How to dress for your body type?
The key to dressing well is to know your body and what to wear to accentuate your best features. Naturally, when you look in the mirror you can probably make a guess at what body type you are, but do you know which silhouettes are best suited to you, and what your vertical proportions are? In this blog, we will cover the ultimate guide for defining your body type and dressing for it. This is not to say you can’t dress how you like, often we gravitate to styles that flatter us without realising it!
If you are interested in learning more about your body type, all you need is a tape measure to determine which category you are most like.
Horizontal body type calculator:
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Measure from one shoulder all the way around to the other ( you may need a helping hand!)
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Measure the bust from the fullest part all the way around, without pulling the measuring tape too tight
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Measure the waist all the way around at the smallest part
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Measure the hips at the widest part all the way around
Once you have these 4 measurements, you can determine which shape you are most like!
The hourglass
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Nancy Navy Organic Cotton Jersey Rib Maxi Dress
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Mid Wash Denim Full Length Flared Jean
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Don't Be A-Frayed String Linen Jacket
Inverted Triangle
You have an inverted triangle body type, your shoulder and/or bust measurements are larger than your hip measurements. It is best to wear clothes that create the illusion of balanced hips; straight leg jeans, wide leg trousers and A-line skirts will flatter you well. Tighter short sleeves, and wider long sleeves will help to balance out the shoulder area also.
Rectangle
You have a rectangular body shape if your hip bust and shoulder measurements are similar, and your waist is slightly smaller, or similar. Emphasising your waist with belts, using A-shape silhouettes to create more volume at the hips, and wide leg trousers will be very flattering.
Pear/Triangle
If your hip measurements are larger than your shoulder measurements, you have a triangular body type. Bright tops, prints and sweetheart necklines work well for this body type to put more emphasis on the top half of the frame.
To determine your vertical proportions, you can measure:
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The top of the head to the bust
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The bust to the hipline
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The hipline to the centre of the kneecap
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The kneecap to the floor
Your measurements should place you loosely within one of the three categories:
1. Balanced – Your upper and lower body lengths are almost the same, your waist is equal to your elbow when bent and your hipline to ground height is equal to half your height. Your goal will be to elongate the mid-torso if you have this body type, and you can achieve this by wearing accessories that draw attention to the face, longer and untucked tops, and straight and flared pants.
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MaRelali Chunky Beaded Necklace
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Rainbow Scattered Floral Linen Tunic
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White Denim Full Length Flared Jean
2. Long leg/short torso – The hipline to ground height is higher than half your height, and your legs are very long in comparison to your body. Wearing long-line tops and keeping them untucked will elongate the torso so that it seems more balanced with your leg length. For the same reason, longer jackets will be flattering also. For trousers, a lighter colour will draw less attention to the legs than the top, and low rise, flared and straight trousers will work well.
3. Short leg/long torso - The upper body is longer than the lower body. Wearing high waisted, full-length trousers will elongate your legs, tucking in tops will also draw more attention to the illusion of a higher waist. If you are comfortable wearing them, heels assist in the illusion of longer legs too!
