Working Out Your Body Shape

Books, magazines and websites are full of information about how to dress for your body shape and flatter your figure.  The information can be a bit tricky to interpret especially when you feel like you fit into different categories.  Also a lot of stylist come up with their own names for the different shapes and use fruit (apples, pears), letters (l,H,A), shapes (rectangles triangles) and even musical instruments (cello).

They key to dressing for your shape is about balancing your proportions.  Horizontally you need to look at your shoulders, waist, hips, thighs and ankles.  Vertically you need to look at your torso and leg lengths as well as your neck.  You then learn styles that balance out your proportions to the human eye.  For example a wide boat neck will make your shoulders appear wider, great for some people and not for others.

Here a few tips to help you work it out.

·         Wearing your underwear stand close to the mirror and mark (with something that can be cleaned off) your shoulder width, waist width, hip width and thigh width.

·         Wearing your underwear or tight fitting clothes (e.g. tank top and leggings) use a tape measure around your bust, waist, hips and around the widest part of your thighs.  Get a friend to do this or stand in front of the mirror side on. Make sure your tape goes straight around your body and there are no dips or angles at the back.  Your waist point is normally around about your belly button or the smallest part of your body, not necessarily the waistband of your jeans.  Your hips are measured around your hip bones where your leg joins your body, not where you put your hands on your hips.

·          Measure from your hips to the floor and then from your hips to the top of your head.  If your two measurements are equal or similar you are balanced.  If like me the distance from hip to the floor is shorter than from your hip to your head you are long in the body, or the opposite from hip to floor is longer you are short in the body.

·         When you gain weight were does it go on your body? The stomach area, your hips and thighs or your top half.  When body shapes are explained there is often a note about where you put on weight.

If you want more information I found these websites helpful.

Inside Out Style works on letters as body shapes.  Scroll down the page and on the right hand side you will find the choice of seven body shapes: 8, A, H, I, O, V, X. There is a detailed explanation of the body features related to your shape, photos of people with that shape and what to look for and avoid in the fit of different garments.   After checking your body proportions by reading the descriptions you can work out your body type.  I found these very straight forward and easy to understand.

At Shop Your Shape you can enter your measurements and it advises your body shape, also compare this to the silhouettes and double check you fit into this group.  You are then advised on what design features in garments suit you.

My Virtual Makeover works on your horizontal and vertical body shapes.  It advises what to wear and what not to wear. I like how it breaks your body into sections and then you can add it up at the end. They also give you style icons (celebrities with that body shape) to look to for inspiration.  OK so the celebrities are tiny but the concept of looking for certain clothes shapes and fashions to follow can be used.

I really enjoyed Gok Wan’s books ‘How to Look Good Naked’ and ‘Work Your Wardrobe’.  I love his positivity and who doesn’t want to hear how gorgeous they are?   Check your local library for copies and see if it helps you.  If you like what you read, you can buy pre-loved copies on trade me generally for $15 or under, or at your book shop for around $30.

Remember the description of your body type (or print it out) to work out how to accentuate your positives and not the bits you don’t like.

Some body parts you really don’t like are actually not as bad as you think.  The more you focus on a certain area of your body the bigger you perceive it is.  Why not go people watching?  Next time you go shopping or to a party sit down with a drink and have a look around.  What are people wearing? What size are they? What shape are they?  I find this quite inspiring and it also can give you ideas of what to wear.  You might see a fuller figure girl showing off her arms and looking great, or a flat chested girl wearing a plunging neckline looking sexy. 

Be advised your body shape is not a label.  It is just a helpful guide for shopping.  For example if you learn an A-line skirt looks better on you than a pencil skirt you will save a lot of time by not trying on pencil skirts.  Also no matter what body shape you are you will have great features you will want to accentuate so embrace your body as a whole.

I am an hourglass.  I have a very large bust (I’m a G cup), larger thighs than hips and a round belly.  Also I have a longer body and shorter legs.  So I need to consider all these points, not just my ‘hourglass’ figure when buying clothes.

As I shop for my wardrobe I will give you tips on what styles are best for you and what the NZ stores are currently offering.

Let me know what websites or books you found helpful.  Or if you’re still having difficulty let me know and I will point you in the right direction.