Introduction

“Fashion fades, style is eternal.”

Table of Contents

As the very famous quote from Yves Saint Laurent suggests, fashion is futile. Following fashion too closely will result in losing your very own nature and your natural elegance. Style, on the other hand, is something that you can’t buy. It expresses who you are in your own way. The good news is that style is something that everyone has, and you just have to find it. As a result, you need to know who you are, what your attitude is and how to show it in the best way possible.

One of the key factors in finding your own style is determining your body type. You need to know what kind of garments fit you best and what to wear to highlight your curves. Remember that your body must not follow the shape of your dress. It is the dress, on the other hand, that must follow the shape of your body. Therefore, before going into details of what style is, you need to recognize the type of your body and how to dress accordingly. Before measuring your body shape, it’s better to mention that female body shapes are mostly based on genetics. With a proper diet, however, you can adjust the shape of your body to look fit.

Measuring body type

When you measure your body, you want to see how wide your shoulders are, how wide your waist is and then how wide your hips are. After that, you need to draw a line from your shoulders down to your hips to see which part is bigger than the others. Are hips and shoulders both aligned? And, also, where is your waist placed?

Normally, there are five body types:

• Hourglass
• Rectangle
• Pear
• Inverted triangle
• Apple

Hourglass body type

The hourglass body shape is characterized by hip and bust measurements nearly equal in size, with a narrower waist measurement. The body, therefore, appears to be in the shape of an hourglass, which is the most proportionate body form.

People with this body type always gain weight all over the body, so they tend not to gain weight in just one particular area.

Women with an hourglass body shape usually have round shoulders, rounded bottom and hip with a similar width and a small and defined waist.

What to wear for an hourglass?

The hourglass has the best body to enhance the silhouette, and thus, they should really focus on showcasing their natural body while accentuating their waist. Thus, when looking for dresses, choose the ones that follow the outlines of your curves and sit well on your body. Make sure that you do not make the top or bottom heavy as it would result in having an unbalanced style. You should also avoid wearing layers, oversized and shapeless clothing, and boxy styles. They can hide your waist and make you look bulky and disproportional.

 Tops for an hourglass body type

You should wear shirts that accentuate your waist while maintaining the proportionate form of the hourglass. Fitting tops, for instance, are a great choice as they are tight at the waist, without bulking out your chest. You must avoid big ruffles, ribbons and other accessories that add a lot of bulk to your upper body as they make your style look unbalanced.

When choosing jackets, short ones that are just above your hips with a belt on your waist look nice on you for they highlight your natural curves. Some flattering jackets for an hourglass body

• Short leather jackets
• Belted cardigans
• Fitted blazers
• Belted blazers

Similar to jackets, coats that are fitted and tailored to sit on your natural silhouette are the best option for you. It is better not to use coats with too many embellishments on your waistline. A-line coats, trench coats, long coachmen coats, and coats with puff sleeves help you achieve the best style.

Bottoms for an hourglass body type

For your trousers or jeans, it is best to wear high-rise or mid-rise trousers as low-waist ones will make your hip look wider. You should avoid trousers with pleats, big pockets or embellishments around your hip.

Generally, for an hour-glass shaped body, it is best to wear simple and clean styles. They can include bootcut, straight legs, wide-legged and loose-fitting pants. However, be careful not to wear too baggy pants as they will make your bottom look heavier than your busts.

Just like trousers and jeans, steer away from low-raised skirts. Your skirts should accentuate your curves, without adding bulk at the bottom. Pencil skirts are the best choice for your body since they stick to the natural line of the body and cling to the waist. A-line or flip skirts also will look good on you for they make your waist look even smaller.

Appropriate skirts for an hourglass body shape are as follows:

• Full skirt
• Tulip skirt
• Pencil skirt
• A-line skirt
• Gored skirt

Rectangle

Equal bust, waist, and hip dimensions define the rectangular body form. The body seems to be a column or a rectangle as there are no curves. People with a rectangle body shape tend to be tall and lean. The bottom and hips are straight with no well-defined waist and no particular curves throughout the body frame. They have a straight shoulder line, and similar to the hourglass, they gain weight evenly throughout the body. Therefore, you must add dimensions to your body frame to look curvier and create an optical illusion of a defined waist.

What to wear for a rectangle body shape?

As mentioned earlier, the upper and lower part of this body type is proportioned evenly, resulting in a balanced shape. You just need to define the waist by breaking up the rectangle. There are two ways that you can accentuate your waist:

• The first one is to create more curves on the lower and upper parts of your body by adding volume and leaving the waist as it is.
• The other option is to make your waist look slimmer by drawing it in and leaving the other parts as it is.

Tops for a rectangular body type

Shirts that add volume to your shoulder, bust and hip line create shape and curve on your body. Avoid boxy shirts that have embellishments on the waist or finish at the waistline as they will highlight your rectangular body. Belts are a good choice for your tops, especially dark ones for they add a slimming effect on your waist. You can also use accessories and embellishments such as bows, pockets, pleating, buttons, lace, and ruffles to add volume to your bust.

When it comes to jackets, the belted ones at the waist can create a shape. Your jacket should end just below the waist, flaring towards the hip to add a little bit of volume to it. Some suitable jackets for a rectangular body shape

• Peplum
• Structured  
• Belted  
• Straight
• Double-breasted  

Coats, like jackets, should be somewhat fitting or follow the rectangular body’s natural straight form. Long coats that reach the knees, especially if worn open, will extend the figure. Huge collars, cuffs, shawls, pockets or flaps are good choices if you want to buy a perfect coat. Some flattering coats for this body type:

• Trench coat
• Peacoat
• Wrap
• Duster
• Straight cut

Bottoms for a rectangular body type

Trousers and jeans for this type of body must add curves and volume to the lower part of the body. You can add this volume either with the style of the trousers, such as wide-leg pants, or details on the bottom, such as pockets or pleats. Besides, avoid wearing high-rise pants as they end right on your waist and highlight it. Low-rise or mid-rise trousers, instead, are the best option for your body type since they define your waist.

The appropriate pants for a rectangular body type:

• Turn-ups
• Cargo pants
• Boot cuts
• Wide-leg pants
• Harem pants

Like pants, try to use skirts that add volume to your lower body. Detailed skirts like pleated or the ones with pockets help you achieve this.  Moreover, bright and light colours are great choices to look a bit heavier around your hips.

Angular A-line skirts are a no go for your rectangular body as they make you look more shapeless. The best skirt styles for you are:

• Bubble skirt
• Full skirt
• Layered skirt
• Pencil skirt
• A-line

Pear-shaped body type

This body type is characterized by large hips, narrower busts and shoulders, and thus, the body looks like a pear. Similar to the hourglass body shape, the pear-shaped body also has a defined waist thanks to larger hips and thighs.

 The hip and thighs are muscular, and they tend to gain weight first around these parts and lower midriff.

All these characteristics mean that the pear body type is heavier at the bottom, making the body form look imbalanced.

What to wear for a pear-shaped body?

All you need to do is add volume to the upper body so that the body shape will look proportionate. Apart from that, try to de-emphasize the lower body and focus on the defined waist and small bust. You can draw eyes upwards by wearing a good push-up bra, light colours and eye-catching prints and adding details like pockets or bows. You should also downplay the lower body to balance it with the upper body. Keeping it simple and uncluttered with the use of dark colours would help you de-emphasize your wide hips and thighs.

Tops for a pear-shaped body

When opting for tops for this body form, select styles that will accentuate the defined waist of your body while balancing it with your lower body. Your tops must not finish on your hip as they make them look even wider. Try to use crop tops or tops that end just on your hip line in order to highlight your curvy body. If your shirt is long, you’d better tuck it to your bottom.

Avoid using tops that have embellishments like pockets or pleats around the hip. Also, stay away from peplums or ruffles because they add volume around your lower body.

We suggest you wear these styles to balance your body form:

• Crop
• Wrap bust
• Ruffle
• Stripes
• Bust pockets

For your jackets, opt for a cropped one as it will play up your defined waist and add some bulk to your bust. Moreover, wearing a long jacket that ends at mid-thigh will help you hide the width of your hip, making your body look slender, especially if it is dark.

Some of the suitable jackets for your body type are as follows:

• Cropped denim
• Trapeze
• Cropped bomber
• Long blazer
• Long shearling

When it comes to coats, care about their length as they play a key role in shaping your body. If the coat is too short and ends on your hip area, it will highlight your wide bottom, and if it is too long, it would overwhelm your body frame. Use darker colours and pay attention to embellishments around your shoulder and bust to make your silhouette look slimmer.

Be careful not to use straight and boxy coats since they hide your curves. The best coats for a pear-shaped body are:

• Trench coat
• Wrap
• Empire line
• Princess       
• A-line

Bottoms for a pear-shaped body

Similar to hourglass, mid to high-waisted trousers and jeans are the best choice for pear-shaped bodies to understate the hip. Try to use plain trousers with darker colours and simple stitching to gloss over your lower body. Also, details such as big pockets, pleats, patterns, creases, and turn-ups must be avoided.

You’d better forget about skinny fit trousers and jeans to avoid drawing attention to your hip. Instead, opt for loose fits that fall straight down from the widest part of the hip.

The most flattering jeans and trousers for a pear-shaped body include:

• Straight
• Bootcut
• Flare
• Wide
• High-rise

Skirts are a perfect option for a pear-shaped body to cover up hip and thighs in an excellent way. Like trousers, tight fit skirts will draw attention to your body, and therefore, the best choice would be the ones with a wider body at the bottom. They cover up the size of your lower body.

You should also pay attention to the patterns as horizontal details will make your hip look broader than it is. Instead, choose plain skirts that are free from embellishments. The best length for your skirt is knee-length since it makes you look slim by stretching your body visually.

The best skirts for a pear-shaped body are:

• Tulip
• Full
• A-line
• Panelled
• Bias

Inverted triangle

The inverted triangle is totally the opposite of the pear-shaped body. In this body type, the shoulders or bust are broader than the lower body, which makes it look like an inverted triangle. These broad shoulders often cause the body to look like an athletic physique as they are strong-looking and squared. Like the rectangle, the inverted triangle type has little to no waist definition. It has, however, great and long legs.

What to wear for an inverted triangle?

An inverted triangle is heavier on the upper body thanks to broader shoulders and chest. All you need to do for this body type is to add volume and curve to the bottom to make your body form more proportionate than it is.

As your body has broad and squared shoulders, it is better to soften them by using soft and draping fabrics. You should avoid using wide necklines that broaden the shoulder since they make your upper body look even broader than it is. Apart from that, wearing clothes that create the illusion of a waist will lead to a more balanced body form.

Tops for an inverted triangle body type

Tops for an inverted triangle must play down the upper body and define the waist. Wrap-style tops or layering on the hips are great for this body type as they soften the shoulders while accentuating the waist. Tops should be fit and past the hip-line to add volume to this area and make the body form more balanced.

If you’re looking for the best jackets, try the ones with straight cuts or styles with waist definition. Jackets that are nipped or have belts with fluid lines are the best options as they will play down the shoulders. Your jackets must be free from embellishments like epaulettes or shoulder pads. Also, do not choose jackets with big collars or double-breast buttons because they add extra volume to your shoulders and breasts.

The best jacket styles for your body type are:

• Wrap Cardigan
• Waterfall
• Belted blazer
• Hip details
• Cutaway

Coats should also add volume to your hips and create a waist definition. To achieve this, you can use coats with details, such as pockets or patterns around the hip area. Try to use coats with darker colours as they will create a slimming effect.

Just like jackets, your coats should not have big collars, shoulder pads or embellishments. The best coast styles for your body type are:

• Trench
• A-line shape
• Cocoon
• Trapeze
• Princess

Bottoms for an inverted triangle body shape

The lower body in an inverted triangle is narrower than the shoulders, so you should add volume to it in order to balance the form of your body. You can do so by wearing trousers or pants with a lighter colour, patterns and prints, or with pockets around your hip area. Baggy trousers or jeans, wide-legs, and any style that flares from the knees are great examples of your body type.

Avoid skinny fit jeans and pants as they will make your bottom look narrower. Instead, opt for a cigarette and straight styles since they balance your silhouette better than skinny jeans. The best trousers styles for your body type are:

• Turn-up
• Culottes
• Palazzo
• Flare
• Harem
• Baggy
• Boyfriend
• Bootcut
• Wide

Skirts are perfect to add volume to your lower body, especially the ones that flare from the hip area and create an illusion of a wide lower body. Your skirts must have details like pleats and panels to add dimension to your body.

Skirts in bright colours, horizontal lines and big patterns are great for your body type because they draw attention to this area. Tight skirts, like skinny trousers, are a no go for you since they show your narrow legs.

Skirts that are flattering for an inverted triangle body are:

• Tulip
• Box-pleated
• A-line
• Bias
• Layered

Apple body shape

This body type is characterized by a narrow hip, large bust and a large midsection, which make the body look like an apple. The shoulders are round and wide, and the bottom is flat. Weight gain in this type of body tends to be visible first around the torso area, and therefore, they have little to no waist definition. In contrast, they have great legs. As it seems to be top-heavy, all you need to do is to add more curves to the lower body.

What to wear for an apple body shape?

You should try to take attention to your midsection and highlight your best parts, including your legs and your bust. Plain and structured garments would assist you to camouflage extra weight around your tummy, so steer clear of details in this area. Instead, use embellishments and bright colours in the lower body and above the bustline. As mentioned earlier, the apple body shape has no waist definition. Using darker colours, therefore, would help define the waist and achieve a proportional body form.

Tops for an apple body shape

Shirts should draw attention to the bustline and shoulders while skimming over the torso. This could be achieved by using tops with embellishments around the neck or on the shoulders to accentuate them. Another option for the top is a flowy fit shirt that flares at the hip as it conceals the big tummy. Wearing crop tops or the ones that end above the hipline makes the torso look bigger instead of hiding it.

When it comes to jackets, opt for single-breasted ones to avoid extra layers and volume around the torso. They should finish at the hipline, and the buttons must be below the bust line in order to balance out the frame of the body. Wearing your jacket hides the silhouette and makes you look slim. If you’re into belted jackets, choose the ones where the belt is just under your bust like an empire style jacket. Make sure that you do not use jackets with too many details or embellishments. Here are some of the best jackets that look good on an apple body shape:

• Straight
• Fitted
• Empire
• Cardigan
• Waterfall

Like jackets, the coast should also be longer than hip-length to pass over the mid-section and make your body look balanced. Structured coats, especially when worn open, are the best options to layer over your top and extend your figure. You should avoid coats with the belt and double breasts as they highlight your midsection. The most appropriate coats for your body form:

• A-line
• Cutaway
• Straight
• Trench
• Empire

Bottoms for an apple body shape

You should choose trousers and jeans that minimize the lower body. Back or side pockets work well on your body as they will add curves around your hip area. Moreover, since you have slim legs and a wide midsection, wide legs are the perfect options to balance your body shape. Avoid high-rise jeans as they accentuate the wide torso area. Low to mid-waisted trousers, therefore, are great for your body type. Finally, use trousers with darker colours and free from details like pleats around the waist because they are attention-grabbing and highlight your wide tummy.

The flattering trousers and jeans are as follows:

• Boyfriend
• Straight
• Bootcut
• Flare
• Wide

When opting for skirts, pay attention to their length as it plays a key role in either highlighting or camouflaging your tummy. You should choose the ones that end right above the knee, knee, or on the calf. The style of your skirt should be straight and high-waisted with a flaring style to elongate your figure and make it more balanced. Steer clear of tiered style skirts with layers or short skirts since they make you look boxy. The most appropriate styles that look good on you:

• A-line
• Flip
• Asymmetric
• Trumpet
• Bias

Conclusion

Remember none of the mentioned body types is better than the others. Determining your body type will only help you to know what style suits best on you. That way, you know what trends look good on you and which ones are a no go!