Why do some clothes look amazing on others but not create the same effect on you? Have you ever stood in front of the mirror in a new dress and wondered why it doesn't accentuate your curves the way you hoped? Determine your body type and choose suitable clothes.
Wondering if you're wearing the right clothes for your body type? The key to a perfect wardrobe is not to follow the latest trends, but rather in understanding how to choose pieces that suit your unique body shape.
There is nothing more frustrating than finding a piece clothes, that you love, but find that it doesn't look the way you expected on your body shape, does it? Every body is unique, but even so, most body shapes can be categorized into a few basic types. Knowing your own body shape is the first step to choosing clothes that work best for you.
The most common body types - body type
1. Apple (or oval): This body shape is characterized by a wider waist and stomach compared to hips and shoulders. People with an apple body shape often have thinner legs and arms.
2. Pear (or triangle): With this body shape, the hips are wider than the shoulders, with a narrow waist and often more defined thighs.
3. Hourglass: The hourglass body shape is characterized by balanced proportions between the shoulders and hips and a distinctly narrower waist.
4. Rectangle (or banana): This shape is characterized by approximately equal shoulder, waist and hip measurements, which creates a flatter silhouette.
5. Inverted Triangle: This shape has broad shoulders compared to the waist and hips, often with a more athletic look.
A wardrobe for every body type
An apple
Clothing for this body shape should create the illusion of a slimmer waist and emphasize the legs or chest. Empire-cut dresses and blouses, tapered pants and V-necks are recommended.
Choose clothes that:
• Create the illusion of a slimmer waist, such as dresses and blouses with an empire cut or dresses with a slightly shaped waist.
• Emphasize your legs with short skirts or skinny pants that taper down.
• They have V-necks or other open necklines that elongate your silhouette and emphasize the chest area.
Avoid clothing, which are too tight around the stomach or have a lot of detail and patterns in that area, as this can draw more attention to the waist.
Pear
For a pear shape, choose clothes that emphasize the upper body and have an A-line cut to hide wide hips. A-line skirts and bright colors on the upper body are ideal. Pear-shaped people have wider hips compared to their shoulders, so the goal is to balance these differences.
For this body type we recommend:
• A-line skirts: These skirts gently hug the waist and flare towards the hem, naturally balancing wider hips and accentuating a slimmer waist.
• Clothing that emphasizes the upper body: Choose blouses with interesting patterns, colors or details (such as frills or embroidery) on the shoulders and chest to draw attention upwards.
• Jackets and coats that end just above the hip: These pieces create the illusion of wider shoulders, which helps balance out wider hips.
Stay away pants or skirts that are too tight on your hips and thighs, as this can accentuate the difference in width between your hips and shoulders
Hourglass
Wear clothes that emphasize your natural waistline and balanced shoulder-to-hip ratio. Flowing dresses, belts that emphasize the waist and clothes that follow your silhouette are great choices. Hourglass is a body shape with balanced proportions between the shoulders and hips and a distinctly narrower waist.
The key to this body shape is:
• Clothes that follow your natural curves: Choose dresses and outerwear that fit gently around the waist and emphasize the natural shape of your figure.
• Belts and high-waisted clothing: These pieces further emphasize a narrow waist and create a nice transition between the upper and lower body.
• V-necks and collars that elongate the neck: This further accentuates the balanced proportions of your figure and accentuates the cleavage.
Stay away too loose clothes that hide your shape and those with large, flat patterns that can visually expand your silhouette.
A rectangle
The goal is to create the illusion of a more defined waistline. You can achieve this with clothes that add shape, such as fitted jackets, clothes with ruffles or a peplum on the waist. With a rectangle body shape, the shoulders, waist, and hips are roughly the same width, creating a flatter, more athletic look.
The goal is to create the illusion of more curves, so:
• Dresses with added curves: Choose clothes that add shape, such as peplum tops, dresses with added curves in the right places, or jackets with defined shoulders.
• Belts to emphasize the waist: Use belts to create a more defined waist, which can help create a more feminine silhouette.
• Layering and textures: Play with layering and different textures to add depth and visual interest to your wardrobe.
Stay away very tight or completely straight clothing lines that emphasize the lack of natural curves.
Inverted triangle
Choose clothes that increase the width of the hips to balance out wider shoulders. A-line skirts and trousers with pockets or other details on the hips are ideal.
In the inverted triangle body shape, the shoulders are wider than the hips, creating a silhouette that is wider at the top. The goal of dressing for this body shape is to balance broader shoulders with a lower body and accentuate the waist.
Here are some tips:
• A-line skirts and wide trousers: These clothes add volume to the lower body, which helps to balance the width of the shoulders. A-line skirts are particularly effective as they flare from the waist down, creating a more balanced silhouette.
• Tops with low necklines and soft fabrics: Choose blouses and tops with deep V-necks or U-necks that visually narrow the shoulders. Soft, flowing fabrics add a feminine touch and reduce the visual power of the shoulders.
• Clothing with neutral colors on the top and lighter or patterned on the bottom:
Stay away clothes with extra details or girth on the shoulders, such as frills, epaulettes or wide collars, as this can further emphasize the width of the shoulders. Choose simple and clean lines for the upper body to narrow and balance your figure.
The key is to choose pieces that accentuate your strengths and hide areas you might want less exposure. With a little effort and attention to detail, you can everyone can find the right wardrobe for their body shape.
It is important that dress with confidence and choose pieces that make you feel comfortable and happy. Your wardrobe should reflect your personal style and encourage you to feel your best every day.
