Do you want to have the most stylish year ever? Whether you’re a fashionista who loves to embrace the latest trends of the season or a style it girl who wears what she feels best in, knowing the styles and clothing that accentuate your figure can help you make the most out of your wardrobe and outfits.
But how do you know which styles were made for your figure and which styles to avoid? That’s why we’re here! We would love to help you understand how you can make your favorite trends and pieces contour your curves and make you feel confident and vibrant all year long.
And with that being said, we also want to remind you that your style is entirely up to you to create! You should wear whichever clothing you love most because what will always look best on you is confidence. When we feel good in our clothes, we exude radiance and confidence, which will make any outfit that much better. So from buying cute boutique clothes to wearing colors strategically, we cover the top tips you need to dress for your body type.
What Body Type Do I Have?
Women come in all shapes and sizes and every person’s body is unique in its own way. However, these are some of the most common and popular body types that most people resonate with. Before we dive into how to style clothing to accentuate your body, check out these descriptions to have a better idea of how your clothing may fit. If you are having a hard time determining which shape most closely represents your body, you could always take your measurements with a measuring tape in front of a mirror to see how your numbers line up. Measuring your bust, hips and waist might reveal a shape based on the differences you see.
Hourglass—If you have an hourglass shape, your hips and shoulders are equal in width and you most likely have a smaller waist. You probably also have a fuller bust and bottom.
Diamond—Diamond bodies are more narrow in the shoulders and legs, but your midsection or hips may be fuller or wider.
Rectangle—With a rectangular shape, your curves are less emphasized and your body type is typically more narrow.
Pear—Pear shapes have a smaller upper body with wide hips and a full bottom.
Inverted Triangle—If your body resembles an upside down triangle, you most likely have beautiful broad shoulders and a narrow lower body.
Essential Tips for Creating Flattering Looks
As you style and shop for your favorite summer looks, keep these styling tips in mind so that you can create the most flattering looks for your body type!
- Never Miss an Opportunity to Try on Clothing. With all the online shopping we are doing these days, it can be hard to try clothing on before you buy it. But if you’re shopping at your favorite store in person, never miss the opportunity to hit the fitting room and see how different styles fit you. Even if you are shopping online, you can always have a try-on session in your bedroom. Trying on clothing is an essential part of learning your body and understanding how your curves look in certain styles.
- Take Risks Confidently. Whether you like to be adventurous and try new styles or you prefer to stick to the styles you love and know, we encourage you to take more risks to learn which styles look best. Even if a style seems like it won’t be flattering or it’s outside of your comfort zone, try it! You may be surprised at how the trend translates on your body, and you’ll be feeling very confident if you pull it off!
- Cinch the Waist. Whether you have an hourglass or rectangle figure, most unflattering clothing can be turned into treasure by cinching the waist a few different ways. If you find that a blouse or boutique dresses are too baggy and you feel like your figure is being drowned out, you could always add a belt or alter the clothing to hug your waist a little more. Depending on the style, you can go with a thick belt to make a statement or use a thinner belt to blouse out the dress or the blouse to create a naturally cinched look.
- Add a Knot to a Dress to Elongate Your Figure. We love maxi and midi dresses more than anything, but we realize that sometimes they may be on the more flowy and baggy side. If you want to turn one of your favorite maxi or midi dresses into a curve-hugging and flattering style, you can add a knot in two interesting ways to quickly change the entire look of the garment. You can try our first knot hack by taking a midi or maxi dress that’s a little longer and knotting one side of the bottom of the dress. This will create an asymmetrical look, which will elongate your figure and give the dress an entirely new feel. Secondly, if you want to cinch the waist of a baggy dress, turn the dress inside out and pinch the center or side of the dress you would like to cinch and then tie it into a knot. Flip the dress so it’s not inside out and throw it on. You’ll notice the inside knot creates a beautifully cinched look that appears as though it was designed that way.
- Make It a Crop Top. Don’t be afraid to show off that cute waist! No matter which body type you have, taking a flowy or longer blouse and cropping it will accentuate your curves and figure, giving you an instant confidence boost. You can tie, knot or tuck tops in the front, to the side or even in the back. Add cute accessories to elevate your outfit.
- Go Off the Shoulder. If you want to achieve an hourglass look, showing off your shoulders with an off the shoulder dress or top can actually create the illusion of a smaller waist. By drawing attention to your shoulders, you’re taking the emphasis off your waist and minimizing your core! Don’t forget to top your look off with a pair of cute shoes.
- Wear Black Strategically. Obviously, wearing an all-black outfit is one of the most flattering things you could do. However, there are so many interesting ways to style and wear black that don’t involve it being the entire look. If you’re trying to minimize something on your body, throw on a black garment. For rectangle shapes, if you want to create an hourglass figure, you can always style a striped garment that places a black stripe on your midsection contrasted with lighter color stripes, which will create a curvy illusion.
These styling essentials can be applied to all body types and will have you feeling like you know exactly how to style and dress your body type perfectly!