Style Guide: How To Dress For Your Body Shape
Aside from looking good, fashion helps us feel good on the inside. Since trends are constantly changing, it may become difficult to adapt and find styles that effortlessly flatter your body. Here's a quick guide to help you get comfortable with your shape and play up your favorite features.
INTRO
First thing's first: figuring out your body type! Grab a friend and a soft tape measure. An ideal way to categorize your body type is to measure your shoulders, bust, waist and hips. Since there are plenty of shapes and sizes, be open to the idea that you may embody more than one type. The most common categories are:
- Rectangle. You may have a straight shoulder line, straight hips and minimal waist definition.
- Apple. You may have a round shoulder line, an average or full bust and fullness around the torso.
- Pear. You may have a small top half, narrow shoulders, full hips and a defined waist.
- Hourglass. You may have a full or defined bust, a small waist and rounded hips.
- Inverted Triangle. You may have squared or broad shoulders, minimal definition between waist and hips, and a small lower half.
DRESS IT UP: Rectangle
A rectangle-shaped body is typically balanced in width from shoulders to hips. The sihlouette is most likely straight with minimal definition.
Those with this body type may consider their arms and legs their favorite features. When shopping around for styles, these are the areas to focus on enhancing.
STYLE STAPLES
Here's where we dive into what styles work well for rectangle body types.
- Sweetheart and scoop necklines add curves to rectangle-shaped bodies.
- Sleeveless and strapless styles flatter the arms and shoulder line.
- A-line skirts add balance to your bottom half by complimenting the shoulder line.
- Ruffles, ruching and layers are your friend and add dimension to the shoulders.
- Adding a belt to outfits helps to define the waistline.
- Mid-rise bottoms that accentuate the waist.
You may want to avoid...
- Boxy shirt styles that lend to a shapeless silhouette.
- Tight-fitting styles that highlight straight torso and hips.
- Cropped fits or styles that end above the waist, which counters a curvier shape.
- Ultra flare leg bottoms that draw attention to undefined hips and waist.
Need more styling tips? Reach out to us @houseofhaute to chat with our team. Remember that your body is beautiful no matter how you style it!