It’s no secret that women are different. Some are tall, others are short; some are curvy and others are straight up and down; some have hips and others have larger chests. There is no end to the different body types and combination of body types. And, although all of them are beautiful, it can feel as if clothes just don’t work for your body leaving you frustrated and blaming your hips or thighs for your dilemma.
The truth is that there is no such thing as a perfect outfit for every body type. Most women have to experiment a little to find the shapes and silhouettes that work for them. The most important thing to keep in mind when attempting to dress for your body type is to be objective and not blame yourself when certain items don’t work.
The basic shape that every woman should look to achieve with her clothing is called an hourglass shape. When someone looks at you from afar, it should appear that the bust and hip are around the same size and that there is a curve in at the waist. It does not matter what size you are, this basic shape is considered the ideal womanly shape. Of course, very few of us are blessed with this perfectly curvy shape but the genius of clothing is that it can hide what we don’t want seen and play up what we do.
For boyish or straight up and down figures, the goal of clothing is to create an illusion of hips and a chest. Women in this category should look for slim cut or boot cut slacks. Skirts should have some volume or an A-line shape. Tops and jackets should be fitted at the waist and have embellishment or volume near the bust and shoulder area.
For pear-shaped women who are larger around the hip than in the chest, the goal is to minimize the hip area and enhance the chest and shoulder line. Wearing dark, uniformly washed jeans and slacks that fit through the thigh and hang straight down on the rest of the leg will make hips look more proportional. Choose tops the fit at the waist and use ruffles or designs to draw attention upward.
For women with larger chests the goal is to accentuate your curves without bringing undesirable attention to your chest. Choose tops that fit close to the body and show off your curves but avoid low cut tops that show too much cleavage. Choose pants and bottoms the hug your bottom and add a bit of lift or interest such as pockets with buttons or interesting seaming. The cut should be boot cut or wide leg for pants and A-line, pleated, or full skirts.
Most women will have to try on many outfits before finding the right combination for her body type. The best bet for women with bodies that have been traditionally hard to buy clothes for it to stick to separates that are easily mixed and matched.