- Body shape is really all about proportion. Getting dressed is a whole lot easier when you know what pieces work best for your shape. Most women fall into one of four categories: Pear body shape, Hourglass body shape, Wedge body shape, Rectangle and Apple or Circle body shape.
- Once you can determine your body shape, it would help you decide which fashion trends to embrace and which to avoid. Here’s a guide to help you out:
- 1. Pear Body Shape
- Pear-shaped celebrity: Omotola Jalade Ekeinde
- Pear body traits: Your lower body is much larger than your upper body
- Your best assets: Shoulders, torso and flat stomach
- Your fashion goals: Emphasize your waist and arms, add volume to your shoulders and upper body and minimize your hips.
- NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 23: Nigerian singer Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde attends the 2013 Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Jennifer Graylock/Getty Images)
- Dos And Don’ts
- DON’T wear shapeless, oversize sweaters
- DON’T wear skinny jeans and pants; and skirts in a flimsy, curve-hugging fabric, like silk.
- DO wear wide legged pants for a longer and slimmer silhouette
- DO experiment with light-colored tops and dark-colored bottoms for contrast.
- DO look for boat neck tops, square and cowl necklines.
- DO wear A line skirts
- Hourglass Body Type
- Hourglass-shaped celebrity: Toolz
- Hourglass body traits: You have an ample chest, a narrow waist, and full hips
- Your best assets: Your curves
- Your fashion goals: Show off your curves… without going overboard.
- Dos And Don’ts
- DON’T wear shapeless or boxy styles, like baby-doll dresses, tunics, and oversize cardigans.
- This pair hits at the natural waistline, so it draws the eye to a thin middle.
- DO wear fitted dresses.
- DO wear a belt at the waist to enhance your hourglass shape.
- DO try wrap dresses.
- DO go for high-waisted pencil skirts to show off your hips.
- A close-fitting blouse with an open neckline flatters curves without exaggerating them.
- Wedge Body Type
- Wedge-shaped celebrities: Eku Edewor
- Wedge body traits: Also known as the inverted triangle, this body shape features a broad chest and wide shoulders which are large in proportion to a narrow waist and hips.
- Your best asset: Your legs
- Your fashion goals: Accentuate your lower body while softening your shoulders and upper body.
- Dos And Don’ts
- DO wear bright colors on bottom.
- DO wear wide-leg pants.
- DO wear full skirts.
- DON’T wear spaghetti-strap tops.
- DON’T wear boat neckline tops.
- DO wear tops that call attention to your waistline.
- DO experiment with high-waisted styles.
- DO look for clothes that create the illusion of a waist.
- Rectangle body shape
- Rectangle-shaped celebs: Seyi Shay
- Rectangle body traits: The waist, hip and shoulder widths are similar and are usually on the slim side.
- Your best assets: Your arms and legs — and you don’t have to minimize any body features.
- Your fashion goals: Create curves and show off slender legs and arms.
- Dos And Don’ts
- DO wear scoop neck and sweetheart tops to create curves.
- DO wear long jackets to create a lean look.
- DO wear tops with collars, ruffles and details to flatter your chest.
- DO wear a good bra that will make the most of what you have.
- DON’T wear overwhelming styles.
- DO layer to add more dimensions.
- DO wear dresses with ruching. Cinches on sides are ideal.
- DO have fun with colorful bottoms… feel free to experiment.
- Circle Body Shape
- Apple-shaped celebs: Omawunmi
- Apple body traits: Most of your weight accumulates above the hips, you are thick around the middle.
- Your best asset: Those legs!
- Your fashion goals: Clothes should fit loosely around the midsection (to conceal a full stomach) and more snugly elsewhere (to play up thin limbs).
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- Dos And Don’ts
- DON’T wear anything that draws attention to the middle―like high-rise pants, belts, and waist-cinching tops.
- DO go for v-neck tops to create the illusion of a longer torso.
- DO wear a bra that offers good lift and support.
- DO conceal tummy bulge by shift dresses
- DO wear boot cut and flared jeans to create an even line from the shoulders down.– By Shade A’ Onakoya
