Ever wondered the secret behind selecting clothing pieces that do wonders for your body? Turns out there’s an intricate method behind achieving the perfect look for your body type.
Generally, there are five different body types: Apple, Hourglass, Pear, Rectangle, and Inverted triangle.
The first step to knowing what looks good on your body is identifying your shape.
Apple
- Larger Bust
- Broader Shoulders
- Narrower Hips
- Less Defined Waist
Apple shaped women tend to have a rounder midsection, are more top heavy and have a leaner bottom half. If your bust measures 3 or more inches wider than your hips, then you are probably an Apple shape.
Apple shapes will try to cover up their bodies but that’s the opposite of what they should do. Displaying your neckline, forearms and a little leg looks very elegant and creates a leaner look overall. V-necks and structured jackets (like a blazer) all help create defining angles and lines across your body. Also wrap dresses or asymmetrical hemlines will be most flattering on this shape. Bottom wise, you’ve got great legs so don’t be afraid to show them off!
Your celebrity go-tos are Adele, Queen Latifah, Elizabeth Hurley, Rosie O’Donnel, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
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Hourglass
- Bust and hips nearly the same size
- Well defined waist – 9″ or more smaller than bust
- Full Bust
- Shapely Legs
The hourglass shape is one of the most coveted amongst women. Hourglass shapes have nearly symmetrical shoulders and hip widths, along with a tiny waist.
Hour glass figures are curvaceous and should accentuate these curves when getting dressed. Prints and patterns look great on you, especially on your upper body. Try large floral or geometric prints to flatter your figure. Weighty fabrics (like heavy cotton, wool or muslin) that have more natural structure are gorgeous on your body type.
You want to choose skirts that are knee-length or stop just below the knees. Pencil skirts were practically made for you. They accentuate your curves in the most flattering way possible. For pants, you could do skinny jeans or bootlegs.
Celebrities with hourglass figures include Kim kardashian, Marilyn Monroe, Meagan Fox, Kate Winslet, Scarlett Johansson, and Halle Berry.
Pear:
- Wider hips and thighs
- Narrower shoulders
- Wider bottom
- Smaller bust
Also known as the triangle shape, a pear shaped woman will have a slimmer upper body in comparison to her lower body. Hips are significantly wider than shoulders and their waists are often very tiny.
Pear shaped women could go either way when it comes to choosing dressing their body types. Pear shapes could go with clothing which draws attention to their top half, thus creating a balancing effect between the top half and the bottom half, or choose clothing that draws more attention to your curves. Such as tights, leggings, body con skirts and dresses. As a rule of thumb, most baby doll, empire waists, and A-line tops, and dresses flatter Pear shapes very well.
Look to celebs such as Kate Hudson, Rihanna, Beyoncé Knowles, Alicia Keys, Selma Hayek, and America Ferrera for fashion guidance.
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Rectangle
- Undefined Waist
- Narrower Hips
- Small Bust
Also referred to as the slim or Athletic shape, rectangular shaped women have pretty even measurements between their hips, waist and shoulders.
Women with this type of shape should lean towards items that enforce and create curves. Stray from baggy jeans or loose bellowing tops that hide curves. Body con dresses and skirts were made for you. Pleated skirts will add more volume to your bottom half and high-waisted pants will make your legs appear wider and accentuate your waist.
Avoid most horizontal stripes, and complement your natural lines with asymmetrical or rounded hemlines, and tops with ruffle detailing. Halter tops look great on you, along with boatnecks and off-the-shoulder shirts. Since your body is naturally athletic, you’ll look more feminine in tank tops with a thin, delicate strap. When shopping for jackets and blazers: Look for soft shoulders and steer clear of boxy, cropped jackets.
When dressing your bottom half, keep in mind that you want to add curves and volume to your lower body.
Your celebrity look-a-likes are Natalie Portman, Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway, Queen Latifah, Kerry Washington, Gwen Stefani, Eva Longoria and Gwyneth Paltrow.
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Inverted Triangle
- Shoulders are noticeably wider than your hip-line
- strong-looking shoulders
- sporty and athletic physique
- little to no waist definition
(The upside-down Triangle) you have a trim waist, a very nice torso, and legs to die for.
Deep V-necks, Cowl necks and simple shirts are great for your body type.
Since you have amazing legs, you’re going to want to show them off all the time, with short skirts and fitted leggings, however the leggings only work if the top you pair it with is pretty long (past your hips). You should focus more on adding volume to your lower half. It’ll give your entire frame a more symmetrical appearance.
Celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Jessica Simpson, Khloe Kardashian, Octavia Spencer, and Pamela Anderson.
After you’ve identified your body shape, do not for one second think that you are locked into this group set for life. Body’s change over time and since all body types are different many women find that they match with more than one body type-that’s perfectly fine.
The main thing to remember here is that you want to create an illusion of proportionality with your top half and bottom half, while accentuating your waist.