Dressing Your Body Type

Dressing Your Body Type

Do you ever have problems dressing your body type?  I know I do.  But I have gotten better at figuring out what compliments my body type, rectangle.  But it has taken me some time to figure it out!  Plus, as I have gotten older, my body type has changed!  So with the help of Closet Candy Boutique, lets learn all about dressing your body type!

Body Types

There are FIVE body types.  The following are the five body types for women.

1. Triangle
2. Hour Glass
3. Oval
4. Rectangle
5. Inverted Triangle

Let’s start going over the characteristics of each body type and how to style it!

Triangle

Characteristics of a triangle body type includes:

• Shoulders that are narrower than the hips
• Waist wider than the bust
• Full hips, thighs and rounded bottom

When styling a triangle body type, you need to add volume to the upper body.  And maintain a well defined waistline.  Here are some fashion tips!

How to style a triangle:

• Statement tops, ruffles, bell sleeves, cowl and scoop neck tops.
• High waisted skirts and straight-leg pants.
• Statement necklaces and scarves.
• Waist length jackets and blazers.
• Hem lines that hit below the knee.

Hourglass

Characteristics of an hour glass body includes:

• Well defined, narrow waist.
• Proportionate bust and hips.
• You may have fuller bust, hips ad thighs.

With an hourglass figure you want to highlight and flaunt the well defined waist and curvy figure with these tips:

• Form fitting tops.
• Lower necklines, v-necks
• Wrap tops and dresses
• Jackets and blazers that cinch at the waist
• Over-sized tops need a front tuck
• High-waisted jeans, flares or stretch skinny jeans and leggings
• Fitted jumpsuits

Oval

Oval body styles have three distinct features:

• Fullness around the midsection, less defined waist
• Top and bottom are relatively balanced
• Arms are rounded

The main objective of styling an oval body type is to create the illusion of a waist line.  And to elongate the torso. To do this, we need to draw attention to the chest and legs.

• V-necks and tops with wide necklines.
• Flowy, loose-fitted tops to conceal midsection
• Wrap dresses with flared bottom
• Jackets and blazers
• Empire cut tops and dresses
• Flare, boot cut, straight leg jeans.

Rectangle

I have a “rectangle” figure.  And I have struggled with it for a while.  With shoulders and hips about the same size and little waist definition, the struggle is real!  Here are the three main characteristics:

• Shoulders, waist and hips are about the same
• Little to no waist definition
• Not many curves, athletic-looking frame

The main goal for this body type is to create the illusion of curves and a defined waist line.

• Halter, strapless, racer-back and scoop necklines
• A-line, pencil and tulip style skirts or dresses
• Balance out oversize tops with a skinny jean or legging
• Skinny belts

Inverted Triangle

The inverted triangle is just like it sounds, bigger on the top.  Skinny through the hips and legs!  Check out these four characteristics:

• Shoulder and chest are wider than hips
• Possible full bust
• Straighter through hips and waist
• Flatter bottom and slim legs

The main objective when dressing an inverted triangle body style is to add curves to the bottom half of the body!  Look at these suggestions:

• Dresses that define the waist, A-line skirts or dresses
• Strapless tops, v-necks, wrap tops also visually narrow the shoulders
• Belts help create balance
• Boyfriend, boot-cut, straight leg jeans add curve to the bottom half of the body too!

 

Extra Styling Tips

Shirt Tucks

Front Tuck

• Tuck in at the center front of jeans/pants
• Twisted front tuck: twist shirt and tuck in the extra material
• On a button down you can tuck both sides in or one side only.  This helps define your waist if needed too!

Side Tuck

• Taking one side of the shirt and making a little twist.  Pull it through one side of your jean’s belt loop and then tuck in.
• For button down shirts; do a half front tuck by unbuttoning the bottom two or three buttons and tuck in just one side.

Back Tuck

• For women who want to conceal the midsection and are uncomfortable with a front tuck, a back tuck can still assist in creating definition and style!
• Just tuck the back layer into the pants

Shirt Ties

Front Tie Knot

• Tie the shirt in the front with a twisted knot
• Gather two ends of the shirt and tie together
• On a button down shirt; unbutton the bottom two or three buttons, take the two ends and tie together

Side Tie

• Gather the material to one side and twist into a knot or tie two ends together

Jean Cuffs

Simple Roll Cuff

• Simply roll the bottom cuff up

Tight Roll Cuff

• Roll the cuff up two or three times

Extra Wide Cuff

• Fold the hem up, one time, 3-4″

Conclusion

The picture above is me, always hiding my body in pictures.  Because I never felt comfortable in how I dressed.  Which I am sure many people can relate to!  However, every body style is beautiful!  And my goal is to help you celebrate your body by providing you with tips on how to dress your body type.  As this is something I have struggled with for the past several years, I hope you get just as much out of this post as I did providing and researching the information!

And always remember, when “cleaning out” your closet, always donate the pieces of clothing that don’t make you feel your absolute best.  I always used to “hold on” to clothing I liked but either no longer fit into (because I was going to loss that last 10 lbs!) or never fit me as perfectly as I had hoped!   But this year I did just that!  I cleaned out and donated clothes that never made me feel quite beautiful.  It was the ego boost I had needed for a very long time.  Because now everything I have, looks, feels and brings me joy!   Maybe now dressing your body type will bring you joy rather than anxiety too!