Knowing Your Body Shape Is The Key To Looking Good
Women come in all shapes and sizes contrary to the belief of quite a few of today's clothing manufacturers. Regardless of your body shape you can look stylish and the main key to looking and feeling great is knowing your body shape and how to dress appropriately. The good news is there are some clothing manufacturers who have come to appreciate this fact and they are now producing clothes suitable for more than just one shape. Detailed below are the four basic body shapes and information about how to tell which one you are.
Straight (also called the banana shape)
Women with a straight figure have little difference between their bust, hip, and waist measurements. They often find that garments are too large in the bust, hips, and thighs, and have trouble finding clothes that flatter without being too tight in one area or too loose in another. Empire gowns are often flattering, and can help draw attention to the upper body. Detailing and patterns can help break up your shape, preventing a "rectangle" or boxy look.
The Pear, Bell or Spoon Shaped Body
Women with pear shaped bodies are larger in the hips and thighs, and generally have smaller busts than waists giving an appearance of a larger bottom half to the body. Items of clothing such as fitted jeans or slim skirts are not best suited to this shape. Garments which hug the hip and thigh areas should be avoided at all costs. When selecting dresses a fitted bodice with a fuller skirt looks good. Detailing on tops will help to give emphasis to the upper part of the body.
The Apple Shaped Body
Women with apple shaped bodies tend to have large rib cages and thicker waists. Their bust measurements can be large or small but their hips are usually narrower and they regularly accumulate weight in the areas of the chest, arms, abdomen and shoulder first. Compared to the rest of their bodies their legs are usually slender. Apple shaped women should avoid garments drawing attention to the neckline and shoulder areas, as these only highlight their broad upper body. A fuller styled skirt will help to provide an overall balanced appearance.
The Hourglass Shaped Body
This is a very popular and much liked shape. However, quite a few women with his shape have difficulty finding clothing which fits perfectly all over. Garments that look just perfect on the bust and hips are often loose at the waist. Then again, if the clothing is selected to fit the waist, the hips and bust are usually too tight fitting. In this instance its best to go for something which accentuates the waist line, but although it may only be something like moving the position of a button, you may well have to make some slight alterations to other parts of the clothing to get the look just right. Avoid heavily decorated or details items of clothing as this will only make your already ample areas look even bigger.
Dressing to suit your body shape is an important part of looking good. It'll also help you feel better, and give you more confidence. If shopping has been a nightmare so far, it doesn't have to be.
A quick search online will turn up many retailers offering clothes that are made to fit different shapes, both locally and abroad. See what you can find and say goodbye to badly fitting fashions.
