Your shape is given by your bone structure, musculature and tissue distribution, mostly inherited through your genes. However, just in case you don’t like your shape or it isn’t in fashion, help is at hand to change your silhouette through style, garment construction and fabric.
A Brief History of Body Shapes
Popular female shapes over the decades have everything to do with fashion. After the curvy turn of the century styles, (19th that is) waists disappeared for about the next 20 years! Short skirts and straight styles came into fashion with the Flappers of the 1920’s. This straight look softened a bit through the 1930’s and became more tailored during the 1940’s but the curvy hourglass didn’t come back until 1946, when Christian Dior reintroduced women to their femininity post second world war. This was the first shape in many years which showed of the waist and curves of a woman.
This New Look was immediately popular and curvaceous Marilyn Monroe was the fashion icon who could carry off the feminine style beautifully. The hourglass went out of fashion in the mid 1960’s when skinny bodies like Twiggy took the fashion scene by storm. Cardin, Courreges, Mondrian, Givenchy and others designed straighter silhouettes and geometric shapes. Mini dresses put the focus on the legs not the waist and curves.
The waist became camouflaged again in the 80’s as women returned to the workplace in their oversized suits with big shoulder pads. Tailored trouser suits took us through the 90’s. But, as we approached a new millennium, women in particular started working out in the gym and people became more body conscious. Muscles and curves were in fashion! Designers re-emphasized the feminine figure and showed off all women’s curves in body-con dresses, cropped figure-hugging jackets, leggings and skin-tight jeans. That trend lasted many years until a few years ago, when a looser fit gradually caught people’s eye because of its comfort. Currently, fashion styles are becoming looser and straighter: wide legs in trousers, wide sleeves, oversized coats and dusters, loose fitting tops, dresses and softly tailored blouses.
How to Dress for Your Body Type
Knowing how to dress for your body type has a tremendous impact on how you look. But dressing for body type isn’t always intuitive. Some people can learn themselves or they need experts such as a stylist. You can be one shape on the top and a different one on the bottom; front, sides and back might not always be one consistent shape either.
To help accent your best body features and camouflage less than perfect areas we have offered some techniques to design a flattering body shape for you, whatever your natural shape happens to be.
Female Hourglass Body Type Dress Strategy
Goal = Emphasize the waist.
To determine this shape, you can run a tape or long ruler down the side of the body at the back. from the armpit to just below the hip. In an hourglass figure, the side of the body at the bustline and hip would just graze the inside of the tape and the waist would be noticeably indented. The external shape can be very curvy or slightly curvy, long waisted or short waisted.
Hourglass bodies are often considered to be the most desirable and image consultants tend to use the hourglass as the standard body shape if the client wants her silhouette to look feminine. Celebrate your waist! Wear high-waisted pants, skirts and tops that have contrasting colors. If you are long waisted and have a lot of space between bust and tummy, have fun with medium or even wide belts and contrasting separates. A curved cut sheath dress will accentuate the curve of your bust and hips. You can wear pencil skirts, skinny trousers and indented short jackets or cropped tops tapered into the waist.
If you are short waisted meaning you have very little space between bust and hips you will do well to wear one- piece dresses which emphasize your shape but elongate the middle area. Another good technique is to keep your separates one single color from top to bottom, narrow belts and an indented top garment such as a cardigan or jacket. Color blocking down the sides of the dress does wonders to accentuate and add a visual technique to indent your waist even more.
Underwear is of prime importance for all hourglass shapes so that you lift your bustline well above your waist and give yourself a longer-line ribcage. Avoid boxy clothing shapes that bypass the waist and cover up your best asset, your waist.
Female Inverted Triangle Body Type Dress Strategy
Goal = Build up your lower half visually to balance the body.
To determine this shape, you can run a tape or long ruler down the side of the body at the back, from the armpit to below the hip. The shoulders are noticeably wider than the hips and there is a space between your hip and a straight tape. You have a boyish figure; your shoulders and upper body are wider across than your hips. Your ribcage tapers down to small hips and slimmer thighs.
Celebrate lovely wide straight shoulders with boat-shaped or even off- the- shoulder necklines. Alternatively, wear V-neck tops and scarves deemphasizing the shoulder width. Place patterns or bright colors strategically on the lower half by balancing the hip width with colorful skirts and pants. A fitted sweater or V-neck top paired with an A-line skirt, for instance, can bring balance to the inverted triangle figure as the hem width balances the shoulder width. Another alternative is to show off slim legs, with leggings or jeans and simple, longer line fitted tops. Flared, gored or full skirted dresses are favorites, as are wide legged jeans, boot cut and straight leg trousers. Wide Palazzo pants in a draped fabric look wonderful on your body shape.
Avoid square shaped jackets, shoulder pads, epaulettes, flounces and ruffles on the shoulders and down the ribcage which visually bulk up your upper body.
Female Triangle Body Type Dress Strategy
Goal = Build up the top half with tailoring, structure and fabric.
To determine this shape, you can run a tape or long ruler down the side of the body at the back. from the armpit to below the hip and thigh. Your shoulders are noticeably narrower than your hips and the hips and thighs show outside the plumb line. Your upper half above the waist is quite small compared to the width of your hips. Triangular bodies have wider hips and thighs than the width of their shoulders.
With a triangle shaped body, you want to celebrate your hips while also making sure that you build the top half visually to balance the overall shape. You often have a delightfully small waist, and a slim upper body and with cunning lines to your clothing you can give the impression that you are slender all over.
A longer length skirt, dress or trousers instantly diminishes the fullness of the curve, so keep the hemline length longer with fluid fabrics that glide over the hips and thighs. A very short skirt over wide hips can look like a lampshade! If you have a flat tummy you might like stitched pleated skirts that slide over the hips. Midi length daytime and A-line dresses can flatten the hips and tummy and fit beautifully over the hips and thighs.
In separates, be sure to balance the upper body with more tailored tops, structured styles and robust fabrics that keep their shape. Interestingly, bateau or wide boat-shaped necklines can add some interest and drama to your upper body and the use of accessories (like scarves and necklaces), bold prints, and patterns and layered outfits are perfect to wear on the upper body to balance it with the lower. A brightly colored, V-necked tailored shirt, or a fitted jacket with lapels and shoulder pads. or a blouse with puffed or cap sleeves can help balance the upper body. Rather than focusing below the waist, try flounces, gathers or wide sleeves cropped to the elbow or mid upper arm. Off- the- shoulder ruffled dresses can build up the chest area while also calling attention to a small waist. Be sure to find bras which add shape and curves to your upper body.
Those with triangle bodies may have difficulty finding pants that fit correctly, but it’s easy if you follow this golden rule: fit to the widest part of your body such as hips or thighs, and take in the waist. Gored, flared, fluted and A-line skirts, tunics and dresses are good shapes to build and balance the body where needed and minimize the bust to hip difference. If you are lucky enough to have an indented waistline, try medium rise pants which fit to the hips or thighs. This is a useful style to avoid any waist alteration.
Female Rectangle Body Type Dress Strategy
Goal = Garment construction and fabrics which hold and create shape on top or bottom or both.
To determine this shape, you can run a tape or long ruler down the side of the body at the back. from the armpit to below the hip. The shoulders are about the same width than the hips. There is very little indentation at waist level and rectangle bodies are characterized by appearing straight up and down! They can be accented and adorned with a lot of different styles which enhance the shape of the external silhouette.
Vertical and often darker shade color blocking can visually indent the waist area on a dress, bathing suit or jacket. Curved seams running the length of the body or top half can create a curved bustline where none exists naturally, and the A-line dress or tulip skirt are pretty silhouettes for this body shape. Waisted and indented jackets and sheath dresses are especially great if they emphasize the waist with seams and peplums (a short, fluted skirt attached around the waist which extends down towards the tummy) to add a little fullness below the waistline. If you have a long, lean rectangular figure you will look good in separates which create a fuller, softer and curvier silhouette. Sometimes a gathered skirt or dress might be just the thing to give you a feminine touch.
Accessories like belts, necklaces, and other larger accessories help draw attention to the upper body and waist area but if you hate the prospect of a belt, you could bypass a thicker and straighter waist by wearing an A-line tunic and leggings or adding a little lightweight shaped cardigan or longer, fitted shrug. You can also add shape to the top half by tailored shoulders and soft shoulder padding.
Female Oval Body Type Dress Strategy
Goal = Concentrate on visual north/south style lines.
Oval bodies are round all the way! Celebrate your curves and at the same time, accentuate your smaller areas such as the top of chest, neckline, lower arms, and bottom of the legs. You may also have a smaller bust and smaller bottom than your middle area. Your legs may also be slender.
Those with oval bodies have a curvy, feminine outline. You do best by getting well-tailored clothes with rounded, curved seams to enhance your shape. Wear garments with simple, uncluttered lines such as dresses which are gently curved into the waist or a “column of color” with the top and bottom in the same or similar shade. When the top and trousers are a darker shade and closer fit to the body with a boot cut or slim leg, the top looks best as a shaped over- blouse, never loose and square or tucked in.
Over this simple, curved long-line ensemble you do well to wear softly constructed, longer line or slightly indented tops and long waterfall cardigans which are a great way to add some shaped lines to your form in the places you lack indentation. You can throw a longer unbuttoned lightweight blouse, duster or open tunic that adds no extra weight but shows off your newly created smaller waist! Be sure to emphasize slim legs, neck, top of the chest, the elbow to the wrist and pretty hands. Empire line dresses and tops may be comfortable but be careful they don’t emphasize your rounded front silhouette. Try A-line dresses in a fabric that keeps its shape and glides over the sides and tummy.
Avoid horizontal lines, tucked in tops and boxy styles.
Male Inverted Triangle Body Type Dress Strategy
An inverted triangle figure is the simplest to dress; it means your shoulders are much broader than your hips, which is typically due to hereditary bone structure and activity. This is the ideal male body type, and most clothing is designed to fit this shape. Guys with this body type have a relatively easy time finding clothing.
Most inverted triangle body types are most suited to form-fitting clothing that screams how much they bench, which isn’t a terrible thing. Some plain colored shirts, like white, light pink, or cream, will really complement this body type. Keep it simple and classy with colors that show exactly where your body ends.
Male Rectangular Body Type Dress Strategy
The awesome thing about this body type is that the shoulders are the same width as the waist and hips. All you need is to add a bit of structure to your appearance with the right clothing. Here you can pull off colors and prints. Feel free to have fun and experiment, but just be sure to keep your chinos and pants to a slim cut.
You can enhance your upper body by adding bulk to your shoulders with bold patterns and light structured jackets; this is ideal for defining and giving you some shape. Remember what we said about patterns? We meant it. Because your frame is already streamlined, it can carry patterned looks very well.
Stay away from long ties, pinstripes because they will be too lengthening for your frame.
Male Oval Body Type Dress Strategy
If you have a rounder torso- think Kevin James, James Corden, and Elton John, You have the Oval body Type. If you are in pursuit of a slimmer look, first stick to darker shades- some navy and blacks will do!
To prevent wrinkles or pinches, tuck your shirt into slim-straight fit pants, ensuring the waist fits comfortably.
Look for muted tones and somewhat tapered fits, which will help you slim down your silhouette and lengthen your torso.
Remember, stripes pull the eye upward or downward, so utilize them to divert attention away from your torso to your face!
Our Advice On Getting Your Body Type Fashion On Track
Set up Fashion staples: Do you know there are fashion pieces that will never go out of fashion; a little black dress, some denim pieces, white shirts or tops, jeans, floral summer dresses, black pants, and a black jacket. These are just the basic ones when it comes to women’s fashion.
Get some training: It is time to get enrolled in that fashion school and learn how to dress for your body type and help others as well. If you have a passion for image consultation or have impeccable taste in fashion, this can be a lucrative career. London Image Institute will help you train, facilitate, coach, and offer consultation to clients of on how to dress their body types.
Avoid regular clothes shopping: Have you ever gone through your clothes in the closet and stated, “I don’t have anything to wear for that event,” despite the fact that you have a closet full of clothes? Then it is time to put a pause on online shopping. Do not buy clothes because of sales, discounts, and spring clearance. Just save up enough money and buy that dream outfit that will serve you for a long time and will compliment your body type.
Stay positive: After knowing your body type, have a positive mindset for the better. Being self-aware and positive will make your clothes shine, literally. Clothes are a great mood booster, and if worn with a sad personality, the clothes will also exude melancholy vibes—Chin up-chest-high honey bunches.
Parting Words
These are the basics of how to dress for your body type, but note that fashion and shapes can also change over time. There may be times that you need to re-assess your wardrobe to determine what looks great on you — or ask a professional for advice. For more information, contact London Image Institute.
