We have all looked through Pinterest or Instagram and seen inspirational folders full of gorgeous and stylish clothes.
But when you buy them, they just don’t look right on your body. Perhaps the style of clothing is just way outside your comfort zone, or the fit isn’t right. Either way, it can leave you feeling deflated.
Well, we are here to tell you that this is completely normal. The real reason that some clothes might not look as good on you as they did on the model is that your body shape is different.
All you need is some clothes that work with your body shape and accentuate the features and shape you already have.
In this article, we are going to explore the main female body types and what you can do to emphasize the uniquely stunning shape that you already have.
Sometimes all you need is a bit of know-how, and that is what we are going to go over in this article.
All bodies are unique. It is something that you can’t really change, it is a result of your genetics and the literal skeletal structure you have.
You can change your shape a little through exercise, dieting, and hormone levels, but generally, the shape of your body is what it is.
So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and get started!
What Are The Different Female Body Types?
Before we can tell you how to dress for your body shape, it is important that we go over what the five main body shapes are. You will usually fall into one of these categories.
So make sure to find out which shape you actually are. It can help you so much when it comes to accentuating your shape or even hiding areas of your body that you are not comfortable with.
1. Rectangular Body Shape
If you have a rectangular body type, you will not have a very defined waist and your hips and shoulders will be about the same size.
This shape is well known for being an athletic body shape, and it can be seen in celebs like, Gweneth Paltrow, and Kate Hudson.
You can best accentuate a rectangular body shape by adding some kind of illusion waistline. Wearing belts, with your trousers belted jackets, and mid-waist trousers are all good options.
If you are keen to start wearing belted fabrics, we suggest wearing softer fabrics. They usually look great belted and can help to draw your attention to the waistline.
This body type is absolutely perfect for any type of pants. You can wear anything from form-fitting, to loose trousers and still look fantastic.
If you decide to go with tighter pants, this can be a great way to highlight the curves you have and accentuate your waist area.
2. Inverted Triangle Body Shape
If you have an inverted body shape, you will likely have broader shoulders than hips. On top of being broader on top, you likely will not have a great deal of definition between your waist and hips.
There are quite a few celebrities that also have an inverted triangle body shape, some of the most famous are as follows: Rene Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, and Demi Moore.
If you have an inverted body shape, you might want to gravitate towards small straps, small necklines, and plain or understated patterns on your upper body.
We also recommend that you wear clothing that accentuates your hips and legs. For example, you could wear wide-leg trousers or an A-line skirt.
If you are a girl that likes to wear jeans, we recommend going with the boyfriend jean cut. This type of jeans will accentuate your lower half and not highlight your narrower hips.
3. Pear Shape
Otherwise, known as a triangular body shape, this is a body type that will typically highlight someone with wider hips than shoulders.
As such, you may have wide hips and narrow shoulders. Many celebs have a body like this, some of which include Kim Kardashian.
If you have this body shape, it is a good idea to wear clothing that draws the eye to the upper portion of the body.
An easy way to do this is by wearing brighter colors on your upper body. On top of that, you could wear clothing with sweetheart, or boat necklines.
These two cuts can help to broaden the shoulders. As we said, this is always a good idea for someone with a pear body shape.
Alternatively, you can also use layers to add a little more volume and weight to your shoulders and upper body.
As such, you should make sure your shirts are hip-length. They should end at the widest section of your hips..
4. Round Body Shape
This body shape is otherwise known as an apple body shape. The defining feature of this body shape is the larger upper body.
You will likely be bigger on top than the body, and you may not have a very defined waistline. But, the round body shape will tend to have a slimmer waist and gorgeous legs.
However, there may not be much hip definition with this body type.
Many people think that this body type is super difficult to accentuate. Most people will buy oversized clothing to cover up their larger upper bodies.
But, you do not have to wear loose and unflattering clothing for the rest of your life. In fact, if you start dressing more proportionally and accentuating your legs and waist, you can really create a flattering silhouette.
The best thing you can do with an apple body shape is to wear simple, streamlined tops that are not too detailed on the shoulders.
If this is a problem area for you, too much embellishment can draw attention to the upper body.
In short, you need to aim to make your overall look kind of balanced. What this means is that your tops need to be tailored, and your jackets should not be too skin-tight.
As for dresses, a short, slim-fit dress is the key to looking gorgeous.
If you are a jean-wearing girl, we recommend that you go for a straight-leg jean cut that emphasizes your stunning legs.
This cut of jeans also does a fantastic job of highlighting your waist and creating an overall balanced yet casual outfit.
5. Hourglass Body Shape
A woman with an hourglass body shape will typically have hips and shoulders that are the same width, while also having a nicely defined waistline.
The most famous celebrities with this body shape are as follows: Maralyn Monroe, Beyoncé, and Dita Con Teese. All of these stunning women are well known for their feminine hourglass figures.
If you have an hourglass body shape, the best thing you can do is accentuate your waist, as it is the most slim part of your body.
If you have this body shape, you likely have an impressive bust. Some people want to make their chest outlook smaller or more modest.
In cases like this. It is a good idea to wear tops that have a boatneck or a scoop neck. Wearing turtleneck tops, on the other hand, should be avoided.
As for your lower half, we suggest that you wear trousers that have angled pockets.
If you want to highlight your waistline, we recommend that you wear an empire waist dress or a peplum top to really accentuate your stunningly feminine body shape.
The Golden Ration And Body Types
The key to looking stunning in your clothes may lie in knowing your body shape, but there are other elements that can play an important role in helping you pull off a look.
But, paying attention to your overall proportions is also essential.
In particular, we recommend that you pay careful attention to the rule of thirds. If you can understand the rule of thirds, you will be able to bring your style to the next level.
As you might have guessed, the rule of thirds divides the body into three sections. In general, it is a good idea to have one-third on the top and two-thirds on the bottom.
Alternatively, you could do two-thirds on top and one-third on the bottom.
This may not look good on all body shapes, so make sure to bear that in mind when you are trying this rule of thirds section.
At the end of the day, with the rule of thirds, you can divide your body into sections any way you like. You will come up with a combination that looks great on your body.
How Can You Accentuate Your Body?
If you are still stuck and not sure how to accentuate your body, these tips to help accentuate the hood points and hide any problem areas might be a good idea for you.
If Something Doesn’t Fit, Don’t Keep it
If an article of clothing does not fit, don’t feel pressured to keep it. You might want to buy something a size smaller, intending to fit into it in a couple of weeks, you are setting yourself up for failure.
So, buy clothes that actually fit you and do away with the clothes that are too big or too small.
Have Foundation Clothing In Your Wardrobe
While it is fun to jump around with fashion trends, it is always a good idea to have a few staples in your wardrobe.
These timeless pieces are often great paired with more risky articles of clothing. They help to tone down a look and ensure that it looks good no matter what you are trying to pull off.
Don’t Buy Clothes In A Rush
You know the saying, don’t buy something that you don’t like. Just because there is a huge sale, does not mean that you need to buy something.
Especially something that you don’t like. Additionally, we don’t recommend buying exact copies of an outfit. It is so easy to lose yourself in a style.
Keep At It
You might be pulling out all the stops and doing all the right things, while still not getting quite the response you wanted.
All we can say is that you should keep at it. Try over and over again until you find something that makes you feel good and something that gets you the response you want.
What Can You Do To Make Yourself Look Slimmer?
Most people want to look slimmer. The way that the media portrays women and pushes a really slim, streamlined figure makes us want to look lean.
In this section, we are going to take a look at a few tips that you can follow to make yourself look slimmer.
Let us preface this by saying that you don’t need to look slimmer just because the media says so. You’re gorgeous whatever size you are, and you shouldn’t let this define you!
However, if you want to look slimmer to empower yourself, here are some tips.
Get Some Good Shapewear
Buying yourself a good set of shapewear from Skims or Spanks can do a lot to smooth down your silhouette and make you look slimmer.
Try An All Black Outfit
Sometimes an all-black outfit can do a lot to make your body look lean. It creates long vertical lines that make you look both taller and slimmer.
If you have short legs, this is a great way to make them appear longer than they are.
Try Heels With A Low-Cut Vamp
You might not know what a vamp is, and we couldn’t blame you. This is essentially the part of your shoe that cuts across your foot.
A lower vamp can make your legs look both longer and leaner. Which is always a good thing.
Use Vertical Stripes
Vertical creates a very visual vertical line. This can make your body look longer and gives the illusion that you are much leaner.
Simply adding a belt to your dress or something like that can make you look a lot slimmer.
High Rise Jeans
A great way to make your body look much leaner is to wear high-rise jeans or trousers. This cut can make your body look leaner and more elongated.
They can also make you look taller and streamline your lower half.
Posture
You would be surprised how much posture can change your look and make you look slimmer. So, when you are standing or sitting, make sure to sit properly. It can make a world of differences.
Tips To Make Your Thighs Looking Slimmer
A lot of us have trouble with our thighs. It can be so hard to look lean and good in something when you are self-conscious about the way that your thighs look.
Well, there are a few things that you can do to make your thighs look super lean. We have listed them down below for you to check out:
Wear something flashy on your upper half. By wearing a shirt or jacket that catches the eye, you draw attention away from your thighs.
A full skirt or wide-leg trousers can flatter thicker thighs and make you look all the more stunning.
Try wearing black opaque tights. They can really make your legs look much slimmer.
By wearing a simple pair of heels, you can make your legs look longer, which in turn can make your thighs look smaller.
Nude shoes have an almost magical ability to make your legs look longer. So, try on a pair of nude heels to make your thighs look less chunky.
Remember, your body is beautiful. Trying to hide your thighs just because they are not long and lean does not make you look bad in any way.
Simply wear clothes that make you feel good. Whether that is making your legs look longer and leaner, or you enhance your natural curves. As long as you feel good, that is all that counts.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you have enjoyed reading this article and learning about how you can accentuate your body shape.
At the end of the day, you can absolutely ignore all of our advice and wear anything that makes YOU feel good. Dressing well does not have to be for anyone else.
It is far more important to feel good in your own skin and if that means that you don’t dress according to your body shape, that is okay.
We recommend that you find clothes that you like and make you feel good about yourself. Clothing can do a lot to improve your confidence and make you feel like a million bucks.
So head to the store and get something that you like.
If you have enjoyed this article, make sure to check out some of our other articles. We have a site full to the brim with interesting articles all about fashion and other related topics.
You are sure to find something there that will pique your interest.
Thanks for reading!
My whole life, I have always been a little bigger than my friends. I was always a bit taller, wider and just bigger built. From my late teens, I would say that I was curvy. I really struggled to find clothes that fitted me, as my hips went out, but my chest didn’t really.
I created WarningCurvesAhead.com because I wanted other women to feel the sense of empowerment I have felt since changing up my wardrobe and finding out what clothes suit my body shape, skin tone and style.
I hope that you too can join me on this journey, and start making some amazing fashion choices that celebrate your beautiful body- instead of hiding it!
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