Dressing for your body type: Style tips and outfit ideas
Discover how to dress for your body type with our comprehensive guide! Get inspired with style tips tailored for hourglass, pear, inverted triangle, rectangle, and apple body shapes. Dressing for your body type and can really accentuate your features through the medium of fashion
With so many ways to dress, it’s difficult to know what works for YOU. In this post, we’re chatting all things body types and ways to dress for them – to help give you some inspiration! Please keep in mind though, these do not define how you need to dress; this guide is just for those looking for something to help them get started with styling or who are specifically interested in dressing for their body type. Fundamentally, dress how you like!
Understanding Different Body Shapes
So what are the main body types? Here’s our definitions:
- Hourglass: This is when the top and bottom half of the body is equally as wide. Usually this body type would have a smaller waist too.
- Pear/Triangle: This body type includes narrow shoulders and wider hips!
- Inverted Triangle: This is the opposite of the triangle body type! Instead an inverted triangle body includes wider shoulders and narrow hips
- Rectangle: Small hips and shoulders, the body is equally proportioned.
- Oval/Apple: The top and bottom half of the body is narrow. Usually includes slender legs and weight being carried around the chest or stomach areas.
Now that we’ve established the above body types, let’s delve into how you can dress to flatter every shape.
Hourglass figure dressing tips
Those with an hourglass figure might look to define the waist and emphasise their curves. Form fitting clothes and plunging tops can help to really carve out the shape you’re trying to make. High waisted pants, cropped tops and figure hugging pieces really help to define the silhouette. Avoid anything baggy or box shaped! Show off your curves and avoid any clothing that has no shape or does not add to your natural shape.
Pear/Triangle shape styling guide
Pear/Triangle shapes may want to emphasise the neckline and elongate the body through their clothing. You can do this really well with dramatic jewellery or statement pieces around the neck and utilising v-necks or scoop necks to add definition. To elongate, consider a-line styles or maxi skirts/dresses! Flared pants also really help with this too. Draw the attention away from the waist and upwards by creating volume around the upperbody! Items with structure in the shoulders or using brighter colours up top can assist with this.
Styling tips for inverted triangle body types
Inverted Triangle: We can aim to balance out the shoulders and hips by drawing attention to the hips/waist. To do so, consider clothing that elongates the legs and adds volume around the calves. Flares or bootlegs jeans would work really well for this. High waisted pants could also help in defining the waist and pulling the eye downwards. To soften the line of your shoulders, try different fabrics! Softer fabrics with light patterns or colours can achieve this. Avoid any low or wider necklines with this body shape.
Rectangle body shape: key fashion pointers
Rectangle: You may find that you have very defined collarbones or shoulders with this body type, so why not show them off? To do so, consider strapless dresses or tops, or shirts with more narrow necklines. Anything fitted and structured really suits. Alternatively, we’ve seen lots of rectangle body types rocking the oversized tshirts or jumpers, along with some cycle shorts! Choose whichever you fancy. Consider do you want to define your shoulders or legs.
Dressing tips for apple/oval body shapes
Apple/Oval: Flowy styles and A-lines work so well for this body type, paired with form fitting pants to complete the look. Consider what you want to draw the eye to. Are you wanting to show off your shoulders, legs or waist? You could create a waist with belts paired with your dresses or skirts too. Maxi styles work very well for this. Add curves to your shape and emphasise them! Flaunt what you’ve got. You can do this by choosing clothing that highlights the bust but is flowy around the body.
To sum it up
Now that you know your body shape and how stylists recommend dressing for it, have fun trying out different outfit combinations and see what you love. The main thing is that you feel happy, comfortable, and good in what you wear.
Fashion is all about feeling confident! That should always be at the core of how you dress yourself. See what works for you and let us know via our social media channels!
For more articles on styling tips and creating a capsule wardrobe, see our other blog posts!
Sources for this article: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/body-types#male-shapes
https://theconceptwardrobe.com/
https://www.stitchfix.com/women/blog/fashion-tips/find-fit-for-your-body-type/