How To Dress For Your Body Type

– By Ava, Your Personal Stylist, Colour and Style Guidance for Wise Women.

First of all let me say that it is crucial for you to know what body type you are.

To do this you can dress in a  pair of black leggings and black tight fitting T shirt or Cami top and go and take a long, good look in the mirror from all sides. Take some pics of your self or get someone else to take a pic. Then you will be able to see whether you go in and out, or are straight up and down, whether your shoulders are wider than your hips or vice versa. 

The Basic Body Types

There are two basic body types; either angular or curvy. 

If you are angular you can be square, rectangular, triangle or inverted triangle.

If you are curvy you can be Hour Glass, Apple, or Pear shaped. 

There are some basic rules to follow according to what you discover about your shape through your look in the mirror and looking at pics of yourself. 

Basic Rules for Angular Body Shapes: 

Follow the lines of your body, wear straight and symmetric or asymmetric shapes, sharp lines, pointed collars. Shoes can have pointed toes, knits can be chunky and even oversized in your angular frame.

Handbags can be square, rectangular, structured, stiff.

Basic rules for Curvy Body Shapes: 

Follow the lines of your body, wear soft tailoring draping fabrics things that enhance your curves.

Soft collars, soft necklines , rounded or almond toes in shoes, fine knits that accentuate your good points I.e. if you are hour glass this would be your waist.  Handbags can be unstructured and not too stiff. 

Use Colour;  neutrals and dark colours on the areas you want to camouflage, your best colours near your face and an accent colour to draw attention to your best features. This could be something as simple as a scarf,  a necklace or  a pair of earrings in your best colour.

Texture is important too, from chunky knits and heavier fabrics for angular body shapes to velvets and slinky fabrics for curvy shapes. 

I have mentioned scarves; yes they are good way of finishing off an outfit BUT only if they complement your shape, angular body shapes can get away with wearing the bigger chunkier scarves and if small busted can wear them down over the chest in lots of different ways.

Curvy shapes and those with a bigger bust do not suit a big scarf wrapped around their neck and down over their chest. Just because they on trend doesn’t mean you have to wear them. If you want a pop of colour to finish off an outfit try a necklace in one of your WOW colours. 

Wear it at a length that accentuates your good points, if you are wide at the shoulders and chest wear a long necklace to take the eye down, if you are small and petite you can wear it at the neck, again there are many colours and textures and they can be a dramatic simple statement on a dress or top if you stick to scale for your body shape. 

Size Matters

Make sure you clothes fit your size. Clothes that are too tight don’t look good on anyone. Don’t wear things that are too oversized, a body that is swamped in an oversized garment doesn’t look good either, remember you want to emphasise your good points not obliterate every feature you have. 

Wear good well fitting underwear

I can’t emphasise enough the importance of wearing a well fitting bra,  it can make such a difference in how you look. I personally recommend Sadie the Bra Lady. Get fitted once or twice a year and buy two or three bras.  You wear a different bra under a jumper than you would under a tailored shirt for example. When it comes to nickers wear something comfortable and not too tight there are so many lovely types now made with very fine unnoticeable fabrics. Nothing looks worse than visible panty line. And my pet hate a visible thong line so off putting. 

These are just a few basic rules without going into detail for each body shape. Have a look at celebrities that are the same shape and size as you, see what they are wearing and try some of the looks.  

Thanks for reading this I hope it has been helpful even in a small way. If you would like more information or help you can have a look at my Facebook/instagram page; Ava Personal Stylist. Or visit my website www.AvaPersonalStylist.co.uk

You can message me on Facebook or you can call me for a no obligation chat about how I can help you find your best styles and colours.

We all want to look good and I believe if you look good you feel good and this translates into confidence in other areas of your life too. Love Ava X