Body Positive – Embracing your unique body shape

Judy is an image consultant from Edenglen. She shares how finding the best outfit for your body shape can be flattering. One of the biggest concerns my clients have is that the clothes they chose in the shops look different on them than what they did in the store.

Dressing well is about more than picking out the most expensive clothes. Outfits, which have been chosen to support and accentuate your body, have the ability to highlight everything that is great about your body. The right clothing choice will flatter your unique body shape. It is for this reason that not everything you see in the shop window will look good on you when you hit that changing room.

In the past, we were held back by limited style and clothing variants. But, as fashion and clothing lines evolved so did the variants available to women and men. You are bound to be able to find something that will accentuate and flatter your body regardless of the shape, colour scale and proportion of your body.

Dressing for your body shape is important

I always tell my clients that one of the most important aspects of finding the right outfit is to take into consideration what your body shape is. It really doesn’t matter what size you are. Finding the right clothes for your body shape is about more than chasing runway and Hollywood trends. The right clothes will empower your unique style and bring out the best in you.

The right clothes should highlight your shape and bring out your personality at the same time. To find the right clothes you need to look at your body realistically. Only then will you be able to find out what your basic body shape is. Your basic body shape will determine which clothes suit you and how you can make the best of your wardrobe choices in the future. Here are my hand-picked tips for dressing to suit your body shape:

Apple Shape

Your clothing choices should draw attention away from your waist and mid-section. Opt for tops and dresses with a V-neck that falls below your hips and covers the entire area of your belly. A-line dresses and dresses which wrap around are an absolute must have. Bulky tops and jackets featuring double breasts are a no-go and the same can be said for skinny jeans.

When choosing the right tops choose ones which are layered. Pants and jeans should always be boot cut and avoid wearing a belt around your waist. If you decide that you want to wear a belt, opt for wearing it below your bust area. By doing this, you will be creating curves and it will also give the illusion of a minimized waist.

Pear Shape

If you have a pear-shaped body you want to accentuate your shoulders. This can be done through the use of carefully chosen necklaces and scarves. Dresses and tops which feature embellishments are great because they have the ability to broaden your shoulders. You are lucky because you can also wear puff shoulders.

Pear-shaped bodies need to try and avoid short skirts, capri-pants and pencil skirts. Rather opt for a pair of tailored pants which flare or an A-line skirt. Colours are incredibly important. Opt for solid dark colours at the bottom and lighter colours for the top.

Rectangular Shape

Those with a rectangular shape do not have any natural curves. This is not a disaster and you can ensure you use clothes to create the illusion of curves. Empire-waist dresses are your best friend. When you wear pants, make sure that they are high wasted and your tops should end mid-way through your hips.

To create the illusion of having wider shoulders you should wear pleated top or tops which feature ruffles. Adding volume to your upper half is easily achievable through the use of accessories. Underwear is just as important. You need to wear bras which give support; this will accentuate your waist making it more defined.

Hourglass Shape

If you have an hourglass shape you want to highlight your curves. To do this you need to make sure you accentuate your waist. Stay away from baggy clothes and focus on drawing people’s attention to your narrow waist. You need to make sure that your underwear fits properly and offer the right support. Your stunning figure allows for you to wear V-neck dresses and tops and pencil skirts.

Finding the right clothing for your body shape might seem daunting, but it needn’t be. Contact Judy for a personalised consultation on judy@empoweredbystyle.com