A few weeks back I did a post on my body shape, The Pear/Triangle, and thought it would be useful to cover the others and why they are all beautiful in their own way! In the summer I will be launching Style Sessions which will include Body Shape Analysis, going into more detail on identifying your shape, what we are aiming to achieve and how we can do this through clothing, accessories, patterns, colour, fabrics etc. But for now, you can find some quick definitions below…
The Pear/Triangle
As a reminder this frame has narrower shoulders compared to the hips, takes a smaller size on the top than the bottom and has a curvier bottom and shapely thighs. To create balance we want to draw the eye up to the smaller top half and away from the heavier bottom half. We also want to ensure we are defining the waist while adding more structure and body to the top to ensure we are balancing the frame and creating curves in the right places.
The Strawberry/Inverted Triangle
Much like a strawberry this frame tends to have shoulders that are wider than the hips. You are likely to wear a larger size on the top than the bottom. Our aim is to create balance and you can do this through creating shape and adding width to the hips, drawing the eye to the centre of the body and the hips and minimising and drawing the eye away from the bigger top half.
The Banana/Rectangle
This shape is more angular. The bust, waist and hips are all a similar size, the shoulders are quite straight, the bottom is flatter and there is little waist definition. But it can be so easy to balance this frame by creating a waist and giving the illusion of curves. Its important though to keep balance between the top and bottom half while doing this to ensure we don’t tip the scales to either a Pear or Strawberry.
The Apple/ Round
As an Apple you are likely to have more rounded shoulders that are a similar size to the hips. You can see a heavier bust, and more weight around the tummy and upper body. The waist may also have less definition and the legs are likely to be fuller This figure is beautifully curvy! With this shape we want to look to lengthen it and add more angular features to balance out the proportions and create the illusion of an hourglass. Again we can do this by defining the waist more and avoiding baggy, unshapely clothes that just add more weight.
The Hourglass
A shape that has so many benefits if dressed in the right way! This frame has shoulders and hips of a similar size, a clear and defined waist and often curves in all the best places. It’s a well balanced and feminine figure and our aim with this is to accentuate the curves in the right way and avoid creating an imbalance.
Each and every shape is beautiful in its own way! They can be slender or full which can alter how you dress for them which we go into more detail in my Style Sessions. And don’t forget the foundations of how you dress, ie your underwear, can make all of the difference to how your outfits drape.
It’s so important to remember as well that as your go through life changes, like ageing and having a baby, your body shape can change and how you dress for it. So make sure every year or so you are considering how your body has changed and what the best way is to create balance. Rather than beating ourselves up about a body change, try to embrace the opportunity to try new styles of clothes!
Which body shape do you think resonates with you? I’d love to hear which one you think you are. And keep an eye out for my Style Sessions launching in the summer which will give you all the tips and tricks to dress for your beautiful shape!
