How To Dress According To Your Body Shape

All bodies are different, and all bodies are beautiful. Having been a Personal Stylist for over twenty years, I know confidence is hard to achieve when your clothing doesn’t flatter your body shape and accentuate your favourite features.

Discover how to select the most flattering clothes for your body shape, which fabrics to choose, and how best to style an outfit so you look and feel your best.

In this post you’ll learn how to style your clothes to complement your unique body shape. You are likely a mix of more than one shape, which just means you might want to draw inspiration from multiple parts of my style suggestions! This is just my personal guide, so still follow your heart and wear what you feel most confident and happy in!

How Do I Find my Body Shape?

To find out and style your body shape, you’ll need to consider these 3 things:

Bust
Waist
Hips

What Is My Body Shape?

Pear Body Shape

You’ll know if you have a pear-shaped body type if:

You have wide, full hips & thighs
You have quite narrow or sloping shoulders

Sometimes referred to as TRIANGLE shape – but there are certainly no angular lines to your figure

Full Hour Glass Body Shape

You’ll know if you have an hourglass body type if:

You consider yourself to be quite curvy
Your waist is very defined in comparison to your hips and bust
You have generally fuller hips, thighs, and bust
There isn’t a huge difference between your bust and hip measurements

Apple Body Shape

You’ll know if you have an apple body type if:

You would describe yourself and particularly curvy
You have a big bust
You have fullness around the middle
Your bust and hips can be the same width, or, your hips can be slightly narrower

Rectangular Body Shape

You’ll know if you have an Inverted triangle shaped body type if:

Your shoulders are broader than your hips
You have slim hips and thighs
You probably have little waist definition

What Do I Wear According to My Shape?

Body shape has little to do with size or weight. It is your bone structure that dictates your shape.

Pear Body Shape

Create a focal point above the waist! Start at the top by drawing the eye up with details to widen those shoulders. Look for colours and bright patterns to add interest on top. You can wear crisper fabrics on top. Feel free to stay simple on the bottom, picking dark colours in softer fabrics.

Some key styles:

Statement tops – horizontal lines
Puff sleeves
Layer on top
Coats that flare below the knee
Trench coat in soft fabric
Fussy shoulder detail
Waist length jackets with nipped waistlines
Cropped jackets – denim styles
Skater style skirts
Empire line dresses, wrap and A-line styles

Full Hourglass Body Shape

Flatter those curves! Focus on defining your waist and showing of your gorgeous shape. The key word here is fitted. Hourglass figures have an already defined waistline, so try to keep the bust fitted as well as the hips. Look for fluid fabrics that skim the body. It’s all about styling clothes to flatter your natural curves not hide them!

Some key styles:

Form fitting under the bustline
V-necks, wide scoop necks
Dresses with waist detail
Wrap dresses
Belts
Pencil skirts
Peplum style jackets
Avoid finishing the skirt/dress hem at the widest part of the leg

Apple Body Shape

Apple body shapes want to highlight their best parts and tend to suit straighter lines and empire cuts. It’s great to draw attention to your decolletage and those shapely legs. Keeping the detail on the top and lower part of the body helps to elongate your torso and keeps the attention away from the midsection.

Some Key styles:

Flowing tops that end below the hipline
Wide low necklines
Embellishment around the neck and shoulder
Statement jewellery
Details on sleeves – bell and fluted styles
Single breasted jackets – waterfall
Edge-to-edge coats
Wide flowing pants, or side fastening straight leg
Avoid belts and double breasting

Rectangular Body Shape

Straight body shapes, these are so much fun to style. Showing off their arms, legs and defined shoulders is super flattering. Your shoulders and hips are already balanced, so find pieces to break up the straight silhouette and create the illusion of curves.

Some Key Styles:

Have fun with textures and stripes
Halter necks
Scoop necklines
Blouse out the blouse
French tuck – tuck in shirt or sweater and leave it loose at the back
Curved detail on jackets and tops
Sleeveless & strapless lines
Dresses with side rouching or princess panels
Avoid belts
Any style of pants or jeans look great

Athletic Body Shape

You have a sporty athletic figure, so you look great in almost everything! However, you want to reduce the with of the shoulders by playing up the lower half with lighter colours and details. The main thing to remember is volume top or bottom, but not together. So, for example, when wearing a baggy sweater, wear skinny jeans, and with a full skirt wear a form-fitting top.

Some Key Styles:

Strapless everything! if your bust is small
V-necks
Halter style, sleeveless
Define the waist with belts and fitted styles
Vertical lines on top, horizontal lines on the bottom
Boyfriend jeans, baggy trousers, combats all work
Pockets and detail below the waist
A-Line silhouettes
Belted and nipped in coats/dresses
Avoid fussy shoulder detail – like epaulettes on jackets and coats
Avoid puff sleeves, wide collars and frills at the shoulderline
If your bust is heavy steer clear of stilhuetto heels

At Joan Cashman Colour and Image Academy in Cork, my style consultations are inclusive of all body shapes and types, skin tones and colours, ages and budgets. As an experienced Personal Stylist, I aim to help my clients feel as confident and happy in their own skin & individual style.

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