Body Shape

Find Your Shape – Oval

Find your shape, find you, and find your confidence

OvalOval shape: Can also be deemed the “apple” shape and known as the “circle/round” shape too.

Under this category there is a shorter waist, wider rib cage, rounded neck and back. Hips are often lower and legs are on the slender side. This group is top heavy (bust and stomach area) with a flat bottom.

Goal: To create width and height, while distracting from the larger mid-section. Playing up the assets around this area.

Tips:  Use vertical lines to play up you strong areas and minimize the mid-section. Choose baby doll dresses and tops to camouflage your tummy. Trousers worn to the hips are perfect. Sometimes you can go for high-waist pants as they take away from attention to the mid-section. It will flatter the figure. Steer clear of tight or skinny jeans.

What to wear: 

Ovalwtw

Body Image

Plus sizeSomeone shared this with me…it’s not my photo and I didn’t write this. But…I absolutely love what this woman wrote. So well done! Please read; it’s quite enjoyable and share. 

A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was “This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?”

The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:

“Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.
They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.
They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.

Mermaids do not exist.

But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?
They would have no sex life and could not bear children.
Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.
And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?

Without a doubt, I’d rather be a whale.

At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.

We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn’t enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.
We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.
Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: “How amazing am I ?! ”
Do share if you care.

Find Your Shape – Diamond

DiamondFind your shape, find you, and find your confidence

Diamond Shape: You have a body shape characterized by narrow shoulders and a small bust and back, with most of the weight distributed through the midriff and waist area. If you have a diamond shape you should avoid anything overly fitted, patterned, contrasting or tailored through the waist.

Goal:  To achieve more of an hourglass shape by elongating your figure, drawing attention to the center of your body and drawing attention to your arms and legs.

Tips:Wear tops with wide ‘V’ necklines and hemlines that finish above or below the widest point on your body. Try straight, long tunics that taper at the waist and flare out slightly with darts, side vents or slits. Wear necklines that accentuate your shoulders and bust.

Wear vertical stripes and color blocking that shifts the focus inward and elongate your frame. Your ideal skirt is ‘A’ line. It should skim over the bottom, and create smooth, clean lines. Wrap dresses give the illusion of a waist, flatter the bust, and skim over the hips and thighs. Wear soft, flowing fabrics to avoid adding unnecessary bulk.

Bottoms look best when straight and narrow.

What to wear:

 Diamondwtw

Find Your Shape – Inverted Triangle

InvertedTriangle

Find your shape, find you, and find your confidence.

Inverted triangle shape: Also known as the apple shape. Your hips are smaller than your bust area and you may have wide shoulders.

GoalFocus on the bottom and bring balance and proportion to your body.

Tips: When shopping you’ll search for things that’ll draw attention downward and away from the shoulders. Dark colored tops are helpful to bring in size (You can find bright tops that help with this too). V-neck, wrap style dresses, and vertical lines draw attention downward. Jackets should be narrow at the shoulders and widest at the hips. Pants with pockets and embellishments and bottoms that enhance and flatter your lower body help bring the balance you are in search of. Those blessed with this shape, tend to have great legs, be sure to show them off as often as you can!

What to Wear:

InvertedWear

Find Your Shape – Hour Glass

sizeFind your shape, find you, and find your confidence.

So let’s finish our discussion on body shapes and how to dress for your specific type! This New picture is just another way to identify your shape (plus I just like that they’re women in dresses and heels LOL!). We have already discussed the triangle/pear, the inverted triangle/apple, and the rectangle (part 1 and 2 of this post), let’s continue on…

*Remember that one person’s body type can fit into multiple categories. Learn about the different shapes, play with the categories you feel you fit into, and find your comfort. It’s all about the knowledge of yourself and confidence in that. Also note that the “What to wear” sections are suggested visuals…make it your own beautiful lady!

hourglassThe Hour Glass shape: Bust and hips fairly similar in size, and a waist considerably smaller. This body shape will find buying clothes off the rack easier than the other shapes. Celebrate and focus on balance. Your torso is already balanced, so ensure you keep the balance in your clothing styles.

Goal:  To find clothes that fit and flatters your curves. Hourglass shapes also tend to look great in classic cuts and styles.

Tips: Hourglass figures can honestly wear just about everything under the sun with the exception of billowy loose tops and dresses. Your figure can get lost in it if you don’t

choose the right piece. Your best styles are classic silhouettes like a shift dress, pencil skirts, and peplum. Clothes should be more structured and on the tailored side. Pencil, tulip and bias cut skirts are ideal for your body shape as they enhance your curves. Wear peplum jackets and belted trench coats. Don’t wear boxy coat styles. Avoid masculine, boxy, shapeless or baggy clothing. Slim-fit and boot-cut jeans in dark denim slim and elongate your legs. Avoid loose blouses that billow or flare at the bust line as this adds volume. Wrap tops and dresses emphasize your proportionate figure. Experiment with waist-defining belts to enhance your naturally defined torso. Avoid shorter hemlines. Your curvy figure is sexy enough without adding miles of leg!

What to Wear:

hourglaswtw

Find Your Shape – Triangle Shape

BodyImageFind your shape, find you, and find your confidence.

I often hear a lot of women speak of the horror that comes with shopping. I even hear comments like “I can’t do that…”, “I’m just not that adventurous…” etc.  It’s true, one cannot wear everything and shopping can be an exhausting chore—but only for the women that does not know herself.  One of the many reasons I enjoy shopping and trying different things is because I have come to know my body; its strengths and weaknesses. Today you can become in tune with your body too, simply by asking yourself: “What is my body shape and what can I wear that will compliment it?”  Well below I have a few answers that I think you’ll find helpful.

*Remember that one person’s body type can fit into multiple categories. Learn about the different shapes, play with the categories you feel you fit into, and find your comfort. It’s all about the knowledge of yourself and confidence in that. Also note that the “What to wear” sections are suggested visuals…make it your own beautiful lady!

TrangleTriangle Shape: Otherwise known as the pear shape, refers to the individual with broader hips and narrow shoulders. This shape is often confused with the hour glass.

Goal: Visually slim the bottom half and play up the narrower upper half of your body.

Tips: Because the goal is to bring focus up, you’ll want to wear things that bring volume up top. High shoulders (shoulder pads) and embellishments around the bust area. Wear bright colors and bold patterns at the top, again bringing focus there. Wear tops that fit at the waist or are nipped at the waist. V-necks, off the shoulder, and boat necks are good to elongate the neck and bring attention to your slim waist!

What to Wear:

TriangleWear