Body Shape Guide
Right, so this has been a problem for as long as I can remember, and even when I speak to my mum or her friends, they say they still cannot find the right clothing to suit their shape. Now working in fashion for the past 7 years, I know how difficult it is to make clothing to fit everyone's body shape, this is mainly due to everyone being so different. However, when you know what styles suit your figure, you will then be on your way to find the right cut/fit/piece for you. For instance, i'm a cone. Yup a lovely cone (NOT), what this means is, i'm small on the bottom but wider on the top and quite busty. So basically, i'm a completely different size on top then i am on the bottom, which makes dressing super easy (NOT!) Anyway, i digress - here is my body shape guide and what styles I believe will suit your body shape.
PEAR SHAPE
If you are a pear shape, you are typically smaller at the top but slightly wider at the hips and thighs. If this is the case then for the bottom part, i would recommend going for a darker wash jean, or black and ensure they are high waisted, so they nip you in the waist and make your legs appear longer and more in balance with your top half. At the top, tuck in a button down blouse, V neck tee. Remember you have a slender upper body so wear tops to show off your decolletage. You can also wear shoulder pads if you like!
HOURGLASS
If you have a curvy, hourglass figure then in my eyes you're very lucky indeed. An hourglass figure means you are more in proportion. Think Jessica Rabbit...So I would advise wearing the following: V neck tops and dresses which nip you in and highlight your iddy biddy waist. Wrap over dresses which tie at the waist also help to streamline your thighs and accentuate your bust AND nip you at the waist. I would always advise going for more fitted and tailored styles. DO NOT: go for babydoll dresses, high necked tops and dresses with shapeless cuts. You can also go for tops that sit at the waist and high waisted jeans.
APPLE
If you're an apple then it means you hold most of your 'stuff' along the middle. This often means that you are smaller on the bottom and on the top. To dress for this shape is quite tricky, but don't worry! I would recommend avoiding styles that accentuate the stomach area, for instance dropped waist pieces, or styles that have a rounded pattern on them. Neckline is really important too with apples so I would suggest opting for a soft V neck, crew neck or just any neckline that's slightly wider. Roll necks and high necklines are a definite no no. So let's start from the top, get yourself a good fitting bra, wear a v neck tee, SINGLE breasted blazer that does up underneath the bust and mid-to-high rise jeans or trousers. Be careful with sleeves too, i would avoid cap sleeves or bandeau style tops and instead opt for long sleeves or a flattering 3/4 length sleeve which elongates the arm. For trousers, go for flat fronted - maybe jeggings or a pair of trousers that do up at the side, this then avoids any extra bulk at the front. For dresses, A line shapes actually work well as they skim over the belly at the sides and cinch you in under your bust.
BOYISH
A boyish figure may be a dream to some people, but this shape can also be tricky to flatter due to the lack of definition. Boyish shape girls typically have small bums, narrow hips, no waist and quite a small bust. So what we have to do here, is to create definition and shape. Luckily for boyish figures they can pretty much wear any neckline they like, but I if i had a smaller bust i would wear high necklines, roll necks and casual round necklines, this will bring the attention away from your smaller chest but allow you to embrace more tailored tops. For jackets or coats you can go for boucle style jackets (think Chanel), classic Pea coats and trench coats that you can belt at the waist. For jeans, you can go for skinny, high waisted, mid-waist jeans AND boot cut! Boot cut are great if you have a super slim figure as they add definition to your look. Try not to go oversized with your look as it will look like your drowning in your clothes, or if you do, go baggy on top and tight on bottom, or the other way around.
CARROT
Now i'm a carrot, or as i would've called it a cone shape. So this is where you are noticeably smaller on the bottom then you are on the top, so small legs, bum and hips BUT broad shoulders, big bust and slightly bigger upper arms. I always accentuate my slim legs, high waisted jeans are my saviour, and i even like a little front tuck action to create a bit more of a waist. I NEVER wear strapless tops or dresses as i'm too big on top and I avoid halter styles tops too. Believe it or not, i do wear high neck, but only if it is fuss free at the top and not in too bright a colour. I love silk shirts that button down and sit at the hips, this then covers the stomach area but sits high enough to elongate the legs. For coats, i usually go for longline and single breasted so it skims the body. No Shoulder pads!!! The last thing us cones need is something else to make us look bigger on top!
Do get in touch if you want style recommendations for your body shape!
