus on the midsection and waist. An oval shape can appear top-heavy with little to no waist definition. To balance an oval shape, you need to add curves and volume to the lower portion of your body. Clothing that makes your waist narrower will help you achieve a more proportional body shape.

What to wear if you have an Oval Body Shape:

The most flattering tops for an Oval body shape are:

• • • Tops with a V-neck, Sweetheart, Scoop, Square, or Strapless neckline will be the most flattering for y our body type.
    • Sleeve types are just as equally important as necklines. Look for cap, slit, cuff, flare, or drape styles
    • Note, trapeze, swing, draping, tunic, and wrap tops will be your go-to styles.

Shop Tops:

The most flattering bottoms for Oval body shapes to enhance your shape and show off your great asset, look for jeans with this fit:

• • • Bootcut, or wider flared denim, the kick-out flare at the bottom will help balance out your proportions.
    • Cargo, flowy, wide, and flare are also flattering.
    • Denim and trousers should have a flat front while also having a low or mid-rise. Best to have the waistband sit flat on the stomach.

Shop Bottoms:

Skirts:

• • • A-line skirts will help emphasize your waistline
    • Bias
    • Trumpet, and
    • Asymmetric

Shop Skirts:

Dresses:

• • • Shift
    • A-line
    • Empire
    • Wrap, and
    • Bias

Shop Dresses:

Celebrities with Oval Body Shape: Oprah, Drew Barrymore, Kate Winslet, & Mindy Kaling.

 

Understanding your body shape is the first step towards an empowered wardrobe. However, personal style is subjective and flexible, so don’t be afraid to experiment and wear what makes you feel beautiful and confident!

Check out my previous post here on appropriate yet relevant swimwear for moms and use this post to help you!

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