Style Fashion Guides
Dress your Body Size
Pear-shaped
Are your shoulders narrow or wide? Ideally, shoulders should be the same or slightly wider than your hips. If they're narrower, your hips may look too big and you'll need to wear small shoulder pads to balance your proportions. Well-cut straight legged trousers or A-line skirts, worn with a longish loose fitting top, will balance the bottom half. Alternatively, wear dresses with an empire line (very fashionable right now), which will flow over the hip area. Emphasise your bust with low necklines and add long flowing scarves to draw the eye away from the hips.
Straight body
This body shape has no waist so avoid clothes that draw attention to the waistline. High waisted skirts, trousers and belts are out. Instead, wear skirts and trousers with a dropped waist. Draw the eye away from the waist area - either to your bust - with scooped necklines, or to your legs, if they are good. A wrap dress is a good look for you, as is the fashionable empire line.
Apple-shaped
People with this shape often have a 'shortish' neck. Elongate your neck by wearing V-necklines, or even showing a little cleavage - but keep it simple. Avoid anything figure hugging. Keep to flowing lines - wide legged trousers or flared skirts will draw attention away from the waist. Wear them with longish loose shirts or jackets.
Added extras - arms and legs
Once you've worked out your basic body type, there are a couple of other golden rules to getting it right. Take a long hard look at your upper arms. If they are flabby, keep them covered but opt for a three-quarter or half length sleeve. By showing your forearms, you will detract from the upper arms.
Legs are the other minefield. As far as skirt length goes, ignore fashion and follow the golden rule - a skirt should end just above the slimmest part of your leg. And bad news for the over 40s - avoid the mini skirt at all times!
New era, new look
Finally, it's very easy to fall into a rut with your personal style. Try to consciously refresh your look every few years. Stylists refer to this as the 'Decade Dump'. As you hit another '0' birthday, alter your hair, make up and clothes a little. A small trick to escape the time warp and make you appear eternally youthful - well that's the idea anyway!
Whatever you do - enjoy your body. Have fun with your clothes and take heart from the fact that no matter what shape you are, there's a perfect outfit out there just waiting for you.
Are your shoulders narrow or wide? Ideally, shoulders should be the same or slightly wider than your hips. If they're narrower, your hips may look too big and you'll need to wear small shoulder pads to balance your proportions. Well-cut straight legged trousers or A-line skirts, worn with a longish loose fitting top, will balance the bottom half. Alternatively, wear dresses with an empire line (very fashionable right now), which will flow over the hip area. Emphasise your bust with low necklines and add long flowing scarves to draw the eye away from the hips.
Straight body
This body shape has no waist so avoid clothes that draw attention to the waistline. High waisted skirts, trousers and belts are out. Instead, wear skirts and trousers with a dropped waist. Draw the eye away from the waist area - either to your bust - with scooped necklines, or to your legs, if they are good. A wrap dress is a good look for you, as is the fashionable empire line.
Apple-shaped
People with this shape often have a 'shortish' neck. Elongate your neck by wearing V-necklines, or even showing a little cleavage - but keep it simple. Avoid anything figure hugging. Keep to flowing lines - wide legged trousers or flared skirts will draw attention away from the waist. Wear them with longish loose shirts or jackets.
Added extras - arms and legs
Once you've worked out your basic body type, there are a couple of other golden rules to getting it right. Take a long hard look at your upper arms. If they are flabby, keep them covered but opt for a three-quarter or half length sleeve. By showing your forearms, you will detract from the upper arms.
Legs are the other minefield. As far as skirt length goes, ignore fashion and follow the golden rule - a skirt should end just above the slimmest part of your leg. And bad news for the over 40s - avoid the mini skirt at all times!
New era, new look
Finally, it's very easy to fall into a rut with your personal style. Try to consciously refresh your look every few years. Stylists refer to this as the 'Decade Dump'. As you hit another '0' birthday, alter your hair, make up and clothes a little. A small trick to escape the time warp and make you appear eternally youthful - well that's the idea anyway!
Whatever you do - enjoy your body. Have fun with your clothes and take heart from the fact that no matter what shape you are, there's a perfect outfit out there just waiting for you.
Your Comments
- Show Off Your Shape
I think all these posts prove one thing - women don't come in so-called standard sizes. One thing that has always ticked me off big style is that hat manufacturers make hats for men in all different sizes but if you're a woman you're meant to have a 'woman-size' head!??! I can never get a hat to fit because I've a larger than 'normal' head and my friend has had to stuff hats with tissue paper because she's got a smaller than 'normal' head. Though usually I don't wear hats, I'd love to have a hat for those really miserable winter days and I had big style problems when I was privileged to get an invitation to a Royal garden party. No wonder women are going to weddings these days with bunches of feathers stuck to the side of their heads! (Actually I think these usually look rather fetching.)
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