How to Dress for Your Body Type? All women have difficulty finding the right clothes for their body type. Manufacturers have different requirements for their so-called sizes, making it downright confusing to choose clothes based on a number alone. How many times have you bought an outfit you like, and it just doesn’t work for you? Genetics and your skeletal structure determine your body shape. Even if you are significantly overweight, you’ll still fit into an essential body type that dictates what clothes will look best on you. Here is what you need to know.
The Five Female Body Shapes
To understand what clothes look best, you must understand the five most common body shapes and where your body type fits. By understanding yours, you can work with your body features instead of against them. All women have different shapes, so what looks good on your friend may not look good on you even though you may wear the same size. The five female body types are:
- Rectangle
- Inverted triangle
- Apple
- Pear
- Hourglass
The human eye likes balance, so hourglass body shapes are the most coveted. Yet, they are the least common body shape. Determining your body shape is more than measuring your bust, waist, and hips. You must put the measuring tape to your shoulders, too, to get an accurate reading. Without measuring your shoulders and only doing hip and bust measurements, your body shape type can change. Wear leggings and a form-fitting, but not tight, top with a good bra to take your measurements.
Rectangle Body Shape
With a rectangle shape, you wear the same size in tops and bottoms and don’t have a well-defined waistline. You have a straight shoulder line and hips. The rectangle body shape is frequently called an athletic body shape, so you should avoid vertical silhouettes like straight jackets and pants. Instead, create the illusion of a defined waist by wearing mid-waisted trousers, belts around your natural waistline, and belted jackets. Choose clothes with softer fabrics as they look great belted. All kinds of pants work well with this body shape, including jeans. Choose mid-rise jeans, as you can pair them with a belt to create your defined waistline.
Inverted Triangle Body Shape
The inverted triangle is another athletic body shape often seen in swimmers. You have this shape if you have a larger top half with broad shoulders that narrow to a smaller lower half and don’t have a lot of definition between your waist and hips. Avoid boat neck and halter tops, big shawl collars, and large patterns or angles over your top half. Select items that accentuate your bottom half, like wide-leg pants, boyfriend jeans, flared and a-line skirts, and A-line dresses.
Apple Body Shape
Whether you call it an apple shape, a round body shape, or simply oval, an apple-shaped body has a slim waist and great legs but a little definition from the hips up. As an apple, you may often experience difficulty in how to dress for your body type as you may tend to buy oversized items to compensate for your top half. Keep tops and jackets simple and streamlined without shoulder pads or embellishments. Select tailored tops and jackets that aren’t too tight and slim-fitting dresses, along with pencil skirts. Straight-leg jeans are also an excellent choice for an apple body type to emphasize your legs. Pair with a looser sweater or top to achieve balance.
Pear Body Shape
A regular triangle shape or pear-shaped body has a wider lower half with bigger hips and thighs and a narrower top half. For this body shape, draw attention to your upper half with prints and bright colors. Broaden your shoulders with boat and sweetheart necklines. Layer tops to add volume. Choose shirts that reach the widest part of the hips while avoiding incredibly long or cropped shirts. Accentuate your bust line by wearing a padded or push-up bra, making sure that it fits properly. Finally, wear dark colors on your bottom half to slim your hips.
Hourglass Body Shape
The most feminine body shape is the hourglass figure. Equal-sized hips and shoulders and a well-defined waistline define it. The most well-known hourglass figure belonged to movie star Marilyn Monroe.
If you have an hourglass figure, you usually have larger bust measurements, which you can minimize with a boatneck or scoop neck top. You’ll still want to emphasize your waist, as that’s the smallest part of your body. Avoid shapeless or baggy clothes with an hourglass body type, as they can overwhelm your frame. Look for pants with angled pockets, as they will not tug across your hips, which can create unflattering lines. Pocketless plans are also suitable for an hourglass shape. You can also wear cute, flirty dresses and mini skirts with hourglass shapes. Empire waist dresses and peplum blouses are also good choices as they accentuate your strengths.
The Bottom Line on Female Body Types
You’ll find several body type subsets, including a spoon, a top hourglass shape, and a bottom hourglass figure where either the shoulder or hip measurements are slightly larger. The goal of learning how to dress for your body type is to create a personal style that works for you.
Author’s BIO: Lori Wade is a journalist from Louisville. She is a content writer who has experience in small editions. Lori is currently engaged in news and conceptual articles on the health and beauty industry. You can find her on LinkedIn. Hope you appreciate Lori’s useful insights!.
