Women just love the idea of dressing up. We like to stare down our reflection over store windows. We have different fashion icons we look up to and clothing rules (basically guidelines) we adhere to. But before getting clothed and glammed up with these trendy articles of clothing, it is essential to identify one’s body type. By doing so, it would be easier to understand why certain clothes look great on you, or why that classy midi skirt is yor favorite!

Building a wardrobe based on clothes that flatter your figure and help dress those curves will be easy for you once you have identified your body shape.

The Four Figure Shapers

For starters, the safest way to determine your body type is to measure these four body shapers and compare the proportion with each other. Just remember, all body types are beautiful!

Shoulders

Grab your tape measure and wrap it at the topmost part of your shoulders. This should be the broadest point above your shoulder blades. Here are some tips on taking your measurements.

Waist

You should look for the narrowest part of your waist, which is more often above your belly button. Friendly tip: you shouldn’t confuse this with the “waistline” basis when you wear pants.

Hips

Look for the fullest point of your hips. Then place one end of the measuring tape on the front of one of your hips then wrap the tape measure to the other hip.

Bust

Hold your measuring tape on the fullest part of your bust and wrap it all around you. Don’t forget to go under your armpits to measure it accurately.

The Most Common Body Types For Women

Apple-Shaped Body

You fall under this body type if you have a heavier upper body than your lower body, have your shoulders broader than your hips, and have a less-defined waist. This is also characterized by having a bigger bust line and the weight gathers around the midsection. Apple-shaped body type is also known as the circle, round, or inverted triangle body type.

How to Dress Your Curves

Since the weight is on the upper part of the body, the catch is that you need to take the focus off that part. You can do so by creating a proportioned frame: maintain the balance, divert focus and rethink color.

The outfit you wear should help you give balance and maintain a good proportion to your shoulder, bust, hips, and waist. Further, diverting focus means drawing attention to the other parts of the body (i.e., to emphasize your favorite parts). As for the color selection, remember that wearing bright colors draws the eye more than solid or dark colors like black or navy blue.

Best tops for apple shapes are warps, dolman sleeves, V-necks, and peplums, among others paired with skinny jeans, flared jeans, bootcut jeans, belted pants, and high-waisted pants.

For the dresses, you can try wearing off-the-shoulder dresses, wraps, maxi styles, embellished necklines, and empire waist.

Pear-Shaped Body

If you have your hips broader than your shoulders, waist, and thighs wider than your bust, and have fuller hips, you definitely have a pear-shaped body. Celebrities with this body type include Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. This is sometimes referred to as the “triangle shape”.

Outfit Ideas for Pear Shapes

Fashion tricks for this figure include wearing peplum blouses, square necks, cowl necks, V-necks, and boat necks, matched with slim straight jeans, bootcut jeans, high-waisted jeans, bootcut denim (in the dark wash), flat front pants, and high-waisted pants, among others. For dresses, you may wear A-line, fit and flare, wraps, midi dresses, midi skirts, and belted styles. 

Enhance your looks by wearing waist-length jackets, cropped jackets, textured coats, wraps, and accessories such as drop earrings, a statement necklace, and belts. Plus, it’s a great idea to choose dark colors at the bottom to balance out proportions.

Hourglass Body

This body shape is the most sought after as it exhibits a well-balanced figure. Not to mention that this body type is versatile and can slay whatever outfit you have in your wardrobe.

In this body type, the top and bottom parts of the body are proportionate and the waistline is very well-defined, thus the “hourglass” figure. The body is curvy and the measurements of the bust and hips are roughly even. You can have fuller hips, busts, and thighs in this body type.

Fashion Takeaway for Hourglass Figure

To start off, people with an hourglass figure should celebrate their waistlines and thus wear tops that are fitted. Great fashionable tops also include peplum blouses, V-necks, round necks, boat necks, and wrap tops. It’s not actually hard to dress your best with this body shape!

And yes, wrap dresses, A-line dresses, belted dresses (belted on your natural waistline), midi dresses, and fit & flare will naturally highlight your body’s best features partnered with those high heels and comfy wedges. You can easily get away and dress up with any pair of footwear with your ideal curves.

Rectangle Body Shape

This figure is usually proportionally balanced from the shoulders to the bust, waist, and hips. This is quite close to the hourglass body shape except for the well-defined waistline. With this body type, you’re not particularly curvy and your four-body measurements are relatively the same. This is also described as the “boyish frame”, straight-line body, or athletic body.

Rocking The Perfect Style

Power pieces for rectangle shapes are racerback styles, halter styles, tank styles, scoop necklines, round necks, strapless tops or dresses (partnered with a vest of an inside shirt, to be more modest), V-necks (surprisingly, this looks great on different body types!), sweethearts and detailed collars. 

You can further dress your best when you pair these mentioned tops with high-waisted pants, wide-leg jeans, slim-straight pants, pleated pants, printed pants, flared or straight pants.

You may further try to enhance your look by wearing trench coats, belted jackets, vests, and accessories such as statement earrings, waist belts, rounded-toe shoes, pointed shoes. Try throwing on your favorite scarf as well!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily knew from a very young age that dressing up empowers everyone – men and women alike. She believes that fashion means modesty and comfort but struggled to find clothing that speaks her personality. Hence, she founded Modernly Modest – a brand that signifies grace, elegance, power, and beauty all in one! Join her as she grows her passion project and learn more about how you, too, can be modest and fashionable at the same time.