How to dress your body type?

[cammy85]

I saw something earlier about assessing what body type you are, and that got me thinking - I have no idea what my actual definition would be. So I looked up my measurements, and I am in fact an hourglass shape. But that still doesn''t help me figure out how dress the figure I have. They suggest wrap tops and things that cinch at the waist, but I find them all unflattering on me (the ones I''ve tried on at least...) They''re pouchy and my boobs feel like they''re ready to fall out of the top. I want sexy, not skanky. I''m a 36-26-36 and I feel like no matter what I''m dressing myself in, I''m not doing it right, yanno? I feel like everything I try on shows either way too much boob or way too much butt and for me to feel comfortable in it, it looks like a sack on me because it doesn''t fit my waist.

Does anyone have any suggestions or things worth trying?

I found this website: http://www.shapeyourstyle.com/ with some information for each body type, but I would love some insight from anyone!

 

[Haven]

I think you just have to try on many different things and take note of what looks right on you. Cut is key (ha! Just like diamonds!) but fabric and size make a big difference, too.

I''m sure you have a few outfits that look killer on you, try to find more pieces that are made like those that make you look great.

I''d kill for your waist, by the way. I can''t get smaller than a 28-inch waist, no matter how much weight I lose.

 

[4ever]

I recomend you find a copy of "Trinny & Susannah, the body shape bible". It is a realy great place to start working out what is right for you.

There are really two kinds of hourglass shapes, short waisted hourglasses and long waisted. Im the short waisted long leg type (and if you have a hard time finding clothes that suit you probably are too) so i''ll let you in on all my tips and rules though if you have a long waist they''re abit different.

length is better then width- When choosing clothes the main thing you want to think about is showing off that hourglass shape. To do this you should aviod chopping you shape up into too many components by layering etc. Wearing several tops, a skirt and a jaket of all different lengths for example really slices up an hourglass body and ditracts from the bodys shape (and in my experience, makes me look really fat). The best look on a hourglass is a nice v neck dress which is fitted at the boobs, waist and hips, has sleaves and falls just below the knees. This allows the eye to travel down the curve of the body easily rather then across, which makes an hourglass shape look it''s best.

Boobs- most hour glass girls have big boobs. V neck tops are your friend. Not super low cut, but a nice deep V. Second in line to the V neck is the low round or scoop neck. This has the effect of splitting up the chest area from one huge mass. Women with big boobs should not wear high cut or turtle kneck type tops because these do exactly what a big chesed lady does not want and creates one big indistingisable boob mass which makes them look huge and very out of proportion to the rest of your body.

Balance- because an hourglass shape is almost perfectly balanced between top and botten half (which is great!) you need to try and keep that balance when picking clothing. eg: a big poofy skirt with a singlet would make you bottem half look much bigger then your top.

focus- aim to focus attention to your entire shape (enphasising the differance between the boob, waist and bum) or just to the waist, your best feature. Aviod bringing unwanted focus to other areas through big jewlery or colours which may visually unbalance the look.eg: a massive necklace brings the focus away from your shape and to you boobs.

Fitting- every bit of clothing an hour glass women has should be fitted at the waist. nothing is going to look less flattering on you then somthing with completly no shape at the waist. Having you waist significantly smaller then your boobs and bum is what makes an hourglass shape so appealing, so don''t cover it up. Because your boobs are much bigger then your waist to get the fitted look you may need to take jackets, dresses which fit around your chest and have them taken in at the waist so they''re a better fit. It''s often very inexpensive and really worth the results.

skirts are better then pants- this is a general rule, most hourglass women will find that fitted skirts and dresses are much more flattering to their shape then pants. This dosn''t mean fitted skin tight all over (ick) this means fitted on the chest, waist and hips. To wear pants without looking hugely out of proportion I find I have to wear near croth length tops to keep the attention on the attractive diference between the waist and hip size. The lenth a top ends at is where the eye is often drawn to, by having the top end around the widest part of my lower body the difference between this area and my waist is enphasised (having a top that ends just below the top of my pants makes me look very wide).

Sleeves- you will need them in most cases. sleevless tops cus off your shoulders and makes you top half look slimmer then your hips and our of proportion. Even a small sleve includes your shoulders and balances up you shoulder and hip width better.

Jewlery- keep necklaces simple, big chunky numbers draw attention to your boobs. A nice chain with a dangly bit just below your boobs draws the attantion to your waist.

Shoes- think curvy, round toes, peeptoes etc look great and goes with your curvey-ness, pointed toes and stilettoes do not.

And hour glass figure, as desirable as it is, is so difficult to dress well. I really recomend that book for a starting point and soon shopping will be soooo much easyer because you can tell just by looking at somthing it would look horrible on your shape.

Working out all these (and more) rules for dressing myself really helped me choose clothing that suits my body shape, I hope it helps you even a tiny bit too.

 

[cammy85]

Haven, I like the clothing to diamond analogy. All too appropriate. I do like my waist, I need to learn to embrace the large boobs as well though! :-p I feel like the small waist is a disadvantage becaue I always try to hide that a little bit (ie make myself look a little wider) so that my boobs don''t seem quite so huge. I''m in a male-dominated profession, so it''s also hard to want to look sharp when I know a women is looked at no matter what in this field, much less if they are dressed to flatter their shape!

4ever- wow, what a lot of helpful insight. I have noticed, by trial and error some things that look good on me. However for some reason, I am always insistent that I can find something that will fit perfectly right, off the rack. Your post is making me realize that yes, I need fit in the biggest areas first (boobs and butt) and then I can get it taken in around my waist (as well as arms sometimes too, because the sizes are huge compared to me...) I do really like deep v cuts on me, so I guess that''s good I''ve figured that out, and why I think I look like a uni-boob in turtlenecks, but for some reason I always kept wearing them... I get so jealous sometimes of the trendy hip stores because I try all these cute spaghetti-strap tops on and I look like I am going to break out of them thanks to my chest. I''ve had a hard time accepting/figuring out what I can and cant wear. Just because it looks amazing on someone else doesn''t mean it''ll look amazing on me. I don''t know a lot of people with my body type so I can''t really look to them to see what they are wearing etiher, I''m a learn-by-seeing type of person. Like "oh- that looks cute, I''ll look for something like that next time I go out." I''m going to check out that book soon I think. I''m so tired of shopping and finding NOTHING that looks great on me and settling for something that''s ok that I''ll only wear a couple of times because I don''t feel great in it. I want to start investing in a few nice pieces that whenever I put them on, I feel KILLER in them. I have had a hard time embracing my body (I always see flaws) but I know when I dress it well and flatter my curves, there is a whole new sense of confidence I feel. I need that more often!

Where are Stacey London and Clinton Kelley when I need them??

 

[tlh]

I''d buy more stretchy fabric, and layer. Like a lace overlay, on a cami. So you can see your tiny waist, but don''t feel over exposed.

 

[4ever]

I have so been exactly where you are now and it really sucks to feel like nothing that looks good on everyone else looks good on you. I also do not have any friends with the same body shape so it can be hard that they can go and buy cute trendy spagetti strap tops in summer which look horrible on me (tiny tiny straps do not look natural holding up boobs like these).

It is such a hard body shape to dress and when you don''t feel like your getting it right it can really bring you down.

That book is a really good start. It goes briefly through each body shape and gives you do''s and don''ts and examples of what to look for when shopping. I have found the whole Trinny and Sue "what not to wear" tv shows really insperational and helpful, and they always really cheer me up if I''m bumed out about my body. There are a couple of other good books too, such as their colour book which have been great (I''m not trying to advertise, my mum and I are just real Trinny and Sue converts).

 

[LGK]

I have a similar body shape, and have been everything from size 0 to size 16 in my adult life. Here''s what I''ve found works at any size for me: Skirts. Skirts skirts skirts, and dresses. Pants make my butt look big even when I''m skinny. I wear skirts and dresses in public pretty much exclusively.

And jackets with nice fitted waists, and v-necks that aren''t too deep. Yeah, some v-necks are cut too far down- you just have to weed through them. Once you find the right style it''ll look amazing, sexy but not trampy. I tend to have bad luck with the v-neck tops that have the built in boob pouches- like the seams under the boobs and gathered at the seams. (Kind of a common camisole style.) There just isn''t enough room up top, and if you get a size that''s got enough boob room, then the waist is super baggy. For casual I like v-neck babydoll t-shirts, and at work I tend to wear v-neck camisoles in the summer, and fitted jackets/blazers over various v-neck shirts in the winter.

Never, ever get anything that doesn''t have a fitted waist of some sort. Like empire waist dresses- those are so hideous on me I can''t even tell you. Anything that makes the Boob Shelf effect, where the clothes hang off your boobs and don''t nip in at the waist. (A *lot* of dresses tend to do that, which is why I tend to go for skirts... it''s kind hard to find dresses that fit both waist, hips and boobs- there''s usually the Baggy Waist Boob Shelf effect going on, which is not cute.)

 

[monarch64]

How tall are you? I''m also an hourglass but I''m 5''10"...the typical waist on a wrap dress hits me mid-rib, not at my natural waistline. If you''re very tall, or you''re petite, you may need to shop tall or petite sizes in RTW to find things that actually fit well, or have things tailored.

 

[Mara]

I cannot wear wrap dresses even if they are recommended for my ''shape''. Reason is that I don''t have a small waist and even if I am kind of curvy, my waist is not small enough to not make me look boxy with a wrap dress. I just look ''bulky''. And if you have any kind of boobs, forget it, then you will just look all sorts of bulky unless you have a TINY waist (hourglass).

I don''t know about dressing for my ''shape'' as per a website or book would say or whatever, and those stupid magazines that say dress for your shape and show ideas have stuff I don''t even like... but I do know ''assets'' and how to play those up vs ''detractors'' that you want to hide. for example all those cute babydoll dresses that are empire waist, well unless I wear one that has smocking all the way down the boobs ONTO the ribcage partially down the stomach, then I look totally pregnant. But if I wear one that has additional smocking part of the way down to show my smaller ribcage and shape of my torso under the boobs, then it makes the dress lay more flat, and be WAY more flattering.

Also I notice with wider shoulders that any way I can ''chop up'' my shoulders aka with multiple tank top straps or with a colored bra strap and then a wider top or off the shoulder top to show both, then it makes my shoulders look much smaller. Same with me not wearing strapless vs straps. Strapless just shows the width of my shoulders, straps chop me up to make it look smaller.

Little things like that is what I consider ''dressing for my shape''...as opposed to ''i have an apple shape'' or whatever and using someone''s idea of what works on my body when I know that isn''t the case.

 

[cammy85]

Wow, sorry I haven''t responded, I guess I didn''t see this until now!

tlh - I love layering, I have to find more camis that fit snug under my other shirts, I have trouble with them bunching up around the smallest part of my waist, then making me look poochy. fun fun!

4ever - I love What Not to Wear with Stacey and Clinton - they really give me perspective on how people view their bodies, and how you just have to try a lot of stuff out to see what works. That book sounds fabulous, and really am curious what the recommendations for me would be! And spaghetti straps... not my friend.. Not only do they look obscene on me, those shelf-bras that are built in to every single pair nowadays are for people with a chest half my size, they NEVER fit.

LittleGreyKitten - I agree I feel my best in skirts, or a great fitting pair of jeans. And v-necks. Though I''m really picky about them because they go from classy to trashy really quick! Boob pouches! Exactly! I hate those. With a big chest and a small waist, it''s not a good match for a designer''s preconceived notion of what chest size I should have if everything else on me is XS. Thank you so much for your perspective, especially as someone dressing for various sizes and being comfortable and happy in all of them! You are an inspiration and wish I could be happy with what I have and get over what shortcomings I feel I have! Empire waist almost ALWAYS makes me look pregnant. They don''t fit my chest and then don''t come in at the waist like they are supposed to. So usually from the front they look ''ok'' but then from the side, I look like I could pop a kid out any day. Thank you so much for all of your insight! Any advice is always appreciated!

Monarch - I''m 5''4". So I''m usually shopping in petite sections for my clothes. And I''m starting to resign myself to admitting pretty much anything I get will have to be tailored. I refuse to spend money on something that''s ok only because I''m running out of clothes. If it''s a matter of a few bucks to have it tailored (or to do it myself!) and feel fabulous, it''s so worth it.

Mara - Even with an hourglass shape by the ''body type standards'' wrap dresses do not look good on me. I always look like my boobs are ready to fall out at any given second. Maybe i just am not finding the right things? I do need to learn to play up my assets and tone down what I don''t like about myself. I do like the look of ''multiple straps'' since I feel like I have somewhat broad shoulders, but I also am dying for support, and can''t get over especially the bra strap showing with the spaghetti strap top. Strapless bras are usually tragic on me.. I think you''re right on track where you dress ''your shape'' with what is flattering on your versus taking a set standard of ''this will look good on you'' and following that blindly, because I know that usually isn''t the case for me.

This does make me feel better that (1) lots of people, regardless of shape and/or size have this issue but also that (2) you CAN find things that make you feel fabulous and sexy. It''s a matter of fit.

So if anyone is still reading this, I do have a couple of follow up questions:

-What stores do you normally have luck in? I am a big fan of Express, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft and White House Black Market. Is there anywhere that I could be having luck in that I''m glossing over?
-And, do you buy a few expensive pieces that can be tailored to perfection and wear them all the time, or do you buy lots of less-expensive pieces so you can have a lot of variety in your wardrobe? I always feel like I''m wearing the same 5-6 shirts on a weekly basis, but I love how I look in them, and haven''t had much luck in adding to my wardrobe. I usually buy things when they are on sale as well, my biggest splurge was a pair of work pants on sale for 50% off and they were still over $100!

 

[4ever]

Date: 7/13/2009 10:00:06 AM
Author: cammy85


-What stores do you normally have luck in? I am a big fan of Express, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft and White House Black Market. Is there anywhere that I could be having luck in that I''m glossing over?
-And, do you buy a few expensive pieces that can be tailored to perfection and wear them all the time, or do you buy lots of less-expensive pieces so you can have a lot of variety in your wardrobe? I always feel like I''m wearing the same 5-6 shirts on a weekly basis, but I love how I look in them, and haven''t had much luck in adding to my wardrobe. I usually buy things when they are on sale as well, my biggest splurge was a pair of work pants on sale for 50% off and they were still over $100!

I can''t help with the shops as I''m not in the US but I can answer the second. I personally buy alot of less expensive peices for two reasons - first like you said, variety. I tend to get really bord and depressed wearing the same stuff all the time. The second and more relevent reson is cost- I''m a poor Uni student so while I would love to buy those fab investment peiced that look great, are fantastic quality and I''d wear to death, I just can''t afford to. My clothing purchasing at the moment involves me being really bord and depressed with wearing the same thing all the time so I go and "slurge" on a new (really cheap) top.

I think the investment dressing is a better way to go if you can afford it. Having a few beautiful quality items which fit you perfectly and you look great in will make you feel fantastic and you will definatly get alot of wear out of them. Having Investment wardrobe staples like great pants, a jaket, a skirt a coat a dress etc means you can have fun buying the cheaper wardrobe peices like lots of colourful and/or trendy tops and accesories to keep changing the look of your outfits and keep it feeling new and interesting.

 

[cammy85]

That is such a great idea - being able to buy the ''timeless'' things as investment pieces, and spending a little less on the stylish/trendy clothes and being able to swap those out more frequently for a fresh new look. I hadn''t thought of it in those terms. I''m more an all-or-nothing kind of person. It''s been hard because, while I''m not a poor college student, I''m very cost-conscious. I always save my money for ''emergency expenses i may one day have.'' haha So then I feel a little guilty splurging on clothes (especially if some major necessary expense comes up shortly after). But I never spend beyond my means at least, so there is always moeny to cover the ''needs.''

I recently lost weight, and still am working on replacing the old, larger wardrobe with new clothes and am having a devil of a time with it. Not only am I spending quite a bit of money to replace pretty much everything, but I am still overwhelmed with all the styles out there, mostly ones that aren''t flattering on me haha. I think that you provided a new way to look at it, though. It''s a lot less intimidating if I can find a few pieces that fit great and are versatile - and then I''ll worry about the ''accessories'' and other stuff later.

I either have a really great time shopping or really discouraging. It''s strange. Sometimes it''s hit - where pretty much everything I try on looks great and fits well, but usually it''s a big, fat miss... things good in ''theory'' are really unflattering. I think that may be more a matter of learning the whys of picking certain clothes - accentuating versus concealing. Until I figure that out, I think I am still going to be just trying on everything I think looks ''cute'' on a rack and praying something fits. I already feel like I''m learning more just from all of your experiences and advice though, so thank you!!

 

[VRBeauty]

it might also be worth your while to enlist the help of a professional who can help you expand your horizons a little bit. Many of the larger department stores have personal shoppers that will help you at no charge. I''ve used personal shoppers at both Macy''s and Nordstrom. In both cases they were helpful even though I shop mainly in the sales racks! Some of the smaller boutiques can also offer expert help -- but they tend to be higher-end stores.

 

[cammy85]

Date: 7/21/2009 2:43:44 AM
Author: VRBeauty
it might also be worth your while to enlist the help of a professional who can help you expand your horizons a little bit. Many of the larger department stores have personal shoppers that will help you at no charge. I''ve used personal shoppers at both Macy''s and Nordstrom. In both cases they were helpful even though I shop mainly in the sales racks! Some of the smaller boutiques can also offer expert help -- but they tend to be higher-end stores.

Man, I never even thought of that - I would just get so worried I''d get "suckered" into buying expensive items because they look good on me and because I''m not confident of my skills to do it on my own! I don''t see the harm in one or two nice things, but I think maybe I should use them as ''teachers'' sort of? And listen to their advice? Or do they just pick clothes they say will look good and that''s that?

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I am a tall, skinny, pair. Close are just not made for me. Here are some things I do to make myself balanced.

Jeans/pants: Lower waist, fitted hips with large back pockets, flared legs. I avoid belts, the contrast between my normal sized hips and my tiny waist ends up making me look bigger on the bottom.

Skirts: I can pull off almost anything as long as it is short (knee length). Long skirts don''t work on me

Dresses: A-line v-neck, or wrap dresses balance me out the best and show off my waist.

Tops: I do mostly short sleeve in summer over tanks because I am bony up top. Layers work well to balance me out.

Swimsuits: Bikini - shows off my flat stomach and my torso is so long that one pieces are tough to find. I do a halter bikini top as that enhances my shoulders and takes attention away from my lack of chest. Usually a regular bikini bottom.

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Cammy--I''ve never used a personal shopper but know a friend who did at Nordstrom and she was very happy. I think the SA is paid through a commission on what you buy, but she was as happy to pull from the sale rack as full-priced stuff. They stopped first at the bra dept. It was a learning experience, the SA told her to get the uplifting bra, jackets that fit at waist etc. She even had her bring in pieces from her own wardrobe that she wanted to work from, created a working wardrobe rather than pieces that didn''t match. I think it helps to have a goal in mind--tell the SA I am looking for jeans that fit, tops that match; signature pieces for work, special occasion, etc. so that you have a focus. I would have a dollar amount in mind and let her know what you want to work from. Because of this I have not done it cos I never spend XXX amt at a time, I just get one pair of pants etc. BUT they would be happy to help even one thing--like great fitting jeans.

My take on SA is this--They are trying to establish a customer base, so that every time you come back to Nordstrom you ask specifically for the same SA. Be loyal--even to the point of calling to make sure they are there if you are gong to drop any significant amount of cash. Your future business is what they are looking for, not just making you happy today. You can even have her call you when something comes in she thinks would look great on you. It is a great service and something you should not hesitate to use even if you are buying a small amount. They know if they put that dynamite outfit on you --you will succumb-- and buy it --and be thrilled --and come back!!

Sometimes a store has a personal shopper that stands out from the rest, you could ask around and see if one is known for being special. Good luck!!

 

[cammy85]

LtlFirecracker - thanks for the suggestions. What real people wear (what works and what doesn''t) really helps me figure out what to try. I do think skirts are flattering, but for some reason I am just more comfortable in jeans. I hate wearing belts, I like wearing fitted shirts and to have pants that require a belt give that weird ''pooch'' because the belt is wider than my waist and hips if it''s going to work properly. It just looks strange.

HappyAnniversary - thank you so much for the insight on personal shoppers. I definitely see them as a service-oriented job, so I would definitely be loyal to a good one if I found one, much like a hairstylist. I just don''t know if I have the budget to be able to purchase several items at a time, which for them to be useful I think, is necessary - so that you can pull together severl mix-and-match ensembles. I usually buy one piece at a time, visualizing what''s in my closet and if it''ll go with jeans, haha. I''d hate to feel like I''m using their valuable time to buy only one thing when they could have someone else redoing their whole wardrobe.

 

[VRBeauty]

Sorry to have been missing in action here.

The personal shoppers I''ve used were not all about making you buy stuff, especially in the larger department stores. They are about helping you find the right stuff. As Happy Anni said, their aim is to build customer base. The great thing about using them is that 1) they''re really familiar with the store''s merchandise, and 2) you get expert second opinions.

One woman I know has cultivated a relationship with a small, family-owned store that she likes, and she goes in just twice a year, when the store is well stocked with new merchandise, and picks out a few suites of things that go together well, working with the store''s owner. It''s kind of an informal "personal shopper" experience. Another friend has a similar relationship with a saleswoman at a nearby Ann Taylor store. I think the key there is to home in on the stores that carry the kinds of clothing you like, and then to find someone there whose input you trust.