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APR 24, 2014

Different body shapes and how to dress them - part 2

In our last blog post we started to look at the 4 distinct body shapes that most women fall into. We covered the apple shape and the pear shape and looked at how to dress each shape to emphasise the good bits and draw attention away from problem areas. In this post we’re going to take a look at the final two body types that are most commonly found.

The Hourglass

This is the figure most coveted by women; a full bust, slender waist, and round hips all in perfect proportion to one another. The key to dressing an hourglass figure is to embrace the curves, not fight them.

Simple, solid shapes will highlight the waist, while thick belts and pencil skirts will emphasise it further. Balance out a pencil skirt with a top that has some volume around the shoulders to make the waist seem even smaller. Wrap around tops and scooped necklines also work well with this body shape. Team them with boot-cut or flared trousers that are cut with plenty of room around the hips.

Try to avoid garments featuring ruffles, frills, and lapels as they’ll add unnecessary volume and the balance will be lost. Busy patterns and straight, boxy shaped clothing should also be avoided as it’ll disguise the natural, beautiful curves of an hourglass figure.

The Boyish Athlete

Women with a boyish athletic figure are very slim, with no natural curves. The key to dressing a boyish figure is to use clothing to add curves where they don’t naturally exist.

Tops that feature ruffles, rouching, or wrap-around fastening will add fullness to the upper body. Sleeveless tops and halternecks will show off toned, shapely arms. High waisted skirts or trousers will add bulk around the mid-section of the body; the waist band should be sat just under the bust line for best results. Bootcut trousers and jeans that sit low on the waist will add maximum curviness to the lower half of the body.

Try to avoid any clothing that is inspired by menswear such as straight-cut trousers, “boyfriend” jeans and suit style jackets. Dressing a boyish figure in boyish clothing will only serve to eliminate any possibility of looking feminine and curvy!

Created on 24th April 2014
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