Have you ever experienced this?
You are so excited to buy an outfit you adorned in the store. On trying, it appears completely different from what you had imagined. With disappointment, you walk out of the trial room and put the dress back. Did this ever occur to you? Now ditch your disappointments and ask yourself why you aren’t able to pull off your costume like the famous fashionista gets to do on Instagram.
Dear Body,
You were never a problem.
There is nothing wrong with your body shapes and size You are perfect already.
Not every piece of clothing is for everybody. Women come in all different sizes and shapes. The question is, how can you select outfits that accentuate your particular body shape? The secret is to be aware of your dimensions and use clothing to highlight your prominent features while concealing everything else! Here are the top 5 widely categorized body shapes, styling tips, what to wear, what not to wear, and get to know which celebrities are of your body type to steal their styling.
● Rectangle
● Pear-shaped/ Triangle
● Hourglass
● Inverted triangle
● Apple
But first things first, do you know your body shape? Let’s find it out now!
To determine your body shape, pull out your measuring tape and measure the following:
Shoulders: Measure around the very top of your shoulders, just above the shoulder blades.
Bust: Measure around the fullest part of the bust without holding the tape too tightly.
Waist: Measure around the smallest part of the waist. Usually, just above the navel.
Hips: Measure around the fullest or widest part. Usually, this is just below the hip bone.
1. Rectangle Body shapes
You are said to have a rectangular body if you have a straight silhouette with few curves. The body type is well-balanced and has little to no angles. Your midriff and bottom half of your body are of similar measurements. The Rectangular body type tends to have a smaller bust and butt. You are known for your long legs and silhouettes. Take advantage of your vertical length and lean look while choosing your outfit.
What looks awesome on you?
The key to dressing a rectangular body is: Keep the volume on top or bottom.
● Aim to create curves. Hence you break the straight, horizontal line
● Try wearing a V-shaped silhouette
● Minimize or elongate your big shoulders.
● Defining your waist is very important. A waist Belt can come in handy
● Pop up your top or bottom but not your waist
● Add volume, especially on the top half of your body
Try to avoid:
● Since a Rectangle body shape can be boxy, avoid a shapeless silhouette
● Overarching dresses can be avoided.
Your Celebrity Inspo to Steal N Style:
Kate Hudson, Kendall Jenner, Kate Moss, Keira Knightley, Cara Delevingne, Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, and Natale Portman are a few celebrities with rectangle-shaped bodies.
2. Hourglass
Hourglass is the Cindrella body type
Only 8% of females fall under this category. Hence it is a rare body type. When your bust and hips roughly measure the same with a well-defined narrow waist, you are said to have an hourglass body. The majority of tailored clothing is designed with this shape in their mind. The thumb rule for dressing this body type is to define the waist and accentuate the curves.
What looks awesome on you?
● Playing with what’s in your wardrobe can be fun because most styles flatter your body shape.
● Almost anything that defines your waist looks good as it accentuates a very lady-like silhouette.
● Empire dresses, wraps, bodycon dresses, and dresses that flare out at the hem can be excellent options for you.
● Fitted tops give you a killer look.
● Elbow-length sleeves draw attention to your waist.
Try to avoid:
● Stay away from boxers as they hide your waist, which is against our goal.
● Try to avoid oversized garments adding volume to your shoulders and hips.
Your Celebrity Inspo to Steal N Style:
Emilia Clarke, Emma Roberts, Serina Williams, Sofia Vergara, Scarlet Johansson, Nicki Minaj, and Christina Hendricks are a few celebrities with an hourglass-shaped body.
3. Pear/Triangle
The pear-shaped shaped body became madly popular because of Kim Kardashian.
This framework is characterized by curvy hips, thick thighs, and full rear. This figure has wide hips, narrowed waist, and a very narrowed bust. It’s all about the lower part of the body. The main style goal would be drawing attention to the upper body or accentuating your lower body. It works either way.
What looks awesome on you?
● If styled strategically, you can mimic an hourglass figure!
● Opt for necklines that create an illusion of broader shoulders. You can nail in boat necks and scoop necklines. Wear Statement necklaces/glitzy earrings(one at a time) and high heels that draw attention to the most minor parts of your body.
● Pick your tops with bright colors, embellishments around the neck and waist, wide sleeves, and attractive prints to balance your silhouette.
● Human eyes tend to skim over dark colors. Hence opting for dark-colored pants
such as Black, grey, navy, brown, and olive green creates a slimming effect.
Try to avoid:
● Cigarette-style pants, short skirts, and detailing on hips are the least flattering style for a pear-shaped body.
● Say no to loose short tops and tops with no fit around the waist.
Your Celebrity Inspo to Steal N Style:
Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Iskra
Lawrence, and Shakira, Alice Keys are a few celebrities with pear-shaped bodies.
4. INVERTED TRIANGLE
When you have broad shoulders, and narrow hips with little to no waist definition, then you are said to have an inverted triangle body shape. You also tend to have slim legs. Styling becomes easy with this body type when you focus on Slimming your Upper body and Exaggerating Your Lower body.
What looks awesome on you?
● Create vertical lines with vertical stripes.
● Wear soft feminine textures to soften the shoulder line
● Wearing jackets open can create a vertical line
● Darker color tops are your go-to style
● Wear strapless gowns and tops just below the hip bone.
Try to avoid:
● Don’t Add layers to your upper half because it can create a bulky look
● Stay away from pencil-fit skirts, skinny jeans, shoulder pads(anything that accentuates your shoulder), Boat neck, horizontal lines
Your Celebrity Inspo to Steal N Style:
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angelina Jolie, Naomi Campbell, Lucy Liu, Federica Pellegrini, and Victoria Beckham are a few celebrities with inverted triangle-shaped bodies.
5. APPLE
You’re an apple body if the waist is slightly bigger than your hips and shoulders. An apple-shaped body is often referred to as top-heavy, meaning you have a wide torso, broad shoulders, and a fuller bust, waist, and upper back. The idea behind dressing an apple body is by keeping a few things in your mind. Flaunt your legs and opt for a deep V neckline. Choose tops that elongate your torso to form a proportionate silhouette. In other words, draw attention to your midsection.
What looks awesome on you?
● V-necklines and A-line dresses to highlight and emphasize your bust
● A pair of shorts and high heels are your best friends.
● Dresses that have a thin tie at the waist and a top with flare or cuff sleeves add more definition to your figure.
● Denim, trouser cut, wide-legs, or boot-cut bottoms compliments your figure
Try to avoid:
● Skinny jeans, leggings, clingy tops, halter neck, boat neck, big heavy boots, and thick belts are a big no
● Outfits with a different pattern in your belly area draw more attention to it
● You don’t need to wear elaborate necklaces or tops with eye-catching patterns near the neck
Your Celebrity Inspo to Steal N Style:
Amy Schumer, Oprah, Mindy Kaling, Drew Barrymore, Adele, Queen Latifah, Kate Winslet, and Missy Elliot are a few celebrities with apple-shaped bodies.
These are some general guidelines for different body shapes. You don’t have to follow them religiously. You can look incredibly stunning just by trusting your instincts or breaking these guidelines. After all, Fashion is all about celebrating yourself and feeling comfortable in your skin.